The present invention relates to a promoter for regulating expression of foreign genes in transgenic organisms, which comprises a promoter having the identifying characteristics of a promoter having a sequence selected from the group consisting of sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS:1 to 3 and functional fragments or derivatives thereof, wherein said promoter is adapted to be operationally located with respect to said foreign gene for expression of said gene.

(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a promoter for regulating expression of foreign genes in a transgenic organism, more specifically in a leaf-specific manner in transgenic plants.
(b) Description of Prior Art
Genetic transformation of microbes have been used for more than 15 years to produce useful recombinant molecules, and applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmaceutical and dermaceutical industries are being currently exploited. This technology has expanded from microbes to plants and animals in the last ten years with the development of techniques required to adapt this general concept to complex eukaryotic organisms. Basically a gene encoding for a protein of interest or a gene encoding for an enzyme responsible for a modification of a metabolic pathway that leads to a molecule of interest, is linked in an appropriate fashion to cis- and trans-acting regulatory sequences, and transferred to a target cell where it is incorporated in the molecular machinery (in a transitory or stable fashion). The transgenic cell, or a tissue or organism regenerated from the transgenic cell will then perform transcription and translation of the transgene and therefore be enabled to accumulate the protein of interest or to perform the new metabolic reaction through the activity of the enzyme of interest.
The emerging industry of molecular farming is one of the most promising industry of the coming century. Its promise is to provide safe and renewable molecule factories for the industry. Among the applications that are currently developed are the production of low-cost monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic and diagnostic uses, the production of unlimited amounts of hormones, cytokines and other bio-active molecules for the treatment of chronicle or lethal diseases, the production of bio-safe substitutes for various blood components, the production of unlimited amounts of processing enzymes for the food and pulp industry, the production of low-cost enzymes for waste treatments, and the production of safe bio-active molecules for the cosmetic industry.
Limitations to the application of this technology has often come from the inability of transgenic organisms to accumulate adequate amounts of the recombinant product, as a result of low transcription rates, improper splicing of the messenger, instability of the foreign mRNA, poor translation rates, hyper-susceptibility of the recombinant protein to the action of endogenous proteases or hyper-susceptibility of the recombinant organism to the foreign protein which result in improper and limited growth or in the worst cases, in strong deleterious effects to the host organism. Inadequacy of production level has a direct impact on the development of applications when profit margins are narrow, or when treatment and/or disposal of residual matter causes bio-safety or environmental problems. Improvement of the accumulation level of the desired recombinant product thus appears to be one critical factor that warrants commercialization of many applications of molecular farming.
Photosynthesis is a metabolic reaction of paramount importance in the living world. It is performed by most land plants and algae, and by some bacteria. This overall reaction involves a complex assembly of electron transfer proteins spatially arranged within the thylakoid membrane system located in the chloroplast of leaf cells. This electron transport chain is coupled at one end with the photosynthetic antennae, which comprise a variety of macro-molecules, including one molecule common to all photosynthetic organism, chlorophyll, and at the other end, to the enzymes involved in NADPH and ATP synthesis, and to the Calvin cycle, involved in coupling the release of energy from NADPH and ATP with the fixation of gaseous carbon dioxide into organic molecules. Among the proteins involved in the overall photosynthetic reaction, one, Ribulose biphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco), is the most abundant protein on earth.
Photosynthesis is thus what leaf cells are dedicated to perform, and there is an obvious interest to use promoters of genes involved in such prominent tissue-specific metabolic activity when building strong leaf-specific expression cassettes for applications in plant biotechnology.
Many of the peptidic constituents of the photosynthetic apparatus are encoded by genes present in the chloroplastic genome; as an example, the heavy subunit of Rubisco, which bears the catalytic sites for CO2 fixation, is encoded by a chloroplastic gene. However, the small subunit of this enzyme is encoded by a nuclear gene, and thus the Rubisco holo-protein is made of subunits encoded by two different genomes. For obvious reasons, there has been a great interest in trying to use Rubisco promoters to control transcription of transgenes in leaves of transgenic plants. The promoter has been extensively characterized and its use in expression vectors is protected by U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,028.
It would be highly desirable to be provided with a promoter for regulating expression of foreign genes in a transgenic organism, more specifically in transgenic plants.

Promoter for regulating expression of foreign genes


In one embodiment, a first set of inputs which describe aspects of a device may be received. A second set of inputs may be automatically provided for a group of assessments, included in an analysis, based on the first set of inputs and information in at least one database. An analysis may be performed based on the second set of inputs to assess the reliability of the device. A report may be generated based on the performed analysis.

Assessment tools exist for performing a reliability assessment with respect to mechanical, electrical, thermal and manufacturing aspects of an electronic or electrical product. Typically, the existing assessment tools were developed for use by large U.S. manufacturers who designed and manufactured their own products. Many of the existing tools are bundled with design software and are complex to use. For example, a person with knowledge and skill to use one of the above-mentioned tools may not have the knowledge and skill to use others of the existing tools. Further, many of the existing tools are time consuming to execute. For example, results of executing some of the existing tools may not be available for weeks.
Today, U.S. companies market and sell many products, however, the actual product design may be outsourced. If a company accepts a product design, which later is discovered to be defective, the company's reputation will suffer in the marketplace and the company's profitability will ultimately be adversely affected. Therefore, companies need to have a way to assess the reliability of product designs before manufacturing and selling products. Further, companies need to have a way to perform reliability assessment of product designs in a timely manner and without the need for personnel with specialized backgrounds to perform the reliability assessment.


A pixel includes an organic light emitting diode, a first transistor coupled to a scan line and a data line, the first transistor being configured to receive a data signal via the data line when a scan signal is supplied to the scan line, a storage capacitor configured to store voltage corresponding to the data signal received by the first transistor, a second transistor configured to control an electric current from the first power source to the second power source via the organic light emitting diode with respect to the voltage stored in the storage capacitor, and compensation unit configured to adjust voltage at a gate electrode of the second transistor, the voltage adjustment being sufficient to compensate for a deterioration degree of the organic light emitting diode.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pixel, an organic light emitting display device including the same, and a driving method thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a pixel capable of compensating for reduced luminance of a light emitting diode thereof, an organic light emitting display device including the same, and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, flat panel displays, e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electroluminescent (EL) display, and so forth, may have reduced weight and volume as compared to a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. For example, the EL display, e.g., an organic light emitting display device, may include a plurality of pixels, and each pixel may have a light emitting diode (LED). Each LED may include a light emitting layer emitting red (R), green (G), or blue (B) light triggered by combination of electrons and holes therein, so the pixel may emit a corresponding light to form images. Such an EL display may have rapid response time and low power consumption.
The conventional pixel of the EL display may be driven by a driving circuit configured to receive data and scan signals, and to control light emission from its LED with respect to the data signals. More specifically, an anode of the LED may be coupled to the driving circuit and a first power source, and a cathode of the LED may be coupled to a second power source. Accordingly, the LED may generate light having a predetermined luminance with respect to current flowing therethrough, while the current may be controlled by the driving circuit according to the data signal.
However, the material of the light emitting layer of the conventional LED, e.g., organic material, may deteriorate over time as a result of, e.g., contact with moisture, oxygen, and so forth, thereby reducing current/voltage characteristics of the LED and, consequently, deteriorating luminance of the LED. Further, each conventional LED may deteriorate at a different rate with respect to a composition of its light emitting layer, i.e., type of material used to emit different colors of light, thereby causing non-uniform luminance. Inadequate luminance, i.e., deteriorated and/or non-uniform, of the LEDs may decrease display characteristics of the EL display device, and may reduce its lifespan and efficiency.

