An automated CCD-based imaging system is disclosed which may be used for the automated acquisition, compilation, and analysis of images of fluorescently labeled samples of different types, including fluorescently-labeled gene chip arrays.

This invention relates to imaging systems. In particular, the invention relates to imaging systems used for the acquisition, compilation, and analysis of fluorescent images.
The system described herein is used for the automated acquisition, compilation, and analysis of images of fluorescently labeled samples of different types (the xe2x80x9cInventionxe2x80x9d). Many areas of scientific investigation require the use of imaging equipment. For example, in the field of genomics research, imaging equipment is used to acquire, compile, and analyze the results from testing of deoxyribonucleic acid (xe2x80x9cDNAxe2x80x9d) xe2x80x9cmicroarraysxe2x80x9d (also know as xe2x80x9cgene chip arraysxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbiochipsxe2x80x9d, and other designations).
Microarrays are prepared as a means to match known and unknown DNA samples based on hybridization principles, for example, to identify gene sequences or to determine gene expression levels. In one method, microarrays can be made by xe2x80x9cspottingxe2x80x9d collections of suspended, purified DNAs onto a substrate. In a typical production method, a microarray robot places drops of individual DNA types onto a substrate, such as a glass slide, in a grid design. The grid may contain thousands of DNA spots of different base pair sequences that are fixed to the substrate. cDNA xe2x80x9cprobesxe2x80x9d are then tested by hybridizing them to the prepared DNA microarray. If an individual cDNA probe is complementary to the sequence of DNA on a given spot, the cDNA will hybridize to the spot and the hybridization may be detected by its fluorescence. In this manner, each spot in the microarray may act to assay the presence of a different cDNA.
After the cDNA probes have hybridized to the microarray and any free probe has been removed, the microarray may be scanned to evaluate the comparative binding levels of individual probes. cDNA probes hybridized to DNA spots in the microarray may be detected through the use of different colored fluorophores or dyes that emit light at differential, characteristic wavelengths when excited by an illumination source. Microarray spots with more bound probe will fluoresce more intensely. The emitted light is captured by a detector, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a photomultiplier tube (PMT), which records its intensity. The recorded data is stored or processed for further analysis. The detector for fluorescence emitted from the microarray is sensitive to the emission wavelength but filters out the excitation wavelength; in this way, the fluorescent emission of interest can be separated from the excitation light scattered off the substrate.
The use of robotically-prepared microarrays has increased the need for automated equipment to more quickly and accurately process and analyze test samples. Such automated equipment must be able to handle a high volume of samples with consistent and reproducible results. It is also desirable to have means to selectively filter emission and excitation wavelengths with reduced crosstalk between channels. It is also desirable to have reduced background in the scanned image, to be able to determine intensity thresholds, and to have more uniform detection efficiency across a scanned sample.
In contrast to existing systems that typically can accommodate only one test sample, the present Invention is fully automated and accommodates up to twenty-four samples on substrates, for example, on glass slides. The Invention""s CCD/arc lamp embodiment permits faster imaging than a stage-scanning instrument (such as General Scanning ScanArray 3000) because it uses full-field illumination and CCD detection. Depth of focus is deep enough to accommodate the added thickness of a glass cover slip on top of the sample, and allows for some variation in the height at which the sample is presented to the imaging system by the rotary stage. The Invention also permits the use of a large number of fluorophores at a lower cost than a laser-scanning instrument (such as Molecular Dynamics Avalanche and the GeneFocus DNAscope) because a new excitation band from the wide spectral band of the Invention""s arc lamp excitation source can be introduced through a simple filter change, in contrast to the introduction of an additional laser required in a laser-based system. The Invention also accommodates a straightforward extension of the dynamic range with a multiple exposure algorithm, which is much more difficult on a PMT-based system (General Scanning ScanArray 3000, Molecular Dynamics Avalanche, GeneFocus DNAscope) due to the non-linear nature of the PMT""s.
The Invention is a CCD and arc-lamp-based system used for the acquisition of fluorescent images, which can be optimized for imaging fluorescently labeled cDNA spotted on multiple glass slides. The Invention may also be applied in other uses, for example, to image other fluorescently labeled material, including proteins on other substrates, including gels and membranes, and for imaging histological or toxicology slides. With the excitation light blocked or turned off, the invention can also be used to image light emitting samples, such as chemiluminescently labeled materials, or radioisotopes in close proximity to a scintillating substrate.
The Invention uses a unique illumination and detection optical system that minimizes background from its high intensity arc-lamp illumination and thus allows detection of low-level fluorescence from the sample with a high-QE CCD detector.
The Invention incorporates a number of automated features, including automated presentation of multiple test samples to the viewing area by user-selected criteria; auto-exposure of test samples, which allows walk-away use of the instrument while imaging multiple samples; automated illumination-variation correction; and an automated technique for extending the dynamic range of the Invention past the bit depth of the CCD.
The optical system of the Invention allows for high-speed (approximately  less than 1 sec.) collection of images from bright samples with the CCD camera, and also allows longer integration times for collecting low-level fluorescence. Full-field illumination, in combination with integrating detection on the CCD, allows for low-fluorescence image collection, while minimizing fluorophore damage and bleaching, as compared to laser scanning systems. The optical system also allows for viewing a large area (approximately 30xc3x9740 mm) while eliminating sufficient background from the arc lamp to view low-level fluorescence. The arc lamp supplies a full spectrum of excitation light that can be adapted for different fluorophores by changing the waveband of the filters, whereas laser systems are limited to specific excitation lines. The linear behavior of the CCD detection allows for a straightforward method to increase the dynamic range of the image data by taking multiple exposures of the sample.

Automated, CCD-based DNA micro-array imaging system


A cell phone based test capability enables a tester to audibly communicate with a fire alarm control unit. A detector can be selected and tested. Test results can be audibly communicated to the tester via the cell phone. The tester can initiate the next test via the cell phone.

It has been recognized that there are benefits to incorporating various types of monitoring systems in residential and commercial regions. Some of these types of monitoring systems include HVAC-type systems, intrusion monitoring systems (burglar alarm systems) as well as fire alarm and gas detection systems. Fire alarm and gas detection systems are often subject to mandatory testing on a regular basis. Some of these tests are conducted during an initial installation, expansion or modification of the system. Others are required on a periodic basis.
Where the fire alarm system incorporates smoke detectors which might be distributed throughout a region being monitored one form of testing is to sequentially direct smoke at each of the detectors. The respective detector, if functioning properly, can be expected to exhibit an alarm condition which can be sensed at a fire alarm control panel. The fire alarm control panel in response can then display or announce the presence of the detected alarm condition to a local operator.
The above process historically has required two individuals. One at the control panel. The other carries out a walk test and provides a smoke sample for each of the detectors. The individual at the fire alarm control panel can then reset the system and the individual conducting the test can be instructed via a wireless device such as a walkie-talkie or cell phone to move to the next detector to be tested. Confirmatory information can be provided to the individual conducting the walk test as to which of the detectors the system has been tested.
The above-described process requires two individuals, one at the control panel and one to conduct the walk test. In view of the expense associated with the needing to dedicate two individuals to carry out the testing process it would be desirable to be able to automate at least some of the functions that need to be carried out at the control panel in order to implement the testing process. Preferably the control panel could interact with that individual substantially in the same way as the operator has historically interacted with the individual conducting the walk test.
It would also be preferable to use the equipment presently available to such control panels to implement a one person test function. Further it would also be desirable to automatically maintain a real time log of the ongoing test process for audit purposes.

Method and apparatus for audio assisted testing


The invention includes a filtration unit for the selective deleukocytation of a fluid containing blood platelets such as blood or a blood component. The unit includes a medium for deleukocytation by adsorption and/or filtration of the leukocytes. The medium is formed by at least one layer of non-woven polyurethane fabric which has been treated by gas plasma.

Whole blood is a tissue with two components: the blood cells (red corpuscles, leukocytes and platelets), and plasma, a pale yellow liquid in which the blood cells are in suspension.
At the present time, patients are given transfusions only of the blood components necessary for their condition. For example, only platelet concentrates are transfused to patients suffering from thrombocytopenia, that is to say those whose platelet content in the blood is reduced.
Blood components are normally separated by two types of centrifugation. "Soft" centrifugation of the whole blood results in separation into two layers: a bottom layer with a high red corpuscle content known as a red corpuscle concentrate (RCC); and a top layer containing the plasma, platelets and leukocytes, referred to as a platelet-rich plasma (PRP). "Hard" centrifugation results in a separation into three layers: a bottom layer of RCC; a top layer of plasma with a low platelet content; and an intermediate layer formed essentially of leukocytes and platelets, referred to as a leukocyte-platelet layer or buffy coat. The platelet concentrate (PC) is obtained by centrifugation of the PRP or the buffy coat.
The presence of leukocytes in blood components intended for transfusion has very significant undesirable effects. Leukocytes increase the risks of immune rejection such as GVHD (Graft Versus Host Disease: rejection of the graft by the host) and assist in the transmission of infectious agents. Leukocytes also negatively affect the preservation of platelets. Therefore, it is desirable to remove leukocytes from blood or blood components. Filtration units with a medium for deleukocytation of the whole blood and/or each of the blood components have been developed. However, the majority of these media retain the not only leukocytes but also the platelets so that they do not make it possible to obtain a platelet filtrate product free from leukocytes.
To allow the selective elimination of the leukocytes and the passage of platelets, several chemical and/or physical treatments of known filtering media have been proposed.
For example, it has been envisaged treating the filtering medium by coating or radiation grafting of various chemical substances may limit the adhesion of the platelets to the filtering medium. These treatments have the drawback of using organic reagents which may be found in the leukodepleted blood or blood component.
In addition, it has been envisaged, for example in WO-93/04763, to treat the filtration medium by gas plasma so as to reduce the retention of the platelets. However, to be effective, this type of treatment may require operating conditions, particularly in terms of time, which are constraining.

