A method for positioning a wireless terminal, and a related device and system are provided. The method includes: obtaining, by a wireless terminal, a positioning service period and an identifier of a positioning channel from a first access point; switching, by the wireless terminal, to the positioning channel in the positioning service period; and broadcasting, by the wireless terminal, a location measurement message through the positioning channel, so that at least three access points in an access point group where the first access point is located obtain positioning measurement data after receiving the location measurement message, so as to estimate a location of the wireless terminal. Embodiments of the present invention can shorten positioning time of the wireless terminal, reduce power consumption, and improve utilization of a network wireless channel.

Currently, a wireless terminal (for example, a cell phone, and a PDA) having a wireless fidelity (Wireless Fidelity, Wi-Fi) function has been widely applied. When a subscriber is in a large shopping mall or indoor, the subscriber can determine a location of the subscriber by using a wireless terminal that has a Wi-Fi function and is carried by the subscriber.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a conventional wireless terminal (STA) positioning method. As shown in FIG. 1, the positioning method is introduced as follows: an STA first sends a positioning request message to an access point AP1, receives a measurement message returned by AP1, and possibly performs more message exchanges, aiming to obtain a transmission time T1 of a message between the STA and AP1; after completing message exchanges with AP1, the STA switches a channel and sends a positioning request message to AP2, and performs an exchange with AP2 to obtain a transmission time T2 of a message between the STA and AP2; after completing the message exchange with AP2, the STA switches a channel again and sends a positioning request message to AP3, and performs an exchange with AP3 to obtain a transmission time T3 of a message between the STA and AP3; . . . ; the rest may be deduced by analogy, and after the STA completes message exchanges with at least three APs, the STA may send T1, T2, T3 . . . to a location server, and the location server may be configured with a reference point database used to record a wireless transmission time between each sampled STA location and each AP, and therefore, the location server determines, according to T1, T2, T3 . . . sent by the STA, an STA location in the reference point database and notifies the STA, thereby realizing the positioning of the STA. The location server may also calculate the location of the STA through a triangulation positioning method after obtaining time information. The AP may also collect power information of the STA sending a location measurement message, and estimate the location of the STA by using signal intensity.
In the foregoing STA positioning method, the STA needs to perform a message exchange with each AP one by one, and sends a message in a contention-based manner. When the number of APs requiring exchanges is large and the number of subscribers is large, a long time is required for completing STA positioning once, and a large number of message exchanges consume more power of the STA.

Method for positioning wireless terminal, and related device and system


In general, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for estimating spatial content of a soundfield at a desired location, including a location that has actual sound content obstructed or distorted. According to certain aspects, the present invention aims at presenting a more natural, spatially accurate sound, for example to a user at the desired location who is wearing a helmet, mimicking the sound a user would experience if they were not wearing any headgear. Modes for enhanced spatial hearing may be applied which would include situation-dependent processing for augmented hearing. According to other aspects, the present invention aims at remotely reproducing the soundfield at a desired location with faithful reproduction of the spatial content of the soundfield.

The spatial content of the soundfield provides an important component of one's situational awareness. However, when wearing a helmet, such as when playing football or hockey, or when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, sounds are muffled and spatial cues altered. As a result, a quarterback might not hear a lineman rushing from his "blind side," or a bike rider might not hear an approaching car.
Accordingly, a need remains in the art for a solution to these problems, among others.

Method and apparatus for estimating spatial content of soundfield at desired location


Provided is a display device, including: a plurality of pixels that are provided between a first substrate and a light-transparent second substrate, the plurality of pixels each including a light-reflective first electrode, an organic layer, and a light-transparent second electrode in order from the first substrate side, the organic layer including at least a light-emission layer; a first light-shielding layer that is provided in a region between the plurality of pixels on one side of the second substrate; and a second light-shielding layer that is provided between the first light-shielding layer and the first substrate, the second light-shielding layer facing at least part of the first light-shielding layer.

The present disclosure relates to a display device that includes organic electroluminescent elements, and to an electronic apparatus that includes the display device.
As an example of a flat panel display, a display device using organic electroluminescent (EL) elements has been developed. The display device may be broadly divided into those of an upper-surface-light-emission (top-emission) type and those of a lower-surface-light-emission (bottom-emission) type.
In the display device of the top-emission type, a black matrix layer is provided between pixels of, for example, R (red), G (green), B (blue), or W (white) in order to prevent light from mixing into adjacent pixels (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-174356).


A wearable device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed herein. The wearable device, comprising a bio-signal sensor unit configured to sense a bio-signal; a storage unit configured to store data; and a processor configured to control the bio-signal sensor unit and the storage unit, wherein the processor is further configured to: generate first reference data including a weight of a first reference object and a first bio-signal being generated by holding the first reference object when the first bio-signal is detected, generate measurement data including a second bio-signal being generated by holding a measurement object, when the second bio-signal is detected, and obtain a weight of the measurement object by comparing the measurement data with the first reference data.

Field of the Invention
The present specification relates to a wearable device. And, most particularly, the present specification relates to a wearable device that can generate reference data and measurement data and that can obtain a weight of an object that is to be measured (hereinafter referred to as a "measurement object") by comparing the two different data sets.
Discussion of the Related Art
With the technical evolution, research and development of wearable devices are being accelerated. Herein, a wearable device refers to a device that can be naturally and easily worn on a user's body, such as clothing or accessories, i.e., watches, glasses, rings, and so on. Since the wearable device is being worn on the user's body, bio-signals of the user may be detected by using diverse types of sensors. Accordingly, by detecting a bio-signal, which is generated by the user's motion of holding lifting a specific object, the wearable device may estimate the weight of the corresponding object.
However, since the bio-signal corresponds to a signal that is generated in accordance with the physical movements and physical characteristics of the user, the bio-signal may be differently detected with respect to each user even in the same situation. Accordingly, even in case multiple users are each holding an object having the same weight, the respective bio-signal may be detected differently. As a result, it may be disadvantageous in that the accuracy of the weight of the held object, which is estimated by using the bio-signal, may be degraded.

Wearable device and method for controlling the same


Stresses are relieved in elongated extruded plastic members by passing electric currents through electrical conductors embedded in the reinforcing bars. The reinforcing bars are manufactured according to a pultrusion process in which 1/16 inch diameter MIG wire is introduced into a roving bundle of impregnated fibers and drawn through a curing and shaping die. The resulting product is a rigid reinforcing bar having a longitudinal wire extending its entire length. The reinforcing bars are cut to lengths corresponding to the desired lengths of the elongated members to be extruded. The elongated member is manufactured using an extrusion process in which molten plastic surrounds a plurality of reinforcing bars to form a continuously extruded member. The member is cooled, cut at the reinforcing bar joints, and prepared for electrical resistance heating. Electrical contacts are inserted into bores provided in the ends of each reinforcing bar and are placed in electrical contact with the embedded wire. An alternating current, fed from a source through an isolation transformer, passes through the embedded wires in the reinforcing bars to generate heat. The reinforcing bars are heated to a temperature in a predetermined temperature range between about 185 and 200.degree. F. and maintained at a temperature within that range for a predetermined period of time by turning on and off the power source. A temperature controller is provided for precisely controlling the rate of heating, and a modulating circuit is positioned in the supply line for modulating the electrical energy supplied to the bars. The heat generated at least partly melts the plastic surrounding the reinforcing bars, thereby relieving stresses in the elongated member. When fully stress-relieved, the elongated member is cut to final length.

Traditional marine timbers and pilings are made of steel, concrete or wood. Steel and concrete are very heavy and expensive and do not have the desired resiliency for fendering applications. Steel is especially subject to rapid corrosion in a marine environment. Wood suffers from rapid erosion and is subject to attack by marine animals which reduce its effectiveness. To prolong its useful life, wood used for marine timbers and pilings, as well as for non-marine applications such as telephone poles, railroad ties and the like, is sometimes treated with a preservative, such as creosote. However, creosote and other preservatives are detrimental to the environment. Furthermore, given the recent efforts for preservation of forests, the use of wood timbers, pilings, poles and railroad ties is not desirable.
To a great extent, marine timbers and pilings made of plastic solve the foregoing problems with respect to steel, concrete and wood marine timbers and pilings. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/862,305 filed May 23, 1997, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,650,224 and 5,658,519, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference, disclose methods and apparatus for manufacturing extruded plastic members. In the methods disclosed in the aforesaid application and patents, the continuously extruded members are reinforced with a plurality of substantially rigid bars, rods or rebars that are fed to the extrusion die continuously or in discrete lengths. The ends of each bar include joint connections for splicing the bars in end-to-end relation as described in the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/862,305 filed May 23, 1997. The molten plastic entering the die surrounds and bonds to the plurality of reinforcing bars and is then cooled so that the molten plastic, the plastic core and the reinforcing bars are formed into a monolithic elongated member having a predetermined cross-section. The extruded plastic member is then cut into predetermined lengths at the locations of the splices or joint connections so that the reinforcing bars in the extruded member are joint or splice-free.
In the resulting extruded members, the plastic shell is intended to withstand the compressive stresses, and the reinforcing bars are provided for bearing the tensile and shear stresses. It has been found that undesirable internal stresses occur during the cooling of the molten plastic, resulting in the formation of cracks and the eventual failure of the extruded member. Accordingly, there is a need for methods of and apparatus for manufacturing elongated plastic members which relieve or eliminate the thermal and shrinkage stresses that result upon cooling the molten plastic about the reinforcing members. There is a further need for methods of relieving stresses in extruded members that are compatible with existing continuous extrusion processes and apparatus and that may be implemented prior to the final cutting of the member to length.

