A method and apparatus for maintaining processor consistency in a multiprocessor computer such as a multinode computer system are disclosed. A processor proceeds with write operations before its previous write operations complete, while processor consistency is maintained. A write operation begins with a request by the processor to invalidate copies of the data stored in other nodes. This current invalidate request is queued while acknowledging to the processor that the request is complete even though it has not actually completed. The processor proceeds to complete the write operation by changing the data. It can then execute subsequent operations, including other write operations. The queued request, however, is not transmitted to other nodes in the computer until all previous invalidate requests by the processor are complete. This ensures that the current invalidate request will not pass a previous invalidate request. The invalidate requests are added and removed from a processor's outstanding invalidate list as they arise and are completed. An invalidate request is completed by notifying the nodes in a linked list related to the current invalidate request that data shared by the node is now invalid.

Multiprocessor computers by definition contain multiple processors that typically can execute multiple parts of a computer program or multiple programs simultaneously in a manner known as parallel computing. In general multiprocessor computers execute computer programs faster than conventional single processor computers, such as personal computers (PCs), that must execute the parts of a program sequentially. The actual performance advantage is a function of a number of factors, including the degree to which parts of a program can be executed in parallel and the architecture of the particular multiprocessor computer at hand.
Multiprocessor computers may be classified by how they share information among the processors. Shared-memory multiprocessor computers offer a common memory address space that all processors can access. Processes within a program communicate through shared variables in memory which allow them to read or write to the same memory location in the computer. Message passing multiprocessor computers, on the other hand, have a separate memory space for each processor. Processes communicate through messages to each other.
Multiprocessor computers may also be classified by how the memory is physically organized. In distributed memory computers, the memory is divided into modules physically placed near each processor. This placement provides each processor with faster access time to its local memory. By contrast, in centralized memory computers, the memory is physically located in just one location, generally equally distant in time and space from each of the processors. Both forms of memory organization use high-speed cache memory in conjunction with main memory to reduce execution time.
Multiprocessor computers with distributed shared memory are often organized into nodes with one or more processors per node. Also included in each node are local memory for the processors, a remote cache for caching data obtained from memory in other nodes, and logic for linking the node with other nodes in the computer. A processor in a node communicates directly with the local memory and communicates indirectly with memory in other nodes through the remote cache. For example, if the desired data is in local memory, a processor obtains the data directly from local memory. But if the desired data is stored in memory in another node, the processor must access its remote cache to obtain the data. A cache hit occurs if the data has been obtained recently and is presently stored in the cache. Otherwise a cache miss occurs, and the processor must obtain the desired data from the local memory in another node through the linking logic.
An important factor in the design of a multiprocessor computer system is the memory consistency model that is supported by the computer system. The memory consistency model defines the apparent order of the reads and writes (i.e., loads and stores) from all of the processors in the computer system and how that apparent order relates to the order of the reads and writes specified in the program being executed. The strongest consistency model, sequential consistency, requires that all processors see the same order of operations (reads and writes) and that all operations are seen in the order specified in the program. In weaker consistency models, different processors can see different orders, and operations do not have to appear in the order specified in the program. A "fence" operation is provided to the programmer as a means for the programmer to indicate in a program where the program order must be maintained. Many commercial multiprocessor computers have implemented a consistency model called processor consistency. In this model the order of writes from a single processor must be observed in that order by all other processors, but reads may be observed out of order from writes. There are no ordering requirements placed on writes from different processors. The processor consistency model is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,991.
It is generally recognized in the literature that weaker consistency models can lead to higher performance. See, for example, "Performance Evaluation of Memory Consistency Models for Shared-Memory Multiprocessors" by Gharachorloo et al., Proc. Fourth Int. Conf. on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems, pages 245-257, April 1991. However, many programs have been written assuming the stronger processor consistency model is followed, and therefore maintaining compatibility with these programs is extremely important in the design of multiprocessor computers.
Most commercial multiprocessor computer systems use a set of signal conductors known as a common bus to electrically interconnect the various parts of the computer including the processors, caches, I/O devices and memory modules. In a bus-based multiprocessor computer, operations taken by each processor are necessarily seen by the other processors in the order in which they are emitted. If a processor emits reads and writes in an order that maintains processor consistency, then the bus ensures that all other processors see the reads and writes in that order. Examples of bus-based interconnection architectures for multiprocessors are Sequent Symmetry computers from Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon (described by Lovett et al. in Proceedings '88 Int'l Conference on Parallel Processing, Vol. 1, Penn State University Press, 1988, pp. 303 et seq.) and the Futurebus+standard (IEEE 896.1-1990).
Bus-based architectures, however, suffer from performance limitations inherent in their designs. The bus has a maximum bandwidth for transferring data between processors. As processor frequencies have increased, each processor requires more bandwidth to run at maximum speed. Given a maximum bus bandwidth, fewer processors can run at the faster speeds. On the other hand, to increase the bus bandwidth, the physical length of the bus must be shortened to reduce electrical propagation delay from one end of the bus to the other. But a shorter bus length reduces the space available for connecting processors and thus the number of processors that can be connected to the bus. Typical bus-based multiprocessor architectures have an upper limit of 10-30 processors.
One proposed solution to this problem of limited data throughput is to use a point-to-point network to interconnect multiple processor nodes together. Each node includes within it a bus limited to a length and number of processors that allow the processors to perform at the maximum processor frequency. Data communication between the nodes of the computer is handled through an interface, or protocol, such as the Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI) set forth in IEEE Standard 1596. The interface between network nodes may be realized with a number of topologies such as rings, meshes, multistage networks and crossbars. The current SCI standard supports up to 65,520 nodes and specifies the supported interface to run at 500 MHZ over 16 parallel lines, yielding a raw data throughput of one gigabyte/second. Furthermore, an SCI-based interconnection network can send a symbol stream from one point to another within the network without having to wait for the signals to propagate through the entire interface. In this way, a sequence of symbols may simultaneously reside on the transmission medium. Thus an SCI-based network can provide the data throughput needed to meet the demands of advanced processors now being designed into multiprocessor computers.
While solving the data throughput problem, the point-to-point approach creates another problem: it provides no guarantee that operations will be performed in the order they are emitted. Even if a processor emits operations in an order that maintains processor consistency, some networks do not guarantee that the operations reach all destinations in the order they were emitted. SCI communication, for example, is through message packets that contain, among other things, the address of the source and destination nodes and the data to be communicated. These messages may traverse various nodes in their journey from the source to destination nodes, and may arrive at the destination in a different order than which they were sent. For example, processor A in one node may send an invalidate message to processor C in another node to alert the processor C that certain data the processors share in their respective caches is no longer valid in the cache of processor C. Processor A may send this message because it is changing its copy of the data through a write operation. When processor A is finished changing the data, it then sends a second message indicating that the data in its node is now available to other processors. For the messages to work correctly, processor C must receive the first message before it receives the second message. Otherwise, upon reading the second message, processor C assumes that the data presently in its cache is already valid (that no change has occurred) and may access that invalid data rather than the changed data in the cache of processor A.
A simple approach for maintaining processor consistency in an unordered networked multiprocessor computer is to delay completion of a write operation until all other processors that share the data acknowledge that they have invalidated their copies. But this approach stalls further program execution until all of the acknowledgments are received, creating delays that significantly degrade overall processor performance.
A higher-performance approach is to allow the processor to proceed when possible with another write operation before all acknowledgments are received. This approach would enhance computer performance. But some mechanism must then ensure that write operations are received by processors in other nodes in the order in which the write operations are issued by the processor. However, no commercially viable approach that ensures this result is presently known to exist.
An objective of the invention, therefore, is to provide a method and apparatus for maintaining a desired memory consistency in an unordered networked multiprocessor computer system. Another objective of the invention is to allow operations following a write operation to complete as soon as possible while maintaining memory consistency. Still another objective is to maintain such consistency while allowing write operations to complete before all other processors that share the data have acknowledged that they have invalidated their copies.

