In an insulation displacement connector including a retainer, a turn-down portion of a retainer is fit to hood portions provided at an end of an outer wall having electric wire insertion holes opened in a connector housing. Contacts are pressed by an inner portion of the turn-down portion. The connector housing is held by holding portions which continue to opposite sides of the turn-down portion. Further, the holding portions are engaged with the connector housing against a direction of drawing-out the contacts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the technical field of an insulation displacement connector having contacts for fitting cores of electric wires with insulation displacement, and particularly relates to an insulation displacement connector which is provided with a retainer for retaining contacts so that the contacts are prevented from dropping out from the connector housing when the contacts are subjected to a drawing-out force or compressive force from the electric wires. Here, the drawing-out force means a force mainly containing a force acting in the longitudinal direction of the contacts and in a direction of drawing the contacts out from the connector housing, and the compressive force means a force mainly containing a force acting in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the contacts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a crimped style connector having contacts for crimping cores of electric wires has been used widely. The crimp style connector has a box-like connector housing, and contacts received in cavities piercing the connector housing. The work needed for crimping electric wires to the crimp style connector is carried out by the steps of: overlapping end cores of electric wires with end portions of the contacts; caulking a barrel on the cores while plastically deforming the barrel by a crimping tool; and inserting the contacts including an electric wire one by one into the cavities of the connector housing. There has been proposed a retainer for retaining contacts so that the contacts are prevented from being dislodged from the connector housing when the contacts undergo a drawing-out force from the electric wires. The retainer has stopper portions for being inserted into the cavities to press the contacts, and engaging portions to be engaged with the connector housing. Hence, the contacts are pressed by the stopper portions, and the contacts are prevented from dropping out from the cavities even in the case where draw-out force from the cavities acts on the contacts.
An insulation displacement connector having contacts for fitting cores of electric wires with insulation displacement has been used widely. In the condition that all the contacts are inserted into a connector housing, all the electric wires are simultaneously forced into slots of the contacts by an insulation displacement machine, so that the insulation displacement of the electric wires to the insulation displacement connector is performed. Hence, the number of steps can be reduced compared with the work required for crimping electric wires to form a crimped style connector. Hence, the machining cost can be reduced. Moreover, shortening of the time of delivery of such a connector including an electric wire can be achieved. This difference is remarkable in a multi-pole connector in which a large number of contacts are incorporated in one connector.
If the aforementioned retainer for a crimped style connector is applied to the insulation displacement connector, the contacts cannot be prevented from becoming dislodged. This is because there is a risk that the contacts may be removed from the cavities or the electric wires may be removed from the slots of the contacts when a compression force from the electric wires acts on the contacts in the direction of opening the electric wire insertion holes. This risk occurs because the electric wire insertion holes communicating with the slots of the contacts are opened up to the inlets of the cavities in an outer wall of the connector housing of the insulation displacement connector.
The present invention is designed bearing in mind this respect and an object of thereof is to provide an insulation displacement connector including a retainer in which: a turned-down portion of a retainer is fitted to hood portions, including opened electric wire insertion holes, provided at an end of an outer wall of a connector housing to thereby press contacts against the end of the outer wall. The connector housing is held by holding portions continuing to opposite sides of the turned-down portion and the holding portions are engaged with the connector housing against a direction of drawing-out of the contacts to thereby prevent the contacts from dropping out from the connector housing when the contacts undergo a drawing-out force or a compression force from the electric wires.
In order to achieve the above object, the insulation displacement connector including the retainer according to a first aspect of the invention has a feature that the insulation displacement connector comprises: male or female contacts each having a connection portion and slots, the connection portion being provided at a front end so as to be brought into contact with a partner contact under the assumption that a lengthwise direction is regarded as a front-rear direction, the slots being disposed on a side more rearwardly located than the connection portion and being opened in a heightwise direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the slots being provided for fitting a core, at a front end, of a corresponding electric wire inserted from the heightwise direction; a connector housing including cavities, hood portions and electric wire insertion holes, the cavities being formed so as to pierce the connector housing in the front-rear direction and being provided for receiving the contacts, the hood portions being disposed at one end in the heightwise direction and being formed to protrude rearward from a rear end of an outer wall on the side where the slots are opened, the electric wire insertion holes being opened in the outer wall in an area ranging from portions corresponding to the slots to rear ends of the hood portions respectively; and a retainer including a turned-down portion, a pair of holding portions and a pair of engaging portions, the turned-down portion being U-shaped so that a section which is cut by a plane facing a widthwise direction strides over the hood portions based on an assumption that a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and to the heightwise direction is regarded as the widthwise direction, the turned-down portion being fitted to the hood portions and extending in the widthwise direction so that a front end of an inner portion located in the inside of the hood portions presses the contacts from a back side, the pair of holding portions being provided at opposite ends, in the widthwise direction, of the turned-down portion and being bent like an L figure and an inverted L figure when viewed from a front-back direction so as to hold opposite end portions, in the widthwise direction, of the connector housing, the pair of engaging portions extending frontwardly from the holding portions respectively so as to be engaged with the connector housing.
First, when contacts are received in the connector housing without any retainer attached, front ends of electric wires are inserted through electric wire insertion holes and fit to slots of the contacts with insulation displacement. Then, a retainer is attached to the connector housing. That is, the turned-down portion of the retainer is fitted to the hood portions of the connector housing, widthwise opposite end portions of the connector housing are held by the holding portions, and the engaging portions are engaged with the connector housing. In such a manner, because the front end of the inner portion of the turned-down portion presses the contacts from the rear side, the contacts never become dislodged from the connector housing even in the case where the contacts suffer draw-out force from the electric wires. Moreover, even in the case where the contacts suffer compressive force from the electric wires in a direction toward the opened electric wire insertion holes, that is, in one heightwise direction, the turned-down portion receives this force, the hood portions fitted to the turned-down portion next receive this force, and the connector housing last receives this force through the holding portions. Hence, there is little force acting on the contacts so that the contacts can be prevented from becoming dislodged from the connector housing.
The insulation displacement connector including the retainer according to a second aspect of the invention has a feature wherein in the configuration stated in the first aspect of the invention, an outer portion of the turned-down portion is shaped like a plate parallel to the outer wall of the connector housing and extends frontward so as to cover the electric wire insertion holes.
In such a manner, external appearance becomes fine and elegant because the contacts and the insulation displacement portions are covered with the outer portion of the turn-down portion. Moreover, safety is improved because contact with a conductor can be prevented when the conductor is present in the periphery.
The insulation displacement connector including the retainer according to a third aspect of the invention has a feature that in the configuration stated in the first or second aspect of the invention, each of the holding portions has a vertical wall and a horizontal wall, the vertical wall extending in the heightwise direction toward an outer wall opposite to the outer wall having the electric wire insertion holes opened, the horizontal wall extending in the widthwise direction from an end of a vertical wall toward a vertical wall of the other holding portion; each of the engaging portions is provided so as to continue to a front side of the vertical wall and has a hook provided at its front end so as to be bent toward a heightwise direction or toward the widthwise direction; rails extending in the front-rear direction are provided in respective end portions, in the widthwise direction, of the connector housing; and engaged portions hooked by the hooks are provided at front ends of the rails or near the front ends of the rails in the connector housing.
In such a manner, when the retainer is to be attached to the connector housing, the engaging portions are brought into contact with the rails and moved forward, and the engaged portions are hooked by the hooks. In this condition, the rails are received by the horizontal walls of the holding portions.
The insulation displacement connector including the retainer according to a fourth aspect of the invention has a feature that in the configuration stated in any one of the first to third aspect of the invention, the insulation displacement connector including the retainer further comprises a holding mechanism for holding the contacts in the connector housing.
In such a manner, because the contacts are held in the connector housing by the holding mechanism, the contacts can be primarily prevented from becoming dislodged from the connector housing even in the case where the contacts are subjected to drawing-out force or a compression force from the electric wires. Moreover, because the contacts are more intensively retained in the connector housing by the retainer, the contacts can be prevented from becoming dislodged from the connector housing even in the case where more intensive draw-out force or compressive force from the electric wires is received.