Method of relieving stresses in extruded members having reinforcing bars


The present invention relates to an optical filter arrangement that have a cut wavelength for light passing there through. The optical filter arrangement comprises a stack of a first optical layer and a second optical layer. Further, the optical filter arrangement comprises an electro active polymer material arranged between the first and second layers such that the cut wavelength is adjusted upon application of an electrical voltage to the electro active polymer material.

Dichroic filters are a type of optical filters that sometimes are referred to as "reflective filters", "thin film filters" or "interference filters". Such dichroic filters can be made by coating a glass substrate with a series of optical coatings. These filters usually reflect an undesired portion of incident light and transmit the remainder of the incident light. A dichroic filter uses a principle of interference where layers of the dichroic filter form a sequential series of reflective cavities that resonate with the desired wave lengths, i.e. the remainder of the incident light that pass through the dichroic filter. Other wavelengths destructively cancel or reflect as the peaks and troughs of the waves overlap.
In a dichroic mirror or filter alternating layers of optical coatings with different refractive indexes are built up upon a glass substrate. The interfaces between the layers of different refractive index produce phased reflections, selectively reinforcing certain wavelengths of light and interfering with other wavelengths. By controlling the thickness and number of the layers, the frequency (wavelength) of the pass band of the filter can be tuned and made as wide or narrow as desired.
Several layer of different refractive index can be sandwiched together to obtain sharper cut of properties.
EAP (Electro Active Polymers) is a polymer material that can change size and shape in response to electrical stimulus.
There exists several types of EAP material, some of them are transparent.
An EAP material that has been used in industrial applications is Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).
PVDF is a very thin plastic film with piezoelectric properties that is transparent.
One advantage with PVDF is the possibility to create very thin layer of this material.
Other piezoelectric plastic materials exist also.
The PVDF film can be coated with a conductive transparent material like Indium tin oxide (ITO), Carbon Nano Tubes (CNT) or Graphene. When a layer of CNT is thin enough, it is transparent.
The electric equivalent shows that EAP material is purely capacitive which means that power will only be consumed at transitions and not at a steady state.
There is a need for an optical filter that improves, in low light conditions, the sensitivity of the optical filter in the Infra red (IR) spectrum. It has then been suggested to use an IR filter in front of the camera with the "notch" filter characteristics showed in FIG. 1a. The filter can also be made to move the cut of wavelength towards higher wavelength, see FIG. 1b.
The "notch" filter can block enough IR light to allow normal colour imaging while the "notch" filter also is transparent for an IR light range with a matched wavelength. This is a compromise when it comes to image quality. Normal daylight is rich in IR and a lot of undesired radiation may be incident on a sensor of a camera provided with such "notch" filter. This has a bad effect on colour reproduction.

Optical filter arrangement and a method for adjustment thereof


Embodiments are directed to obtaining a first analog signal corresponding to a position error between a commanded gang output of a plurality of electro-mechanical actuators configured to be run in parallel with one another and a measured gang output of the plurality of electro-mechanical actuators, obtaining a second analog signal corresponding to an output torque, and processing, by a circuit, the first analog signal and the second analog signal to generate and output a discrete that indicates a status of the torque in terms of direction and magnitude.

Servomechanisms or servos may be used in connection with an aircraft. For example, in fly by wire (FBW) systems an aircraft may use servos to actuate the aircraft's control surfaces.
In conventional aircraft platforms, the servos are "dumb" in the sense that they do not include processing capabilities. Control and coordination for the servos is provided via one or more highly-customized flight control computers (FCCs). The use of such FCCs tends to be expensive in terms of development and validation/certification. Furthermore, the communication or linkage between an FCC and the servos tends to be point-to-point via dedicated channels. Accordingly, the implementation tends to be "wire-intensive," which leads to an increase in terms of weight and complexity and reduced reliability and safety.

Fly by wire servos with internal loop closure


A high-voltage wiring structure in a vehicle includes an extending member extending in an extending direction which is a longitudinal direction or a width direction of the vehicle, a plurality of bulkheads respectively provided at a plurality of portions of the extending member in the extending direction, a high-voltage wire extended from a battery for driving the vehicle, and a pipe, in which the high-voltage wire is inserted, and which is surrounded by the extending member. A plurality of portions of the pipe in a longitudinal direction of the pipe are respectively fixed to the bulkheads by welding.

The invention relates to a wiring structure of a high-voltage wire in a vehicle.
In an electric motor vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, a battery for driving the vehicle serving as a power supply for a traveling motor has a relatively large volume.
Thus, to form a large space within a compartment, in many vehicles, the battery is disposed below a floor or below a baggage room in the rear portion of the vehicle, and an inverter and a traveling motor are disposed in the front or rear space of the vehicle body (see the patent document 1).
And, a high-voltage wire for supplying high-voltage power from the battery to the inverter is wired into the front or rear space of the vehicle body from below of the floor.
In this case, to protect the high-voltage wire against impacts in vehicle collision, an exclusive protection member (protector) is attached to the high-voltage wire, or there is used a high-voltage wire having such high strength as can prevent itself from being cut in collision.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-47029

High-voltage wire wiring structure in vehicle

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element, an anode-side lead terminal connected to an anode of the capacitor element, a cathode-side lead terminal connected to a cathode of the capacitor element, and an armor covering the capacitor element and having an electrical insulating property. The armor has two principal faces opposed to each other, and two side faces connecting the two principal faces and opposed to each other. The anode-side lead terminal has at least a first terminal portion exposed in one of the principal faces. The cathode-side lead terminal has at least a first terminal portion exposed in the one of the principal faces, and a second terminal portion exposed in the one of the principal faces and extending from the first terminal portion so as to be exposed in either of the two side faces. The solid electrolytic capacitor satisfies the following relation:W/G≧1.0,                 where W is a width of the second terminal portion of the cathode-side lead terminal and G is a gap between the anode-side lead terminal and the cathode-side terminal on the one of the principal faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor.
2. Related Background Art
A known solid electrolytic capacitor of this type is one having a capacitor element, an anode-side lead terminal connected to an anode of the capacitor element, a cathode-side lead terminal connected to a cathode of the capacitor element, and an armor covering the capacitor element and having an electrical insulating property (e.g., cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-32514). In the solid electrolytic capacitor described in the Laid-open No. 2006-32514, at least one of the anode-side lead terminal and the cathode-side lead terminal is exposed from a side face of the armor.


A dielectric structure, wherein two fully cured photoimageable dielectric (PID) layers of the structure are nonadhesively interfaced by a partially cured PID layer. The partially cured PID layer includes a power plane sandwiched between a first partially cured PID sheet and a second partially cured PID sheet. The fully cured PID layers each include an internal power plane, a plated via having a blind end conductively coupled to the internal power plane, and a plated via passing through the fully cured PID layer. The dielectric structure may further include a first PID film partially cured and nonadhesively coupled to one of the fully cured PID layers. The dialectric structure may further include a second PID film partially cured and nonadhesively coupled to the other fully cured PID layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a dielectric structure, and an associated method of fabrication, wherein two fully cured photoimageable dielectric (PID) layers of the structure are interfaced by a partially cured PID layer.
2. Related Art
Mechanical or laser drilling of holes in dielectric layers of a multilayer dielectric structure is expensive. Such drilling would potentially be eliminated if the dielectric layers were to include fully cured PID layers having photovias. However, a practical method of adhesively joining a pair of such fully cured PID layers is needed. Note that a PID layer is a layer that comprises PID material.
The present invention provides a method for forming a dielectric structure, comprising the steps of:
forming a first layer, wherein the first layer includes a first fully cured photoimageable dielectric (PID) material;
nonadhesively forming a sticker layer on the first layer, wherein the sticker layer includes a partially cured PID material; and
nonadhesively forming a second layer on the sticker layer, wherein the second layer includes a second fully cured PID material.
The present invention provides a method for forming a dielectric structure, comprising the steps of:
forming a first layer, wherein the first layer includes a first fully cured photoimageable dielectric (PID) material;
nonadhesively forming a sticker layer on the first layer, wherein the sticker layer includes an internal power plane sandwiched between a first sheet of a partially cured PID material and a second sheet of the partially cured PID material;
nonadhesively forming a second layer on the sticker layer, wherein the second layer includes a second fully cured PID material.
The present invention provides a dielectric structure, comprising:
a first layer having a first fully cured photoimageable dielectric (PID) material;
a second layer having a second fully cured PID material; and
a sticker layer having a partially cured PID material, wherein the sticker layer is nonadhesively sandwiched between the first layer and the second layer.
The present invention has the advantage of replacing laser-drilled or mechanically-drilled vias with photovias, which potentially reduces the costs associated with forming vias in layers of a dielectric structure.
The present invention has the advantage of allowing formation of a via with a relatively high aspect ratio (i.e., ratio of via height to via diameter). For example, a sidewall of a typical photovia makes an angle of about 10 degrees with a via axis. In contrast, a sidewall of a typical laser-drilled via makes an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees with the via axis.
The present invention has the advantage that a PID layer (i.e., a layer comprising PID material) does not include glass fibers. Conventional, non-PID dielectric layers typically contains glass fibers. A dielectric layer that includes glass fibers is susceptible to having metallic material, such as copper, growing along a glass fiber so as to form a short between two conductors touched by the glass fiber.
The present invention has the advantage of being able to utilize continuous rolls of PID material for making partially cured PID layers, which is less expensive than using conventional pre-cut panels of dielectric material.

