A belt-type fixing device having therein an endless fixing belt, a pressure roller arranged inside the aforesaid fixing belt and a pressure member that presses the fixing belt against the pressure roller, wherein a toner image on a recording material is fixed in a nip portion formed between the fixing belt and the pressure member, and wherein the pressure roller has an elastic layer made of solid rubber, and the elastic layer is covered by a resin layer, and further plural undulations are formed in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface of the pressure roller.

The present invention relates to a belt-type fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording material by heating and applying pressure to the toner of the toner image, and relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with the belt-type fixing device.
In an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine and a multifunctional machine equipped with the aforesaid various functions, a latent image corresponding to a document is formed on a photoconductor, then, the latent image is supplied with toner to become a visible image, and this visible toner image is transferred onto a recording sheet, and after this, the toner image transferred onto the recording sheet is fixed, and the recording sheet is ejected.
When forming a color image, latent images for Y, M, C and K corresponding to a document are formed respectively on four photoconductor drums, then, visualized four toner images are transferred primarily onto an intermediate transfer body composed of an endless belt, and they are transferred secondarily onto a recording sheet, thus, the toner image transferred onto the recording sheet is fixed and the recording sheet is ejected.
As a fixing device that fixes a toner image in the aforesaid way, there is a fixing device of a belt type wherein there are provided an endless fixing belt wound around a heat roller having therein a heating device such as a halogen heater and further around a pressure roller, and an outer pressure roller that presses the pressure roller through the fixing belt, and wherein the recording sheet onto which the toner image has been transferred is heated and pressed in a nip portion formed by the fixing belt and the outer pressure roller while the recording sheet is interposed and conveyed. A belt-type fixing device of this kind has merit in that the warm-up time is shortened, resulting in energy savings because the fixing belt of a belt-type fixing device of this type has a small heat capacity.
For making fixing at a higher speed possible, in the belt-type fixing device of this kind, it is necessary to secure a great width of a nip portion. Further, for improving an efficiency of separation from a fixing belt, it is necessary to secure a great curvature on a separating portion on the fixing belt. For both of the foregoing matters mentioned above, it is effective to make an elastic layer of a pressure roller to be lower in hardness.
Though low hardness can be obtained easily in the case of sponge, when it is used for the elastic layer of the pressure roller, pressure in a nip becomes uneven and fine uneven gloss is generated in an image to lower image quality, because of uneven density in sponge. In addition, durability of a roller employing sponge is deteriorated.
Solid rubber gives uniform pressure, and it is free from the image quality decline and durability shortage. However, when rubber of low hardness is used, there is caused a problem of a tack property, resulting in high close adhesion and a state similar to adhesion. In the nip portion, a solid rubber layer is squeezed by high load, and a surface of the solid rubber shrinks once before entering the nip portion, and then is extended gradually as the pressure in the nip portion increases, and after that, a progress opposite to the foregoing is taken after passing the maximum pressure area.
On the other hand, a belt basic body is made of a metal like nickel electroformed metal and a high strength heat-resistant resin such as polyimide, and its elastic modulus is greater than that of rubber, and it hardly shows expansion and contraction. Therefore, it is necessary for the inner surface of the fixing belt to slide on the surface of the pressure roller in the nip portion. However, if a tack property is high, both of them cannot slide easily on each other and troubles that they are forced to slide to generate abnormal noises are generated, or the fixing belt yields and wrinkles are caused thereon.
To avoid the foregoing, it is also possible to grind a solid rubber surface of the pressure roller to acquire an appropriate roughness, and thereby, to make it slide easily. However, in the case of low hardness rubber, the rubber easily becomes a large lump when it is torn off by a grindstone, and thereby, the condition for grinding needs to be controlled extremely strictly for obtaining appropriated roughness, and polishing powder and a portion of rubber immediately before being torn off tend to stay on the surface. After being mounted in a fixing device, uneven pressure distribution is caused in the nip portion by the polishing powder and broken pieces. Further, the polishing powder and others are transferred to a fixing belt and a heat roller, to make heat conduction from the heat roller to be uneven, resulting in uneven temperature of the fixing belt. This unevenness in pressure and temperature results in image defect such as uneven gloss. Further, since the surface is still composed of a rubber of low hardness, tack property to some extent still remains, and even when a fixing belt and a pressure roller can be driven, a state where the pressure roller clings to the inner surface of the fixing belt is generated, in the course of assembling a fixing device, resulting in extremely degraded easiness of assembling. In addition, if they are forced to be assembled, the fixing belt is easily damaged.
Therefore, for preventing the tack property on the surface of the pressure roller, it can be considered that the surface of solid rubber provided on the pressure roller is covered or is coated by a tube of PFA (perfluoroalkoxy) or of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) representing resin with low friction. In this structure, sliding property on a fixing belt is improved by a resin layer.
A fixing device wherein a silicone rubber layer of the pressure roller is covered with a PFA tube is known (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-94079).
A surface roughness corresponding to the use is needed for the surface of an elastic roller used for a copying machine or the like, for securing friction against a recording sheet. However, when the elastic roller is made to be small, lowering the hardness of the elastic layer is necessary, because an elastic layer also becomes thinner. A patent gazette discloses an elastic roller wherein plural fine grooves are formed in the axial direction when producing the elastic roller of this kind, because forming evenly fine undulations on the surface through conventional grinding processing or electrical discharging machining is not possible. Incidentally, forming of the fine grooves is conducted through injection molding employing a mold that is formed from a mother mold made by grinding processing by a grindstone (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-156841).
Further, the patent gazette discloses a thermal fixing roller wherein highly accurate geometric undulations are formed on the surface of an elastic layer for preventing a sheet from coiling (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-53467).
When a resin layer made of PFA or PTFE is formed on the surface of a pressure roller, easiness of sliding on a fixing belt is improved, and no abnormality is caused on rotation of the fixing belt, thereby, neither wrinkles on the recording sheet nor abnormal noises are generated, and a problem that a work efficiency for assembling of a fixing device is lowered is not caused.
However, when a pressure is applied in the nip portion as stated above, a low hardness solid rubber of the pressure roller is crushed, and the surface tends to extend or contract. For obtaining a wide nip portion or a high separation curvature, the solid rubber is transformed greatly, and the elasticity rate without a resin layer becomes to be about ±10%. In the initial state, the resin layer disturbs this transformation and supports, but it cannot support for a long time, because a resin layer is formed as extremely thin as 10-50 μm so that tenderness of the pressure roller may not be deteriorated. Since the resin layer does not have elasticity like that of rubber, the resin layer is gradually expanded while it repeats its passage through the nip portion, and cracks are generated when being expanded. Since there is no support by a resin layer on the portion of the cracks, transformation is concentrated on the rubber layer of that portion, and cracks progress not only on the resin layer but also on the rubber layer. Under such condition, fixing pressure is not applied on the portion of cracks sufficiently, and uneven gloss and fixing troubles are caused. Further it results in damages of the rubber layer in the worst case.
The invention has been achieved in view of the aforesaid problems, and its objective is to propose a belt-type fixing device wherein cracks affecting adversely a resin layer and an elastic layer by pressure in the nip portion are not generated even when an elastic layer of the pressure roller in the belt-type fixing device is covered by a resin layer, and to propose an image forming apparatus equipped with the belt-type fixing device.
Incidentally, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-94079 does not disclose the problem that a PFA tube and a silicone rubber layer are torn, and countermeasures for the problem of this kind is not described at all.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-156841, only an elastic layer is formed on the outer circumferential surface of a core material in the elastic roller, and fine grooves are formed for causing surface roughness of the elastic layer to be uniform. Therefore, the structure to cover the elastic layer further with a resin layer is not described, and the problems that cracks are caused on the elastic layer and countermeasures for the problems are not described at all.
In the case of Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-53467, a fixing heat roller is one wherein a geometric undulation forms are provided on the surface of the elastic layer on the core metal member, and the structure for covering the elastic layer further with a resin layer is not described, and it is one for preventing a sheet from clinging to the fixing roller, thus, the problems that cracks are generated on the elastic layer and countermeasures for the problems are not described at all.