Selective deleukocytation unit for a platelet product

Abstract: The invention also includes bag systems containing such a unit, including closed filtration systems.


A secondary content such as an advertisement may be inserted based on users' interests in 360 degree video streaming. Users may have different interests and may watch different areas within a 360 degree video. The information about area(s) of 360 degree scenes that users watch the most may be used to select an ad(s) relevant to their interests. One or more secondary content viewports may be defined within a 360 degree video frame. Secondary content viewport parameter(s) may be tracked. For example, statistics of the user's head orientation for some time leading to tile presentation of the ad(s) may be collected. Secondary content may be determined based on the tracked secondary content viewport parameters).

Virtual 3600 video is a rapidly growing format emerging in the media industry. 360° video is enabled by the growing availability of virtual reality (VR) devices. 360° video may provide the viewer a new sense of presence. When compared to rectilinear video (e.g., 2D or 3D), 360° video may pose difficult challenges on video processing and/or delivery. Enabling comfort and/or an immersive user experience may require high video quality and/or very low latency. The large video size of 360° video may be an impediment to delivering the 360° video to a large number of users.
HTTP streaming has become a dominant approach in commercial deployments. For instance, streaming platforms such as Apple's HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Microsoft's Smooth Streaming (SS), and/or Adobe's HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HDS) may use HTTP streaming as an underlying delivery method. A standard for HTTP streaming of multimedia content may enable a standard-based client to stream content from any standard-based server (e.g., thereby enabling interoperability between servers and clients of different vendors). MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH) may be a universal delivery format that provides end users with the best possible video experience by dynamically adapting to changing network conditions. DASH may be built on top of the HTTP/TCP/IP stack. DASH may define a manifest format, Media Presentation Description (MPD), and segment formats for ISO Base Media File Format and MPEG-2 Transport Streams.

Secondary content insertion in 360-degree video


A electric motor is disclosed in which torque ripple is reduced. The electric motor includes a single motor shaft. Rotors are disposed so as to be mutually offset in phase, and the rotors are secured to the motor shaft. Stators are arranged so as to individually correspond to the rotors, and the stators are disposed so as to be matched in phase. The phases of torque ripple generated in each motor unit, which is comprised of a combination of a single rotor and a single stator, are offset.

Methods are currently known in which a plurality of rotors are arranged in an axial direction of a motor shaft in an electric motor, an example of which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-14477 (JP 2006-14477 A). The conventional electric motor disclosed in JP 2006-14477 A is provided with two motor units accommodated in a single housing.
Each motor unit is comprised of a motor shaft, an inner rotor provided to the motor shaft, and a cylindrical outer stator disposed so as to surround the inner rotor. The motor shafts of the motor units are concentrically disposed and rotate in a mutually independent manner.
The motor shaft of one of the motor units extends outward from one end of the housing. The motor shaft of the other motor units extends outward from the other end of the housing.
In accordance with this type of conventional electric motor, a plurality of loads can be driven by mutually independent motor shafts.
In general, torque ripple (torque fluctuation, pulsation) can be generated in an electric motor. Torque ripple can also be generated in the prior art electric motor at certain rotational angles of the inner rotors in the two mutually independent motor shafts. It is preferable to reduce the torque ripple in order to reduce vibrations of the electric motor and have the torque be efficiently outputted from the electric motor.
It is also possible to consider providing a skew (diagonal groove) to the inner rotor and the outer stator. However, an effective magnetic flux of the inner rotor and the outer stator is reduced by an amount commensurate with the extent to which such a skew is provided. Also, the configuration of the inner rotor and the outer stator is made more complicated and the number of manufacturing steps is increased by the presence of the skew. In view of the above, there is room for further improvement.
A regenerative braking device disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 8-51701 (JP 08-51701 A), is designed to prevent battery overcharging when regenerative braking is carried out in a power apparatus provided with a drive motor.
The regenerative braking device sends regenerative current to a bypass circuit having a resistor when the battery voltage has exceeded a reference voltage (charging end-voltage) during regenerative braking. The device sets the value of the command current during regenerative braking on the basis of the battery voltage and the control state of the motor performed by the controller. When the regenerative current from the motor has exceeded the command current, current that is commensurate with the difference therebetween is sent to a regenerative resistor. As a result, battery overcharging during regenerative braking is prevented.
However, a bypass circuit resistor and a regenerative resistor for sending very large regenerative current are required in the device. These resistors must be relatively large because they convert electrical energy (regenerative current) into thermal energy and radiate the energy. Furthermore, when the amount of heat generated by the resistors is considerable, an air cooling fan or another heat dissipating device must be provided. Since this leads to a more complicated structure, there is room for improvement.
A motor generally has drive current supplied from a driver circuit. The electric current supply capability of the driver circuit must be increased when the output torque of the motor is considerable. A driver circuit having a large electric current supply capability is large in size and produces a considerable amount of heat. A heat sink must be enlarged in order to cool the driver circuit. Therefore, there is a limit to reducing the size of the power apparatus.
There are cases in which the output torque of the motor can remain low depending on the operating state of the load driven by the motor. A relatively large drive current is supplied to the motor even in such cases. There is a limit to reducing wasted electric current consumption and to improving energy savings.
Next, a self-propelled snow remover provided with a travel mechanism made capable of self-propulsion by using an electric motor such as that described above will be described. Such a snow remover is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-225308 JP 2004-225308 A).
The self-propelled snow remover described above is provided with an auger, an engine for driving the auger, a pair of left and right crawlers, and a pair of left and right electric motors for independently driving the pair of crawlers in a respective manner. The auger is driven by the engine alone. The pair of crawlers is driven by the pair of traveling electric motors alone.
When the crawlers are made to travel while removing snow using the auger, i.e., when the snow remover is made to travel and remove snow, the load on the crawlers is increased. Also, since the amount of snow removed by the auger is increased when the travel speed is increased, the crawlers are subjected to a greater load. Accordingly, snow remover is made to travel at low speed when the snow removal work is being performed. The characteristics of the traveling electric motors during snow removal should be able to provide low-speed rotation and high torque.
In a self-propelled snow remover, there are cases in which the operator desires to temporarily move (moving travel) the snow remover without having the auger perform snow removal. For example, there are cases in which the snow remover is placed in or removed from a storage location or is moved from the storage location to a nearby location for snow removal. In such cases, moving the snow remover at high speed is advantageous in terms of work efficiency. Also, since snow removal is not performed, the load on the crawlers is low. The characteristics of the traveling electric motors during moving travel should be able to provide high-speed rotation and low torque.
In this manner, the characteristics required in traveling electric motors are completely different when the self-propelled snow remover is operated for snow removal and when the snow remover is simply being moved. Electric drive motors for traveling that satisfy the characteristics of the two completely different situations are mounted on a conventional self-propelled snow remover. In other words, the traveling electric motors are capable of producing high torque. Therefore, power consumption is inevitably high in relative terms even when the snow remover is merely being moved.
In contrast, the battery for supplying power to the traveling electric motors is often a relatively low-capacity battery. The reason for this is that a large-capacity battery is not required because power can be constantly provided from the engine to the traveling electric motors via a power generator by driving the engine.
However, driving the engine in order to merely move the snow remover is a wasteful operation. It is more preferable to be able to drive the traveling electric motor by supplying power only from a low-capacity battery when the snow remover is merely being moved.

Electric motor, power apparatus using the same, and self-propelled snow remover


The invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous polyurethane dispersion suitable for use in personal care products, wherein the polyurethane is based on one or more polycarbonate polyols.