Method and apparatus for maintaining an order of write operations by processors in a multiprocessor computer to maintain memory consistency


A memory card is described, the memory card having a wireless transceiver module, a central processor, and a storage module. The memory card when physically and operably engaged in and with a digital camera, is configured to wirelessly transmit digital data to an external device through the wireless transceiver module substantially in real time, and wirelessly receive digital data from the external device through the wireless transceiver module substantially in real time.

Digital cameras must be physically and electrically connected to a host computer to enable downloads and uploads of digital content. The digital content may be, for example, images, video images, marketing material, music content, and so forth. The application to manage and control uploads and downloads resides in the host computer. This is not always convenient.
This is because the digital camera has a processor that is incapable of independently exporting digital data captured by the digital camera. The digital camera requires a connection with the host computer to and the host computer imports the digital data captured by the digital camera, and the host computer exports digital data from the host computer to the digital camera. For all relevant functions the host computer controls the process. Alternatively, a memory card or similar non-volatile memory of the digital camera may be removed and inserted into the host computer for the digital data stored in the memory card to be uploaded to the host computer. Once stored in the host computer's memory, the digital data can be uploaded to a web site. For example, there are many web sites allowing the storing of personal photographs—"FaceBook" and "U-Tube" being but two of many examples. This requires access to a host computer for uploading to take place. This may not always be convenient. Also, there is a significant loss of data integrity at such sites.
A similar problem happens when attempting to share data between a number of digital cameras or other digital devices. For high-end mobile or cellular telephones, an MMS or email can be used to send a photograph or other data, but this is expensive and slow. It is also limited in data capacity. Otherwise a storage card or other storage apparatus can be used to transfer the data. This again is quite slow, and requires the digital cameras or other digital devices to have compatibility regarding the storage used.

Memory card and method for storage and wireless transceiving of data


A display device includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels; and a color filter member on the display panel. The color filter member includes a partition member where a plurality of opening parts each overlapping with at least one of the plurality of pixels on a plane is defined, a liquid-repellent coating layer covering the partition member, and a color conversion member including a first color conversion pattern and a second conversion pattern, which are in each of the opening parts and provide different light. The first color conversion pattern includes a first bent part and a first color conversion part, which include the same material and contact each other to form an interface. The second color conversion pattern includes a second bent part and a second color conversion part, which include the same material and contact each other to form an interface.

The present disclosure relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same, and for example, to a display device having a color filter member including quantum dots or fluorescent substances and a method of manufacturing the same.
Liquid crystal display devices, as one of the most widely used flat panel display devices, are composed of two substrates where electric field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A voltage is applied to the electric field generating electrode to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer, thereby determining the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer and controlling the polarization of the incident light to display an image.
Liquid crystal display devices use a color filter for color formation, and light emitted from a backlight source passes through a red color filter, a green color filter, and a blue color filter. At this time, light loss occurs by each color filter or polarizing plate.
To compensate for this loss of light and provide high color reproducibility, a photo-luminescent liquid crystal display device (PL-LCD) has been proposed in which a color conversion material is applied instead of a color filter. The PL-LCD device is a liquid crystal display device that replaces the color filter used in other liquid crystal display devices with a quantum dot color conversion layer. The PL-LCD device displays a color image by using a visible light generated when a light of a low wavelength band such as ultraviolet or blue light emitted from a light source and controlled by a liquid crystal layer is irradiated to a color conversion layer (CCL).
The manufacturing process of such a PL-LCD device may be performed by depositing a quantum dot through an ink-jet process. In this process, an overflow phenomenon may occur due to over-coating, resulting in color mixing with other pixel regions. When a small amount is applied, a not-fill phenomenon may occur and optical characteristics may be deteriorated.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same


A method for dynamically detecting and converting a context-sensitive information in a first language and a first format to a second language and a second format that is understandable to an end user based on a user-specified setting is provided. The method may use a built-in camera of a computing device to dynamically detect and capture an image frame of context-sensitive information. The method may use Optical character recognition (OCR), as well as contextual information such as GPS data available from a mobile computing device, to automatically translate and reformat the context-sensitive information in real-time so a user may understand it unambiguously.

The present invention relates generally to the field of processing image data, and more particularly to real-time reformatting of a context-sensitive information.
A traveler visiting a different country or a region with a different culture or language may often need to be able to read and understand text written in a format different from that which the traveler may be familiar with, such as the expiry date of a food product, the price of a food item in a foreign currency, an abbreviation, a restaurant menu, a town or street sign, a book, a map, a train schedule, or a newspaper. While conventional real-time translation solutions available for use in mobile devices such as, for example, cellular phones may be able to translate a phrase in a foreign phrase to a language readable by the person, this translation alone may not be sufficient to remove ambiguity associated with a format that is context-sensitive. This is because different languages, social groups, locales, and cultures may often present information in a format different from that which the person may be familiar with, leading to ambiguity and confusion.

International Business Machines Corporation


An electrical connector includes a terminal-connected wire, a housing an a rear holder. The housing, which receives the terminal of the terminal-connected wire, has a terminal receiving portion, a rear holder receiving portion, and at least two projected piece portions provided within the rear holder receiving portion. The rear holder, which retains the terminal in the housing, has a peripheral wall with a shape corresponding to an inner peripheral surface of the rear holder receiving portion, insertion openings provided inside the peripheral wall for passing the wires from the terminal receiving portion, and notches formed in the peripheral wall for introducing the wires into the insertion openings. The projected piece portions contact an inner peripheral surface of the rear holder to retain the terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector in which terminals are received and retained in a housing, and more particularly, to an electrical connector having a rear holder.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A conventional connector, having a rear holder, is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-124623 filed by the Applicant of the present application. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conventional connector disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-124623, FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the connector of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 5.
The connector 100 is used to interconnect circuits provided inside and outside a transmission casing of an automatic transmission, and the connector is mounted on a side wall of the transmission casing. As shown in FIG. 5, the connector 100 comprises a housing 102 made of a resin, a plurality of terminal-connected wires 104, a rear holder 106 retaining terminals 105 received in the housing 102, and a sealing resin material 107 sealing the interior of the housing 102 to prevent leakage of oil and the like.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, one end portion of the housing 102 forms a receiving portion 108 for receiving a mating connector (not shown), and electrical contact portions of the received terminals 105 project into this receiving portion 108. The other end portion of the housing 102 forms a terminal receiving portion 109 in which the terminal-connected wires 104 are inserted. A plurality of cavities 111 are formed in a partition wall 110 within the terminal receiving portion 109, and are arranged in two rows, i.e., upper and lower rows. The terminals 105 are received in the cavities 111, respectively. A filling chamber 112, communicating with the cavities 111, is provided in the terminal receiving chamber 109.
As shown in FIG. 6, the rear holder 106 includes retaining projections 113 and a positioning plate 114, and the retaining projections 113 are retainingly engaged respectively in retaining holes 115 formed through a peripheral wall of the terminal receiving portion 109, and the positioning plate 114 is retainingly engaged in a positioning groove 116 formed in the peripheral wall of the terminal receiving portion 109. The rear holder 106 has an insertion notch 117, extending from the upper row of cavities 111, through which the wires 104 pass.
In the connector 100, one end of each of the terminal-connected wires 104 is inserted into the housing 102 while the other end is inserted into another housing (not shown). Thereafter, the terminal-connected wires 104 can be passed through the insertion notch 117, and then the rear holder 106 can be attached to the housing 102. Specifically, the wires 104, extending outwardly from the housing 102, are passed through the insertion notch 117. The rear holder 106 is moved toward the housing 102 along the wires 104 to engage with the peripheral wall of the terminal receiving portion 109. Then, the rear holder may be attached to the housing 102.
However, in the conventional connector 100, the insertion notch 117 is formed in the rear holder 106. Therefore, side wall portions of the rear holder 106, forming the insertion notch 117, have reduced strength. Thus, the rear holder 106 is liable to deformation. As a result, when engaging the rear holder 106 with the housing 102, the retaining projections 113 on the rear holder 106 can not be brought into registry with the retaining holes 115, respectively, and the rear holder 106 can not be properly engaged with the housing 102, and in some cases it has been difficult to attach the rear holder 106 to the housing 102.


