A radar system and method for obtaining low sum and difference side lobe patterns from a phased array antenna comprising radiators distributed amongst four quadrants A, B, C, and D. The quadrants are arranged in a clockwise order of A, B, D, and C. Each quadrant is further divided into an inner portion and an outer portion. The monopulse sum pattern is determined by adding signals received by radiators in the A quadrant, B quadrant, C quadrant, and D quadrant. The elevation difference pattern is determined by subtracting a CD sum consisting of signals received by radiators in the C outer portion and the D outer portion from an AB sum consisting of signals received by radiators in the A outer portion and the B outer portion. The azimuth difference pattern is determined by subtracting a BD sum consisting of signals received by radiators in the B outer portion and the D outer portion from an AC sum consisting of signals received by radiators in the A outer portion and the C outer portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to array antennas and, more specifically, to the side lobe patterns generated by those antennas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional monopulse corporate-fed array antennas produce very high difference pattern side lobes in their principal planes. Referring now to FIG. 1, graph 10 shows an example of a sum pattern 12 and difference pattern 14 of a conventional corporate-fed standing wave array antenna. The sum pattern 12 has low sum pattern side lobes 16. The difference pattern 14 has relatively high side lobes 18. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the array aperture sum amplitude distribution 20 and difference amplitude distribution 22 are usually optimized for low sum pattern side lobes 16. The optimization creates an abrupt change at the center 24 of the difference amplitude distribution 22. It is this abrupt change, or discontinuity of the amplitude distribution, that produces the very high difference pattern side lobes 18.
There are existing approaches for achieving both low sum and difference side lobes from corporate-fed arrays. The Antenna Engineering Handbook, Third Edition, by Richard Johnson, FIG. 20-44 ("Johnson") discloses a typical existing approach comprising a phase monopulse corporate-fed phased array that produces low sum and difference side lobes. Johnson discloses the pairing of radiating elements that are symmetrically opposite from the centerline of the array. The paired radiating elements are combined in a magic T to form the sum and difference patterns. This approach is relatively complex and not applicable to corporate-fed wave guide standing wave array antenna design.
Therefore, a radar system comprising an array antenna of relatively simple construction that provides low difference side lobes is needed.

Array antennas with low sum and difference pattern side lobes and method of producing same


A photoresist composition and process that minimizes the effect of photogenerated acid migration. The photoresist comprises an alkali soluble resin, a photoacid generating compound that undergoes photolysis within a wavelength of from 330 to 700 nm to yield a strong acid, a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the composition when activated by photogenerated hydrohalide acid and a buffer comprising a mixture of an organic carboxylic acid and a strong base having a pK.sub.b of 5 or less present in a concentration sufficient to immobilize from 0.1 to 25 mole percent of photogenerated acid. The buffer is responsible for immobilization of the acid.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to acid hardened photoresist compositions particularly suitable for i-line and g-line exposure and characterized by the presence of a buffer to neutralize strong photogenerated hydrohalide acids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photoresists are photosensitive films used to transfer images to a substrate. They are applied as liquid coatings to a substrate and dried to provide a film. After forming the film on the substrate, the film is exposed through a patterned photomask to a source of activating energy such as ultraviolet light to form a latent image. The photomask has areas opaque to activating radiation and other areas transparent to activating radiation. The pattern in the photomask of opaque and transparent areas defines a desired image that may be used to transfer the image to a substrate. A relief image is provided by development of the latent image pattern in the resist coating. The use of photoresist coatings is generally described, for example, by DeForest, Photoresist Materials and Processes, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York (1975), and by Moreau, Semiconductor Lithography, Principals, Practices and Materials, Plenum Press, New York (1988).
Known photoresist compositions can provide positive or negative imaged features having a resolution and size sufficient for many existing commercial applications. However, for many other applications, the need exists for new photoresists that can provide more highly resolved images of submicron dimension. It has been found in the art that to obtain submicron resolution, it is necessary to irradiate the photoresist with activating radiation at short wavelengths such as deep ultraviolet (DUV) or x-ray. Though photoresists are known that are responsive to short wave length exposures, most imaging equipment currently in use is capable of exposing the photoresist coating at the higher g-line and i-line wavelengths.
Photoresist compositions capable of imaging by DUV exposure include acid hardened photoresists such as those photoresist compositions disclosed by Feely in U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,304 incorporated herein by reference. An improvement to acid hardened photoresist compositions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,232 to Thackeray et al. The DUV photoresists that are the subject of these patents typically comprise an alkali soluble phenolic resin, a photoacid generator that liberates acid upon exposure to activating radiation and an acid activated crosslinking or hardening agent whereby, upon exposure to DUV irradiation, the photoacid generator undergoes photolysis liberating acid that induces crosslinking and hardening of the photoresist coating in the exposed areas of the coating. The Feely patent discloses resin binders inclusive of phenolic resins. The Thackeray et al. patent is an improvement over Feely in that it discloses the use of resin binders that are copolymers of phenols and cyclic alcohols.
Acid hardening photoresist compositions such as those disclosed in the Feely and Thackeray et al. patents provide fine line, high resolution images. However, imaging equipment most prevalent in the industry is adapted for i-line or g-line exposure and the acid hardening resist compositions are insensitive at these exposure wavelengths. Consequently, efforts have been made in the industry to formulate acid hardening photoresist compositions that may be imaged by i-line and g-line exposure.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,954,475 and 3,987,307, both incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a class of vinyl-halomethyl-s-triazine compounds capable of photolysis and halogen acid free radical generation upon excitation at a radiation within the wavelength of from about 330 to 700 nanometers, a range that includes both i-line and g-line wavelengths. It is disclosed in these patents that the described halogenated triazines may be used for formulation of light sensitive compositions. Photoresists utilizing the triazine photoacid generators have been formulated for i-line and g-line imaging. Such photoresists are disclosed in the literature, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,323 and in European Patent Applns. 0 458 325; 0 519 298; and 0 621 509, each incorporated herein by reference. The photoresists disclosed in the patent and the European applications typically comprises an alkali soluble resin binder such as a phenolic resin, a crosslinking agent and the halomethyl triazine. In practice, it has been found that upon photolysis, the triazine liberates a strong halogen acid, but during use, the liberated acid migrates from exposed regions of a photoresist film into unexposed regions of the film. This causes crosslinking in both exposed and unexposed areas of the coating resulting in a decrease in differential solubility between exposed and unexposed regions of the coating. Decreased differential solubility makes development of the coating more difficult requiring the use of stronger developers. Use of a strong developer decreases image resolution.


Provided are an apparatus and method of controlling a motor by compensating for recurring false speed errors generated in a direct current (DC) motor. The apparatus includes a learning control unit adapted to calculate recurring false speed errors related to a mechanical tolerance associated with the motor in each one of a plurality of controlling sections associated with a single rotation of the motor, and generate a corresponding reference speed for each controlling section, and a motor control unit adapted to control the rotational speed of the motor in relation to a speed error defined by a difference between the reference speed for each controlling section and an actual measured speed of the motor for each controlling section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a motor. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for compensating false speed errors repeatedly generated by a direct current (DC) motor.
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0002677, filed on Jan. 10, 2006, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hard disk drives (HDDs) are commonly used within various host devices, such as personal computers (PCs), as data storage devices. In general operation, HDDs allow data to be written to and read from recording medium (e.g., a disk having a surface subject to variation in its magnetic properties) using a magnetic read/write head. Data is stored on conventional disks in terms of bits per inch (BPI)—a recording density defined in relation to the disk's rotational direction, and tracks per inch (TPI)—a recording density defined in relation to the disk's radial direction. Significant research and development efforts are currently being expended to increase data recording density according to both of these definitions. Additionally, commercial demands are increasing for increasingly small HDDs. The increasing miniaturization of HDDs, together with demands for higher data recording densities, require ever finer and more precise mechanisms within HDD structures.
Conventional HDDs typically rotate one or more disks at a constant angular velocity using a brushless direct current (DC) motor. A feedback signal having a defined sampling frequency is commonly used to control the rotational speed of the disk. Thus, increased precision over the rotational speed of the disk may be obtained by increasingly the sampling frequency rate.
In contemporary HDDs, the rotational speed imparted to the disk by the spindle motor is estimated and controlled in relation to a back electromotive force generated by the motor. This approach provides excellent control while reducing production costs because a separate sensor adapted to detect the motor's rotational speed in not required.
Speed estimation for the motor is typically performed by applying a phase-defined signal as a driving circuit of the motor. The phase signal may be readily generated whenever the back electromotive force generated by the motor passes a zero point, thereby changing the phase of a corresponding back electromotive force. Thus, the phase of the back electromagnetic force changes in relation to the number of magnetic poles in the motor during the rotation of the disk. Therefore, if the motor is controlled by being synchronized with such phase changes, the sampling rate should correspond to the maximum number of magnetic poles apparent in the operation of the motor.
However, if the sampling frequency is increased, the resulting changes in the interval of magnetic poles due to the mechanical tolerance of a permanent magnet within the motor will negatively affect the system's performance. This causes false errors when the measured speed is used as a feedback signal to an HDD controller, and thus, resonance may be generated in the spindle motor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method compensating recurring false speed errors in DC motor and disk drive adopting same