The invention relates to aqueous polyurethane dispersions, to a process for preparing them and to their use in cosmetic applications such as hair fixatives.
Polyurethane dispersions have recently been incorporated into cosmetic products, such as hair fixatives, suntan lotions, etc., offering several advantages over conventional technologies such as acrylics and acryl amide copolymers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and PVP/VA copolymers. Such advantages include water compatibility, ease of formulating low VOC sprays, water resistance and excellent film forming ability. Specifically in hair care products, polyurethane dispersions provide great setting effect without sticky feel, excellent style retention owing to the polymer's elastic memory, natural look and feel. All these attributes are highly valuable to the consumer. Commercial polyurethane dispersions designed as hair fixatives and hair styling polymers generally exhibit good high humidity curl retention, style retention, good feel and shine. However, their lack of adhesion to hair is demonstrated by extensive flakiness on hair after combing. This creates a significant aesthetic problem for consumers.
The challenge of designing a hair fixative polymer consists of achieving a balance between often conflicting requirements: the polymer should be hydrophobic enough to provide curl retention even under humid conditions, while it should remain sufficiently hydrophilic in order to be removable from hair by washing with water. Also, the polymer has to possess an optimum combination of glass transition temperature, flexibility and molecular weight to provide setting strength, elasticity, adhesion to hair and soft feel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,840 discloses hair fixatives based on polyurethane dispersions that are prepared utilizing 2,2-hydroxymethyl-substituted carboxylic acid. It illustrates how to achieve good humidity resistance and spray characteristics using water soluble or dispersable polyurethanes. The examples demonstrate the efficacy of the polymer only in aerosol spray formulations containing alcohol. This is detrimental for both the environment and the health of the hair. Finally, the invention utilizes a range of dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) of 0.35-2.25 meq of COOH per gram of polyurethane in the polyurethane dispersion that must be observed in order for the dispersion to be effective.
However, the disclosure does not teach how to avoid the common problem of the polymer's flakiness on hair by achieving good adhesion to hair. Moreover, it does not teach how to attain style retention, e.g. elastic behavior of the polymer. Finally, a lower amount of acid should preferably be used, while still achieving curl retention and washability, as the acid tends to accelerate the breakdown of the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,314 discloses reshapeable hair compositions that utilize polyurethane dispersions. During preparation of the polyurethane, an isocyanate-functional prepolymer is formed. The prepolymer incorporates at least one polyactive hydrogen compound that is soluble in the medium of dispersion. Preferably, sulfonated compounds are utilized. The sulfonic group is incorporated into the prepolymer, rather than via the urea segment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,813 discloses polyester polyurethanes that are suitable in cosmetic applications. It discloses a new family of polyester polyurethanes that possess not only good film-forming properties, but also impart great rigidity and excellent resistance to removal by water and detergents. With regard to the hair styling/hair fixative applications, the examples in the patent demonstrate the use of the invention only in hair style shaping lotions, claiming good shape retention.
However, the reference does not mention adhesion to hair or how to achieve excellent humidity resistance with good removability by water. It also does not mention important attributes of hair styling/hair fixative polymers, such as natural feel and luster on hair.
Thus, the purpose of present invention was to provide a polymer composition which would improve adhesion to hair and also demonstrate excellent curl and style retention, natural feel and look.
The present invention provides a composition that demonstrates excellent adhesion to hair. In comparison to commercially available hair fixative polyurethane dispersions, the composition of the present invention impart significantly less or no flaking at all. In addition, it provides improved humidity retention, higher luster and natural feel in comparison to the above-mentioned polyurethane dispersions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polyurethane dispersions based on polycarbonate polyols and suitable for use in personal care products


A process for the preparation of a ring-hydrogenated alkyl furfuryl ether of the general formula (I) or a mixture of such ethers: (I) R″-TF—CH2-O—R where TF represents a 2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran ring, where each R independently represents a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and where each R″ independently represents a methyl group, a hydroxymethyl group, the product of an aldol condensation reaction or an alkoxymethyl group of the general formula (II): (II) —CH2-O—R′ where each R′ independently represents a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, the process including the step of reacting a 5-(alkoxymethyl)furfural of the general formula (III) or a 2,5-bis(dialkoxymethyl)furan of the general formula (IV) under hydrogenation conditions: (III) R′—O—CH2-F—CH═O (IV) R′—O—CH2-F—CH2-O—R″ to form said ring-hydrogenated alkyl furfuryl ether of the general formula (I) or a mixture of said ethers wherein F represents a 2,5-disubstituted furan ring, and R′, and R″ have the definitions as described above.