Belt-type fixing device having a pressure roller with surface undulations

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell, a storage battery, a fuel-cell-output-controller, and a remaining-capacity-detector. An output of the fuel cell is supplied to a load. An output of the storage battery is supplied to the load. The fuel-cell-output-controller is configured to control the output of the fuel cell. The remaining-capacity-detector is configured to detect a current remaining capacity in the storage battery. The fuel-cell-output-controller is configured to determine and control a reference output value for the output of the fuel cell in accordance with a change in the current remaining capacity in the storage battery, and configured to increase the reference output value as an output of the load becomes higher referring to a state of the output of the load for a specific period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell vehicle and a method of controlling a fuel cell and a storage battery provided in the fuel cell vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes an electrolyte membrane (electrolyte)-electrode assembly in which an electrolyte membrane formed by a polymer ion exchange membrane (a cation exchange membrane) is held between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and separators between which the assembly is held. Fuel cells of this type are in general provided as fuel cell stacks each obtained by stacking a specific number of cells each including an electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly and separators.
In such a fuel cell stack, a fuel gas, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas, supplied to the anode electrode is hydrogen-ionized by an electrode catalyst, passes through the electrolyte membrane moistened to an appropriate level, and moves to the cathode electrode. Electrons produced in this movement are taken by an external circuit and are used as direct-current electric energy. The cathode electrode is supplied with an oxidant gas, for example, an oxygen-containing gas such as air. Therefore, the hydrogen ions, the electrons, and the oxygen react to each other at the cathode electrode, whereby water is produced.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-325976 ([0064] to [0067] and FIG. 6) proposes a technique relating to a fuel cell vehicle that runs on a fuel cell, such as the one described above, and a storage battery both functioning as drive sources with a motor functioning as a power source.
In the technique proposed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-325976, the output of the fuel cell is made to follow the degree of accelerator opening (an output required by a load) in such a manner as to become higher as the remaining capacity in the storage battery becomes smaller.
In such a technique, however, in which the output of the fuel cell is controlled to follow the output required by the load, the fuel cell may be overloaded and the durability of the fuel cell may be reduced because of, for example, a high possibility of damage on the electrolyte membrane. Consequently, the durability of the fuel cell vehicle may be reduced.

Fuel cell vehicle and method of controlling fuel cell and storage battery provided in the fuel cell vehicle


A light emitting diode includes a current leakage passage electrically connected in parallel to an active layer to better protect the light emitting diode from static electricity. The light emitting diode includes a substrate, an n-type nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer on the active layer, a p-electrode on the p-type semiconductor layer, and an n-electrode formed from the n-type semiconductor layer, exposed by etching, to a portion of the p-type semiconductor layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode with an improved protection function for electrostatic discharge impact. More particularly, the present invention relates to a light emitting diode that has a current leakage passage electrically connected in parallel to an active layer to protect the light emitting diode from the static electricity and to provide better reliability in anti-electrostatic performance.
2. Discussion of the Background
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are devices that convert an electric current into light when the current is input forward into an active layer of the devices. For emitting infrared rays, red light, and the like, the LED is formed of chemical compounds such as InP, GaAs, GaP, and the like. Further, a GaN-based semiconductor has been developed as a material for an LED for emitting ultraviolet rays, blue light, or green light.
To prevent generation of crystal defects, the GaN-based semiconductor is generally grown by an epitaxy process on a sapphire substrate, which has similar crystal structure and lattice constant as those of the semiconductor. Since sapphire is an insulator, electrode pads for the LED are formed on a grown surface of an epitaxial layer. However, for a substrate made of an insulator such as sapphire, it is difficult to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) caused by static electricity injected from the outside. As a result, the LED may be damaged by the electrostatic discharge, which reduces reliability of the LED. Thus, when packaging the LED, a separate Zenor diode is mounted along with the LED to prevent ESD.
FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flip-chip LED with a Zenor diode on a sub-mount to prevent ESD damage, and FIG. 1B is an equivalent circuit diagram of the flip-chip LED shown in FIG. 1A. Referring to FIG. 1A, a semiconductor light emitting device includes an LED 125 and a Zenor diode 155, which is connected in parallel to the LED 125 and formed on a sub-mount 151. The LED 125 includes an n-type semiconductor layer (for example, n-GaN) 103 on a sapphire substrate 101, an active layer 105 on the n-type semiconductor layer 103, a p-type semiconductor layer (for example, p-GaN) 107 on the active layer 105, an n-electrode 111 on the n-type semiconductor layer 103, and a p-electrode 109 on the p-type semiconductor layer 107. The Zenor diode 155 can be formed by injecting, for example, p-type ions into a portion of the sub-mount 151 such as an n-type silicon substrate to form a p-type silicon region 153. In the LED 125, the n-electrode 111 is connected to the p-type silicon region 153 via a first conductive bump 113, and the p-electrode 109 is connected to the sub-mount 151 such as the n-type silicon substrate via a second conductive bump 115, followed by flip chip bonding. If ESD voltage is applied through input/output terminals (not shown) of the semiconductor light emitting device shown in FIG. 1A, most discharge current flows through the Zenor diode 155 connected in parallel to the LED 125, as also shown in FIG. 1B. With this configuration, the LED 125 can be protected from inadvertent application of the ESD voltage.
For the light emitting device shown in FIG. 1A, formation of the Zenor diode 155 on the sub-mount 151 requires an expensive ion-injection process and a diffusion process that is difficult to control, thereby leading to a complex process and an increased cost in manufacturing the sub-mount 151.
For not only the flip chip LED described above but also general surface emission LEDs, using the Zenor diode increases the number of processes and manufacturing costs for packaging the LED along with the Zenor diode, and makes it more difficult to arrange the LED and the Zenor diode in the package.

Light emitting diode and method for manufacturing the same


A control system for small unmanned rotorcraft compensates for vehicle pitch control saturation caused by the need for sudden vehicle pitch attitude correction, in turn often caused by wind gusts. The rotorcraft has a pitch-variable rotor system responsive to a vehicle pitch servo command for cyclically controlling rotor pitch and responsive to a collective servo command for collectively controlling rotor pitch. A compensating signal derived from the unlimited vehicle pitch servo command signal is cross-connected to the unlimited collective servo command signal to compensate for pitch control saturation, typically by reducing the magnitude of the resulting collective servo command signal. The compensating signal is derived by passing the unlimited vehicle pitch servo command signal through a dead band which responds as the signal approaches saturation and by preferably also then providing high and low frequency shaping to that signal.

The flight control of a rotorcraft differs in difficulty and complexity, at least to some extent, as a function of the size and character of the rotorcraft and the attendant operating conditions. Generally speaking, a larger more powerful aircraft may be more forgiving of a variety of changes in operating conditions than would a smaller less powerful aircraft. Still further, removal of the human pilot from within the rotorcraft, as by employing remote and/or autonomous control, may further complicate controllability.
A condition observed during remote control of a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the rotorcraft type having a low power-to-weight ratio and coaxial rotors, involves the difficulty in maintaining stable manual longitudinal (pitch) control, particularly in response to rapid shifts in pitch attitude resulting from wind gusts and the like. For example, when the rotorcraft pitches nose up as the result of an input such as a wind gust, the operator will attempt to compensate with an appropriate nose down pitch control response. However, depending upon the rate and magnitude of the corrective action required, the pitch servo control may be driven to saturation, thus limiting the requisite response. In an extreme instance, failure to provide the requisite pitch control for the rotorcraft may result in loss of its control. In an effort to avoid that consequence, the operator may attempt to manually reduce the collective control when the pitch control saturates. However, that action as well requires careful monitoring of the pitch control and rapid adjustment of the collective control, which may severely test the dexterity of the operator flying the UAV rotorcraft. Indeed, it may not be possible to manually respond with sufficient speed and accuracy to avoid loss of control of the rotorcraft.

Compensation for rotorcraft pitch axis control saturation


A fast method of transforming competent cells is described. The competent cells are thawed at room temperature or in a water bath. Plasmid DNAs and competent cells are mixed together, then the mixture is subject to heat shock treatment. After plating the mixture on a low-temperature selective medium by a low-temperature plating tool, the competent cells are cultured on the selective medium.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a gene transformation method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fast method of transforming competent cells.
2. Description of Related Art
The host cells after preliminary treatment to be more permeable to DNA molecules are called competent cells, and the technology of delivering DNA molecules in the surrounding medium into host cells is called transformation. Hence, producing competent cells and transforming competent cells is very important in view of recent developments of genetic engineering.
The technology described above can be retraced to Mandel, M. and Higa, A. (J. Mol. Biol. 53:159–162), who published a chemical transformation method using CaCl2. After 30-year-improvement, the time needed for transformation is still 1.5–3.0 hours because the host cells are injured by the chemical treatment. The injured host cells require a recovering step. In the recovering step, the host cells are cultured in a nutrient medium to allow the injured host cells to recover their physiological function and drug resistance. Then the host cells are plated on a selective medium to screen the successfully transformed host cells. Otherwise, the transformation efficiency would decrease by several times. Recently, a fast transformation method called electroporation has been developed. Although the electroporations can deliver DNA molecules into the E. coli host cells by transient current, the host cells after the transient current treatment still need an hour of recovery to obtain a higher transformation efficiency (Dower et. al., 1988 Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 6127–6145). In 1988, Golub E. I. (Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 1641) also published a method of one-minute transformation. Although a recovering step is performed, the transformation efficiency is only 104–105 colonies/μg plasmid DNA.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fast method of transforming competent cells


In a program data stack in a computer system, every stack is implemented as two substacks, one to contain references and one to contain primitive data. In this manner, whether a piece of information on a stack is a reference or a primitive value is easily determined according to which substack it resides in. Each substack is itself a full-fledged stack data structure with a stack base, a stack pointer, and a stack limit. In the preferred embodiment, there is also a frame pointer for each substack. The normal instruction set is modified so that instructions that operate with references use the reference stack whereas instructions that operate with data use the primitive data stack. Specifically, during compilation, or loading, all instructions which can operate indiscriminately with either references or data are replaced by equivalent, but reference-specific or data-specific instructions. With this arrangement, garbage collection algorithms can locate all references stored within a stack, since the references are all in a more or less contiguous region of memory without interspersed primitive data.

