The universal forward error-correction coding system provides adjustable code rates and coding gains to greatly benefit the design of many modern digital communications (data storage) systems. The channel encoding and decoding methods are universal such that a single encoder and a single decoder can be used to implement all the forward error-correction codes of different code rates. This universal forward error-correction coding system also includes a novel systematic code generation procedure that has the capability of generating many classes of codes that provide the best balance between coding gain performance and implementation complexity.

It is a problem in the field of data communication and data storage systems that the demand for efficiency and reliability is driven by the need to exchange and store the vast amounts of data generated in modern information societies. The transmission of information across a wired or wireless communication channel, as well as the storage and retrieval of information using a magnetic or optical medium, are processes where the information is always subject to corruption by distortion and noise. Signals conveying the information can be so contaminated in this process that errors occur in the recovered information. Since the distortions and noise encountered over any communication channel or storage medium cannot be completely eliminated, these systems must be designed to control the effect of the errors so that the information transmitted or stored can be reliably recovered.
In 1948, Shannon's landmark channel coding theorem showed that, with proper channel encoding and decoding, the probability of errors induced by a noisy transmission channel or storage medium can be reduced to any desired level, provided that the information transmission rate is less than an upper limit defined by the channel, called the channel capacity. Channel encoding allows a certain level of errors caused by the noise to be correctable by the channel decoder and is often referred to as forward error-correction coding (FEC). The need for powerful forward error-correction coding techniques having a high level of error correction capability, as well as efficient encoding and decoding implementations, has become critically important in the design of modern digital communications and storage systems.
Because of their many similarities, typical digital communications and data storage systems can be specified in terms of the block diagram shown in FIG. 1. A sequence of information bits is transmitted across a channel or written into a storage medium. The channel encoder transforms this sequence of information bits into an encoded bit sequence or code sequence to enable the correction of errors. This is done by introducing redundant bits into the code sequence in a controlled manner. There are basically two classes of channel codes: block codes and convolutional codes. In a block code, the sequence of information bits is divided into successive non-overlapping blocks of length k, and each information block is encoded independently into a codeword of length n bits, resulting in a code rate of r=k/n. The set of 2k codewords, each of blocklength equal to n, is called an (n,k) block code. Block codes that have been widely used include Golay, BCH, and Reed-Solomon codes, as well as low density parity check (LDPC) codes. In a convolutional code, the encoder also processes a sequence of successive blocks of k information bits and produces a code sequence consisting of a sequence of successive n-bit code blocks. However, each encoded block of n bits depends not only on the corresponding k-bit information block occurring at the same time but also on m previous information blocks. Hence, the encoder has a memory of order m, which is often specified in terms of a code constraint length K=m+1. The code rate is again equal to r=k/n. Thus, the encoder maps the entire sequence of information bits into a single code sequence. While the sequence of information bits to be encoded may be of variable length in convolutional coding, it can also be set to a fixed length. In the latter case, the convolutional code can be viewed as a (possibly long blocklength) block code. A rate −½ and constraint length K=7 convolutional code has been used in many applications, as well as the more powerful turbo coding method using either parallel or serial concatenated convolutional codes.
Discrete symbols are generally not suitable for transmission over a wireline or wireless channel or for recording directly on a magnetic or optical storage medium. The role of the digital modulator (or data recording unit for storage) is to transfer the code sequence at the output of the channel encoder into a sequence of analog waveforms of some fixed duration T that is suitable for transmission (or for recording). Single carrier modulation waveforms are often used, such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), which modulate only the phase of a sinusoidal carrier, and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which modulates both the carrier amplitude and phase. The digital modulator may also be used to map code sequences into multi-carrier modulation waveforms. In these systems, an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processing is performed by the digital modulator to generate the transmission waveforms. In optical fiber networks, transmission waveforms are generated at the digital modulator by modulating a laser light source on and off. In storage applications, the recording unit generates the binary signal waveforms that are written on the storage medium.
The waveform output of the digital modulator enters the physical transmission channel for propagation to the receiver (or recorded on the storage medium). Waveforms transmitted across either wireline or wireless channels are subject to corruption in a variety of ways, for example, by thermal noise, inter-symbol interference, crosstalk interference from other transmissions, multi-path propagation, signal fading, etc. Storage media can be contaminated by media surface defects as well as dust particles, and may also experience intersymbol interference and recording noise at high storage bit densities. These disturbances introduced by the transmission channel (or storage medium) cause errors, which must be corrected by the channel decoder using the error correction capability of the forward error-correction code.
The channel decoder must employ digital processing to be able to efficiently correct errors introduced by the channel in an optimum manner to minimize the probability of decoding error. The role of the digital demodulator (or storage data reading unit) is to convert the analog waveform output of the channel (or storage medium) into a digital form that can be processed by the channel decoder. A hard-decision demodulator attempts to directly reconstruct the transmitted code sequence and outputs this reconstructed code sequence to the channel decoder. A soft-decision demodulator outputs a quantitized digital version of a reconstructed transmitted modulation signal to the channel decoder. This reconstruction process can be designed to maximize signal-to-noise ratio and may include signal equalization to remove intersymbol interference introduced by the channel (or storage medium). In multi-carrier systems, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) and discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulations, the digital demodulator also includes the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing that inverts the IFFT operation performed at the digital modulator. The corresponding channel decoders use either hard-decision or soft-decision decoding algorithms to correct channel errors. Soft-decision channel decoding generally performs better than their hard-decision counterpart, however, often at the cost of much higher implementation complexity.
The block diagram in FIG. 1 represents a one-way communication system in which information transmission occurs strictly in one direction, from transmitter to receiver. In this instance, error control can only be provided through the use of forward error-correction coding. In some cases, a communication system can support a two-way exchange of information between transmitter and receiver across the channel. Error control in a two-way communication system can use an error detection and retransmission scheme called automatic repeat request (ARQ). In an automatic repeat request system, a request is sent by the receiver to the transmitter to repeat the transmission of the information when errors are detected. The major advantage of automatic repeat request systems over forward error-correction coding is that error detection requires much simpler decoding complexity than error correction at the channel decoder. Also, an automatic repeat request system adapts to channel conditions in the sense that information is only re-transmitted when channel errors occur. However, high channel error rates can result in a large number of retransmissions and, therefore, low system information throughput rates. A better alternative is a hybrid combination of an automatic repeat request system with forward error-correction coding so that frequent channel error patterns are correctable by the forward error-correction code and retransmissions only occur for infrequent severe channel error conditions when the forward error-correction coding error correction capability is exceeded.
From the viewpoint of the communications system designer, the communications channel consists of the part of the system that cannot be changed. The choice of digital modulation waveforms is often fixed and governed by system bandwidth and power specifications. The choice of digital demodulators, whether soft-decision or hard-decision, is often fixed by practical system complexity constraints. For example, while soft-decision demodulation is viable for asymmetrical digital subscriber loop (ADSL) systems, it cannot be economically implemented for high-speed 10 Gbps OC-192 SONET networks. Consequently, the digital modulator (or data recording unit), the physical channel (or storage medium), and the digital demodulator (or data reading unit) can be combined to form a fixed coding channel for the purposes of designing forward error-correction coding systems. This is shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2. Design of forward error-correction coding systems involves only the design of the channel code and the channel encoder and channel decoder blocks. This model given by the block diagram of FIG. 2 also applies to the design and implementation of network layer coding methods.
The performance of a coded communication system is generally measured in terms of its probability of decoding error and its coding gain over an uncoded system that transmits information at the same rate. There are two types of error probabilities that are commonly considered to evaluate forward error-correction coding methods. One is the block error rate (BLER), which is the probability that a block of information bits is decoded in error at the output of the channel decoder. The other is the bit error rate (BER), which is the probability that an information bit is decoded in error at the output of the channel decoder. Forward error-correction coding methods are designed in coded communication systems to minimize these error probabilities to the extent possible under the constraints of signal power, bandwidth, and implementation complexity. The error probability is often measured as a function of a receiver signal-to-noise ratio, which is often taken to be equal to Eb/N0, which is the ratio of the signal energy per information bit to the noise power spectral density level at the input of the digital demodulator. The other performance measure that is frequently used to measure the performance of a forward error-correction coding method is the coding gain, which is defined to be the reduction in Eb/N0 required to achieve a specified error probability level (BER or BLER) for a coded communication system compared to an uncoded system. Coding gain, which is usually expressed in terms of decibels (dBs), measures the power efficiency gain of a forward error-correction coded communication system compared to an uncoded system.
The design of a forward error-correction coding method for a coded digital communication (or data storage) system often requires a trade-off between the following factors:                1. Coding Gain—Although higher coding gains result in better error probability performance, this may come at a cost of higher data bandwidth expansion from a lower code rate and/or higher implementation complexity using longer codes.        2. Code Rate—Lower code rates can result in higher coding gains at the cost of higher transmission bandwidth requirements.        3. Implementation Complexity—Implementation complexity generally increases when longer blocklength block codes and convolutional codes with larger encoding memory are used to increase coding gain. Implementation complexity also increases when soft-decision decoding is used instead of hard-decision decoding to improve error probability performance.
Digital communication (data storage) systems often employ multiple forward error-correction coding methods to provide programmable error control configurations that balance some of the above-mentioned factors. The motivation for implementing multiple forward error-correction codes in wireline and wireless digital communications systems is to provide programmability to adapt to changing channel noise conditions. The multiple forward error-correction codes implemented in these systems can then be programmed to dynamically adapt to changing channel conditions. Some magnetic hard disk read channel integrated circuit (IC) vendors have marketed products that incorporate multiple forward error-correction codes with different coding rates. In this application, the programmable forward error-correction coding allows hard disk manufacturers to optimize data integrity for particular disk drive configurations. In another application, larger magnetic hard disk sector sizes can accommodate forward error-correction codes with longer blocklengths to provide higher coding gains. Programmable forward error-correction coding read channel ICs for this application enables a tradeoff between data integrity and disk drive sector size storage efficiency.
However, there is presently a lack of a system that provides adjustable code rates and coding gains that is capable of being dynamically adjusted to adapt to changing channel (storage medium) conditions. In addition, there is presently a lack of a system in which a single encoder and a single decoder can be used to implement all the forward error-correction codes of different code rates.