Gasoline, diesel and kerosene are the most commonly used liquid transportation fuels. It is known that aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures, amongst other properties. Most aviation fuels available for aircraft are kinds of petroleum spirit used in engines with spark plugs i.e. piston engines and Wankel rotaries or fuel for jet turbine engines which is also used in diesel aircraft engines.
Aviation fuels consist of blends of over a thousand chemicals, primarily hydrocarbons (paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics) as well as additives such as antioxidants and metal deactivators, and impurities. Principal components include n-octane and isooctane. Like other fuels, blends of Aviation fuel used in piston engined aircraft are often described by their octane rating. The net energy content for present day aviation fuels depends on their composition. Some typical values are: Avgas, 43.7 MJ/kg or 31.0 MJ/L; Wide-cut jet fuel, 43.5 MJ/kg or 33.2 MJ/L, and Kerosene type jet fuel, 43.8 MJ/kg or 35.1 MJ/L.
Outside former communist areas, there are currently two main grades of turbine fuel in use in civil commercial aviation: Jet A-1 and Jet A, both are kerosene type fuels. There is another grade of jet fuel, Jet B which is a wide cut kerosene (a blend of gasoline and kerosene) but it is rarely used except in very cold climates. Jet A-1 is a kerosene grade of fuel suitable for most turbine engined aircraft. It is produced to a stringent internationally agreed standard, has a flash point above 38° C. (100° F.) and a freeze point maximum of −47° C. Jet A is a similar kerosene type of fuel as Jet A-1 but with a higher freeze point maximum (−40° C.). Jet B is a distillate covering the naphtha and kerosene fractions. It can be used as an alternative to Jet A-1 where its better cold weather performance is important.
JP-4 is the military equivalent of Jet B with the addition of corrosion inhibitor and anti-icing additives. JP-5 is a high flash point kerosene. Finally, JP-8 is the military equivalent of Jet A-1 with the addition of corrosion inhibitor and anti-icing additives.
As mentioned, aviation fuel typically contains additives added to the fuel in very small quantities, usually measurable only in parts per million, to provide special or improved qualities. The quantity to be added and approval for its use in various grades of fuel is strictly controlled by the appropriate specifications. A few additives in common use are as follows:    1. Anti-knock additives reduce the tendency of gasoline to detonate. Tetra-ethyl lead (TEL) is the only approved anti-knock additive for aviation use and has been used in motor and aviation gasolines since the early 1930s.    2. Anti-oxidants prevent the formation of gum deposits on fuel system components caused by oxidation of the fuel in storage and also inhibit the formation of peroxide compounds in certain jet fuels.    3. Static dissipater additives reduce the hazardous effects of static electricity generated by movement of fuel through modern high flow-rate fuel transfer systems. Static dissipater additives do not reduce the need for 'bonding' to ensure electrical continuity between metal components (e.g. aircraft and fuelling equipment) nor do they influence hazards from lightning strikes.    4. Corrosion inhibitors protect ferrous metals in fuel handling systems, such as pipelines and fuel storage tanks, from corrosion. Some corrosion inhibitors also improve the lubricating properties (lubricity) of certain jet fuels.    5. Fuel System Icing Inhibitors (Anti-icing additives) reduce the freezing point of water precipitated from jet fuels due to cooling at high altitudes and prevent the formation of ice crystals which restrict the flow of fuel to the engine. This type of additive does not affect the freezing point of the fuel itself. Anti-icing additives can also provide some protection against microbiological growth in jet fuel.    6. Metal de-activators suppress the catalytic effect which some metals, particularly copper, have on fuel oxidation.    7. Biocide additives are sometimes used to combat microbiological growths in jet fuel, often by direct addition to aircraft tanks; as indicated above some anti-icing additives appear to possess biocidal properties.    8. Thermal Stability Improver additives are sometimes used in military JP-8 fuel, to produce a grade referred to as JP-8+100, to inhibit deposit formation in the high temperature areas of the aircraft fuel system.
As mentioned above, alcohol, alcohol mixtures and other alternative fuels may be used experimentally but are not generally available.
Although alternative aviation fuels are not general available, there are nonetheless many patents and scientific articles on (aviation) fuels containing for instance furan derivatives such as furfural, furfuryl alcohol, methylfuran, and dimethylfuran. The most important examples are summarized below.
Already in U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,338, fuel compositions are described containing tetrahydro furfuryl alcohol. The presence of this component reduced the loss in speed due to icing both in motor fuel and in an aviation fuel.
Recently, in WO2008013922, fully renewable engine fuels were described that are said to be derived completely from biomass sources. The fully renewable engine fuel is comprised of one or more low carbon number esters derived from ethanol, one or more pentosan-derivable furans, one or more aromatic hydrocarbons, one or more C4-C10 straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides, and one or more bio-oils. In addition, the fuel may contain triethanolamine. Such a lower octane renewable fuel may be utilized, for example, in automobile fuel, 100 LL aviation fuel applications, and turbine engine applications. These ethanol-based, fully renewable fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100LL aviation fuel (known as "aviation gasoline" or "AvGas"), as well as high octane, rocket, diesel, and turbine engine fuels.
As discussed in this reference, the inherent energy contained within gasoline is directly related to mileage, not to octane number. Automobile gasoline has no energy specification, hence no mileage specification. In contrast, aviation fuels, a common example being 100 LL (100 octane low lead), do have an energy content specification. This translates to aircraft range and to specific fuel consumption. Aircraft cannot compromise range. For this reason, energy content is equally important as MON values. It should be realized, however, that the aforementioned ethanol-based fuels are produced through fermentation of food crops and such and therefore compete with the production of food products. The generation of biofuel from food crops is widely discussed, given the pressure it will put on land, prices of food and the hunger problem.
Furan derivatives have indeed been used for various purposes in fuel compositions. In e.g., US20060180786A tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate and other derivatives have been described as pour point depressant for jet fuel/diesel fuel compositions. More specifically, this reference provides a method for lowering the pour point of biodiesel, said method comprising preventing or reducing crystallization of fatty acids, esters or alkaline salts of fatty acids in the biodiesel product by adding to said biodiesel an effective crystallization reducing or preventing amount of a composition, said composition comprising a.o. tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate and tetrahydrofurfuryl tetrahydrofuroate. Indeed, as antifreeze component, furfuryl alcohol has already been described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,215.
Furan derivatives have been suggested also for use in hypergolic propellants. A hypergolic propellant is either of the two rocket propellants used in a hypergolic rocket engine, which spontaneously ignite when they come into contact. The two propellants are usually termed the "fuel" and the "oxidizer". Although hypergolic propellants tend to be difficult to handle, a hypergolic engine is easy to control and very reliable. In common usage, the terms "hypergol" or "hypergolic propellant" are often used to mean the most common such propellant combination, hydrazine plus nitrogen tetroxide, or their relatives. Examples of furan derivatives in hypergolic propellants may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,359, U.S. Pat. No. 2,994,191, U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,334, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,535.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,245 describes a gasoline composition containing at least one antiknock compound selected from the group consisting of furfuryl acetate, ethyl furfurylacrylate, methyl furoate, and ethyl furoate. This case is not specific to aviation fuels. Similar cases on antiknock components, cetane improvers, or component to improve the octane rating may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,087, U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,204, EP1321504, WO2005087901, U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,152, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,987 (which describes 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as an anti-knock component for spark ignition motor fuel composition at levels between 15-55%), U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,630, U.S. Pat. No. 2,321,311 (which discloses a motor fuel composition comprising a mixture of gasoline hydrocarbons adapted as a base fuel for spark-ignition engines improved in antiknock value by an addition of a substantial amount at least 1% by volume of a heterocyclic compound containing a furane nucleus and selected from the group consisting of furane, alkyl furanes, furfuryl alcohols, furfuryl amines, and the saturated derivatives thereof, said heterocyclic compound boiling in the range of said base fuel), US2003110684 and many other references.
From US2003154649 a method is known for reducing the vapor pressure of a C3 to C12 hydrocarbon-based motor fuel composition for a conventional spark ignition internal combustion engine comprising combining: (a) a hydrocarbon component comprising C3 to C12 hydrocarbon fractions; (b) an ethanol component comprising fuel grade ethanol, said ethanol component comprising 0.1% to 20% of the composition by volume; (c) an oxygen-containing heterocyclic compound having 5 to 8 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate, dimethyltetrahydrofuran, tetramethyltetrahydrofuran.
US2002053161 discloses the use of oxygenated compounds derived from tetrahydrofurfuryl as additives or formulation bases of gas-oils and leading to a significant lowering of particle emissions. The oxygenated compound has the formula THF—C—X—R in which —X— is chosen from —O— and —O—(CH2-O)n (n=1-20) and R is chosen from alkyl groups containing from 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and groups containing a tetrahydrofurfuryl unit (isopropyl, isobutyl, tertbutyl and tertamyl groups).
Unfortunately, such furane derivatives are relatively expensive to make, they are relative unstable and/or their physical/chemical properties (energy density, melting point, boiling points flash points viscosity) are suboptimal.
The prior art comprises additional references on the use of certain furfuryl derivatives as yarn conditioners (U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,747 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,153,135), as component of a heat pump (GB1539287) and as topic for study in various reactions (W. R. Kirner: "Alpha-Tetrahydrofurfuryl Chloride and Alpha-Tetrahydrofurfuryl Ethers", JACS, vol. 52, 1930, pages 3251-3256; Cope et al: "Aminoalcohols Containing the 8-Oxa-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1.]octane Ring System and Their Benzoates" JACS, vol. 77, 1955, pages 393-396; E. Taskinen: "Relative Thermodynamic Stabilities of 2-(Methoxymethylene)tetrahydrofuran and 5-Methoxymethyl-2,3-Dihydrofuran" J. of Physical Organic Chemistry, vol. 8, 1995, pages 1-4; Schiavo et al: "Catalytic hydrogenation of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural in aqueous medium", Bulletin de la Soc. Chimique de France, 1991, pages 704-711). As of the use of these furfuryl derivatives as components in fuels and particular in aviation fuels nothing is mentioned in this art.
Likewise, the substances 2,5-bis-methoxymethyltetrahydrofuran (Beilstein registry number 106201) and 2-hydroxymethyl-5-methoxymethyl-tetrahydrofuran (Beilstein registry number 105046) are known, but made by complicated processes without disclosing their use as fuel or fuel component (cf. XP002498014 and XP002498015).
Strongly increasing fossil fuel prices, security of supply issues and growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have intensified the search for and use of Bioenergy applications (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal etc). An important area is the transportation sector but unfortunately on the short term only limited renewable energy solutions are available.
From an environmental perspective hydrogen would be a very attractive fuel. Unfortunately, hydrogen is a very inconvenient energy storage medium. Thus, the density of hydrogen at room temperature and pressure is 0.00009 kg/m3. The density at 700 bar amounts to 57.5 kg/m3, with an energy density of Qv=120 MJ/kg. The density of gasoline is 740 kg/m3, Qv=44 MJ/kg. Although per kg, hydrogen has a 120/44=2.7× higher energy density than gasoline, because of the low mass per volume, even at 700 bars hydrogen has only (2.7*(57.5/740)) 21% of the energy content of gasoline. In addition, compression to 700 bar requires 20% of fuel energy. Hydrogen can also be stored as a liquid in a cryogenic tank. However, when stored at −253° C. the density is still only 70 kg/m3. This liquefaction requires 40% of fuel energy. The required fuel tanks (for both pressurization and liquefaction) are heavy and expensive. A cryogenic tank to store 8 kg fuel weighs 120 kg—high pressure tanks are significantly heavier! A major disadvantage of liquefaction is that half the fuel boils off in 9 days!
A further solution has been to store hydrogen in mineral or organic materials. Metallocarboranes have been able to reversibly store 50 kg/m3 hydrogen (NREL annual hydrogen report 2007). These materials are however prohibitively expensive. So far the strategies for hydrogen storage via reaction or complexation with "host" materials required release of hydrogen upon use.
Another fuel considered attractive from an environmental perspective is biofuel (i.e., fuels of bioorganic origin as opposed to fuels of petroleum origin).
Biofuel can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material. Biofuels are used globally. The most common use for biofuels is automotive transport. The use of renewable biofuels in lieu of fossil fuels is said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy security.
One of the greatest technical challenges is to develop ways to convert biomass energy specifically to liquid fuels for transportation. To achieve this, the two most common strategies are:    1. To grow sugar crops (sugar cane, and sugar beet), or starch (corn/maize), and then use yeast fermentation to produce ethanol (ethyl alcohol).    2. To grow plants that (naturally) produce oils, such as palm, rapeseed, soy, algae, or jatropha. When these oils are heated, their viscosity is reduced, and they can be burned directly in a diesel engine, or the oils can be chemically processed to produce fuels such as biodiesel.Increased demand for biofuels, particularly in America and Europe has led to deforestation and food shortages. This is increasingly making biofuels into a political issue throughout the world. Recently, inventors of Furanix Technologies B.V. have developed an alternative route to biofuels, based on 5-alkoxymethyl furfural derivatives that are prepared by reacting a fructose and/or glucose-containing starting material with an alcohol in the presence of a catalytic or sub-stoichiometric amount of heterogeneous acid catalyst. See WO2007104514. The catalysts may be employed in a continuous flow fixed bed or catalytic distillation reactor. The ethers can be applied as a fuel or fuel additive.
As indicated in this prior patent application, the conversion of one glucose molecule by fermentation into two molecules of ethanol and two molecules of CO2 has drawbacks especially in view of atom economy, the low energy density of ethanol (7.7 kWh/kg or 6.1 kWh/L), its relative low flash point (13 degrees Celsius), hygroscopic nature and corrosiveness.
For fuel and aviation fuel in particular, products of increased energy density, flash point, and melting point are required. Ideally, these products should be based on biomass or biomass products. On the other hand, the preparation of these (aviation) biofuels should be economically feasible and energetically acceptable. The products should be at least as good as methylfuran and dimethylfuran, that have been proposed as aviation fuel in the past, but which production-routes were non-economic to date.
Interestingly, the current inventors have found a new class of compounds that may be used as fuel and/or as fuel additive. These compounds may be produced by proven technologies, using starting materials based on biomass or biomass products.
In fact the current inventors have realised that unlike the products resulting from mineral oil, biomass derived furans are very high in unsaturation. This enables the use of these compounds as a cheap hydrogen storage medium, without the challenging hydrogen release requirement! Both the hydrogen as well as the furan "storage host" can be used as an economic fuel. Moreover, it has now been realized to prepare biomass derived fuel components that meet the requirements concerning flash point and freeze point maximum whilst providing a high energy density. In other words, the new fuel components are uniquely suitable for use as aviation fuel.