A lens barrel includes a distance adjustment ring for moving a movable lens group; a hand-operated ring and a motor for rotating the distance adjustment ring; a one-way rotational transfer mechanism which transfers torque of the hand-operated ring to the distance adjustment ring when the hand-operated ring is manually rotated, and prevents torque of the distance adjustment ring transferring to the hand-operated ring when the distance adjustment ring is rotated by the motor. A circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on an annular overlapping portion of the hand-operated ring, is shaped so that a torque transfer member, installed in an accommodation space between the annular overlapping portion and-a torque transfer cylindrical surface on the distance adjustment ring, wedges between the circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion and the torque transfer cylindrical surface to transfer the torque of the manually rotated hand-operated ring to the distance adjustment ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens barrel which incorporates a one-way rotational transfer mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among conventional lens barrels available for both autofocus (AF) and manual focus (MF), a lens barrel including a stationary ring, a movable ring, a distance adjustment ring, and an AF motor and a manual focus ring, wherein the movable ring is concentrically arranged with the stationary ring, supports a focusing lens group and is movable forward and rearward along an optical axis, wherein the distance adjustment ring is concentrically arranged with the stationary ring and rotates on an axis of the distance adjustment ring to move the movable ring forward and rearward along the optical axis, wherein the AF motor drives the distance adjustment ring, and wherein the manual focus ring is manually rotated about its axis to rotate the distance adjustment ring, is known in the art.
Such a conventional lens barrel is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H02-253214 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H02-253210.
In the lens barrel disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H02-253214, the manual focus ring rotates while an autofocusing operation is performed because a driving force of an AF motor is transferred to the manual focus ring during the autofocusing operation. Accordingly, the autofocusing operation is not performed smoothly if the user touches their hand on the manual focus ring during the autofocusing operation.
On the other hand, in the lens barrel disclosed in Japanese. Unexamined Patent Publication H02-253210, although the manual focus ring does not rotate even if a driving force of an AF motor is transferred to the manual focus ring during the autofocusing operation, the manual focus ring cannot be easily rotated manually because a predetermined load is continuously applied to the manual focus ring so that the manual focus ring cannot rotate by the driving force of the AF motor during the autofocusing operation.
In addition, among the aforementioned conventional lens barrels usable for both autofocus (AF) and manual focus (MF), a lens barrel which incorporates a one-way rotational transfer mechanism between the distance adjustment ring and an AF motor, wherein a torque of the distance adjustment ring rotated by a rotation of the manual focus ring is not transferred to the AF motor when the manual focus ring is manually rotated even though a driving force of the AF motor is transferred to the distance adjustment ring when the AF motor is driven, is known in the art.
This type of lens barrel is disclosed in e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H11-202181. In this type of lens barrel, a manual focusing operation can be carried out even in AF mode with an AF switch remained ON.
However, in the lens barrel disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H11-202181, there is a possibility of the one-way rotational transfer mechanism becoming incapable of securely transferring torque from the. AF motor to the distance adjustment ring to thereby make it impossible to perform an autofocusing operation when the AF motor is driven.

Lens barrel incorporating a one-way rotational transfer mechanism


A source sequence of information symbols is encoded according to each of a plurality of codes to produce a plurality of encoded sequences of symbols, a respective one of the plurality of codes producing a respective one of the plurality of encoded sequences of symbols from the source sequence of information symbols. The plurality of encoded sequences of symbols are combined to produce a sequence of communications symbols. The sequence of communications symbols is processed to produce a communications signal which is then communicated over a communications medium. The communicated communications signal is processed to produce an estimate of the source sequence of information symbols. The source sequence is preferably encoded according to a first error correction code to produce a first encoded sequence of symbols, and encoded according to a second error correction code to produce a second encoded sequence of symbols. The first and second encoded sequences of symbols preferably are multiplexed to produce the sequence of communications symbols. The first error correction code preferably comprises a random error correction code such as a binary convolutional code, while the second error correction code preferably comprises a burst error correction code, for example, a nonbinary convolutional code such as a dual-k convolutional code, thereby providing random and burst error correction capability.

In a typical communications system, information is transmitted from a sender in the form of a communications signal representing the information. The communications signal typically is communicated to a receiving unit over a communications medium such as a radio, optical fiber, coaxial cable or similar link. Generally, the characteristics of the communications medium introduce disturbances such as noise, delay, and distortion in the communications signal. These disturbance can induce errors when recovering the original information from the communicated communications signal at the receiving unit.
Conventional responses to overcome this problem include increasing transmission power levels and introducing redundancy into the transmitted communications signal in order to increase the probability that the original information may be recovered. However, the ability to increase transmitter power may be limited due to power limitations of transmitter electronics, regulations on peak signal power levels and constraints on the power available for transmitting, for example, power supply limitations in devices such as mobile radiotelephones and satellites.
Redundancy may be introduced into a communications signal by using error control coding techniques. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical encoder 110 used in a digital communications system maps a group of k information symbols onto a group of k+n coded symbols, wherein the group of k+n coded symbols represents a "code word" in a set of code words and the additional n symbols in the code word represent redundant symbols. In general, the redundant n symbols can provide an additional "separation" between the words of the set of code words, thus allowing a receiver which receives a group of symbols over a noisy communications channel to more easily discriminate between words of the set of code words, typically by determining which member of the set of code words most closely resembles the received group of symbols.
Many error control codes are effective at correcting random errors, e.g., errors which affect individual symbols in a random distributed fashion, while others are effective at compensating for so-called "burst" errors, e.g., errors which persist over several consecutive symbols. To compensate for burst errors, many systems employ interleaving which reorders symbols in a stream such that burst errors are more randomly distributed, for example, by using a device which stores the symbol stream in rows and then retrieves the stored symbols by columns, such that the sequence retrieved from the device represents a reordering of the original input sequence. To combat random and burst errors, a system such as that illustrated in FIG. 2 may employ a cascade of a random error correction encoder 210 implementing a random error correction code such as a convolutional code, followed by an interleaver 220 which interleaves the symbols produced by the encoder 210 to help combat burst errors.
Another conventional approach uses a combination of random error correcting codes and interleaving to boost the random-error correcting ability in a so-called "turbo coding" scheme, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,747 to Berrou et al. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a source sequence of information symbols X.sub.k is encoded according to a first systematic code 310, for example, one of a family of recursive systematic codes described in "Near Shannon Limit Error-Correcting Coding and Decoding: Turbo Codes" by Berrou et al., IEEE ICC Conference Record, 1993, pp.1064-1070. The source sequence X.sub.k is also interleaved in a interleaver 320 and then encoded according to a second systematic code 330, thus producing two encoded sequences Y.sub.1k, Y.sub.2k which are multiplexed with the source sequence X.sub.k and transmitted over a communications channel. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the received symbols are passed into a demultiplexer 410 to produce separate symbol sequences X.sub.k, Y.sub.1k, y.sub.2k. A first sequence y.sub.1k is fed into a first decoder 420, producing a log likelihood ratio LLR.sub.1 sequence. The log likelihood ratio sequence LLR.sub.1 is then interleaved in an interleaver 430 and fed into a cascade of a second decoder 430 and a deinterleaver 460 which produces a second log likelihood ratio sequence LLR.sub.2. The second log likelihood ratio sequence LLR.sub.2 is used by a decision device 470 to produce an estimated sequence of symbols d.sub.k which represents an estimate of the original sequence X.sub.k. The decoding system may also include feedback w.sub.2k from the second decoder 440 to the input of the first decoder 420 through a deinterleaver 450.
Although the interleaving systems described above can be effective at reducing burst errors, interleaving can introduce a significant delay into the coding and decoding of the communications signal. This processing delay can be highly undesirable in many applications, for example, by introducing annoying delays in two-way voice communications applications. In addition, interleaving can introduce additional complexity into the decoder design by requiring additional memory. Reducing the depth of the interleaving used can reduce delay, but reducing depth generally reduces the burst-error correcting capability of the coding scheme and may not significantly reduce decoder complexity.

Communications systems and methods employing parallel coding without interleaving


An arrangement is provided for embedded coupled hidden Markov model. To train an embedded coupled hidden Markov model, training data is first segmented into uniform segments at different layers of the embedded coupled hidden Markov model. At each layer, a uniform segment corresponds to a state of a coupled hidden Markov model at that layer. An optimal segmentation is generated at the lower layer based on the uniform segmentation and is then used to update parameters of models associated with the states of coupled hidden Markov models at lower layer. The updated model parameters at the lower layer are then used to update the model parameters associated with states at the super layer.