Universal error control coding scheme for digital communication and data storage systems


An anchoring device having a tapered, at least partially threaded shank with a front end, a drilling head and at a rear end thereof, a torque applying head and an anchor coaxially enveloping a front portion of the shank. The arrangement is such that during drilling through the structure the anchor axially displaces towards the rear end of the shank, wherein the shank tightens against an inside surface of the anchor so as to expand the anchor within the bore being simultaneously drilled, for fixedly retaining thereof within the structure.

Rivets, screws, bolts, blind rivets and masonry anchors have long been used as fasteners. Using a nail for mounting an object to a structural wall often cannot provide the necessary weight support. Some of the prior art devices require early preparation of a bore in the structural element (e.g. wall) prior to the use of the device, typically by use of machinery such as a power drill (and more likely a hammer drill or percussion hammer drill in case of masonry). At times a shank element (e.g. steel nail/spike, screw, etc.) is forcefully fixed into the bore and according to alternative solutions, an anchor device is fitted into the bore and with an appropriate screw/bolt/nail is expanded within the bore for fixedly retaining thereof. However, such anchors require pre-drilling of a bore, insertion of the anchor member, and expansion and fastening thereof. In particular this may be a problem when attending to attaching an article to a structure, e.g. a prefabricated wall's stud to a wall. This requires precision drilling also through the stud in coordination with a bore formed in the wall.
Some devices provide self boring/drilling combined with anchoring means.
One type of fastener is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,179 to Harker. This anchor discloses a drive-in expansion fastener is provided having a generally cylindrical, hollow body with a tapered end formed from an angular truncation of the body. The body is reinforced by at least one longitudinal rib so as to permit drive-in penetration from the tapered end even if the fastener is formed from plastic materials. The fastener is retained within the wall by at least one pair of hinged flanges which expand circumferentially in response to the threaded insertion of an ordinary screw within the hollow portion of the body. That screw engages an inclined surface within the body to cam the flanges outwardly. The flanges engage the back surface of the wall while a longitudinally slit portion of the body expands within the hole created by drive-in penetration.
Still another type of fasteners comprises a drilling/penetrating means and an anchoring means integrated therewith. U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,833 to Rosenthal discloses a blind setting rivet slidingly joined to a rivet installation tool for rotation therewith for drilling the rivet through walls, panels or components of a member. The rivet includes a shank threadingly joined to a sleeve thereon, the shank having a drilling bit on a forward end thereof. The sleeve has an enlarged flange on a rear end thereof to prevent the sleeve from passing entirely out through the hole formed in the walls, panels or components, and also to prevent the sleeve from rotating upon engagement with the walls, panels or components when the shank is rotated by the tool, thus causing the drilling bit to deform the forward end of the sleeve to form an enlarged collar to capture the sleeve within the hole formed in the walls, panels or components by the drilling bit, where the sleeve joins the walls, panels or components together. The tool has a non-circular opening to receive a non-circular mandrel section of the shank so that the tool can rotate the shank. Preferably, the tool includes a magnet to releasably secure the mandrel section therein, and a spring to eject a broken-off rear shank portion format the tool once the sleeve is deformed. The tool is adapted to be received in a conventional electric drill for rotation thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,166 to Harker discloses an expansion-type wall anchor having a generally hollow body, a nut element, at least one, and preferably two, retention elements and an actuating element. The retention elements are pivotally connected to the nut element and transition from an orientation substantially parallel to the body to an extended position substantially perpendicular to the body once positioned behind a wall in a rearward cavity. At the end of the body opposite the nut element, the body includes an anchor head which is of greater dimension than the remainder of the hollow body. The anchor head is positioned generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body and secures the body to the exterior surface of the wall. The actuating element is positioned in an opening in the anchor head and extends within the length of the body to engage the nut element. Flanges extending from the anchor head preclude rotation of the anchor once it is embedded in the exterior surface of the wall. In some preferred embodiments, rotation of the actuating element creates a force which is exerted on deformable legs to cause the retention elements to transition from an orientation substantially parallel to the body to an extended position substantially perpendicular to the body. Continued-rotation of the actuating element draws the retention elements into contact with the interior surface of the wall. Once the body is in place, the actuating element can be removed and the anchor body will remain in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,918 to Adams discloses a self-drilling rivet for joining two substrate layers has a hollow sleeve member having a circular cylindrical outer surface, a divergently tapered bore, and an outwardly expandable portion. An internal member has a head portion, a threaded shank centered within the bore, and a drilling tip extending from the threaded shank. A wedge member interactive with the threaded shank can be urged by turning force toward the head portion, whereby retaining wings form from the expandable portion, and are brought to bear against one of the substrate layers. It is an object of the invention to provide an anchoring device comprising a bolt integrated with a drilling head and an anchor, to be secured to a structural element in one step, said anchoring device being substantially cheep to manufacture and simple to use.


The invention relates to methods and equipment for converting C3+ olefin to, e.g., one or more of di-C3+ olefin, oligomers and polymers of C3+ olefin, branched C4+-aldehydes, C4+-carboxylic acids, and C4+ oxygenates. The invention encompasses producing methyl tert-butyl ether and diisobutylene, and converting methyl tert-butyl ether to isobutylene.

C3+ olefins, particularly C3+ iso-olefins, can be used to produce many useful products. For example, isobutene can be used to produce polyisobutylene, which in turn is used to produce butyl rubber. Isobutene is generally obtained from a mixture of C4 olefins (e.g., 1-butene, 2-butenes). Separating isobutene from the mixture by distillation is difficult because C4 olefins have similar boiling points at atmospheric pressure ("atmospheric boiling point").
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,121,124; 3,270,081; 3,170,000; and 4,307,254, disclose methods for overcoming this difficulty, e.g., by (i) converting isobutene into a derivative which can be more easily separated from the remaining hydrocarbons in the mixture and then (ii) converting the isolated derivative back to isobutene. The process can utilize an acidic catalyst, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,720,547 and 4,219,678. The process can be conducted in a single reactor, or in a plurality of reactors as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,461.
One conventional process, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,786, involves obtaining a C4 olefin fraction from hydrocarbon cracking processes such as steam cracking and catalytic cracking. The patent discloses removing multiple-unsaturated hydrocarbons, mainly butadiene, and then reacting the remaining mixture (identified as raffinate I or hydrogenated cracking C4) with methanol to produce methyl tert-butyl ether ("MTBE") from the mixture's isobutene. The MTBE is then separated from the remainder of the C4 mixture, and converted to isobutene and methanol. U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,254 discloses producing the MTBE in a catalytic distillation reactor. Besides decomposing MTBE to produce isobutene, it is also conventional to utilize MTBE as a blendstock for increasing the oxygenate content of gasoline.
Besides their use for producing MTBE and isobutene, C3+ olefins can also be utilized for producing di-C3+ olefin, such as diisobutylene, which can be blended into gasoline to increase the gasoline's octane number.
In cases where (i) alternative oxygenates, such as ethanol are utilized, in place of MTBE for increasing gasoline oxygenate content, and/or (ii) there is insufficient need for the isobutene produced by MTBE decomposition, it would be desirable to simultaneously produce C4+ ether and di-C3+ olefin from a C3+ olefin mixture. Moreover, it would be desirable to configure such a process so that the relative amounts of the ether and di-C3+ olefin could be varied, e.g., to meet isobutylene demand.