The invention relates to a method for operating a memory assembly. A physical address is received. The physical address is associated with a first memory segment of a memory assembly. The physical address is modified to a modified physical address. The modified physical address is associated with a second memory segment of the memory assembly.

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for operating a memory array.
Some computing systems comprise a memory array for storing and providing data to execute a program in real time. The memory array can comprise an array of memory segments, each of which can store and provide a unit of information. Each of the memory segments can be assigned a corresponding physical address to allow a unique assignment.
The lifetime of a memory array can be affected by the total number of read and write operations performed. In particular, the lifetime of a memory array can be shortened due to ageing effects. Often, the memory segments of a memory array cannot be repaired or replaced in isolation, so that the occurrence of a failure in one of the memory segments can even lead to the failure of the entire memory array.
Uneven utilization of certain memory segments, for example, by repeatedly writing and reading more frequently than average, can therefore lead to a reduction in the lifetime of a memory array.

Method and device for operating a memory assembly


In some examples, a service provider may determine from a shift schedule that a first employee is scheduled to work a particular shift at a business within a threshold period of time. The service provider may determine, based on a location of a first mobile device of the first employee, that the first employee is unlikely to arrive at the business in time for the start of the particular shift. In response, the service provider may find a replacement employee to fill the shift of the first employee. For instance, the service provider may send the communication to a second mobile device associated with a second employee that is determined to be within a threshold distance of the business. Alternatively, if the service provider determines that the business is overstaffed on a particular day, the service provider may offer a selected employee an incentive to depart work early.

In many types of jobs, employers typically schedule employees to work in shifts. However, scheduling shifts for a number of employees can be a challenging and time-consuming task for an employer. For example, some employees may not be available to work during certain time slots and/or may prefer to work particular shifts, rather than other shifts. Further, some employees may have limited skill sets or may otherwise only be able to be scheduled to work when certain other employees are scheduled to work. Additionally, if an employee does not show up for a scheduled shift, the employer may be left scrambling to find a replacement employee to take over the shift.


The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a system and method for customizing a cosmetic product. The system includes: an interface device, in electronic communication with a single batch cosmetic device. A container configured, to be imported into the single batch cosmetic device containing a base. The single batch cosmetic device configured to formulate a customized cosmetic product by mixing a cosmetic additive with the base inside the imported container using at least one mixing element. The container exported from the single batch cosmetic device containing the customized cosmetic.

With the development of the beauty industry, users are increasingly interested in beauty products such as custom cosmetics and beauty services. Specifically, a user needs a single batch cosmetic device to customize a plurality of products based on a user's skin tone or preference.
In the field of custom cosmetics, skin coloration has been measured spectrophotometrically to provide a custom color. A mixing and dispensing device is electronically connected to a processor programmed to provide custom-blended cosmetics in a retail location/environment. In this device, color blenders, cosmetic bases, thinners, and additives are dispensed via a plurality of nozzles into a container and mixed. Various vibration mixers and shakers are used to mix the required ingredients. However, due to the number of ingredients being mixed and the complexity of the process, this device is only for commercial use. A need exists in the industry to produce a simple machine for in-home, salon, store, or alternative manufacturing use, while still providing users with the ability to customize a wide variety of cosmetic products.
Additionally, a need exists to sample cosmetic products hygienically in the post-COVID-19 retail environment. Retailers traditionally carried "tester" or "sample" products for customers to swatch or to try on in-store. In a post-COVID-19 world, this practice creates unnecessary health risks with person-to-person and surface contact. A need exists to effectively create sample-sized products on demand for users.

System and device for customization of cosmetics


A vial access device is described comprising an upper housing having a fluid connecter in fluid communication with the upper housing; a vial access spike projecting from the upper housing; a fluid filter body within the upper housing or connectable thereto, the fluid filter body in fluid communication with the vial access spike and the fluid connector. Methods of reducing or eliminating particulate matter from medicament solutions are also provided.

Liquid drugs are typically provided in medicament vials with standard elastomeric closure sizes, such as 20 mm and 13 mm diameter closures. Vial access devices are used to withdraw medication from these vials. Particulate may be present in the vial or become mixed in the medication during the fluid removal process. Types of particles that may be present in vials include; pharmaceutical sediment, lipids, un-dissolved solids, recrystallization of medication elements, glass, plastic and rubber debris, septum particulate and various other types of contaminants, these particles can be various sizes and shapes, and depending on the medicament, hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic, and/or partially or completely ionized salts. In addition, insertion of the vial access spike can shear off or core bits of the stopper of the vial. Often these particles are sub-visible sizes and will go unnoticed. Particulates that are injected into a patient can cause complications, for example, phlebitis, organ damage, and vessel blockage.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid electrolytic capacitor which can reduce the ESL and the ESR and increase electrostatic capacitance at a small size, and a method for manufacturing such a solid electrolytic capacitor. A solid electrolytic capacitor component includes a foil-like aluminum substrate whose surface is roughened or enlarged and which is formed with an aluminum oxide film 2x on the surface thereof and foil-like aluminum substrates whose surfaces are not roughened and a cathode electrode including a solid high molecular polymer electrolyte layer, a graphite paste layer and a silver paste layer is formed on the surface of the foil-like aluminum substrate. In the solid electrolytic capacitor component 110, lead electrode pairs including anode lead electrodes are disposed adjacent with each other, whereby magnetic fields to be generated are canceled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor and a method for manufacturing a solid electrolytic capacitor and, particularly, to a solid electrolytic capacitor which is constituted by forming at least a solid high molecular polymer electrolyte layer and a conductive layer on a foil-like valve metal substrate formed with an insulating oxide film on the surface thereof and can reduce the ESL and the ESR and increase electrostatic capacitance at a small size, and a method for manufacturing such a solid electrolytic capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrolytic capacitor is conventionally formed by employing a so-called valve metal capable of forming an insulating oxide film such as aluminum, titanium, brass, nickel, tantalum or the like as an anode, anodizing the surface of the valve metal to form an insulating oxide film thereon, forming an electrolyte layer substantially serving as a cathode, and forming a conductive layer of graphite, silver or the like as a cathode.
For example, an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is formed by employing as an anode a porous aluminum foil whose specific surface area is increased by etching, and providing a separation paper impregnated with an electrolytic solution between an aluminum oxide layer formed on the surface of the anode and a cathode foil.
In general, although an electrolytic capacitor using an electrolytic solution for an electrolyte layer between an insulating oxide film and a cathode has the disadvantage that its lifetime is determined by liquid leakage, evaporation of the electrolytic solution and the like, a solid electrolytic capacitor using a solid electrolyte containing metal oxide or organic compounds does not have such a disadvantage and is preferable.
Manganese dioxide is a typical metal oxide usable for the solid electrolyte of a solid electrolytic capacitor. On the other hand, as an organic compound usable for the solid electrolyte of a solid electrolytic capacitor, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) complex salt disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 52-79255 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 58-191414 can be cited.
Recently, as the frequency of power circuits of electronic devices has become higher, corresponding performance is required of capacitors used therewith. However, a solid electrolytic capacitor using a solid electrolyte layer containing manganese dioxide or TCNQ complex salt has the following disadvantages.
Although a solid electrolyte layer containing manganese dioxide is generally formed by repeating thermal decomposition of manganese nitrate, an insulating oxide film is damaged or degraded by heat applied during thermal decomposition or oxidative effect of NOx gas generated during thermal decomposition. Therefore, in the case where a solid electrolyte layer is formed using manganese dioxide, leakage current becomes high, for example, and various characteristics of the capacitor finally obtained tend to be lowered. Further, in the case where a solid electrolyte layer is formed using manganese dioxide, the solid electrolytic capacitor has the disadvantage that impedance thereof becomes higher in the high frequency region.
On the other hand, a solid electrolytic capacitor using TCNQ complex salt does not adequately satisfy the requirement for low impedance of current solid electrolytic capacitors, since the electric conductivity of TCNQ complex salt is about 1 S/cm or lower. It has been further pointed out that the reliability of a solid electrolytic capacitor using TCNQ complex salt as a solid electrolyte is not sufficient for the reason that adhesive strength between TCNQ complex salt and an insulating oxide film is low and the thermal stability of TCNQ complex salt during soldering and with lapse of time is low, and the like. In addition, TCNQ complex salt is expensive and, therefore, the cost of a solid electrolytic capacitor using TCNQ complex salt as a solid electrolyte is high.
For solving these problems occurring when manganese dioxide or TCNQ complex salt is used as a solid electrolyte and obtaining a solid electrolytic capacitor having better characteristics, it has been proposed to use as a solid electrolyte a high molecular compound having high electric conductivity whose manufacturing cost is relatively low, whose adhesive strength to an insulating oxide film is relatively good and whose thermal stability is excellent.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 2,725,553 discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor in which polyaniline formed on an insulating oxide film on the surface of an anode by the chemical oxidation polymerization process.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-31400 proposes a solid electrolytic capacitor in which a thin film of metal or manganese dioxide is formed on an insulating oxide film and a conductive polymer film of polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, polyfuran or the like is formed on the thin film of metal or manganese dioxide by the electrolysis polymerization process, for the reason that it is difficult to form a conductive polymer film having high strength on an insulating oxide film on the surface of an anode only by the chemical oxidation polymerization process and that it is impossible or extremely difficult to directly form an electrolysis polymerization film on an insulating oxide film on the surface of an anode by the electrolysis polymerization process because the insulating oxide film on the surface of an anode is a non-conductor.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-74853 proposes a solid electrolytic capacitor in which a conductive polymer film of polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, polyfuran or the like is formed on an insulating oxide film by the chemical oxidation polymerization process.
Further, in order to reduce impedance, it is necessary to lower the equivalent series inductance (ESL) and equivalent series resistance (ESR) of capacitors used in the electronic devices and it is particularly necessary to sufficiently lower the ESL in the electronic devices including the power circuits of low frequency. As methods for decreasing the ESL, there are generally known a first method of shortening the length of the electric path as possible, a second method of canceling the magnetic field generated by one electric path by the magnetic field generated by another electric path, and a third method of dividing an electric path into n pieces to decrease the effective ESL to 1/n. For example, the first method and the third method are employed in the invention taught by Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-311832, the second method and the third method are employed in the invention taught by Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 06-267802 and the third method is employed in the inventions taught by Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 06-267801 and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 11-288846.
At the same time, the frequency of the power circuits of electronic devices has recently become higher and this has made it necessary to lower the equivalent series inductance (ESL) and equivalent series resistance (ESR) of capacitors used in the electronic devices. Even if the initial characteristic ESL value or the like can be markedly improved, such requirement cannot be practically satisfied in the case where the characteristic value is liable to vary in a reliability test such as a high temperature application test or the like. Therefore, it is required to develop an electrolytic capacitor in which initial characteristic ESL and ESR values are very low and do not vary substantially.