Dielectric structure and method of formation

deceasedby Joan Cangelosi, Administrator


It is intended to provide a novel method of screening a drug with the use of a 67 kDa laminin receptor and a drug obtained thereby. A method of screening a drug having an effect on inhibiting cell proliferation, an angiogenesis inhibitory effect, an effect of inhibiting cancer cell metastasis, a neuroprotective effect, and anti-allergic effect, and anti-arteriosclerotic effect and/or an effect of inhibiting infection with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease which involves the step of qualitatively or quantitatively measuring the degree of the binding of a test compound to a 67 kDa laminin receptor, and judging that the test compound is a drug having an effect of inhibiting cell proliferation, and angiogenesis inhibitory effect, an effect of inhibiting cancer cell metastasis, a neuroprotective effect, and anti-allergic effect, and anti-arteriosclerotic effect and/or an effect of inhibiting infection with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the case where it is found out by the results of the measurement that the test compound binds to the 67 kDa laminin receptor, and a drug obtained thereby.

67 kDa laminin receptor (hereinafter it may be referred to as "67LR") is a protein of 67 kDa, which is derived from a 37 kDa precursor protein translated from mRNA that codes for 295 amino acids, through intracellular acylation polymerization of the precursor protein by a fatty acid for homo-dimerization or hetero-dimerization thereof; and only when it moves onto the surface of a cell membrane together with integlins, it functions as a laminin receptor (Biochemistry, 1995, 34: 11276-11287, T. H. Landowski et al.; J. Cell. Biochem., 1998, 69: 244-251, S. Buto et al.). It has been clarified that the 37 kDa precursor protein participates in protein synthesis as a ribosome-related protein p40 and it is the same as that reported as a multidrug resistance-related protein (MGr1-Ag) (Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 2002, 59: 1577-1583, Y. Shi et al.). From the data of its high expression in many types of cancer cells, the laminin receptor is considered to be an oncofetal antigen as an immunogen for T cells, or that is, as a general tumor-specific transplantation antigen (Anticancer Research, 1999, 19: 5535-5542, J. H. Coggin, Jr., et al.). In addition to 67LR, a dozen or so types of laminin receptors have been already reported, and of those, the relationship between 67LR and cancer is strongly suggested.
Based on detection or non-detection thereof in cancer cells, 67LR is known as an important prognostic factor in many types of cancers that indicates the degree of malignancy of human cancer patients (Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 1998, 52: 137-145, S. Menard, et al.; Clinical Cancer Research, 1997, 3: 227-231, G. Fontanini, et al.; Clinical Cancer Research, 1996, 2: 1777-1780, F. Basolo, et al.; J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 1991, 83: 29-36, V. Coice, et al.). In animal models, it is suggested that 67LR participates in proliferation, movement, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. For example, it is reported that the survival rate of 67LR-positive breast cancer patients is significantly lower than that of 67LR-negative ones. It is shown that the expression of laminin, the ligand of 67LR, has no influence on prognosis but the expression of the receptor 67LR brings about a negative result in prognosis (Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 1998, 52: 137-145, S. Menard, et al.).
Some experiments have been reported, on the basis of this information and with expectation of an antitumor effect by inhibiting 67LR expression. It is reported that a 67LR low-expression cell line constructed by introduction of an antisense RNA of 67LR into a cancer cell line shows in-vivo significant depression of tumor proliferation capability and depression of metastasis capability in mice, as compared with the original parent cell strain, and, as a result, it increases the survival rate of individual mice (British Journal of Cancer, 1999, 80: 1115-1122, K. Satoh, et al.). Further, it is reported that the 67LR low-expression cell line retards tumor neovascularization and decrease, the production of a neovascularization promotion factor, VEGF itself, as compared with the parent strain (Cancer Letters, 2000, 153: 161-168, M. Tanaka, et al.). Similarly, also in tumor metastasis experiments using an antibody for 67LR, the same effect as in the antisense experiments has been recognized (Jpn. J. Cancer Res., 1999, 90: 425-431, K. Narumi, et al.).
In the fields not relating to tumor, some reports have been made regarding the function of 67LR. It is reported that the growth of neovascularized blood vessels that are induced in ischemic animal models is inhibited by a 67LR-binding laminin-derived peptide (cysteine-aspartic acid-proline-glycine-tyrosine-isoleucine-glycine-serine-arginine) or EGF-derived peptide (cysteine-valine-isoleucine-glycine-tyrosine-serine-glycine-aspartic acid-arginine-cysteine) (Am. J. Pathol., 2002, 160: 307-313, D. Gebarowska, et al.). It is reported that eNOS expression and NO production, which are said to participate in arteriosclerosis induced by the shear force to angioendothelial cells, are inhibited by a 67LR-binding laminin-derived pentapeptide (tyrosine-isoleucine-glycine-serine-arginine) (J. Biol. Chem., 1999, 274: 15996-16002, T. Gloe, et al.).
A recent report says that 67LR acts as a receptor for a prion protein, which is considered as a cause for Creutzfelds-Jakob disease, and prion binding for internalization and further the binding and the internalization are inhibited by secretion of a membrane domain-deficient mutant 67LR (EMBO J., 2001, 20: 5863-5875, S. Gauczynski, et al.).
It is also reported that 67LR is expressed in a subset group of CD4+CD8− or CD4−CD8+ of CD45RO+/CD45RA− memory cells that are a subset of T cells, and an effect of 67LR to the immune system is suggested (J. Immunol., 1999, 163: 3430-3440, S. M. Canfield, et al.).
There are some reports relating to the expression of mRNA of 67LR. It is reported that the expression is inhibited by a cancer-inhibiting factor p53 or anticancer factors TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 1998, 251: 564-569, N. Clausse, et al.). However, there is no report relating to low-molecular compounds for 67LR which is presumed to participate in such diverse functions.
On the other hand, among catechins, epigallocatechin gallate (hereinafter this may be referred to as "EGCG") is an main ingredient of tea catechins, accounting for about 50% thereof. In addition, tea catechins include epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate and epicatechin (hereinafter these may be referred to as "EGC", "ECG" and "EC", respectively).
There is a long history that tea has been used as a drug from the past, and recently, tea has been analyzed for the relation between its efficacy and its components. Of the components, EGCG is a component discovered by A. Bradfield, et al. in 1947 (J. Chem. Soc., 1947, 32: 2249, A. E. Bradfield, et al.).
Various physiological effects of tea catechins including EGCG have been reported, for example, antioxidation, anticancer, suppression of plasma cholesterol increase, suppression of blood pressure increase, platelet aggregation inhibition, suppression of blood sugar increase, dementia prevention, antiulcer, antiinflammation, antiallergy, antibacterial, anticaries, antiviral, detoxication, enteroflora improvement, deodorization (Functions of Tea, edited by Keiichiro Muramatsu, Society Publishing Center, 2002).
Of those, there are many reports relating to anticancer effect that includes anti-mutation effect, anti-carcinogenic promotion effect, antitumor proliferation-inhibiting effect, anti-invasion/metastasis inhibiting effect, anti-neovascularization inhibiting effect. Recent reports say that EGCG inhibits DNA synthesis in leukemia cells, thereby inducing apoptosis (Int. J. Mol. Med., 2001, 7: 645-652, D. M. Smith, et al.), and that GCG inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells (J. Cell. Biochem., 2001, 82: 387-398, K. T. Kavanagh, et al.). Further, there is a report saying that EGCG inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells more strongly than that of normal cells (Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 2000, 376: 338-346, N. Ahmad, et al.).
Regarding invasion and metastasis, it is reported that catechin inhibits the invasion of high-metastatic cells in an invasion test using a matrigel, and that EGCG inhibits adhesion of cancer cells to fibronectin and laminin (Cancer Lett., 1995, 98: 27-31, M. Susuka, et al.; Cell Biol. Int., 1993, 17: 559-564, M. Isemura, et al.; Cancer Lett., 2001, 173: 15-20, Y. Suzuki, et al.).
Further, molecular-level analysis of these catechin effects has been reported recently. For example, EGCG concentration-dependently inhibits the proliferation of Her-2 antigen high-expression cells which, as suggested, may have relation to cancer. As reported, its functional mechanism would be inhibition of the downstream signal transmission through Her-2 phosphorylation inhibition (Cancer Res., 2002, 62: 652-655, S. Pianetti, et al.).
It has been reported that catechins including EGCG inhibit neovascularization which has close relationship with tumor growth. As indicated, the mechanism is that catechins inhibit the phosphorylation of VEGFR-1, a receptor for VEGF, which is a growth factor for angioendothelial cells. It is reported that this does not depend on the antioxidation and anti-radical activity of catechins (Cancer Res., 2002, 62: 381-385, S. Lamy, et al.).
Similarly, it is reported that catechins inhibit the phosphorylation of PDGF-R-beta by another growth factor, PDGF-BB in vascular smooth muscle cells, thereby inhibiting the hypertrophy of blood vessels (FASEB J., 2002, 16: 893-895, A. Sachinidis, et al.).
Further, it is reported that EGCG inhibits in-vivo neovascularization and growth of endothelial cells by EGF-2 (Nature, 1999, 389: 381, Y. Cao, et al.). There is a report saying that EGCG binds to an apoptosis-inducing Fas protein (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 2001, 285: 1102-1106, S. Hayakawa, et al.). However, it is not clarified as to whether the above-mentioned EGCG's effect could have relation to Fas, but suggesting the presence of any other factor that may interact with EGCG.
It has become clear on the molecular level that catechins have various physiological effects in addition to the antitumor effect thereof. It is reported that EGCG inhibits glucose production in hepatic cells and promotes tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and IRS-1, and is therefore effective against diabetes (J. Biol. Chem., 2002, 277: 34933-34940, M. E. Waltner-Law, et al.).
From a report indicating that, in Parkinson model mice, EGCG shows a strong neuroprotective effect (J. Biol. Chem., 2002, 277: 30574-30580, Y. Levites, et al.), EGCG is expected to inhibit many types of neuropathy. There are a report saying that the expression of Fc-epsilon RI in basophils, which is a cause for allergy, is inhibited by EGCG and its methylated derivative (J. Agric. Food Chem., 2002, 50: 5729-5734, Y. Fujimura, et al.); and a report saying that the expression of COX-2 and NO synthase-2, as induced by IL-1-beta in cartilage, is inhibited by EGCG (Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2002, 33: 1097-2002, S. Ahmed, et al.).
However, so long as the present inventors know, there is no report at all up to the present, relating to the fact that EGCG functions as a cell growth-inhibiting factor via 67LR and to the fact that 67LR may be used as a target in drug screening for low-molecular compounds having a cell growth-inhibiting effect.
(Non-Patent Reference 1)
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Method of screening drug with the use of 67 kDa laminin receptor and drug obtained thereby