A photosensitive paste composition for forming a black layer on top of plasma display panel (PDP) barrier ribs includes black pigment nanoparticles for contrast enhancement and a cyclic acid anhydride for fundamentally preventing the gelation of the paste composition. The photosensitive paste composition prevents electrical or optical crosstalk between adjacent discharge cells to achieve better contrast. The fundamental prevention of the gelation of the paste composition permits the paste composition to have good storage stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive paste composition and a plasma display panel (PDP) manufactured using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photosensitive paste composition for forming a black layer on top of barrier ribs preventing electrical or optical crosstalk between adjacent discharge cells to achieve better contrast, and a PDP manufactured using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional a plasma display panel (PDP), a barrier rib is a structure formed on a rear panel (or a rear substrate), and serves to define a discharge space and to prevent electrical or optical crosstalk between adjacent discharge cells. The barrier rib is formed on a dielectric layer covering address electrodes by screen printing, sandblasting, photolithography, or the like.
In the case of forming a barrier rib using screen printing, a barrier rib paste for printing is printed on a substrate using a patterned mask and a squeeze and dried to remove a solvent. The printing and drying are repeated several times to obtain a film with a desired thickness. The obtained film is sintered to thereby form a barrier rib. However, this method is time-consuming, and has difficulty in forming a uniformly patterned barrier rib due to misalignment by low resolution and repeated printing.
In the case of forming a barrier rib using sandblasting, a barrier rib paste is once printed on a substrate by a table coater and dried to obtain a film with a desired thickness. A dry film resist with sanding resistance is then laminated on the film and patterned through exposure to light and development. Then, micro-abrasive sandblasting is performed under a high pressure using the dry film resist pattern as a mask to obtain a patterned film. A residual dry film resist is removed, and the patterned film is sintered to complete a barrier rib. Although a barrier rib formed by sandblasting has higher resolution than that formed by screen printing, the sandblasting method has disadvantages such as complicated process and damage to electrode terminals due to collision of them with abrasive agents.
In the case of forming a barrier rib using photolithography, a photosensitive paste is printed and dried to form a film with a desired thickness. The film is exposed to UV light by a UV exposure system equipped with a photomask. The printing, drying, and exposure are repeated several times. Developing is then performed to selectively remove an unexposed region, followed by sintering, to obtain a barrier rib. Photolithography can form a barrier rib with higher resolution relative to screen printing and does not require a dry film resist and a sanding process unlike a sandblasting method. However, there are disadvantages such as many processes and misalignment due to repeated processes.
In view of the above problems, U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,480 entitled Photosensitive paste, a plasma display, and a method for the production thereof to Iguchi, et al. discloses a method of forming a barrier rib by minimizing a difference in refractive index between an inorganic material and an organic material. Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-12298 discloses a surface treatment of an inorganic material with fumed silica. The surface treatment with the fumed silica enables enhancement of exposure sensitivity, which enables the formation of a barrier rib through a single exposure process.
However, barrier ribs formed by these methods consist of a single white layer. Thus, visible light emitted from phosphor layers disposed in spaces defined by the barrier ribs is reflected by the barrier ribs, thereby enhancing brightness. However, the barrier ribs also reflect incident light from a front panel, thereby lowering image contrast.
Furthermore, a recent trend in a photosensitive paste used in forming a barrier rib by photolithography is the increasing use of water or an aqueous alkaline solution as a developer instead of an organic solvent considering environmental problems. In this regard, a copolymer containing an acidic functional group such as a carboxyl group is used as an organic binder which is a paste component. However, the carboxyl group-containing copolymer used as the organic binder is ionically cross-linked with inorganic powders which are a major paste component to facilitate the formation of a three-dimensional network structure (gelation). Such gelation rapidly increases the viscosity of a paste, which makes printing or developing impossible.
Several approaches for preventing the gelation of a paste have been suggested. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,391 entitled Photosensitive paste, a plasma display, and a method for the production thereof to Iguchi, et al. discloses a surface treatment of inorganic powders with a triazole compound, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,125 entitled Photosensitive composition and calcined pattern obtained by use thereof to Kakimura, et al. discloses a use of a sterically hindering copolymer. Although these methods can retard the gelation of a paste, the gelation cannot be fundamentally prevented.

Photosensitive paste composition and plasma display panel manufactured using the same

Gongse-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do


A cleaning device for cleaning the ferrule end surface of an optical fiber that has been installed in a connector, such as a connector coupler or bulkhead receptacle, comprises a cleaning head (22a, 22b, 22c). The cleaning head is made from thermally sintered polymers, e.g., thermally sintered particles and/or thermally sintered strands and provides a matrix of open-celled multi-directional pores. The cleaning head has zones (26, 28, 32) of increasing polymer densities from compression zone (26) to sidewall cleaning zone (28) to base zone (32). The cleaning head serves to lift, absorb, trap and remove contamination from the ferrule end faces (14a, 14b, 14c) and the end face of the optical fiber therein. The open-celled structure of the cleaning head (22a, 22b, 22c) allows the contact surface to compress both laterally and radially where it contacts the ferrule end, thus permitting effective cleaning for all ferrule end designs. The cleaning head may be used either dry or with a cleaning solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cleaning devices for mechanically cleaning surfaces and, in particular, to devices for cleaning the ferrule end surface of an optical fiber which is installed in a ferrule connector such as a plug or a bulkhead for interconnection with another optical fiber or with an optoelectronic device.
In fiber optic networks, optical fiber strands, which typically have a diameter of about 8 micrometers, are connected by encasing the strands in protective jackets to form cables and butting two cable ends together. To do this, the ends of the individual fiber optic strands 10a, 10b, 10c (FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C) are typically stripped of the jacket and are bonded and encased in the center of a rod-like ceramic ferrule 12a, 12b, 12c. This ferrule provides an enlarged surface area for finished polishing of the exposed end face of the optical fiber strand. The ferrules generally conform to standard sizes having end faces with diameters of 1.25 millimeters (mm), 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm or 2.5 mm. The ferrule end faces 14a, 14b, 14c (and the unnumbered end faces of the optical fibers therein) are polished either flat (FIG. 1A), slightly convex (FIG. 1B), or angled at approximately 8 degrees (FIG. 1C) to reduce reflected light when connected to another optical fiber. These ferrules are then fitted into variations of connector housings, e.g., connector 18 (FIG. 2), which precisely interconnect with similar devices, e.g., connector 18′ (FIG. 3), via a coupler or bulkhead 20 to insure the exact alignment of the butted optical fiber strands. Cleanliness of cable connections is a critical factor in maintaining peak signal communication performance.
In spite of all the above preparations, these connections are highly susceptible to contamination at the abutting end faces of the optical fibers. Specifically, the optical transmission capability of the junction between the optical fibers can be significantly impaired by microscopically small deposits of contamination on the end surfaces of the fibers. Sources of such contamination include smoke, dust, dirt, moisture and other ambient contaminates; oils, salts and particles transferred from the skin of technicians during connector manufacture and assembly, cable installation, or job site service work. Small amounts of contamination in the form of particles or haze will significantly increase light attenuation across the butted connection. Therefore, it is essential that the end surfaces be cleaned before the optical fiber ends are connected to each other, and/or after they become contaminated during normal use.
2. Related Art
Prior art practice in the maintenance of optical fiber connectors is to rub the ferrule end against a fabric- or paper-based cleaning strip. This method requires that the ferrule end be fully exposed for proper cleaning, but this is often impractical because the ferrule end is often recessed within a connector or coupler and it would be necessary to disassemble the connector or coupler in order to clean the ferrule end. In these circumstances, the ferrule end is sometimes cleaned using a swab made of soft absorbent material(s) such as paper, fabric, foam or combinations of the three that is inserted into the connector or coupler and rotated along its axis to clean the ferrule end. Both the fabric strips and the swabs are often saturated in isopropyl alcohol as a cleaning solvent to assist the process. This method is flawed because swabs, by design, typically provide the best cleaning surfaces only along the outside diameter of the swab, i.e., on its sides, and not on the end. Thus, when inserted in the connector, coupler or bulkhead, the best cleaning performance will be along connector sidewalls, not where needed on the ferrule ends. In addition, adhesive and/or thermal bonding methods used to assemble the swab will often include or produce volatile compounds that are diffused during use and which contribute to the microscopic contamination of the ferrule end surface.
The contamination introduced by a prior art swab can be exacerbated when a cleaning solvent is used with the swab, because the solvent may dissolve and/or accelerate the physical decomposition of the bonding adhesives, urethane foams and other materials used to manufacture the swab. Finally, many prior art swabs use loose-stranded fibrous materials such as non-woven cotton or spunlaced polyester fabrics. These loose, non-woven strands tend to shed numerous particles that are larger than the 8-micrometer diameter of the fiber optic strand. The result is inadequate or incomplete cleaning of the ferrule end connection.
Thus, prior art cleaning methods and devices provide uneven cleaning performance.