A hidden Markov model (HMM) was traditionally used to model one dimensional data for the purposes of pattern recognition. For example, HMMs have been widely used in speech recognition. Speech signals are inherently one dimensional. In speech processing, HMM can be used to model phonemes, words, or even phrases. One of the important characteristics of HMM is its ability to cope with variations in time and in feature space simultaneously, allowing to model data with variations along different dimensions. For example, different people may speak English with different accents. A particular person may speak with different acoustic features at different times. When HMM models are trained based on speech from different speakers at different times, derived HMM models may capture the intrinsic features of the speech and provide models that can tolerate different degrees of variation.
Many pattern recognition problems arise from data residing in a space of higher dimension. For example, identifying a specific object from an image may be a pattern recognition task performed in a two-dimensional (at least) feature space. Detecting the regularity of the heart beat rhythm of a patient from a series of three dimensional heart images reconstructed based on computerized tomography (CT) scans over time may be a pattern recognition problem in a four dimensional space.
Some efforts have been made to extend one-dimensional HMM to more complex structures. For example, a coupled hidden Markov model (CHMM) has been proposed to model two-dimensional data. In CHMM, two one-dimensional HMMs are coupled so that states from one HMM can transit to states of the other HMM. Transition probabilities among states are computed in view of the two-dimensional configuration of the HMMs.

Embedded multi-layer coupled hidden Markov model


A flow cytometry system (1) for sorting haploid cells, specifically irradiatable sperm cells, with an intermittingly punctuated radiation emitter (56). Embodiments include a beam manipulator (21) and even split radiation beams directed to multiple nozzles (5). Differentiation of sperm characteristics with increased resolution may efficiently allow differentiated sperm cells to be separated higher speeds and even into subpopulations having higher purity.

Lasers can be used to deliver light to biological or non-biological particles and emission spectra can be used for the analysis of particle characteristics. In some instances, this can be applied such as where a particle is self florescent or self color absorbing, is associated by affinity, avidity, covalent bonds, or otherwise to another molecule which may be colored or fluorescent, may be associated to another molecule which is colored or fluorescent through a specific biological or modeled macromolecular interaction, such as an antibody binding event or a nucleic acid oligomer or polynucleic acid hybridization event, may obtain color or fluorescence such as through an enzymatic synthesis event, an enzymatic attachment or cleavage reaction, enzymatic conversion of a substrate, association of a florescent molecule with a nearby quencher, the reaction of a product in certain local proton (pH) or NADH or NADPH or ATP or free hydride (H—) or bound hydride R—(H—) concentrations, or may gain color or fluorescense by way of a variety of methods to associate emitted or absorbed light (electromagnetic radiation EMR).
Conventional lasers can generate a strong, perhaps intense, source of light. Through coherence properties of the beam such light may travel very long distances, perhaps across reflective mirrors which may change the angle of the light illumination beam, perhaps through prisms or refractive objects or lenses which may split it into two or more beams of equal or differing intensity, or may defocus, perhaps expand, or focus, perhaps concentrate, the beam. Such light may also be affected by filters which may reduce the net energy of the beam. Most lasers also allow the modulation of light intensity, perhaps watts, in the beam by adjustment of an input current from a power supply to the light generating element.
In some applications, conventional lasers used in the analysis and quantification of biological objects can be combined with sensitive light detectors that may be as simple, such as a photographic film or paper, or may be more complex, such as a photomultiplier tube. Often, a light detector may collect only information about a cumulative amount of light, perhaps electromagnetic radiation, EMR, or it may collect and report on the dynamic changes in intensity of light or EMR hitting all of, or portions of, localized regions of, or positions on the detector surface. The light detector may also involve use of a photoelectric coupling device, which may allow the energy of photons absorbed on the EMR by the light detector to be converted to current proportional to the incident light or EMR on the light detector surface. The photoelectric coupling device can even be integrated into an electronic circuit with an amplifier which may increase the signal or create gain such that the fluctuations or perhaps summation of amplified current may be available to an analog or digital logic circuit. Designs may also transmit a signal or data set to a user of a particle analysis instrument and this signal may be proportional to the static, cumulative, or perhaps even dynamic intensity of the light or EMR incident upon the detector.
In certain uses of laser light to analyze biological particles, a detector may measure the change in intensity of the source light after incidence upon a particle(s) being analyzed using a reference beam which takes a path without incidence upon the particle(s). In other uses of laser light, modified or unmodified particles take up a fraction of the illumination light or EMR and may emit light of a different frequency. In many cases, the presence of emission light or EMR of a certain wavelength can be used to identify or to quantify characteristics associated with specific particles, or quantitatively measure the amount or number of the specific biological particles present in the sample or in a specific region of or position in the sample.
In some cases, it can be useful to accurately determine very small differences in the illumination light or emission light from two very similar biological particles (for example an X-chromosome bearing sperm cell versus a Y-chromosome bearing sperm cell). These small differences can be analyzed by way of serial presentation of perhaps 50,000 separate emission events per second in a liquid stream. These can also be thousands of separate emissions from molecules (nucleic acids or proteins as examples) on an array field allowing analysis of genetic, genomic, proteomic, or glycomic libraries.
The traditional type of laser used for the analysis of particles in flow cytometry is a continuous wave (CW) laser. Often this provides a beam of constant intensity. However, in some instances, CW lasers can have particular disadvantages for applications as discussed here. The beam can result in modification or destruction of the sample being observed. For example, with respect to sperm cells, irradiation can result in lower fertility of the sperm cells. Second, in some instances when the laser beam continuously operates, it may be desirable to have a method of interrupting the beam if it is moved from a first location of incidence to a second location of incidence without illumination of intermediate areas.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,401 to Kusuzawa, a pulsed laser may be used for imaging an object, such as a cell, in a flow cytometer. This disclosure may be related to improvements in the capture of images from particles such as coherence lowering modulations. Kusuzawa may teach a use of a continuous wave laser for particle detection and imaging.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,922 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0098421 to Ho, pulsed laser light may be used to illuminate and detect hazardous biological particles dispersed in an airflow stream. The invention may include an ultraviolet laser light and looking for the emission of fluorescence from potentially hazardous biological particles. This disclosure may teach the disadvantages of a laser diode apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,277 to Soini, describes employing a two-photon excitation and/or confocal optimal set-up. The invention may relate to the use of confocal optics to reduce an analysis volume to about 10% of standard analysis volume in a flow cytometer. A pulsed laser may provide short pulses of intense light and may allow the simultaneous absorption of two photons so that a wavelength of illuminating light beam may be longer than an emitted single photon bursts. Background signal may be reduced by use of a filter. The invention may include dual signal processing. The invention as described in Soini, may be beneficial in the analysis of small particles such as erythrocytes and bacterial cells.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,044 to Ortyn, a special analysis optics and equipment may be used in an imaging flow cytometer. The Ortyn disclosure may include analyzing a sex of fetal cells in maternal blood as a method for determining the sex of a child during early pregnancy. Ortyn may indicate that analysis rates from an imaging flow cytometer may be restricted to theoretically maximizing at 500 cells per second.
With respect to particle analysis using laser light, the present invention discloses technology which addresses each of the above-mentioned problems.
For the purposes of this invention, a rapidly pulsed, high intensity pulsed laser may be used. This laser may deliver short pulses of high intensity perhaps lasting about 5-20 picoseconds, followed by intervals between pulses which are 100-1000 times as long as the pulses or about 0.5-20 nanoseconds. The light may have very high peak intensities over the period of about 5-20 picoseconds, and low net energies over the period of about 2-10 microseconds.
Flow cytometry, using a high-speed cell analysis, or high-speed cell analysis and sorting instrument, often relies on a laser light source to illuminate a stream of fluid in which particles are entrained. Particles may be caused to flow by a point of illumination at a rapid rate, often in the range of 500 to 100,000 particles per second. Often the light from the illuminating laser source is of constant intensity. The particles in the analysis stream may be of the same size, and may spend the same amount of time within the area of illumination. The amount of light illuminating each particle in a large population of particles analyzed in series may be identical. A detector may be capable of measuring scattered light, or other types of light emitted by the particle as a result of auto-fluorescence or fluorescence associated with a chemical dye, dye complex, or conjugated dye which may be targeted to one or more types of molecular species contained on or within particles in the population and can determine the identity of a particle and, in some cases, make a measurement of the quantity of a specific molecular target associated with the particle. A specific molecular structure on or even within a particle may be characterized and a quantitative measurement of the amount of associated molecular structure on or even within a particle, may yield information which may be used as a basis for sorting out or separating one type of particle from another.
In a flow cytometer, there may be a very short time duration between the exact moment that a particle is illuminated and the exact moment that a physical manipulation or an electrical condition, may be triggered to elicit separation of a specific particle from a stream containing various particles. An example of a physical manipulation may be charging of a droplet. A specific duration may be called a drop delay period, and the duration may be perhaps as brief as about 100 microseconds or perhaps as long as about 10 milliseconds, and may even be about 1 millisecond. In the case of particle sorting, information may be detected from each particle, computational analysis of the information may be determined, and comparison of the computation to a gating value or perhaps even a selection criteria may be accurately performed within a time period shorter than a duration of the drop delay.
Flow cytometer systems may be useful for measuring an average amount of a specific molecule present on or even within a population of particles. Past systems may not have measured the exact amount of a specific molecule on or even within a population of particles. Factors which can contribute to inaccurate measurements of single particles may include the saturation of a stain or even a conjugate to a particle, variation in the quanta of illumination light, effects from the shape of a particle, and perhaps even electronic noise in the detection apparatus.
An example of a particularly challenging problem is the sorting of X-chromosome bearing and Y-chromosome bearing sperm of mammals at high processing rates and high sorting purities. The population of sperm in most mammals is about 50% X-chromosome bearing and about 50% Y-chromosome bearing. A stain, such as Hoechst 33342, may form complexes with double stranded DNA. A measurement of total Hoechst 33342-DNA complex in each sperm may correlate to the total amount of DNA in each sperm. In general, mammals have larger X chromosomes than Y chromosomes and may have a differential between total DNA contents of X-chromosome bearing over Y-chromosome bearing sperm for various mammals. Such differentials may include: human having about 2.8%; rabbit having about 3.0%; pig having about 3.6%; horse having about 3.7%; cow having about 3.8%; dog having about 3.9%; dolphin having about 4.0%; and sheep having about 4.2%. The differentials may correlate to a relative difference of intensities emitted from a stained sperm being sorted for the purpose of separation of X-chromosome bearing and Y-chromosome bearing sperm.
Significant achievements have been made in developing staining conditions to stain DNA in live sperm with Hoechst 33342, such as, the use of dual orthogonal detection systems to determine sperm orientation, the use of hydrodynamic fluidics to increase the numbers of correctly oriented sperm, the setting of gain on detectors, and even the use of high-speed electronics. In the most efficient use of said achievements, it may be possible in most mammals to simultaneously sort sperm into two populations, X-chromosome bearing, and Y-chromosome bearing, at rates of 2500 per second or higher. It may also be possible to sort sperm to purities of 90% or even higher. There may be, however, a distinct problem in that at rates faster than 2500 per second, the purity of the sample may decrease.
This problem may be understood due to the observation that the co-efficient of variation (CV) in possibly even the best sperm sorting procedures may be between about 0.7%-1.5%, and with poor conditions can even be between about 2%-5%. Since the difference in DNA between X-chromosome bearing sperm and Y-chromosome bearing sperm in mammals may be as low as 2.8% as seen in humans and as high as 7.5% as can be seen in chinchillas, the CV may be lower than the DNA differential in order to achieve a large enough separation of the two populations. Humans have one of the lowest known DNA differentials and may have some of the lowest known maximum purities in sorting. It may be desirable to improve procedures which can reduce the CV.
A method which has been shown to improve the CV may be to use higher intensities of laser light illumination. For example, it is known to use continuous wave lasers to sort various sperm species with between about 100-200 milliwatts of laser illumination, and possibly with about 150 milliwatts. It has been observed that doubling or tripling the intensity and increasing the power to about 300-500 mW can improve the CV. An improved CV can be most apparent by analysis of the "split" between two peaks on a histogram. Yet, there may be problems associated with an increase of intensity or perhaps even an increase of power with a continuous wave laser. In the case of analyzing a Hoechst 33342 DNA complex with a continuous wave laser, the light source may be near a UV spectrum and may have some ionizing effect upon the DNA complex. Ionizing may then cause changes to the DNA. Accordingly, sperm sorted with high intensities continuous wave lasers such as 300-500 mW may not be as fertile. Another problem may include the energy that it may take to power a continuous laser to deliver about 150 mW of energy at near UV spectrum. Continuous wave lasers may require 10,000 mW or perhaps even more of power. Since there may already be a large amount of electrical power required to run a continuous wave laser at 150 mW, a much larger amount of power may be required to run a continuous wave laser at higher powers. Furthermore, a tube life of ion lasers may be reduced when operating at higher powers. An additional problem with the use of continuous wave lasers may be that the CV may drop significantly when using lower powers such as between about 20-80 mW.
In embodiments, the present invention provides flow cytometer designs which may incorporate the use of 2 or more flow nozzles, and even as many as dozens of flow nozzles, possibly operated by a single sorting instrument. Fields such as microfluidics, optics, electronics, and even parallel processing may be explored. In other embodiments the present invention includes the use of beam splitters to create multiple light beams. Yet, a major problem facing the development of reliable flow analysis and flow sorting in parallel may be the high intensity of laser light needed for analysis at each nozzle. This problem is particularly relevant for applications which require a very low CV in measurement of identical particles.
There is a need to provide flow systems for the analysis and sorting of particles that require a low CV value, yet may require higher laser light intensities, yet higher intensities may have negative effects on sperm and require higher power. In the search for solutions to the problems in flow systems for the analysis and sorting of particles, the field of pulsed lasers represents a possible solution.
Surprisingly, even though sperm sorted on a high speed flow cytometer may be damaged by UV light between about 300-500 mW, it is now shown in this invention that powers between about 100-500 mW may not be damaging to sperm if they are delivered in pulses. In embodiments, this may include a pulse having a peak intensity possibly as much as 1000 times higher than the intensity of a continuous wave laser. Pulsed lasers may be designed as quasi-continuous wave lasers and may have fast repetition rates such as between about 50-200 Megahertz and even up to 80 Megahertz. In embodiments, pulses may be between about 5-20 picoseconds. Pulsed lasers may be ideal for providing pulsed light to a stream of particles being analyzed in a flow cell or a flow cytometer. Particles analyzed in flow cytometers with event rates possibly between 10,000-100,000 Hertz, and even between 20,000-60,000 Hertz, may be illuminated from a few hundred pulses from a laser having repetition rates near 80,000 Hertz. Each pulse may provide an intense amount of energy.
There may be certain industrial uses of flow cytometers, as preparative instruments, which may be economically limited by the traditional methods of processing. It may be desirable to provide systems which facilitate parallel processing for industries such as those that rapidly process mammalian ejaculates for the production of large numbers of live sperm for insemination, those that process blood samples for the recovery of specified cells such as fetal cells, white blood cells, stem cells, hematopoetic cells from bone marrow, and the like. In an embodiment of the present invention, special forms of pulsed laser light can allow a single laser to illuminate a plurality of nozzles, perhaps even while not reducing the CV of the samples analyzed.
As a result, by the use of special forms of pulsed laser light, further improvements in the speed and sample purity can be seen. These types of lasers may be essential in the design and development of new flow cytometers perhaps having multiple sorting streams as well.

