An electrically-driven liquid crystal lens, which can reduce crosstalk caused at the center of an electrode, includes first and second substrates arranged opposite each other and defined, respectively, with a plurality of lens regions corresponding to each other, first electrodes formed on the first substrate between centers of the respective neighboring left and right lens regions on the first substrate, a black matrix layer formed on the first substrate to correspond to edges of the respective lens regions, the black matrix layer having a first width, second electrodes formed on the first substrate to correspond to the edges of the respective lens regions, the second electrodes having a second width smaller than the first width, a third electrode formed throughout the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically-driven liquid crystal lens, and more particularly, to an electrically-driven liquid crystal lens, which can reduce crosstalk caused at the center of an electrode, and a display device using the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Nowadays, services for rapid dissemination of information, which will be constructed on the basis of high-speed information communication networks, have been developed from a simple "listening and speaking" service, such as current telephones, to a "watching and listening" multimedia type service on the basis of digital terminals used for high-speed processing of characters, voice and images, and are expected to be ultimately developed to cyberspace real 3-dimensional stereoscopic information communication services enabling virtual reality and stereoscopic viewing.
In general, stereoscopic images representing 3-dimensions are realized based on the principle of stereo-vision via the viewer's eyes. However, since the viewer's eyes are spaced apart from each other by about 65 mm, i.e. have a binocular parallax, the left and right eyes perceive slightly different images due to a positional difference therebetween. Such a difference of images due to the positional difference of both the eyes is called binocular disparity. Also, a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image display device is designed on the basis of binocular disparity, allowing the left eye to watch only an image for the left eye and the right eye to watch only an image for the right eye. Specifically, the left and right eyes watch different two-dimensional images, respectively. If the two images are transmitted to the brain through the retina, the brain accurately fuses the images, giving the impression of reproducing a real 3-dimensional image. This ability is conventionally called stereography, and a display device utilizing this ability is called a stereoscopic display device.
Meanwhile, stereoscopic display devices can be classified according to components of a 3-dimensional reproduction lens. For example, a lens constructed using a liquid crystal layer is called a liquid crystal lens, which will be driven by an electric field. Hereinafter, this kind of lens is called an electrically-driven liquid crystal lens.
Conventionally, a liquid crystal display device includes two electrodes opposite each other, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the two electrodes. Liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are driven by an electric field generated when a voltage is applied to the two electrodes. The liquid crystal molecules have polarization and optical anisotropy properties. Here, the polarization property is that, when a liquid crystal molecule is placed within an electric field, charges in the liquid crystal molecule are gathered to opposite sides of the liquid crystal molecule, whereby a molecular arrangement direction is converted according to an applied electric field. The optical anisotropy property is that, owing to an elongated configuration of liquid crystal molecules and the above-described molecular arrangement direction, the incidence direction of incident light is changed, or the path of light to be emitted or polarization degree is changed according to polarization conditions. Accordingly, the liquid crystal layer represents a difference of transmissivity by a voltage applied to the two electrodes, and an image can be displayed using the transmissivity difference of pixels.
Recently, there has been developed an electrically-driven liquid crystal lens in which a liquid crystal layer serves as a lens using the above-described properties of liquid crystal molecules.
Specifically, a lens controls the path of incident light according to a given position using a difference between an index of refraction of a lens constituent material and air. If different voltages are applied to different positions of the liquid crystal layer to drive the liquid crystal layer by different electric fields, the incident light into the liquid crystal layer undergoes different phase variations, and as a result, the light crystal layer can control the path of incident light like an actual lens.
Hereinafter, a related art electrically-driven liquid crystal lens will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a related art electrically-driven liquid crystal lens, and FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating phase variation of incident light depending on position when light passes through the conventional electrically-driven liquid crystal lens.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art electrically-driven liquid crystal lens includes first and second substrates 10 and 20 arranged opposite each other, and a liquid crystal layer 30 formed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. Here, first electrodes 11 are formed on the first substrate 10 and are spaced apart from one another by a first interval. In these neighboring first electrodes 11, a distance from the center of one of the first electrodes 11 to the center of the next first electrode 11 is called a pitch. Repeating the same pitch for each of the first electrodes forms a pattern.
Second electrodes 21 are formed throughout a surface of the second substrate 20 opposite the first substrate 20. The first and second electrodes 11 and 21 are made of transparent metal. The liquid crystal layer 30 is formed in a space between the first electrodes 11 and the second electrode 21. Liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer 30 have a property of responding to the strength and distribution of an electric field, and thus, have a phase distribution similar to the electrically-driven liquid crystal lens as shown in FIG. 2.
The above-described electrically-driven liquid crystal lens is formed under the condition of applying a high voltage to the first electrode 11 and grounding the second electrode 21. Under these voltage conditions, the vertical electric field is strongest at the center of the first electrode 11, and the strength of the vertical electric field decreases away from the first electrode 11. Thereby, when the liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer 30 have a positive dielectric constant anisotropy, the liquid crystal molecules are arranged according to the electric field in such a way that they are upright at the center of the first electrode 11 and tilt closer to the horizontal plane with increasing distance from the first electrode 11. As a result, in view of light transmission, an optical path is shortened at the center of the first electrode 11, and is lengthened with increasing distance from the first electrode 11. Representing the length variation of the optical path using a phase plane, the electrically-driven liquid crystal lens shown in FIG. 2 has light transmission effects similar to a parabolic lens having a paraboloidal surface.
The above-described electrically-driven liquid crystal lens can be accomplished by providing electrodes on both substrates, respectively, with liquid crystals interposed therebetween and applying a voltage to the electrodes, eliminating the need for a lens having a physically formed paraboloidal (convex) surface.
However, referring to FIG. 2, it can be appreciated that achieving the same phase plane as a parabolid using the electrically-driven liquid crystal lens when a voltage is applied to realize an image is difficult, and in particular, the phase plane seriously deviates from the profile of the parabolic lens at a section corresponding to the center of the first electrode, i.e. at a lens edge. Deviation of the phase plane from the parabolic lens means that light transmission at the corresponding region is carried out differently from the parabolic lens. This may result in a distorted image upon realization of a 3-dimensional screen. Here, the center of the first electrode corresponds to the lens edge, and thus, the lens undergoes profile distortion at the lens edge (i.e. at the first electrode). This profile distortion causes crosstalk, i.e. unintended signals, and the signal distortion region is called an edge error region.
The above-described related art electrically-driven liquid crystal lens has the following problems.
Upon formation of the electrically-driven liquid crystal lens, the lens edge has a seriously deviated phase from the profile of a lens having a physically formed parabolic or convex surface, causing distortion in the index of refraction for 3-dimensional imaging. This results in crosstalk at the lens edge, making it impossible to display a normal image.

Electrically-driven liquid crystal lens and display device using the same


A turbine rotor disk with a turbine blade, the rotor disk having a cooling air feed channel to force cooling air into an internal cooling air passage within the turbine blade, the feed channel including a swirl generator at the inlet end to promote a swirling motion within the cooling air, and the feed channel including a helical rib extending from the swirl generator to the outlet of the feed channel to maintain the swirling motion of the cooling air within the feed channel such that dirt particles in the cooling air are collected within the center of the swirling air flow. The feed channel directs the swirling cooling air into a first passage of the internal serpentine flow cooling circuit of the blade. A cooling air exit hole is located at the blade tip and is aligned with the cooling air flow in the first passage. The swirling air flow with the collected dirt particles ejects the dirt particles out through the exit hole while the clean cooling air continues through the serpentine flow circuit to provide cooling for the blade.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid reaction surfaces, and more specifically to turbine rotor disk with a particle separator.
2. Description of the Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A prior art cooling air feed channel for a turbine blade is mounted on the side of the rotor disk and located at the entrance point of the live rim. Cooling air channels through the live rim through a cooling air feed channel and periodically bleeds off into the blade cooling cavity for use in cooling the blade. Pressure losses associated with the cooling air in the live rim cavity as well as cross flow losses of bleeding air into the blade cooling cavities lower the useful cooling pressure which translates to lower cooling potential for the use of cooling air to produce higher blade internal cooling performance and provide higher backflow margin for the blade cooling design. In addition, higher cooling supply pressure is needed to overcome these additional losses which induce higher cooling air leakage flow around the blade platform periphery. Other than higher cooling supply pressure requirement for this type of cooling system, the dirt particles within the cooling air will channel into the blade internal cooling passages and in some cases will cause internal plugging of the film cooling holes in the blade. FIG. 1 shows the prior art turbine rotor disk cooling air feed channel 12 arrangement for the current turbine cooling air delivery system. The rotor disk 11 includes a feed channel 12 leading into a live rim cavity 13. The cooling air then flows into one or more cooling passages formed within the blade 14. Exit holes 15 are located along the trailing edge of the blade to discharge cooling air from the internal cooling circuit of the blade. Cover plates 16 are used to enclose the live rim cavity 13. Rotation of the rotor disk forces the cooling air through the feed channel 12 and into the blade internal cooling passages 24.
The cooling air supply pressure loss and plugging issue associated with the above prior art cooling air delivery system can be alleviated by incorporating a new and effective vortex cooling feed channel configuration into the prior art blade cooling air delivery system of the prior art.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a way to remove dirt particles from the cooling passages within a turbine blade.