One of the most important resources within a data processing system is the amount of memory directly available for utilization by tasks during execution. Accordingly, much interest has been directed to efficient utilization of memory and memory management strategies. An important concept in memory management is the manner in which memory is allocated to a task, deallocated and then reclaimed.
Memory deallocation and reclamation may be explicit and controlled by an executing program, or may be carried out by another special purpose program which locates and reclaims memory which is unused, but has not been explicitly deallocated. "Garbage collection" is the term used in technical literature and the relevant arts to refer to a class of algorithms utilized to carry out storage management, specifically automatic memory reclamation. There are many known garbage collection algorithms, including reference counting, mark-sweep, and generational garbage collection algorithms. These, and other garbage collection techniques, are described in detail in a book entitled "Garbage Collection, Algorithms For Automatic Dynamic Memory Management" by Richard Jones and Raphael Lins, John Wiley & Sons, 1996. Unfortunately, many of the described techniques for garbage collection have specific requirements which cause implementation problems, as described herein.
For the purpose of this specification, the term "object" refers to a data structure that is represented in the memory of a computing system. This usage of the term object is distinct from the usage of the term "object" in "object-oriented" systems, wherein objects have associated "methods", i.e. pieces of code associated with them, which code may be invoked through a reference to the object. However, the present invention is applicable to such object-oriented systems.
An object may be located by a "reference", or a small amount of information that can be used to access the data structure. One way to implement a reference is by means of a "pointer" or "machine address", which uses multiple bits of information, however, other implementations are possible. General-purpose programming languages and other programmed systems often use references to locate and access objects. Such objects can themselves contain references to data, such as integers or floating-point numbers and to yet other objects. In this manner, a chain of references can be created, each reference pointing to an object which, in turn, points to another object.
Garbage collection techniques determine when a data structure is no longer reachable by an executing program, either directly or through a chain of pointers. When a data structure is no longer reachable, the memory that the data structure occupies can be reclaimed and reused even if it has not been explicitly deallocated by the program. To be effective, garbage collection techniques should be able to, first, identify references that are directly accessible to the executing program, and, second, given a reference to an object, identify references contained within that object, thereby allowing the garbage collector to trace transitively chains of references.
A subclass of garbage collectors known as "relocating" garbage collectors, relocate data structures that are still reachable by the executing program. Relocation of a data structure is accomplished by making a copy of the data structure in another region of memory, then replacing all reachable references to the original data structure with references to the new copy. The memory occupied by the original data structure may then be reclaimed and reused. Relocating garbage collectors have the desirable property that they compact the memory used by the executing program and thereby reduce memory fragmentation.
Because relocating garbage collectors modify references during the garbage collection process, it is important that references be identified and distinguished from non-reference information, such as data, which cannot be modified for garbage collection purposes. Consequently, fully relocating garbage collectors belong to a subclass of garbage collection methods, known as "exact" garbage collectors, which require knowledge whether a given piece of information in memory is a reference or a primitive value. For the purposes of this document, a "primitive value" or "primitive data" is defined as data which does not function as a reference, such as an integer or floating point number.
In order to facilitate the use of exact garbage collection, some computing systems use a "tagged" representation for all memory locations to positively distinguish references from data. In such systems, references and primitive data, such as integers and floating-point numbers, are represented in memory in a manner that a reference always has a different bit pattern than a primitive value. This is generally done by including tag bits in each memory location in addition to the bits holding the memory location value. The tag bits for a memory location holding a reference value are always different from the tag bits for a memory location holding a datum value. The MIT LISP Machine was one of the first architectures which used garbage collection and had a single stack with explicitly tagged memory values. Its successor, the Symbolics 3600, commercially available from Symbolics, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., also used explicitly tagged memory values. The Symbolics 3600 was able to accommodate either a 32-bit reference or a 32-bit primitive datum in a single stack by using 36 bit words, 4 bits of which were permanently allocated for tagging information. As such, the bit pattern within a 36-bit word for a reference was always distinguishable from the bit pattern for a primitive integer or floating-point value.
Permanently allocated tag bits have the disadvantage that they consume memory space that might otherwise be used to store computational data. Consequently, many computer systems use an "untagged" data representation in which the entire memory word is devoted to representing the datum value. In such systems, the same bit pattern might represent a reference or a primitive value. As a result, in such systems, the distinction between references and primitive values is often made from external considerations or representations, such as the instruction that is to operate on the data, or the position of the data within an object. However, the use of external considerations to make this distinction was not possible in all systems.
For example, the Java programming language was originally designed for use in systems using untagged data representation. The Java programming language is described in detail in the text entitled "The Java Language Specification" by James Gosling, Bill Joy and Guy Steele, Addison-Wesley, 1996. The Java language was designed to run on computing systems with characteristics that are specified by the Java Virtual Machine Specification which is described in detail in a text entitled "The Java Virtual Machine Specification", by Tim Lindholm and Frank Yellin, Addison-Wesley, 1996.
According to the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) Specification, a local variable or stack slot in a computing system using 32-bit memory words may contain either a 32-bit integer, a 32-bit floating-point number, or a 32-bit reference. Consequently, tagged data representation cannot be used in all cases (programming languages that use tagged data representation on 32-bit computer architectures typically restrict the size of integers to 30 bits.) However, it is not possible to distinguish references from data in all cases by examining Java instructions, because many instructions operate indiscriminately on references and data.
Another technique by which references and primitive data are identified and distinguished is to keep them on separate stacks. This technique was used in a system that also used garbage collection and goes back more than twenty years, to a version of the MacLisp system that had four stacks. Two of these stacks contained references and two did not. Of the two that contained references, one contained ordinary subroutine arguments and one contained "dynamic bindings" of so-called "special variables". Of the two that contained primitive data, one held integer values and one held floating-point values. While it was true that the garbage collector did not need to scan the integer and floating-point stacks while looking for references, the principal motivation for this separation was not to use two or more stacks to simulate a single logical stack, but rather to stack-allocate certain numerical quantities that might otherwise have required allocation in the garbage-collected heap, and to be able to tell whether such data was integer or floating-point by its address. This required two separate stacks for primitive data, not just one. Subroutine arguments were never passed on the two primitive stacks. Rather, every argument was represented as a reference on the main reference stack. Although some of these references were addresses of locations on the numerical stacks, this was a consequence of the more general mechanism for stack allocation of numerical values. Local variables of the reference type were allocated on the reference stack and local variables of numerical type might, or might not, be allocated on a numerical stack. If a local variable of the numerical type was allocated on a numerical stack, it might be represented in a dual form where the numerical value was stored in a numerical stack and the address of the location on the numerical stack was stored in the reference stack. A generalization of such a strategy was used in the S-1 LISP language.
Accordingly, implementation of an exact garbage collection algorithm with a computer system architecture which does not accommodate tagged data or which does not support segregation of operands into different stacks presents implementation problems.

System and method for assisting exact Garbage collection by segregating the contents of a stack into sub stacks


A subscriber enters personal information data into a personal information manager (PIM). The PIM, either automatically, or based on additional profile requests entered by the subscriber, generates profile update data associated with the personal information data. The PIM transmits the profile update data to a database in a telecommunication system which stores subscriber profile data. The transmission is via a wired communication link, a wireless communication link, or a combination of wired and wireless communication link. Upon receipt of the profile update data by the database, the subscriber profile data stored therein is updated in accordance with the subscriber profile update data. Thereafter, telecommunication services, including call completion services and message reminder services, are provided to the subscriber based on the updated subscriber profile data.