Retainer-including insulation displacement connector


Aspects of the present disclosure address improved systems and methods for buffer insertion in an integrated circuit (IC) design using a cost function that accounts for edge spacing and stack via constraints associated with cells in the IC design. An integrated circuit (IC) design comprising a routing topology for a net is accessed. A set of candidate insertion locations along the routing topology are identified. A set of buffering candidates is generated based on the candidate insertion locations. A buffering candidate comprises a cell inserted at a candidate insertion location along the routing topology. A cost associated with the buffering candidate is determined based on a number of potential edge spacing conflicts and a number of stack vias associated with the cell. A buffering solution for the net is selected from the buffering candidate based on the cost associated with the buffering candidate.

An integrated circuit (IC) comprises cells of similar and/or various sizes, and connections between or among the cells. A cell includes several pins interconnected by wires to pins of one or more other cells. A net includes interconnections between a set of pins to form connections between or among the pins. An IC design may include multiple nets. A design netlist specifies the connections between the pins.
Design engineers design IC's by transforming circuit descriptions of the IC's into geometric descriptions, called layouts. To create layouts, design engineers typically use electronic design automation (EDA) applications. These applications provide sets of computer-based tools for creating, editing, and analyzing IC design layouts.
EDA applications create layouts by using geometric shapes that represent different materials and devices on IC's. For instance, EDA tools commonly use rectilinear lines to represent the wire segments that interconnect the IC components. These tools also represent electronic and circuit IC components as geometric objects with varying shapes and sizes.
The IC design process entails various operations. Some of the physical-design operations that EDA applications commonly perform to obtain the IC layouts are: (1) circuit partitioning, which partitions a circuit if the circuit is too large for a single chip; (2) floor planning, which finds the alignment and relative orientation of the circuit modules; (3) placement, which determines more precisely the positions of the circuit components; (4) routing, which completes the interconnects between or among the circuit components; and (5) verification, which checks the layout to ensure that it meets design and functional requirements.
Placement and routing are key operations in the physical design cycle and are often referred to collectively as a "place and route" stage. During placement, exact locations are assigned to various components within an IC's core area. Further optimizations are often performed to fix timing an design rule violations in the design. EDA applications often include buffer insertion engines that insert buffers or inverters at exact locations while optimizing circuit characteristics according to design rules. A buffering engine takes a synthesized netlist together with a technology library and produces a placement layout.
Routing is generally divided into two phases: global routing and detailed routing. For each net, global routing generates a routing topology that includes an approximate routing path for the interconnect lines that are to connect the pins of the net. After the routing topology has been created, detailed routing creates specific individual routes for each net.

Buffer insertion technique to consider edge spacing and stack via design rules


A washer for washing and dewatering of cellulose pulp is disclosed, comprising a rotatable drum with a plurality of outer compartments for the pulp to be washed defined by axial compartment walls distributed along the circumference of the drum, a stationary cylindrical casing that encloses the drum, whereby an annular space is defined between the casing and the drum, the annular space divided by means of longitudinal seals in the axial direction of the drum into zones for forming, washing and discharge of the pulp. At least two of the longitudinal seals are arranged such that, when the drum rotates, they meet compartment walls at shifted points in time with respect to each other. Preferably, all of these longitudinal seals are arranged along the circumference of the drum at different positions with respect to respective opposite axial compartment walls.

All fiber lines comprise some type of washing equipment to separate the digestion liquor from the pulp. Later on in the process a washing arrangement is provided to separate bleaching liquors, after the bleaching stages. There are a number of different types of washing equipment which operate according to different principles.
A well-known type of washing arrangement is the drum washer, where the pulp is dewatered on a rotary filter drum after the addition of washing liquid, which displaces the liquor remaining on the pulp web after preceding process stages, for example a digestion stage or a bleaching stage. An underpressure within the drum causes the displaced liquid to pass through a perforated metal sheet located on the rotary drum. A further development of the original drum washer is the pressurized displacement washer, where the filtrate at over-pressure is caused to pass through the metal sheet. The increased pressure difference leads to an improved displacement of the filtrate.
According to a known design of a pressurized displacement washer, the drum is provided with compartments extending in the axial direction of drum and intended to be filled with pulp. The compartments are defined by walls in the form of bars arranged axially along the entire drum shaft, as well as a bottom that consists of the perforated metal sheet. The subdivided compartments of the drum ensure that the pulp cake does not break up and move, but instead maintains the form which is produced upon application of the pulp. The perforated metal sheet, on which the pulp deposits, is located at a distance from the main surface of the drum, so that filtrate channels are formed in the space between the drum and the metal sheet. Along the circumference of the drum there are at least as many filtrate channels as pulp compartments.
In a drum washer, a plurality of different washing stages can be carried out, with separate addition of washing liquid to the different stages, and also re-cycling of filtrate from one stage for use as washing liquid in another stage. In order to achieve maximum washing efficiency the objective is that washing liquid intended for a specific washing stage is not moved to a later washing stage. (Due to a pressure difference between the stages, supplied washing liquid tends to move towards the lower pressure.) In order to be able to separate different washing stages, carried out in one or more washing zones of the drum, and forming stages, carried out in the forming zone of the drum, and discharge stages, carried out in the discharge zone of the drum (enhanced pulp concentration zone constitutes a first part of the discharge zone), the respective zones are sealed by longitudinal (i.e. axial) seals. These longitudinal seals are placed between the rotary drum and the surrounding casing. The filtrates from the respective zones are separated by seals in a peripheral end valve arranged at one or both of the end walls of the drum.
A problem with known drum washers is that the drum during rotation often presents an irregular and even "jerky" operation. It is desirable, both in view of costs and in view of washing effectiveness, that functioning of the drum washer be reliable and that its components be put under as low a load as possible. With an irregular loading, however, the performance of the drum washer runs the risk of being noticeably impaired and in addition the wear on its constituting parts increases.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved washing apparatus of the type comprising a compartmented drum. In particular, the present invention aims at achieving a more regular running of the washing apparatus when it is in operation and the drum consequently rotates.

Arrangement for treatment of cellulose pulp


A system and method for overlaying signals comprises an incumbent system, an overlay system, and a multi-access controller. The incumbent system is configured to format a first signal according to a protocol used with an incumbent protocol, such as a protocol used with a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) system, and transmits the formatted first signal as an incumbent signal to the controller. The overlay system is configured to format a second signal according to a protocol used for an overlay protocol, such as a protocol used with a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, and transmits the formatted second signal to the controller as an overlay signal. The controller overlays the incumbent signal with the overlay signal to create a wireline complementary signal and transmits the wireline complementary signal via a network. Other access signals may be mixed with the complementary signal, such as by the controller, to create a mixed complementary signal.

Hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) networks employ fiber optic and coaxial cable to carry signals throughout the network. Typically, fiber is deployed as the backbone distribution medium from a headend to a fiber node, and coax cable extends from the fiber node to a terminating network device.
HFC networks divide the total bandwidth into a downstream band and an upstream band. The downstream band typically occupies 50–860 megahertz (MHz), and the upstream band typically occupies between 5–47 MHz.
HFC networks typically are able to deliver many types of signals, including plain old telephone service (POTS), analog channels, digital channels, digital point-cast channels, high speed, two way digital links, and other signals. HFC networks may be used, for example, by cable television providers, internet service providers, telephone service providers, and other communication systems providers.
HFC networks traditionally have been limited in capacity due to unknown and unpredictable interference from both natural and manmade sources, such as radio waves, engines, and other sources. In particular, the 5–20 MHz upstream bandwidth is severely underused in currently deployed networks. The upstream channel allocations from 5 MHz to 20 MHz are so severely impacted by interference that the upstream bandwidth traditionally has been limited to status monitoring and control signaling.
HFC networks have inadequate security features. In addition, quality of service (QoS) is a problem with traditional HFC networks.
A new communication system is needed that makes better use of available spectrum in an HFC network. A new communication system is needed to increase capacity and throughput and to increase service deployment and QoS concerns. The system and method of the present invention increase capacity and throughput and improve service deployment, security, and QoS concerns in a single communication system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A backlight unit assembly using a light emitting diode array in a liquid crystal display device is disclosed in the present invention. The backlight unit assembly includes a light emitting diode array having a plurality of red, green, and blue light emitting diodes emitting respective light, a first housing concentrating the light emitted from the light emitting diode array to a first direction, a sub-light guiding plate positioned at one side of the light emitting diode array mixing the light to form white light, a main-light guiding plate guiding the light incident on the sub-light guiding plate to a second direction, and a pair of holders at the left and right side portions of the light emitting diode array preventing the light from leaking to the outside of the backlight unit assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a backlight unit assembly using a light emitting diode array in a liquid crystal display device. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing uniform white light.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device has been widely used in that the LCD device obtains a high quality picture image due to the improvement of liquid crystal and minute pixel processing technology as well as advantageous characteristics, such as thin profile, light weight, and low power consumption. Also, the application field of the LCD device has been continuously expanded.
Generally, an LCD module (herein after referred to as a liquid crystal module "LCM") includes an LCD panel having lower and upper glass substrates, and liquid crystal injected between the upper and lower substrates, lower and upper polarizing plates on lower and upper surfaces of the LCD panel for polarizing light, and a backlight unit having a light source for providing light to the LCD panel, and a light guiding plate. The LCM displays a video signal input from the external source. Also, the LCD device includes a driving part for driving the LCM, and a system case.
FIG. 1 is an expanded view illustrating the related art LCM. As shown in FIG. 1, a related art LCM 10 includes a backlight unit 12 and an LCD panel 11. The backlight unit 12 and the LCD panel 11 are supported by a support main 13 and a top case 20. That is, a reflecting plate 12a, a light guiding plate 12b, a first diffusion or protection sheet 12c, a first prism sheet 12d, a second prism sheet 12e, and a second diffusion or protection sheet 12f are sequentially formed on the support main 13 of a plastic material, thereby forming the backlight 12. Then, the LCD panel 11 is deposited thereon. Meanwhile, the top case 20 of a metal material is connected to the upper side of the LCD panel 11, and the LCD panel 11 and the backlight unit 12 are supported by the support main 13. Also, an upper polarizing plate 11a is formed on the upper surface of the LCD panel 11, and a lower polarizing plate 11b is formed on the lower surface of the LCD panel 11.
Unlike a cathode ray tube (CRT) and a plasma display panel (PDP), the LCD panel 11 mounted on the LCD device requires an additional light source to emit light. That is, the LCD panel 11 controls the alignment of liquid crystal molecules by applying electrical fields. Thus, the LCD panel 11 additionally requires the backlight unit 12 for uniformly emitting light to the information display surface. Accordingly, the related art backlight unit uses one or more cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) as a light source.
In FIG. 2, a CCFL 25 is used as a light source of the backlight 2 in the related art LCM 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a receiving part 13a is provided in the support main (shown as 13 of FIG. 1) for receiving the CCFL 25, and the CCFL 25 is provided inside the receiving part 13a. The CCFL 25 is used as a light source. At this time, it is required to provide the light guiding plate 12b for guiding light to the LCD panel 11 since white light emitted from the CCFL 25 is diffused to all directions. For uniformly guiding the light emitted from the CCFL 25 to the LCD panel 11, the light guiding plate 12b gradually becomes thin as going to the opposite side of the end portion being in contact with the CCFL 25.
A fluorescent discharge tube is used for the CCFL 25 in order to utilize the penning effect, which is formed by injecting a hydrargyrum (Hg) gas containing argon (Ar) and neon (Ne) at a low pressure. Also, electrodes are formed at both ends of the fluorescent discharge tube, and the cathode is formed in a plate shape. When a voltage is applied thereto, electric charges inside the fluorescent discharge tube collide against the plate-shape cathode like a sputtering state, thereby generating secondary electrons. Accordingly, circumferential elements are excited by the secondary electrons, whereby plasma is generated. Also, the circumferential elements emit strong ultraviolet rays, and then the ultraviolet rays excite a fluorescent substance, thereby emitting visible rays.
In a backlight unit using the CCFL 25, the light source emits white light directly. However, if the backlight unit is used for a long time, it is difficult to maintain the emission of white light, thereby lowering a resolution and an efficiency in concentrating light. Also, it is hard to obtain the backlight unit having a high luminance due to size and capacity of the CCFL 25. Accordingly, it has been required to develop a light source having characteristics, such as high luminance, great resolution, low power consumption, and thin profile. In this respect, a light emitting diode (LED) has attracted great attention as the light source. The LED uses luminance when applying a voltage to a semiconductor. With the development of research and study for the LED, the LED begins to be applied to the LCD device as the light source.
Compared to the related art CCFL, the LED is miniaturized and has a long lifetime and low power consumption because it directly converts an electric energy to a light energy. Furthermore, the LED has a good luminous efficiency. Also, it is possible to obtain a high output power at a low current. In addition, the LED realizes a rapid response time, a high frequency modulation by pulse-operation, and an easy conversion of light output by controlling electric current.
FIG. 3 illustrates the process for generating white light in a backlight unit using an LED array as a light source. As shown in FIG. 3, the backlight unit includes an LED array 42 and a housing (not shown). The LED array 42 includes a plurality of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs 42a, 42b, and 42c for decreasing power consumption, and the housing surrounding the LED array 42 concentrates the light emitted from the LED array 42 at one direction. The LED array 42 including a plurality of LEDs respectively emits monochromatic light. This is because a multi-color LCD device includes a color filter as well as an LCD panel and a backlight. That is, the multi-color LCD device uses the backlight of a fluorescent lamp having three wavelengths as a light source. That is, the white light emitted from the backlight is divided into three of red, green, and blue colors in the color filter, and the divided colors are mixed again to display various colors.
Generally, the LCD device has characteristics, such as a viewing angle at which a viewer can watch a screen, resolution for realizing colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) through the color filter with the transmitted light, luminance for brightness of a picture image, and a residual image remaining on the screen after one picture image is displayed on the screen for a long time. In case of using the LED as a light source, compared to a case for directly emitting the white light, it is useful to emit red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light, and to generate the white light by mixing the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light, for obtaining a better resolution when applying the LED to an LCD device.
The color of the light source is determined according to chromaticity coordinates of the Commission International De L'eclairage (C.I.E.). That is, tristimulus values 'X', 'Y', and 'Z' are calculated from a spectrum of a predetermined light source, and then x, y, and z chromaticity coordinates of red, green, and blue are calculated according to the conversion matrix. Subsequently, x and y values of the red, green, and blue are expressed as rectangular coordinates, so that a U-shaped spectral locus is drawn, which is called the CIE chromaticity diagram. The general light source has the chromaticity coordinates inside the U-shaped spectral locus. At this time, a triangle space of the red, green, and blue chromaticity coordinates becomes a resolution space. As the triangle space becomes large, a resolution ratio becomes high. The resolution depends on color purity and luminance. As the color purity and the luminance become high, the resolution increases. Herein, the tristimulus values 'X', 'Y', and 'Z' indicate weight of a color-matching function approaching to one spectrum. Especially, 'Y' is a stimulus value to the brightness.
Meanwhile, a color temperature means a temperature of the hue of the white color according to the color change of the light emitted by the temperature of a heat source. On the monitor, the color temperatures appear as 9300K, 6500K, and 5000K. That is, the white light has different luminous intensity distributions on each wavelength even though a viewer recognizes the white light as one hue. For obtaining a better resolution by transmitting the white light through the color filter, it is more useful to mix the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light by using the LEDs emitting respectively red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light than to use the LEDs directly emitting the white light, whereby the white light is easily generated.
As the color temperature becomes close to 9000K, the hue of the white color contains a blue color. When the color temperature is 6500K, the hue of the white color contains a red color. When the color temperature is 5000K, a neutral hue is generated. The color temperature is obtained from the chromaticity coordinates (x, y) of the white color. As the color temperature becomes close to 9000K, it satisfies the European broadcasting union (EBU) standard.
In case of the aforementioned LCD device, a luminous spectrum of the backlight is coupled with the color-matching function and a transmission spectrum of the color filter to determine the tristimulus values at each wavelength of the visible ray region. That is, in order to obtain the various colors, it is required to control a correlation between the backlight/color filter and the tristimulus values. In other words, the luminous spectrum of the backlight has to be controlled to optimize the resolution and the color temperature, and the transmission spectrum of the color filter has to be controlled to optimize luminosity.
To obtain the white color, it is necessary to simultaneously use the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs, thereby causing many problems in applications. Especially, in case of using the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs simultaneously, different colors emitted from the respective LEDs have to be mixed to generate the white color. In this case, it is required to emit the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light from the LEDs having a predetermined luminous intensity.
Accordingly, the backlight unit using the LED array as a light source includes a light source part having a plurality of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs 42, and a light guiding plate 12b for mixing the light emitted from the light source part, and uniformly dispersing the white light to an LCD panel (not shown). When the LEDs 42 are used as light source, the respective LEDs 42 emit the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light to generate the white light. However, in region "a" of the light guiding plate 12b, there is a portion 60 where the light emitted from the respective LEDs 42 is not mixed, whereby the white light is not generated in the portion 60. In region "b" of the light guiding plate 12b, the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light emitted from the LEDs 42 is mixed to generate the white light. Thus, in the aforementioned backlight unit, it is required to transmit the white light generated in region "b" of the light guiding plate 12b to the LCD panel.
However, the backlight unit of the LCD device according to the related art has the following disadvantages.
In the related art backlight unit using the LED array as a light source, the light leaks at the side portion of the LED array. Even though the housing is provided in the related art backlight unit, it is difficult to concentrate the light to one direction, thereby lowering the luminance.
Also, in case the LED array is used as a light source, the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light is respectively emitted from the LEDs of the LED array. In this case, the light emitted from the LED positioned at the side portion of the LED array leaks to the external, so that it is difficult to generate uniform white light, thereby lowering resolution of the LCD device.