Turbine rotor disk with dirt particle separator


In a circuit arrangement including a sample-and-hold device, the sample-and-hold device includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth charge store, and also a first and a second input terminal for feeding in a differential input signal comprising a first and a second component. A differential output signal is output via a first and a second output terminal. The charge stores are charged with the first or the second component of the differential input signal in a first phase of a time segment. In a second phase of the time segment, the differential output signal is generated in a manner dependent on the charges of the first, second, third and fourth charge stores.

In many analog circuits, voltages are stored in capacitors or other charge stores. In this case, the stored voltages are often used for further signal processing. In this case, the charge stores may be formed as a switchable network of a plurality of partial charge stores.
The buffer storage of voltages for later further processing is used in analog-to-digital converters, for example. FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of an analog-to-digital converter with a pipeline architecture. The analog-to-digital converter shown for converting an analog input voltage Vs into a digital value Y comprises n cascaded stages A1, A2, . . . , An, which in each case generates a binary value B1, B2, . . . , Bn having one or more bits for the digital value Y and outputs it to a buffer BUF. In the buffer BUF, the binary values B1, B2, . . . , Bn are combined to form the digital value Y. In this case, the individual binary values B1, B2, . . . , Bn are generated temporally successively, the first stage A1 generating the binary value B1 from the voltage Vs present and outputting it to the buffer BUF. A result of the processing of the voltage signal Vs is output as voltage signal Vs2 to the second stage A2 for further processing. The voltage signal Vsn finally serves as an input signal for the last stage An.
FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a conventional sample-and-hold device such as can be used in one of the stages A1 to An. The sample-and-hold device for processing differential input signals comprises input terminals Vinp and Vinn and also reference potential terminals Vrefp and Vrefn. The sample-and-hold device furthermore has capacitors C1, C2, which can be connected by first terminals to the input terminals Vinp, Vinn and the reference potential terminals Vrefp, Vrefn via switches S93 to S98. In this case, the switches S93 to S98 can be controlled by a control circuit CC. Second terminals of the capacitors C1, C2 are coupled to an inverting and a noninverting input of a differential amplifier OP. The noninverting output O1 of the differential amplifier OP is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier OP via a parallel circuit formed by a feedback capacitor CR1 and a switch S91. A parallel circuit formed by a feedback capacitor CR2 and a switch S92 is likewise connected between the inverting output O2 of the differential amplifier OP and its noninverting input.
One of the voltage signals Vs to Vsn can be fed in differential form via the input terminals Vinp, Vinn. In this case, the components of a signal at the input terminals Vinp, Vinn are complementary to one another with regard to a common mode potential. In a first phase, a sample phase, the switches S91, S92, S93, S94 are closed, while the switches S95, S96, S97, S98 are open. The capacitors C1, C2 are thereby charged in a manner corresponding to the input voltage.
In a subsequent phase, a hold phase, the switches S91, S92, S93, S94 are opened depending on a control by the control circuit. For example in a manner governed by a binary value, one of the capacitors C1, C2 is coupled to a first reference potential terminal Vrefp and the other is coupled to a second reference potential terminal Vrefn. In this case, reference potentials at the reference potential terminals Vrefp, Vrefn are usually likewise complementary to one another with regard to the reference voltage. As a result of the reference potentials being applied to the capacitors C1, C2, in a manner dependent on the switch position of the switches S95 to S98, a voltage can be added to the voltage stored in the capacitors C1, C2 or can be subtracted from the stored voltage. A result of this operation is output at the terminals O1, O2.
At the end of the hold phase, charges that are dependent on the stored voltages and the switch positions of the switches S95 to S98 are applied to the capacitors C1, C2. In a subsequent sample phase for storing new voltage values of the input voltage, the charge state of the capacitances C1, C2 can influence the sample operation. If a residual charge depends on a binary value from the analog-to-digital conversion, this may lead, particularly at high sampling rates, to so-called intersymbol interferences. Errors of this type impair the accuracy in the analog-to-digital conversion.

Circuit arrangement comprising a sample-and-hold device and method for signal processing in a sample-and-hold device


A photodetector may have a structure including conductive patterns and an intermediate layer interposed between the conductive patterns. A length L of at least one side of the second conductive pattern that overlaps the first conductive pattern and the intermediate layer satisfies the equation L=λ/2neff, wherein the neff is an effective refractive index of a surface plasmon waveguide formed of the first conductive pattern, the intermediate layer, and the second conductive pattern during a surface plasmon resonance. Heat generated in the intermediate layer when the electromagnetic wave having the wavelength λ is incident thereon generates a current variation.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a photodetector and an image sensor including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor may be a semiconductor device which converts an optical image into an electric signal. The image sensor may have a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type. The CMOS type image sensor may be called a CMOS image sensor (CIS). The CIS may have a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged. Each of the pixels may have a photodiode (PD). The photodiode may convert incident light into an electric signal. In recent years, there have been researched various methods for detecting light besides the photodiode.