In an increasingly mobile society, telecommunications service providers are offering many different types of telecommunication services to their customers. With the increasing popularity of wireless communication systems (i.e. wireless cellular telephone systems, wireless cellular personal communication systems (PCS), or paging systems), such services allow users of wireless communication devices (e.g. mobile telephones, mobile data devices, or paging receivers) to manage their availability for communication. Such services are generally provided to users on a subscription basis, and therefore these users are often referred to as subscribers.
One category of telecommunication services is call completion services. Call completion refers to the manner in which a call to a subscriber is processed by the telecommunication system. Call completion services are particularly important in a wireless communication system. Subscribers, while valuing the ability to be reached via a mobile telephone, recognize that there may be certain times (e.g. during meetings) when they do not want to be interrupted by a telephone call.
One type of call completion service is call forwarding, in which telephone calls to a subscriber are forwarded to an alternate destination at certain times. Such alternate destination may be, for example, a secretary, voice mail, or another telephone. Thus, if a caller places a call to the mobile telephone of a subscriber who has call forwarding activated, the call will be automatically routed to the alternate destination.
Another type of call completion service is selective call acceptance, in which only calls from certain telephone numbers are routed to a subscriber telephone during certain times. For example, if a subscriber is in a meeting, he/she may set up selective call acceptance to route all calls, except those from his/her secretary, to voice mail.
Another category of telecommunication services is paging alert reminder service. This service provides subscribers with paging alert messages in order to remind the subscriber of a timed event. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,795 describes a nationwide paging system which interconnects existing local paging services. The system includes an automatic page generator which maintains a list of events that cause pages to be generated for a particular subscriber. One type of automatic page is a time initiated page, which is broadcast at a specific time (e.g. wake-up calls, birthday notices, reminders to take medication, etc.). When the event time occurs, the page generator sends a page for distribution to the appropriate local paging service for broadcast.
Also related to paging messages is U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,473, which is directed to a calendar driven messaging system. It describes an electronic information processing device (e.g. pocket paging assistant, personal computer, electronic pocket organizer, laptop computer, or the like) which communicates with a paging terminal via a conventional modem for automatically sending pre-stored messages to a paging subscriber as reminders for meetings, appointments, or the like. A user enters a message, a time at which the message is to be transmitted, and an identification of a paging subscriber, into the electronic information processing device. The information is stored in a memory of the electronic information processing device until the indicated time occurs. At the indicated time, the electronic information processing device communicates the message to a paging terminal for delivery to the pager associated with the identified subscriber. Thus, the electronic information processing device may be used as a reminder system to notify paging subscribers of timed events. The electronic information processing device is external to the paging system, and communicates with the paging system via a modem. Since the electronic information processing device is not part of the telecommunications network, and does not send messages to the telecommunications network until the alert time has arrived, the electronic information processing device must be continually dedicated to the task of scanning for messages which need to be sent. Further, as a result of being external to the paging system, the electronic information processing device must have continuous access to a phone line in order to communicate a message to the paging system.
In order for a telecommunication service provider to provide individualized telecommunication services (e.g., call completion services and paging alert reminder service) to subscribers, individual subscriber profiles must be stored in a database in the telecommunication network. Such subscriber profiles describe, for each subscriber, the telecommunication service features which the subscriber subscribes to, and the current status of the feature (e.g. active or inactive). In addition, the subscriber profile describes feature descriptions which may be unique for each subscriber so as to allow each subscriber to have a customizable set of telecommunication service features.
The problem arises as to how to enter information into a subscriber profile and how to keep a subscriber profile up to date to reflect a subscriber's changing schedule. One method for entering and updating a subscriber profile is for a subscriber to place a telephone call to a processing system which updates the subscriber profile. The processing system may be automated, such that the subscriber updates his/her profile based on commands entered via the telephone keypad. Alternatively, the processing system may be monitored by an attendant, whereby the subscriber conveys his/her profile requests to the attendant and the attendant updates the subscriber profile in the database. One of the drawbacks to such a system is that a subscriber must remember to call in to the processing system when an update to the profile is to be made. Further, the possibility of the subscriber making a data entry error when using the automated system is another drawback to the system.
One automated technique for updating a database containing subscriber information is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,645, which describes an automatic system for forwarding calls. In that system, a subscriber's call forwarding profile is updated based on transactions or activities that indicate the subscriber's location. From the subscriber point of view, these activities are ones which are engaged in for reasons unrelated to call forwarding (e.g. using a credit card or placing a long distance credit card call). An advantage of such a system is that a subscriber's call forwarding profile is updated without any extra effort by the subscriber. A drawback to this system is that call forwarding information is updated only after a subscriber engages in an appropriate activity while at a location. If the user does not engage in such an activity, then the user's call forwarding profile is not updated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,908 describes a system for automatically managing the greetings for a subscriber's voice message system based on information contained in the subscriber's electronic schedule database (e.g. calendar management program database stored in a computer). In accordance with this system, a computer connected to a voice mail system and having access to the electronic schedule database executes a special process. The process periodically checks the subscriber's electronic schedule database and determines if the subscriber's voice mail message needs to be updated. If the voice mail message needs to be updated, the process generates a new message and sends the message to the voice message system. A deficiency of such a system is that, since the computer is not an integral part of the voice message system, and does not generate and send a new message to the voice message system until a scheduled event time is encountered, the computer must be continually dedicated to the task of scanning for scheduled event times which require generation of a message. Further, as a result of not being an integral part of the voice message system, the computer must have continuous access to the voice mail system in order to communicate a generated voice message to the voice message system. Further, the system does not affect call processing (e.g., call routing) based on entries in the electronic schedule database. The routing of the call to the voice message system is not based on information contained in the subscriber's electronic schedule database. The information contained in the subscriber's electronic schedule database only affects the voice mail message heard by a caller after the call is routed to the voice mail system.

Personal information manager for updating a telecommunication subscriber profile


When a heating process is performed in a state where a thermal transfer sheet is superimposed on a scintillator plate, a film of the thermal transfer sheet is separated from the thermal transfer sheet and adhered onto the scintillator plate. The film includes a protective layer, an aluminum layer, and an adhesive layer. The aluminum layer is protected by the protective layer. Because the scintillator plate by itself functions as a rear surface support substrate with respect to the protective layer and the aluminum layer, a film which is highly resistive against an external effect can be formed. A plurality of films can be layered on the scintillator plate. A pressure transfer method can also be used for formation of the film. A scintillator member in which the film has been formed is disposed in a radiation measuring device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scintillator member (scintillator assembly or scintillator construction) and to a manufacturing method thereof, and a radiation measuring device, and more particularly to light shielding technology of a scintillator member.
2. Description of Related Art
Scintillator members are used in various radiation measuring instruments including a surface contamination measuring instrument, a body surface monitor, and so on. When excited by radiation, a scintillator member emits light, which is then directed onto a light receiving surface of a photomultiplier tube (PMT). In order to detect the light generated in the scintillator with high sensitivity, a light shielding structure or a light tight structure (a dark room) for shielding the scintillator member from external light is provided on both rear and front surface sides of the scintillator member.
With regard to light shielding on the front surface (a radiation entering or incident surface) side of a scintillator member, attenuation of radiation passing through this surface should be considered. In particular, as the range of β rays in the air is small, a light tight film having a certain degree of thickness which is formed on the front surface side of a scintillator member would make blockage and attenuation of radiation on that surface non-negligible, thereby considerably lowering the measuring sensitivity. Thus, only a very thin light tight film can be provided on the front surface side of a scintillator member. Such a thin light tight film, however, has a very low physical strength and is also easy to corrode, when used on its own. Further, when the light tight film is scratched or has pinholes formed by scratching, light enters through such pinholes, making it impossible to detect weak light emission generated in the scintillator member.
In order to overcome the above problems, a technique of providing a plurality of thin light tight films such that they are spaced from each other on a front surface side a scintillator member may be considered, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2001-141831 and Hei 3-231187. Each light tight film includes a resin layer and light tight layers formed on both sides of the resin layer. With this structure, even if a light tight layer formed on the top surface of a light tight film provided on the outermost side is damaged, light can be blocked by a light tight layer formed on the rear surface side. Further, when the entire light tight film provided on the outer side is damaged by a large external force, light shielding can be secured by an adjacent light tight film which is spaced from the damaged light tight film toward the inner side. Here, while a protective grille having a lattice shape may be provided on the front surface side of the outermost light tight film as required, there is a possibility that foreign matter or a contaminant may enter through any of the openings of the lattice. If the area of each opening of the protective grille is reduced to thereby enhance the physical protection, the sensitivity for radiation detection would be decreased.
When a light tight film is mounted onto a radiation measuring instrument, it is necessary to dispose the light tight film while pulling the whole film evenly so as to prevent wrinkles from being generated on the film. This task requires technical skill and takes an immense amount of time and labor. Further, the light tight film will easily tear when an excessive force is applied thereto during the disposing operation. Conventionally, these problems are very significant because, in general, a plurality of light tight films are mounted on a radiation measuring instrument.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-35869 discloses one example radiation measuring instrument using a scintillator member. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-248139 describes that a light tight film is attached onto a thin scintillator plate having a large area (see paragraph 0041 and so on). Neither reference, however, describes details of the light tight film or a method of attaching the light tight film. In particular, while it is necessary to dispose an extremely thin light tight film in the case of β ray detection, a treating method specific to such a thin film is not disclosed in any of the references.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-16486 describes that a light tight film is provided on a surface of a plastic scintillator. The light tight film includes a plastic film in a thin film shape and a deposition layer also in a thin film shape which is formed on a rear or top surface of the plastic film. This reference, however, does not describe how the light tight film in a thin film shape is provided on the plastic scintillator. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-297145 describes that a scintillator layer and a light tight layer are closely attached. However, the light tight layer is removable and is not fixedly adhered to the scintillator layer.
The present inventors have heretofore repeated various studies and experiments in order to form a thin light tight film having a thickness of approximately 1 to several μm on a surface of a scintillator plate. In an experiment using a vacuum deposition method, a scintillator plate was placed within a vacuum deposition vessel and aluminum was deposited on a surface of the scintillator plate which was being heated. It was found, however, that with this method, the thickness of the film became as much as approximately 20 μm and that when such a thick film was used as a light tight layer, the sensitivity of β ray was decreased considerably. It was also found that, with this method, control of the film thickness was very difficult. On the other hand, while a thin film having a light shielding effect could be formed by an experiment using a sputtering method, it was proved that the strength of the film was very weak and the film was stripped easily when it was rubbed. This method also poses problems that the number of scintillator plates which can be processed per single sputtering operation is limited and that it is difficult to process a large scintillator plate. In addition, while an ion plating method was also studied, with this method, the processing temperature exceeds 100° C., which causes a problem concerning heat resistance of some types of plastic scintillator materials which form the scintillator plate.
Each of the various methods described above requires a large device for forming a light tight film and is also unsuitable for mass processing, resulting in a problem of increased processing cost. In consideration of the background that it is very difficult to form a uniform thin film directly on a scintillator plate, it is currently common to provide a plurality of light tight films which are spaced from each other on a radiation entering surface side of the scintillator plate, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-141831 described above. These light tight films, which are formed by applying aluminum deposition onto a very thin plastic film, tear very easily by themselves. Further, each light tight film, which is held in the air, has a very weak structure which is not resistant to an external force. There has therefore been a strong demand for a new light shielding technology in order to increase robustness of a radiation measuring device having a scintillator member.