Pixel, organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof


The invention relates to a prefabricated radio-opaque dental prosthetic member made of a composite material that comprises fibers embedded in a resin, said resin containing at least one radio-opaque component, characterized in that the radio-opaque component consists of nanoparticles having a size lower than 50 nm in order to transmit a portion or the totality of the wavelengths ranging from 400 to 600 nm of an incident radiation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a radio-opaque dental prosthetic member consisting of a composite material comprising longitudinal fibres such as glass fibres or quartz fibres embedded in a resin matrix.
In the rest of the description, the expression "prosthetic member" means a prefabricated composite material comprising longitudinal fibres embedded in a resin matrix for use in dentistry and in particular a dental post, an intradental post, a bridge reinforcement and preform for CAPC suitable for adhesion using a photopolymerizable or dual cement.
The invention is described more particularly in relation to dental posts made from composite material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dental posts are used for the reconstruction of pulpless teeth. Two types of post are distinguished, respectively metal or ceramic posts, and composite posts.
Metal posts are generally made from stainless steel. They have the drawback of being subject to corrosion. Moreover, they have a different transverse elastic modulus from that of dentine, ultimately giving rise to detachment of the post.
To solve these problems, posts made from composite material have been proposed such as those described in particular in document EP-A-0 432 001 of the Applicant. These posts consist in practice of long fibres, of glass or carbon, embedded in a biocompatible thermoset resin matrix.
The essential drawback of the posts described in this document is that they are not radio-opaque to X-rays, making it difficult to locate them accurately at the time of their implant, but also in case of accidental ingestion.
To solve the problem of radio-opacity, document EP-A-0 793 474 proposes incorporating fillers based on metal oxide in the matrix, for example zirconium oxide. These fillers generally consist of micron-sized particles which effectively confer radio-opacity to the post, but which often form therewith aggregates generally having a size between 1 and 5 μm, increasing the viscosity of the resin and making its application difficult. Moreover, the volume occupied by the fillers represents a volume that is no longer available for the reinforcing fibres, commensurately decreasing the mechanical properties of the final material, mechanical properties which are nevertheless essential for the prosthetic members of the invention. Furthermore, the particles, the aggregates or their defects have comparable dimensions to the wavelengths of visible radiation. The light radiation issuing from the lamp for photopolymerization is therefore scattered when passing through the post, whose transparency to visible radiation is low. Furthermore, the non-uniform distribution of the aggregates in the post affects its aesthetic character.
Document FR-A-2 874 498 describes dental blocking members of composite material said to be transparent to light rays and comprising a matrix reinforced with fibres and containing radio-opaque particles, having a size close to a quarter of the wavelength of an incident radiation emitted by a photopolymerization lamp. In practice, the size of the radio-opaque particles is between 95 and 200 nm when the incident radiation wavelength is between 380 and 800 nm. Nothing is indicated concerning the usable types of radio-opaque particles. In fact, if for example zirconium oxide is used, a well-known radio-opaque component mentioned in document EP-A-0 793 474, having a size of about 100 nm, the incident radiation is not transmitted. Furthermore, even if the particle size is much lower than that of the metal oxides used in document EP-A-0 793 474, aggregates are still formed, and their presence in the matrix causes the same drawbacks as discussed above.
Document EP 1 227 781 A1 describes fibreless dental materials, and in particular cements and adhesives comprising a high proportion of silica nanoparticles (at least 40% by weight of the material), thereby providing a reasonably transparent material having satisfactory Theological properties in the uncrosslinked state (making the material easy to handle by the practitioner) and hard in the crosslinked state. The material may also contain radio-opaque heavy metal oxides, having a size close to 60 nm, whereof the surface is treated chemically to permit their absorption in the said material.

Societe de Recherches Techniques Dentaires-R.T.D.


An object of the present invention is to provide a radiation temperature measuring device capable of preventing reduction in the accuracy of temperature measurement due to an electromagnetic wave reflected by a measurement target. A radiation temperature measuring device includes a reflective polarizing plate configured to reflect a polarized wave of one direction in an electromagnetic wave radiated from an object to be measured and transmit or absorb a polarized wave of a direction perpendicular to the one direction and an infrared sensor configured to detect the polarized electromagnetic wave of the one direction reflected by the reflective polarizing plate.

Conventionally, there are known temperature measuring devices that contactlessly measure the temperature of a target by using an infrared sensor. Examples of applied products of the devices include radiation thermometers (contactless thermometers) and thermography (infrared cameras). Such temperature measuring devices utilize a principle that electromagnetic wave energy radiated from a target is determined only by the temperature of the target. In other words, using an infrared sensor enables measurement of the radiated energy in an infrared wavelength band that occupies a major part of the electromagnetic wave energy radiated from the target. The temperature of the target is calculated from a measured value of the radiated energy. The calculation of the temperature of the target uses, for example, Stefan-Boltzmann's Law of black body radiation or the like.
Technically, however, calculation using black body radiation is applicable only to objects with an emissivity of 1 (100%). Among actual targets, there is no object with the emissivity of 1, and reflectance is always non-zero. In the examples of the applied products such as radiation thermometers, correction, which is generally called emissivity correction, is performed to correct reflection on a target. To specifically explain the emissivity correction by using numerical values, when an object has a reflectance of 5%, its emissivity is 95%. Then, only 95% of electromagnetic wave energy is measured, although originally 100% thereof should be measurable. Thus, correction is made by multiplying by a reciprocal of the ratio.
A problem still remains in this method. The problem is that since the reflectance of an actual target is not zero, an electromagnetic wave reflected by a surface of the target reaches the infrared sensor and the applied product. Naturally, a reflected component of the electromagnetic wave is also involved in measurement by the infrared sensor, as a result of which a measured portion based on the reflected component appears as an error. In other words, the above-described emissivity correction can be used only under conditions where there is no (zero) original light source reflected by an object.


The invention is directed to compounds and methods of synthesizing hydroxyethylamino amides and their use in treatment of aspartyl protease mediated diseases and conditions.

The present invention is directed to synthetic routes to prepare aspartic protease inhibitors and in particular, hydroxyethyl amine inhibitors. The present invention is also directed to synthetic intermediates along those routes, and to the inhibitors, themselves. The use of parallel synthetic sequences to prepare focused chemical libraries directed toward a specific protein family, when leveraged by a suitably broad synthetic method, is a highly valuable approach for hit generation in drug discovery because a hit to any member of that protein family may be identified and the speed in which analogs may be prepared in a subsequent hit to lead program is substantially increased.
The aspartyl protease family includes: HIV protease, cathepsins, β-secretase, renin, and plasmepsin. A number of native and enzyme-inhibitor crystal structures have been solved for the above aspartic proteases. A key structural element in most inhibitors is a hydroxyl or hydroxyl like moiety that binds to the catalytically active aspartic acids in the enzyme active site. Work toward the development of mechanism pathway inhibitors for this family of enzymes has resulted in the identification of a number of transition-state analogue units, which are effective for inhibiting aspartic proteases.
Two of the most useful of these transition-state analogue units are the hydroxyethylene and hydroxyethylamine units; the later isostere has been employed extensively in agents for the treatment of AIDS and are currently used in clinical practice (Lebon, F.; Ledecq, M. Curr. Med. Chem. 2000, 7, 455-477).
Other solid-phase and/or parallel approaches to synthesis of hydroxyethyl amines have been described. Tamamura, H. et al., Org. Biomol. Chem. 2003, 1, 2468-2473 describe a solid phase synthesis of hydroxyethylamine dipeptide isosteres but do not describe or suggest the methods or compounds of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,416 to Kick et al. describes hydroxyethylamine compounds that bind cathepsin D, but does not describe or suggest the methods or compounds of the present invention. Kick, E. K.; Ellman, J. A. J. Med. Chem. 1995, 38, 1427-1430 describe the solid phase synthesis of hydroxyethylamino aspartyl protease inhibitors, but does not describe or suggest the methods or compounds of the present invention. Baker, C. T. et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 1998, 8, 3631-3636 also describe the solid phase synthesis of hydroxyethylamino aspartyl protease inhibitors, but does not describe or suggest the methods or compounds of the present invention. Chino, M. et al., Tetrahedron 2002, 58, 6305-6310 also describe the solid phase synthesis of hydroxyethylamino aspartyl protease inhibitors, but does not describe or suggest the methods or compounds of the present invention. None of these prior approaches provides as flexible or efficient a means of synthesizing hydroxyethyl amines as does the present invention
Dörner, B. et al. (Bioorg. Med. Chem. 1996, 4, 709-715) describe a solid-phase synthetic method for generating alkylated amides using nine successive cycles exposing a support-bound amide to lithium tert-butoxide followed by quenching with electrophile. Such a method, however, cannot provide the epoxyalkyl intermediates useful in the present invention in practical yields.
Thus, a solid phase method has been developed to generate hydroxyethylamino amides, a known aspartyl protease isostere. We have preformed the eight step sequence and obtained the resulting hydroxyethylamino amides in good yield without the need for rigorous exclusion of water or oxygen. The procedure draws on large reagent pools: carboxylic acids, 1° amines, and aldehydes; which results in a virtual library of over 1 trillion compounds. In addition, we have developed a general method for the monoalkylation of Rink type resins.

Method of producing highly functionalized 1,3-diamino-propan-2-ols from solid support


A gated resonant tunneling diode (GRTD) is disclosed including a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gate over a gate dielectric layer which is biased to form an inversion layer between two barrier regions, resulting in a quantum well less than 15 nanometers wide. Source and drain regions adjacent to the barrier regions control current flow in and out of the quantum well. The GRTD may be integrated in CMOS ICs as a quantum dot or a quantum wire device. The GRTD may be operated in a negative conductance mode, in a charge pump mode and in a radiative emission mode.

Resonant tunneling diodes, which are typically based on quantum wells, provide several desirable modes of operation for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs), including negative resistance, precision charge pumping and radiative emission. Integrating quantum well resonant tunneling diodes in silicon integrated circuits which allow operation at room temperature has been problematic.

Gated quantum resonant tunneling diode using CMOS transistor with modified pocket and LDD implants


A circuit is disclosed that includes a plurality of voltage control circuits and a control module. Each of the voltage control circuits is controlled by a control signal. The control module is configured to generate the control signal and to determine a voltage level or a pulse width of the control signal in accordance with a current process corner condition of the voltage control circuits and at least one of first predetermined data and second predetermined data.