An aircraft propulsion system has an engine assembly having an axis of rotation, a fan assembly operatively connected to the engine assembly and comprising a plurality of fan blades arranged circumferentially around the axis of rotation and a monolithic nacelle assembly which circumferentially encloses the fan assembly. The propulsion system has a ratio of fan assembly outer diameter to nacelle assembly outer diameter of at least 0.87. As a result, the propulsion system provides for a significantly larger fan assembly outer diameter for a given nacelle assembly outer diameter than a conventional prior art turbofan engine, thereby increasing the specific power output or the bypass ratio of the propulsion system, which will result in improved propulsive efficiency without an increase in nacelle drag.

As shown in FIG. 1, an axial flow gas turbine turbofan engine 10 comprises an air intake 11, a low pressure compressor (or fan) 12, an intermediate pressure compressor 13, a high pressure compressor 14, a combustor 15, a high pressure turbine 16, an intermediate pressure turbine 17, a low pressure turbine 18, and an exhaust nozzle 19. A nacelle assembly 20 encloses the fan 12.
In operation, air is drawn into the engine 10 through the intake 11 and accelerated by the fan 12, to produce two air flows: a first air flow which enters the intermediate pressure compressor 13 and a second air flow which bypasses the core of the engine to provide direct propulsive thrust.
The ratio between the mass flow rates of these first and second air flows is termed the bypass ratio.
The first air flow entering the intermediate pressure compressor 13 is compressed before entering the high pressure compressor 14 where further compression takes place.
The compressed air leaving the high pressure compressor 14 is directed into the combustor 15 where it is mixed with fuel and the resulting mixture is combusted. The high pressure combustion products then rapidly expand as they pass through and drive the high, intermediate and low pressure turbines 16, 17 and 18. The gas leaving the low pressure turbine 18 is then exhausted through the exhaust nozzle 19 and provides additional propulsive thrust.
The high, intermediate and low pressure turbines 16, 17 and 18 respectively drive the high and intermediate pressure compressors 14 and 13 and the fan 12 by means of separate interconnecting shafts.
It is known that increasing the bypass ratio of a turbofan engine can reduce its fuel consumption and consequent level of CO2 emissions. This characteristic has been exploited by engine manufacturers by progressively increasing the bypass ratios of modern turbofan engines.
However, there is a limit to how much the bypass ratio can be increased as eventually the weight and drag penalties associated with the size of the required engine nacelle outweigh the reduction in fuel consumption.
Most turbofan engines are designed to be capable of being mounted in an under-wing configuration. Such a configuration provides an upper limit to the nacelle diameter so as to maintain safe working ground clearance beneath the engine when it is installed on the aircraft.
Furthermore, turbofan engines typically have a relatively deep nacelle which encloses the fan and the core engine. This nacelle depth, in combination with the need to maintain a minimum safe ground clearance, limits the diameter of fan which can be employed on the engine.


A break-away coupling is formed of metal and has a central axis and a necked-down central region formed by two inverted truncated cones each having larger and smaller bases. The cones are joined at the smaller bases by a narrowed transition region having an exterior surface formed by a curved surface of revolution having an inflection point of minimum diameter substantially midway of the coupling along the axis. The cones each define an angle θ1 and θ2, respectively, at each of the larger bases, wherein both θ1 and θ2 are selected to be within the range of 20°-40° and, preferably within the range of 30°-37°.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to break-away couplings for lighting poles or appurtenances mounted along highways and roadways and, more specifically, to such a break-away coupling with enhanced fatigue properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many highway and roadside appurtenances, such as lighting poles, signs, etc., are mounted along highways and roads. Typically, these are mounted on and supported by concrete foundations, bases or footings. However, while it is important to securely mount such roadside appurtenances to withstand weight, wind, snow and other types of service loads, they do create a hazard for vehicular traffic. When a vehicle collides with such a light pole or sign post, for example, a substantial amount of energy is normally absorbed by the light pole or post as well as by the impacting vehicle unless the pole or post is mounted to fail at the base. Unless the post is deflected or severed from the base, therefore, the vehicle may be brought to a sudden stop with potentially fatal or substantial injury to the passengers. For this reason, highway authorities almost universally specify that light poles and the like must be mounted in such a way that they must fail at the support structure upon impact by a vehicle.
In designs of such break-away couplings several facts or considerations come into play. The couplings must have maximum tensile strength with predetermined (controlled) resistance to lateral impact load. Additionally, the couplings must be easy and inexpensive to install and maintain. They must, of course, be totally reliable.
Numerous break-away systems have been proposed for reducing damage to a vehicle and its occupants upon impact. For example, load concentrated break-away couplings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,637,244, 3,951,556 and 3,967,906 in which load concentrating elements eccentric to the axis of the fasteners, for attaching the couplings to the system oppose the bending of the couplings under normal loads while presenting less resistance to bending of the coupling under impact or other forces applied near the base of the post. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,570,376 and 3,606,222, structures are disclosed which include a series of frangible areas. In both cases, the frangible areas are provided about substantially cylindrical structures. Accordingly, while the supports may break along the frangible lines, they do not minimize forces for bending of the posts and, therefore, generally require higher bending energies, to the possible determent of the motor vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,977, a frangible lighting pole is disclosed which is in a form of a frangible coupling provided with a pair of annular shoulders that are axially spaced from each other. In a sense, the annular shoulders are in the form of internal grooves. A tubular section is provided which is designed to break in response to a lateral impact force of an automobile. The circumferential grooves are provided along a surface of a cylindrical member.
A coupling for a break-away pole is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,752 which seeks to reduce maximum resistance of a coupling to bending fracture by introducing circumferential grooves on the exterior surface of the coupling. The distance from the groove to the coupling extremity is described as being approximately equal to or slightly less than the inserted length of a bolt or a stud that is introduced into the coupling to secure the coupling, at the upper ends, to a base plate that supports the post and to the foundation base or footing on which the post is mounted. The grooves are provided to serve as a stress concentrators for inducing bending fracture and to permit maximum effective length of moment arm and, therefore, maximum bending movement. According to the patent, the diameter of the neck is not the variable to manipulate in order to achieve the desired strength of the part, as the axial (tensile/compressive) strength is also affected.
However, the above mentioned couplings have shown signs of limited fatigue strength and, therefore, premature failure. Fatigue strength is a property of break-away couplings that has not always been addressed by the industry, partly because of the complex nature of the problem and its solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,408, assigned to Transpo Industries, Inc., the assignee of the present invention, discloses a break-away coupling with spaced weakened sections (Alternative Coupler). The controlled break in region included two axially spaced necked-down portions of smaller diameter and solid cross section. The dimensions of the coupling were selected so the ratio D/L is within the range V/L<=0.3 where L is the axial control breaking region and the necked-portion has a diameter D. The necked-portions have conical type surfaces to assure that at least one of the necked-portions break upon bending prior to contact between any surfaces forming or defining the necked-portions.
A multiple necked-down break-away coupling has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,471 assigned to Transpo Industries, Inc., in which a control breaking region is provided with at least two axial spaced necked-portions co-axially arranged between the axial ends of the coupling (alternative coupler). Each necked-portion essentially consists of two axially aligned conical portions inverted one in the relation to the other and generally joined at their apices to form a generally hour-glass configuration having a region of a minimum cross section at an inflection point having a gradually curved concave surface defining a radius of curvature. Each of the necked-down portions have different radii of curvature that are at respective inflection points to provide preferred failure modes as a function of a position in direction of the impact of a force.
The prior patented steel couplings will be referred to as "Existing" for the one Transpo Industries has used in the field for the last 30 years and "Alternative" for the more recently developed coupling. However, these "Existing" and "Alternative" couplings have shown signs of limited fatigue strength. Therefore, a new coupling design was sought that would show marked improvements in fatigue strength.