Scintillator member and manufacturing method thereof, and radiation measuring device


A single day alarm clock includes circuitry for selecting an alarm mode to be an alarm-on mode or an alarm-off mode, circuitry for setting an alarm time at which an alarm will sound when the alarm mode is set to the alarm-on mode and circuitry for automatically setting the alarm mode to the alarm-off mode once the alarm has sounded in the alarm-on mode, thereby preventing the alarm from sounding the next day at the set alarm time.

Alarm clocks and the like having various designs, structures and configurations have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,562 discloses a switch-off device for an electrically operated clock alarm and control thereof. An electrically operable alarm is provided for a clock and includes a clock operated switch for turning the alarm on at a selected time. A manual switch is provided which, when opened momentarily, will cause a bistable switching circuit to go to a second condition in which the alarm remains silent until the clock operated switch again closes the next day. The manual switch is adjustable for preventing the alarm from sounding when the clock operated switch closes. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the design and configuration of a single day alarm clock of the present invention.
There are therefore situations in which it is undesirable for an alarm clock to go off every day at a previously set time. An example of such a situation is a hotel that provides alarm clocks in the rooms thereof for the use of hotel guests. When a hotel guest uses a hotel-provided alarm clock, the guest may not disarm the alarm before checking out of the hotel. Thus, unless a hotel employee or the next guest to stay in the room disarms the alarm, the alarm will sound the next day at the time set by the previous hotel guest. Therefore, a disadvantage of a conventional alarm clock is that a user, such as a new hotel guest, for example, may be undesirably awakened when the alarm sounds at a time set by a previous user.
Another disadvantage of conventional alarm clocks is the inability to effectively prevent altering settings thereof, such as the time, for example.


A system and method for providing security in data communication systems where multiple users are coupled to a common receiving system. The data is encrypted or otherwise encoded by a sender using a key. The encrypted data is then scrambled or otherwise encoded, and transmitted by the sender. The transmitted data is received at a receiver where it is descrambled or otherwise decoded. An authorized user decrypts or otherwise decodes the descrambled data using a key to retrieve clear data. The key itself is encrypted by the sender using an asymmetric encryption algorithm, and is then transmitted by the sender. The authorized user decrypts the encrypted key using the asymmetric encryption algorithm, and uses the key to decrypt the encrypted data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to security in data communication systems, and more specifically to a system and a method for providing security in data communication systems where multiple users are coupled to a common receiving system.
2. Related Art
In any data transmission system, security is a major concern. The sender of data wants to ensure that only authorized users may gain access to the data, but not unauthorized users. In general, where there is only one user connected to a receiver, such as in a typical Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) system used for television services, a method known as Conditional Access is used to provide the user with the data. Conditional Access is a method for providing authorized reception of DBS transmissions.
In a DBS transmission system, a service provider uses a Broadcast Operation Center to provide the transmission. For example, suppose a movie or other program is to be transmitted to a customer. According to the Conditional Access method, at the Broadcast Operation Center, the data representing the movie is scrambled and transmitted via satellite. The transmission is performed with an uplink from the Broadcast Operation Center to a satellite and then to customers. The downlink indiscriminately covers a wide geographical area known as a footprint. Many customers within the footprint will be able to receive the transmission, but only those customers who have been authorized by the DBS service provider (i.e., those customers who have ordered the movie) will be able to descramble the signal. To receive and descramble the signal, a customer uses a satellite receiver dish and a decoder. The decoder contains the algorithms needed to descramble the signal, but will require certain data keys or additional algorithms to do so. These are provided by the DBS service provider, either on demand for transmissions such as pay-per-view movie, or on a subscriber basis for transmissions such as a movie channel.
In the example of a DBS transmission, the transmission signal is in the MPEG-2 format. MPEG-2 transmits several types of messages. One of these types is called the Entitlement Control Message. The Entitlement Control Message describes the content of the transmission, such as identifying the movie, and is intended for all service subscribers. The subscriber uses the Entitlement Control Message to identify which transmission they are to receive. Another type of message is called the Entitlement Management Message. The Entitlement Management Message describes the permission, or the Conditional Access method, and is intended for authorized recipients only. Another message stream is the content itself (i.e., the scrambled movie).
For example, the Broadcast Operation Center sends a transmission which the Entitlement Control Message declares it to be a pay-per-view movie and a subscriber needs permission #999 to view it. The subscriber orders this movie and receives permission #999. This may be done over phone lines, as is the case for many current DBS systems. The Entitlement Management Message is then used to validate the permission and to provide the keys or algorithms needed to descramble the content of the message.

System and method for providing security in data communication systems


An Ang2 specific antibody, a method of preventing and/or treating a disease related to the activation and/or overproduction (overexpression) of Ang2 by administering the antibody to a subject, and a method of screening a candidate substance for diagnosing, preventing, or treating a disease related to activation or overproduction of Ang2.

1. Field
Provided is an antibody specifically binding to an angiogenesis-inducing factor angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) to inhibit the function thereof, and a use thereof. In particular, provided are an Ang2 specific antibody, a method of preventing and/or treating a disease related to the activation and/or overproduction (overexpression) of Ang2, including administering the antibody to a subject in need thereof, and a method of screening a candidate substance for diagnosing, preventing, or treating a disease related to activation or overproduction of Ang2.
2. Description of the Related Art
Angiogenesis refers to a mechanism through which a new blood vessel is formed from a pre-existing blood vessel, and has been known to play an essential role in the formation of organs, normal physiological growth, wound healing and so on. Also, abnormal angiogenesis has been known to play a crucial role in diseases or symptoms, such as tumor growth and metastasis, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, and the like.
Angiogenesis has been known to play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis, and various intensive research into angiogenesis mechanisms for developing new cancer therapies has been going on by developed countries and multinational pharmaceutical companies. One of the proteins that has been a target of such research is Angiopoietin, which has been known to be involved in blood vessel development and angiogenesis after birth. Known are Ang-1, 2, 3 and 4.
Among them, angiogenesis process related to Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) in a cancer tissue is thought to be as follows. First, for angiogenesis in the cancer tissue, cooption occurs, wherein cancer cells select pre-existing blood vessels to form new blood vessels in a cancer tissue. Thereafter, blood vessel regression occurs, during which the functions of the pre-existing blood vessels are destroyed by Ang2 pathway. The regression of the pre-existing vessels causes hypoxic environment within the cancer tissue, which is an environment where the formation of new blood vessels is possible. Under such conditions, the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is increased, and new blood vessels are thus formed. For such a reason, Ang2 is one of the important targets in the development of angiogenesis inhibitors, and various kinds of angiogenesis inhibitors are currently being developed and actively undergoing preclinical or clinical trials.
As Ang2 is of increasing importance as a target for developing an angiogenesis inhibitor, there is a need of developing an effective and strong Ang2 targeting substance.