In nano-scale process of semiconductor devices, power consumption sharply increases due to leakage current. In order to reduce the leakage current, a technique referred to as power gating is used. Power gating is used to supply power to a circuit in a chip when the circuit is in operation and to cut off power supplied to the circuit when the circuit is not in operation, and thus the leakage current of the circuit can be reduced.

Post-silicon tuning in voltage control of semiconductor integrated circuits

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


Methods and apparatuses for sampling fluid from a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore are provided. The subterranean formation has clean formation fluid therein, and the wellbore has a contaminated fluid therein extending into an invaded zone about the wellbore. A shaft is extended from a housing and positioned in a perforation in a sidewall of the wellbore. At least one flowline extends through the shaft and into the housing. The flowline(s) are adapted to receive downhole fluids through the perforation. At least one fluid restrictor, such as a packer, injection fluid or flow inhibitor, may be used to isolate at least a portion of the perforation whereby contaminated fluid is prevented from entering the isolated portion of the perforation. At least one pump selectively draws fluid into the flowline(s).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the evaluation of a subterranean formation. In particular, the present invention relates to sampling fluid from a subterranean formation via a downhole tool positioned in a wellbore.
2. Description of the Related Art
The collection and sampling of underground fluids contained in subterranean formations is well known. In the petroleum exploration and recovery industries, for example, samples of formation fluids are collected and analyzed for various purposes, such as to determine the existence, composition and producibility of subterranean hydrocarbon fluid reservoirs. This aspect of the exploration and recovery process can be crucial in developing exploitation strategies and impacts significant financial expenditures and savings.
To conduct valid fluid analysis, the formation fluid obtained from the subterranean formation should possess sufficient purity, or be "virgin" or "clean" fluid, to adequately represent the fluid contained in the formation. In other words, the subterranean fluid is pure, pristine, connate, uncontaminated or otherwise considered in the fluid sampling and analysis field to be sufficiently or acceptably representative of a given formation for valid hydrocarbon sampling and/or evaluation.
Various challenges may arise in the process of obtaining clean fluid from subterranean formations. Again with reference to the petroleum-related industries, for example, the earth around the borehole from which fluid samples are sought typically contains contaminates, such as filtrate from the mud utilized in drilling the borehole. This so-called "contaminated fluid" often contaminates the clean fluid as it passes through the borehole, resulting in fluid that is generally unacceptable for hydrocarbon fluid sampling and/or evaluation. Because formation fluid passes through the borehole, mudcake, cement and/or other layers during the sampling process, it is often difficult to avoid contamination of the fluid sample as it flows from the formation and into a downhole tool. A challenge thus lies in minimizing the contamination of the clean fluid during fluid extraction from the formation.
FIG. 1 depicts a subterranean formation 3 penetrated by a wellbore 4. A layer of mud cake 5 lines a sidewall 7 of the wellbore 4. Due to invasion of mud filtrate into the formation during drilling, the wellbore is surrounded by a layer known as the invaded zone 9 containing contaminated fluid that may or may not be mixed with clean fluid. Beyond the sidewall of the wellbore and surrounding contaminated fluid, clean fluid is located in a portion of the formation 6 referred to as the connate fluid zone 8. As shown in FIG. 1, contaminates tend to be located near the wellbore wall in the invaded zone 9. Clean fluid tends to be located past the invaded zone and in the connate fluid zone 8.
FIG. 2 shows the typical flow patterns of the formation fluid as it passes from subterranean formation 3 into a downhole tool 1. Examples of a downhole sampling tool are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,860,581 and 4,936,139, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The downhole tool 1 is positioned adjacent the formation and a probe 2 is extended from the downhole tool through the mudcake 5 to the sidewall 7 of the wellbore 4. The probe 2 is placed in fluid communication with the formation 3 so that formation fluid may be passed into the downhole tool 1. Initially, as shown in FIG. 1, the invaded zone 9 surrounds the sidewall 7 and contains contamination. As fluid initially passes into the probe 2, the contaminated fluid from the invaded zone 9 is drawn into the probe with the fluid thereby generating fluid unsuitable for sampling. However, as shown in FIG. 2, after a certain amount of fluid passes through the probe 2, the clean fluid breaks through and begins entering the probe. In other words, a portion of the fluid flowing into the probe gives way to the clean fluid, while at least a portion of the remaining portion of the fluid may be contaminated fluid from the invaded zone. The challenge remains in capturing the clean fluid in the downhole tool without contamination.
Various methods and devices have been proposed for obtaining subterranean fluids for sampling and evaluation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,557 to Ciglenec et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,822 to Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,152 to Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,799 to Davis and International Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 96/30628 have developed certain probes and related techniques to improve sampling. Other techniques have been developed to separate clean fluids during sampling. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,959 to Hrametz et al. discloses a sampling probe with two hydraulic lines to recover formation fluids from two zones in the borehole. Borehole fluids are drawn into a guard zone separate from fluids drawn into a probe zone. Despite such advances in sampling, there remains a need to develop techniques for fluid sampling to optimize the quality of the sample and efficiency of the sampling process.
Various techniques have also been employed for perforating the sidewall of a wellbore and sampling therethrough. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,565 assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses techniques for perforating the sidewall of a cased wellbore using a downhole tool with a flexible drilling shaft. Other techniques, such as those in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,588 assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose the use of punching mechanisms, explosive devices and/or other tools for creating a perforation into the sidewall of a wellbore for sampling. While these techniques provide the ability to create perforations into the sidewall of the wellbore, there remains a need to sample clean fluid through the perforation.
In considering existing technology for the collection of subterranean fluids for sampling and evaluation, it is desirable to have a downhole sampling tool capable of providing one or more, among others, of the following attributes: the ability to sample with reduced contamination, selectively collect clean fluid apart from contaminated fluid, optimize the quantity of clean fluid captured, reduce the amount of time it takes to obtain clean formation samples, reduce the likelihood of contamination from fluids in the invaded zone and/or wellbore and improve the quality of clean fluid extracted from the formation for sampling. To this end, the present invention is provided.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Downhole sampling tool and method for using same


A method for producing phenol and acetone in a multi-stage process at an elevated temperature from a cumene hydroperoxide mixture comprising cumene, the method comprising the steps of a) reacting the cumene hydroperoxide mixture with a 2-hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid catalyst having a concentration of 0.1 to 1 mmol/L acid catalyst to form a second mixture comprising phenol, acetone and dicumyl peroxide in a first stage and decomposing the second mixture in a second stage to produce a third mixture comprising phenol and acetone.

The present invention relates to the field of industrial organic synthesis, particularly to the production of phenol and acetone by the cumene method.
A known method for the production of phenol and acetone by the oxidation of cumene with atmospheric oxygen, followed by the acid-catalyzed decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide, makes it possible to obtain both target products (acetone and phenol) at a high yield (Khruzhalov B. D., Golovanenko B. N., Co-production of phenol and acetone, Moscow, GosKhimIzdat, 1964). This method is practiced widely in the production of these products, and is the main method used globally.
Sulfuric acid is used as a catalyst for decomposing cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) at operating plants where phenol and acetone are produced by the cumene method. A method is known for decomposing cumene hydroperoxide by using phenol-2,4-disulfonic acid (also known as 4-hydroxybenzene-1,3-disulfonic acid) (Russian Authors' Certificate No. 213892). The decomposition process is performed in one stage at a catalyst concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 wt % and a temperature of 50° C. This method makes it possible to reduce the formation of phenolic resins (also referred to as "heavies"). However, this reduction is not significant in comparison with the two- to three-fold reduction in the phenolic resin yield levels attained by other known methods, which are further described below.
There are known methods for producing phenol and acetone in which, in order to reduce the yield of phenolic resins, cumene oxidation products containing cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), cumene, and dimethylphenylcarbinol (DMPC, also referred to as dimethylbenzyl alcohol (DMBA)) are cleaved in two stages in the presence of sulfuric acid. The first stage involves decomposition of most (97 to 99%) of CHP and synthesis of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) from DMPC and CHP at 55 to 80° C. The second stage involves adding acetone to the resulting reaction mixture containing phenol, acetone, DMPC, and DCP at a temperature of 80 to 120° C. The acetone is added in an amount equal to 1.5 to 1.8 times its initial concentration. This process is accompanied by the cleavage of the DCP formed in the first stage, decomposition of the residual CHP, and dehydration of the residual DMPC (Russian Patent Nos. 2,068,404 and 2,121,477).
The aforementioned methods for decomposing CHP in two stages make it possible to markedly reduce the amount of byproducts in comparison with the one-stage decomposition (resin yield: 25 kg/t of phenol). At the same time, the amount of the hydroxyacetone (HA) byproduct remains high in these improved two stage processes (for example, more than 1000 ppm).
Hydroxyacetone is a source of 2-methylbenzofuran, which is difficult to separate from phenol and which has an adverse effect on the color indexes of products made from impure commercial-grade phenol. Hydroxyacetone can be removed from phenol, for example, by an alkaline treatment, but this makes the technology of the process more complicated (Vasilieva I. I., Zakoshansky V. M., Collection of articles titled "Petrochemical and Oil Refining Processes," SPb, Giord, 2005, pp. 89-154, 344). Moreover, the existing phenol purification technology requires 1.3 to 2.5 kg/kg of phenol (the molar ratio is from 1:1 to 1:2) to be used in the reaction with hydroxyacetone.
A method is known for decomposing CHP in two stages (Russian Patent No 2,142,932, U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,483). This CHP decomposition process is carried out in three serially arranged mixing reactors in the first stage, and a displacement reactor in the second stage. The CHP is decomposed in the first stage under conditions close to isothermal (that is, at a temperature of 47 to 50° C. and a concentration of 0.018 to 0.020 mass % for the sulfuric acid catalyst), while the reaction mass is additionally diluted with acetone in an amount equal to 5 to 8 mass % relative to the amount of supplied CHP. Almost all of the CHP reacts in the process, and DCP forms from part of CHP and DMPC.
The process in the second stage is carried out while the sulfuric acid is partially neutralized with ammonia, forming ammonium hydrosulfate at a temperature of 120 to 140° C., and while some water is added. The concentration of sulfuric acid is 0.009 to 0.010 mass %. The CHP and DCP are decomposed in a reaction medium containing phenol and acetone, both of which are formed from the CHP. Additional acetone may optionally be added to the reactor if desired.
A method is known for decomposing technical-grade CHP in serially connected reactors in two stages so that the CHP is partially decomposed and dicumyl peroxide is formed in the first stage at a temperature of 40 to 65° C. in the presence of 0.003 to 0.015 mass % of sulfuric acid as a catalyst, followed by the decomposition of CHP and DCP in the second stage at a temperature of 90 to 140° C. The process is performed using excess phenol in the reaction medium at a phenol/acetone molar ratio greater than 1, and preferably from 1.01 to 5. The excess phenol is produced either by driving off acetone or by adding phenol to the reaction medium (see, for example, Russian Patent No. 2,291,852). When technical-grade CHP is decomposed under these conditions, the hydroxyacetone yield is reduced to 0.04 mass % (400 parts per million (ppm)) in the reaction medium, whereby the quality of the commercial-grade phenol is markedly improved. However, application of this method is premised on the use of phenol that has been purified in a phenol purification system, and the purification of phenol involves additional manufacturing steps and power consumption.
Some disadvantages of the prior art methods are the presence of hydroxyacetone (HA) in the resulting phenol, and in some cases the need for quenching excess sulfuric acid during the second stage. The presence of HA has an adverse effect on the phenol quality while the quenching of sulfuric acid results in additional complexity and processing steps as well as higher operating costs in the process. Therefore, there is a need for a method to further reduce the amount of HA in the phenol produced and to eliminate entirely the sulfuric acid quenching step or at least substantially reduce the amount of neutralization agent required in the quenching step.