Backlight unit assembly using light emitting diode array in liquid crystal display device


A method of filling openings (20, 50) in a semiconductor (10, 40) includes the steps of first forming a fill metal layer (30, 60) over the semiconductor which substantially covers the openings (20, 50). Thereafter, a surface coating (32, 62, 64) of a predetermined material is formed over the fill metal layer (30, 60). Then, high pressure is applied on the surface coating (32, 62, 64) to force the fill metal into the openings (20, 50). Metal film surface cracks previously plaguing force-fill processes are thereby eliminated or substantially reduced.

A challenge for semiconductor processing engineers is the formation of submicron contacts and vias with high aspect ratios. Forming the contacts and vias with aluminum is preferred over tungsten because of aluminum's lower resistance, fewer overall process steps, and improved electromigration performance. However, aluminum reflow for contact or via filling has not been widely accepted due to the higher deposition temperature and difficulty in completely filling the high aspect ratio contacts and vias. With the advent of a force-fill.TM. process developed by Electrotech Ltd. of Bristol, United Kingdom, a metal, typically aluminum, sputtered onto the semiconductor surface can be forcibly extruded into the small via or contact openings by exerting high pressure at an elevated temperature. Although this force-fill.TM. process enhances the filling of the via and contact recesses and openings, the force-fill process also creates substantial cracks or splits in the metal film surface.
The fill metal surface splitting or cracking is similar in appearance to the cracks in dry parched earth. The cracks may extend substantially into the metal film as to interfere with the conduction of current therethrough. Further, particulate defects and process induced defects on patterned silicon wafers are generally detectable with the use of optical defect detection equipment and laser scatter defect detection equipment. However, the detection equipment is more likely to generate erroneous detection results due to the grain boundary cracks. These cracks trap a large percentage of the incident light or laser, which causes them to appear as dark and ragged-edged lines. These dark lines are detected by the optical and laser scatter equipment as nuisance defects, making detection of true particulate defects difficult without significantly reducing the effective sensitivity of the equipment.

Method of forming contacts and vias in semiconductor


A solar concentrator having flexible retractable reflector panels of a thin lastic film coated with aluminum or silver configured as a trough along the long edges of the solar panel and tilted so as to direct the reflected sunlight onto the solar panel in such a manner that the ray from the extreme outer edge of a reflector panel will fall on the edge of the opposite side of the solar panel, resulting in an even distribution of reflected sunlight on the solar panel for optimum performance. The flexible reflector panels are stowed during launch by rolling them around the booms or around themselves. For launch, the booms with the reflector panel rolled thereon, are stowed against the long edges of the solar panel. After launch, the booms are extended to a an angular position respective to the solar panel, by a system of pulleys and wires that keep tension on the reflector panels as the reflector panels are deployed as the plurality of sections of the solar panel are extended to a flat position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to a solar concentrator and more particularly to a low power solar concentrator having thin film reflective panels for use on a spacecraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most satellites generate electric power in space by exposing solar panels--flat panels of photovoltaic cells--to the Sun. One way to increase the power from a solar panel is to use reflectors to direct additional sunlight onto the solar panel. For example, doubling the amount of sunlight onto the panel would approximately double the electric power output of the panel. (This power increase is always less than directly proportional to the increase in incident sunlight because the increased sunlight raises the temperature of the cells which in turn decreases their efficiency.) The measure of effectiveness is the increase in specific power, that is, the power output of the augmented solar arrays, divided by the mass of the solar panels plus reflectors. This ratio should be substantially greater than the power of the unaugmented panel divided by its own mass. Therefore, it is evident that the added reflectors should be extremely light.
Solar concentrators utilized on spacecraft can be divided into three categories depending on their concentration ratio, that is, the ratio of area of sunlight gathered to the area of photovoltaic cells on which the sunlight is concentrated. First a parabolic reflector is used in high concentration systems (those with a concentration of approximately 50:1 or more). Secondly, Fresnel lenses for use in medium concentrator systems (concentrations in the range of 10:1 to 25:1), and thirdly, the trough type described in this invention for use in low power concentrators with a ratio less than 3:1. Because of the heat generated, the first two types require a special cooling means for the photovoltaic cells.
In normal operation, the solar panels are capable of being folded and stowed against the sides of the spacecraft during launch to minimize the spacecraft volume and to protect the fragile panel from launch loads and vibrations. Once in orbit, the panels and reflectors are unfolded, as in the third case, to form a trough configuration.
Further, the reflector must be flat in order to provide an even distribution of sunlight across the solar panel since any irregularities decrease the power output of the panel. In the prior art, flatness was achieved by using rigid reflectors which resulted in excessive mass for the system. Further, in the case of the trough reflector configuration, the prior art is limited in that the width of the rigid reflector is limited to, at most, the width of the solar panel because the rigid reflector panel must fold against the photovoltaic panel during launch. This limits the concentration ratio. Further, the solar panel cannot produce electric power until it deploys after reaching its final orbit if the reflector panel covers the outside of the stowed solar panel. Higher concentrations can be achieved by having rigid reflectors with double folds, but this increases the mass and complexity of the system.

Retractable thin film solar concentrator for spacecraft

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A recording medium processing apparatus is disclosed. The recording medium processing apparatus includes: a head unit which traces a track formed on a recording surface of a recording medium and reads a data signal; a signal processing unit which detects positional information of the recording medium on the basis of the data signal; and a printing unit which prints visible information on a non-recording surface of the recording medium by referring to the positional information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium processing apparatus used for printing visible information on a non-recording surface of a recording medium, a printing method, and a computer program.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, as a media for recording a video or audio in a digital form, an optical disc which is a recoding medium comes into wide use. In particular, since information (visible information) on contents recorded on an optical disc can be displayed on the surface of the disc, the optical disc including a printing surface (label surface) on which information can be printed by an inkjet printer is attracting attention.
As an apparatus for printing the visible information on the optical disc, there is, for example, an optical recording/reproducing apparatus having a printing function (see JP-A-11-134648). In the optical recording/reproducing apparatus, when visible information is printed while an optical disc rotates by a spindle motor, the print position of the visible information is adjusted while detecting the rotation angle of the optical disc, which is represented relative to the rotation angle of the spindle motor, using a rotary encoder attached to the spindle motor.
Meanwhile, a technology of recording a dedicated signal for detecting a rotation angle on an optical disc and providing a dedicated sensor for detecting the signal is suggested.

Recording medium processing apparatus, printing method, and computer program


The present invention is directed to a method of scratch removal from digitized images wherein a "scratched" portion of a digitized image which requires repair or noise removal, is identified and a binary mask is generated which distinguishes the defined "scratched" portion from the other portions of the digitized image. A repair window is defined which delineates the portion of the digitized image desired to be repaired of scratches or other noise. A sample window having the same dimensional attributes as the repair window, and preferably free of any scratch or other noise, is then defined. The sample window is preferably selected so as to be as close in resemblance to the repair window as possible. Image data of the repair window and the sample window are converted into the frequency domain and then processed to yield appropriate pixel data for transfer into the repair window so as to remove the scratch noise in such a way that alignment of edges, as well as textures and other details are maintained in the resulting digitized image without degrading existing non-scratched image areas.