Photodetector and image sensor including the same


An apparatus, method, and system associates an identifier with a data packet. The identifier uniquely identifies a communication module, such as a host interface card, within a data storage system. In operation, a computer host sends a data packet to a server. The communication module receives the data packet and associates an identifier, unique to the communication module, with the data packet. The data packet is stored in a disk array, such as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) system. When the computer host later requests the stored data packet, a validation module, which may be implemented within a PCI adapter such as a host interface card, retrieves the data packet and determines whether the data packet is corrupt. If the data packet is corrupt, the validation module identifies which host interface card corrupted the data with the use of the unique identifier associated with the data packet. The faulty communication module may then be removed from operation in the data storage system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus, system, and method for identifying faulty communication modules. Specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus, system, and method for identifying faulty communication modules within a data storage system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical data storage systems include a client and a server. The client, commonly referred to as the host, transmits data to the server. The server, in turn, stores the data. Various types of adapters may be used for communication between the host and the server. A commonly used adapter is the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) adapter. One representative example of a PCI adapter is a host interface card. Often, the server includes a plurality of host interface cards available for connecting a plurality of hosts to the server. Data transmitted to the server is temporarily stored within a host interface card before the data is written to a permanent storage media within the server, such as a disk array. In addition, when a host requests data stored on the server, host interface cards retrieve the data from the permanent storage media and transmit the data to the host.
Occasionally during the data storage and retrieval process, the host interface card identifies data that is corrupt. Corrupt data often means that one of the host interface cards that processed the data has malfunctioned and may continue corrupting other data. It is desirable to identify the malfunctioning host interface card to prevent further data corruption.
However, identifying the malfunctioning host interface card may be difficult, because data is often stored on the server using one host interface card and retrieved using a different host interface card. Conventional data storage systems logically conclude that the host interface card that discovered and reported the corrupt data is the faulty host interface card. As a result, data storage systems remove that host interface card from operation when, in reality, the host interface card that originally processed the data may be the faulty host interface card that corrupted the data. Consequently, a properly functioning host interface card may be removed or disabled while a faulty host interface card remains in operation, corrupting data within the data storage system.
FIG. 1 illustrates a representative example of a conventional data storage system 100 having a faulty host interface card 106a. The system 100 stores data packets sent from a host 102 to a server 104. Typical data packets include data and a header, which identifies the type of data contained within the data packet. The server 104 includes a plurality of host interface cards 106 for communicating with one or more hosts 102. Most of the host interface cards 106 are operable host interface cards 106b-d. Certain host interface cards 106a may, however, be faulty.
The host interface cards 106 are configured to receive, temporarily store, and transmit data packets sent from the host 102 to a symmetric multiprocessor 114. The symmetric multiprocessor 114 includes a data cache 116, non-volatile storage 120, and one or more disk controller cards 118. The symmetric multiprocessor 114 stores each data packet in the cache 116 and optionally the non-volatile storage 120 according to various data storage parameters. In response to data storage parameters, the disk controller 118 writes each data packet to a disk group 122 where the data is permanently stored. The various components of the server 104 communicate by way of a central communication bus 124.
Occasionally, a data packet becomes corrupted while being transmitted from the host 102 to the server 104. The data packet may also become corrupted while being transmitted throughout the various components of the server 104. When data is corrupted, data is changed within the data packet. Generally, data storage systems 100 validate the integrity of data packets to prevent transmitting or storing corrupted data.
The host 102 evaluates the data packet and associates a CRC (cyclic redundancy check) value with the data packet before sending the data packet to the server 104. Typically, a CRC value is four bytes containing a 32-bit binary value. When the host interface card 106 receives the data packet from the host 102, the host interface card 106 computes a conventional CRC data verification to validate the integrity of the data packet received. First, the host interface card 106 evaluates the data packet to calculate a CRC value. Next, the host interface card 106 compares the calculated CRC value with the CRC value associated with the data packet. Then, if the calculated CRC value matches the CRC value associated with the data packet, the host interface card 106 determines that the data packet is valid. If the calculated CRC value does not match the CRC value in the data packet, the host interface card 106 determines that the data packet is corrupt. If the data packet is corrupt, the host interface card 106 rejects the data packet and sends an error to the host 102. If the data packet is valid, the host interface card 106 continues to process the data packet.
LRC (longitudinal redundancy check) data verification is another method for validating the integrity of data packets that typically involves less processing overhead than CRC data verification. The LRC value differs from the CRC value in that it is two bytes containing a sixteen-bit binary value, a much smaller size to process and store. Consequently, LRC data verification is desirable to validate data integrity as the data packet is transmitted between components within the server 104.
As part of the LRC data verification, the host interface card 106 evaluates the data packet and generates an LRC value. The host interface card 106 then associates the LRC value with the data packet before transmitting the data packet to the symmetric multiprocessor 114. When the symmetric multiprocessor 114 receives the data packet from the host interface card 106, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 computes a conventional LRC data verification to validate the integrity of the data packet.
Often, due to a fault in the memory or processor of a faulty host interface card 106, the host interface card 106 may corrupt the data packet after the CRC data verification has been completed, but before the LRC data verification has been executed. As a result, the faulty host interface card 106 may send a corrupt data packet to the symmetric multiprocessor 114, which executes LRC data verification and compares the calculated LRC value with the LRC value associated with the data packet. If the calculated LRC value matches the LRC value in the data packet, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 determines that the data packet is valid. If the calculated LRC value does not match the LRC value in the data packet, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 determines that the data packet is corrupt and rejects the data packet, creating an error in the data storage process. However, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 stores the data packet in both the cache 116 and optionally the non-volatile storage 120, if the LRC data verification validates the data packet.
In the depicted example, the faulty host interface card 106 has corrupted the data packet after the completion of the CRC data verification. Consequently, the faulty host interface card 106 evaluates a corrupt data packet, generates an LRC value, and inserts the LRC value into the corrupt data packet. Furthermore, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 receives the corrupt data packet, evaluates the corrupt data packet, and calculates an LRC value to compare against the LRC value in the corrupt data packet. The LRC data verification does not detect corrupted data packages in the depicted example, because the calculated LRC value and the LRC value in the data packet were calculated from evaluating a corrupt data packet.
After the data packet is validated, the cache 116 or non-volatile storage 120 sends the data packet to the disk controller 118, which then sends the data packet to the disk group 122, where it is stored indefinitely. The disk group 122 may receive a corrupt data packet and execute LRC data verification as previously explained. The LRC data verification does not detect the corrupt data packet because the calculated LRC value matches the LRC value associated with the data packet.
Subsequently, if the host 102 requests the stored data packet, the disk group 122 sends the data packet into cache 116 where the symmetric multiprocessor 114 performs LRC data verification. As previously explained, LRC data verification does not detect a corrupt data packet. The symmetric multiprocessor 114 evaluates the corrupt data packet, calculates an LRC value, and compares the calculated LRC value with the LRC value associated with the data packet.
The symmetric multiprocessor 114 then sends the data packet to a host interface card 106d. Because the data server 104 includes a plurality of host interface cards 106, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 often sends data packets to a different host interface card 106b-d than the host interface card 106a that originally received the data packet from the host 102.
The host interface card 106d executes LRC data verification to validate the integrity of the data packet. The host interface card 106d evaluates the data packet and generates an LRC value. If the calculated LRC value matches the LRC value associated with the data packet, the host interface card 106d executes CRC data verification.
In the depicted example, the host interface card 106d evaluates the data packet and calculates a CRC value. Since the faulty host interface card 106a corrupted the data packet after CRC data verification had been executed, the functioning host interface card 106d evaluates corrupt data and calculates a CRC value that differs from the original CRC value calculated by the host 102 and associated with the data packet. The host interface card 106d sends an error message to the symmetric multiprocessor 114 indicating that the data package is corrupt. Since there are no conventional means to identify which of the plurality of host interface cards 106 corrupted the data packet, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 erroneously concludes that the host interface card 106d that sent the error message is the faulty host interface card.
Generally, to prevent future errors, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 disables, commonly known as "fencing," the host interface card 106d that sent the error message. Additionally, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 may take the host interface card 106d that sent the error message off-line. The symmetric multiprocessor 114 might also reset the host interface card 106d in an attempt to fix the host interface card 106d that sent the error message. Accordingly, the symmetric multiprocessor 114 may send an error message to the host 102, indicating that the original data packet is corrupt.
Consequently, under some circumstances, the conventional data storage system 100 may erroneously disable the properly functioning host interface card 106d that sent the error message. The symmetric multiprocessor 114 in such a case fails to properly identify the faulty host interface card 106a that actually corrupted the data packet. As a result, the faulty host interface card 106a continues operating and may continue to corrupt data.
What is needed is a method that correctly identifies the faulty host interface card responsible for corrupting the data packet. Furthermore, a data storage system is needed that identifies the faulty host interface card, takes appropriate measures to fix or disable the faulty host interface, and permits properly operating host interface cards to remain operational.

Apparatus, system, and method for identifying a faulty communication module

International Business Machines Corporation


A technique of performing knowledge based authentication (KBA) involves collecting activity data and time data based on operation of a mobile device, the activity data identifying an activity performed by the mobile device, and the time data identifying a time of the activity. The technique further involves generating a KBA question based on the activity data and the time data. The technique further involves providing the KBA question to a user to authenticate the user. Such a technique is capable of being performed by a remote server which communicates with the mobile device over time (e.g., in response to certain events, periodically, combinations thereof, etc.). Accordingly, the remote server is able to accumulate activity and time data which is not stored permanently (or perhaps even at all) by the mobile device, and then generate KBA questions based on that data.

In knowledge based authentication (KBA), a human authenticates by answering a set of questions (i.e., one or more questions). If the human answers the set of questions correctly, authentication is considered successful. If the human does not answer the set of questions correctly, authentication is considered unsuccessful.
Conventional KBA questions have been derived from credit bureaus (e.g., "where did you live in 2006?"), government records (e.g., "what type of vehicle did you own in 2007"), and public databases (e.g., what school did you attend in 2008?"). Additionally, the legitimate human may proactively provide answers to certain secret questions during an enrollment period so that the legitimate human can provide correct answers at a later time (e.g., "what was the name of your first pet?"). Accordingly, if the authenticating human is legitimate, the human will correctly answer the set of secret questions to successfully authenticate.

Knowledge based authentication using mobile devices


The invention relates to a biodegradable, magnesium-containing bone screw for implanting into a patient body for use in medical applications, such as, orthopedic, craniofacial and cardiovascular surgery. The bone screw has a head, shaft and tip. The thickness of the head is greater than the thickness of conventional bone screws. The shaft includes both a non-threaded and a threaded portion. The tip is non-threaded and pointed, such as, conical in shape. The composition of the bone screws provide for improved biodegradability and biocompatibility, and the features of the structure of the bone screws facilitate guidance and placement during implantation as well as reduce the potential for mechanical failures.

Metallic implant devices, such as plates, screws, nails and pins, constructed of stainless steel, cobalt-chromium and titanium alloys are commonly used in the practice of orthopedic, craniofacial and cardiovascular implant surgery. These materials exhibit good biomechanical properties, but are not degradable over a period of time. Thus, when the implant device is no longer needed, surgery is required for its removal. To reduce the need for surgery and risks associated therewith, it is a desire in the art to design and develop new biomaterials that are capable of degrading, e.g., dissolving, over time such that surgical removal is precluded. For example, polymers, such as polyhydroxy acids, polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and the like, are useful for the construction of implant devices. These materials, however, have been found to exhibit relatively poor strength and ductility, and have a tendency to react with human tissue resulting in limited bone growth. As a result, magnesium alloys have emerged as a new class of biodegradable materials for orthopedic applications. These materials exhibit properties comparable to natural bone, are non-toxic and capable of degrading, e.g., corroding, over time in a physiological environment, e.g., a patient body. In particular, magnesium degrades to produce a soluble, non-toxic corrosion hydroxide product which is harmlessly excreted through urine. To date, magnesium alloys have demonstrated the ability to regenerate both hard and soft musculoskeletal tissues, which is particularly valuable for engineering craniofacial degradable implants.
There are, however, disadvantages associated with bone screws composed of magnesium-containing material, e.g., magnesium alloy. For example, magnesium is generally a softer material than metal materials, e.g., stainless steel or titanium, conventionally used for implant devices. As a result, magnesium alloy bone screws have been found to be more prone to breakage. In certain instances, during the process of implantation, the heads of the magnesium alloy screws have sheared off, and the screws have been shown to be difficult to place in existing bone, e.g., difficult to align with a corresponding opening which is drilled into existing tissue in a patient to receive the screw.
Thus, there is a need in the art to design and develop a bone screw having suitable corrosion resistance, biodegradability and biocompatibility, while having an improved design structure so as to facilitate alignment and placement of the screw, and to demonstrate minimal breakage, e.g., of the screw head, during implantation.