Laser diode with independent electronic and optical confinement, referred to as decoupled confinement, comprising an active region, i.e. an active layer, a single quantum well layer or a multi-quantum well layer, embedded in a carrier confinement structure providing for an energy barrier at least on one side of the active region. This energy barrier reduces carrier leakage out of the active region. The carrier confinement structure is embedded in an optical confinement structure which guides the optical light wave. The inventive laser diode is characterized in that the height of the energy barrier confining the carriers, and the refractive index step providing for optical waveguiding of the light wave are decoupled.

Laser diodes, in particular made of GaAs/AlGaAs, InGaAsP/InP and other ternary or quaternary alloys, have been intensely investigated in the last few years. The different designs of these lasers result in devices with highly efficient, extremely low thresholds and being capable of high power operation.
Especially for optical fiber communication, but also for other applications, the InGaAsP/InP material system received the most attention. This change of direction, from the well established AlGaAs/GaAs lasers to the InP based long wavelength lasers, emitting in the range of 1.3 .mu.m-1.5 .mu.m, was initiated by the great demand for lasers being suited for optical communication via silica fibers. The refractive index of this fiber material is wavelength dependant, giving the rise to a material dispersion which passes through zero at approximately 1.3 .mu.m. This wavelength can be achieved by InGaAsP/InP laser diodes, as for example reported on in "Semiconductor Lasers for Long-Wavelength Optical-Fiber Communications Systems", M. J. Adams et al., published by P. Peregrinus Ltd., London, UK., 1987.
A typical InGaAsP laser diode with ridge waveguide structure is disclosed in "Performance of an Improved InGaAsP Ridge Waveguide Laser at 1.3 .mu.m", I. P. Kaminow et al., Electronics Letters, Vol. 17, No. 9, April 1981, pp. 318-320. The structure of this separate confinement double heterostructure (SCH) ridge waveguide laser is illustrated in FIG. 1A, the thickness of the layers being exaggerated for the sake of clarity. The laser 10 consists of a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) 12-14 which is grown on top of a n-doped InP substrate 11. The heterostructure comprises a lower n-doped InGaAsP cladding layer 12 (E.sub.g =1.13 eV), an undoped InGaAsP active layer 13 (E.sub.g =0.95 eV), and an upper p-doped InGaAsP cladding layer 14 (E.sub.g =1.13 eV). The ridge itself consists of an InP layer 15 (E.sub.g =1.35 eV) being p-doped and which is covered by a p-doped InGaAsP cap layer 16 and an Au/Zn alloyed contact layer 17. The whole structure, with the exception of the ridge, is covered by a Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 insulation layer 18. A Ti/Ag, Au metallization 19 provides for an electric contact to the alloyed contact layer 17 on top of the ridge.
As can be seen from FIG. 1B, which shows the bandgap (E.sub.g) vs. position (x) diagram of the respective structure 10, the active layer 13 with a bandgap of 0.95 eV is surrounded by higher bandgap cladding layers 12 and 14 with E.sub.g =1.13 eV. The energy barrier of 0.18 eV (30% of the total bandgap step between InP, 1.35 eV, and InGaAs, 0.75 eV) is not very high and does not provide for efficient electric carrier confinement. The real energy barrier in the valance band is about 60% of said 0.18 eV step and the barrier in the carrier band about 40% of 0.18 eV. The higher these energy barriers are, the better are the carriers confined inside the active layer 13. Optical confinement is provided by the refractive index step between the cladding layers 12 and 14 and the surrounding InP layers 11 and 15, as shown in the refractive index (n) vs. position (x) plot of FIG. 1C. The higher tile energy barriers are, i.e. a structure providing for efficient carrier confinement in the active layer, the worst is the optical confinement because said refractive index step decreases with increasing bandgap step and the maximum bandgap discontinuity remains constant only depending on the materials used.
Typical for this quaternary InGaAsP alloy is that the bandgap (E.sub.g) can only be varied between 1.35 eV (InP) and 0.75 eV (InGaAs). Any improvement of the carrier confinement by providing for higher energy barriers has a detrimental effect on the optical confinement. None of the structures known in the art, some of them being listed below, provide for a solution of this conflict:
"Low Threshold InGaAsP Ridge Waveguide Lasers at 1.3 .mu.m", I. P. Kaminow et al., IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. QE-19, No. 8, August 1983, pp. 1312-1318; PA1 "Continuously Graded-Index Separate Confinement Heterostructure Multiquantum Well Ga.sub.1-x In.sub.x As.sub.1-y P.sub.y /InP Ridge Waveguide Lasers Grown by Low-Pressure Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition with Lattice-Matched Quaternary Wells and Barriers", M. J. Ludowise et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 57, No. 15, October 1990, pp. 1493-1495; PA1 "Strained Multiple Quantum Well Lasers Emitting at 1.3 .mu.m Grown by Low-Pressure Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy", D. Coblentz et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 59, No. 4, July 1991, pp. 405-407.

Decoupled optic and electronic confinement laser diode

International Business Machines Corporation


A system and method of managing read and delivery reports for messages is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for generating a read report using an IMAP includes processing a message received from a first converged internet protocol messaging (CPM) client device, storing the processed message into a message storage server using an internet message access protocol (IMAP) protocol, generating a read report by the second CPM client device in response to displaying the processed message stored in the message storage server, and delivering the read report to the first CPM client device by a CPM participating/controlling function server. The method also includes blocking redundant delivery reports generated upon retrieval of the message.

A converged internet protocol messaging (CPM) architecture includes a CPM client device, a message storage client device, a message storage server (MSS), and a CPM participating/controlling function server. The CPM client device handles all real-time communication such as session based messaging, page mode messaging and user preference setting. The CPM server is an application server that maintains services such as one-one session, group session, page mode session, file transfer, and multi-device handling.
The message storage server stores CPM user level messages using an internet message access protocol (IMAP). The CPM participating/controlling function server stores the CPM user level messages into the message storage server based on instructions from the CPM users using the IMAP. The message storage client device manages the message storage server of the CPM user using the IMAP.