A computer system includes a controller coupled to a plurality of memory modules each of which includes a memory hub and a plurality of memory devices. The memory hub includes a row cache memory that stores data as they are read from the memory devices. When the memory module is not being accessed by the controller, a sequencer in the memory module generates requests to read data from a row of memory cells. The data read responsive to the generated read requests are also stored in the row cache memory. As a result, read data in the row being accessed may be stored in the row cache memory even though the data was not previously read from the memory device responsive to a memory request from the controller.

Computer systems use memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory ("DRAM") devices, to store instructions and data that are accessed by a processor. These memory devices are normally used as system memory in a computer system. In a typical computer system, the processor communicates with the system memory through a processor bus and a memory controller. The processor issues a memory request, which includes a memory command, such as a read command, and an address designating the location from which data or instructions are to be read. The memory controller uses the command and address to generate appropriate command signals as well as row and column addresses, which are applied to the system memory. In response to the commands and addresses, data are transferred between the system memory and the processor. The memory controller is often part of a system controller, which also includes bus bridge circuitry for coupling the processor bus to an expansion bus, such as a PCI bus.
Although the operating speed of memory devices has continuously increased, this increase in operating speed has not kept pace with increases in the operating speed of processors. Even slower has been the increase in operating speed of memory controllers coupling processors to memory devices. The relatively slow speed of memory controllers and memory devices limits the data bandwidth between the processor and the memory devices.
In addition to the limited bandwidth between processors and memory devices, the performance of computer systems is also limited by latency problems that increase the time required to read data from system memory devices. More specifically, when a memory device read command is coupled to a system memory device, such as a synchronous DRAM ("SDRAM") device, the read data are output from the SDRAM device only after a delay of several clock periods. Therefore, although SDRAM devices can synchronously output burst data at a high data rate, the delay in initially providing the data can significantly slow the operating speed of a computer system using such SDRAM devices.
One approach to alleviating the memory latency problem is to use multiple memory devices coupled to the processor through a memory hub. In a memory hub architecture, a system controller or memory controller is coupled to several memory modules, each of which includes a memory hub coupled to several memory devices. The memory hub efficiently routes memory requests and responses between the controller and the memory devices. Computer systems employing this architecture can have a higher bandwidth because a processor can access one memory device while another memory device is responding to a prior memory access. For example, the processor can output write data to one of the memory devices in the system while another memory device in the system is preparing to provide read data to the processor. Although computer systems using memory hubs may provide superior performance, they nevertheless often fail to operate at optimum speed for several reasons. For example, even though memory hubs can provide computer systems with a greater memory bandwidth, they still suffer from latency problems of the type described above. More specifically, although the processor may communicate with one memory device while another memory device is preparing to transfer data, it is sometimes necessary to receive data from one memory device before the data from another memory device can be used. In the event data must be received from one memory device before data received from another memory device can be used, the latency problem continues to slow the operating speed of such computer systems.
One technique that has been used to reduce latency in memory devices is a cache memory, which stores data recently accessed from system memory. The cache memory is generally in the form of a static random access memory ("SRAM"), which has a substantially shorter access time compared to dynamic random access memory ("DRAM") typically used as system memory. Furthermore, the SRAM cache memory is generally coupled directly to the processor through a processor bus rather than through a system controller or the like as is typical with DRAM system memory. As a result of the faster speed of cache memory and the closer proximity of cache memory to the processor, the use of cache memory can greatly reduce the latency of memory read operations.
Although conventional cache memory has reduced memory access latencies in conventional computer systems, cache memory has not been used in a manner that provides optimum performance in computer systems using memory hubs. In particular, the limited storage capacity of typical cache memories compared to the vastly larger capacity of typical memory hub system memories makes cache memory of lesser value since a cache hit is less likely to occur. This problem is exacerbated by the difficulty in transferring data to cache memory that is likely to be the subject of subsequent memory requests. More specifically, it is difficult to couple the data that will subsequently be needed from all of the memory modules through the memory controller to the processor and then from the processor to the cache memory. Also, it can be difficult to maintain cache coherency in a computer system using memory hubs and a cache memory coupled to the processor through the processor bus, and it can require significant hardware resources to maintain cache coherency. Furthermore, the time required to maintain cache coherency can slow memory performance to the extent that much of the performance advantages of using cache memory can be lost.
There is therefore a need for a computer architecture that provides the advantages of a memory hub architecture and also minimize this latency problems common in such systems, thereby providing a memory devices with high bandwidth and low latency.