A pilot light on a relay or other industrial control module provides human readable information with low frequency modulation and machine readable information at high frequency modulation unintelligible to the human eye. The use of the pilot light eliminates the need for a separate and space consuming human readable display and the modulation method may be a bar code modulation to be readable by commercially available bar code readers.

This invention relates to industrial controls such as overload relays and motor controllers and in particular, to a pilot light for such industrial controls that serves to provide both a visual indication of the operation of the control and to provide machine readable data imperceptible to the human eye. More generally, the invention relates to a low cost digital, optical interface for small electronic apparatuses.
Industrial controls, such as overload relays and motor controllers, are elemental components of industrial electronic control systems such as are found in office buildings and factories. An overload relay, for example, is used with a contactor to control electrical power to large motors. The contactor incorporates one or more contact sets which switch power to the motor's windings. The contact sets are closed by movement of an armature attracted by a magnetic field generated by an armature coil. Thus, the contactor allows the relatively high currents of the motor winding to be controlled by a lower current through its armature coil.
The overload relay receives control signals from remote motor start and stop buttons, and switches the current in the armature coil of the contactor in response to those signals. Importantly, the overload relay also monitors the current flowing through the contact sets and interrupts current to the contactor's armature if the power dissipated by the motor increases beyond a predetermined limit. Increases in motor current may be caused by structural failure of the motor, such as a short between its windings, or by a loading of the motor beyond its rated capacity.
The overload relay may sense the current flowing through the contact sets by means of a resistive heater connected in series with one or more of the contact sets. The resistive heater is in thermal contact with a bi-metallic strip, which at high currents deflects to open a switch and stop current flow to the contactor's armature coil. This, in turn opens the contact set disconnecting the motor windings from the power.
More recently, the current sensing in overload relays has been accomplished by current transformers connected in series with each of the contact sets of the contactor. The current transformers generate an electrical signal, which may be compared to a reference signal to actuate a solid state device, such as a transistor for controlling the armature current.
With the decreasing cost of microprocessors, it has become feasible to incorporate a microprocessor into the overload relay to perform the functions previously performed by discrete electronic circuitry or a bi-metallic strip. A further attraction to the use of a microprocessor is the possibility of performing additional functions, beyond overload protection, such as monitoring and storing data related to the operation of the motor. Although using a microprocessor to collect and store data is relatively straightforward, in the context of the small package size and low cost of the overload relay, communicating the data collected to a human operator is a problem.
A general purpose alphanumeric display is impractical both for reasons of size and cost. A display large enough to be easily readable requires an unworkably large mounting area. Support circuitry and protection from the industrial environment further increase the space demanded by such displays. Increasing the size of the overload relay is unacceptable to the extent that it adversely affects the use of the overload relay in high density wiring applications. The present cost of such displays would significantly increase the cost of the overload relay.
As an alternative to an on-board display, an electrical jack might be used for connection of each overload relay to a remote display device. This avoids some of the cost and space problems described above which requires the user of the overload relay to purchase one or more specialty displays to ensure that a display may be available at the site of each overload relay. Precautions must be taken to prevent contamination of the jack in the industrial environment.

Pilot light interface for small industrial controls


A vehicle tailgate extender mechanism including a tailgate frame having a tailgate bed extender guide, and a bed extender assembly coupled to the tailgate frame and including an extender cross member. An extender guide may be secured to the extender cross member, and an extender support member may be secured to the extender cross member. The extender support member is capable of at least partial insertion into and extraction out of the tailgate bed extender guide. A cargo restraining panel is rotatably coupled to the extender cross member. A ratcheting mechanism may couple the extender support member to the tailgate frame and allow the extender support member to be linearly displaced in a first direction within the tailgate bed extender guide while simultaneously preventing substantial linear movement of the extender support member in a second direction opposite the first direction within the tailgate bed extender guide.

a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to tailgate extenders for pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles ("SUVs") and other such vehicles, and more particularly, to a tailgate extender assembly for securing oversized cargo that may extend beyond the cargo storage area of a vehicle, while additionally providing a retractable step assembly for facilitating access to the cargo storage area of the vehicle.
b. Description of Related Art
As is known in the art, pick up trucks, SUVs and other such vehicles are valued for the ability to transport a wide variety of materials. Such vehicles generally include a tailgate that both allows access to the vehicle's cargo bed and acts as a barrier for restraining transported materials within the cargo bed during vehicle operation. The tailgate typically pivots from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position that allows for loading and unloading of material respectively to or from the vehicle's cargo bed. Frequently, materials must be transported that do not fit within the vehicle's standard cargo space when the tailgate is in the closed position. The vehicle's user must therefore transport the materials with the tailgate in an open horizontal position or with the materials extending beyond the upper edge of a closed tailgate. In both cases, the materials must be manually secured to one or more structural elements on the vehicle to restrain the materials. The securing process can be time consuming and prone to failure, potentially resulting in materials falling out of the vehicle's cargo bed, thus damaging the materials or other vehicles.
In an effort to address the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional tailgates, several mechanisms have been developed for extending the cargo bed of a vehicle. Known bed extender designs which mount to the exterior of a tailgate can reduce the amount of available storage space within the cargo bed, because the bed extender is stored within the cargo bed when not in use. Additionally, since externally mounted bed extenders are visible even when not in use, such extenders can detract from the overall styling and attractiveness of a vehicle. Other types of bed extenders, such as the extender disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,404 to Vejnar, overcome the problems associated with externally mounted extenders by allowing the bed extender to be stored within and deployed out of the body of the tailgate itself. As these bed extenders typically extend horizontally from the open tailgate frame, they can make entry or egress from the vehicle bed even more difficult due to the overall operational characteristics of the extender.
Yet further, as shown in FIG. 13 of Vejnar, the Vejnar internally stored bed extender provides a vertical surface for restraining the transported materials within the extended cargo bed when the bed extender is in use. Specifically, Vejnar discloses a tailgate (3) with slidable back panel (5) and a retractable stop (21) secured a fixed distance from the back panel's pivot axis. While the retractable stop assists in preventing transported materials from sliding out of the cargo bed during operation of the vehicle, particularly during vehicle acceleration, the materials can still move and shift within the cargo bed. The fixed retractable stop creates a space that is often longer than necessary to accommodate the oversized materials and thus permits the stored materials to shift during vehicle operation, potentially damaging both the transported materials and the structural panels within the truck bed. Therefore, manually securing the materials within the cargo bed is still necessary.
As discussed above, a further disadvantage of conventional tailgate bed extenders is the difficulty of entering and exiting the cargo bed of the vehicle with the bed extender in use. Frequently, the deployed bed extender physically prevents access to the cargo bed. Consequently, users must climb over the side walls of the cargo bed using the vehicle's rear tires as a boosting step to enter the cargo area. This process can be inconvenient, as the side wall exteriors of the vehicle can be covered in mud or other debris that can soil clothes. In an effort to overcome the problems associated with boarding, several types of bed extenders have been developed that can be converted to a step for assisting the user in entering the cargo area. However, the assembly that is used as the step is also used as the bed extender and thus the mechanism must be used as either a step or a bed extender, but not both simultaneously.
It is therefore desirable to provide a bed extender that retracts into the tailgate frame when not in use, and that securely and safely restrains materials within the cargo bed without the need for manually securing the objects to prevent sliding in the bed area. It is further desirable to provide a means for easily entering and exiting the cargo bed of a vehicle when the bed extender is either in the extended or retracted position.