Antibody specifically binding to ANG2 and use thereof


A pharmacy form including a unitary, elongated sheet having a transverse diecut intermediate the ends thereof defining a label part and an information part in co-planar relation, printed label and information indicia on one face of the sheet and pressure sensitive adhesive on the other face of the sheet extending over said label part and a specified distance onto the information part.

This invention relates to a pharmacy form and method and, more particularly, to a form useful in connection with the dispensing of prescription drugs.
It is increasingly necessary for pharmacists, first, to maintain accurate records of the prescription drugs they dispense and, second, to clearly notify or advise the customer of the usage information, dosage, warnings, etc. This has resulted in the proliferation of forms used by the pharmacists and there is ever-present the chance of confusing information in a multiple form system. This could result in "matching" the drug with the wrong prescription.
The instant invention provides a business form that is useful in any pharmacy when the pharmacist is filling a prescription. The form can include a label for the prescription package, a warning label or labels, signature label and information label. Still further, the form could optionally include a receipt for the insurance company, a receipt for the customer/patient's record and a location for printing any information that is required by law that the pharmacist must give on the medication. The instant invention makes possible the presentation of all of the above items on a single form and further permits variable information to be printed at the same time on one printer.
Thus, the invention provides a complete system of forms and labels needed by the pharmacist to fill a prescription. Because the inventive form has all parts attached and all parts being printed at the same time the amount of time to fill a prescription is decreased and, equally importantly, the chance of confusing or mixing information from a multiple form system is eliminated--because all of the information is one sheet.
The inventive form includes a unitary elongated sheet having a transverse diecut intermediate the ends thereof defining a label part and an information part. There is provided printed label and information indicia on one face of the sheet and pressure sensitive adhesive on the other face of the sheet extending over the label part and partway into the information part. Still further, a release liner covering the adhesive is provided on the other face of the sheet.


A color printing apparatus for deciding a printing color in accordance with a character group has: memories to store character patterns of the colors corresponding to the character groups of each respective color; an input device to input character codes and a character group selection code; a selector to select a predetermined character group on the basis of a character group selection code; a deciding circuit to choose a predetermined one of the memories to store the character patterns in accordance with the character group selected by the selector; a character pattern memory to store the character pattern corresponding to the character code; a developing circuit to develop the character pattern read out of the character pattern memory into the predetermined memory chosen by the deciding circuit on the basis of the input character code; and a printer to print the character pattern developed by the developing means by the color corresponding to the memory. With this apparatus, color printing can be easily performed by a simple construction without need for a complicated color control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color printing apparatus and, more particularly, to a color printing apparatus which can determine printing color in accordance with a character group.
2. Related Background Art
In recent color printing apparatuses, color printing is generally performed on the basis of the following printing methods. For instance,
(1) a color printing method of printing a pattern represented by a character code sandwiched between a "color print start command" and a "color print end command" in a designated color, PA1 (2) a color printing method of printing the inside of an area which is designated by a "color print area designation command" in a designated color,
and the like can be mentioned.
In this manner, hitherto, a desired color image is formed by designating a predetermined color for a portion to be color printed.
Particularly, even in the case where a plurality of character groups which are classified in dependence on fonts or the like are stored in a predetermined ROM in a printing apparatus, color designation is performed on the basis of the foregoing color printing method (1), (2), or the like before printing.
However, since color designation in printing by one of the foregoing printing methods must always be performed there is the drawback that color control by means of color designation becomes complicated, in dependence on the amount of color designation, and the amount of data needed regarding the printing also increases extremely. On the other hand, there is also the drawback that the printing processing time becomes long with an increase in data amount.

Printing color control in color printing apparatus


Olefins are oligomerized by contacting an olefin with a catalyst system that is comprised of a) at least one transition metal complex that is complexed with a polydentate complexing ligand and b) an alkylaluminoxane, each component being present in such amounts that the molar ratio of aluminum transition metal is greater than 10, wherein at least part of the amount of the transition metal complex is added continuously or in portions during the oligomerization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the oligomerization of olefins, in which an olefin is brought into contact with a catalyst system comprising at least one transition metal complex with a polydentate complexing ligand and an alkylaluminoxane.
2. Description of the Background
Olefin oligomers having up to 30 carbon atoms have great economic importance as comonomers for plastics or as precursors for oxo alcohols which are in turn constituents of surfactants and plasticizers for plastics. Processes for the oligomerization of lower olefins produced in, for example, steam crackers are thus of central importance in the production of products used in daily life.
WO 00/58319 describes a process for preparing oligomers of olefins using an oligomerization catalyst which is obtainable from a chromium compound and a 1,3,5-triazacyclohexane and an activating additive such as an alkylaluminoxane.
EP-A-0 537 609 describes the oligomerization of ethene in the presence of a catalyst comprising a chromium complex with a polydentate complexing ligand and an alkylaluminoxane.
Although the mechanism of olefin oligomerization over transition metal complexes has not been fully elucidated, it is assumed that the "activation" of the transition metal complex by the alkylaluminoxane involves a ligand exchange reaction between an abstractable ligand of the complex and the alkyl group of the alkylaluminoxane. This forms a catalytically active species which adds on olefin molecules in a stepwise fashion. The olefin molecules react in the coordination sphere of the transition metal complex to form an oligomer. Liberation of the oligomer regenerates the catalytically active species. However, even with substantial exclusion of impurities, the catalytic activity of the catalyst system becomes exhausted after some time. In general, the catalyst system is then discarded.
The alkylaluminoxane is usually used in a large excess based on the transition metal complex in order to achieve satisfactory activation. The associated high consumption of alkylaluminoxane therefore represents a considerable cost factor in such olefin oligomerization processes.


A plasma display panel includes a first substrate, on which discharge sustain electrodes are formed, and an opposing second substrate, on which address electrodes are aligned in a first direction. Barrier ribs between the substrates define a plurality of discharge cells within which phosphor layers are formed. The discharge sustain electrodes have bus electrodes, forming a corresponding pair within each of the discharge cells, and extension electrodes, extending from the bus electrodes into each of the discharge cells to form an opposing pair. Each extension electrode has an end with a further extending portion with a first width 2α and a lesser extending portion with a second width β. A distance between further extending portions defines a first gap, and a distance between lesser extending defines a second gap longer than the first gap. The first and second widths satisfy 1.5≦α/β≦4.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (hereinafter, PDP), and more particularly, to a surface discharge type PDP with a electrode structure in which a pair of discharge sustain electrodes formed on one substrate and have a corresponding pair of bus electrodes within each discharge cell between two substrates to cause a display discharge.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a plasma display panel is a display device in which ultraviolet rays generated by gas discharge excite phosphors to realize predetermined images. Such a plasma display panel is popular for wide screen display devices since it enables the manufacture of large screen sizes with high resolution.
Referring to FIG. 4, a generally known PDP is formed with address electrodes 112 along one direction (in the X-axis direction of the drawing) on a rear substrate 110, and a dielectric layer 113 is formed on a surface of the rear substrate 110 covering the address electrodes 112. On the dielectric layer 113, barrier ribs 115 of stripe pattern are formed to place between each of the address electrodes 112, and red (R) , green (G), and blue (B) phosphor layers 117 are formed on each of the barrier ribs 115.
In addition, discharge sustain electrodes 102, 103 having a pair of transparent electrodes 102a, 103a and bus electrodes 102b, 103b are formed along the direction crossing the address electrodes 112 (in the Y-axis direction of the drawing) on a surface of a front substrate 100 opposing the rear substrate 110. A transparent dielectric layer 106 and a MgO protection film 108 are formed covering the discharge sustain electrodes on a surface of the front substrate 100.
The region where the address electrodes 112 on the rear substrate 110 are intersected with the discharge sustain electrodes 102, 103 on the front substrate 100 is to be a portion where discharge cells are formed.
An address voltage Va is applied between the address electrodes 112 and the discharge sustain electrodes 102, 103 to cause address discharge, and a sustain voltage Vs is applied to a pair of the discharge sustain electrodes 102, 103 to cause sustain discharge. Then, the generated vacuum ultraviolet rays excite phosphors so that they emit visible light through the front substrate 100 and thereby display PDP images.
However, the PDP having the discharge electrodes 102, 103 and the barrier ribs 115 in a stripe formation as shown in FIG. 4, may cause crosstalk between the discharge cells adjacent with the barrier ribs 115. In addition, it may cause the misdischarge between the adjacent discharge cells since the discharge areas are connected to one another along the direction where the barrier ribs 115 are formed. In order to prevent these problems, the distance between the discharge sustain electrodes 102, 103 corresponding to the adjacent pixels needs to be over a certain level, which reduces improvements in efficiency.
To solve the above problems, PDPs having improved electrodes and barrier ribs as shown in FIGS. 5 have been suggested. The PDP has a configuration such that transparent electrodes 123a of discharge sustain electrodes 123 are extended from bus electrodes 123b to face each other in a pair within each of the discharge cells. For the purpose of reducing the crosstalk between the adjacent discharge cells and enhancing the emission efficiency by increasing the phosphor coated area, a PDP is suggested which has barrier ribs 125 of the matrix type formed with vertical barrier ribs 125a and horizontal barrier ribs 125b perpendicular to each other. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 1998-149771 describes such a plasma display panel.
The PDP having the above structure operates such that the emission of the plasma discharge starts in the sustain area between a pair of opposing discharge electrodes, and diffuses around the edge until it becomes extinct. Accordingly, the characteristics of the shape of the members forming the discharge cells have a significant influence on the sustain discharge. In particular, the shape of the discharge sustain electrodes 123 causing the sustain discharge and the barrier ribs 125 that define the shape of the discharge cells greatly influence the sustain discharge.
However, the shape of the discharge sustain electrodes 123 mentioned above causes the strong initial discharge partially in the discharge gap, and if the initial discharge occurs partially, the plasma discharge cannot be efficiently diffused within the discharge cells, and thereby the discharge efficiency deteriorates.