System and method of handling read and delivery confirmations for messages


In the semiconductor device of the present invention, an active region is formed in an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and is surrounded by a trench filled with an oxide. A through-hole electrode electrically connected to the active region extends from the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to a lower surface thereof. A bottom end of the through-hole electrode juts out of an insulating film covering the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, a jutting portion of the through-hole electrode is embedded in the bonding material when the semiconductor device is mounted on a mounting board, and thus the connection reliability therebetween is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including a through-hole electrode passing through a semiconductor substrate, and a method of manufacturing the same. In addition, the present invention relates to a circuit board including a through-hole electrode passing through a semiconductor substrate and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A circuit device is conventionally formed, for instance, by mounting a semiconductor element, such as an IC chip, on a mounting board having a surface on which conductive paths are formed. There are two types of mounting configurations, which are face-up mounting and face-down mounting (flip chip technique), as methods for connecting the conducting paths on the mounting board to the semiconductor element.
In a case where the semiconductor device is mounted face up on the mounting board, the lower surface of the semiconductor element is fixed to the mounting board. Pad electrodes, which are formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor device, and the conducting paths on the mounting board are connected by wire bonding with thin metal wires. In the connecting method using wire bonding, however, it is necessary to secure regions in which form the thin metal wires around the semiconductor device. This causes a problem that an area necessary for mounting the semiconductor element is increased.
In a case where the semiconductor element is mounted face down on the mounting board, pad electrodes, which are arranged on the lower surface of the semiconductor element, and the conductive paths on the mounting board are connected with solder bumps or the like. By mounting the semiconductor device face down on the mounting board, an area necessary for mounting can be made equal to a size of the device. However, the mounting board has a thermal coefficient different from that of the semiconductor element. Hence, with a temperature change, thermal stress is applied to the solder bumps connecting the mounting board and the semiconductor element. The thermal stress results in a problem that a crack is generated in the solder bumps, thereby reducing connection reliability of the semiconductor element.
In order to solve this problem, a structure has been proposed in which the semiconductor element and the mounting board are connected with an interposer having a linear expansion coefficient equal to that of the chip.
By referring to a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, descriptions will be provided for a configuration of connecting a semiconductor element by using a circuit board as an interposer. Here, a semiconductor element 101 which is an LSI chip including a large number of pads is mounted on a mounting board 104 with a circuit board 100 interposed in between. Connecting electrodes 102 connect the circuit board 100 and the pads on the lower surface of the semiconductor element 101. In addition, external electrodes 103 connect the circuit board 100 and conductive paths 105 formed on the upper surface of the mounting board 104. Furthermore, conductive patterns 106 insulated with insulating films 107 are formed respectively on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board 100.
Thermal stress applied to the connecting electrodes 102 is reduced by adopting, as a material of the circuit board 100, a material having a thermal coefficient closer to that of the semiconductor element 101 than that of the mounting board 104. Hence, it is possible to improve connection reliability of the connecting electrodes 102 against the thermal stress. The specific materials to be adopted for the circuit board 100 include resin, metal, ceramic or the like. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-326305 describes a technique in which a semiconductor made of silicon or the like is adopted as a material of the circuit board 100.
In the semiconductor element 101 shown in the description of the related art, however, the connecting electrodes 102 such as solder are attached respectively to electrodes 108 on the lower surface of the semiconductor device 101. Accordingly, bonding strength between the electrodes 108 and the connecting electrodes 102 is not sufficiently large, thereby causing a problem that the connecting electrodes 102 separate from the electrodes 108 due to thermal stress resulting from a temperature change and the like under the circumstances of using the semiconductor device 101
Furthermore, the connecting electrodes 102 described above are also attached to the flat surfaces of the conductive patterns 106 which are provided on the surface of the circuit board 100. For this reason, a problem is caused that the connecting electrodes 102 and the conductive patterns 106 separate from the interface therebetween, when strong thermal stress is applied thereto.

Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same, circuit board, and method of manufacturing the same


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, a collector layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and made of a first semiconductor being of the first conductive type and having a higher resistance than that of the semiconductor substrate, an intrinsic base region having a junction surface with the collector layer and made of a second semiconductor of a second conductive type, and an emitter region having a junction surface with the intrinsic base region and made of a third semiconductor of the first conductive type. A periphery of the intrinsic base region is surrounded by an insulating region extending from the collector layer to the semiconductor substrate.

The present invention relates to bipolar transistors and more particularly relates to a semiconductor device including a bipolar transistor having a substrate itself serving as an electrode.
Semiconductor devices have a configuration in which many active devices can be integrated on a semiconductor substrate. However, in a high frequency device for use in a cellular phone, a device is required to have high performance and a small variation in electrical characteristics and, therefore, a discrete semiconductor element such as an elemental bipolar transistor is used in many cases. Specifically, in a VCO (voltage-controlled oscillator) device required to have a breakdown voltage of 5 V or more at a power supply voltage of 3 V, a discrete semiconductor element is mainly used.
As for a bipolar transistor and a semiconductor device including the bipolar transistor, configurations and fabrication methods are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 3-235334, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 3-110852 and the like.
Hereinafter, a known npn-type high-frequency bipolar transistor, i.e., a VCO device and the like used for a cellular phone, which is required to have a breakdown voltage of 5 V or more, will be described. To ensure a breakdown voltage of 5 V or more, in general, a high resistance epitaxial layer is formed on a substrate serving as a low resistance collector electrode. The high resistance epitaxial layer has to have a thickness of 0.4 μm or more.
Specifically, the known npn-type high-frequency bipolar transistor includes an n-type semiconductor substrate formed of a silicon single crystal having a resistivity of, for example, 0.01 Ωcm or less and serving as a collector electrode, a collector layer formed of an n−-type epitaxial layer having a thickness of 0.4 μm to 2.0 μm and a resistivity of, for example, 0.5 Ωcm to 5.0 Ωcm on the semiconductor layer, an intrinsic base region selectively formed in an upper portion of the collector layer and an emitter region selectively formed in an upper portion of the intrinsic base region.
Furthermore, an emitter electrode made of polysilicon is formed on the emitter region and an external base electrode is formed on the intrinsic base region.
Under the external base electrode, a field insulating film having a thickness of 600 nm is formed so as to electrically insulate the collector layer from an external base lead electrode and reduce a capacitance therebetween.
In an npn transistor for high-frequency signal processing, negative feedback due to a feedback capacitance between collector bases causes the problem of deterioration of high-frequency characteristics such as reduction in a cut-off frequency (fT). The feedback capacitance is the sum of a junction capacitance due to a pn junction between collector bases and an interconnect capacitance between interconnects with an insulating film interposed therebetween. To reduce the junction capacitance, reduction in a junction area by size reduction is effective. Moreover, to reduce the interconnect capacitance, it is effective to increase the thickness of the insulating film.
Thus, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 3-235334, reduction in the feedback capacitance is intended by forming a field oxide film of LOCOS and the like directly under the external lead electrode while reducing the respective sizes of the emitter region and the base region.
However, in the known semiconductor device, when the power supply voltage, i.e., a collector voltage becomes high, a depletion layer extends in the lateral direction (i.e., in the parallel direction to a substrate surface) in the collector layer. Because of this, as shown in FIG. 11, as the power supply voltage is increased, the junction capacitance is gradually reduced, so that the feedback capacitance is also reduced. When the feedback capacitance is reduced, the impedance of a bipolar transistor is changed. Therefore, when a device in which a transistor whose impedance is variable is formed is used, high frequency characteristics such as a cut-off frequency are deteriorated.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A composition for lubricating an internal combustion engine includes an oil of lubricating viscosity; a predominantly linear alkylbenzenesulfonate detergent having a metal ratio of at least 8; and a combination of hindered phenolic ester antioxidant and aromatic amine antioxidant. The amount of any phenate detergent is less than 15% by weight of the total amount of detergents.

The present invention relates to a composition and method for lubricating an internal combustion engine, providing improved fuel economy and retention of fuel economy.
Fuel economy is of great importance, and lubricants which can foster improved fuel economy, by, for instance, leading to reduced friction within an engine, are of significant value. The present invention provides a lubricant composition, including an additive package, which leads to improved fuel economy in an internal combustion engine. This improvement is effected by providing an additive package in which the detergent component is exclusively or predominantly an alkylsulfonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,328, Davis et al., Aug. 28, 2990, discloses lubricating oil compositions for internal combustion engines, comprising (A) oil of lubricating viscosity, (B) a carboxylic derivative produced by reacting a succinic acylating agent with certain amines, and (C) a basic alkali metal salt of sulfonic or carboxylic acid. An illustrative lubricant composition (Lubricant III) includes base oil including viscosity index modifier; a basic magnesium alkylated benzene sulfonate; an overbased sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate; a basic calcium alkylated benzene sulfonate; succinimide dispersant; and zinc salts of a phosphorodithioic acids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,972, Chamberlin, Apr. 27, 1982, discloses lubricant compositions for improving fuel economy of internal combustion engines. The composition includes a specific sulfurized composition (based on an ester of a carboxylic acid) and a basic alkali metal sulfonate. Additional ingredients may include at least one oil-dispersible detergent or dispersant, a viscosity improving agent, and a specific salt of a phosphorus acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,815, Coleman, Nov. 30, 1976, discloses lubricating compositions. Disclosed in an example is an additive concentrate prepared using a polyisobutylene synthetic lubricating oil containing a hydrogenated butadiene-styrene copolymer; a dispersant; a zinc isobutylamyl phosphorodithioate, an overbased calcium sulfonate detergent, and an anti-foaming agent.