Break-away coupling for highway or roadside appurtenances with enhanced fatigue properties


A light emitting device is provided, in which a change of luminance of an OLED is suppressed and a desired color display can be stably performed even if an organic light emitting layer is somewhat deteriorated or an environmental temperature is varied. Separately from a pixel portion for displaying an image, a pixel portion for measuring a driving current of the OLED is provided in the light emitting device. The driving current is measured in the pixel portion for measuring the driving current of the OLED, and a value of the voltage supplied to the above two pixel portions from a variable power supply is corrected such that the measured driving current has a reference value. With the above-described structure, a reduction of the luminance accompanied with the deterioration of the organic light emitting layer can be suppressed. As a result, a clear image can be displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an OLED panel in which an organic light emitting device (OLED) formed on a substrate is enclosed between the substrate and a cover member. Also, the present invention relates to an OLED module in which an IC is mounted on the OLED panel. Note that, in this specification, the OLED panel and the OLED module are generically called light emitting devices. The present invention further relates to an electronic device using the light emitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An OLED emits light by itself, and thus, has high visibility. The OLED does not need a backlight necessary for a liquid crystal display device (LCD), which is suitable for a reduction of a light emitting device in thickness. Also, the OLED has no limitation on a viewing angle. Therefore, the light emitting device using the OLED has recently been attracting attention as a display device that substitutes for a CRT or the LCD.
The OLED includes a layer containing an organic compound in which luminescence generated by application of an electric field (electroluminescence) is obtained (organic light emitting material) (hereinafter, referred to as organic light emitting layer), an anode layer and a cathode layer. A light emission in returning to a base state from a singlet excitation state (fluorescence) and a light emission in returning to a base state from a triplet excitation state (phosphorescence) exist as the luminescence in the organic compound. The light emitting device of the present invention may use one or both of the above-described light emissions.
Note that, in this specification, all the layers provided between an anode and a cathode of the OLED are defined as the organic light emitting layers. The organic light emitting layers specifically include a light emitting layer, a hole injecting layer, an electron injecting layer, a hole transporting layer, an electron transporting layer and the like. The OLED basically has a structure in which an anode/a light emitting layer/a cathode are laminated in order. Besides this structure, the OLED may take a structure in which an anode/a hole injecting layer/a light emitting layer/a cathode are laminated in order or a structure in which an anode/a hole injecting layer/a light emitting layer/an electron transporting layer/a cathode are laminated in order.
In putting a light emitting device to practical use, a serious problem at present is a reduction in the luminance of the OLED, which is accompanied with deterioration of the organic light emitting material contained in the organic light emitting layer.
The organic light emitting material in the organic light emitting layer is easily affected by moisture, oxygen, light and heat, and the deterioration of the organic light emitting material is promoted by these substances. Specifically, speed of the deterioration of the organic light emitting layer is influenced by a structure of a device for driving the light emitting device, a characteristic of the organic light emitting material constituting the organic light emitting layer, a material for an electrode, conditions in a manufacturing process, a method of driving the light emitting device, and the like.
Even when a constant voltage is applied to the organic light emitting layer from a pair of electrodes, the luminance of the OLED is lowered due to the deterioration of the organic light emitting layer. Then, if the luminance of the OLED is lowered, an image displayed on the light emitting device becomes unclear. Note that, in this specification, a voltage applied to the organic light emitting layer from one pair of electrodes is defined as an OLED driving voltage (Vel).
Further, in a color display mode in which three kinds of OLEDs corresponding to R (red), G (green) and B (blue) are used, the organic light emitting material constituting the organic light emitting layer differs depending on the corresponding color of the OLED. If the organic light emitting layers of the OLEDs deteriorate at different speeds in accordance with the corresponding colors, the luminance of the OLED differs depending on the color with the lapse of time. Thus, an image having a desired color can not be displayed on the light emitting device.
Furthermore, the luminance of the OLED has large temperature depending property, and thus, there has been a problem in that luminance of a display and a tone vary in accordance with the temperature in constant voltage drive.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An imprinting platform including a noble metal catalyst, a semiconductor substrate, and a pre-patterned polymer stamp, where the catalyst is attached to the stamp, and related methods and articles.

Two-dimensional microscale patterning of porous silicon (PS) offers many opportunities for exploiting its optical properties through on-chip and heterogeneous integration. Applications in optoelectronics, photonics, microthermal systems, lab on a chip, biodegradable materials, in vivo bioimaging, drug delivery, and biosensing are derived from such integration. However, micro- and nano-patterning of PS has remained a challenge due to the inability of standard microfabrication processes (e.g., photolithography, wet etching, and dry etching) to effectively pattern PS.

Electrochemical imprinting of micro- and nano-structures in porous silicon, silicon, and other semiconductors

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


A method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device includes; forming a first sacrificial layer pattern including a first open area that extends in a first direction on a lower dielectric layer, forming a pre-lower dielectric layer pattern including a recess that extends in the first direction using the first sacrificial layer pattern, forming a second sacrificial layer pattern including a second open area that extends in a second direction on the pre-lower dielectric layer pattern and the first sacrificial layer pattern, wherein the second open area intersects the first open area, forming a lower dielectric layer pattern including contact holes spaced apart in the recess using the first sacrificial layer pattern and second sacrificial layer pattern, wherein the contact holes extend to a bottom of the lower dielectric layer pattern, and forming a bottom electrode in the contact hole.

The inventive concept relates to a fabrication method for nonvolatile memory devices. More particularly, the inventive concept relates to a method of fabricating nonvolatile memory devices having a variable resistance material.
Nonvolatile memory devices using resistance materials include Phase Change Random Access Memory (PRAM), Resistive RAM (RRAM), and Magnetic RAM (MRAM). Unlike Dynamic RAM (DRAM) that stores data as charge placed on a capacitor, flash memory devices use various materials having changeable properties to store data. For example, PRAM uses a phase-changeable material such as a chalcogenide alloy, RRAM uses a variable resistance material, and MRAM uses Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MJT) thin films having a variable magnetization state.
As one example of a nonvolatile memory device using a variable resistance material, the PRAM will be described in some additional detail. The phase-change material used in conventional PRAMs has a crystalline state exhibiting low resistance and an amorphous state exhibiting high resistance. The crystalline state is commonly assigned a corresponding data value of 0, and the amorphous state is assigned a data state of 1.
The conventional PRAM is programmed (set or reset—assuming a binary memory cell) with a write pulse (e.g., a set pulse or a reset pulse). The write pulse applied to the phase-change material during a write operation uses a joule heating effect to define the desired data state (i.e., the crystalline or amorphous data state). When writing a data value of 1, the PRAM uses the reset pulse to heat the phase-change material above the melting temperature and then allows rapid cooling to define the amorphous state. When writing a data value of 0, the PRAM uses the set pulse to heat the phase-change material above the crystallization temperature and below the melting temperature and then maintains the heating temperature for a predetermined time to define the crystalline state.

Method fabricating nonvolatile memory device


There are provided a telescope unit (5) having a first image pickup unit for acquiring a wide-angle image and a second image pickup unit for acquiring a telescopic image with higher magnification than the wide-angle image, a distance measuring unit for performing distance measurement by projecting a distance measuring light and by receiving a light reflected from an object to be measured, an angle measuring unit for detecting a horizontal angle and a vertical angle of the telescope unit, a drive unit for rotating and driving the telescope unit in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction, and a control device for controlling image pickup of the first image pickup unit and the second image pickup unit and for controlling the drive unit based on the results of detection from the angle measuring unit, wherein the control device synthesizes a panoramic image by connecting the wide-angle image obtained by the first image pickup unit, sets up a scheduled measuring point by edge processing of the wide-angle image, and extracts the measuring point corresponding to the scheduled measuring points in the telescopic image by scanning the scheduled measuring point and acquiring the telescopic image by the second image pickup unit with respect to scheduled measuring points, and distance measurement is performed on the measuring point.

In the past, the so-called non-prism measuring instrument has been known, in which a pulsed laser beam is projected for scanning an object to be measured and a distance measurement is performed based on a light reflected from the object to be measured, and three-dimensional measurement is performed on the object to be measured based on the value of the measured distance thus obtained and based on an elevation angle and a horizontal angle at a measuring point. In recent years, there has been a three-dimensional measuring instrument called a laser scanner in which measurement on a multiple of points can be performed at high speed.
The non-prism measuring instrument can perform measurement for long distance with high measurement accuracy and can measure reliably on the object to be measured. However, the measurement is performed by manual operation for each point, and much time is required to measure a multiple of points on rock, face of slope, etc. and to acquire planar data. Also, measurement operators need to check each time for omission or duplication of measurement at the measuring site. In order for the control, it has been practiced to obtain hard copies of an image of the object to be measured taken by a digital camera or the like and to put marks on the measured positions during observation.
In the measurement using the laser scanner, detailed and planar three-dimensional data of the object to be measured can be acquired within short time. However, in normal cases, the final results needed in the fields of the operation of measurement in civil engineering or instrumentation are drawings, and only the data of specific portions such as a corner, a contour, etc. of the object to be measured are needed. Therefore, in the data processing after measurement, in order to extract the measurement data of the portions needed for the preparation of drawings from vast amount of point group data, there are such problems that much time is required and it is necessary to record and control a large amount of data. Further, most of the laser scanners can carry out measurement for only up to several hundreds of meters. The measurement for long distance is difficult to carry out, and also, there are such problems that noise or point density during the scanning are not uniform.
Under the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surveying device, by which it is possible to perform measurement on a multiple of points with high accuracy and with high efficiency, and to simply and easily perform data processing and control after the measurement.