Apparatus, methods and processes for sorting particles and for providing sex-sorted animal sperm


A water-spraying mop comprising a mop rod, a mop head and a universal joint that rotationally connects the mop head and the mop rod; the mop rod comprises a water-squeezing frame that is disposed on the mop rod, and is capable of moving relative to the mop rod in an axial direction; the water-squeezing frame comprises a channel for allowing the mop head to pass through, a water-squeezing portion that is disposed in the channel, and faces the mop cloth while the mop head passes through the channel, and a liquid-spraying system consisted of a water tank, a water pump and a dynamic mechanism used for propelling the water pump to spray liquid; the water tank is disposed at the mop head, and the water pump is disposed in the mop rod.

Chinese patent CN204541992U discloses a water-spraying mop comprising a mop rod. The lower end of the mop rod is connected to a mop head, and the lower portion of the mop head is provided with a mop cloth. Furthermore, the lower portion of the mop rod is provided with a water-spraying apparatus. The water-spraying apparatus comprises a water-spraying mouth and a water-storing pot. The upper end of the mop rod is provided with an armrest, and a switch used for controlling the water-spraying apparatus is disposed on the armrest. The water-spraying mouth is a high pressure fine atomizing nozzle, and the water-spraying direction is angled towards the front of the mop head. However, the mop rod and the mop head of such a traditional water-spraying mop need to be rotated and bent during use, making the water-spraying pipeline easily squeezable. Thus, the obstructed pipeline can lead to a low stability of spraying water.


A depth pixel includes a photo detection unit, an ambient light removal current source, a driving transistor and a select transistor. The photo detection unit is configured to generate a light current based on a received light reflected from a subject, the received light including an ambient light component. The ambient light removal current source configured to generate a compensation current indicating the ambient light component in response to a power supply and at least one compensation control signal. The driving transistor is configured to amplify an effective voltage corresponding to the light current and the compensation current. The select transistor configured to output the amplified effective voltage in response to a selection signal, the amplified effective voltage indicating a depth of the subject.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate to a depth pixel of a three-dimensional image sensor and the three-dimensional image sensor including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor is a semiconductor device configured to convert an optical signal, received incident to the image sensor from the outside, into an electrical signal, and provides image information corresponding to the optical signal. Recently, research on a three-dimensional image sensor for providing distance information as well as image information based on the optical signal has been actively performed. In general, the three-dimensional image sensor may measure distances between depth pixels and a subject by measuring a Time Of Flight (TOF), which is a travel time of a laser pulse taken until the laser pulse reflected back to its origination after irradiation onto the subject.