Memory hub and access method having internal row caching


Disclosed is an integrated measurement apparatus that may perform measurement of various material characteristics (e.g., thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, magnetic inductivity, etc.) and defects of a composite material in a non-destructive manner. The apparatus may include: a jig chamber having a door; a first jig device for measuring electrical characteristics, a second jig device for measuring magnetic characteristics, and a third jig device for measuring magnetic characteristics, the three jig devices interchangeably mounted in the jig chamber so that either the first, second, or third jig device may be used to measure a composite material sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-destructive measurement apparatus for evaluating characteristics of a composite. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-destructive measurement apparatus that may measure characteristics of a composite sample, such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and magnetic inductivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various thermal conductivity measurement methods for quantifying thermal conduction phenomenon of a composite sample have recently been suggested for use as standardized measurement methods. However, thermal conductivity values that are determined by using these various thermal conductivity measurement methods may vary significantly according to the specific measurement method used and/or the types of samples analyzed.
Due to the lack of a standardized system for visualizing thermal conduction phenomenon of an actual sample, visualization of the thermal conduction phenomenon is conventionally analyzed by the examining the effect of various variables, such as a peripheral environment, temperature, convection, humidity, an interfacial resistance between a sample and a heat source plate, the size of a sample, and a non-uniform heat transfer phenomenon from the heat source plate to the sample. Thus, conventional techniques limit the ability to analyze the thermal conduction phenomenon of a composite sample.
Standard experiments for thermal conductivity measurements include measuring thermal conductivity values of the composite sample and quantitative analysis of the resulting data. As noted above, different thermal conductivity measurement methods may provide different values for the same sample. In particular, in the case of a composite sample, thermal conductivity values may vary depending on whether the measurement was taken in a thickness direction, a lengthwise direction, or planar direction as a result of the orientation of a filler, the degree of dispersion, etc.
Most thermal conductivity measurement methods are optimized to measure thermal conductivity in the thickness direction of a sample. Thermal conductivity values in a lengthwise direction of the sample are very different according to the shape of a sample holder for testing in the lengthwise direction (or planar direction) or a method of manufacturing the sample and thus, the reliability of thermal conductivity measurement in the lengthwise direction of the sample is low.
In general, thermal conductivity of the composite sample occurs in an environment where temperature gradient exists. Thermal energy at a high temperature is transferred in the form of phonon via a crystalline lattice of the sample, and when a thermal image camera is used, thermal diffusion phenomenon of the sample may be detected as a variation in section (pixel) temperature and displayed on a display with color contrast.
However, as described above, there is no standardized system for visualizing thermal conduction phenomenon in an actual sample. Thus, there is a limitation in analyzing visualization of the thermal conduction phenomenon due to the effect of various variables, such as the effect of peripheral environment, such as temperature, convection, and humidity, an interfacial resistance between a sample and a heat source plate, the size of a sample, and a non-uniform heat transfer phenomenon from the heat source plate to the sample.
In particular, in the case of a polymer composite sample, the orientation of a filler and the degree of dispersion may vary according to a method of manufacturing the polymer composite sample. In general, in case of a sample manufactured by injection, a filler is oriented in a direction of injection, i.e., a lengthwise direction of the sample by receiving a transfer force so that the filler forms a heat transfer path in the direction of injection, and therefore the thermal conduction characteristics in the direction of injection are higher than in the thickness direction of the sample.
Thermal conduction characteristics may vary according to a number of variables such as, for example, the injection condition, crystallinity of the polymer resin, the size and shape of a filler, and/or surface characteristics of the filler. Thus, there is a need for clear analysis of thermal conduction characteristics in the lengthwise direction and the thickness direction of the sample.
Destructive measurement is generally used to analyze various characteristics of a composite. In destructive measurement, the sample is destroyed so as to check a combination state of the sample or a disconnection state of a filler or fiber. In destructive measurement, the sample is destroyed so that re-measurement or partial characteristic re-analysis is not possible. Thus, in order to overcome the limitation, non-destructive measurement should be performed.
Non-destructive measurement generally includes measurement using X-rays and neutrons. Unfortunately, the cost for non-destructive measurement is high, and it takes a long time to perform non-destructive measurement. Thus, non-destructive measurement cannot be repeatedly performed in a cost-effective manner.
In addition, electrical conductivity of a composite sample according to the conventional art is measured using an electrically connected sensor that is grounded by a user at a desired position. Unfortunately, this lowers the reliability of measurement to the requirement for manual positioning of the sensor, and if the size of the composite sample and/or the number of positions of the sample to be measured is increased, the time and manpower required for measurement is very large. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for non-destructively measuring various material characteristics, such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and magnetic inductivity.

Method and apparatus for non-destructive measurement of a composite material


A dry primer film composite that includes a release carrier film and a pigmented sandable primer layer having a dry film thickness of 100 μm or greater overlying the carrier film, wherein the primer layer is a latent heat curing material; and uses of the dry primer film composite for spot repair of a substrate in need of repair. In preferred embodiments said primer layer is formed from a coating composition comprising a binder chosen from thermosetting acrylics, GMA acrylics, urethanes, epoxies, polyester and combinations thereof.

Virtually any vehicle is subject to being damaged and requiring repair. Automobiles, commercial vehicles, boats, airplanes, and the like include various exterior and interior panels that may be damaged due to a collision, misuse, or normal wear. It is often less expensive to repair the damaged panel than to replace it. This is especially true for light damage such as scrapes, scratches, chips, mar, and small dents. For heavier damage that affects the structural integrity of the panel, replacement is usually necessary.
For repair of light damage, the spot repair procedure is well known. This repair is done through a multi-step spray painting process to create an invisible repair. Spray painting involves masking off the area to be repaired, pouring and mixing of hazardous materials, e.g., contained in primer and paint topcoats, taking time to flash between spray coats, and energy to dry and cure the final coating. Pouring, mixing, and spraying of the paint results in exposure to spills and volatile organic content (VOC) in the vapors. VOC emission, in recent years, has been restricted by environmental protection laws. Flash off and curing between coats takes time and higher energy costs have driven up the cost for repair shops to cure the paint coat.
The primer coat is especially critical for the spot repair process. It provides a barrier for the substrate for chemical, UV, and heat exposure; it provides a means to adhere the topcoat to the substrate; and it provides sufficient film build to create a smooth, even repair. Application of the primer coat can also be the most time consuming and costly step in the repair process. Depending on the depth or severity of the damage, several coats of body filler and primer-surfacer may be necessary to cover the damage for a smooth repair. This involves spraying multiple coats of primer followed by drying, curing, and sanding. The spraying must be done in a spray booth or other area with proper air circulation for removal of harmful vapor. The primer then must be room or elevated temperature dried to cure the coat so it can be sanded. Once the primer is sanded, it may be determined that another primer coat is necessary to ensure a smooth finish. These multiple steps of spraying, curing, and sanding primer generally involve moving the vehicle around to different areas in a repair shop, where each task can be safely preformed taking up time and space in the shop.
Another issue with spraying primer-surfacer (especially solvent borne primer) for spot repairs is "read through" of the OEM coatings at the junction(s) of the inter-layer(s) exposed during sanding in preparation for the repair. These junctions are vulnerable to solvent entrapment and swelling which creates a bulge that is visible over the refinish top coat. A typical spot repair is illustrated in spot A of FIG. 1. An expanded view of spot A reveals a "bulls-eye" or "contour map" surface, as shown in FIG. 2. This surface is created due to how the damaged area and the surrounding area need to be sanded in preparation for spot repair.
Referring to FIG. 2, the area around the damage is sanded to create a tapered structure so the final appearance of the repair is flush to the existing coatings. Each circle in the bulls-eye in FIG. 2 represents the exposed coating; down to the substrate in the middle and tapered out to the clearcoat on the outside. When primer-surfacer is sprayed over these exposed inter-layers a bulge or read through may not be immediately visible; however, after the primer is flashed and cured, the bulge becomes visible due to swelling at the junction of the inter-layer(s) caused by the solvents in the primer. This read through can telegraph through after the topcoat is sprayed and cured.
Hence, it is an object of the invention to improve efficiency for spot repair compared to convention spraying methods and to reduce or avoid environmental and safety problems associated with conventional primer spraying. It is another object of the invention to reduce or eliminate contour map read through of previous coatings applied during the repair procedure.

Dry primer film composite and use thereof


An improved method for concurrently programming in-system programmable logic devices (PLDs). More specifically, where within a plurality of serially connected PLDs, there are devices having different numbers of programmable memory cells, and devices whose memory cells require different wait periods to carry out programming, the method herein provides more optimum time efficiency and uses significantly less time overall for programming, erasing or reading back the PLDs. Also, the invention accommodates the implementation of retries to assure complete programming or erasing even when the initial attempt is not entirely successful. The method provides steps for accommodating PLDs with different wait times by bypassing fully programmed devices and speeding up programming times after smaller and slower devices are programmed and larger and faster devices are still not fully programmed. The method employs the step of altering the program implementation from concurrent to sequential programming to optimize retry efficiency.

IEEE Standard 1149.1 and 1a entitled IEEE Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture, published Oct. 21, 1993 by the IEEE under ISBN 1-55937-350-4 relates to circuitry that may be built into an IC device to assist in testing the device as well as testing the printed circuit board in which the device is placed. In particular, the standard provides for testing IC devices connected in series (commonly referred to as a daisy chain).
FIG. 1 shows a structure comprising three devices, controlled by four signals, a test data input signal TDI applied to the first device, a test data output signal applied by the first device to the second device and chained through the other devices, a test mode select signal TMS, and a test clock signal TCK. This structure complies with IEEE Standard 1149.1. A data output port TDO from one device is connected to the data input port TDI of the next device to create the daisy chain. All data and instructions for all devices are loaded into the data input port of the first device in the chain.
The test mode select signal TMS and the clock signal TCK control a 16-state state machine shown in FIG. 2 that is within the IC device, which meets IEEE Standard 1149.1, and controls shifting in of the data. On each rising edge of clock signal CLK, the state of test mode select signal TMS is inspected by a state machine within the IC device. (Such state machines are well known and are not discussed here.) FIG. 2 shows movement through the states based on the TMS signal at the rising edge of CLK. As shown in FIG. 2, five consecutive high (logic 1) TMS signals place the state machine into STATE 1, the Test-Logic Reset state. From there, a single low signal or a continuous low signal places the state machine into STATE 2, the Run-Test Idle state in which no action occurs but from which action can be initiated more quickly.

Method for concurrently programming or accessing a plurality of in-system-programmable logic devices


Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for video comparison using color histograms are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compare video sequences include determining a color histogram corresponding to an input video sequence based on color values of pixels sampled from a plurality of video frames of the input video sequence. Such example methods also include adjusting the color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence based on a first reference color histogram corresponding to a first reference video sequence to determine a first adjusted color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence. Such example methods further include comparing the adjusted color histogram and the first reference color histogram to determine whether the first reference video sequence matches the input video sequence.