A firearm hammer has a hammer body with a hammer pivot axis for attachment to a firearm frame. A spur is connected to the hammer body, and the spur is movable among a number of positions with respect to the hammer body. The spur may be attached in a standard position in which it extends within the medial plane of the hammer body for use without a scope, or offset positions in which it angles away from the medial plane to provide accessibility. The offset angle may be 45 degrees, and a mating feature may provide the several attachment positions, each secure against movement except by deliberate removal of a fastener.

Many firearms including pistols, rifles, and specialized single shot firearms are hammer fired. The hammer is a pivoting element near the breech of the gun barrel that is drawn back against spring tension, then is released upon pulling the trigger. A forward face of the hammer pivots forward to strike the rear of a firing pin (or may itself including a firing pin) to strike the primer of a cartridge, or any ignition device used in muzzleloading firearms. The hammer typically has a spur, which is an extension that protrudes upward and/or rearward when the hammer is in the forward position, and which is engaged by the shooter's thumb to pull the hammer rearward to a coked position in preparation for the next shot. Some firearms such as single-action revolvers and certain single shot pistols and rifles, including standard breech-loaded firearms as well as muzzleloaders, require cocking for each shot, and other such as double action rifles and semiautomatic pistols operate to automatically cock the hammer by the action of pulling the trigger or by the cycle of action.
Telescopic sights such as rifle telescopes and pistols scopes may be mounted on a wide variety of firearms. It is desirable to mount a scope low, close to the bore of a gun's barrel. This provides a more compact form, and reduces inaccuracies due to the offset between the scope axis and the barrel axis. A low scope mounting position also allows a comfortable fit and eye relief for the shooter. However, in many applications, positioning the scope where desired may interfere with operation of the hammer. Normally, this does not necessarily mean that the scope blocks the path of the hammer spur, but that clearance is limited. This can make it difficult for the shooter to position his thumb above the spur as needed to cock the hammer. Depending on the clearance, the cocking operation may be difficult, painful, or impossible.
Accordingly, some firearms are provided with extension pieces that are bolted onto the spur, and which are essentially posts that extend laterally to the side of the spur, beyond the interfering scope. These may be attached to the left or right side of the spur, depending on the handedness of the shooter. Such existing extensions have several disadvantages. First, as an accessory piece, even an extension post included with the purchase of a firearm may be lost by the time the owner later acquires a scope for the firearm. More importantly, the perpendicularly protruding post is not only readily contacted by the shooter's thumb, but also by brush or other objects such as clothing to unintentionally cock the firearm. This creates a serious safety problem, because a hunter may wrongly assume that because he has not manually cocked his gun, it is safe for carrying about in the field, when in fact the gun has been unknowingly cocked by contact with brush and is ready to fire.
In addition, add-on pieces can cause a hammer spur to fracture due to the stresses during firing. Moreover, the added mass reduces the "lock time", which is the time it takes the hammer to fall through its path during firing, decreasing accuracy.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a firearm hammer having a hammer body with a hammer pivot axis for attachment to a firearm frame. A spur is connected to the hammer body, and the spur is movable among a number of positions with respect to the hammer body. The spur may be attached in a standard position in which it extends within the medial plane of the hammer body for use without a scope, or offset positions in which it angles away from the medial plane to provide accessibility. The offset angle may be 45 degrees, and a mating feature may provide the several attachment positions, each secure against movement except by deliberate removal of a fastener.


The disclosed refrigeration appliance includes a fresh-food compartment and a freezer compartment with a plenum or duct therebetween housing a single evaporator and at least one fan for establishing air flows through the plenum in opposite directions, an air flow pattern through the plenum and the fresh-food compartment alternating with an air flow pattern through the plenum and the freezer compartment. A condenser, a single compressor and a refrigerant circuit serve to complete the refrigeration system. One-way air valves are located at opposite ends of the plenum, on opposing sides of the fan, and provide communication between the food compartments and the plenum. Two one-way air valves are located at each end of the plenum, one in a wall of the freezer compartment and the other in a wall of the fresh-food compartment. The one-way air valves allow an air flow to be established, selectively, either through the plenum in the fresh-food compartment or through the plenum and the freezer compartment. Operating in a fresh-food compartment cooling mode, air from the fresh-food compartment circulating over the evaporator coils serves to defrost the evaporator coils. Advantages include use of a single evaporator to cool both the freezer compartment and a fresh-food compartment and provision of a defrost cycle without need for a separate heater.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention involves an improved evaporator arrangement for a home refrigerator.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional frost-free refrigerator using a single evaporator 10. A fan 12 moves air across the evaporator 10 while the compressor (not shown) is running, which cools the air. Most of the cold air goes into the freezer compartment 14. A small portion of the cold air is used to cool the fresh-food compartment 16. An electric heater 18 is energized with the evaporator fan 12 and compressor off to defrost the evaporator coil. This arrangement is used in virtually all U.S. refrigerators with automatic defrost.
The chief advantage of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is simplicity and low cost due to use of only one evaporator and one fan. The single evaporator coil also reduces the space requirement, as compared to two evaporator systems.
The chief disadvantage with the conventional arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is the high energy consumption associated with using a refrigerant at a single evaporating temperature to cool both compartments. The refrigerant temperature needs to be below the freezer temperature, while an efficient system could cool the 5 fresh-food compartment using evaporator temperatures that are 30.degree. to 40.degree. F. higher than those required for the freezer. Since roughly half of the cooling load comes from the fresh-food compartment, the potential energy savings amount to 20% or more for a system that efficiently uses two evaporating temperatures.
There have been several different types of refrigerators that use two evaporators. The "brute-force" solution is to use two completely independent circuits with two compressors. This approach adds a large cost penalty for the additional components. In addition, the theoretical energy savings can be negated by the lower efficiency associated with using two smaller compressors instead of one larger compressor, because compressor efficiency generally worsens at small capacities.
The Lorenz cycle is another approach that uses two evaporators. It uses two evaporators connected in series at essentially the same evaporating pressure. Two evaporating temperatures are achieved using a zeotropic blend of two or more refrigerants as the working fluid combined with internal heat exchangers. The evaporating temperature of a blend increases as the more volatile component evaporates and the liquid becomes richer in the less-volatile component. An internal heat exchanger is used so that two evaporating temperatures are created. Testing has shown that this arrangement gives energy savings approaching 20% with hydrocarbons or HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons). A major problem has been inability to find a suitable nonflammable, chlorine-free refrigerant blend. Getting the proper refrigerant charge for each component in a blend is also a problem which requires solution.
Other refrigerators use a solenoid valve to switch between two evaporators. A typical arrangement continuously cools the freezer evaporator and uses the solenoid valve to allow refrigerant into the second evaporator only when required to cool the fresh-food compartment. This arrangement is common in Asian refrigerators, and is used to achieve independent temperature control for each compartment. It usually does not provide significant energy savings since the refrigerant temperature is still below the freezer temperature when cooling the fresh-food compartment.
The tandem refrigeration system as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,805 is a recent improvement to the two-evaporator configuration. This prior art system uses two forced-convection evaporators, one for each compartment and each having its own dedicated fan. The control only runs one evaporator fan at a time. When the compressor first comes on, only the fresh-food evaporator fan runs. Once the fresh-food compartment is cooled, the controls turn the fresh-food fan off and then turn on the freezer fan. Defrost is achieved by running only the fresh-food fan and activating an optional solenoid valve to allow free circulation of refrigerant between the two evaporators. A thermosyphon effect allows heat from the fresh-food compartment to defrost the freezer evaporator without the need of an electric heater. This defrost method requires that the fresh-food evaporator be physically lower than the freezer evaporator to allow natural convection to work. Tests have demonstrated energy savings of 10 to 20 percent compared to conventional single-evaporator systems. While the tandem system is a major improvement compared to conventional single-evaporator systems, it still requires two evaporators and two evaporator fans.