Multi-point measuring method and surveying device


A light emission device and a display device having the light emission device are provided. The light emission device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes on an inner surface of the first substrate, the first electrodes crossing the second electrodes; a plurality of electron emission regions electrically connected to the first electrodes at crossing regions where the first electrodes cross the second electrode; a light emission unit on an inner surface of the second substrate; and at least one spacer between the first and second substrates, Here, a shortest distance D between the spacer and the electron emission regions satisfies the following condition:500 μm≦D≦0.2Dh,                where, Dh is a diagonal length of at least one of the crossing regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emission device and a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
A display device having a passive type display panel, such as a liquid crystal display panel, requires a light source for emitting light to the display panel. Generally, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) type light emission device and a light emitting diode (LED) type light emission device have been widely used as the light source.
Since the CCFL type light emission device and the LED type light emission device are respectively a line type light source and a point type light source, they have a plurality of optical members for diffusing light. The optical members may cause a light loss as the light passes through the optical members, and thus the CCFL type light emission device and the LED type light emission device should be applied with a relatively high voltage in order to obtain a sufficient luminance. This, however, makes it difficult to enlarge the display device.
Recently, a light emission device including a first substrate on which an electron emission unit having electron emission regions and driving electrodes is provided, and a second substrate on which a phosphor layer and an anode electrode are formed has been proposed as a substitute for the CCFL type light emission device and the LED type light emission device. This light emission device emits visible light by exciting the phosphor layer using electrons emitted from the electron emission regions.
In the light emission device, a sealing member is provided between peripheries (or periphery regions) of the first and second substrates to seal them together, thus forming a vacuum vessel. A plurality of spacers are arranged between the first and second substrates to withstand compression force applied to the vacuum vessel.
When the light emission device is used as the light source of the display device, important optical properties are to (a) make it possible to realize a high luminance with relatively lower power consumption, (b) emit light with uniform intensity throughout an active area, and (c) improve a display quality (e.g., contrast ratio) of an image realized by the display device.
In the conventional light emission device, a surface of the spacer may be charged with electricity due to the electrons emitted from the electron emission regions and colliding with the spacer. In this case, an electron beam path is distorted around the spacer and thus an excessively large or small amount of light is emitted from the phosphor layer around the spacer. As a result, the light emission uniformity may be deteriorated around the spacer.

Light emission device, method of manufacturing electron emission unit for the light emission device, and display device having the light emission device


The use of aqueous compositions containing at least one chelating agent in the removal of alginates from cutaneous substrates to which they are bound is disclosed. Such compositions, which may also contain physiological salts and non-ionic surfactants, are particularly useful in the removal of alginate wound dressings from human or animal wounds, skin, or cellular tissue.

The present invention relates generally to the removal of an alginate from a cutaneous substrate using an aqueous solution of at least one chelating agent. While chelants have been used industrially to remove alginates from substrates such as floors and vessels, their use in the field of wound management is believed to be novel.
The instant chelant compositions are of particular benefit in the field of wound management, where alginate wound dressings are commonly used. In addition to chelating agents, these compositions may also contain physiological salts and one or more EO/PO-type surfactants. The preferred compositions of this invention are non-cytotoxic.
Alginate fibres have been known for some time as being useful in the preparation of surgical dressings. For example, United Kingdom Patent No. 653341 describes surgical dressings formed from fibres of calcium alginate. This reference recognizes that a failing of calcium alginate fibres is their relative insolubility in water or wound exudate matter. Bonniksen in GB-A-653341 therefore proposed that a proportion of the calcium ions in calcium alginate be replaced by sodium cations, since sodium alginate was known to be more soluble than calcium alginate. The resulting process has become known as "conversion" of calcium alginate to form a mixed salt alginate.
As used herein, the term "alginate" refers to any salt of alginic acid. In particular, the class of alginates includes but is not limited to, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium alginates, and mixtures thereof. Alginate wound dressings include any alginate-containing dressings used in the fields of human or animal wound management.
For example, EP 433354 discloses the use of mixed salt alginates in the manufacture of wound dressings. In such dressings, the mixed salt alginate forms the wound contact pad. U.K. 8815132 discloses the use of mixed alginate salt fibre dressings on skin wounds. KALTOSTAT.RTM. is a highly absorbent alginate wound dressing which is commercially available from Calgon Vestal Laboratories.
If dry, alginate wound dressings are generally removed by simply soaking the dressing with saline for several minutes. Though this procedure tends to soften alginate dressings, subsequent removal of the dressing may still be difficult. By contrast, the instant chelant compositions solubilize or dissolve, at least to some extent, alginates, thereby facilitating removal of alginates from cutaneous substrates to which they are affixed. This method of removal is not known or suggested in the art.
As used herein, the term "chelating agent" refers to any compound having the ability to complex, solubilize or bind a base metal present in an alginate fiber, particularly a calcium, magnesium, sodium or potassium ion. As such, the term chelating agent as used herein is synonymous, inter alia, with the following terms: chelant, sequestrant, sequestering agent and complexing agent. In theory, any chelating agent which solubilizes an alginate can be used in the instant compositions.
As mentioned above, the instant compositions may contain one or more physiological salts and one or more surfactants in addition to the chelating agent. While copending and commonly assigned application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 446,276 discloses the use of aqueous compositions comprising physiological salts and EO/PO block copolymers in wound management, the presence of chelating agents is not disclosed. Exemplary of such compositions is the product SAF-CLENS.RTM. which is commercially available from Calgon Vestal Laboratories.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 29,909 to Kurtz discloses a method of cleansing wounds which utilizes aqueous detergent solutions of ethylene oxide (EO)/propylen oxide (PO) block copolymers. The block copolymers of Kurtz are commercially available as PLURONIC.RTM. Polyols from BASF Kurtz discloses that his designated EO/PO polymers do not impair the ability of a wound being treated to resist infection. The claimed Kurtz wound cleansing compositions consist of an aqueous detergent solution of at least about 10% of an EO/PO block copolymer having an EO/PO ratio of at least 3:1 and a molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 15,000.
A wound cleanser known as SHUR CLENS.RTM., which is commercially available from Calgon-Vestal Laboratories, represents a commercial embodiment of a wound cleansing composition disclosed by Kurtz.

Method and composition for removing an alginate from a cutaneous substrate


Disclosed is a differential decoder circuit, which has: a pair of first and second transistors which form a differential connection, wherein a base of the first transistor is supplied with a reference bias voltage and a base of the second transistor is supplied with an input signal to be decoded to thereby output a decode output depending on the input signal from collector outputs of the first and second transistors; a constant-voltage source; a first bias means for supplying a bias voltage determined by a constant voltage of the constant-voltage source with the base of the first transistor; and a second bias means for supplying the alternative of a voltage determined by the input signal and the voltage determined by the constant voltage depending on a level of the input signal with the base of the second transistor.

A conventional differential decoder circuit comprises a pair of differential PNP transistors which are supplied with an operating current by a constant-current source and have emitters commonly connected, wherein an input signal to be decoded is applied to the base input of one of the transistors and a voltage of a constant-voltage source is applied to the base input of the other of the transistors. The transistors compose the first-stage differential circuit. Further, each of collectors of the transistors is connected with the second-stage differential circuit. The differential circuit connected to one of the collectors is composed of PNP transistors, in which the other input signal to be decoded is applied to the base input of a transistor and a voltage of a constant-voltage source is applied to the base of the other transistor. Also, the differential circuit connected to the other collector of the transistors is composed of PNP transistors, in which the voltage of the constant-voltage source is applied to the base of a transistor and the other input signal is applied to the base of the other transistor.
From the collector resistances of the second-stage transistors, the respective decoded output signals to the 2-bit input signals are taken out.
However, when the logical amplitude signals with high-level Vcc and low-level 0V are input, it does not operate stably. Therefore, it needs, for example, means for converting the CMOS(complementary MOS) logic level into the ECL(emitter-coupled logic) level.
This example is composed of two-stage differential circuits. In the case of multi-bit inputs, where the multistage composition is needed, it is difficult for the number of stages of differential connection to be increased since the power source is limited. Also, it cannot provide a high potential output.