Biodegradable, magnesium-containing bone screws, methods for their preparation and medical applications therefore

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH—OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION


A system and method for detecting decomposition errors in a parallel processing software design having at least two decomposition levels, where each decomposition level has at least one process. The system and method further identifies improper control flow, looping structure and/or dataflow within the software design and restructures the software design to remove any improper elements.

Decomposition of software as discussed in various top-down structure design models (Stephen J Mellor & Paul T. Ward in their work Structured Development for Real-time systems, or Clement L. McGowan & John R. Kelly in their book Top-down Structured Programming Techniques, or Grady Booch in his UML Distilled book among others) all show that hierarchical software designs have certain assumptions. The seminal assumption is that lower levels of design are related to higher levels of design, that is, all of the information contained in a higher design level must be represented in lower levels of the design. This assumption means that each level of decomposition can be reconciled with the next higher level of design until the highest level of design is reached. For example if data from a terminator enters a process at the context level then all such data must appear at the first level of decomposition. If all of the data does not appear then a decomposition error has occurred. Similarly all control, including looping structures found at one level must be reconciled at the higher level. Typically this reconciliation and decomposition error detection is performed manually.
Typically, a developer can only create control flows on an MPT Hierarchical Design graph that can be arrived at via functional decomposition. However, when a design is extracted from existing source code (as occurs with legacy code), control flows which allow for unstructured code are then possible. Unstructured code is code that cannot be arrived at using any functional decomposition model.

System and method for automatic detection of decomposition errors


An image pick-up lens system includes an aperture stop (10), a biconvex first lens (20), a second lens (30) having a concave surface on an object side, and a third lens (40) having a concave surface on an image side. The aperture stop (10), the first lens (20), the second lens (30) and the third lens (40) are aligned in that order from the object side to the image side. All lenses in the system are made from a plastic or resin material, and one of them has a diffraction grating formed on a surface. The system satisfies conditions (1)-(5) as disclosed, in order to provide compactness, cost-effectiveness and improved optical performance.

In recent years, camera modules for taking photos have begun to be incorporated in portable terminals such as mobile phones and laptop computers. Downsizing the camera modules is a prerequisite for enhancing the portability of these apparatuses. The camera module operates with an image pickup device such as a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Recently, a pixel having the size of approximately a few micrometers has become commercially feasible, and an image pickup device with high resolution and a compact size can now be mass manufactured and marketed. This is accelerating the demand for downsizing of image pick-up lens systems so that they are able to be suitably used with miniaturized image pickup devices. It is also increasing expectations of cost reductions in image pick-up lens systems, commensurate with the lower costs enjoyed by modern image pickup devices. All in all, an image pick-up lens system needs to satisfy the oft-conflicting requirements of compactness, low cost, and excellent optical performance.
Compactness means in particular that a length from a lens edge of the lens system to an image pick-up surface should be as short as possible.
Low cost means in particular that the lens system should include as few lenses as possible; and that the lenses should be able to be formed from a resin or a plastic and be easily assembled.
Excellent optical performance can be classified into the following four main requirements:
First, a high brightness requirement, which means that the lens system should have a small F number (FNo.). Generally, the FNo. should be 2.8 or less.
Second, a wide angle requirement, which means that a half of a field of view of the lens system should be 30° or more.
Third, a uniform illumination over the image surface requirement, which means that the lens system can reduce or even avoid the occurrence of vignetting, thereby enhance illumination over edge portions of the image surface.
Fourth, a high resolution requirement, which means that the lens system should appropriately correct fundamental aberrations such as spherical aberration, coma aberration, curvature of field, astigmatism, distortion, and chromatic aberration.
In a single lens system which satisfies the low cost and lightweight requirement, the single lens of the system is generally made from a plastic. However, it is difficult for the single lens system to effectively correct chromatic aberration and achieve excellent optical performance, especially in the case where a wide angle of view of for example 70° is desired. Therefore, employment of a diffraction lens to correct chromatic aberration was proposed in an article entitled "Optical Design of Diffraction Lens System" (Yunguang Technology, Vol. 32, No. 2, 2000, pp. 33-39). In this article, a hybrid diffractive-refractive single lens system is employed to correct chromatic aberration. Other similar lens systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,105B1, U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. US2003/0117709A1, and EP Pat. No. 0819952A2. However, none of these lens systems can achieve excellent optical performance in the case of a wide angle of view. In addition, the distortion, field curvature and astigmatism of the lens systems cannot be effectively corrected.
Typical two-lens systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Application Publication Nos. 2003/0117723 and 2004/0036983, and EP Pat. No. 1357414A1. In order to correct chromatic aberration, two lenses are employed in the lens system. The two lenses must be made from different materials, with Abbe constants thereof differing significantly. The number of the glass/plastic lens(es) in the single lens system and the two-lens system is insufficient to correct the distortion, field curvature and astigmatism that typically occur in such lens systems. In other words, such lens systems generally cannot provide sufficiently excellent optical performance. The single lens system and two-lens system are generally used in a low-resolution image pickup device such as a CMOS.
In order to satisfy the excellent optical performance requirement, three lenses are generally employed. Three-lens systems can provide a wider angle of view and correct various aberrations. A three-lens system comprises, from an object side to an image side, an aperture stop, a first lens having positive focal power, a second lens having negative focal power, and a third lens having positive focal power. Typical three-lens systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2003/0193605A1, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-075006. The lens system shortens the distance between the object side and the image side. The aperture stop is arranged between the object side and the first lens, for narrowing down an incident angle of chief rays being projected onto the image pick-up surface. In order to correct chromatic aberration, the lenses that have positive refracting power must be made from different materials, with the corresponding Abbe constants differing significantly.
In a lens system which satisfies the low cost requirement, all lenses of the three-lens system should be made from a plastic or a resin material. However, there are only a few varieties of plastic materials which can be suitably used to make lenses. Even if all the lenses are made from a different plastic or resin material, the range of variation of optical properties of the lenses is limited. This makes it difficult to effectively correct chromatic aberration. Another important consideration is that plastic materials are prone to absorb water. For example, the water absorbency of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is 1.5%, and the water absorbency of polycarbonate (PC) is 0.4%. Among the plastic or resin materials which can be suitably used to make lenses, only zeonex materials (polyolefin resins or cyclo-olefin polymers) have relatively low water absorbency. In general, the water absorbency is less than 0.01%. Zeonex materials are available from the Japanese Zeon Corporation. Therefore unless a non-glass lens is made from a zeonex material, it is liable to absorb water and deform. As a result, the optical performance of the lens system is diminished.
Therefore, a low cost image pick-up lens system which has a compact size and excellent optical performance is desired.


A composite structure for storing thermal energy. In one embodiment, an apparatus for storing thermal energy includes: a thermal storage material and a three-dimensional structure. The three-dimensional structure includes: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material. The first, second, and third truss elements define an open space. The thermal storage material occupies at least a portion of the open space, and the three-dimensional structure is self-supporting.

Heat storage devices can be fabricated from a phase change material that can be a salt hydrate or an organic molecule and a container. The phase change material is placed in a tank or melted into a high thermal conductivity porous structure that is in a container. When the container absorbs heat, the phase change material absorbs the heat and melts if the temperature is above the phase change temperature. When the temperature drops below the phase change temperature, the material goes through a reverse phase change and releases heat. This is advantageous because a reduced weight and smaller heat sink may be used in a device as not all the heat must be radiated. However, in most thermal storage devices, extra weight is added to a component because heat storage devices cannot support weight and must be bolted onto the supporting structure rather than being part of it.
Also, heat exchangers transfer heat from a fluid or air stream to another fluid or air stream. They work best when they contain narrow pores (under 0.5 mm in diameter) with high aspect ratios. Pores with a large aspect ratio and small diameter are difficult to form.
Furthermore, heat storage systems may use a graphite felt or metal tank to move heat between an exterior environment and a phase change material; however, the tanks and graphite felt do not support the structure of the vehicle or component in which they are integrated. Additionally, these materials are not templated from a supporting structure that efficiently uses space to maximize the amount of phase change or thermal storage material to be contained and/or stored while remaining mechanically robust.
Heat exchangers may also be formed from a porous foam or honeycomb to transfer heat between two materials. However, for such heat exchangers, it may be difficult to fabricate high aspect ratio thin diameter pores with porosity of the desired dimensions.