Depth pixel of three-dimensional image sensor and three-dimensional image sensor including the same


A front panel assembly for being detachably mounted on a front face of a casing body of a vehicle-mounted electronic device, the front face having a recording medium insertion slot, including: a panel frame adapted to be detachably mounted on the front face of the casing body; a lid supported on the panel frame for movement in directions to open and close the slot while the panel frame is mounted on the front face of the casing body; the panel frame having a rear face facing the front face of the casing body while the panel frame is mounted on the front face of the casing body; a slide member mounted on the rear face for reciprocating movement along the rear face; and an interlink mechanism mounted on the panel frame for moving the lid in the directions to open and close the recording medium insertion slot in response to reciprocating movement of the slide member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front panel assembly for use on a casing body of an electronic device and a casing of a vehicle-mounted electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle-mounted electronic devices for reproducing disk-shaped recording mediums such as CDs and MDs inserted therein have been used in the art.
One known vehicle-mounted electronic device has a casing including a casing body mounted in a car dashboard or the like and a front panel assembly detachably mounted on the front face of the casing body. When the driver leaves the car, the driver removes and carries the front panel assembly for the purpose of theft prevention. For details, reference should be made to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-7359.
The vehicle-mounted electronic device also has a reproducing mechanism disposed in the casing body for reproducing a recording medium. The casing body has a recording medium insertion slot defined in its front face for removably inserting therethrough a disk-shaped recording medium such as a CD or an MD. The front panel assembly has a lid for selectively opening and closing the recording medium insertion slot, various control switches, and a display panel for displaying various items of information. Even if the casing body with the reproducing mechanism housed therein is removed and stolen by someone else, it may not function as the electronic device due to the lack of the front panel assembly. In this manner, the vehicle-mounted electronic device is protected against theft.

Front panel assembly for use on casing body of electronic device and casing of vehicle-mounted electronic device


The invention relates to a production method for handling plates to be cut out of a plate blank. The production method is effected via a production system by carrying out a variety of working operations in an integrated manner, at a so-called plate working center, with a shearing mechanism, an unloading and handling mechanism, as well as a single or multi-section conveyor mechanism serving as a buffer conveyor storage therebetween, the mechanisms being computer controlled.

The computer-aided NC programming is today's routine in the programming of plate working machines and the programming of NC control is carried out by means of a separate computer or terminal, separately from a working machine, said working machine operating normally during the course of programming. The programming of plate working centers and particularly integrated systems (FMS, FMC), wherein a single system includes a plurality of combined working machines performing a variety of operations, employs currently nearly exclusively purpose-designed software systems which facilitate a simple programming of effective manufacturing techniques (multiplication, nesting etc.).
In the latest programming systems, the trend of development has proven to be a combination of computer-aided design and programming by means of a so-called DAD/DAM system, whereby the actual NC programs required for operations are developed on the basis of the geometric data compiled in CAD planing partly during the course of planning or the development thereof can be automated for a relatively easy performance. This type of integrated CAD/CAM system is essentially better than a software package compiled from a plurality of individual programs, since there is no need for the transfer of files between different programs.
A further production developement based on a so-called JOT (just on time) principle and the automatic flexible manufacturing technique, such as FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System) required thereby, which can also be linked with a CAD/CAM system, has led to the fact that the above-described earlier development has primarily been the result of the development of working machines and automatic data processing and the starting point or basis has not been the rationalization according to the real requirements of production and manufacturing. The aim of such JOT-principle based flexible manufacturing system, particularly in plate working technique, is the integration of various plate working operations (punching, bending, shearing, welding etc.) as a single centrally controllable production system. In JOT production, the flexible automated production equipment is used to manufacture products for just a proper purpose (JOT), i.e. just the amount needed for a particular manufacturing batch. The intention is to keep manufacturing batches as small as possible as it is desirable to minimize the capital tied in unfinished production.
This leads to smaller series but, on the other hand, it is necessary to produce even small series as efficiently and economically as large series. This requires an automated passage for data and material. In the production of plate articles, problems are particularly associated with the material handling system on the unloading side of punching and shearing units, since the system should be capable of sorting and stacking pieces arriving rapidly in random order in their own stacks. The system must also be capable of grouping the pieces according to the proper sizes thereof for subsequent working operations by collecting segments made of various plate blanks into groups (e.g. a single pallet for all the segments of a particular article intended for edge trimming etc.).
The cutting or shearing of a plate blank and the handling of plates cut out of it for further production or intermediate storage can be currently carried out by using shearing, conveying, inloading and sorting mechanisms which are programmable and linked with a CAD/CAM system and apply said flexible manufacturing system (FMS). One problem of the current solutions has however proved to be a different momentary operating speed of the above-mentioned mechanisms, whereby the efficiency of the total operation has been determined according to a mechanism having a slower operating speed. A momentary difference in operating speed refers to the fact that, although the mechanisms have nominal operating speeds that are nearly matching, the cutting or shearing of individual plates and the transfer thereof onto a conveyor between mechanisms takes place within a fraction of the time required for removing a corresponding plate from said conveyor. Accordingly, the cutting mechanism requires a setting-up and transitional period for a fresh plate, something that is not required by a continuous-action unloading and handling mechanism.

Production method and system for handling plates cut out of a plate blank for further production


In a liquid crystal display device 1 including a liquid crystal cell 2 having a liquid crystal layer, a first polarization plate 3 and a second polarization plate 4, and an optical compensation plate 5, when a differential coefficient of the amount of transmitted light I1 with respect to a time t when the driving voltage is turned off from on in a case in which the optical compensation plate 5 is not disposed is represented by ∂I1/∂t, and a differential coefficient of the amount of transmitted light I2 with respect to the time t when the driving voltage is turned off from on in a case in which the optical compensation plate 5 is disposed is represented by ∂I2/∂t, a phase difference in the liquid crystal layer and a phase difference in the optical compensation plate 5 are optically designed to satisfy a relationship of |∂I2/∂t|>|∂I1/∂t|.

For example, a liquid crystal display device is widely used in a display section of not only a clock or a calculator but also in a variety of measurement instruments, a vehicle, a word processor, an electronic diary, a printer, a computer, a television, a clock, an advertisement plate, or the like.
Examples of typical display methods of a liquid crystal display device include a twisted nematic (TN)-type method, a super twisted nematic (STN)-type method, an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB)-type method, and the like. In addition, in an active matrix-type liquid crystal display device in which a thin film transistor (TFT) is used, a VA-type driving method in which liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned and an in-plane switch (IPS)-type driving method or a fringe field switching (FFS)-type driving method in which liquid crystal molecules are horizontally aligned are employed.
In recent liquid crystal display devices, for a variety of large-sized or small and medium-sized uses, an increase in definition and resolution such as 4K×2K or 8K×4K, an increase in display resolution such as 400 ppi or 600 ppi, and the like are carried out.
For liquid crystal display devices, an improvement of the optical response is one of the new problems required to be solved to make the liquid crystal display devices suitable for the above-described increases. Specifically, examples of a method for improving the optical response of a liquid crystal display device include the following means (1) to (5).
(1) To decrease the thickness of a liquid crystal layer
(2) To decrease the viscoelasticity of a liquid crystal material
(3) To improve the halftone response caused by application of overvoltage (referred to as overdrive method)
(4) To interpolate an image connecting movie frame by increasing the refresh rate (referred to as double speed drive)
(5) To drive a two-layer panel including a liquid crystal cell disposed at an optical compensation position under a specific condition (refer to NPL 1)
Meanwhile, in a liquid crystal display device, in order to achieve the above-described increase in definition, resolution, and display resolution, it is necessary to widen the viewing angle or improve color reproducibility and the like. Therefore, a number of research and development projects are underway at the moment.
As a useful method therefor, for example, there is a method in which a retarder (optical compensator) such as a negative A plate, a positive A plate, a negative C plate, a positive C plate, a biaxial plate, a half-wavelength plate, or a quarter-wavelength plate is used.
However, among these techniques, there are no techniques that improve the optical response using the design of a retarder (refer to PTLs 1 to 4). Therefore, regarding the method for improving the optical response of a liquid crystal display device, there have been no changes from the above-described way of thinking in the related art.
In addition, the response time of a liquid crystal display device with respect to a driving voltage is considered to follow Expressions A and B below which are solutions to a torque equation with respect to an external field. However, this way of thinking is not fundamentally wrong but is inaccurate.
                              τ                                                              r                =                              y                                                                          1                                      d              2                                                          Δ              ɛ                                                  (                                                V                  2                                -                                  Vth                  2                                            )                                                          Expression                                                  A                                          τ                                                              d                =                              y                                                                          1                                      d              2                                                          n              2                                    K                                              Expression                                                  B
(In Expressions A and B, "τr" represents the response time during a rise time (ON), "τd" represents the response time during a fall time (OFF), "γl" represents the viscosity coefficient of a liquid crystal, "K" represents the elastic modulus of a liquid crystal, "d" represents the layer thickness of a liquid crystal, "Δ∈" represents the dielectric anisotropy of a liquid crystal, "V" represents a driving voltage, and "Vth" represents the threshold voltage.)
That is, Expressions A and B, accurately speaking, represent only the motion of a liquid crystal molecule and do not directly represent the temporal change in the amount of transmitted light through a liquid crystal display device. That is, the optical response of a liquid crystal display device can be considered as, for example, a time corresponding to a predetermined change in the amount of transmitted light when light passes through a pixel in a liquid crystal display device.
The amount of transmitted light through a liquid crystal display device is determined depending on the disposition of a polarization plate, the phase difference of a liquid crystal layer, the phase difference of a phase difference film, and the like. Therefore, Expressions A and B simply represent only the molecular movement in a liquid crystal layer and do not represent the temporal change in the amount of transmitted light which is directly related to the optical response of a liquid crystal display device.