Solid electrolytic capacitor and method for manufacturing solid electrolytic capacitor


In a control apparatus of the present invention, when a predetermined engagement condition is satisfied while an internal combustion engine is operated, first a rotating speed control which makes a first MG output a torque so that a rotating speed of the first MG becomes zero is executed, and subsequently an engagement control which switches a state of a lock mechanism to an engagement state is executed when an engagement switching condition is satisfied during execution of the rotating speed control. When a temperature of a first inverter of the first MG becomes equal to or higher than an engagement prohibition temperature which is lower than a working upper limit temperature during the execution of the rotating speed control, the execution of the engagement control is prohibited.

There is known a hybrid vehicle that includes a power split mechanism which is connected with an internal combustion engine, a motor generator, and an output portion, and that is capable of splitting power of the internal combustion engine into the output portion and the motor generator by the power split mechanism. In such a vehicle, there is known a vehicle that is provided with an engagement mechanism which is capable of switching between an engagement state where an output shaft of the motor generator is locked so as not to rotate and a release state where the output shaft locked is released, and that a variable gear ratio mode and a fixed gear ratio mode are realized by switching a state of the engagement mechanism (see Patent Literature 1). In addition, there are Patent Literatures 2-5 as prior art references in relation to the present invention.


A process and system for removing heavy metals, fluoride, silica and other contaminants from large volumes of wastewater is disclosed. In the process, a wastewater stream containing the contaminant is treated with a chemical coagulant to create a particle having a diameter greater than 5 microns. Treated wastewater is passed through a microfiltration membrane which physically separates the metal contaminant particle from the wastewater. Commercially available microfiltration membranes having a pore size from 0.5 micron to 5 microns may be used. The treated wastewater flow rate through the microfiltration membranes can range from 700 gallons per square foot of membrane per day ("GFD") to 1500 GFD. Solids are removed from the membrane surface by periodically backflushing the microfiltration membranes and draining the filtration vessel within which the membranes are located. The dislodged solid material within the filtration vessel is flushed into a holding tank for further processing of the solids.

Many manufacturing operations generate extremely large quantities of water containing heavy metals or other contaminants. For instance, mining drawdown wells which are used to dewater deep mining operations are known to generate up to 75,000 gallons per minute (gpm) of water. Often this water contains heavy metals or other impurities which must be removed from the water before it can be safely discharged into the environment.
Current techniques for treating drawdown wastewater include large settling ponds, clarifiers, and sand filter systems utilizing iron or aluminum chemistry with large quantities of polymer additives. Such systems are able to demonstrate 90% compliance to discharge regulations. For example, arsenic cannot be safely discharged into the environment unless its concentration is less than 50 ppb ("parts per billion"). If influent arsenic levels are greater than 300 ppb, clarifier and sand filter systems are not able to consistently provide discharge levels less than 50 ppb. To achieve this level of arsenic reduction, chemical coagulants are required to form heavy and large particles, typically greater than 200 microns in size. However, such systems are subject to biological fouling, sand settling, and upsets. Upsets result in out of compliance water. In addition, system maintenance is extensive, with very large land areas required for the system installation.
Filters have been considered to remove metal contaminants from wastewater. For example, traditional microfiltration membranes have a pore size of about 0.5 microns with a flux rate of 100-200 GFD ("gallons per square foot of membrane per day"). At this flux rate, it would be necessary to have a membrane of at least 180,000 square feet to process 25,000 gpm of wastewater. If the wastewater flow rate is 75,000 gpm, then the membrane size would need to be at least 540,000 square feet. Such membrane sizes are prohibitively large and expensive.
It would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a process and system for removing metals and other contaminants from large quantities of wastewater.
It would be a major advancement in the art to provide a process and system for removing metals and other contaminants from large quantities of wastewater which do not require large land areas.
It would also be an important advancement in the art to provide a process and system for removing metals and other contaminants from large quantities of wastewater which consistently complies with environmental discharge requirements.
Such processes and systems are disclosed and claimed herein.

Wastewater treatment process and apparatus for high flow silica removal


An integrated circuit is designed to reduce charge gain and charge loss in a flash memory or flash programmable read-only memory. Charge gain and loss caused by moisture or hydrogen diffusion or alternately small contact-to-floating gate distance is reduced by a capping layer disposed over a gate stack and a base layer of the flash memory. The capping layer includes a buffer layer, a first insulative layer, and a second insulative layer. The etch characteristics of at least the first and second insulative layer differs from an interlevel dielectric to control the dimensions of a contact extending through the interlevel dielectric and the capping layer to the base layer.

The present invention relates to a flash memory cell and methods of manufacturing same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flash memory cell with less susceptibility to charge gain and charge loss.
Integrated circuits (ICs), such as ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) circuits, can presently include more than one million transistors. ICs can include various devices such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors (FETs) and flash memory cells.
A flash memory cell is generally comprised of a transistor connected to a word line and a bit line. The transistor includes a gate stack comprised of a polysilicon cap, a control gate, a control gate dielectric, a floating gate, and a tunnel dielectric. The polysilicon cap is disposed over the control gate, and the control gate is disposed over the control gate dielectric. The control gate dielectric is disposed over the floating gate, and the floating gate is disposed over the tunnel dielectric. The transistor further includes a source and a drain; the gate stack is disposed between the source and drain. The transistor still further includes an insulative spacer which abuts each side of the gate stack. The bit line connects to the drain of the transistor via a contact coupled to the drain. The word line connects to the control gate of the transistor. Voltages applied to specific parts of the flash memory cell allow storage and erasure of date (e.g., a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d) in the floating gate.
The transistor can be covered by a high temperature oxide (HTO) layer and an interlevel dielectric to insulate it from subsequently formed metal layers. An aperture or hole is etched through the interlayer dielectric and the high temperature oxide. The hole is filled with a conductive material to provide connections to the transistor, to conductors, or to other circuit structures. For example, a contact can extend from the bit line through the interlevel dielectric to the drain of the transistor. In another example, a contact or conductive via can extend through the interlevel dielectric to connect to the gate stack.
One problem associated with memory cell transistors is charge loss or charge gain. Charge loss or gain can occur from electrons traveling through the high temperature oxide or interlayer dielectric between the contact and the floating gate. Such charge gain or loss in the floating gate can destroy the data stored in the memory cell. Susceptibility to charge gain or loss increases as the distance between contacts and floating gates decreases or when gate stacks are not properly protected from moisture or hydrogen diffusion.
Distances between contacts and floating gates have become smaller as transistors disposed on integrated circuits have become smaller (e.g., transistors with gate lengths approaching 50 nanometers (nm)) so that a greater density of such transistors can be included in each integrated circuit. Moreover, high temperature oxide, as described above, is typically deposited over the gate stack as a protective layer against moisture or hydrogen diffusion. High temperature oxide, however, is not the most effective blocking layer against depletion of hydrogen or moisture from moisture or hydrogen diffusion and as such aggravates the charge gain or loss problem.
Thus, there is a need for an integrated circuit that has less susceptibility to charge gain and loss problems. Further still, there is a need for a method of manufacturing a transistor that is less susceptible to charge gain and charge loss. Even further still, there is a need for a flash memory cell that includes an apparatus designed to simultaneously provide better blocking capability against moisture or hydrogen diffusion and also increases the contact-to-floating gate distance, thereby reducing charge gain and charge loss.
One exemplary embodiment relates to an integrated circuit including a plurality of transistors. Each of the plurality of transistors include a gate stack and the plurality of transistors are at least partially covered by a capping layer and an interlevel dielectric. A hole extends through the capping layer and the interlevel dielectric. The configuration of the capping layer and the hole makes the integrated circuit less susceptible to charge gain or charge loss associated with the gate stacks.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to an integrated circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor having a first gate stack and a second gate stack, respectively. The integrated circuit further includes a capping layer disposed over the first gate stack, the second gate stack, and at least a first portion of the base layer between the first gate stack and the second gate stack. The integrated circuit still further includes an interlevel dielectric disposed over the capping layer, and a contact substantially disposed between the first and second gate stacks. The capping layer includes a buffer layer, a first insulative layer, and a second insulative layer.
A further exemplary embodiment relates to a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit. The method includes providing a gate stack on a base layer, providing a capping layer over the gate stack and the base layer, and providing an interlevel dielectric over the capping layer. The capping layer includes a buffer layer, a first insulative layer, and a second insulative layer. The method further includes etching the buffer layer, the first insulative layer, the second insulative layer, and the interlevel dielectric to form a hole extending to the base layer, wherein the hole includes at least one of a width wider at the interlevel dielectric than at the buffer layer and a step-like feature near the base layer.