Dual-service evaporator system for refrigerators


Various techniques are disclosed for smart surveillance camera systems and methods using thermal imaging to intelligently control illumination and monitoring of a surveillance scene. For example, a smart camera system may include a thermal imager, an IR illuminator, a visible light illuminator, a visible/near IR (NIR) light camera, and a processor. The camera system may capture thermal images of the scene using the thermal imager, and analyze the thermal images to detect a presence and an attribute of an object in the scene. In response to the detection, various light sources may be selectively operated to illuminate the object only when needed or desired, with a suitable type of light source, with a suitable beam angle and width, or in otherwise desirable manner. The visible/NIR light camera may also be selectively operated based on the detection to capture or record surveillance images containing objects of interest.

Many conventional cameras, such as surveillance cameras, use constant active illumination by visible or infrared light sources. Unfortunately, such light sources may attract many types of insects which may significantly degrade the quality and ability of such cameras to provide useful images of a scene. For example, spider webs may accumulate near or on the front side of the cameras, and such spider webs may in turn attract and retain additional insects and/or debris. Thus, the quality of surveillance images are often degraded due to obstruction and interference by insects and spider webs. Even worse, the presence or movement of these objects may be interpreted by surveillance camera systems as movement and therefore cause certain systems, such as conventional video motion detection (VMD) systems, to continue recording. For example, it is not uncommon to end up with long but meaningless surveillance recordings of nothing but spider webs swinging in the wind, moths fluttering around, or spiders building webs. Such problems are exacerbated by the fact that many conventional camera systems are not effective in discerning real objects of interest (e.g., persons, vehicles) from spurious objects (e.g., insects or spider webs) or environmental changes (e.g., changes in lighting conditions, whether conditions, or other changes in the background).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Smart surveillance camera systems and methods


A visible erosion indicator is provided to determine the condition of contacts inside a vacuum interrupter. The visual indicator is located on a portion of an extension of the moveable contact drive stem which is a threaded stud. The indicator is formed from a flexible member that is screwed onto the stud until a given extent of the flexible member protrudes beyond the bottom pan of the circuit breaker, that the moveable contact stem traverses during opening and closure of the internal contacts within the vacuum interrupter. The extension of the wear indicator is measured with the circuit breaker in the closed position to provide an accurate measure of contact wear. The flexible property of the wear indicator enables it to clear obstructions as the breaker drawer is moved within the breaker enclosure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to an apparatus for providing a visual indicia of the state of contacts of an interrupter assembly of a circuit breaker where the contacts are not readily visible, and more particularly to a compact circuit breaker assembly that houses the interrupter contacts in a hermetically sealed housing.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers provide protection for electrical systems from electrical fault conditions such as current overloads, short circuits, and low level voltage conditions. Typically, circuit breakers include a spring-powered operating mechanism which opens electrical contacts to interrupt the current through the conductors in an electrical system in response to abnormal conditions. In particular, vacuum circuit interrupter apparatus have been known which include separable main contacts disposed within an insulated and hermetically sealed housing. Generally, one of the contacts is fixed relative to both the housing and to an external electrical conductor which is interconnected with the circuit to be controlled by the circuit interrupter. The other contact is moveable. In the case of a vacuum circuit interrupter, the moveable contact assembly usually comprises a stem of circular cross-section having the contact at one end enclosed within the vacuum chamber, and a driving mechanism at the other end which is external to the vacuum chamber. In one type of vacuum interrupter, an operating rod assembly is provided which carries a rotatable contact bell crank which is slidable on the operating rod and rotates about a pivot pin upon motion of the operating rod. This plate is connected to the stem of the moveable contacts. The stem is typically affixed to a bellows seal which maintains the vacuum environment within the chamber while enabling movement of the stem and thus the moveable contact. Motion of the plate causes motion of the moveable contact into or out of engagement with the fixed contact.
The operating rod assembly is operatively connected to a latchable operating mechanism which is responsive to current. When an abnormal condition is reached, the latchable operating mechanism becomes unlatched which causes the operating rod to move to the open position. The motion of the operating rod, in turn, causes the contact bell crank to rotate and, as discussed above, this controls motion of the moveable contact.
Compression springs are provided in the operating rod assembly in order to be able to separate the moveable contact from the fixed contact and to ensure the necessary force so that the contacts will not accidentally open in inappropriate conditions. In addition, when appropriate circumstances requiring interruption of the circuit do arise, an adequate force is needed to open the contacts with sufficient speed. If the contacts do not open quickly, there is a risk of failure to interrupt the current.
In order to achieve the adequate interrupt speed and force, the springs are mounted on the operating rod assembly. The springs are typically mounted towards one end of the operating rod on what is referred to as the contact wipe portion of the operating rod assembly. Contact wipe is a measure of the force required to hold the vacuum interrupter contacts closed and the energy to force the contacts open with sufficient speed for safe and clean interruption as discussed above. As noted above, the contact springs which comprise part of the contact wipe assembly must provide the force to hold the contacts closed and the energy to pry them open with appropriate speed. Therefore, if such springs are compression springs as is typically the case, it is important that the springs have sufficient compression during operation. On the other hand, if tension springs are utilized, adequate tension must exist.
In a typical case, the spring is held on the operating rod between a disk-spacer member which is carried along by the operating rod and a shoulder portion of a set of contact wipe plates which are mounted at one end of the operating rod and spaced apart from the spacer member. When the contacts are closed, the operating rod travels toward its closed position. The contact wipe plates are slidable mounted on the operating rod at the same point at which the rotatable contact belt crank is mounted. When the contacts seat, motion of the contact wipe plates stop. However, motion of the operating rod continues until it travels to its full extended position. At this point, the spring is fully compressed between the spacer member and the shoulder section of the contact wipe plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,293, assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, appears to describe the first known method of visually checking (without measurements) the spring compression (or tension) to determine whether it is adequate. Adequate spring compression is, in one respect, an indication of the contacts being in good condition. This is because contacts which are worn would require a greater degree of travel by the contact wipe plates which would mean that the compression of the springs between the shoulder portion of the contact wipe plates and the disk-shaped spacer would not be as great. U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,293, issued Mar. 10, 1992 and cited above, describes a convenient and easy to use inspection apparatus for use with the contact wipe springs from which the compression of the springs can be visually inspected. This serves as an indication of the correct contact force and indirectly provides an indication of the integrity of the contacts without requiring disassembly of the circuit breaker or any portion of it. The inspection apparatus employs an operating rod extension tongue received between the contact wipe plates. A visual indicia of the degree of motion between the contact wipe plates and the extension tongue of the operating rod provides a reading of adequacy of spring compression which, in turn, indirectly relates to the integrity of the contacts of the breaker.
While this indicia of contact wear functions well in the prior art vacuum interrupter design illustrated in FIG. 1, more recent larger, higher voltage, more compact vacuum interrupter designs have found that extensions of the operating rods are not readily visible outside the housing designs of these new breakers and any rigid extension of the moveable contact stem caused interference with the secondary contacts and levering components of the breaker insertion system. Molded insulation casings housing these larger designs have, in general, made it more difficult to observe the moveable operating components within the high voltage portion of the breaker. Accordingly, an improved indicia of contact wear is desired that is more readily visible to maintenance personnel and will not interfere with the other operating components associated with the circuit interrupter nor inhibit replacement of the vacuum interrupter when it has expended its useful life.