Composite structures for storing thermal energy


An improved shell egg culling system includes a conveying system having sites for conveying shell eggs, an illuminator together with a video camera in conjunction with a computer having a first algorithm and a second algorithm for determining which of the sites contain shell eggs having broken shells and which contain shell eggs having soiled shells, a plurality of bridges in side-by-side relationship which are controlled by the computer to remove shell eggs having broken shells from the conveying system for discarding, and a platform having a plurality of downwardly directed, suction-activated lifters which are controlled by the computer to remove shell eggs having soiled shells from the conveying system for recycling through a washer.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to an automatic culling system and, particularly, without limitation, to a video controlled system for automatically detecting and culling shell eggs having broken shells and shell eggs having soiled shells from shell eggs having clean, unbroken shells.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Inspection and sorting procedures are common for many types of products and in many different manufacturing and processing operations. For example, egg processing can involve inspection of shell eggs for defects which could affect marketability of their contents. Such defects might include, for example, excessive dirt on the shells and cracked shells, which may cause present or subsequent contamination of the contents of the shell eggs.
Commercial egg processors commonly sell the contents of the shell eggs, i.e., yolk and albumen (egg whites), separately. Although blended yolks and albumen can be sold as "whole" egg, that form generally brings lower prices than when the yolks and albumen are sold separately. Egg contents are generally subjected to relatively stringent standards for purity and wholesomeness. Thus, egg processing operations often involve defect detection procedures for minimizing or eliminating defects which might jeopardize meeting those standards.
Commercial egg processing is often done with various types of automated equipment, such as an egg breaking and contents separating machine as taught by Willsey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,864. Such equipment can include a number of shell egg cracking and separating units (sometimes referred to as "crackers"), linked together in an endless belt Or chain which can be driven through various stations whereat the shell eggs are cracked, the shell halves spread apart, the shell egg contents drained, and the yolk and albumen portions thereof separated for discharge into selected receptacles at a downstream location. If a shell egg remains soiled after being processed through a washer, the cracking process may cause some of that soilage to intermix with and contaminate the egg contents. Preferably, only clean eggs are processed through the crackers.
Procedures for detecting defective shell eggs sometimes involve stationing an operator at an observation station downstream from a station where the shell eggs are washed such that the operator can visually inspect and screen the stream of shell eggs prior to processing thereof.
When a defective shell egg is detected, the operator can physically remove the shell eggs or adjust the apparatus such that the defective shell eggs are sorted out for rerouting through the washer. However, such sorting and screening techniques are susceptible to human error since they depend primarily upon visual observation by the operator. The human error factors can be exacerbated by the repetition and tedium associated with constantly observing a fast-moving procession of objects which are nearly identical in appearance while trying to remain alert for the telltale signs of a defect.
Therefore, there is a need for a shell egg culling system for automatically culling out cracked eggs for discarding and, further, for culling out soiled eggs from clean eggs for recycling through a washer. Therefore, an effective automatic culling system and method can reduce an operator's workload and improve productivity. The present invention addresses this need.


An anti-slamming latch is described for removably installing a module housing into a bay in a frame having a predetermined width. The module housing has a guide pin on a front portion thereof projecting from said housing. The latch apparatus comprises a latch body supported from the frame allowing straightforward removal and insertion of a rear portion of the module housing into said bay. The latch body has a first channel therein adapted to receive and engage the guide pin when the body is in a first position. This channel has a closed end engaging the pin to prevent insertion of said module housing past a predetermined intermediate position in the bay. The latch body has a second channel intersecting the first channel forming a rounded protuberance therebetween.. The module may not be further inserted by pushing on the module. It may only be fully inserted in the bay by moving the latch body from the first position to dislodge the pin from the closed end of the first channel, move the pin over the rounded protuberance, and into the second channel in the body. Movement of the latch body levers the pin along the second channel, and thus the module into full insertion, to a second closed position wherein the pin is fully within in the second channel in the latch body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to rack mounted modular components such as shelf or box mounted electronics and computer components and more particularly to a latching apparatus for positive insertion and latching of modular housings in a rack mounted enclosure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional computer hard disk drives adapted for use in mainframe and large server applications such as commercial installations are currently packaged in electronic component modules, such as hard disk drive modules, which are installed side by side in a five sided enclosure or shelf unit which is in turn mounted in a vertical rack of similar shelves. These hard disk drive modules are typically conventional 31/2 inch form factor high performance drives each enclosed by a module housing about 33/4 inch by 2 inches by 61/2 inches. In order to positively secure these modules in the shelf which has the required number of electrical peripheral connectors on its internal back plane, these module housings typically have some kind of latch on the front which engages a corresponding recess in the shelf to ensure the module is fully inserted and to keep the module from popping out of its back plane socket.
A major disadvantage with conventional latch designs being used is that a large amount of finger force is required to either latch or unlatch the module from the shelf. In addition, the module latches are difficult to grasp. Therefore the individual who frequently need to remove and install these modules often simply starts to insert the module in the slot or space available and then slams the module into the shelf, sometimes repeatedly, in order to make solid connection with the latch and the connector on the back plane without having to separately exert force on the module housing to latch the module housing in place.
A direct consequence of this slamming into the back plane connector is that unacceptable and damaging capacitive in rush or startup currents may be generated during the power-up of the module. Typically, these modules may be "hot-plugged" into the back plane. In other words, a cold, i.e. unenergized, module is connected into a connector already having its 5 volt power pins energized. The pins on these connectors are designed so that power and ground are applied before the output and signal connections are made. This is accomplished by making these pins longer so that they are engaged with their mating sockets before the output and signal connection pins and sockets are mated. This difference in length prevents in rush or surge currents from damaging module subcomponents when a module is inserted by hand with normal force and speed. Also, a resistance is provided in series with these power pins to minimize the effect of in rush current which does occur when they are hot plugged. These two features cooperate to prevent undesirable currents from being generated during power-up under normal operating conditions.
However, when the individual slams a module into a bay slot and into connection with the connector on the back plane, there is only about a millisecond or less between mating of the power pins and sockets and the mating of the output and signal pins and sockets. Consequently there is insufficient time for the power supply voltage to be fully developed, i.e. rise to a constant level, within the module before signal pin mating, and abnormal in rush currents are generated which can damage internal components, generate false signals to other peripheral devices or to the computer, and/or destroy stored digital information.
Another problem with conventional module latching mechanisms is that they are usually located on the front end face of the module housing. Accordingly, these latching mechanisms cannot be used on modules with removable media, or modules which contain other peripheral devices such as tape drives, CD-ROM drives, PCMCIA card carriers, etc., all of which require access through the end face in order to insert or remove the removable internal components.
Therefore there is a need for an apparatus which prevents the buildup and transfer of harmful startup currents during hot installation and/or removal of modular components. There is also a need for an apparatus which assists the operator with insertion so that there is no need or desire to slam the module into the shelf. There is also a need for a latching apparatus which can positively lock the module in place to prevent unauthorized removal and inadvertent removal of the module.

Anti-slamming latch apparatus for modular component installations


A method of driving shutter glasses of a display system includes generating a display panel driving signal which drives a display panel of the display system, where the display panel displays a left image and a right image, generating a second three-dimensional (“3D”) synchronizing signal based on a first 3D synchronizing signal and the display panel driving signal, generating a third 3D synchronizing signal by adjusting an intensity of the second 3D synchronizing signal, generating a shutter control signal, which controls a left shutter and a right shutter of the shutter glasses, based on the third 3D synchronizing signal, and outputting the shutter control signal to the shutter glasses.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method of driving shutter glasses and display system for performing the method. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of driving shutter glasses which adjusts a communication distance between a display panel and the shutter glasses and a display system for performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display apparatus displays a two dimensional ("2D") image. As a demand for displaying a three dimensional ("3D") image have been increasing in video game and movie industries, the liquid crystal display apparatus has been developed to display the 3D image.
Generally, a stereoscopic image display apparatus displays the 3D image using a binocular parallax between two eyes of a human. For example, as two eyes of a human are spaced apart from each other, images viewed at different angles are inputted to a human brain. The human brain mixes the images such that an observer recognizes the stereoscopic image.
The stereoscopic image display device may be divided into a stereoscopic type and an auto-stereoscopic type depending on whether a viewer wears an extra spectacle or not. The stereoscopic type may include an anaglyph type and a shutter glasses type and so on. In the anaglyph type, blue glasses and red glasses may be required for the viewer to wear. In the shutter glasses type, a left image and a right image may be temporally divided to be periodically displayed, and a viewer wears glasses which opens and closes a left shutter and a right shutter in synchronization with the period of the left and right images.
In the shutter glasses type, the left image and the right image displayed on the display panel is synchronized with the left shutter and the right shutter of the shutter glasses. The display apparatus outputs a shutter control signal to the shutter glasses.
An intensity of the shutter control signal influences a viewing distance of the display apparatus. In a conventional display system, an intensity of the shutter control signal is constant such that a distance between the display panel and the shutter glasses is constant regardless of purpose and place of use of the display apparatus.
In the conventional display system, when two or more display apparatuses are closely installed, the shutter glasses may abnormally operate due to an interference of the shutter control signals of the two or more display apparatuses.