Flash memory with less susceptibility to charge gain and charge loss


Exemplary embodiments are directed to a system and method for configuring a control device in an automation system. The system including a hardware structure, and a programming tool connected to the hardware structure and the control device. The programming tool is configured to transmit a control program and configuration files to the control device, and store a control project in memory. The programming tool registers modifications of the hardware devices using software “FlexConf.ini” as modification information and sets the control device to a mode “control with flexible configuration” via a parameter “FlexControl”. The programming tool also determines a type for transmitting the modification information in the parameter “FlexControl”, and transmits the modification software with the modification information stored therein in accordance with the transmission type set in the parameter “FlexControl” to the control device. The control device then parameterizes the hardware devices and transitions into a “RUN” operating mode.

Known automation systems for controlling a technical process or a technical installation can comprise a control device (PLC), which communicates with the input/output units and/or field units of the automation system via communication couplers.
Before the control system can be used, the hardware provided therefor is mapped in a programming tool, also called engineering tool, as part of the PLC or control project. In the control project, information about input/output addresses of said hardware is stored and made accessible to the application program.
In order that the inputs and outputs of the hardware of the system can be addressed, the control device and the input/output units firstly have to be configured in accordance with the respective customer-specific specification, which is also designated hereinafter as control configuration. This configuration can be supported by the programming tool. The control configuration created is used to map the combination of the hardware (for example input/output units, communication couplers) of the automation system among one another. The control configuration is part of the PLC or control project and is transmitted into the control device via an interface integrated in the engineering tool (for example by means of the control builder AC500 used by ABB). The above-described method for configuring the control device is described for example in IEC 61131-3.
The mapping of the hardware of the automation system in the control project, as provided by means of the control configuration, comprises, inter alia, the following information. General parameters of the CPU of the control device of the system, number of input/output units which are to be connected to the control device via a proprietary input/output bus or via a field bus, inputs and outputs of all the units connected to the bus, parameterization of the input/output units, configuration of the inputs and outputs of the units, parameterization of the input/output channels of the input/output units, setting of the operating mode and the parameters of the serial interfaces of the system, and/or type, general parameters and protocols of the communication couplers used or of the communication network used.
When the PLC is started up, the control configuration previously project-planned and stored in the project is compared with the hardware actually present, for example the input/output units connected to the PLC, which is also designated as verification. Furthermore, the input/output units are parameterized in accordance with the control configuration. In this case, if the actual hardware used in the system does not correspond to the hardware project-planned in the control configuration, for example if not all of the project-planned input/output units of the automation system are connected, the control or application program of the PLC is not started and, if appropriate, an error message is generated.
Consequently, the PLC is only started if all the units provided or entered in the automation system, such as input/output units and communication couplers, are connected and parameterized.
If, in the automation system thus configured, however, some hardware devices are not specified in a further customer-specific expansion stage, the control or application program of the PLC cannot be started. In that case, for said customer-specific expansion stage, which concerns, alongside the changes in the number of input/output units, also changes in the parameterization of the input/output unit, changes in the parameterization of a channel of an input/output unit or the exchange of the communication couplers, the control project has to be adapted in accordance with the customer specification and the control configuration has to be correspondingly changed and transmitted anew into the PLC. In this case, the control configuration is designated as a non-flexible or rigid control configuration.
By means of the rigid control configuration it is not possible, in a control project once it has been created, to cover modifications of the hardware, for machine parts that are not present, for example. The control configuration should be revised in accordance with the now changed control project in the engineering tool and once again be transmitted into the control device and performed.
For automation systems having a flexibly expandable control and communication structure, for example, in modularly constructed control systems, as described for example in DE 10 2004 056 363 A1, a reconfiguration of the control system is associated with a not inconsiderable outlay in terms of time and costs.

Method for the configuration of a control device


A PLL frequency synthesizer improves near C/N, shortens lockup time, and reduces residual FM. In this apparatus, an input current signal is converted to a voltage signal by one of a plurality of loop filters with different cutoff frequencies and output to a voltage controlled oscillator. An oscillation signal generated by the voltage controlled oscillator is branched at a first junction point and output to a frequency divider and an output terminal. A variable capacitance capacitor is connected to a second junction point branched subsequent to the first junction point and its capacitance is controlled in accordance with loop filter switching control of a control circuit.

Heretofore, the item described in Patent Document 1 has been known as a PLL frequency synthesizer. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional PLL frequency synthesizer. In this drawing, a plurality of PLL circuits 10-1 through 10-n having loop filters with different cutoff frequencies, provided in parallel with respect to an input signal, each output an oscillation signal phase-synchronized with the input signal. Specifically, to take the example of PLL circuit 10-1, the input signal is subjected to phase comparison by a phase comparator 11 with an oscillation signal output from a voltage controlled oscillator 13, and the comparison result is output to voltage controlled oscillator 13 via a loop filter 12, and is also output to a lock monitor 20.
Based on the comparison results output from the phase comparators of the PLL circuits, lock monitor 20 detects locked PLL circuits, and a control circuit 30 selects one PLL circuit from among the PLL circuits detected as locked based on a variable condition, and controls a switch 40, enabling the output signal (oscillation signal) of the selected PLL circuit to be obtained.
Here, conditions for PLL circuit selection by control circuit 30 include a case in which the PLL circuit having the loop filter with the highest cutoff frequency is selected, and a case in which the PLL circuit having the loop filter with the lowest cutoff frequency is selected. When the PLL circuit having the loop filter with the highest cutoff frequency is selected, the PLL frequency synthesizer can achieve improvement of near C/N and shortening of lockup time. On the other hand, when the PLL circuit having the loop filter with the lowest cutoff frequency is selected, the PLL frequency synthesizer can reduce residual FM, which is a frequency fluctuation component. Near C/N means C/N in the vicinity of the output spectrum of a voltage controlled oscillator. Residual FM represents the amount of frequency fluctuation of a voltage controlled oscillator within a short time, and can be measured with a modulation analyzer.
Thus, with a conventional PLL frequency synthesizer, a plurality of PLL circuits have loop filters with different cutoff frequencies, and an oscillation signal corresponding to the characteristics required by the system can be obtained by switching the loop filter.
Sample loop filter configurations are shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 2 shows a sample configuration of a second-order loop filter, and FIG. 3 shows a sample configuration of a lag-lead filter.    Patent Document 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-292059