Plasma display panel having extension electrode with specific shape to increase discharge efficiency


An LSI chip has first electrodes. A chip carrier has a board, second electrodes arranged on a first surface of the board, third electrodes arranged on a second surface of the board, and wires connecting second electrodes to third electrode each other. Bumps combine the first electrodes of the LSI chip with the second electrodes of the chip carrier each other. Resin fills a space between a main surface of the LSI chip and a first surface of the board, so as to fix the bumps to each other. Ball electrodes are combined with third electrodes of the chip carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvement of a semiconductor device having a ball grid array.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional semiconductor device having a ball grid array.
Ball bumps 2 are formed on a main surface of an LSI (large scale integrated circuit) chip 1. The bumps 2 are formed of metal such as solder.
A chip carrier 3 comprises a laminate board 4 having a plurality of layers, wires 5 passing through each layer and each interlayer, electrodes 6a formed on one surface side of the laminate board 4, and electrodes 6b formed on the other surface side of the laminate board 4.
The wires 5 electrically connect the electrodes 6a to the electrodes 6b. The electrodes 6b are arrayed on the other surface side of the laminate board 4. Ball electrodes 7 are formed on the electrodes 6b, respectively. The ball electrodes 7 constitute a ball grid array. The ball electrodes 7 are formed of metal such as solder, etc.
The LSI chip 1 is combined with the electrodes 6a of one side of the laminate board 4 by the ball bumps 2. As a result, the LSI chip 1 is brought into contact with the ball electrodes 7.
The following will explain the features of the above-explained semiconductor device having the ball grid array.
The first feature lies in that the mount of the semiconductor device can be easily performed.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a semiconductor device 100 is placed on a print circuit board 200, and heat is applied thereon, so that the mount of the semiconductor device can be completed.
As shown in FIG. 3, the print circuit board 200 on which the semiconductor device 100 is mounted is moved via a reflow furnace 300. The ball electrodes 7 of the semiconductor device 100 are temporarily melted when entering the reflow furnace 300. Then, when the electrodes 7 come out of the reflow furnace 300, the ball electrodes 7 are solidified again. At the time when the ball electrodes 7 are solidified again, they are combined with electrodes 8 of the print circuit board 200.
The second feature lies in that the semiconductor device can be miniaturized.
As shown in FIG. 4, the LSI chip 1 is combined with the electrodes 6a of the chip carrier 3 by the ball bumps 2. As a result, the semiconductor device of FIG. 1 can be miniaturized by a width H as compared with a semiconductor device having a bonding wire 9 (Japanese Patent Application H3-22337).
Next, the following will explain the disadvantages of the above-explained semiconductor device having the ball grid array.
As shown in FIG. 3, in the reflow furnace 300, heat is applied to the ball bumps 2 as well as the ball electrodes 7. In this case, if the ball electrodes 7 and the ball bumps 2 are formed of the same material, the melting point for electrodes 7 becomes the same as the melting point for the ball bumps 2. As a result, when the ball electrodes 7 are melted, the ball bumps 2 are also melted, so that the shape of each bump is largely distorted.
To prevent the bumps 2 from being distorted, it is needed that materials for both bumps 2 and the ball electrodes 7 be differed from each other. Thereby, the melting point of the material for the bumps 2 must be set to be higher than that of the material for the ball electrodes 7.
Conventionally, the ball electrodes 7 are formed of eutectic solder containing, for example, Sn (tin) of 63 wt %, and Pb (lead) of 37 wt %. The ball bumps 2 are formed of high melting point solder containing Sn of 3 wt % and Pb of 97 wt %.
FIG. 5 is a phase diagram showing a phase of an alloy containing Sn and Pb in a case where temperature and composition are set as parameters (constant pressure).
In FIG. 5, a point E is an eutectic point, a point A is a melting point of Pb, and a point D is a melting point of Sn. A line connecting points A, E, and D is a boundary line between a solid phase and a liquid phase.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of the alloy (solder) formed of Sn and PB, if a Sn content and a Pb content are 63 wt % and 37 wt %, respectively, the allow becomes eutectic, and its melting point is about 183.degree. C.
If the Sn content and the Pb content are 3 wt % and 97 wt %, respectively, the melting point is about 320.degree. C.
In other words, the bumps (high melting point solder) 2 are formed of the alloy having of Sn of 3 wt % and Pb of 97 wt %, and the ball electrodes 7 are formed of the alloy having of Sn of 63 wt % and Pb of 37 wt %. As a result, the melting point of each bump 2 is higher than that of each ball electrode 7.
However, in a case where the melting point of each bump 2 is higher than that of each ball electrode 7, the following disadvantage will occur.
Generally, the melting point of each bump 2 results in an extremely high value exceeding 300.degree. C. (for example, about 320.degree. C.).
Due to this, the laminate board 4 of the chip carrier 3 must be formed of material, which can resist against the extremely high heat exceeding 300.degree. C. not to cause deformation and distortion.
However, for the present, there is no other material than ceramics such as alumina ceramics, which can resist heat exceeding 300.degree. C. and which can fully function as chip carrier 3. However, since such ceramics are expensive, the manufacturing cost of the semiconductor device will be increased.

Semiconductor device having ball grid array


The present invention relates to a process for preparing sugar nucleotides from nucleotides and sugar derivatives by the use of yeast, characterized in that the reactions are conducted at 20.degree. C. or below. According to this process, even when the preparation is conducted on an enlarged scale, a reduction in the yield of a sugar nucleotide can be inhibited by a very simple means; lowering the reaction temperature 20.degree. C. or below. Thus, the process is an extremely practical one applicable to the mass-production of sugar nucleotides.

Recent remarkable progress of sugar-chain science has clarified some of its physiological role, which makes it possible to develop pharmaceuticals and functional materials based on oligosaccharides possessing physiological activities. However, only limited types of oligosaccharides are currently available on the market, and in addition, they are extremely expensive. Moreover, those oligosaccharides can be produced only on a reagent level, and a mass-production method for them has not yet been fully established.
Conventionally, oligosaccharides have been produced by way of extraction from natural substances, chemical synthesis, enzymatic synthesis, or a combination of these. Among these processes, enzymatic synthesis has been considered the best suited for the mass-production for the following reasons: (1) enzymatic synthesis does not require intricate procedures such as protection and removal of protection, which are required for chemical synthesis, (2) substrate specificities of enzymes enable the synthesis of oligosaccharides having highly structural specificities. In addition, recent progress in recombinant DNA technology have made it possible to mass-produce various types of enzymes economically and in large quantities, which also contributes to establishing the superiority of enzymatic synthesis over other processes.
Two processes for the synthesis of oligosaccharides through use of enzymatic synthesis are available: a process that makes use of the reverse reaction of a hydrolase, and a process that makes use of a glycosyltransferase. The former has an advantage that it can employ inexpensive monosaccharides as the substrate, but as it employs the reverse reaction to the decomposition reaction, it is not necessarily the best process for the synthesis of oligosaccharides in terms of the yield and application to oligosaccharides possessing a complicated structure.
On the other hand, the latter makes use of a glycosyltransferase and has an advantage over the former in terms of the yield and application to the synthesis of oligosaccharides possessing a complicated structure. Moreover, the mass-production of various types of glycosyltransferase enabled by recent progress in recombinant DNA technology also contributes to realization of this process.
However, sugar nucleotides, which are sugar donors used in a synthesis that makes use of a glycosyltransferase, are with few exceptions still expensive, and are provided only in small amounts on reagent levels. There has been reported a process for preparing uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine (UDPAG), which is a donor of N-acetyl glucosamine, by use of an osmolarity-resistant yeast (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-23993), but problems still remain to be solved before its industrial production is realized.