Storage batteries connected in series in an uninterruptible or back-up power supply system may have voltage potential differences between exposed terminals or conductors that exceed safety limits. A demountable insulating shield having apertures may be positioned so that the series string may be broken into a plurality of series sub-strings having a lesser potential difference has a cover over the aperture through which the series string configuration may be connected and disconnected. The cover may be an insulating material removably fastened to the insulating shield or a sliding cover that is captivated to the insulating shield. When the series string has been divided in to the sub-strings, the insulating shield may be demounted from the structure housing the batteries so that the batteries or their connections may be serviced.

Direct current (DC) power is needed for many types of telephone communication equipment, for control equipment used at electric utility substations, for computer data centers, power plants and other similar uses. The DC power may be supplied by a DC power source which may be supplied with AC power from an AC power source, such as the local power grid, or a generator and prime mover. Storage batteries may be utilized as a DC power source when a DC power source either cannot supply all the power required by the components or when the AC power supply or other external power source is not available, as during a power failure at the local electric utility or in the power distribution system. When the storage battery system is used as a backup power source, the batteries are recharged when the prime power or AC power is restored. In some cases the storage batteries are "floated" across the power bus so that they are continuously available.
The period of time where such battery backup is required may be reduced by providing local diesel-electric or turbine-powered electric generators. However, during the time where other backup power sources are unavailable or when switching between alternative prime power sources, standby storage batteries are needed.
A storage battery has an internal impedance, which includes resistive, inductive and capacitive components. When the battery is discharging, only DC is involved and the resistive component of the impedance is of interest as the discharge current produces a voltage drop across the internal resistance of the battery in accordance with Ohm's law. Over the life of the battery, the internal resistance will increase, at a rate determined by such factors as how many times the battery undergoes cycles of discharging and recharging, operating temperature, or the like. The internal resistance of any cell will eventually increase to a value where the voltage drop across the effective internal resistance during discharge is so great that the battery can no longer deliver power at its rated capacity. Other defects in the battery, or aging of the battery, may also result in degradation of the capacity of a battery to perform its function. Storage batteries may be subject to failure modes such as thermal runaway, degradation or failure of the outer case, internal short circuits, or the like. One or more of the installed storage batteries may need to be replaced during the lifetime of the backup power system. When series strings of storage batteries are used to increase the voltage being supplied or, in general, when batteries are connected in either series or parallel, the impedance of the overall string has an influence on the amount of energy that can be supplied. Other components of the physical assembly, including connecting links, terminal connections, supply cables and the like which can exhibit resistance, and have characteristics that may vary with time clue to such factors as corrosion and changes in contact pressure, also contribute to the resultant battery system status. These ancillary components, including circuit breakers, sensors and the like, may also suffer from degradation and reduced performance or failure and require servicing.
Typical rechargeable storage batteries as used in a backup battery power supply system, for example, have a nominal terminal voltage of 12 VDC and a plurality of batteries may be connected in series so as to form a higher voltage power source. This is often done to reduce the current needed to provide a required power to the system being backed up, as the power is the product of the voltage and the current. But, this results in locations within a battery system where the voltage may be, for example, up to 480 VDC with respect to a ground or another location in the system. Such voltages are extremely dangerous to personnel and contact with such elevated potentials leads to serious injury and is often fatal. Consequently, safety regulations have been promulgated that may require safeguards against contact with elevated potentials, and which may require highly trained personnel, special procedures and formal maintenance permits. A maximum permitted voltage potential difference between accessible locations in a battery backup system is less than 50 VDC, without the special precautions or procedures. Other safety voltage limits may also be encountered.
Contact with the electrical circuit or components may be undesirable even in lower voltage applications where the high currents that the batteries are capable of supplying could lead to equipment damage, arcs, fire or other dangerous results.


The present invention relates to a therapeutic drug or a preventive drug for hypertension or high-normal blood pressure, comprising (a) and (b) as active ingredients:                (a) a 2-phenylthiazole compound represented by formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;

As drugs for treating hypertension, many drugs are being used, such as calcium antagonists, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists), diuretics, sympatholytic agents (α-blockers, β-blockers, and αβ-blockers), vasodilators, and the like.
Despite the presence of these many hypotensive drugs, in the actual clinical practice the proportion of patients who have attained the target level of blood pressure is as low as about 40% (NPL 1). Above all, with high-risk patients having backgrounds such as advanced age, diabetes, renal disorder, long period of suffering from hypertension, and the like, the proportion of patients who attain the target blood pressure level is still lower (NPL 2). Therefore, in the recent guidelines for hypertension, a concomitant treatment with two or more kinds of drugs is recommended and actually the number of cases of concomitant treatment is increasing (NPL 3). There are more than a few cases where three or more kinds of drugs are used concomitantly in order to attain the target blood pressure level (NPL 4). However, in the concomitant use of existing hypotensive drugs, it is known that no additive hypotensive effect is obtained in combined use of, for example, an ACE inhibitor and β-blocker, and in a concomitant use of an ACE inhibitor and angiotensin receptor antagonist (NPL5 and 6). In addition, there is a possibility that adverse drug reactions of each drug become pronounced by the concomitant use, such as bradycardia observed in the combined use of diltiazem, a calcium antagonist and a β-blocker, and metabolic disorders including elevated uric acid level, high blood sugar level, lipid abnormality, and the like seen in the concomitant use of a diuretic and β-blocker (NPL 7 and 8). Therefore, in order to open up treatment options, a drug is desired, which has less adverse drug reactions and has a mechanism different from that of the existing hypotensive drugs.
It has become clear that 2-(3-cyano-4-isobutyloxyphenyl)-4-methyl-5-thiazolecarboxylic acid or its medicinally acceptable salt, which has a uric acid lowering effect, shows a hypotensive effect by a mechanism different from the existing hypotensive drugs (PTL 1).

Therapeutic drug for hypertension or prehypertension

Abstract: (b) at least one compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof selected from the group consisting of calcium antagonists, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, diuretics, sympatholytic agents, vasodilators, and medicinally acceptable salts of these.

Abstract: The present invention also relates to a therapeutic method or a preventive method for hypertension or high-normal blood pressure, comprising administering the above (a) and (b) in amounts effective for treating or preventing hypertension or high-normal blood pressure.


A communication system that can satisfactorily communicate with a mobile station by a transmitter and receiver of a simple arrangement wherein a plurality of carriers having different frequencies are transmitted simultaneously and data is transmitted on the basis of a phase difference between the carriers. Also, the carriers are multiplied with a predetermined time waveform and transmitted, so that a reception side receives data by use of a time waveform narrower than the above time waveform.

The present invention relates to a transmission system for use in communicating with a mobile station.
A variety of mobile communication systems, such as a mobile telephone or portable telephone for communicating with a mobile station have heretofore been put into practice. The mobile communication system is fundamentally the same communication system as that for communicating with fixed stations.
A reception signal received at a mobile communication terminal, such as mobile telephone or portable telephone tends to be distorted due to the influence of multipath fading. Specifically, when the multipath fading occurs, a propagation delay between paths increases to cause an intersymbol interference. As a consequence, preceding and succeeding codes overlap each other to deteriorate a transmission characteristic.
In order to satisfactorily receive a reception signal even when the transmission characteristic is degraded, a sync (synchronizing) detecting circuit formed of an adaptive equalizer or a PLL (phase-locked loop) circuit has to be applied so that a receiver becomes complex in arrangement and expensive.
Furthermore, when a modulated waveform to be transmitted is changed with a probability distribution which is often referred to as a Gaussian distribution, a peak-to-peak value takes a large amplitude so that a signal transmitted via a transmission amplifier or the like is distorted and a spectrum of a modulated wave is widened to exert an adverse influence on the adjacent channel.