Method of driving shutter glasses and display system for performing the same


An output buffer in a CMOS circuit includes an output pad; a VDD line which supplies a first supply voltage; a VSS line which supplies a second supply voltage; a first MOS device connected between the VDD line and the output pad; a second MOS device connected between the VSS line and the output pad; a lateral SCR device connected from the output pad to one of the VDD and VSS lines and in parallel with one of the first and second MOS devices; and a bypass diode connected to one of the VDD and VSS lines and in parallel with the lateral SCR device.

The invention relates generally to output ESD protection for a CMOS output buffer.
ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection and its impact on the reliability of IC products in submicron CMOS technologies has become a primary concern. On-chip ESD protection circuits are often connected to both the input and output pads of an IC product to avoid ESD damage. In particular, the drains of NMOS and PMOS devices in the CMOS output buffer are often directly connected to the output pad driving the external load, making the CMOS output buffer more vulnerable to ESD stress. To improve the ESD robustness of a CMOS output buffer and to handle high driving or sinking currents to and from an external heavy load, the output NMOS and PMOS devices are often designed to have large device dimensions. Even in a device having such large dimensions, the ESD robustness of a CMOS output buffer can be still seriously degraded in advanced submicron CMOS technologies. The issues of ESD robustness has been reported in the following papers:
C. Duvvury, R. N. Rountree, Y. Fong, and R. A. McPhee, "ESD phenomena and protection issues in CMOS output buffers," Proc. of IRPS, 1987, pp. 174-180. PA1 C. Duvvury and A. Amerasekera, "ESD: A pervasive reliability concern for IC technologies," Proc. of IEEE, vol. 81, no. 5, pp. 690-702, 1993. PA1 A. Amerasekera and C. Duvvury, "The impact of technology scaling on ESD robustness and protection circuit design," 1994 EOS/ESD Symp. Proc., EOS-16, pp. 237-245. PA1 C. Duvvury, R. McPhee, D. Baglee, and R. Rountree, "ESD protection in 1 .mu.m CMOS technologies," Proc. of IRPS, 1986, pp. 199-205. PA1 R. N. Rountree, "ESD protection for submicron CMOS circuits: issues and solutions," 1988 IEDM Technical Digest, pp. 508-583. PA1 C. Duvvury and R. N. Rountree, "A synthesis of ESD input protection scheme," 1991 EOS/ESD Symp. Proc., EOS-13, pp. 88-97. PA1 C. Y. Wu, M. D. Ker, C. Y. Lee, and J. Ko., "A new on-chip ESD protection circuit with dual parasitic SCR structures for CMOS VLSI," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 274-280, 1992. PA1 M. D. Ker and C. Y. Wu, "Complementary-SCR ESD protection circuit with interdigitated finger-type layout for input pad of submicron CMOS IC's," IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol, 42, no. 7, pp. 1297-1304, 1995. PA1 A. Chatterjee and T. Polgreen, "A low-voltage triggering SCR for on-chip ESD protection at output and input pads," 1990 Proc. Symposium on VLSI Technology, pp. 75-76. PA1 A. Chatterjee and T. Polgreen, "A low-voltage triggering SCR for on-chip ESD protection at output and input pads," IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 21-22, January 1991. PA1 M. D. Ker, K. F. Wang, M. C. Joe, Y. H. Chu, and T. S. Wu, "Area-efficient CMOS output buffer with enhanced high ESD reliability for deep submicron CMOS ASIC," Proc. of 8th IEEE International ASIC Conference and Exhibit, 1995, pp. 123-126. PA1 M. D. Ker, C. Y. Wu, M. and H. H. Chang, "Complementary-LVTSCR ESD protection circuit for submicron CMOS VLSI/ULSI," IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 588-598, 1996. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 434,752, Y.-Y. B. Liu and S. Cagnina, "Electrostatic discharge protection device for CMOS integrated circuit outputs". PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,888, D. B. Scott, P. W. Bosshart, and J. D. Gallia, "Circuit to improve electrostatic discharge protection". PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,222, G. N. Roberts, "Output ESD protection circuit". PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,565, K. F. Lee, A. Lee, M. L. Marmet, and K. W. Ouyang, "electro-static discharge protection circuit with bimodal resistance characteristics". PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,143, T. C. Chan and D. S. Culver, "ESD protection circuit". PA1 C. C. Johnson, T. J. Maloney, and S. Qawami, "Two unusual HBM ESD failure mechanisms on a mature CMOS process," 1993 EOS/ESD symposium, proceedings, EOS-15, pp. 225-231.
From another practical consideration, the pin counts of high-integration CMOS VLSI/ULSI devices are often greater than 200. With such high pin-count CMOS IC's, the available layout area for each output (or input) pad with output buffer (or input ESD protection circuit) including latchup guard rings is seriously limited.
Recently, lateral SCR devices have been used as ESD-protection elements to provide input protection in submicron CMOS IC's, as described in the following papers:
The lateral SCR device was found to provide the highest ESD protection capability in a small layout area, relative to other ESD protection elements such as diodes, thick-oxide devices, gate-oxide devices, or parasitic bipolar devices in submicron CMOS IC's (see M. D. Ker, C. Y. Wu, T. Cheng, M. Wu, T. L. Yu, and A. Wang "Whole-chip ESD protection for CMOS VLSI/ULSI with multiple power pins," Proc. of 1994 IEEE International integrated Reliability Workshop, pp. 124-128). To effectively protect the CMOS output buffer, the use of a low-voltage triggering SCR (LVTSCR) device with much lower trigger voltages has been reported in the following papers:
The trigger voltage of the LVTSCR device is equivalent to the snapback-trigger voltage of a short-channel NMOS (or PMOS) device, which is inserted into the lateral SCR structure, rather than the original switching voltage (about 30.about.50V) of a lateral SCR device. The shorter channel length of the inserted NMOS (or PMOS) leads to a lower snapback-trigger voltage of the LVTSCR device.
To protect the output transistors in a CMOS output buffer, the inserted NMOS (or PMOS) in the LVTSCR device should be designed with a shorter channel length than the output NMOS (or PMOS) in the CMOS output buffer. Thus, the trigger voltage of the LVTSCR can be lower than the snapback-trigger voltage of the output NMOS (or PMOS).
Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, the schematic device structure, device I-V characteristics, and circuit diagram are shown, respectively, for a lateral SCR (LSCR) device which provides input ESD protection. The trigger voltage (current) of the LSCR device in the CMOS technology is about .about.50V (.about.10 mA).
Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, the schematic device structure, device I-V characteristics, and circuit diagram, are shown, respectively, for a modified lateral SCR (MLSCR) device which provides input ESD protection. The trigger voltage (current) of the MLSCR in the CMOS technology is about .about.25V (.about.10 mA).
Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, the schematic device structure, device I-V characteristics, and circuit diagram are shown, respectively, for the low-voltage-trigger lateral SCR (LVTSCR) device which provides input ESD protection. The trigger voltage (current) of the LVTSCR device in an CMOS technology is about .about.10V (.about.10 mA).
The low trigger voltage of the LVTSCR provides effective ESD protection for the CMOS output buffer. However, the lower trigger current may cause the LVTSCR to be accidentally triggered on by external overshooting or undershooting noise pulses on the input or output pins when the CMOS IC is in normal operation.
Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the paths taken by an overshooting noise pulse from the input and output pads, respectively, are shown. Although the overshooting or undershooting voltage on the output pad can be clamped by forward-biased parasitic diodes which exist in the p-n junctions from the drain to the bulk of the output PMOS and NMOS devices, the trigger current of the LVTSCR device is still low for applications in noisy environments. The LVTSCR may be accidentally triggered on by an external electrical noisy pulse, due to the very low turn-on resistance of the LVTSCR, causing the input or output pads to be held at "0" and leading to the malfunction operation in the CMOS IC. Thus, in using the LVTSCR device to provide effective ESD protection for input and output pads of a CMOS IC, the LVTSCR must have a sufficient noise margin relative to the overshooting or undershooting noise pulses for safe normal operation of the CMOS IC's.