With the growing proliferation of available channels for television broadcast and the increasing use of multimedia viewing platforms, many older motion picture and still frame films are likely to see increased use thru transfers to video and digital formats. Unfortunately, many old motion and still photographic films have, over the years of use and viewing, become scratched or dirtied with dust or other debris. Since high definition and digital television formats, as well as other digital multimedia formats, will allow imperfections, such as scratches or debris on the film stock to be quite noticeable to viewers there is an increasing need for a method of removing scratches from digitized images without degrading or otherwise adversely affecting the perceived quality of the image.
In motion pictures, for example, certain special effects require actors/models or objects in a scene to be suspended or supported via a wire, cable, rod or the like or so as to create the effect of, for example the actor/objecting floating aloft. Typically, the appearance of these wires, cables, rods etc. is later removed from visibility in the scene during post production via optical processing or, more typically these days, via digital processing of the digitized film. Similarly in desktop publishing it is often desirable to remove unwanted portions of an image or erase scratches or blemishes from photographs. It should be noted that the usage of the term scratch or scratch noise herein, is intended to include all of the above noted types of noise which may occur in a digitized image.
A scratch in a digitized image presents itself as unwanted pixels in the digitized image. Scratch noise typically consists of a plurality of contiguous pixels rather than small isolated groups, or clusters, of pixels. In a digitized image, scratch noise may consist of an area of pixels of, for example, 10 pixels.times.100 pixels, and may fall in an area of the digitized image wherein details such as textures or edges are crossed by the scratch. In order to remove the scratch from the digitized image, the pixels which make up the scratch area must be replaced with pixel data which represents, or emulates the original data. In order to effectively repair scratched areas, this pixel data should allow the resulting image to be as sharp in the scratch area as in the surrounding area. Further, continuity of prominent edges should be maintained, and textures created to replace the wire or scratch pixels should match the surrounding texture.
The effectiveness of currently known techniques of digital processing varies according to the features of the image and their relative size within the image at issue and whether they are regularly or randomly occurring. Examples of regularly occurring features include a brick wall, or fabric weave texture. Examples of randomly occurring features may include an asphalt roadway or concrete walk or sandy beach. The effectiveness of known techniques also depends upon the size and type of the scratch area. Scratches which show up as small, isolated clusters of noise pixels in smooth or blurred areas of an image are typically relatively easy to remove through known techniques such as filtering or simple cloning and painting techniques. However, existing noise removal techniques fall short where the scratch consists of a plurality of contiguous pixels or falls in a textured area of an image or in areas having prominent edges, or lines.
Currently known techniques of image noise removal can be generally categorized into two types: 1) intra-frame techniques and 2) inter-frame techniques. The difference between these two general types of techniques centers primarily on where data for replacement of noise pixels is obtained from. Inter-frame techniques typically copy pixel data needed to replace noise pixels from preceding or succeeding frames. Intra-frame techniques, on the other hand, typically utilize data within the image frame to be repaired for replacement of noise pixels.
Inter-frame methods typically fail to provide suitable results where the image/scenes at issue reflect an extreme level of camera movement or scene activity. These methods also tend to fall short where the scratch extends across several image frames, or where the damaged image frame is the only image frame available for providing data for repairing the image. Unfortunately, it is common for scratches to run across several image frames, because of the motion of typical motion picture films through a typical motion picture projector. In these situations, corresponding pixel data from a preceding/succeeding image frame is not readily available for replacement/copying to the scratched area.
Known techniques of scratch noise removal have addressed the problem of scratch removal in several ways, including: (a) low-pass and other linear filtering (b) median and other non-linear filtering, (c) statistical texture synthesis (d) cloning, i.e. copying another part of the image (e) painting manually (f) projection based methods and (g) methods based on solving simultaneous equations. However, these techniques have been less than successful in conducting scratch removal so as to yield optimum results in a variety of scratch/image situations.
Typically the presence of scratch noise appears as a sudden variation in the pixel intensities at the scratch locations when compared with the surrounding pixel intensity values. This sudden variation appears as high frequencies in the frequency spectrum of a image. By removing the higher frequencies components, the variation in pixel intensity can be reduced to thereby lessen the visibility of the scratch area within the image frame. This operation is known as low-pass filtering and involves transforming the image from the spatial or image domain into the frequency domain, filtering out a predetermined level of high frequency components and transforming the resulting image frequencies back into an image. Similar results can be achieved via an operation known as convolution which operates on the image directly without first converting it into the frequency domain. Low pass filtering is effective in reducing scratch noise from certain types of images, typically images having few details or smooth textures. This technique is not, however, effective for removing scratch noise from images having textures or very detailed areas or prominent edges. Smoothing by low-pass and similar linear filtering techniques, whereby variations in pixel intensities within a given area are averaged out, is not effective since it often results in reconstructed, or repaired, scratch noise areas being blurred and loss of detail in the repaired scratch area.
With median filtering techniques, a given pixel of a subject image is replaced with the median value of the surrounding pixels. Which pixels comprise the "surrounding" pixels of a pixel at issue is typically defined by specifying the limits of a window enclosing that pixel. For example a window of 10 pixels by 10 pixels (10.times.10) in which the pixel at issue is located could be used to define the "surrounding" pixels. The surrounding pixels can also be referred to as the "neighborhood" of a given pixel. The size of the window or neighborhood can be varied in accordance with the needs at hand. In applying median filtering to scratch removal where the location of the scratch is known, only the scratch pixels will be replaced by the median value of the surrounding pixels.
Median and similar non-linear filtering techniques work relatively well where the scratch area is limited to a relatively small group of isolated pixels. Typically scratches, and particularly wire noise, consist of many contiguous pixels. As a result the median value of surrounding pixels is typically the value of the scratch area itself. If a small window, or neighborhood, is chosen, scratches are typically not repaired, since the median value is typically the value of the scratch area itself. In other words, the scratch pixels values are replaced with the value of the scratch pixels. Where a larger window is chosen so as to provide a greater number of surrounding pixels, blurring of the image typically results.
In techniques based on statistical texture synthesis, an area of the damaged image at issue is analyzed and a statistical representation of the image area is developed. This statistical representation is then used to generate a synthesized texture that is similar to the analyzed area. Scratch/wire noise pixels can then be replaced with the synthesized texture. Statistical methods are based on the assumption that the relationship between pixels in a neighborhood has a statistical description which can be discovered by analysis. Thus a given pixel's characteristics are supposed to depend statistically on some or all of it's nearby pixels. Where there is a relationship between pixels which are relatively far apart in distance, the neighborhood necessary for analysis of those pixels must be relatively large. An example would be a brick wall with large bricks or a wide wire mesh photographed close-up. Typically in these methods the computational processing required increases as the number of pixels within the neighborhood on which a given pixel depends is increased. As a result these methods are not useful for textures having large features, such as, for example, the texture of an image of a typical brick wall.
Many popular image processing programs, such as for example, Adobe Photoshop.TM., provide a tool for copying pixels from one area of the image to another area. With these types of tools, the area of the image to be copied is typically selected, or defined, via use of a mouse, or other pointer/control device, which allows a user to manipulate a cursor or "brush" on the display screen which displays the image at issue. Using the mouse device, a source area from which pixel data is to be read, or transferred, is defined. Then a destination area to which the pixel data from the source area is to be transferred is defined. "Brush strokes", or movement of the cursor across the destination area, can be accomplished using the mouse. With each "brush stroke" pixels from the source area are copied to the destination area. This method works well when the texture, or pattern, depicted in the image at issue is random or regularly occurring in nature and has relatively small features. Small features might include, for example, spots on a piece of fruit, sand, asphalt of a road, or fabric weave. Where there are, for example, random or regularly occurring details, or patterns, depicted in the image in the form of curved or straight lines then alignment of the edges of the repaired region with that of the surrounding region is very time consuming. Repairing scratches or wires using rubber stamp painting is a task requiring lot of time and skill for many images. Since the human visual system is very sensitive to noticing problems with edges, mismatched edges are relatively easy to pick out by the human eye.
Another technique for scratch removal has been to "paint" over the pixels of the scratch by manually matching the scratch pixels with the surrounding area. This method is very time consuming and the quality of the results obtained depends heavily on the skill of the operator.
Techniques of scratch noise removal based on projection methods in the context of signal restoration have been previously used. These methods have been used to extend the frequency spectrum of band-limited signals by alternating between signal and transform domains and applying constraints of each domain. The constraints are directed to preservation of known signal values and enforcement of bandlimits. This approach has been generalized through a geometric interpretation which is generally referred to as Projection onto Convex Sets, or POCS. POCS allows the use of any information about the image, such as, for example, the range of luminance values, distinction between defined scratch areas and non-scratch areas, as long as the information can be represented as a closed convex set to be used as a constraint.
In projection based methods an image at issue is projected upon predefined constraints to find another image which closely resembles the image at issue and which is within a defined range of images which satisfy certain pre-defined constraints. The process of finding the closest image satisfying certain pre-defined constraints is known as projecting onto that constraint. Once such an image has been found, this new image, or resultant image, is projected onto the next pre-defined constraint, if any. The constraints represent information that is known about the image. In projection based methods, an image at issue may be considered as a single point in a space which has one or more dimensions. Any point on a flat surface can be described in terms of its X and Y coordinates. Further any point in a 3-dimensional space, for example a room, can be described in terms of X, Y and Z coordinates. Similarly, an image can be described as a single point in high-dimensional space. For example, an image comprised of 200 pixels by 100 pixels may be represented as a single point having 20,000 dimensions(200.times.100=20,000). Each dimension of the point represents one of the 20,000 pixels which make up the image. The value of each dimension represents the luminance intensity for the given pixel represented by the particular dimension. In typical gray scale imaging, a gray scale of 256 steps is often used for high quality imaging. Thus, the luminance intensity, or value, of a given pixel may range from 0-255, for example.
Through repeated projections onto various constraints an image can eventually be found that satisfies all of the constraints imposed, simultaneously. The only condition is that the constraints should represent something known as convex sets. The concept of constraints representing convex sets can be explained as follows. When a constraint is placed on, for example, a set of images that are to be considered, the set of images is reduced to a possibly smaller set than the set of all possible images. If this new, smaller set has the property that any linear combination of two images in the set yields an image which is also within the set, then the set is a convex set. This can be expressed as follows: EQU u(x)+(1-u)(y)=z (Equation 1)
If x and y are two images which are members of a set S, u is a real number between 0 and 1 inclusive, and z is also an image which is a member of the set S, then the set S is a convex set. FIG. 8 illustrates a geometrical definition of Equation 1 and how it is satisfied in convex sets but not in concave sets.
In known projection based methods of scratch noise removal, constraints such as bandlimits are imposed. An image is said to be bandlimited if the Fourier transform of the image does not have an infinite frequency spectrum. Limiting the frequency band of an image does not provide desirable results in scratch and wire removal from real images.
Other known techniques of scratch removal are based on solving simultaneous equations. These methods typically involve solving numerous simultaneous equations, often as many equations as there are pixels in the image at issue. The computational requirements to carry out this technique can be quite high. Such methods are most useful in removing blur in images. Iterative and non-iterative linear algebra based methods for scratch removal, which require the solution of only a limited number of equations, up to as many equations as there are pixels in the scratch, have been proposed. However, these methods do not work well where the scratch noise at issue consists of a plurality of contiguous pixels as is typically the case with most scratch noise.
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide for a method of removing scratch noise from digitized photographic images which yields high quality results without the need for undue operator manipulation.