The invention provides a compound which is a histamine 4 receptor antagonist, partial agonist or inverse agonist, for use in the treatment of non-autoimmune uveitis. The compound preferably has a structural core comprising a substituted pyrimidine group, such as an aminopyrimidine, diaminopyrimidine or triaminopyrimidine group, a thienopyrimidine, a furopyrimidine, a benzimidazole, an aryl or heteroaryl-fused pyrimidine, an indole, a bicyclic heteroaryl-substituted imidazole or a quinazoline group.

Histamine is a pleiotropic mediator, involved in a variety of physiological processes including neurotransmission, endocrine and vascular functions. It is also intricately involved in inflammation, upon binding to one or more of the four histamine receptors (H1-4R). H4Rs are predominantly expressed by haemopoietic cells such as T cells, as well as mast cells, basophils, monocytes and neutrophils.
Considerable advances in understanding the role of H4R have been made since the development of H4R agonists and antagonists and studies with H4R knockout mice (Tiligada, Zampeli et al. 2009; Zampeli and Tiligada 2009). Evidence suggests that the H4R can be proinflammatory for several in vivo models of inflammation. In contrast, using a mouse model of airway hyper responsiveness, administration of the H4R agonist 4-methyl histamine was anti-inflammatory and reduced airway hyper responsiveness (Morgan, McAllister et al. 2007). In that in vivo model an increase in regulatory T cells (Treg) was also observed, suggesting a mechanism whereby H4R stimulation mediates anti-inflammatory responses. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, pronounced snip) analysis of patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis has identified an association with human H4R (Yu, Shao et al. 2010), suggesting a link between H4R and clinical disease. In a recent study of H4R knockout mice induced for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a CD4+T cell-mediated mouse model of multiple sclerosis, it has been found that the H4R gene deficient mice demonstrated an increase in EAE disease severity and enhanced blood-brain barrier permeability, despite having similar numbers of effector CD4+ T cells (del Rio, Noubade et al. 2012). Interestingly, there were fewer Treg in the CNS of these mice, resulting in increased levels of effector Th17 cells. These data would agree with the hypothesis that H4R is playing an important role in regulating inflammation.
The inventors tested the efficacy of H4R antagonists in two models of uveitis: experimental autoimmiune uveitis (EAU) and endotoxin induced uveitis (EIU) and were surprised to find that they were effective against both conditions. EIU is an innate cell mediated condition, specifically it is mediated by neutrophils. It is brought about by injecting a model animal with bacterial endotoxin, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Experimental autoimmune uveitis is generally accepted to be T-cell mediated, and so it is surprising that the same antagonists were efficacious against both models.
A large number of H4R modulating compounds are known, and have in some instances been suggested (albeit not actually shown) to be of potential usefulness in autoimmune uveitis. Such modulators can be found, for example, in Sander et at (Bioorg. Med. Chem. (2009) 17, 7186), Schreeb et al. (Pharmazie (2013) 68, 521), Sava11 (Annual Meeting of the European Histamine Research Society, May 2013, Programme and Abstracts, p 48), Zampeli et at (Inflamm Res. (2009) 58, 285), US 2009/0075970, US 2005/0070550, US 2010/0240671, US 2007/0238771, EP 2270002 A1, WO 2007/031529, WO2009/056551, WO 2009/068512, WO 2009/077608, WO 2009/080721, WO 2009/115496. Lazewska et at (Frontiers in Bioscience (2012), S4, 967), WO2012/041860, WO2011/076878A1, WO2010/075270A1, WO2009/047255, WO2009/134726, WO2001/085786, WO2009/038673, WO2008/060766, WO2005/031308, WO2008/003702, WO2007/117401, WO2010/072829, WO2008/006974, WO2004/021999, WO2008/008359, WO2004/022537, WO2003/057919, WO2010/108059, WO2002/072548, WO2009/079001, WO2008/100565, WO2007/117400, WO2009/068512, WO2006/050965, WO2001/092485, WO2010/146173, WO2009/071625, WO2004/022060, and WO2004/066960. The contents of each of these documents, and in particular the H4R modulators disclosed therein, are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

Histamine 4 receptor partial agonists, inverse agonists or antagonists for use in treating non-autoimmune uveitis


A glass substrate has a compaction of 0.1 to 100 ppm. An absolute value |Δα50/100| of a difference between an average coefficient of thermal expansion α50/100 of the glass substrate and an average coefficient of thermal expansion of single-crystal silicon at 50° C. to 100° C., an absolute value |Δα100/200| of a difference between an average coefficient of thermal expansion α100/200 of the glass substrate and an average coefficient of thermal expansion of the single-crystal silicon at 100° C. to 200° C., and an absolute value |Δα200/300| of a difference between an average coefficient of thermal expansion α200/300 of the glass substrate and an average coefficient of thermal expansion of the single-crystal silicon at 200° C. to 300° C. are 0.16 ppm/° C. or less.

In recent years, video technology such as VR (Virtual Reality) or AR (Augmented Reality) has been developed, and the market in this field is expected to expand in the future. At the same time, it is requested to achieve higher resolution in a display device in order to obtain a higher sense of immersion in a video image. However, a display device such as an eyepiece display (near-eye display) generally used in this field has an extremely small display size. Therefore, in order to obtain an ultrahigh-definition display, it is expected to require very high image resolution, for example, a value of 1,000 ppi, 2,000 ppi or higher.
However, with miniaturization of a TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) element, there is a problem that a problem of a variation in TFT performance is caused by a problem of a grain boundary in LTPS (Low-Temperature Poly-Silicon) used in the background art. On the other hand, amorphous silicon having no grain boundary has a problem that the mobility is low. In the present situation, it is difficult to put amorphous silicon into practical use.
In consideration of the aforementioned circumstances, there is a technique in which a control TFT is formed on a single-crystal silicon wafer, and laminated to a glass substrate, and only a device part is then separated and transferred to the glass substrate. According to this method, since single-crystal silicon is used for TFT, it is possible to solve the problem as to the low mobility and the variation in TFT properties.

Glass substrate, semiconductor device, and display device


A method for monitoring consumption of a component, including the steps of emitting a radiation beam onto a first area of the component and detecting a portion of the radiation beam that is refracted by the component. A radiation level signal is generated based at least on a strength of the detected portion of the radiation beam, and a thickness of the component is determined based on the radiation level signal. The thickness of the component is compared to a predetermined thickness value, and a status signal is generated when the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is substantially equal to or below the predetermined thickness value. When the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is greater than the predetermined thickness value, the component is exposed to a process that can erode at least a portion of the component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to plasma processing and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for monitoring consumption of a component used in plasma processing.
2. Discussion of the Background
In semiconductor processing tools, certain components within a processing chamber are subjected to processing conditions that eventually cause the components to deteriorate to the extent that they must be replaced. In etch systems, for example, a chuck focus ring surrounds a wafer chuck and is subjected to erosion by the plasma and etch chemistry. After the thickness of the focus ring is reduced to a predetermined percentage of its original thickness or to a predetermined minimum thickness, the focus ring is replaced with a new one. Other examples of consumable components include inject plates, electrodes in capacitive coupled plasma reactors, chamber liners and deposition shields, and consumable parts in batch furnaces.
In practice, it is difficult to determine exactly when a consumable component must be replaced. For the sake of efficiency, a processing tool can not be taken offline after every individual tool process for the purpose of opening the processing chamber and measuring the remaining size of a consumable component. Also, a single processing tool may perform various processes using the same consumable component, and each process condition may cause the consumable component to erode at a different rate. Thus, it is difficult to predict with certainty the deterioration of a consumable component based on an elapsed usage time.
One replacement scheduling method involves corresponding a particular consumable component to a number of wafer starts; that is, the component is replaced after a certain predetermined number of wafer starts has occurred. However, this approach is cost efficient only if the tool in question is used to run the same processes on all wafer batches. In a system in which the tool is used to run different processes on different batches of wafers, such as in foundry integrated chip manufacturing plants, the wafer-start method can result in a waste of consumable part lifetime. For example, using this approach, a consumable component may be replaced after a predetermined number of wafer starts even if the performed processes did not erode the ring to the point where replacement would be necessary.
Due to the high price of consumable components, and to the high likelihood of underutilizing such parts, it is desirable to have the ability to accurately monitor the thickness of a consumable component during batch processing without stopping and/or opening the tool processing chamber. It would also be desirable to provide such monitoring ability in a simple and compact system that can be easily retrofitted to an existing processing system.