Sulfonate detergent system for improved fuel economy


An automatic method for rating data files for objectionable content in a distributed computer system includes preprocessing the file to create semantic units, comparing the semantic units with a rating repository containing entries and associated ratings, assigning content rating vectors to the semantic units, and creating a modified data file incorporating rating information derived from the content rating vectors. For text files, the semantic units are words or phrases, and the rating repository also contains words or phrases with corresponding content rating vectors. For audio files, the file is first converted to a text file using voice recognition software. For image files, image processing software is used to recognize individual objects and compare them to basic images and ratings stored in the rating repository. In one embodiment, a composite content rating vector is derived for the file from the individual content rating vectors, and the composite content rating vector is incorporated into the modified file. In an alternate embodiment, semantic units with content rating vectors exceeding preset user limit values of objectionable content are blocked out by display blocks or, for audio, audio blanking signals, for example, beeps. The user can then view or hear the remaining portions of the file. The invention can be used with any type of data file that can be divided into semantic units, and can be implemented in a server, client, search engine, or proxy server.

This invention relates generally to methods for rating data for objectionable content. More particularly, it relates to methods for automatically rating and filtering objectionable data on Web pages.
The astronomical growth of the World Wide Web in the last decade has put a wide variety of information at the fingertips of anyone with access to a computer connected to the internet. In particular, parents and teachers have found the internet to be a rich educational tool for children, allowing them to conduct research that would in the past have either been impossible or taken far too long to be feasible. In addition to valuable information, however, children also have access to offensive or inappropriate information, including violence, pornography, and hate-motivated speech. Because the World Wide Web is inherently a forum for unrestricted content from any source, censoring material that some find objectionable is an unacceptable solution.
Voluntary user-based solutions have been developed for implementation with a Web browser on a client computer. The browser determines whether or not to display a document by applying a set of user-specified criteria. For example, the browser may have access to a list of excluded sites or included sites, provided by a commercial service or a parent or educator. Users can also choose to receive documents only through a Web proxy server, which compares the requested document with an exclusion or inclusion list before sending it to the client computer. Because new content is continually being added to the World Wide Web, however, it is virtually impossible to maintain a current list of inappropriate sites. Limiting the user to a list of included sites might be appropriate for corporate environments, but not for educational ones in which the internet is used for research purposes.
The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) has developed an objective content rating labeling system for Web sites, called RSAC on the Internet (RSACi). The system produces ratings tags that are compliant with the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) tag system already in place, and that can easily be incorporated into existing HTML documents. The RSACi labels rate content on a scale of zero to four in four categories: violence, nudity, sex, and language. Current Web browsers are designed to read the RSACi tags and determine whether or not to display the document based on content levels the user sets for each of the four categories. The user can also set the browser not to display pages without a rating.
While a good beginning, there are three significant limitations to the RSACi rating system. First, it is a voluntary system and is effective only if widely implemented. There is somewhat of an incentive for the site creator to assign a rating, even if a zero rating, because some users choose not to display sites without a rating. If the site""s creator does not include a rating, it can be generated by an outside source. However, the rate at which content is being added to the Web makes it virtually impossible for a third party to rate every new Web site manually.
Second, while the RSACi rating aims to be objective, it is subject to some amount of discretion of the person doing the rating. At its Web site (http://www.rsac.org), RSAC provides a detailed questionnaire for providing the rating, but the user can easily override or adjust the results.
Finally, there is currently no way to rate dynamically created documents. For example, search engines receive a user query, find applicable documents, and create a search result page listing a number of the located documents. The search result page typically includes a title and short abstract or extract, along with the URL, for each retrieved document. The result page itself might have objectionable content, and currently the only way to address this problem is for browsers not to display search result pages at all. Without search engines, though, internet research is significantly limited.
A further problem with all of the above solutions, as well as with word-screening or phrasescreening systems, is that they either allow or deny access to Web pages. Even if only a small portion of the document is objectionable, the user is prohibited from seeing the entire document. This is especially significant in search result pages, in which one offensive site prevents display of all of other unrelated sites.
The situation becomes even more complex when Web pages include non-text data, for example, audio or images. Surrounding text does not always indicate the content of the embedded file, allowing offensive audio or image material to slip through the ratings system. Occasionally, people deliberately mislabel offensive audio or image files in order to mislead monitoring services.
There is a need, therefore, for an automatic rating method for all material available on the World Wide Web, including dynamically created material, that allows greater viewer control over what material is displayed or blocked.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically rating a data file, for example, a Web page, for objectionable content.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an objective rating method that requires no subjective human input after the system is initially devised.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically rating dynamically created documents as they are being created.
It is a yet another object of the present invention to provide a rating and filtering method that blocks objectionable content of a file while allowing access to remaining inoffensive portions of the file.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method that can be used with any type of data file, including text, audio, and image.
It is a further object to provide a method for rating and filtering data files that can be implemented on a client, server, or proxy server, and can therefore be easily incorporated into existing system architectures.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic rating method that works with existing manual rating methods and requires minimal system changes.
These objects and advantages are attained by a computer-implemented method for rating a raw data file for objectionable content. The method occurs in a distributed computer system and comprises the steps of preprocessing the raw data file to create semantic units representative of the semantic content of the raw data file, comparing the semantic units with a rating repository comprising semantic entries and corresponding ratings, assigning content rating vectors to the semantic units, and creating a modified data file incorporating rating information derived from the content rating vectors. After the modified data file is created, either all, some, or none of the file will be displayed by a browser to a user at a client computer.
The method works with any type of data file that can be converted to semantic units. Embodiments of the preprocessing step vary with the type of raw data file to be rated. In one embodiment, a text-only HTML document is stripped of its tags and is then parsed into semantic units, for example, words or phrases. In an alternate embodiment, the data file is an audio file, and text data is created from the audio file using standard voice recognition software. The system also creates an audio-to-text correlation between a location in the created text data and a corresponding location in the audio file. The text file is then parsed into semantic units. In a further embodiment, image processing software is used to identify semantic units within an image file. The semantic units of an image file are discrete objects in regions within the image file.
The rating repository used depends on the type of file and related semantic units. For text files, the repository contains entries of words or phrases with corresponding content rating vectors. Each word entry in the repository may have numerous associated content rating vectors for different contexts in which the word is used, determined by surrounding words in the text. Audio files use a similar rating repository, but may include additional entries for sounds. The entries for image files are discrete objects that can be identified by the image processing software. Each discrete object has one or more content rating vectors associated with it. To assign content rating vectors to semantic units, the system first searches the rating repository for an entry equivalent to the semantic unit. If it finds no such entry, it assigns the semantic unit a zero content rating vector. If it does find an entry, it assigns the semantic unit the entry""s corresponding content rating vector. If the entry has numerous content rating vectors, it analyzes surrounding semantic units to determine the appropriate context before assigning a content rating vector.
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, a composite content rating vector, comprising a set of components, is derived from the content rating vectors. Each component of the composite content rating vector is derived from corresponding components of the content rating vectors. In one embodiment, each component of the composite content rating vector is a weighted average of the corresponding components of the content rating vectors, wherein the weighted average uses weighting factors related to the value of the components of the content rating vectors. In an alternate embodiment, each component of the composite content rating vector is equal to a selected value of the corresponding components of the content rating vectors. The selected value is the highest of the corresponding components and has at least a predetermined minimum number of occurrences. Many other methods for deriving the composite content rating vector can be used. The composite content rating vector is combined with the raw data file to produce a modified data file containing the composite content rating vector.
In a second preferred embodiment, termed filtering, the content rating vectors are compared with preset user limit values that define objectionable content rating vectors to identify objectionable semantic units. Objectionable content corresponding to the identified objectionable semantic units are then replaced by display blocks in a copy of the raw data file to produce a modified date file. Filtering can be performed on files including text, audio, or image. In a text-only data file, objectionable words or phrases are replaced with, for example, spaces, black rectangles, or a predetermined phrase. In an audio file, objectionable portions that correspond to the objectionable semantic units are located using the audio-to-text correlation. The objectionable portions are replaced with audio blanking signals, for example a tone or silent space, in a copy of the audio file to produce a modified audio file. Similarly, objectionable discrete objects of image files are identified by comparing content rating vectors with present user limit values. Content corresponding to the objectionable discrete object is replaced by image blocks, which may be black rectangles or blurred regions. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, after the objectionable content is replaced, the system derives a modified composite content rating vector for the modified data file from a modified set of content rating vectors. The modified set of content rating vectors does not contain content rating vectors corresponding to the objectionable semantic units.
The method can be implemented using many different architectures. In all architectures, the raw data file is stored in a server and the preset user limit values are stored in a client. All embodiments of the method can be implemented in a server, proxy server, or client. As is necessary, the server or proxy server obtains the preset user limit values from the client, and the proxy server and client obtain the raw data file from the server.