Image processing techniques for comparing videos can have many practical applications. For example, video comparison techniques that compare an input, or test, video to one or more reference videos can be applied to the detection and identification of broadcast, on-demand and/or online media content selected for viewing by viewers, the detection and verification of advertisements presented with or otherwise accompanying broadcast, on-demand and/or online media content, the detection and verification of product placements in television programming, etc. Prior video comparison techniques include techniques that compare different videos using video and/or image signatures and techniques that perform pixel-by-pixel comparison of video frames from the different videos.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A yellow toner in which, in a spectral-distribution diagram in which the reflectance (%) is plotted as ordinate and the. wavelength (nm) as abscissa, the reflectance determined for a toner in a state of powder ranges from 15% to 20% at a wavelength of 500 nm and ranges from 75% to 80% at a wavelength of 600 nm, a cyan toner in which, in the like spectral-distribution diagram, the reflectance determined for a toner in a state of powder ranges from 30% to 35% at a wavelength of 450 nm and ranges from 35% to 40% at a wavelength of 475 nm, and a magenta toner in which, in the like spectral-distribution diagram, the reflectance determined for a toner in a state of powder ranges from 5% to 10% at a wavelength of 425 nm and ranges from 65% to 70% at a wavelength of 675 nm. These color toners each contain corresponding pigments in specific combination, and promise color reproduction which can ensure the color tones of process inks.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to color toners used in the development of electrostatic latent images or in a toner jet system. More particularly, this invention relates to a cyan toner, a magenta toner and a yellow toner which exhibit color reproduction ranges matched to overhead projector (OHP) projection tones having a high chroma and a high transparency and to color tones of process inks even when using heat-and-pressure fixing means in which any oil for preventing high-temperature offset is not used or such an oil is used in a small quantity; and a full-color image-forming method making use of these toners.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, in proposed full-color copying machines there is commonly used a method in which, using four photosensitive members and one beltlike transfer member, electrostatic latent images formed respectively on the photosensitive members are developed with a cyan toner, a magenta toner, a yellow toner and a black toner to form corresponding toner images and then a transfer medium is so transported as to be held between the photosensitive members and the beltlike transfer member to transfer the toner images in straight pass, followed by fixing to form a full-color image, and a method in which the transfer medium is wound around the surface of a cylindrical transfer member set opposite to a photosensitive member, by the aid of electrostatic force or mechanical action of a gripper or the like, and the steps of development and transfer are carried out four times, followed by fixing to form a full-color image.
As toners used in such full-color copying machines, the toners are required to be well color-mixed in the step of heat-and-pressure fixing, without damaging any color reproducibility and any transparency of overhead projector (OHP) images. Compared with ordinary toners for black-and-white copying machines, toners for full-color images may preferably make use of low-molecular-weight binder resins having sharp-melt properties. However, usually, the use of such binder resins having sharp-melt properties tends to cause a problem on high-temperature anti-offset properties because of a low self-agglomerative force of the binder resins when the toners melt in the step of heat-and-pressure fixing. In ordinary toners for black-and-white copying machines, relatively highly crystalline waxes as typified by polyethylene wax and polypropylene wax are used as release agents in order to improve high-temperature anti-offset properties. For example, these are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 52-3304 and 52-3305 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 49-065231 and 49-065232) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-52574. In the toners for full-color images, such release agents may inhibit transparency when images are projected by an OHP, because of their own high crystallizability and a difference in refractive index of the materials of PH sheets, so that the projected images may have low chroma and lightness.
To solve such a problem, toners having a specific storage elastic modulus are proposed.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 11-84716 and 8-54750 disclose toners having a specific storage elastic modulus at 180° C. or 170° C. However, as for color toners required to have both low-temperature fixing performance and high-temperature anti-offset properties, to have a good fixing performance in the heat-and-pressure fixing means in which any oil for preventing high-temperature offset is not used or such an oil is used in a small quantity, and to have a sufficient color mixing performance, the toners may have too low viscosity and also have not been satisfactory in respect of storage stability in a high-temperature environment.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-249735, 7-92737, 7-234542, 7-295298, 8-234480, 8-278662 and 10-171156 also disclose toners having specific storage elastic moduli. However, in order to attain fixing performance, storage stability and OHP transparency which are ideal for color toners, there has been room for improvement.
To solve the above problem, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-149559 and 4-107467, a method is proposed in which a nucleating agent is used in combination with a wax so as to lower the crystallizability of the wax. As also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-301853 and 5-61238, a method is proposed in which a wax having a low crystallinity is used. As waxes having a relatively good transparency and a low melting point, montan type waxes are available. The use of montan type waxes is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 1-185660, 1-185661, 1-185662, 1-185663 and 1-238672. These waxes, however, by no means satisfy all the transparency in OHP and the low-temperature fixing. performance and high-temperature anti-offset properties at the time of heat-and-pressure fixing.
Accordingly, in usual color toners, an oil such as silicone oil or fluorine oil is applied to heat fixing rollers without adding any release agent as far as possible, so as to achieve an improvement in high-temperature anti-offset properties and OHP transparency. However, fixed images thus obtained have excess oil having adhered to their surfaces. This oil may adhere to photosensitive members to cause contamination or the oil may swell fixing rollers to shorten the lifetime of the fixing rollers. In order not to cause any oil streaks on the fixed images, it is necessary to feed oil onto the fixing roller surface evenly and in a constant quantity. This tends to require fixing assemblies having a large size.
Accordingly, in the heat-and-pressure fixing means in which any oil is not used or the oil is used in a small quantity, it is long-awaited to provide a toner having kept offset from occurring and also promising superior transparency of fixed images.
Meanwhile, with an increase in cases in which color copying machines are connected to computers via controllers and used as high-grade color printers, a color management system has come to be proposed which makes color control of the whole system. As a result, specific users have come to strongly demand that the printed images produced by a color printer of an electrophotographic system are identical in tinges with the printed images produced by printing making use of process inks. Thus, there has been a demand for a cyan toner, a magenta toner and a yellow toner which have the same color tones as process inks, and for an image-forming method making use of them.
Some proposals have ever been made on pigments for cyan toners, and known various dyes and pigments exhibiting cyan chromatic color are in wide use, such as C.I. Pigment Blue 15:3, do. 15:4, C.I. Solvent Blue 25, do. 35, do. 68, do. 70 and do. 111.
Meanwhile, in the case of full-color images, colors are reproduced using three chromatic toners consisting of three-primary-color coloring materials, a yellow toner, a magenta toner and a cyan toner, or four color toners consisting of these toners and a black toner added thereto. In order to obtain images having the intended color tones, the balancing with different colors is important, and it is proposed to use the same-color pigments or dyes in combination or to use different-color pigments and/or dyes in combination in order to slightly change the color tone of the cyan toner. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-777 (Japanese Patent Application No. 47-083365) proposes the use of a cyan pigment and a yellow pigment in combination; Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-7844, the use of a cyan pigment and the same-color dye in combination; and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-280779, the use of a cyan pigment and a magenta pigment in combination.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-276163 also discloses the use of C.I. Pigment Blue 15:3 and C.I. Pigment Green 7 in combination. It, however, does not refer to any ratio of both pigments. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-5221 still also discloses the use of C.I. Pigment Blue 15:3 and C.I. Pigment Green 36 in combination. The C.I. Pigment Green 36, however, has been replaced with Br, and has had unsatisfactory charge maintenance performance and environmental stability. With regard to fixing performance, too, it has been found necessary to make further improvement. It, however, has been found that a charge control agent is limited to a metal salt of a benzilic acid derivative, and has a drawback in charging stability and fixing performance, as compared with an aromatic carboxylic acid derivative selected from an aromatic oxycarboxylic acid and an aromatic alkoxycarboxylic acid, and a metal compound of the aromatic carboxylic acid derivative, which are described in the present invention.
Some proposals have also ever been made on pigments for magenta toners. In view of superior sharpness and transparency of color and also superior light-fastness, quinacridone pigments have been in wide use.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 49-27228, 57-54954 and 1-142559 disclose a toner making use of 2,9-dimethdylquinacridone alone. This toner certainly has a superior light-fastness, but cannot be said to be a sufficiently vivid magenta toner. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-9466 discloses that a quinacridone pigment and a xanthene dye or a pigment obtained by making a xanthene dye into a lake are used in combination so as to improve the vividness of toners. This toner has not attained a sufficient vividness, and has had such a problem that it changes in color and images formed may change in color when left standing over a long time.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-154161 discloses the use of a quinacridone pigment of 0.5 μm or smaller average particle diameter in an attempt to improve the transparency of magenta toners. The transparency of toners depends on pigments, resins and how and to what extent the pigments are dispersed in resins, and any magenta toners having a high transparency have not necessarily been obtained.
Meanwhile, in the case of full-color images, colors are reproduced using three chromatic toners consisting of three-primary-color coloring materials, a yellow toner, a magenta toner and a cyan toner, or four color toners consisting of these toners and a black toner added thereto. In order to obtain images having the intended color tones, the balancing with different colors is important, and it is also attempted to slightly change the color tone of the magenta toner.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-18628 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-048250 discloses a mixture of compounds which contains two types of substituted quinacridones. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-291669 discloses the use of a mixed crystal of 2,9-dimethylquinacridone and unsubstituted quinacridone as a magenta colorant, which is proposed as a colorant having the intended hue and also aiming at an improvement in triboelectric charging performance of toners.
Its color tone has more shifted toward a tinge of yellow as a whole than the case of the use of only 2,9-dimethylquinacridone. However, it is blue-tinged as compared with the hue of magenta inks for offset printing. Thus, there have remained many points to be improved.
Nowadays, as colorants for yellow toners, a large number of colorants are known in the present technical field. For example, as dyes, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-207273 discloses C.I. Solvent Yellow 112; Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-207274, C.I. Solvent Yellow 160; and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-36275, C.I. Solvent Yellow 162. As pigments, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 50-62442 discloses a benzidine type yellow pigment; Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-87160, a monoazo type yellow pigment; and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-208662, C.I. Pigment Yellow 120, 151, 154 and 156.
However, colorants for yellow toners conventionally known have had various problems. For example, although dye type colorants commonly have superior transparency, they are inferior in light-fastness, and have a problem in storage stability of images.
Meanwhile, although the above group of pigments have light-fastness superior to that of dyes, they have still a problem in light-fastness, compared with, e.g., quinacridone pigments used for magenta toners or copper phthalocyanine pigments used for cyan toners. There has arisen such a problem that they discolor or conspicuously change in hue in a long-time light exposure test.
In addition, although yellow pigments having superior light-fastness and heat resistance are also available besides the foregoing, they have so strong hiding power as to result in an extremely low transparency, and are unsuitable for full-color image formation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-37949 refers to a disazo compound having superior light-fastness and its production process. This is a group of compounds typified by C.I. Pigment Yellow 180, which is one of azo pigments not only having superior light-fastness and heat resistance but also meeting ecological demands.
Yellow toners making use of C.I. Pigment Yellow 180 alone is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-230607, 6-266163 and 8-262799. Toners having these pigments, however, have a poor coloring power, and in addition can by no means be said to have good transparency. Thus, as their use for full-color image formation, it has been a matter of great urgency for them to be more improved.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-209017 discloses an electrophotographic toner in which, in order to solve the above problem, a pigment is made fine-particle to improve the specific surface area of the pigment to improve its transparency and coloring power. However, where the pigment classified as C.I. Pigment Yellow 180 is made fine-particle, it may insufficiently be dispersed in the binder resin included in the toner because of its unavoidably strong self-agglomerative properties. According to studies made by us, toners having pigments with poor dispersibility can hardly achieve charge stabilization and have caused problems of fog and toner scattering.
Japanese Patent No. 2632423 discloses toners produced by kneading and dispersing a group of condensation azo type yellow pigments in resins.
The above toner has achieved the sharpness and clearness of hues and also the improvement in transparency by kneading and dispersing slightly dispersible compounds in an average particle diameter of 0.2 μm or less. However, when viewed as yellow toners for forming highly minute full-color images, the level of pigment dispersibility does not still reach any aimed level. Further, in studies made by us, it is difficult to stabilize charge. Problems such as density decrease and fog have also arisen during extensive operation (running).
Meanwhile, in the case of full-color images, colors are reproduced using three chromatic toners consisting of three-primary-color coloring materials, a yellow toner, a magenta toner and a cyan toner, or four color toners consisting of these toners and a black toner added thereto. In order to obtain images having faithfully reproduced the color tones of process inks in the electrophotographic system and toner jet system, the balance with different colors is very important. Among color toners distributed at present in the market, the yellow toner has a tone most apart from the process inks in actuality. Accordingly, use in combination with a pigment or dye more yellow-tinged than conventional yellow pigments should have been proposed. However, no invention having such an object has ever been found. Also, in that case, taking into account the balancing with cyan color, the reproduction of green color becomes weak. Hence, in a sense of its compensation, use in combination with a pigment or dye more green-tinged than conventional cyan pigments should have been proposed. However, no invention having such an object has ever been found. Also, in that case, making the color tone of magenta constant certainly brings about a great improvement in the reproducibility of red color, but conversely results in a poor reproducibility of blue color. Hence, it is necessary to delicately adjust the color tone of magenta pigments, and use in combination with a pigment or dye achievable of such an object should have been proposed. However, no invention having such an object has ever been found.