Projection based method for scratch and wire removal from digital images


A connector device for interconnecting circuit substrates is provided, in which no electric element for protection needs to be mounted separately on circuit substrates. A rectangular parallelepiped connecting element having an electrical component (9) is received in a connector housing (11). The rectangular parallelepiped connecting element having an electrical component (9) includes a plurality of first electrically conducting path portions (17a) and a plurality of second electrically conducting path portions (17b) disposed on a rectangular parallelepiped insulating base (13), and a plurality of electric elements (19) that are electrically connected in series with the plurality of first electrically conducting path portions (17a) and the plurality of second electrically conducting path portions (17b). The connector housing (11) is configured to allow the plurality of first electrically conducting path portions (17a) to be electrically connected to a plurality of first connecting electrodes (3) of a first circuit substrate (1), and bring a plurality of second connecting electrodes (7) on a second circuit substrate (5) into contact with the plurality of second electrically conducting path portions (17b).

In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-265599, FIG. 6 (Patent Document 1, JP2004-265599A), a conventional connector device for interconnecting circuit substrates is disclosed. In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-40744, FIG. 6 (Patent Document 2, JP2006-40744), a configuration is disclosed in which electric elements such as a resistor/capacitor for protection and ESC (electrostatic discharge) protection components are connected to a wiring portion on the side of a circuit substrate that is connected to the connector device. Typically, those electric elements for protection have been disposed on a circuit substrate in the past (with reference to Patent Document 2, for example).

Connector device for interconnecting circuit substrates


A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for requesting a page from a server across a network data processing system. The page is requested a first time from a client application in the data processing system in which the page is requested using a domain name. An Internet Protocol address for the domain name is looked up for the page on a remote domain name server. The Internet Protocol address is used to request the page. The Internet Protocol address is stored locally in the data processing system in a database of Internet Protocol translations in association with the domain name for the page and wherein the database is accessible only by the client application. As a result, subsequent requests for the page may be processed using this database. The database of Internet Protocol translations is referenced to determine whether an Internet Protocol address for a selected page is present in response to a request for the selected page. The selected page is requested using an Internet Protocol address returned from the database of Internet Protocol translations if the Internet Protocol address is present in the database of Internet Protocol translations. The remote domain name server is queried to determine the Internet Protocol address of the selected page if the Internet Protocol address for the selected page cannot be determined from referencing the database of Internet Protocol translations.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for locating data. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for locating documents using an improved domain name system.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, also referred to as an "internetwork", is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from a protocol of the sending network to a protocol used by the receiving network. When capitalized, the term "Internet" refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
Currently, the most commonly employed method of transferring data over the Internet is to employ the World Wide Web environment, also called simply "the Web". Other Internet resources exist for transferring information, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Gopher, but have not achieved the popularity of the Web. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files (e.g., text, still graphic images, audio, motion video, etc.). The information in various data files is formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In addition to basic presentation formatting, HTML allows developers to specify "links" to other Web resources identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL is a special syntax identifier defining a communications path to specific information. Each logical block of information accessible to a client, called a "page" or a "Web page", is identified by a URL. The URL provides a universal, consistent method for finding and accessing this information, not necessarily for the user, but mostly for the user's Web "browser". A browser is a program capable of submitting a request for information identified by an identifier, such as, for example, a URL.
A user may enter a domain name through a graphical user interface (GUI) for the browser to access a source of content. The domain name is automatically converted to the Internet Protocol (IP) address by a domain name system (DNS), which is a service that translates the symbolic name entered by the user into an IP address by looking up the domain name in a database. A significant amount of time used in traversing the Web involves time spent trying to translate domain names into IP addresses. Such a process can be time consuming because DNS tables must be looked up on DNS servers. Such a process is especially time consuming when a dial up connection is used.
Therefore, the present invention provides an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for providing domain name system translations that reduce the time consuming process of obtaining domain name system translations from DNS servers.