Process for the preparation of sugar nucleotides


Apparatus for detecting an electronegative species comprises an analysis chamber, an inlet communicating with the analysis chamber for admitting a sample containing the electronegative species and an ionizable component, a radioactive source within the analysis chamber for emitting radioactive energy for ionizing a component of the sample, a proportional electron detector within the analysis chamber for detecting electrons emitted from the ionized component, and a circuit for measuring the electrons and determining the presence of the electronegative species by detecting a reduction in the number of available electrons due to capture of electrons by the electronegative species.

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) heat exchanging compositions, referred to hereinafter as refrigerants, currently used in heat pumps, air conditioners, and refrigerators, are now known to have serious environmental effects due to destructive reactions with ozone in the Earth's atmosphere. It is believed that the chlorine atom in these refrigerants is the "culprit" which leads to the destruction of the ozone layer. Thus, refrigerant containing any chlorine atom as part of its chemical composition will likely be prohibited for use in air conditioners. NonCFC refrigerants which have no Cl atom in their chemical structure, such as fluorocarbons, will likely be used to replace CFC refrigerants currently in use.
It is necessary to locate and repair minute leaks of refrigerants in heat exchanging equipment. Currently available refrigerant leak detectors are generally based on the detection of the chlorine constituent of the molecule. For example, a common CFC leak detector utilizes a small flame impinging upon a copper plate. When CFC is present, the flame will be green in color, due to the chlorine constituent in the CFC.
Other commonly-used detection methods include heated anode and corona suppression. Heated anode leak detectors employ a red-hot platinum and ceramic heater element which releases positive ions. These positive ions are collected on a negatively charged cylindrical cathode to provide a standing current. The presence of CFC in sampled gas increases the emission of positive ions which then triggers the leak signal. The corona suppression leak detector applies a voltage across a sensor element to produce a corona (spark) which generates a standing current. The presence of CFC in sampled gas inhibits the corona spark which triggers a leak signal. Because the use of red-hot elements or sparks raises the possibility of undesired ignition, these types of detectors are not suitable for use in areas where flammable or explosive gas is likely to be present. These detectors are not suitable for detecting chlorine free refrigerants. Also, no intrinsic leak signal amplification appears to be involved in those leak detectors.
A reliable, sensitive, and simple instrument which can be used to detect chlorine-free refrigerant leaks of less than one ounce per year from heat exchange equipment will soon be essential to the heat exchange industry.
Furthermore, awareness of the sensitivity of the environment to the presence of small amounts of hazardous, toxic, or otherwise undesirable materials has created a need for new methods and apparatus for detecting small quantities of these materials in suspect localities. Certain of these materials are comprised of electronegative species, which can form a basis for their detection in very low concentrations. Examples of these materials are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), carbon tetrachloride, and trichloroethylene (TCE). A reliable, sensitive, and simple instrument which can be used to detect one part per million or less of these materials in the atmosphere is essential to the protection of the environment.

Proportional counter device for detecting electronegative species in an air sample


A foaming component for use in a foaming liquid dispenser, and an insert arranged so that it may be inserted into a liquid dispenser comprising the foaming component. The foaming component comprises a liquid chamber; an air chamber; a sparging component, which comprises a sparging interface and a foaming region; an exit aperture; and a pumping mechanism. The pumping mechanism is arranged such that it can transfer liquid from the liquid chamber directly to the foaming region, and air from the air chamber to the foaming region, via the sparging interface. The forcing of air through the sparging interface causes bubbles to form in the liquid located in the foaming region, resulting in a foamed mixture for dispensing. The pumping mechanism is then used to transfer the foamed mixture from the sparging component through the exit aperture, wherein the sparging interface is arranged such that at least a portion of the foaming region is positioned in between opposing surfaces of the sparging interface.

Liquid dispensers for dispensing liquid soap and other liquids are employed for purposes such as promoting hygiene. Such liquid dispensers can be manual, in which case the delivery mechanism relies upon external mechanical actuation such as the depressing of a lever, or can be automatic, in which case the delivery mechanism does not rely upon external mechanical actuation and can take a hands-free form in which the liquid dispenser electromechanically actuates based on the readings from a motion sensor detecting motion, for example, from a hand external to the liquid dispenser.
Management of contamination is a key factor in maintaining and promoting hygiene and in preventing the liquid dispenser itself from becoming contaminated and therefore compromised. In the worst case scenario, instead of promoting hygiene through destroying infectious bacteria, a liquid dispenser can itself become a harbour of infectious bacteria and the source of an outbreak thereof, spreading the infectious bacteria to each operator of the liquid dispenser. This can have life threatening and even lethal consequences, particularly in hospital settings in which hygiene control is paramount to patient safety. In this connection it is important to understand that exposure to air of a liquid soap over a long time can lead to degradation and contamination of the soap. Liquid dispensers that employ replaceable cartridges offer the advantage of potentially reducing contamination as new soap is not combined with old and potentially contaminated soap.
Dispensing liquid soap in the form of a foam offers numerous advantages: foam is easier to spread; there is less splashing or run-off owing to foam having a higher surface tension; and there is a reduced liquid requirement to provide the same cleansing power owing to the increased surface area. Foamed soap also offers an improved tactile and aesthetic quality; the soap feels less cold to the skin and operators typically associate foamed soap as providing a more pleasant and luxurious feel, being of superior quality and can even associate foamed soap with a cleaner, safer and more trustworthy product. However, stable foams are difficult to obtain, in particular from low cost, easy to manufacture inserts. The foams dispensed often being formed from large bubbles that disperse quickly. There is therefore a desire to improve the tactile experience of the operator by providing foams which feel richer, smoother and which are more stable.
As for dispensing foamed liquid soap, there are also advantages associated with foaming liquid soap employing suspended particles. These suspended particles can provide an abrasive effect on the skin, enhancing the cleaning capability of the liquid soap and therefore also potentially reducing the liquid requirement to provide the same cleaning power. Suspended particles are also associated with a higher quality, more luxurious product, partly owing to the familiarity and association with expensive facial cleansers employing suspend particles. Where suspended particles are present, it is common in the art for these to be of size in from 0.1-1 mm.
Thus employing liquid soap that is either foamed or which includes suspended particles, or both, offers more economical use of the liquid soap owing to intrinsic factors such as improved cleaning action and extrinsic factors such as improved aesthetic or tactile quality which can lead to operators being more inclined to want to effectively use the liquid soap.
Yet there are challenges associated with employing foamed liquid soap and liquid soap that utilises suspended particles, and particularly so when an attempt is made to combine them.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,151 discloses a liquid dispenser that employs a fixed pump and foaming mechanism into which a replaceable product cartridge containing a particle laden formulation is installed. Foaming of the particle laden liquid soap is achieved by sparging air into the liquid via a porous foaming element. Such liquid dispensers are typically large, well-engineered and long lasting devices. But in some situations, the irreplaceable nature of the fixed pump and foaming mechanism introduces a cleaning burden which is undesirable because there is the potential for increased contamination arising from the re-use of the fixed pump and foaming mechanism between cartridge replacements. This is because the pump and foaming mechanism itself is not replaced when the cartridge is replaced. The fixed foaming mechanism described in this document demands spatial dimensions that would be difficult to adapt for use in a smaller disposable insert arrangement facilitating replacement at the same time as replacement of the cartridge. This is partly because the system of U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,151 is complex. Complexity is not a major problem in fixed pumping systems but this mechanism could usefully be substituted for a simpler fixed system, which offers a foam quality which is at least as good, if not improved relative to the design disclosed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,561 discloses a liquid dispenser that is capable of simultaneously dispensing a foamed liquid soap and a separate liquid that is laden with particles, these separately dispensed liquids then being amalgamated to provide a mixture of foam and liquid soap having suspended particles. The drawback of this arrangement is manufacturing complexity and increased maintenance burden owing to the inconvenience of requiring replacements of two separate liquid containers. Thus maintenance of the liquid supply is rendered complicated, as one container may become depleted before the other and vice versa.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,288 discloses a liquid dispenser comprising a disposable insert comprising foaming mechanism connected to a hygienically sealed collapsible container. Liquid is combined with air to create a comingled air/liquid mixture which is then passed through a porous membrane to form a foam. As compared with U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,151, one benefit of this liquid dispenser is that replacement of the container replaces the foaming mechanism, reducing the potential hazard of contamination resulting from improper maintenance of the liquid dispenser. A drawback of this arrangement however is that the foaming mechanism is not conducive to foaming liquid having particles suspended therein; there is an irresolvable tension between setting the pore size of the porous membrane sufficiently small for effective sparging and yet also large enough to allow suspended particles to pass through.
In view of the limitations and drawbacks discussed above, it would be desirable to provide a foaming component that is designed to foam a liquid comprising particles suspended therein and can provide high quality, tactile and stable foams, from such a liquid with the option of providing these advantages in dimensions suitable to enable it to be fitted to a dispenser as a replaceable part.