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


This invention deals with novel method and apparatus for positioning and motion control by rapid-response motorless linear motion, angular deflection, and continuous rotational motion utilizing the force due to electrons, ions, and/or neutrals. Thus forces and torques are produced without the use of internal moving parts. Control is achieved without recourse to magnetic fields, by means of high electric fields which may be attained at relatively low voltages. At low voltages, the instant invention exceeds the capability of conventional systems. It can perform dynamic motion control over a wide range of dimensions and signal bandwidth with independent amplitude and frequency modulation. Since there are no internal moving parts, the instant invention is the most adapted for fabrication at the micro and nanotechnology realms. Furthermore it provides less costly and greater ease of manufacture from the nano-to the macro-realm.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to method and apparatus for positioning and motion control by the force due to electrons, ions, and/or neutrals. The instant invention can perform dynamic motion control over a wide range of dimensions and signal bandwidth. Motorless linear motion, angular deflection, and continuous rotation are achieved without recourse to magnetic fields. Preferably this invention lends itself readily to the field of nanotechnology, although it is also applicable to the macro-realm.
2. Description of the Prior Art
No prior art was found by us related to positioning and motion control by electrons, ions and neutrals in electric fields. The prior art has investigated various forms of rocket propulsion systems and ion engines for high altitude and space applications. The rocket and ion engines of the prior art are for a different purpose and use principles in a different way than the present invention. Such prior art engines generally operate at high temperatures and attempt to either burn or ionize the highest possible percentage of the propellant since the propellant fuel must be carried with the airborne or space borne vehicle and cannot be wasted. They operate at very high levels of power consumption, and utilize such exotic types of propellants, producing large amounts of pollution by-products, since they require much higher levels of forces than needed to practice our invention. Except for applications in outer space such devices are for the most part not practical due to their size, weight and power requirements. We found no prior art that utilized field emission for force production. Furthermore, our instant invention is preferably not operated at high temperatures or high degrees of ionization.
Lindenblad's U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,975 discloses an ionic wind generating duct to provide space propulsion by employing a series of ion producing ion brooms connected to a high voltage source of either polarity. The ion brooms are disposed in a pipe or duct with alternating conductive and insulating sleeves which terminate in positive and negative voltage sources. His invention differs from the instant invention in application, in design, in construction, in apparatus, in method, and in required power level.
Coleman, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,705 creates propulsion by an "electric wind" resulting from the application of a high voltage positive charge to an anode having a torpid connected to an ionization head. The torpid ionization head anode is placed in axial alignment with a cathode target having a metal ring connected to a target with the flow of air and corona discharge moving from the anode to the cathode. Their invention differs from the instant invention in application, in design, in construction, in apparatus, in method, and in required power level.
Burton's U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,298 ion engine creates a negative ionic plasma between a cathode ion thruster and a ring-shaped anode in a housing composed of an electrical insulative material in which the cathode ion thruster is charged to −18 to −110 kilovolts (kv) to utilize ambient atmospheric gas as the propellant. This engine produces ozone, which although it is compatible with and even needed in outer space, is toxic in the environment of the earth's surface. His invention differs from the instant invention in application, in design, in construction, in apparatus, in method, and in required power level.
In our prior art search, we found one book that is an excellent source of information. It is "Microactuators: Electrical, Magnetic, Thermal, Optical, Mechanical, Chemical, and Smart Structures," by Massood Tabib-Azar (copyright 1998). This comprehensive book is a compendium of work in the field with hundreds of references, and covering a multitude of mechanisms and devices. The impressive collection of material in this book does not anticipate the teaching of our invention.
In general, the processes as taught in our invention are uniquely distinct and different from the prior art found by us. Unlike the prior art, the instant invention relates to positioning and motion control ideally suited for nanotechnogy by electron, ion, and/or neutral momentum transfer. A large representative sample of 35 prior art U.S. patents with No. and Title will next be presented. This together with the references contained therein constitutes a comprehensive compendium showing that our invention operates in ways not foreseen by the prior art.    1. U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,895 Photolithographic and Other Means for Manufacturing Arrays    2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,089 Multiple Sprayer Assembly and Method for Use    3. U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,909 Electrode Arrangement for Electrohydrodynamic Enhancement of Heat and Mass Transfer    4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,460 Liquid Delivery System    5. U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,740 Monolithic High Performance Miniature Flow Control Unit    6. U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,439 Device for Selective Distribution of Liquids    7. U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,211 Method of Manipulating a Gas Bubble in a Microfluidic Device    8. U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,640 Dispensing Device    9. U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,110 Methods and Apparatus for Electrohydrodynamic Ejection    10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,331 Directionally Controlled EHD Aerosol Sprayer    11. U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,113 Apparatus and Method for Transferring Liquids    12. U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,111 Electrospray for Chemical Analysis    13. U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,579 Micropump and Method of Using a Micropump for Moving an Electrosensitive Fluid    14. U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,129 Dispensing Device and Method for Forming Material    15. U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,402 Stabilized Capillary Microjet and Devices and Methods for Producing Same    16. U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,683 Electrodynamically Focussed Thermal Cycling Device    17. U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,539 Paraelectric Gas Flow Accelerator    18. U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,719 Electrohydrodynamic Receptor    19. U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,813 Force Field Separator    20. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,801 IC-Processed Microneedles    21. U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,969 Actuator    22. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,016 Micro-Valve Pump Valve Display    23. U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,407 Ion-Drag Flowmeter    24. U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,640 Fluid Powered Electrical Generator    25. U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,092 Electrogasdynamic Coating System    26. U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,909 Method and Apparatus for Improved Cooling of Hot Materials    27. U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,678 Multistaged electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Generator with Parallel Outputs    28. U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,720 Apparatus for Producing a Directed flow of a Gaseous Medium Utilizing the Electric Wind Principle    29. U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,409 Electrogasdynamic Coating Apparatus    30. U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,847 Electric Wind Generator    31. U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,396 Charged Aerossol Generator with Uni-Electrode Source    32. U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,289 Novel Dosage Forms    33. U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,027 Electrostatic Coating Apparatus and Method    34. U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,477 Electrostatic Precipitation Process    35. U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,393 Electrogasdynamic Coating Device Having Composite Non-Conductive Flow Channel, and Hollow Ionization Electrode for an Air Jet.

Positioning and motion control by electrons, ions, and neutrals in electric fields


A camera includes a first substrate having a convex refractive element, a second substrate having a concave refractive element, a separation between the first to second substrates, the separation including an air gap between convex refractive element and the concave refractive element, and a third substrate having a detector array thereon, the concave refractive element being closer to the detector than the convex refractive element, at least two of the first to third substrates being secured along a z-axis, wherein the z axis is perpendicular to a plane of the detector array, e.g., at a wafer level. The convex refractive element may include a plurality of convex refractive elements, the concave refractive element may include a plurality of concave refractive elements, and the detector array may include a plurality of detector arrays, each of the plurality forming a plurality of sub-cameras.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a thin camera. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a thin camera using color filters, a thin camera having an increased field of view and/or a thin camera that can be made on a wafer level, and associated methods.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional camera 10, shown in FIG. 1A includes a lens 12 with a focal length f and a detector array 14, having a plurality of pixels. To realize color imaging, an array of filters 15 having some pattern, typically with more green filters than red or blue filters, is provided. An example of the filter array 15 is shown in FIG. 1B. Each filter in the filter array 15 corresponds to a detector, or pixel, in the detector array 14. However, this camera is relatively thick.
One approach to realizing a thin camera with sufficient resolution involves scaling an imaging system of a conventional camera, e.g., an f/1 camera having a lens with a focal length f. Assume the focal plane has nx pixels or sensors of a size px in the x-direction and ny pixels of size py in the y-direction. This camera would then have the potential to generate an image with a resolution of nx×ny, if the imaging system had a high enough resolution. The sampling rate of the sensor plane is then equal to 1/px in the x-direction and 1/py in the y-direction. One way to measure the resolution of the imaging system is the modulation transfer function (MTF). The MTF is a measure of the contrast of spatial frequencies imaged by the optical imaging system. MTF is measured in terms of contrast as a function of spatial frequencies in lp/mm. For a sensor with pixels of dimensions of px×py, an MTF of approximately 20%-50% at typical spatial frequencies of approximately 1/(4px) and 1/(4py) in each dimension may be needed in order to obtain good quality images at the resolution of the image sensor (nx×ny).
If px and py could be reduced by a desired scaling factor, thus keeping nx and ny the same, as noted above, then f could be reduced, while maintaining the resolution. The problem is that as px and py are scaled down, higher MTF is required by the optical imaging system. It becomes harder and harder to make optical imaging systems capable of delivering the required MTF as the pixel size is scaled down. In addition, as the pixel size is reduced, other issues become more predominant including color crosstalk, electrical crosstalk, and reduced fill factor.
Another solution uses compound eye image capturing, the size of the lens being in accordance with a desired thinness of the camera. Each lens in the compound eye corresponds to a plurality of pixels, with the compound eye being selected so that spacing of the lenses is not an integral multiple of pixel spacing. Thus, each lens looks at different shifted images. The lenses used in the compound eye image capturing system generally have low resolution, for example a point spread function (PSF) much larger than the area of each pixel. A resolution greater than that of an individual sub-camera may be achieved by combining the images from multiple sub-cameras. For this solution, a color filter array 15′ shown in FIG. 1C, has a color filter for each lens. Multiple lenses may be used for each color and the images for each color combined. However, the use of compound eye image capturing is computationally intensive and it is difficult to achieve a resolution equal or close to that of the number of pixels in the sensor array for the entire composite image.
One reason for the low resolution achieved with the compound eye image capturing approach, is that a large number of lenses are used, placing practical limits on the resolution for each sub-camera. In addition, the performance of each sub-camera is also typically low due to the approach taken. That is, each sub-camera in a compound eye image capturing system typically contains one lens which is located approximately one focal length away from the sensor plane. A signal separator is often used between the lens and the focal plane to reduce crosstalk. Due to the shortness of the focal length of these systems and the thickness of typical lens substrates, there is no room in such systems to place multiple compound element lens systems in the space between the entrance pupil of the lens system and the signal separator.