Method and apparatus for local IP address translation

International Business Machines Corporation


A protein sensing molecule is capable of binding an analyte in a sample. The protein sensing molecule includes a first detectable quality that changes in a concentration dependent manner when the protein sensing molecule is bound to the analyte. The protein sensing molecule also includes a second detectable quality that does not undergo substantial change when the protein sensing molecule is bound to the analyte. The protein sensing molecule may be used in methods for characterizing samples and may also be used in sensors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to proteins, such as labeled proteins, sensors, and the characterization of analytes in a sample using the proteins.
2. Background of the Related Art
Analyte-binding proteins have many applications. The process of analyte binding often results in useful changes in the protein, such as a change in conformation of the protein.
For example, analyte-binding proteins may be used as sensor proteins to characterize samples. Sample characterization is a broad field that includes, e.g., determining the presence or concentration of analytes, biomedical diagnostics, bioprocessing, and drug screening.
Analyte measurement/detection has many applications. For instance, the increasing demand for the production of important biological products by eukaryotic cell cultures has intensified efforts in the development of sensing devices for monitoring nutrient levels, available oxygen, and cell density in bioreactors. For example, glutamine is a major source of nitrogen and carbon in cell culture media. Glutamine sensing is important in small and large-scale bioprocesses involving eukaryotic cell culture.
Glutamine is considered together with glucose as a limiting factor in cell growth and product yield. Additionally, unfavorable levels of glutamine can lead to the deleterious production of ammonia, which is toxic to cell cultures. Monitoring of glutamine concentrations is therefore an important aspect of process control.
Currently available glutamine biosensors tend to rely on enzymes such as glutaminase (EC 18.104.22.168) in combination with glutamate oxidase (EC 18.104.22.168). Glutamate oxidase is required to suppress the interference from glutamic acid. In another assay, glutamine reacts with three different enzymes to produce NADH, which is then determined spectrophotometrically. High-pressure liquid chromatography and LCMS-MS have been used, but these techniques both require expensive instrumentation. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy allows for noninvasive quantification of glutamine but requires the generation of an elaborate calibration model.
Binding proteins have also been used to measure sugars and sugar derivatives, such as glucose. Glucose is the major carbon and energy source in cellular metabolism. The lack of glucose in a medium will severely limit cell growth and product yield in industrial bioprocess applications. But excessive glucose can also be detrimental, leading to lactate formation via the glycolytic pathway. Therefore, glucose monitoring and control is important for healthy growth of cells and maximum product formation in bioprocesses.
Another example of analyte measurement involves glucose measurement for diabetes treatment. To control the long-term complications associated with diabetes, blood glucose levels must be tightly regulated. This requires careful monitoring of blood glucose.
In view of the above, binding proteins have been utilized as sensors for various analytes including glucose, maltose, phosphate, and glutamine. One advantage of the binding proteins as sensors is that unlike enzymes, they do not require additional reagents. The key event that accompanies molecular recognition between a binding protein and its substrate is a conformational change.
Most binding proteins have a two-domain structure connected by a hinge, as disclosed in QUIOCHO, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, ser B, 326:341-351 (1990), which is incorporated by reference herein. The binding site is in the interface of the two domains. It has been shown in a number of proteins that binding of the ligand can induce a large conformational change, from an "open" ligand-free structure to a "closed" ligand-bound structure, as disclosed in HSIAO et al., J. Mol. Biol., 262:225-242 (1996); and SUN et al., J. Mol. Biol., 278:219-229 (1998), both of which are incorporated by reference herein. By introducing single fluorophores into such proteins, this conformational change upon ligand binding can be taken advantage of to construct biosensors that respond to their respective ligands. These binding proteins include glucose-binding protein (GBP) MARVIN et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120:7-11 (1998); SALINS et al., Anal. Biochem., 294:19-26 (2001); and TOLOSA et al., Anal. Biochem., 267:114-120 (1999), which are all incorporated by reference herein), maltose-binding protein (GILARDI et al., Anal. Chem., 66:3840-3847 (1994); and GILARDI et al., Prot. Eng., 10(5):479-486 (1997), both of which are incorporated by reference herein), phosphate-binding protein (BRUNE et al., Biochemistry, 33:8262-8271 (1994), which is incorporated by reference herein), and glutamine-binding protein (GlnBP) (DATTELBAUM et al., Anal. Biochem., 291:89-95 (2001), which is incorporated by reference herein).
The choice of labeling sites is generally based on the identification of specific sites on the protein that undergo maximum conformational change upon substrate binding, as disclosed in MARVIN et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120:7-11 (1998), which is incorporated by reference herein. However, this approach neglects the effects on the dye conjugated to the protein. Thus, it is common to observe different environment-sensitive dyes conjugated to the same site showing varying response to analyte concentrations, as disclosed in DATTELBAUM et al., Anal. Biochem., 291:89-95 (2001); and MARVIN et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120:7-11 (1998), both of which are incorporated by reference herein. Consequently, there is a degree of empiricism in the design of binding protein-based biosensors.
One approach to biosensors involves genetically engineering a protein for site-specific positioning of allosteric signal transducing molecules. Structural principles are used to take advantage of cooperative interactions between the signaling molecule and analyte binding. This technique has been applied to maltose binding protein and glucose/galactose binding protein of Escherichia coli (GGBP), as disclosed in MARVIN et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:4366-4371 (1997); and MARVIN et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120:7-11 (1998), both of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Structural studies of GGBP reveal two domains, the relative positions of which change upon the binding of glucose, as disclosed in CAREAGA et al., Biochem., 34:3048-3055 (1995), which is incorporated by reference herein. Such conformational changes result in spectral changes of environmentally sensitive probes, or changes in the transfer efficiency between donor and acceptor pairs covalently bound to the protein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,446 to HELLINGA, which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses a glucose biosensor comprising a genetically engineered glucose binding protein that includes environmentally sensitive reporter group(s). This document discloses several reporter groups, including osmium(II) bisbipyridyl complexes.
DATTELBAUM et al., Anal. Biochem., 291:89-95 (2001), which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses that labeling a cysteine in position 179 of a glutamine-binding protein with a polarity-sensitive probe, such as acrylodan, results in changes in the fluorescence properties of the probe in response to glutamine. This document discloses that the phase angle was measured at 110 MHz.
TOLOSA et al., Anal. Biochem., 267:114-120 (1999); and LAKOWICZ et. al., Anal. Chem., 70:5115-5121 (1998), both of which are incorporated by reference herein, describe a method in which a labeled glutamine-binding protein is used with an external reference—a long-lived metal-ligand complex—that was added to the solution or applied to the walls of a cuvette. These documents disclose that the combined emission of the labeled protein and the metal-ligand complex allowed for the detection of modulation changes at lower frequencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,534 to LAKOWICZ et al., which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses engineered proteins for analyte sensing. This document discloses that mutant glucose/galactose binding proteins may have attached fluorophores with widely spaced lifetimes, permitting modulation-based glucose sensing. This document discloses an embodiment in which a long lifetime metal-ligand complex is painted on the outside of a cuvette.
ZHOU et al., Biosens. Bioelectr., 6:445-450 (1991), which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses the immobilization of maltose binding protein (MBP) labeled with IAEDANS. MBP-IAEDANS was immobilized onto PCG by glutaraldehyde coupling, carbodiimide coupling, and diazonium coupling.
WENNER et al., Proc. SPIE, 4252:59-70 (2001), which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses immobilizing phosphate-binding protein (PBP) labeled with N-[2-(1-maleimidyl)ethyl]7-diethylaminocoumarin-3-carboxamide ("MDCC") in sol-gel.
There remains, however, a need for improved proteins, sensors, and methods for characterizing samples.

Proteins, sensors, and methods of characterizing analytes using the same


Process for preparing 1,3-disubstituted urea of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.5 is the same as or different from R.sup.6, and each of R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is independently linear or branched, alkyl of 1-20 carbon atoms, alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms or alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have phenoxy, alkoxy of 1-13 carbon atoms, monocycloalkyl of 3-8 carbon atoms, bicycloalkyl of 6-12 carbon atoms, aryl of 6-13 carbon atoms, furyl, pyridyl, or aralkyl of 7-20 carbon atoms, comprising reacting cyclic carbonic acid ester with an amine using alkali metal alkoxide or trialkylamine as base, in safety and high yield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a process for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea, and more particularly to a process for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea which is useful as an intermediate for the preparation of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Conventionally, as methods for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea, there have been proposed, for instance, (1) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine with phosgene as disclosed in J. Org. Chem., 16 (1951) p.1879-1890, (2) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine with isocyanate as disclosed in J. Org. Chem., 16 (1951) p.1879-1890, (3) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine or a secondary amine with carbon monoxide as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-163853, (4) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine with carbon dioxide as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 62-9107, (5) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine with a cyclic carbonic acid ester as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 62-17572, (6) a method for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea comprising reacting a primary amine or a secondary amine with bis(4-nitrophenyl)carbonate as disclosed in Synthesis, 6 (1989) p.423-425, and the like.
However, the above methods (1) and (2) have defects in workability and safety because those methods necessitate toxic phosgene and isocyanate as starting materials.
The above methods (3) to (5) have defects in the yield of a 1,3-disubstituted urea. In order to increase the yield, the above methods necessitate severe reaction conditions such as high temperatures and high pressures or an excess amount of a primary amine. When the severe reaction conditions are employed, a large and complex apparatus is necessitated. Also, when the excess amount of the primary amine is used, there is a defect in the separation and recovery of the unreacted primary amine after the reaction.
Also, the above method (6) has a defect in economics because the method necessitates expensive bis(4-nitrophenyl)carbonate as a starting material.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing a 1,3-disubstituted urea, excellent in workability, safety, yield and economics.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions.