Automatic rating and filtering of data files for objectionable content

International Business Machines Corporation


An infusion device for infusion of a fluid from a reservoir into a body, the infusion device being connectable to an infusion set adaptor at a connecting site, the infusion device comprising: a drive mechanism to operatively couple with at least a portion of the reservoir; a housing being sized to contain at least a portion of the reservoir, wherein the drive mechanism is at least partially or fully contained within the housing; a sealing device that permits the passage of air into and out of the housing or a housing compartment and inhibits the passage of liquids into the housing or a housing compartment through the sealing device; wherein the sealing device is arranged at the drive mechanism or at a location between a part of the drive mechanism and the connecting site of the infusion set adaptor or at the connecting site of the infusion set adaptor.

The present invention relates to a device or portable administering apparatus for administering a fluid product, in particular medical substances or a drug in liquid form. In particular the invention relates to a portable infusion pump and/or infusion systems such as insulin pumps. Such a device is referred to in the following as an administering device.
In the case of various diseases, it can be necessary to administer a patient over a longer period of time with a drug which is provided in liquid form, for example an insulin preparation or a haemodiluting drug such as heparin. Compact portable infusion apparatuses are known for this purpose and are continuously carried around close to the body by the patient. In most cases, a carpule is provided as the drug container in such infusion apparatus, i.e. a plastic or glass container comprising a plug which can be moved within it. The carpule (often also referred to as a carpoule, an ampoule or a reservoir) is connected to an infusion set, the cannula of which feeds into the body tissue of the patient. The plug or stopper is advanced in the carpule by a suitable drive, for example, a spring drive or an electric motor, and the drug is thus expelled from the carpule. As soon as the carpule is empty, it is removed from the infusion apparatus and replaced with a new carpule.
In many portable infusion apparatuses, the plug is advanced in the carpule via a threaded rod which acts as a piston rod for the plug. A nut which is mounted such that it is rotatable but fixed against shifting runs on the threaded rod and is driven by an electric motor. Rotating the nut advances the threaded rod, wherein the electric motor is, in general, arranged next to the carpule in order to limit the length of the infusion apparatus and to simplify exchanging the carpule.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,093 B1 discloses an infusion apparatus in which the drive motor and a gear system are arranged coaxially with the drug reservoir. The plug of the drug reservoir is advanced by a sleeve-like advancing element which is connected via an inner thread to a drive screw, which is driven by the motor, and thus linearly advanced. In its initial position, the advancing element at least partially surrounds the gear system of the motor, wherein the advancing element is a part of the base unit, while the plug is part of the exchangeable drug reservoir. The advancing element and the plug are therefore embodied such that they can be separated from each other. In order to ensure that the drug is not undesirably expelled by fluctuations in the ambient pressure, the advancing element and the plug are connected such that the connection can also absorb tensile forces while the infusion apparatus is in operation. In this way, the plug necessarily follows the movement of the advancing element and cannot be advanced, by pressure fluctuations, further than is predetermined by the position of the advancing element. When the drug reservoir is exchanged, the plug and the advancing element are separated from each other by a rotational movement. The advancing element is then moved back into its initial position by the motor. On the one hand, this arrangement requires a relatively complicated connection between the plug and the advancing element; particular steps also have to be taken in case a drug reservoir which is not completely filled is used.
An infusion apparatus is known from EP 0 985 419 A1 in which the drive motor and a drug reservoir are arranged antiparallel with respect to each other, wherein a gear system transmits the drive movement from the motor to an advancing element which is arranged coaxially with respect to the reservoir and in turn moves the plug provided in the drug reservoir, thus displacing the drug from the reservoir. A so-called infusion set adaptor is attached to the exit of the drug reservoir and channels the drug into an infusion set. In order to ensure that the drug is not undesirably expelled by fluctuations in the ambient pressure, a threshold value valve is arranged in the infusion set adaptor and requires a particular drive pressure in order to enable liquid to be transported through the infusion set adaptor at all. As compared to the variant described above, in which the plug is retained by the advancing element, the threshold value valve has the advantage that standard carpules for the infusion apparatus can be used; in particular, specially shaped plugs are not required. It is, however, known that when the threshold value valve is a membrane valve, an inaccurate positioning of the valve membrane can potentially lead to malfunctions and in particular valve leakage, and that accurately positioning the membrane presents a production-related challenge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,423 describes a portable automatic syringe device and an injection needle unit thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,682 B2 describes an external infusion device for infusion of a fluid into a body from a reservoir including a drive system, a housing, an electronic control circuitry and at least one vent port. The vent port in the housing permits the passage of air into and out of the housing and inhibits the passage of liquids into the housing.
A user of an administering device may travel through various elevations, which might occur when hiking in the mountains or travelling in an airplane, so that differential pressures can arise between the interior of the air tight or water-resistant pump housing and the outside or atmosphere. Once the pressure in the housing exceeds the external atmospheric pressure, resulting forces could cause the reservoir plug or reservoir piston to be driven inwards, thus delivering unwanted medication. Problems with the correct functioning of the administering device may also occur in case the outside atmospheric pressure exceeds the inside pressure of the housing.
It is desirable to have an administering device which guarantees safe operation among various atmospheric pressures.

Infusion pump device with venting feature


The present disclosure discloses a thin film transistor assembly, an array substrate and a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device including the array substrate. The array substrate includes a substrate; a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the substrate; and a plurality of light shielding layers, each of the light shielding layers being arranged between a source electrode and a drain electrode of the thin film transistor and configured to block light from the exterior from illuminating an active layer of the thin film transistor. The light shielding layer and the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor are formed in the same layer on the substrate. As the light shielding layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor and a data line may be formed on the substrate by using the same material layer through a single patterning process, times of performing patterning processes and the number of masks used may be reduced and thus manufacturing process and cost of the array substrate may be decreased.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device, and particularly to a thin film transistor assemble, an array substrate and a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device including the array substrate.
Description of the Related Art
Thin film transistors, which are currently widely used in a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) display device, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display device and an Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display device, mainly include amorphous silicon thin film transistors and poly-silicon thin film transistors. Low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) technology has been applied in manufacturing processes of a thin film transistor display, in which an amorphous silicon film is transformed into a poly-silicon film by an excimer laser annealing process. Compared to the amorphous silicon (α-Si), a mobility ratio of the poly-silicon film produced in this way has been increased by a factor of 100. For example, the electron mobility ratio is increased up to 200 cm2/V-sec or more. Thus, the area of the thin film transistors can be effectively reduced and aperture ratio of a display is increased. Further, the total power consumption of the display is decreased while brightness thereof is improved. In addition, a display produced by means of LTPS technology has an improved response time, a higher revolution and better image displaying quality.
Generally, in a top gate thin film transistor comprising an active layer that is formed by using the poly-silicon film, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a data line connected to the source electrode thereof are formed on a glass substrate, a gate electrode is formed above the source electrode and the drain electrode while the active layer is located between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes. In addition, a light shielding layer is provided between the active layer and the glass substrate to block illumination of light introduced from the glass substrate on the active layer, which illumination will affect electrical characteristic of the low temperature poly-silicon film used to form the active layer. During production of the array substrate, a plurality of patterning processes are usually needed to respectively form the source electrode, the drain electrode, the light shielding layer and the gate electrode, in which masks for the patterning processes each have different patterns. As the masks are expensive, the process of manufacturing the array substrate including a plurality of patterning processes is complex and high in cost.

Thin film transistor assembly, array substrate method of manufacturing the same, and display device


A panel is mounted on the stage while the one end electrode of the FPC (flexible board) is mounted on the mounting part of one surface of the panel and the other surface of the panel is facing upward. A mounting method includes bending the other end side of the flexible board, after holding the other end portion including the other end electrode, which is positionally adjusted based on the position recognition result of the mounting portion the press tool recognizing the position of the other end electrode, matching the positions of the mounting portion and the other end electrode by relative positional adjusting, and mounting the other end electrode on the mounting portion by temporarily pressing the other end electrode on the mounting portion.