Color toner, and full-color image forming method


A method and an apparatus for detection and tracking of one or more objects in land clutter, including strong clutter and low observable (LO) objects such as a humans, animals, vehicles, and small, low-flying aircraft using a non-coherent radar or the amplitude output of a coherent radar. The preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus uses an X-band, maritime, non-coherent radar and the Doppler spectra computed from the high-frequency amplitude modulations produced by the object interacting with the land-based clutter to determine the presence, velocity, and track of the object.

1.0 Field of the Invention
A method and an apparatus is described for detection and tracking of one or more objects over land in the presence of land-based clutter, including low observable (LO) objects such as a humans, animals, vehicles, or small low-flying aircraft using an non-coherent radar or the amplitude output from a coherent radar.
2.0 Brief Description of Prior Art
Wide area surveillance and persistent surveillance of an area or a facility, or the borders of a country, like the Southern Border of the United States of America, typically requires 360-degree radar coverage to detect and track people, animals with people on or alongside, vehicles, and small, low-flying aircraft/ultra-lights approaching or crossing the border with an operationally acceptable probability of detection (PD) and probability of false alarm (PFA). Detection and tracking of low observable (LO) objects or targets with a radar is usually accomplished with a coherent radar using range-Doppler or moving target indication (MTI) processing methods. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,844, Fox, et. al., teaches how a non-coherent radar can be used for surveillance applications. The method of the present invention illustrates a method and an apparatus for surveillance for use in moderate to high clutter conditions with a non-coherent radar that has similar performance to a coherent Doppler radar, and in additional, has several additional advantages in terms of reduced cost, extended range, operation on a wide range of platforms with motion that makes coherent Doppler radars unusable, more robust tracking, and detection of stationary targets.
If detection and tracking of small, slow moving land targets, such as people and vehicles, is done with a non-coherent radar, a high level of performance can be achieved in terms of PD and PFA when the radar operates under system noise or low clutter conditions. Unfortunately, such conditions do not typically exist very much of the time. The performance of non-coherent radar degrades seriously if the radar operates in moderate to high clutter conditions. In fact, detection is often not possible and the PFA can become unacceptably high. Part of the reason for this poor performance is that target is masked by land clutter and by wind clutter. The method and apparatus of the present invention allows operation in these higher clutter conditions for non-coherent radar. The method used to enhance the performance for slow-moving targets in wind clutter also work to improve the performance of coherent Doppler radars.
The method and apparatus of the present invention apply to the low-cost, non-coherent radars operating at X-band and other frequencies of similar wavelength (e.g., K-, Ku, C-, S-, and L-band). Such radars have been used for marine navigation applications for many years, but they were not used for detection and tracking of targets over land such people, animals, vehicles, and small low-flying aircraft until the method and apparatus showed that this was possible (U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,844). The amplitude/intensity data obtained from a non-coherent radar have been processed to detect targets of interest in the presence of low clutter or no clutter (i.e., system noise). In strong clutter, typically found when there are a lot of scatters in the radar coverage cells and coverage area (such as uneven and irregular terrain, trees, bushes, buildings, rocks, boulders and outcroppings), the clutter is large enough to prevent the detection of the smaller targets like people. Coherent Doppler radars, which are significantly more expensive than the non-coherent radars described herein, could exploit the movement of these weaker targets and detect them provided they had sufficient radar sensitivity (i.e., low system noise), sufficient Doppler resolution to sense the movement velocity, and robust signal processing algorithms to operate against slow-moving targets.
The method and apparatus of the present invention allows the non-coherent radar to operate under strong clutter conditions. As described above, when the radar dwell times are long enough to produce and allow the target modulations to be measured and processed appropriately, non-coherent radars can be used to detect (or track) small targets like people or ultra-lights, as well as larger targets, such as vehicles or small low-flying aircraft. The preferred method of processing is to produce a Doppler spectrum and then identify targets by their Doppler (velocity) and/or their spectral strength. However, such target modulation can also be detected by bandpassing the data into velocity bins typical of the target motion and compare the intensity (e.g., the mean or median) or intensity fluctuations (e.g., variance or standard deviation) in the bin to that of the background and/or system noise.
The method of the present invention is based on the backscattering of radar pulses broadcast by non-coherent radars, where interference effects between radar pulses scattered by the objects of interest (targets) and the surrounding clutter environment lead to the production of exploitable exoclutter signal energy. This signal energy manifests itself as high frequency amplitude modulations that are distinctive and identifying of the target type, characteristic of the target motion as well as the motion of other targets in close proximity, and exceed the amplitude of the radar response of the background clutter environment within a distinguishing frequency band. The targets are mainly ground targets, but the same method also works for low-flying aircraft and ultra-lights.
We call this phenomenon "wavefront interference Doppler (WiDop)." Wavefront interference has been applied to optics and light for determining range and velocity, but, as stated below, this phenomenon has not been identified or exploited for radar applications for detecting and tracking ground targets, especially slow-moving or small targets such as people. This phenomenon has significant applications for detecting and tracking people, vehicles, and low-flying aircraft of all types with low-cost, non-coherent radars, because it allows the non-coherent radar data to be processed into a Doppler spectrum, like the Doppler spectrum obtained with a coherent Doppler radar. The Doppler spectrum obtained with the WiDop processing gives the strength and the velocity of the target relative to the clutter or system noise, but has an ambiguity in the target direction. This ambiguity is easily resolved from the target track; it could be also be resolved with a more complex time-frequency-range algorithm.
As illustrated in Table 1, there are four general types of radars and radar processors to detect moving targets. They are (1) Moving Target Indication (MTI) processors for coherent Doppler radars (coherent MTI), (2) Doppler spectral processing for coherent Doppler radars (coherent Doppler), (3) MTI processors for noncoherent radars (non-coherent MTI), and (4) Doppler processing for noncoherent radars (non-coherent radar). Coherent radars use a phase reference produced by a stable oscillator to acquire phase and amplitude data. The coherent MTI processor identifies all moving targets by filtering out all non-Doppler shifted signals. A coherent Doppler processor produces a Doppler spectrum, which allows not only the target to be detected by the strength of the spectrum at each Doppler bin but is also capable of determining the magnitude and sign of the radial speed of the target in a similar way as done by coherent MTI and coherent Doppler radars. Unlike a coherent Doppler radar, the phase of the transmitted signal is unknown for a non-coherent radar, but in the presence of land clutter, the beating between the target and the land clutter provides a Doppler shifted target signal relative to the clutter. Thus, non-coherent MTI and non-coherent Doppler processors can be used. However, only the amplitude information is obtained; no phase information is obtained. Non-coherent Doppler is nearly identical to coherent Doppler processor except the sign of the radial speed is unknown. Non-coherent MTI processors have been used on airborne radars because the relative motion between the airborne radar and the target signal and the clutter was the same and removed as part of the MTI processing. Coherent radar, both coherent MTI and coherent Doppler systems have been and continue to be widely used. In contrast, non-coherent Doppler processor system have not been widely used, and more importantly, have not been used or demonstrated for land targets other than as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,330,647.