Method and system for monitoring component consumption


A charged particle beam apparatus facilitating adjusting a beam center axis of a charged particle beam in a case where optical conditions are modified or in a case where the beam center axis of the charged particle beam is moved due to state variation of the apparatus. When the beam center axis of a primary charged particle beam is adjusted with a deflector (aligner), a first processing step for measuring the sensitivity of the aligner and a second processing step for detecting the deviation between the center of the primary charged particle beam and the center of the objective aperture are provided. The charged particle beam apparatus determines the aligner set values, using the aligner sensitivity measured in the first processing step and the amount of deviation detected in the second processing step, such that the primary charged particle beam passes through the center of the objective aperture and controls the aligner using the aligner set values.

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam apparatus and, more particularly, to a charged particle beam apparatus in which a primary charged particle beam is allowed to easily pass through the center either of an objective aperture or of an aperture present within the orbit in which the charged particle beam passes, whereby the apparatus is adapted to obtain a high-brightness image stably.
In a charged particle beam apparatus typified by a scanning electron microscope, a sharply focused primary charged particle beam is scanned over a sample to obtain information (e.g., an image of the sample) from the sample. The microscope column of such a charged particle beam apparatus has an objective aperture for appropriately limiting the current hitting the sample (probe current). If there is a deviation between the center of the objective aperture and the center of the primary charged particle beam, the amount of the probe current of the primary charged particle beam limited by the objective aperture increases, thus decreasing the brightness of the sample image. In this case, appropriate control of the probe current cannot be achieved. It follows that a sample image of desired brightness cannot be obtained. Therefore, accurate adjustment is necessary to obtain a sample image of normal brightness by causing the primary charged particle beam to pass through the center of the objective aperture at all times. This adjustment is hereinafter referred to as the beam center axis adjustment.
Usually, in the beam center axis adjustment, a dedicated deflector is disposed over the objective lens. The primary charged particle beam is scanned over the objective aperture by the deflector, and an image of the objective aperture is obtained. An example of image of the objective aperture hole is shown in FIG. 2A. This image is created by a secondary signal produced by bombardment of the sample with the primary charged particle beam passed through the objective aperture. The center of the whole image (scanning center) is the center of the beam of the primary charged particle beam. The image of the white circular image is the image of the objective aperture hole. The center of the circle is the center of the objective aperture hole. In FIG. 2A, the center of the white circle deviates from the center of the image. Therefore, it can be seen that under this condition, the center of the primary charged particle beam does not pass through the center of the objective aperture hole during observation of the sample image.
Under the condition shown in FIG. 2A, to cause the primary charged particle beam to pass through the center of the objective aperture hole, the primary charged particle beam is moved into the center of the objective aperture hole, normally using a deflector (aligner) for adjustment of the beam center axis, the aligner being placed over the objective aperture. At this time, the image of the objective aperture is as shown in FIG. 2B. It is possible to bring the center of the whole image (scanning center) into coincidence with the center of the image of the objective aperture hole.
In the past, the aligner for adjustment of the beam center axis has been set manually by an operator while watching the image (image for adjustment) of the objective aperture hole. In one available method, means for storing aligner-setting conditions in relation to the optical conditions of the charged particle beam apparatus is mounted. During manipulation, the aligner-setting conditions are read out, and setting is done. Furthermore, to automate the alignment, a technique for grasping the amount of axial deviation by image processing is disclosed in JP-A-2005-310699.
Furthermore, in a charged particle beam apparatus typified by a scanning electron microscope, a sharply focused charged particle beam is scanned over a sample, and desired information (e.g., an image of the sample) is obtained from the sample. In such a charged particle beam apparatus, if the optical axis deviates from the lens, lens aberration is produced, deteriorating the resolution of the sample image. Consequently, accurate axial adjustment is required in order to obtain a sample image at a high resolution. Therefore, in the prior-art axial adjustment, the excitation current of the objective lens or the like is varied periodically. The conditions under which the deflector (aligner) for axial adjustment operates are manually adjusted to minimize the motion produced at that time. A technique for automating such an adjustment is disclosed in JP-A-2002-352758 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,493.
This description reports a technique of a method of automatic axial adjustment. That is, under some deflection conditions of the alignment deflector, the objective lens conditions are varied to two conditions. The resulting image deviation is detected. The deviation between the images at two locations is applied to an equation. Optimum alignment conditions are found, and settings are made.
Furthermore, if there is a deviation from the center of the stigmator (astigmatic corrector) that performs astigmatic correction of the charged particle beam, the field of view is moved when astigmatism is adjusted. This makes it difficult to make the adjustment. Therefore, another aligner (deflector) for controlling the position of charged particles on the sample in an interlocking manner to the operation of the astigmatic corrector is provided. Motion of the image in response to variation of the set value of the stigmator (astigmatic corrector) is canceled out. Thus, the field of view is corrected such that the observed image does not move during adjustment of the astigmatism. A technique for automating this adjustment is also disclosed in JP-A-2002-352758 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,493.
There is a report of a technique for a method of automatic axial adjustment. In particular, the objective lens conditions are varied to two sets of conditions in some stigmator-deflecting conditions in the same way as the foregoing. The resulting deviation between images is detected. The deviation between the images at two locations is applied to an equation. Optimum alignment conditions are found, and settings are made.

Charged particle beam apparatus and method for charged particle beam adjustment


A multi-purpose stun gun is provided with a housing including top launchers, a sound and light interference device adjacent to the launchers, a front recess under the launchers; first triggers adjacent to the launchers respectively, a rear handle, a high-voltage generator in the handle, a battery power supply in the handle for supplying electricity to the high-voltage generator, a second trigger on the housing and electrically interconnecting the high-voltage generator and the launchers, a safety on the housing for locking the second trigger, and positive and negative electrodes on the front recess and electrically connected to both the high-voltage generator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electroshock weapon and more particularly to a multi-purpose stun gun capable of producing an audible alarm, emitting light, emitting flashing light, firing pellet(s), and hitting a target by transmitting high voltage electricity to the target.
2. Description of Related Art
Moral is decayed in today's society. Security is increasingly corrupt. Newspapers, magazines, and television news often report sensational murders and robberies. For the sake of self-defense, people going out alone or security guards may carry self-defense weapon for protection purpose.
Conventional defensive weapons are used for incapacitating a criminal a shortest time without causing death. For example, spray guns, alarms, and stun batons are commercially available in which the stun batons are most popular. However, a number of drawbacks are found in the stun batons. For example, a person must use the stun baton to repel an attacker by administering electric shock aimed at disrupting superficial muscle functions of the attacker. This is dangerous due to close proximity to the attacker especially a brutal attacker. Further, only one function (i.e., electroshock) is provided by the stun gun. This is not sufficient and does not meet the needs of self-defense.
Thus, the need for improvement still exists.