Method for improving optical response and liquid crystal display device using same


The invention relates to a pigment preparation with metal effect pigments, wherein the pigment preparation contains metal effect pigments the average size d50 of which lies in a range of from 1.7 to 2.8 μm and the average thickness h50 of which lies in a range of from 15 to 50 nm, as well as at least one polycarboxylic acid. In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing this pigment preparation as well as the use of same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pigment preparation with metal effect pigments, wherein the pigment preparation contains metal effect pigments the average size d50 of which lies in a range of from 1.7 to 2.8 μm and the average thickness h50 of which lies in a range of from 15 to 50 nm, as well as at least one polycarboxylic acid. The invention furthermore relates to the provision of a method for the production of the pigment preparation according to the invention. Finally, the invention relates to the use of the pigment preparation according to the invention in a flexographic ink.
2. Description of Related Art
The use, in an inkjet printing ink, of aluminum effect pigments produced by grinding is known from WO 2009/010288 A2. The d50 value lies in a range of from 1 to 15 μm. According to a preferred development, the average diameter, therefore the d50 value, of the particles lies in a range of from 2 to 5 μm. The average thickness of the aluminum effect pigments lies in a range of from 15 to 150 nm, preferably from 20 to 80 nm.
It has been shown that the average size distribution of the aluminum effect pigments known from WO 2009/010288 A2 is suitable in particular for use in inkjet printing inks.
Platelet-shaped aluminum pigments, with a narrow thickness distribution, which are at least partially covered with lubricant are known from WO 2008/077612 A2. The average thickness of the platelet-shaped aluminum pigments lies in a range of from 15 to 25 nm. Stearic acid, oleic acid or mixtures thereof are preferably used as lubricant.
In flexographic printing the printing ink is applied to an anilox roller from an ink tank via a fountain roller printing mechanism. Any excess printing ink is scraped off the anilox roller using a doctor blade. The anilox roller transfers the printing ink to a printing cylinder, which then applies the printing ink to the printing substrate guided via an impression cylinder. The printing ink collected from the ink tank is therefore transferred to two further rollers before the ink is printed onto the printing substrate. If printing inks containing metal effect pigments are used, during the transfer of the printing ink from the fountain roller to the anilox roller via the printing cylinder there is a decrease of metal effect pigments in the printing ink during every transfer of printing ink. As a result, the amount of metal effect pigments printed on the substrate to be printed on is insufficient (poor transfer behavior).
The metal pigments described in WO 2008/077612 A2 have a poor transfer behavior. In uses differing from flexographic printing, the aluminum effect pigments obtained by grinding according to the teaching of WO 2008/077612 A2 in contrast display optical properties which come very close to the pigments obtained by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The average size d50 of the pigments known from WO 2008/077612 A2 extremely preferably lies in a range of from 15 to 25 μm. These pigments are generally suitable for use in coatings, varnishes, printing inks, powder coatings, etc.
A metal effect pigment with additive is known from EP 2 128 204 A1, wherein the additive is at least partially applied to the metal effect pigment and comprises, as structural units, at least one carboxylic acid with at least four carbon atoms as well as at least one polyglycol ether, wherein the carboxylic acid and the polyglycol ether are covalently bonded to each other.
The additive is suitable in particular as lubricant in the production of metal effect pigments made of metal particles by grinding.
The metal effect pigments known from EP 2 128 204 A1 have an average size d50 in a range of from 1 to 200 μm, extremely preferably from 5 to 100 μm. The average thickness h50 lies in a range of from 15 nm to 5 μm, extremely preferably from 70 to 150 nm. The metal effect pigments are suitable in particular for use in printing inks.
WO 96/14347 A1 relates to a pigment dispersing additive present as copolymer. The copolymer comprises alternating units of a vinyl monomer and a diester of a dicarboxylic acid, wherein at least one ester group comprises a polyether group and wherein the copolymer has an acid value of less than 1.
WO 2009/156275 A1 relates to a pigment mixture with two different components, wherein one component is platelet-shaped graphite with an average particle size of less than 50 μm and a thickness of less than 100 nm, and wherein a further component is organic or inorganic pigment.
US 2004/0214927 A1 relates to a color concentrate composition for polymeric materials which contains at least one colorant, a compatible polymer, a wax binder and an agent for compounding.
WO 2004/024837 A1 relates to an aqueous pigment paste which is free from binders and friction resins and which contains at least one metal pigment, at least one thickener with non-associative action, at least one organic amine, at least one non-ionic surfactant as well as at least 50 wt.-% water.

Pigment preparation with metal effect pigments, method for the production of same and use of same


A resistive strain gauge sensor of the type including a circuit board carrying circuitry, a diaphragm bonded to the circuit board, and strain gauge circuitry on the diaphragm. The strain gauge circuitry includes a plurality of leads defining free ends and the circuitry on the circuit board defines a plurality of leads defining free ends. The diaphragm is bonded to the circuit board by a frit layer and the frit layer includes voids which are in respective alignment with the free ends of the strain gauge leads and the free ends of the circuit board leads. A conductive epoxy is positioned in the voids in the frit layer to establish electrical communication between the strain gauge circuitry leads and the circuit board leads without the use of solder joints.

This invention relates to pressure transducers and more particularly to resistive strain gauge pressure sensors.
It is often necessary to determine the pressure of gases and liquids for purposes of measurement or control and many transducers and sensors have been proposed to facilitate the determination of the pressure of gases and liquids. One general type of transducer or sensor for such applications is a resistive strain gauge sensor in which the pressure is sensed and measured based on dimensional changes in strain gauges which generate proportional changes in the resistance of the gauges.
Whereas many types of resistive strain gauge pressure sensors have been designed and made commercially available and whereas the various resistive strain gauge sensors have proven to be generally satisfactory, these sensors tend to be rather expensive and, further, often suffer failure in vibratory work environments. Specifically, prior art resistive strain gauge pressure sensors have often required soldering to complete the sensor circuitry and the soldered joints are expensive to produce and are subject to failure in vibratory work environments.


A method for determining human type III, IV and VI collagen peptides by way of enzyme immunoassay according to the sandwich technique using a monoclonal antibody and a polyclonal antibody each to the human type III, IV or VI collagen peptide, characterized in that the monoclonal antibody to the collagen peptide is used as an antibody to be coated onto a solid phase and/or an antibody to be labeled with an enzyme. Also disclosed is a sandwich technique using two different monoclonal antibodies. This method can be carried out with a smaller amount of samples in a simple manner to obtain a precise result and is thus useful for diagnosis of hepatic diseases.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a method for determining human type III, IV and VI collagen peptides, which is useful for easy diagnosis of hepatic diseases. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for quantitative determination of the human type III, IV and VI collagen peptides by way of enzyme immunoassay based on the so-called sandwich method (technique) wherein specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to the human type III, IV and VI collagen peptides are used.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A radioimmunoassay for the measurement of the human type III procollagen N-terminal peptide in human blood using a polyclonal antibody was already reported, for example, in Rohde et al., Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 9, 451-459, (1979).
However, a method for the determination of the human type III, IV and VI collagens themselves in blood has not yet been known, chiefly for the reason that the structure of collagens is not so significantly different among animal species as to make it easy to produce an antibody for assay from other animals and that the solubility of collagens in blood is too poor to measure the concentration of collagens in blood. If human collagens per se in blood can be measured exactly, it will greatly contribute to convenient and easy diagnosis of hepatic diseases. Consequently, there is a great demand for developing a new method for effectively and precisely determining human collagen peptides in a simple manner, especially in the field of diagnosis of hepatic diseases.

Method for determining human collagen peptides by way of enzyme immunoassay


Disclosed are high-strength aluminum alloys and methods of making and processing such alloys. More particularly, disclosed are aluminum alloys exhibiting improved mechanical strength. The processing method includes homogenizing, hot rolling, solutionizing, and multiple-step quenching. In some cases, the processing steps can further include annealing and/or cold rolling.

Recyclable aluminum alloys with high strength are desirable for improved product performance in many applications, including transportation (encompassing without limitation, e.g., trucks, trailers, trains, and marine) applications, electronic applications, and automobile applications. For example, a high-strength aluminum alloy in trucks or trailers would be lighter than conventional steel alloys, providing significant emission reductions that are needed to meet new, stricter government regulations on emissions. Such alloys should exhibit high strength. However, identifying processing conditions and alloy compositions that will provide such an alloy has proven to be a challenge.