High quantum yield luminescent monomers, oligomers, and polymers, comprising benzotriazole repeating units and derivatives thereof have been discovered and utilized in optical devices and components therefor, including electroluminescent devices, light emitting devices, photoluminescent devices, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), OLED displays, sensors, and the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to organic/polymer chemistry, and more particularly to novel luminescent compounds (polymers, oligomers, and monomers) which emit strong light when excited optically, electrically, and/or chemically; to processes for preparing said novel luminescent compounds; and to the use of said compounds in applications involving luminescence, e.g., as components of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), OLED displays, lights, as sensors, UV stabilizers, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Organic luminescence devices utilizing organic substances (either small organic molecules or polymers) have favorable prospects for the use in low-priced large-size full color displays, lasers, optoelectronic devices, photovoltaic devices, sensors, biotags, lights, and the like, and the demands therefor have been steadily growing. Such devices can emit light (e.g., organic light-emitting diodes, OLEDs, that make up displays) or respond to radiant energy (e.g., photodetectors). Compared with other tools for use in similar applications, organic luminescence devices offer many distinguishing advantages, such as their light weight, thinness, flexibility, wide range of colors, high contrast, fast response rate, low power consumption, high brightness, and no need for backlighting.
Organic luminescence devices may be classified depending on the molecular weight of their organic components and manufacturing processes: devices manufactured from low molecular weight compounds (small organic molecules) and devices manufactured using large molecular weight compounds (polymers). Low molecular weight compounds may be layered by vacuum deposition and may be easily purified to a high degree. In addition, color pixels may be easily obtained in a low molecular weight device. High molecular weight devices are more easily layered by casting, printing, dipping, spraying, lithography, and the like.
In organic luminescence devices, an organic active layer is generally sandwiched between two electrical contact layers (electrodes). At least one of the electrical contact layers is light-transmitting so that light can pass through it. The organic active layer may generate an electrical signal in response to light passing through the light-transmitting electrical contact layer, or it may emit light through the light-transmitting electrical contact layer upon application of electricity across the electrical contact layers.
Organic luminescence devices work through a double charge injection from two electrodes, i.e., holes are injected from the anode into the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the emissive layer molecules (or first to the hole transport layer molecules if there is a hole transport layer, and then to the emissive layer molecules), and electrons from the cathode into the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the emissive layer molecules (or first to the electron transport layer molecules if there is an electron transport layer, and then to the emissive layer molecules), the hole and electron recombining in the emissive layer, thereby liberating energy as light.
Multiple layers between the two electrodes can make the light production more efficient (Tang et al. (1987) Applied Physics Letters 51: 913-915, and Burroughs et al. (1990) Nature 347: 539). The multiple layers may include one or more electron transport layers, and one or more hole transport layers. See Adachi et al. (1988) Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 27: L269-L271, and Mitschke and Bauerle (2000) J. Mater. Chem. 10: 1471-1507.
OLED displays may employ active matrix addressing or passive matrix addressing. In passive matrix displays there is an array of electrode lines for addressing individual pixels arranged in rows and columns; applying a voltage between a particular row and column energizes the pixel with that corresponding address. By analogy with active matrix liquid crystal displays, the polymer electronic device (display) can be addressed at individual pixels using, for example, a thin film transistor (TFT) device which switches that pixel on and off.
The use of organic electroluminescent materials as active materials in light emitting diodes is well known. Simple organic molecules such as anthracene, thiadiazole derivatives, and coumarin derivatives are known to show electroluminescence. Semiconductive conjugated polymers have also been used as electroluminescent materials, as has been disclosed in, for example, Friend et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,190, and Heeger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,109. The organic materials can be tailored to provide emission at various wavelengths. Theoretically, it is possible to emit light of any color including red through blue by use of various organic compounds.
However, organic luminescence devices are frequently degraded by atmospheric gases, particularly oxygen and water vapor, and this instability can severely limit the working lifetime of the devices. In addition, when organic luminescence devices comprising conventional organic materials are continuously driven, the luminescence output reduces within a short time and the drive voltage has to be increased. Accordingly, there is an urgent need in the industry to improve the chemical stability/durability of layers in organic electronic devices that are sensitive to environmental elements. There is also a need to improve the durability as well as the life time of such devices. Additionally, it would also be beneficial to increase the initial luminous intensity/efficiency and color purity.
We have now discovered novel compounds, processes, and devices possessing high quantum yields which are easily prepared and modified generally by employing commercially available precursors, which help to address some of the above-mentioned deficiencies present in this area of technology.


A method for sorting devices in automated handling equipment, including placing a plurality of input trays containing a plurality of devices and a plurality of empty trays into a handler; sorting the plurality of devices in the plurality of input trays into the plurality of empty trays according to a category of each of the plurality of devices, dynamically assigning categories to each of the plurality of empty trays for each category of the plurality of devices, dynamically assigning categories to the plurality of input trays and placing the sorted plurality of devices into the plurality of input trays, removing the empty trays housing the plurality of sorted devices from the handler and determining whether the sorting is completed.

Semiconductor devices are commonly sorted into different categories based on performance characteristics determined during test by specialized automated processing equipment. Transport media include any fixture or carrier designed for transporting semiconductor devices internal or external to the automated processing equipment. An example is a plastic tray as specified by the JEDEC Design Standard. FIG. 1 is an illustration of a transport media 20 suitable for carrying a plurality of devices 21.
Automated handling equipment used to sort semiconductor devices into trays are generally referred to as automated handling equipment or binning handlers. Binning handlers facilitate the identification and sorting of devices by category. A device may be categorized based on a number of characteristics including, for example, processor speed. Binning handlers group devices of similar categories (e.g. processor speed) together after testing for further processing. Generally, for each category of device being sorted, binning handlers require each tray to be held in an individual tray station. These handlers use fixed or assigned tray stations to support and locate trays into which semiconductor devices are sorted. For each category of device being sorted there must be an individual tray station. Thus the dimensions of the binning handler increase in direct proportion to the number of device categories desired.
In view of the foregoing, a sort control process is needed which allows trays and devices to be dynamically assigned and sorted for optimum speed and flexibility. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide a sort control process that would assign trays to a desired category without delaying the device sorting process. Further, it would be desirable for the sort control process to allow the devices to be sorted into more categories than there are tray locations available inside a binning handler.

Process for handling semiconductor devices and transport media in automated sorting equipment


A measuring apparatus which detects defects in underwater concrete structs by measuring the compressive strength of the structure. The measuring apparatus comprises a rebound hammer which has extending from the nose thereof a plunger. The plunger is pressed against the structure whose compressive strength is being measured forcing the plunger into the rebound hammer's housing which releases a spring driven mass. A resistive film strip which is in electrical contact with the mass detects the maximum rebound of the mass and provides an electrical signal indicative of this maximum rebound. A data acquisition and processing circuit comprising a microprocessor and signal conditioning electronics receives, processes and stores the electrical signals provided by the resistive strip. This circuit includes a peak detection circuit which captures the peak output signal from the resistive strip. The peak detection circuit then interrupts the microprocessor and sends an analog signal proportional to the maximum rebound of the mass to an analog to digital converter which converts the analog signal to a digital data for processing by the microprocessor. The microprocessor then calculates the compressive strength of the underwater concrete structure under test.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for measuring the strength of concrete structures and, in particular, to a rebound hammer which measures the compressive strength of underwater concrete structures such as piers, retaining walls and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Naval concrete underwater structures include piers, retaining walls, easements and the like. Over time fresh water and seawater will have an adverse effect on such underwater concrete structures in the form of wear and damage which necessitates inspection of the structures and if necessary repair or replacement of the structures.
In the past visual inspection of underwater concrete structures has been used to determine the condition of the structures. The qualitative data obtained from visual inspection is often inadequate to accurately assess the condition of the structure. In particular, a visual inspection of an underwater concrete structure will often fail to identify an internal defect within the structure.
A need therefore exist for a measuring apparatus which provides a long sought solution to the problem of accurately measuring internal damage and deterioration to underwater concrete structures such as piers, retaining walls, easements and the like.

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


A controller for a transmission capable of preventing an occurrence of a gear squeak caused by a malfunction of a synchronization mechanism. The voltage determination section 24 performs a shift operation of a transmission by determining a control input Vin to a shift motor 13 so as to match an actual position Psc of a coupling sleeve 6 grasped by an actual position grasping section 21 with a target position Psc_cmd of the coupling sleeve 6 set by a target position setting section 22. After starting the shift operation of the transmission, it halts the shift operation by detecting a malfunction in the gear position where the shift operation is under execution when the actual position Psc of the coupling sleeve 6 has reached a malfunction judgment position provided within a range from a balk point to a contact point between the coupling sleeve 6 and an idle gear 7c before a difference Esc between the actual position Psc and the target position Psc_cmd of the coupling sleeve 6 exceeds a given contact judgment value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller for a transmission having a synchronization mechanism for the number of revolutions, and more particularly to a controller for a transmission having a function of detecting a malfunction in a synchronization mechanism.
2. Related Background Art
There is an already known vehicle-mounted transmission such as an automatic/manual transmission (AMT), in which a motor or some other actuator is used to perform a select operation and a shift operation of a manual transmission (MT) for transmitting power between an input shaft and an output shaft by means of a select operation and a shift operation with a driver's manual operation.
In this type of controller for an automatic manual transmission, the shift operation is performed after synchronizing the number of revolutions of a coupling sleeve with that of an idle gear with the coupling sleeve put in contact with the idle gear arranged relatively rotatable on an input shaft via a synchronizer ring by moving the coupling sleeve rotating integrally with the input shaft. Moreover, it is possible to reduce a shift shock to a driver and to protect the synchronization mechanism for the number of revolutions for long life by absorbing a shock at the synchronization of the number of revolutions.
Therefore, there has been suggested a controller that detects a position (a balk point) where a synchronous friction begins to occur between a synchronizer ring and an idle gear by a rate of change in the number of revolutions of an input shaft, moves a coupling sleeve smoothly with a higher setting of a pressure applied to the coupling sleeve from the start of a shift operation to the balk point, and absorbs a shift shock with a lower setting of the pressure from the balk point (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-22816 (1999-22816)).
In addition, there has been suggested a controller that determines a balk point by a rate of change in the number of revolutions of an input shaft after starting a shift operation and sets driving current of a shift actuator from the balk point and after to an initial synchronizing current value proportional to a shift load (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-46176).
Furthermore, there has been suggested a controller that calculates a progress of a coupling sleeve in a shift operation on the basis of a position, displacement, speed, or the like of the coupling sleeve and determines an occurrence of a gear squeak by the progress (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-71005).
In this regard, if the synchronizer ring does not apply the synchronous action in the number of revolutions any more due to an occurrence of a malfunction in the synchronization mechanism when an output of an actuator from the balk point and after is controlled on the basis of the pressure or the shift load in the shift operation of the transmission, the coupling sleeve abuts an idle gear with the number of revolutions being asynchronous, thereby causing a so-called gear squeak.
Furthermore, the above detection of the occurrence of the gear squeak based on the progress of the coupling sleeve is conducted to determine whether the gear squeak has actually occurred. Therefore, it is not available for preventing a damage of the synchronization mechanism associated with the gear squeak.