Output ESD protection with high-current-triggered lateral SCR

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The culture chamber of the present invention has a fluid-filled culture compartment in which cells, tissues and other biologicals are cultured. The culture compartment is transversed by one or more molecular weight cut-off membranes attached to a membrane carrier assembly. Incoming nutrients are transported through the membrane into the culture compartment and metabolic waste products are transported away from the fluid-filled culture compartment through the membrane and out the chamber outlet. Both reusable and disposable culture chambers are described for culturing cells, cell aggregates, particles, tissues and organoids.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a culture chamber for culturing cells, cellular aggregates, particles, tissues and organoids. More particularly, the present invention relates to a culture chamber having one or more molecular weight cut-off membranes transversing the chamber, wherein incoming media enters the chamber through an inlet and then passes through a membrane into the culture chamber and the exiting media passes through the membrane and then out the chamber outlet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The biomanufacturing industry is experiencing rapid growth. One aspect of that growth is that the demand for the production of new therapeutic protein products is greatly exceeding capacity. To keep pace with the drugs and antibodies generated in cell culture that are coming to market, biomanufacturing industry requirements for therapeutic protein production is expected to increase yet another five or six fold over the next couple of years. Since the industry is already exceeding current capacity for the production of therapeutic proteins, new processes and apparatuses are needed that are more efficient and that can be scaled up for the production of larger quantities of therapeutic proteins.
One of the major problems in producing therapeutic protein products is the time and costs of purifying the desired protein from the cell media. It is estimated that two thirds of the time and costs of manufacturing proteins from cell cultures is related to the separation of the desired protein product from the waste products. Thus, there is a need to produce a more concentrated protein product upstream to reduce the downstream processing required to purify the protein product.
In addition, the expense of producing biologicals in aseptic bioreactors is exacerbated by the required cleaning, sterilization and validation of the standard stainless steel or glass bioreactors by the customer. There is a continuing need to develop lightweight, presterilized, disposable culture chambers with simple connections to existing equipment that require little training to operate, yet provide the necessary gas transfer and nutrient mixing required for successful cell cultures. If the culture chambers used in producing therapeutic proteins could be made disposable, a reduction in the risk of cross contamination, the time and expense in changing from the production of one protein to another, and the downtime needed for equipment changeover between production runs would be realized.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system for providing warning notices of potentially unsafe road conditions ahead. The system includes a graphic display unit, having a plurality of light emitting pixels, for displaying a road condition ahead, a display unit driver for driving the light emitting pixels of the graphic display unit, a controller for transmitting control signals and graphic data to be displayed to the display unit driver, a plurality of manually operable switches for commanding the controller to perform a programmed operation, and a car speed sensor for detecting car speed and transmitting the detected car speed to the controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a traffic condition displaying device, and more particularly to a device designed to inform a car driver that a dangerous traffic condition exists by noticing such as displaying letters, warning lamp, or warning tone, etc., before approaching a dangerous road such as a tunnel or a sharp curve.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Generally, a car runs at a high speed on the express highway and a long distance is needed to stop. Thus accidents involving vehicles colliding with obstacles happens quite often even though the driver sees such obstacles ahead and has applied a sudden break. Particularly in a dangerous place of a road where visibility is limited as with a sharp curve or tunnel, etc., many car accidents occur. If a car accident occurs within a tunnel, following cars may collide thereby causing a large car accidents.

RM 701, Yundang Bldg. 634-10, Sinsa-Dong, Kangnam-Ku


In a sentence processing apparatus, a possibly erroneous word is extracted from a sentence by analyzing the sentence in accordance with predetermined grammar and predetermined information on words, information on suggested words which correspond to the extracted possibly erroneous word is extracted from the predetermined information on words, and information on the extracted possibly erroneous word and the information on the corresponding extracted suggested words are displayed. Accordingly, the information on the possibly erroneous word in the sentence can be briefly displayed, thus a user can easily edit the sentence in response to the displayed information.

The present invention relates to a sentence processing method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a sentence processing method and apparatus for detecting a possible error in a sentence and identifying a possible correction if necessary.
A general sentence processing apparatus which corrects a sentence, analyzes the sentence, detects a part thereof, including a word for which a homophone is often misused, on the basis of the analysis, and identifies the detected word, or identifies the detected word as well as displays suggested words, or provides information, such as examples of the meanings and usage of the detected word and the suggested words. An example of a display arrangement of the words and their meanings and usage is shown below.
Word A Meaning and usage of the word A PA1 Word B Meaning and usage of the word B PA1 Word C Meaning and usage of the word C
This is an example of how to provide meaning and usage information in correspondence with a word, namely the word and its meaning and usage are displayed in a line for each word.
In the conventional apparatus of this kind, however, since information on only one meaning and one usage is provided per word, the problem arises that much information on the original meanings and usage of a word has to be deleted to shorten the information, so that the details of the meanings and usage of the word are not displayed.
Further, if a display area is enlarged or small characters are used to express the meanings and usage to display all the information on the word, the amount of the information increases, making the displayed information hard to comprehend.

Sentence processing method and apparatus


The invention is an improvement in a thermal stress screening system of the type using a single type of liquid for alternately transferring heat to and from the product. In the improvement, the product is confined in a single chamber during alternate heat transfer. That is, the system provides "one chamber" thermal stress screening. The system includes a plurality of tanks, one each for hot and cold liquid, and a heat exchanger associated with each tank so that the liquid in a tank is maintained at the proper temperature for stress screening. An improved method for thermally stress screening products, e.g., printed circuit boards, includes the steps of placing the product in a chamber, flowing cold liquid into the chamber, draining the cold liquid from the chamber and flowing hot liquid into the same chamber.

Certain types of products, including printed circuit boards for electrical apparatus, may be used in operating environments which subject such products to rigors well beyond those experienced by, e.g., a printed circuit board in a household television set. Military equipment, aircraft radar devices for example, are often required to be constructed of components which have been rigorously tested so that they are durable in such operating environments. One type of unusual operating environment involves temperature extremes. As an example of such an environment, a high performance military aircraft may fly from ground level (perhaps in the hot desert) to a very high, cold altitude in a very short time.
And manufacturers of such products and their customers have long been aware that product "stress screening" is an effective way to "prove" a product configuration and cull out products which may fail prematurely. Stress screening may include rapid sequential exposure to extremes of, for example, vibration, humidity or temperature. The invention relates to thermal stress screening during which products are repetitively exposed to temperature extremes, e.g., temperatures well below the freezing point and well above the boiling point of water.
It is common to thermally stress screen printed circuit boards by, for example, rapidly changing their temperature from about -20.degree. C. or even about -40.degree. C. (about equal to -6.degree. F. and -40.degree. F., respectively) up to about 125.degree. C. which is about equal to 260.degree. F. It is easy to understand why testing systems imposing such rapid temperature extremes are sometimes referred to as "thermo-shock" systems.
A known way to thermally stress screen circuit boards is to place such boards within a thermal stress chamber (often called an environmental test chamber) and alternately force very hot air and very cold air through the chamber for the time required to bring the board temperature to the required high or low level. Of course, the air used for a particular hot or cold cycle is simply drawn from the room ambient and heated or chilled, as needed. Examples of environmental test devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,058 (Leathers); 4,683,4224 (Cutright et al.) and 4,695,707 (Young). A leading manufacturer of environmental test chambers (as well as other stress screening products) is Thermotron Industries, Inc. of Holland, Mich.
While environmental test chambers using heated or chilled forced air have been highly satisfactory, using air as the thermal transfer medium requires a significant amount of time to repetitively change the temperature of the circuit board from one extreme of temperature to the other. Total process time on the order of a few hours for a particular group of boards being screened is not unusual. For a chamber cavity capable of holding a given number of circuit boards, it is apparent that there is some maximum number of boards that can be screened per unit time. Therefore, the product "throughput" for that test chamber can be calculated.
Efforts to shorten the total process time for a given number of circuit boards have included using liquid as the thermal transfer medium and contacting printed circuit boards directly with such liquid. With this arrangement, overall process times can be reduced by a ratio of perhaps 5:1 or even 10:1. Such efforts in this field have included using two liquid tanks (one each for hot and cold liquid) and a different type of liquid in each tank. Circuit boards are moved to one tank and then to the other and the particular type of liquid in a tank was selected in view of whether it will be used to heat or chill the boards.
Even with two tanks, the use of two different types of liquids ultimately results in "cross-contamination" and the liquids must be discarded or at least the contaminating liquid removed therefrom. Cross-contamination occurs since some liquid clings to the boards as they are being transferred to the other tank. More recently, the problem of cross-contamination has been resolved by using a single type of liquid in both tanks. But the problem of transferring a relatively large number of printed circuit boards (which may have appreciable total weight) between tanks still remains. And since printed circuit boards are usually electrically energized during thermal screening, the problem of connecting, disconnecting and re-connecting such boards (or using a rather long "pigtail" connection) also remains.
An improved thermal stress screening system and method which avoid transferring products between liquid tanks, which dramatically shortens overall process time and which conserves the thermal transfer liquid would be an important advance in the art.