Aluminum alloys and methods of making the same


A moving picture decoding device includes: unit for successively receiving compressed digital picture data in a forward reproduction order; unit for constantly storing the compressed picture data corresponding to a predetermined reproduction time period from a picture currently reproduced; unit for producing reproduction pictures including intermediate pictures, in time, of the compressed picture data by picture predictions using the compressed picture data stored in the storing unit; unit for designating output timings of the reproduction pictures; and unit for successively outputting the reproduction pictures at the output timings designated by the designating unit so as to form moving picture. When reverse order reproduction is instructed, the producing unit produces the reproduction pictures in an order reverse to the forward reproduction order and the outputting unit outputs the reproduction pictures in the reverse order.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recently proposed moving picture coding system for storage media which handles digital moving picture, and more particularly to a technique of decoding and reproducing moving picture for special reproduction mode such as reverse reproduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various systems for compressing and expanding digital moving picture have been proposed in relation with development of multi-media technique. Digital moving picture compressed by those techniques are expanded (decoded or restored) by conducting interpolation on plural original frame pictures and predicting movement of picture to produce predictive picture, thereby compensating for deficiency in information quantity of original pictures. Particularly, a system proposed in MPEG (Moving Picture Coding Experts Group) which is an international standardization conference of moving picture coding for storage media (hereinafter referred to as "MPEG system") is standardized in consideration of special mode reproduction such as random access or reverse reproduction.
Generally, in moving picture, contents of successive frame pictures are analogous to each other. Taking this into consideration, the moving picture coding technique produces intermediate picture between original pictures by interpolation. The MPEG system also relates to the interpolation technique. In the following, description will be given by taking the MPEG system as representative of such compressing and expanding systems of digital moving picture.
The moving picture coding system for storage media utilizes random-accessible media such as CD-ROM as the storage media. Namely, compressed data of original pictures are recorded on such a storage media. A decoding device of the coded moving picture reads out the compressed data of original pictures from the storage media and carries out digital signal processing including interpolation for producing intermediate pictures between the original pictures. Then, the device stores the interpolated (predicted) pictures in a memory, and outputs the stored pictures in succession as moving picture. Data structure of MPEG system is of hierarchical structure, and includes video-sequence stage, GOP (Group Of Picture) stage which can be individually reproduced, picture stage for predicting picture information including luminance and color differences, slice stage of scanning order, macro-block stage of luminance and color difference blocks of right-left and up-down directions, block stage including 8-lines.times.8-pixels of luminance and color differences. The decoding device performs prediction of picture, from the compressed pictures read out from the storage medium, utilizing Motion Compensation (MC) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) between frame pictures having periodical intervals, and produces predictive pictures. Thus, the coding device stores decoded pictures by GOP units in a memory device in normal order, and then outputs them.
In order to demonstrate concept of predictive pictures, prediction of picture will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating pictures including predictive pictures in bit-stream of MPEG system. FIG. 1 shows frame pictures, and each of the frames corresponds to a picture stage in the data structure. Picture represented by the reference I is I-picture (Intra-coded picture) which constitutes a single picture by itself. Picture represented by the reference P is P-picture (predictive-coded picture) which is a predictive picture produced by prediction utilizing I-picture and other P-picture of past in reproduction sequence. Picture represented by the reference B is B-picture (Bidirectionally predictive-coded picture) which is produced by prediction utilizing not only I-picture and P-picture of past in reproduction sequence but I-picture and P-picture of future. The pictures shown in FIG. 1 constitute GOP stage. The pictures shown in FIG. 1 are decoded and produced by predictions in the order of P1, P2, P3, . . . , P6. Namely, P-pictures are firstly produced using I-pictures and P-pictures by steps of P1 and P2, and then B-pictures are produced using the I-pictures and P-pictures by steps P3, P4, . . . , P6. In this manner, pictures in a GOP are produced. Then, the decoding device stores the pictures thus produced, and reads them out in normal order. Such a technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-176694.
On the other hand, when reverse reproduction is needed, the pictures of a GOP are produced and stored in the same manner, and then reproduced in reversed order. However, in order to carry out reverse reproduction in this manner, the decoding device should have memory of large capacity, which is relatively expensive. Namely, the decoding device produces plural pictures from one I-picture to next I-picture by GOP units, and stores all of the pictures in the memory. Then, the device reads out and displays the stored pictures one by one in an order reverse to the normal reproduction order. Therefore, the device is required to store the predicted, non-compressed pictures for many frames. In order to achieve slow reverse reproduction (reverse reproduction slower than normal speed), frame memory having storage capacity of at least 15 frames is required. Since approximately 2M bits of storage capacity is necessary for storing picture of one frame, the device should have large memory having capacity of 30M bits (for 15 frames). In this view, it is impossible, in practice, to achieve reverse reproduction by device of reasonable cost. In addition, storage of all frame pictures in GOP requires long period of time. However, in the field of digital moving picture compressing and expanding technique in which it is expected that special reproduction such as random-accessing, high-speed reproduction or reverse reproduction is readily and rapidly carried out, it is not preferable that storage of pictures takes such a long time.

Moving picture decoding device having a compressed picture data memory


A mirror micromechanical structure has a mobile mass carrying a mirror element. The mass is drivable in rotation for reflecting an incident light beam with a desired angular range. The mobile mass is suspended above a cavity obtained in a supporting body. The cavity is shaped so that the supporting body does not hinder the reflected light beam within the desired angular range. In particular, the cavity extends as far as a first side edge wall of the supporting body of the mirror micromechanical structure. The cavity is open towards, and in communication with, the outside of the mirror micromechanical structure at the first side edge wall.

Mirror micromechanical structures are known, which are made, at least in part, of semiconductor materials and using the MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology.
These micromechanical structures are integrated in portable apparatuses, such as, for example, portable computers, laptops, notebooks (including ultra-thin notebooks), PDAs, tablets, and smartphones, for optical operations, in particular for directing in desired patterns light radiation beams generated by a light source.
Thanks to the reduced dimensions, these structures enable stringent requirements to be met as regards occupation of space, in terms of area and thickness.
For example, mirror micromechanical structures are used in miniaturized projector modules (the so-called "picoprojectors"), which are able to project images at a distance or to generate desired patterns of light.
In combination with an image-capturing module, a projector module of this kind enables, for example, implementation of a three-dimensional (3D) photographic camera or video camera for forming three-dimensional images.
The aforesaid mirror micromechanical structures generally include: a mirror element, obtained from a body of semiconductor material in such a way as to be movable, for example with a tilting or rotation movement, to direct the incident light beam as desired; and a supporting element, which is also obtained starting from a body of semiconductor material, is coupled to the mirror element, and has supporting and handling functions. A cavity is made in the supporting element, underneath, and in a position corresponding to, the mirror element, in such a way as to enable freedom of movement for tilting or rotation thereof.
In particular, applications are known in which the mirror micromechanical structure is required to generate a reflection pattern with an extensive field of view (FOV), i.e., a reflection of the incident light beam over a wide angular range.
For example, FIG. 1a is a schematic illustration of an optical projection system, designated as a whole by 1, in which the mirror micromechanical structure 2 is used for reflecting, with a desired angle, an incident light beam, designated by B, coming from a light source 3, for example, a coherent light source of a laser type.
In particular, the mirror micromechanical structure 2, including the mirror element, here designated by 4, and the supporting element, here designated by 5, in which the cavity 6 is obtained, is mounted in such a way that the mirror element 4 is set, at rest, at a wide inclination angle α with respect to the incident light beam B (the inclination angle α being defined as the angle between the direction of the incident light beam B and the normal to the surface of the mirror element 4). This inclination angle may be comprised between 40° and 50°, for example 45°, and evidently corresponds also to the angle at which the incident light beam is reflected by the mirror element 4.
FIGS. 1b and 1c show a respective operating condition of the optical system 1, in which the mirror element 4 is rotated through a negative rotation angle θ (causing, that is, a reduction in the inclination angle α), and, respectively, a positive rotation angle θ (causing, that is, an increase in the inclination angle α), with respect to the resting condition.
It will be noted that the solution described is affected by an important limitation as regards the field of view (FOV) that can be achieved, which cannot guarantee the desired optical performance, at least in given operating conditions.
As shown schematically in FIG. 2, in fact, for positive inclinations of the mirror element 4, which entail values of the inclination angle α greater than a given threshold, a phenomenon of at least partial shadowing or clipping of the reflected light beam may arise, thereby only a part of the reflected light beam may effectively be transmitted towards the outside of the mirror micromechanical structure 2, for example for generation of a desired scanning pattern on an outer surface.
The specific value of this threshold depends on the particular assembly of the mirror micromechanical structure 2. In any case, there is a mechanical rotation angle θ of the mirror element 4 such that the reflected light beam can be at least partially shadowed.
In the example illustrated, this phenomenon is highlighted for a positive rotation angle θ of 20° with respect to the resting condition.
The phenomenon described entails an undesirable deterioration of the performance of the optical system 1. In particular, the optical system 1 may be unable to achieve the desired performance as regards the field of view FOV.
There is a need in the art to solve, at least in part, this problem afflicting mirror micromechanical structures of a known type.