Process for preparing 1, 3-disubstituted urea


A humidity altering device includes an impermeable housing confining a liquid absorbent element having a large capacity for holding a humectant liquid. The device is provided with at least one evaporation barrier which controls the rate of humectant liquid evaporation so as to maintain a predetermined level of relative humidity within a humidor for storage of various products, such as perishable foods and tobacco products, so as to maintain their freshness and desirability for extended periods of time.

The present invention relates in general to a device for altering the degree of moisture in a designated storage space, and more particularly, to a humidity altering device for maintaining a specific humidity level in a humidor designed for the storage of humidity sensitive products.
A number of perishable commodities such as food products and tobacco products retain their optimum freshness and desirable properties when stored in environments in which a predetermined relative humidity is maintained. In addition, other products such as fabrics, rare books, drawings, paintings and the like require storage at specific relative humidity levels to reduce degradation and to prevent cracking and warpage.
The relative humidity in an enclosed generally airtight package can be controlled by providing a humectant, such as a water-based solution, within the package maintained in its liquid phase. The humectant liquid vaporizes in the package thereby producing water vapor. When the partial pressure of the water vapor is equal to the vapor pressure of the water for the humectant solution, an equilibrium is reached where the humectant gives off water vapor at the same rate as water vapor condenses back into the humectant liquid. Depending upon the equilibrium vapor pressure of the water over the humectant solution selected, a predetermined relative humidity may be established in the enclosed package.
It can be appreciated that it is important that the humectant solution be isolated from direct contact with the product being stored in the humidified environment. In this regard, there is known from Durocher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,082, a package having controlled humidity for storing humidity sensitive products such as tobacco and food products. The package is constructed as an enclosed container which stores a humidistat pad serving as a spacer, while also holding a humectant solution in its liquid phase in an absorbent interior layer. The pad is provided with a liquid impervious backing layer to protect the walls of the container from the liquid humectant solution. The pad also includes a liquid permeable cover which can rapidly transfer the humectant solution to the absorbent layer during filling of the package with the product to be stored. Also known was the use of a block of highly acetylized polyvinyl alcohol sponge material placed into a plastic bag having holes on opposing ends of the bag. The bag was confined within a housing having open ends opposing the holes in the bag. The bag was held in place within the housing using stainless steel screen material that was swedged into the open ends of the housing. Other known humidity altering devices are known from Morgan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,807 and Guehler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,011.
While the prior art discloses a number of humidity altering devices, there is the need for improvements in such devices so as to enable maintaining a specific humidity level in a humidor designed for the storage of humidity sensitive products.


The present invention provides a nanoparticle synthesis device capable of improving productivity of nanoparticles by increasing the size of a reaction region of laser pyrolysis of a source gas.

Laser pyrolysis is a method of synthesizing nanoparticles by decomposing a source gas in a very short reaction time by irradiating the source gas with laser beams. As an example, silicon (Si) nanoparticles may be formed when silane (SiH4) gas is decomposed by being irradiated with carbon dioxide (CO2) laser beams. In the laser pyrolysis, in order to improve productivity, it is particularly important to increase a reaction region in which the nanoparticles are produced.
A general laser pyrolysis reactor is designed such that an incident laser beam and a traveling direction of the supplied source gas intersect each other. Meanwhile, in the reactor designed as described above, only an intersection between the incident laser beam and the source gas is set to the reaction region, which is just a micro-region. In addition, there is a limitation in that a pyrolysis reaction needs to be performed within a short time of several microseconds (ms) so that the nanoparticle having a designed size is produced in the reaction region.
In order to solve such a problem and to improve a production yield of nanoparticles, a method of increasing an output of an incident laser beam, a method of adding, into a source gas, a substance for increasing an absorption rate to a laser beam, and the like have been introduced. However, these methods also have a limitation in that reaction efficiency is not greatly improved, such that a gas-phase photocatalyst is further required, or an output of the laser beam needs to be increased, which causes an increase in process costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a laser pyrolysis reactor designed to improve a region of a laser pyrolysis reaction of a source gas.

Nanoparticle synthesis device and nanoparticle synthesis method using same


An air table system is provided. Such a system includes an air table that includes a plurality of holes or perforations, a fan that blows air through the plurality of holes or perforations when activated, a puck component that glides across the air table when the fan blows the air through the plurality of holes or perforations, and an air activated component. The air activated component is positioned around an edge of the air table and includes an air activatable feature configured to be activated by the air when the air activated component is placed on the air table.

Children interact with a variety of playthings for development, entertainment, and education throughout childhood. Children typically respond to interactive playthings that provide multiple stimuli and sources of entertainment, especially for young children that are developing motor skills.
Conventional playthings fail to provide sustained use and enjoyment for children as they age because children physically outgrow or lose interest in conventional playthings. As such, a need exists for a child plaything that can adapt to children of multiple ages and developmental stages.


In a wireless telephone service access method a caller is authenticated by: storing and keeping up to date in service control point databases words identifying each subscription and the corresponding telephone and a secret key; transmitting from the caller's telephone to a service control point words identifying the subscription and the caller's telephone; determining in the caller's telephone a first signature using the secret key and a random number; transmitting the first signature to said service control point over the user to user signaling channel; determining in said service control point a second signature using the secret key and said random number; verifying in said service control point that: the first and second signatures are identical; the word identifying the caller's subscription represents a valid subscription; and the word identifying the caller's subscription matches the word identifying the caller's telephone.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a wireless telephone service access method, the service being provided by a network essentially comprising: fixed stations; wireless digital telephones linked by radio to the fixed stations; and an integrated services digital public switched telephone network. The invention is more particularly concerned with a wireless telephone service provided by an "intelligent" network to be described later.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional wireless telephone service access method has two functions: to verify that the calling party is entitled to use the telephone that he is using; and to verify that the telephone is covered by a valid subscription including the entitlement to use the wireless telephone service. For the first of these checks the caller enters a confidential code (or personal identification number PIN) using the telephone keypad. This is compared with the code stored in the telephone to enable the telephone if they are identical. The second verification, or caller authentication, is more difficult as the subscriber characteristics of all service subscribers constitute a large volume of information which is constantly changing. In particular, a subscription is anulled if a telephone is lost or stolen.
In a known wireless telephone service access method the caller is authenticated by transmitting from the telephone to the fixed station a number identifying the subscriber. Each fixed station has its own authentication system which includes a blacklist of anulled subscriptions. Each fixed station is connected to the public switched telephone network by telephone channels only. Data for updating the blacklist is transmitted over these telephone channels during off-peak times using a modem.
This authentication method is not particularly secure, as the blacklist is updated only once a day in the best possible case; and also because the subscription number can be intercepted by a third party during the radio transmission.
What is more, this known method makes no provision for offering different types of subscription including authorization or rejection of access on the basis of the called number or on the basis of the subscriber account debit. Nor does it have any provision for transmitting to the caller's telephone a message to indicate the account debit on a display in the telephone. These are serious drawbacks with respect to the renting out of wireless telephones as the renter cannot restrict the rights provided by a subscription, to protect himself against unpaid bills, by barring certain numbers or by setting a ceiling on the subscriber account debit; and also because it is not feasible to apply a ceiling to a renter account debit without the renter being advised of the account status before each call.
An object of the invention is to propose an access method which offers increased protection against fraudulent misuse and which also makes provision for: selective authorization of certain numbers; sending to the caller's telephone a message indicating the account debit; and selectively authorizing a call according to the subscriber account status. This object is achieved by using an intelligent network structure for the wireless telephone network and by implementing the access method as will now be defined.

Wireless telephone service access method