TABLE 1Four general types of radar and radar processorsdetecting and tracking targetsProcessorCoherent RadarNon-coherent RadarDopplerCoherent Doppler (1)Non-coherent Doppler (2)Moving TargetCoherent MTI (3)Non-coherent MTI (4)Indication (MTI)
In general, the best radar in terms of performance, everything else being equal, is a coherent radar, and the best processor considered to be a coherent Doppler processor. Thus, the best performance is (1) and the worse performance is (4). The method and apparatus of the present invention called WiDop (wave-front interference) is similar to the coherent Doppler radar and processor system, but has a number of advantages over a coherent radar in terms of cost, range, operation with platform motion, tracking, and detection of stationary targets.
Non-Coherent MTI.
Non-coherent MTI is coherent MTI without phase. It was invented very early in the history of radars. During WWII "the MIT Radiation Laboratory, set up "Project Firefly" to develop a non-coherent Airborne MTI radar (AMTI) for battlefield use. The resulting radar, the AN/APS-27," had a number of deficiencies [5]. Additional examples of non-coherent MTI implementations are the AN/TPN-19 and AN/UPS-1 radars [6-7]. Skolnick [2] explains non-coherent MTI as "externally coherent." Schleher [3] referred to "clutter referenced MTI." Skolnick [4] describes it as the "target vector beating with the clutter vector." All of the early applications were for separating aircraft from weather and ground clutter. Skolnik specifically states "the present discussion will be confined to airborne radar" since the concept does not hold well for ground targets and ground clutter discretes. In fact discrete clutter are recognized as especially difficult for non-coherent MTI.
Kretschmer et. al. [8] provide a detailed analysis of coherent vs. non-coherent MTI. Their FIGS. 1 and 3 lead to the following observations. (Note: panels a-b in FIG. 1 are switched.) The MTI performance depends on the length of the MTI canceller, the spectral width of the clutter, and whether or not the radar is coherent or non-coherent. Both coherent and non-coherent can provide very impressive gains against clutter, but coherent will generally do better. For example, with a 5-point MTI canceller the non-coherent MTI may provide a respectable 10 to 20 dB gain. Under the same conditions, coherent MTI provides an additional 5 to 10 dB gain or more. Non-coherent MTI processors are no longer used, mainly because of their poor performance relative to coherent MTI.
Non-Coherent Doppler.
Holm and Echard [9] provided a theoretical analysis of the two basic radar and two basic processor types in Table 1, including a non-coherent Doppler processor similar to WiDop. Theoretical SNR gains were provided with the conclusion that non-coherent Doppler is 10 dB better than non-coherent MTI and 3 dB less than coherent Doppler. The 3 dB difference is valid only when clutter and target are narrowband and are well separated such that the WiDop spectrum of the signal is entirely riding on receiver noise. The more general case with the target overlaps the clutter spectrum requires a more detailed analysis than performed by Holms-Echard.
Table 2 illustrates the relative difference in performance for all four radar/processor combinations based on the HolmEchard's theoretical estimate of SNR. It was assumed that non-coherent Doppler (WiDop) is arbitrarily set at an SNR of 30 dB as a reference point. It is further assumed that the SNRs are for a specific set of conditions and parameters and for simple, well separated target and clutter spectra. For real world conditions the SNR will be different and the Doppler vs MTI differences will be even more dramatic.
TABLE 2SNR for 4 general types of radars and radar processorsdetecting and tracking targetsProcessorCoherent RadarNon-coherent RadarDopplerCoherent Doppler (1)Non-coherent Doppler (2)33 db30 dBMoving TargetCoherent MTI (3)Non-coherent MTI (4)Indication (MTI)25 dB20 dB
The paper by Holm-Echard is a theoretical mathematical analysis of two general types of radars and two general types of radar processing that were performed with idealized conditions and simplified assumptions. The paper did not indicate that any of the methods were actually demonstrated or implemented operationally, nor would they work for any of a large number of different radar platforms (airborne, space, ship, vehicle, or land platforms) and/or a large number of different types of targets (space, airborne, land, or ocean targets). In fact, at the time of the paper (1982), non-coherent Doppler processing was not being used and had not been applied to land targets. This is still true today except for the method and apparatus of the present invention. In fact, coherent Doppler processors were the main radar system being used for target detection problems, including and especially land targets.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus to detect and track low observable land objects such as a humans, vehicles, and small low-flying aircraft in the presence of land clutter, particularly those objects moving at low velocities relative to the radar look angle, using an non-coherent radar or the amplitude output of a coherent radar. WiDop exploits the beating phenomenon that occurs between a moving object and the land clutter. As stated above, this phenomenology was identified for non-coherent radars over 50 years ago for airborne radars, but it has never been applied to low observable land targets. In fact, the approach was confined for use on only airborne radars, because Skolnik concluded that the concept does not hold well for ground targets and ground clutter discretes. The approach was called non-coherent radar MTI, which found application on airborne radar systems for detecting and tracking aircraft, because it has the advantage that the airplane speed is automatically removed because the clutter and the target have the same phase reference. The method and apparatus of the present invention does not use MTI methods. It utilizes range-Doppler processing methods.
There are many reasons why this phenomenology has not been exploited using non-coherent radars for land targets, particularly small and slow moving targets like people. With the advent of coherent Doppler radars near the end of World War II and the high performance achieved with these radars for land targets, which is much higher than for non-coherent radars, there has been no motivation to develop a WiDop system for land targets.
An important motivation for the present invention is cost, because of the need for a large number of such radars for persistent and border surveillance applications for defense, intelligence, and homeland security applications. However, there are other important advantages besides cost that make the use of non-coherent radars very attractive. First, using WiDop, a non-coherent radar can be made to perform nearly as well as a coherent radar, but a non-coherent radar can operate at longer ranges because of its higher operating power, track better because of its high sample rate, detect stationary targets, which is not possible with a coherent Doppler radar, and operate on platforms without the adverse affects of platform motion. This latter advantage is particularly important, because the non-coherent radar using WiDop is immune to mechanical motion and phase instabilities that have made many of the coherent Doppler radars completely unusable on tower and aerostats because they have not implemented motion compensation. It is also important to note, that without the use of WiDop described herein, non-coherent radars will not perform well. This patent demonstrates with field data that the phenomenology will work for the proposed land objects and suggests some methods to significantly enhance WiDop. The method of WiDop is critical to the performance of non-coherent radars for detection and tracking of targets in clutter.

Detection of low observable objects in clutter using non-coherent radars