Mirror micromechanical structure and related manufacturing process


The present invention relates to antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that specifically bind to interleukin 5 (IL-5), which is preferably human IL-5. The invention also relates to human anti-IL-5 antibodies, including chimeric, bispecific, derivatized, single chain antibodies or portions of fusion proteins. The invention also relates to isolated heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules derived from anti-IL-5 antibodies and nucleic acid molecules encoding such molecules. The present invention also relates to methods of making anti-IL-5 antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these antibodies and methods of using the antibodies and compositions thereof for diagnosis and treatment. The invention also provides gene therapy methods using nucleic acid molecules encoding the heavy and/or light immunoglobulin molecules that comprise the human anti-IL-5 antibodies. The invention also relates to gene therapy methods and transgenic animals comprising nucleic acid molecules of the present invention.

Eosinophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Both asthma severity and extent of airway hyperresponsiveness correlate with numbers of blood and sputum eosinophils. Bronchial biopsy studies show that eosinophils are a prominent component of asthmatic airway inflammation and that eosinophil granule contents are present in increased concentrations in the airway lining fluid of asthmatics. These granule contents consist of a number of proteins that have direct toxic effects on airway cells through multiple mechanisms such as epithelial cell sloughing, ciliostasis, generation of oxygen radicals and injury of airway nerve fibers. Eosinophils also produce mediators that can augment mast cell histamine release. This spectrum of activities contributes directly to chronic inflammation of the bronchial airway as manifested by swelling of the airway walls and the generation of airway mucus. By facilitating the penetration of airborne agents through the damaged airway epithelium, this inflammation can directly cause increased neuronal responsiveness and smooth muscle contraction (Greenfeder et al., Respiratory Research 2:71–79, 2001).
Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a major eosinophil mediator and a critical factor in inflammatory injury of the airways in asthma. It is produced primarily by the Th2 subset of T cells and, to a lesser extent, by other cell types including eosinophils. IL-5 is of critical importance for the maturation of eosinophils in the bone marrow and of minor importance for the chemotactic response of eosinophils. IL-5 also stimulates eosinophil activation, prolongs survival, facilitates degranulation in response to specific stimuli (such as IgA or IgG), and is generally a pro-inflammatory mediator. Increased levels of IL-5 have been measured in clinical asthma and human bronchial antigen challenge models (Greenfeder et al., Respiratory Research 2:71–79, 2001).
Asthma is currently most effectively treated by a regimen of either inhaled or oral steroids that suppress expression of a number of key mediators in asthma, including IL-5, resulting in decreased pulmonary inflammation. There are, however, perceived long-term liabilities of steroid therapy. For these reasons, direct anti-IL-5 therapy is an attractive target in the management of asthma.
Thus, it would be desirable to obtain high-affinity antibodies, particularly human anti-IL-5 antibodies, that could be used to treat Il-5 mediated pathologies in humans.

Human monoclonal antibodies to interleukin-5


Methods and apparatus to receive and discharge bulk materials are disclosed. An example method for treating gaseous fluid includes filling a device with ceramic granular material, a ceramic heat storage body, a catalyst body and a particle-shaped bulk material including calcium and/or carbon. The method also includes supplying gaseous fluid to be treated into a bulk material container and acting upon the bulk material in the bulk material container with the supplied gaseous fluid while discharging the bulk material out of the bulk material receiving apparatus.

DE 86 10 421 U1 describes a device for receiving bulk material which, on the bottom of a bulk material container, has at least one clearing arm. In an operating position, the clearing arm carries out a rotational movement about a center axis of the bulk material container in the operating direction of rotation by means of a drive. The clearing arm is pivotable toward the center of the bulk material container about a pivot axis, which is spaced from the center axis and extends parallel to the same, during a rotation in opposition to the operating direction of rotation. The clearing arm in one design is curved in a crescent-shaped manner, where a free outer end has a tip. Two or several clearing arms can also be provided distributed on the periphery of the bulk material container. The bottom of the discharge apparatus is flat. A pressure cone is arranged above the bottom in the bulk material container such that, in some examples, only the bulk material passing through a gap between the bottom edge of the pressure cone and the bottom is cleared out. The cleared out bulk material falls into a collecting funnel which is connectable to an output line.
A similar device having a discharge apparatus for a bulk material bunker is described in DE 81 18 614 U1. The clearing arm, in this example, is mounted on a shaft of a drive which is arranged in a pressure cone. The bottom also has a flat bottom. In addition, the clearing arm is mounted in a fixed manner on the shaft.
DE 33 33 115 C2 describes a device for receiving bulk material which is a bunker and has a discharge apparatus. The bunker has a bottom which is flat in part and slopes obliquely downward toward a center opening (e.g., extends in the manner of a truncated cone). A pressure cone in the form of a hood is arranged above the center opening. The rotatably mounted clearing vanes are moved above the bottom and guide the bulk material from the plane-parallel bottom to the central discharge funnel.
DE 1 940 714 B2 describes a device having a silo and having an apparatus for discharging bulk materials. The silo has a protective saddle on the bottom end and a bottom plate which is arranged under said protective saddle and is provided with a discharge opening. Two clearing arms are mounted on pivot pins between the protective saddle and the bottom plate. An outflow funnel is connected below the clearing arms. The pivot pins are connected to the rotating outflow funnel and the rear parts of the clearing arms, which protrude in relation to the rotational axes, are connected together at their inner ends by a longitudinally adjustable tension rod. Consequently, it is possible to set different inclined positions for the clearing arms.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.


A human eye dilation simulator is provided for use in a medical patient simulation mannequin. The eye simulator's pupils dilate and constrict in response to light stimuli, and physiological condition. Eyelids open, close, and blink under control of a simulation computer. The eyelids and can be opened manually for student examination, testing, and diagnosis. Each eye can be programmed independently with a variety of responses to simulate actual eye responses to various neurological dysfunction, trauma, or drugs. The eye simulator is used in conjunction with other responses from a patient simulator mannequin to simulate the bodily responses of an actual patient to various situations encountered in the medical field. The patient simulator is used for training medical personnel especially in the areas of trauma care and anesthesiology.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a patient simulator mannequin for use in training trauma medical personnel, physicians, and anesthesiologists, and more particularly to a realistic human eye simulator for a patient simulator mannequin that simulates pupil dilation and constriction responses to varying light levels, and eyelid control.
2. Description of Related Art
There are presently available patient simulator mannequins to train medical personnel in areas such as trauma treatment and anesthesiology. These mannequins typically have capabilities featuring spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation, thumb twitch, heart and breath sounds, pulses, and a complete airway anatomy for intubation and difficult airway training. Examples of anesthesiology simulator mannequins are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,192 to Kleinwaks et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,071 to S. Abrahamson et al. (the '071 patent), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The traditional method of training in the medical profession involves proctoring where the student "learns by doing" at the elbow of an experienced person who guides and monitors the student's performance. This can put the patient at risk and limit the student's exposure to rare or critical events that do not occur very often. Using patient simulator mannequins, the student can develop skills in manual dexterity and diagnosis, recognize symptoms immediately, prescribe the right remedy, and correct the patient's condition, with none of the inherent risk.
Mannequins are particularly important for training in crisis management of critical events that happen rarely, especially in trauma and anesthesiology. The mannequins are typically computer controlled and be programmed for a variety of responses which simulate a variety of medical symptoms and problems. However, several human responses, such as independent eye pupil dilation and contraction, that are used to diagnose an actual patient's state, are lacking in the present simulators.
A bright light is used in trauma care to diagnose neurological injury or reaction to medication. In a patient with a properly functioning neurological system, the pupils should constrict when exposed to a bright light, and dilate again when the light stimulus is removed. In situations of neurological damage, or reaction to drugs and medication, the pupils of each eye may react differently to the same light stimuli.
Furthermore, a patient's state of consciousness is assessed by clues provided by the opening and closing of the patient's eyelids. Using present mannequins, which have no eye response, a complete patient exam, that would be conducted on an actual patient, is not possible.
Attempts have been made to provide simulator mannequins with eye response. For example, the '071 patent discloses a mannequin for use in anesthesiology training that provides limited eye response. The mannequin's eyelids open and close, and the simulated pupils dilate in a continuous change from normal to full dilation. Dilation of the pupils is provided by activation of a pneumatic actuator acting on a cam and cam follower to press a neoprene plunger into a plastic eye form. The harder the plunger is pressed by the actuator into the plastic eye form, the more the plunger's cone tip is flattened, thereby changing dilation diameters. However, there is no realistic eye response including no provision for individual control of the pupils and/or eyelids, or any response to a simulated patient state, or simulated patient physiology.
Hence, there exists the need for a realistic eye simulator to simulate human eye responses to a variety of stimuli, including normal and abnormal responses to a multitude of physiological conditions and drugs selected by the trainer. The eye simulator can be used, in combination with other simulated bodily responses, in patient simulator mannequins. Patient simulator mannequins, having a realistic eye simulator, can improve medical training realism using the mannequins because the responses of the mannequins would include eye responses that would normally be observed on an actual patient.