A touch panel which enables signal input by touching a screen of a display device without an input device is widely used. As a configuration of the touch panel, a various kind of touch panel such as a resistive type in which an upper transparent substrate on which an upper transparent electrode is formed and a lower transparent substrate on which an lower transparent electrode is formed are stacked with a predetermined interval, and a touch position is detected depending on a resistivity change due to a current flow between the upper transparent electrode and the lower transparent electrode when the upper transparent electrode is touched, an electromagnetic field type which detects a change in electromagnetic field, a capacitive type which detects a change in a capacitance, or the like are known. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 1)
Incidentally, in a manufacturing process of the capacitive type touch panel in which electrodes are disposed on both surface of a panel and a touch position is recognized depending on a capacitance change between electrodes when the panel surface is touched by hand, there is a mounting process through which both end electrodes of a flexible board such as FPC, COF, and TCP are mounted on connection electrodes provided both surfaces of a one side edge of the panel so as to connected with electrodes disposed on both surface of the panel. Conventionally, in this mounting process, after performing a mounting process mounting a one end electrode 65 of a flexible board 64 on a connection electrode 62 of a one surface of the panel 61 as shown in FIG. 19A, the panel 61 on which the flexible board 64 is mounted is transferred to another process. In the another process, by a manual process, the panel 61 is turned upside down, the other electrode 66 is press-connected to a connection electrode 63 of the other surface of the panel 61, an ACF (Anisotropic Conductive Film) is attached on the connection electrode 63 of the other surface of the panel 61, and the other end of the flexible board 64 is bent at bending position 68 as shown in FIG. 19B.
In order to mount a flexible board on which a drive circuit for driving a liquid crystal display panel is mounted on two edges of the liquid crystal display panel with only one flexible board, a mounting method connecting a second connection lead of the flexible board to a second edge of the liquid crystal display panel by connecting a first connection lead of the flexible board to a first edge of the liquid crystal display panel, mounting the liquid crystal display panel on a stage while turning the liquid crystal display upside down and mounting the flexible board on a plate which is 180° turnable, bending the flexible board 180° by turning the plate 180°, and overlapping the flexible board on the liquid crystal display panel is known. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 2)
Also, in order to mount a flexible board including a laminated substrate which is given by laminating the other substrate on the one substrate, has a connection electrode at a projecting portion of the one substrate projecting from the other substrate, and mounts a semiconductor tip thereon, a mounting method mounting a flexible board in a dead space above the projecting portion of the one substrate by connecting one end electrode of the flexible board to the connection electrode, bending a flexible board U-shape so that the semiconductor tip directs inside, fixing the other end of the flexible board on the other substrate, and providing a connection electrode on an outer surface of the other end of the flexible board in the above condition.

Part mounting device and part mounting method


A method, system and computer program product are provided for scaling, or dimensionally reducing, multi-dimensional data sets that scale well for large data sets. The invention scales multi-dimensional data sets by determining one or more non-linear functions between a sample of points from the multi-dimensional data set and a corresponding set of dimensionally reduced points. Thereafter, these one or more non-linear functions are used to non-linearly map additional points. The additional points may be members of the original multi-dimensional data set or may be new, previously unseen points. In an embodiment, the determination of the non-linear relationship between the sample of points from the multi-dimensional data set and the corresponding set of dimensionally reduced points is performed by a self-learning system such as a neural network. The additional points are mapped using the self-learning system in a feed-forward/predictive manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scaling of multi-dimensional data sets and, more particularly, to non-linear mapping of a sample of points from a multi-dimensional data set, determining one or more non-linear functions for the mapped sample of points, and mapping additional points using the one or more non-linear functions, including mapping members of the original multi-dimensional data set and mapping new and previously unseen points.
2. Related Art
Conventional techniques for multi-dimensional scaling do not scale well for large multi-dimensional data sets.
What is needed is a method, system, and computer program product for multi-dimensional scaling, which is fast and efficient for large multi-dimensional data sets.

Method, system and computer program product for non-linear mapping of multi-dimensional data

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Reseach & Develpment, L.L.C.


A EL display device has EL display panel including the a display area where a pixel is arranged in matrix, and a wiring pattern formed in a circumferential portion of the display area and supplying voltage to a pixel. The EL display panel includes a flexible substrate having an electrode connected to a source signal line or a gate signal line arranged thereon. The flexible substrate includes an anode reinforcement wiring and a cathode reinforcement wiring which are electrically parallel to the wiring pattern.

Active-matrix EL display devices having EL elements that are arranged in matrix are commercialized and are used for display panels of smartphones, for example. The EL element has an EL layer formed between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and emits light by a current or voltage supplied to the anode electrode and the cathode electrode (terminal).
Anode current or cathode current of EL elements, arranged in matrix on a display screen, increases as EL display panel becomes larger. This enlarges a voltage drop in a wiring where the anode current or cathode current flows. The greater voltage drop causes a greater loss in electric power, and deteriorates the EL display panel due to heat. Further, display quality can be degraded because of brightness-shading or cross-talk on the EL display screen.
Japanese Patent Application Publication JP2009-109519A1 describes an EL display device having a common power supply line formed outside an array unit and an auxiliary wiring connected to this common power supply line.
Japanese Patent Application Publication JP2006-039541 describes a structure of supplying a voltage of a printed circuit board to an EL display device via wiring formed in TCP (tricyanopyrroline).
A cathode electrode formed on the display screen of the EL display panel is made of very thin magnesium (Mg)-silver (Ag) so that the cathode electrode can have light transmittance. Therefore, its sheet resistance value becomes larger. If the sheet resistance is large, a current flowing in the cathode electrode causes a large voltage drop, and brightness-shadings or cross-talk can be generated as a result. Further, a current-flow can concentrate in a connecting point where a wiring for supplying cathode voltage to the cathode electrode is connected. As a result, the connection point melts due to overheat or heat generation.
To address this problem, one proposed approach is to form a wiring portion made of low resistance metal material and connect this wiring portion to the cathode electrode. In such case, the wiring portion needs to be formed thick to keep its resistance low for solving the above problem, but if a thick wiring is formed, a size of display area occupying some part of the EL display panel become smaller and a frame of the display panel become larger. On top of that, this structure limits the potential locations for connecting a flexible substrate that supplies the cathode voltage, so that enough numbers of connecting points cannot be expected. As a result, the cathode current can be concentrated in the connecting point and connecting point, which then melt down, and reliability of the wiring can be degraded.


Presented herein is a reduced memory implementation technique of filterbank and block switching for real-time audio applications. Calculation of the pulse code modulated samples from the IMDCT samples and inverse window functions is simplified by exploiting the symetric qualities of the IMDCT function. As a result, memory requirements and operations are significantly reduced.

Pursuant to the MPEG-2 Advanced Audio Coding (MPEG-2 AAC) standard, audio signals are sampled frequencies starting from 8 kHz to 96 kHz. The samples are grouped into consecutive frames of 1024 samples. The frames are grouped into windows that comprise 2048 samples. However, each window has a 50% overlap with the previous window. Accordingly, the first 1024 samples of a window are the same as the last 1024 samples of the previous window. A window function is applied to each window, resulting in sets of 2048 windowed samples. The modified discrete cosine transformation (MDCT) is applied to each set of windowed samples, resulting in 1024 frequency coefficients. The frequency coefficients are then quantized and coded for transmission.
The first step in decoding is to establish the frame synchronization. Once the frame synchronization is found, the AAC bitstream is demultiplexed. This includes Huffman decoding, scale factor decoding, and the decoding of the side information used in tools such as mono/stereo, intensity stereo, TNS, and the filter bank. The spectral samples are decoded and copied to the output buffer in a samples fashion. After Huffman decoding, each coefficient must be inverse quantizated by a 4/3 power nonlinearity and then scaled by the quantizer step size. Finally, the Inverse MDCT (IMDCT) transforms the spectral coefficients into time domain. After the IMDCT transform, the output samples are windowed, overlapped, and added for generating the final pulse code modulate (PCM) samples.
As each block is encoded independently, the effect of quantization noise is different in different blocks. This results in a large noise at the block boundaries when the blocks are decoded. The MDCT is a linear orthogonal lapped transform, based on the idea of time domain aliasing cancellation (TDAC). Though the MDCT is 50% overlapped, a sequence data after MDCT has the same number of coefficients as samples before the transform (after overlap-and-add). This means that a single block of IMDCT data does not correspond to the original block on which the MDCT was performed. When subsequent blocks of inverse transformed data are added using 50% overlap, the errors introduced by the transform cancels out the TDAC and effectively removes an otherwise easily detectable blocking artifact between transform blocks.
The IMDCT output is mapped to the full spectrum for subsequent use in the window overlap add to implement the window overlap add. For a window sequence of length 2048, the memory includes a present frame buffer of 2048 samples, previous frame buffer of 1024, and a window coefficient buffer of 2048 coefficients. The implementation of the window overlap add is computationally intensive.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Reduced memory implementation technique of filterbank and block switching for real-time audio applications


An active grille shutter assembly includes a frame adapted to be connected to a portion of a vehicle and forming at least one opening therein and a plurality of shutters disposed in and extending across the at least one opening and being pivotally connected to the frame. The active grille shutter assembly also includes at least one linkage connected to the shutters and an actuator supported by the frame and being connected to one of the shutters to move the at least one linkage to open and close the shutters as a unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shutter assemblies for vehicles and, more specifically, to an active grille shutter assembly for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Grille shutters are provided for a vehicle in order to prevent poor combustion or a decrease in a combustion efficiency caused by an overcooled radiator within an engine compartment of the vehicle. Conventional grille shutters include a grille opening through which ambient air is taken in and a plurality of shutters or fins disposed in the grille opening to be opened or closed. For example, such a grille shutter includes a supporting shaft which supports a plurality of fins and is provided at a base frame so as to be freely rotatable in such a way that the fins are connected to each other by an interlocking arm. The interlocking arm is connected to a link mechanism that is configured by a driving arm rotated by a driving source such as an actuator in order to operate the fins so as to open or close the grille opening.
One disadvantage of these conventional grille shutters is that they have a link mechanism that is complex and exposed to debris and environmental contaminants. In addition, these conventional grille shutters require flexibility of the fins to bend and fit in the frame, resulting in rattles from necessary running clearances required for temperature range requirements. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new grille shutter assembly that is more durable and resists rattling.