System and method for thermally stress screening products


Embodiments of the present invention disclose an efficient and inexpensive method for detecting tampered products utilizing current off the shelf components. Features of some embodiments provide for a RFID labeling system that uses multiple RFID components attached to a single product unit being embedded in the product's label and one or more tamper labels. Such RFID labels usually comprise an adhesive label containing an RFID component, a destructible conducting path that acts as an antenna and a unique encryption. The RFID labels transmit the encryption when irradiated by an RF scanner. A complete inventory of multiple associated encryptions reported during an RFID scan of a product package provide positive indication that product has not been tampered with. A missing encryption indicates a faulty product seal or an event of tampering.

The concept of inventory control and tamper proofing products utilizing radio frequency identification (RFID) is not new. The technology is used widely for consumer and pharmaceutical product inventory control and other purposes.
However, a significant problem continues to exist in today's market which concerns the product liability risk surrounding the unknowing sale of a product with a broken tamper seal to a customer. Either the customer discovers the broken seal after purchase in which case he returns the product which increases product returns and shrinkage. Or worse, he commences a product liability lawsuit. Despite the fact that the customer may not even use the product, a sale with the broken seal opens the door for legal claims based on adulterated product. All reasonable attempts should be made to monitor product packages on the shelf to eliminate tampering after shelving or the acceptance inventory with broken seals in the first instance.
The use of current RFID technology allows for the identification of products while the RFID transponder attached to the product is operating but once the transponder is disabled, the item becomes invisible to the scanner. Inventory control may detect the absence of an item because the RFID transponder no longer registers on the RFID scanner. Such a condition may falsely indicate shop lifting or that the store staff moved the product out of scanning range. The liability remains in that the tampered product may remain on the shelf and available for purchase.
The manual process required by store personnel to inspect and detect broken product seals is time intensive and inefficient. Such inspection would have to be done at least daily by minimum wage employees. More seriously, individuals seeking to intentionally adulterate a product would attempt to cover the evidence of their acts. Such concealment would surely pass unnoticed by store employees. Therefore a need exists for a system to detect tampered products quickly, inexpensively and reliably.
Another important field for the application of the current invention is in the medical field. Health care facilities utilize a plethora of medications that are administered to dozens of patients daily. Theft and tampering with medications is a persistent problem. Also, nursing staff currently deliver medications and either are required to stand by while the patient takes the medication or periodically must check to see if the medication has been taken. A need would arise to track medications and their usage after they are dispensed from the facility pharmacy.

System, method and device to detect product tampering


A substrate removal apparatus capable of cutting a plurality of aligned, precision slots in a variety of surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt pavement, and other composite substrates, utilizes high-pressure liquid cutting devices. Slots may be cut in pavement for such applications as dowel bar retrofitting for joint load transfer restoration. An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a support frame, a carriage carried by the support frame, and cutting devices coupled to the carriage. The apparatus is configured so that the carriage is movable along a generally horizontal path of travel and a generally vertical path of travel.

Pavement on streets, highways, airstrips and the like is subject to wear and deterioration from, among other forces, the repeated travel of vehicles thereon. In the case of highways, one kind of deterioration, which is prevalent on well-traveled strips of pavement, is faulting at the transverse expansion joints between adjacent slabs of pavement. Where the wheel paths intersect the transverse joints, the pavement is known to suffer repeated heavy loading due to the passage of traffic. As a result, the pavement around the transverse joints is subject to a type of premature fatigue failure known as faulting.
Load transfer restoration (LTR) is known to improve load transfer across a joint and reduce the rate of future fault development. Joint load transfer is the capacity of a joint to distribute an approaching load by shear from one pavement slab to the adjacent pavement slab. The ability of a joint to distribute load is fundamental to its performance, with poor load transfer typically evidenced by a loss of structural integrity, such as faulting and, if not corrected, cracking and crumbling of the pavement near the joint.
One type of load transfer restoration (LTR) currently used in the industry is to utilize mechanical load transfer devices, such as steel dowel bars, in a process known as dowel bar retrofitting. Generally described, dowel bar retrofitting begins with creating aligned slots, typically one at a time, which straddle the transverse joint lines between adjacent pavement slabs. The slots are typically cut by a saw in the vehicle wheel paths, parallel to the pavement centerline and with each other. This is usually accomplished using saws equipped with diamond-impregnated blades that cut a single slot of the desired width and length, until all of the slots are formed. Once the slots are cut, the "plug" or remaining portion between the cuts is removed, usually by a jackhammer. Next, the slots are prepared to receive backfill material used to fill in the slots after the dowel bars have been installed. To prepare the slots, the slots are sand blasted to create slot surfaces that will establish a good bond between the backfill and slot walls, since a good bond is essential for load transfer performance. Once the preparation of the slot is complete, the dowel bars are inserted into the slots, and covered by backfill material.
One method of improving the speed and cost of dowel bar retrofitting is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,431, to Rasmussen et al. Rasmussen et al. purportedly disclose a machine using twelve (12) wet cutting saw blades for simultaneously cutting sets of slots in the pavement. The blades move fore and aft on a carriage, and vertically up and down to cut the outer edges of the slots. Once the machine is finished cutting the slots, the machine moves to the next joint line to repeat the process, while a crew of men continue the process of removing the "plug," as well as preparing the slots prior to insertion of the dowel bar and backfill material.
While the machine of Rasmussen et al. provides the improved results of simultaneously cutting the slots using a single machine, the process of dowel bar retrofitting utilizing such a machine still has its disadvantages. For example, the blades of such a machine can become dull or break during constant usage, thereby requiring frequent and expensive replacement. Additionally, after such a machine is finished, the process still requires manual removal of the "plug" and preparation (e.g., sandblasting) of each slot so that the slots may be used for dowel bar retrofitting. The removal of the "plug" and preparation of the slots typically requires additional crew members at additional man-hours, which increases the cost and time required for completing the job.


A composite male hose coupler comprising a metallic tail piece; an externally threaded male fitting; and means for affixing the tail piece to the male fitting; and a method of manufacture thereof, are disclosed. The metallic tail piece is formed of annealed brass tube stack and includes a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion joined together by a radially outwardly extending flange generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the first and second cylindrical portions. The externally threaded male fitting is formed of machined brass stock and includes external threads on the outer surface and an annular lip for receiving the flange of the tail piece. A solder material is employed to produce a fluid-tight seal between the tail piece and the male fitting.

Garden hoses made of various forms of rubber and plastic are generally provided with so-called male and female end couplers by which the hoses are connected to one another, to faucets or spigots supplying liquid thereto, and to nozzles, sprinklers, etc. for dispensing the liquid. On currently marketed hoses such couplers, which are permanently affixed to the hose ends during production of the hose assembly, commonly comprise threaded male and female couplers, made of brass or the like, which include a ferrule placed over the outer end of the hose. A cylindrical tail piece, again of brass or the like, is introduced into the hose end and permanently expanded outwardly to urge the hose into liquid-tight engagement with the ferrule. These threaded male and female couplers may also be formed of plastic. In such couplers, plastic cylindrical tail piece is inserted into the hose end and a clamp member, generally of brass, surrounds the external periphery of the hose and is crimped inwardly after being placed around the hose, to urge the hose into liquid-tight engagement with the tail piece.
The male couplers have heretofore generally been fabricated either entirely of metal or entirely of plastic. However, each of these has certain disadvantages. Thus, metallic couplers are relatively costly to fabricate and assemble. Both the material itself and the forming process are comparatively expensive. In order to economically manufacture the metallic couplers, the couplers have been stamped from annealed brass stock. Such metallic couplers are also susceptible to being permanently deformed or crushed under heavy loads, such as when run over by an automobile tire, and thus made unusable.


An image of a subject formed optically by a objective lens (concave lens) and an eyepiece lens can be seen by a pupil. A light shielding plate is provided in front of part of the objective lens and a shielded region is formed by the light shielding plate. When the image of a subject is captured on a portion of the display screen of an electronic viewfinder, the image of the subject is reflected by a prism and can be seen superimposed upon the shielded region. If the pupil moves away from the optical axis of the virtual finder unit, the extent of the shielded region also shifts. In order to solve this problem, the light shielding plate is moved in accordance with the position of the pupil so that the extent of the shielded region is rendered constant despite movement of the pupil.

This application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT JP2013/065035 filed on May 30, 2013, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-161752 filed Jul. 20, 2012. Each of the above application(s) is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application.

Camera and method of controlling operation of same