The present invention relates to a very mild, stable, liquid dispersoidal cleansing composition comprising: 55% to 90% water; 5% to 20% saturated (low IV) higher (high titer) fatty acid potassium soap; 2.5% to 18% of free fatty acids; said soap and said free fatty acids having a ratio of about 1:0.3 to 1:1; and wherein said liquid cleanser has a viscosity of 4,000 cps to about 100,000 cps at about 25.degree. C.; and wherein said liquid cleanser is phase stable. The stable, mild liquid cleanser is preferably contained in a container having a pressure actuated pump. The composition is preferably made by the steps of:. 1. heating and mixing an aqueous mixture of said potassium fatty acid soap and said free fatty acid to provide a stable melt; PA1 2. cooling the melt to about room temperature; PA1 3. diluting said cooled melt with water to provide said dispersoidal liquid.

Liquid personal cleansing compositions are well known. Patents disclosing such compositions are U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,697,644, Laiderman, issued Oct. 10, 1972; 3,932,610, Rudy et al., issued Jan. 13, 1976; 4,031,306, DeMartino et al., issued June 21, 1977; 4,061,602, Oberstar et al., issued Dec. 6, 1977; 4,387,040, Straw, issued June 7, 1983; and 4,917,823, Maile, Jr., issued April 17, 1990; 4,338,211, Stiros, issued July 6, 1982; 4,190,549, Imamura et al., issued Feb. 26, 1980; 4,861,507, Gervasio, issued Aug. 29, 1989; and Brit. Pat. No. 1,235,292, published Jun. 9, 1971; as well as in Soap Manufacturer, Davidson et al., Vol. 1, page 305, 1953.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,525, Small et al., issued June 16, 1987, incorporated herein by reference, discloses mild alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate (AGS) surfactant based personal cleansing systems, primarily synbars.
Most liquid soaps comprise mostly "soluble," "unsaturated," shorter chains, e.g., lauric/oleic soaps for phase stability. This, however, compromises lather quality or mildness.
Brit. Pat. 1,235,292, supra, discloses a mix of K/Na soap; at least 5% K soap; and 0.1-5% alkyl cellulose. The '292 soaps are natural. Natural fatty acids contain some unsaturation and therefore have higher Iodine Values and lower titers. The '292 exemplified liquid soaps contain from about 17% to about 21.5% soap and up to 1% free fatty acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,040, supra, discloses a stable liquid K soap containing a viscosity controlling agent composed of coco-DEA and sodium sulfate. Saturated acid soaps of C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 are used. The viscosity of the '040 soap is 1,000-1,500 cps at 25.degree. C., RVT/Spindle 3/10 rpm. Free fatty acid is not taught. Some of the '040 formulations contain electrolyte and polymeric thickener; but those formulations are disclosed as unstable. It should also be noted that lauric acid soap is a relatively harsh soap and when used at higher levels (as used in '040) works against product mildness.
Newtonian liquids which are too viscous are more difficult to pump than shear thinning liquids. Liquid "soap" products on the market today are mostly Newtonian or only slightly to moderately shear thinning liquids.
While it is known to use natural potassium (K) soap to make liquid cleansing compositions, there is no teaching or suggestion of solutions to certain problems encountered with superfatted, saturated, low Iodine Value (IV), higher fatty acid (FFA) soaps.
Specifically, phase stability, good lather, and viscosity control and stability are heretofore unsolved, or only partially solved, problems in this art.
While these previously disclosed liquid soap formulations are not subject, or are subject to a lesser degree, to one or more of the above-described deficiencies, it has been found that further improvements in physical stability and stability against rheological properties variations with time or temperature are desired to increase the shelf life of the product and thereby enhance consumer acceptance.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a liquid cleansing bath/shower soap composition which is phase stable, shelf stable, lathers well, and is cosmetically attractive.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid soap cleansing composition which is relatively mild.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a viscous, high shear thinning liquid soap cleansing composition which is pumpable from a standard hand pressure pump container.
These and other objects of the present invention will become obvious from the detailed description which follows.

Stable mild liquid soap personal cleanser


An imaging apparatus includes a sheet picking mechanism drive unit that includes a sheet pick gear train for driving a sheet picking mechanism to transport a sheet from a stack of print media along the sheet feed path. A print media dam is pivotably coupled at an axis to the imaging apparatus. The print media dam has at least one dam member and a first gear. Each dam member has a media engaging surface. A drive mechanism is drivably coupled between the sheet picking drive mechanism and the first gear to move the dam member between an extended position and a retracted position. When the dam member is in the extended position, the media engaging surface is positioned to interrupt the sheet feed path. When the dam member is in the retracted position, the media engaging surface is positioned to not interrupt the sheet feed path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly, to an imaging apparatus having a print media dam in association with an automatic sheet feeder mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
An imaging apparatus typically includes an automatic sheet feeder (ASF) including a media tray and a sheet picking mechanism. The automatic sheet feeder automatically supplies a sheet of print media from a stack of print media positioned in the media tray to the print engine. During the loading of the media tray of the automatic sheet feeder, however, some of the print media may be pushed down into the automatic sheet feeder too far, resulting in simultaneous multiple sheet feeds, and may ultimately result in a media jam.
What is needed in the art is an imaging apparatus that reduces the occurrence of multiple media picks due to faulty loading of the automatic sheet feeder mechanism.

Imaging apparatus having a print media dam in association with an automatic sheet feeder mechanism


Type I anhydrous aripiprazole is prepared by dissolving aripiprazole (or an acid salt thereof) in an alcoholic solvent, optionally containing water, at elevated temperature, adding seed crystals of Type 1 anhydrous aripiprazole to the solution, cooling the mixture, and isolating crystals aripiprazole and drying the isolated crystals to obtain low moisture Type 1 anhydrous aripiprazole.

Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic agent useful for the treatment of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a common type of psychosis characterized by delusions, hallucinations and extensive withdrawal from others. Onset of schizophrenia typically occurs between the age of 16 and 25 and affects 1 in 100 individuals worldwide. It is more prevalent than Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, insulin-dependent diabetes and muscular dystrophy. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to significantly improved recovery and outcome. Moreover, early therapeutic intervention may avert costly hospitalization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,416 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,528, both assigned to Otsuka, describe aripiprazole and processes for its preparation. These patents also disclose various salts of aripiprazole and their preparation. Preparation of conventional anhydrous aripiprazole Type 1 also was disclosed in Fourth Japanese-Korean Symposium on Separation Technology (Oct. 6-8, 1996). According to the Proceedings of the 4th Japanese-Korean Symposium on Separation Technology, aripiprazole anhydride crystals are manufactured by heating, at 80° C., aripiprazole hydrate previously re-crystallized from an aqueous ethanol solution.
WO 03/026659 (corresponding to U.S. Publication 2004/0058935) also teaches a method of preparing a conventional hydrate of aripiprazole hydrate in which crude aripiprazole crystals are dissolved in a hydrous organic solvent, the solution is heated and then cooled. As described, the organic solvent is one which is miscible with water, such as for example an alcohol, acetone, an ether and their mixtures. Ethanol is apparently preferred. The amount of water in the hydrous solvent can be 10-25% by volume of the solvent, or preferably close to 20% by volume.
US Patent Publication 2005/0277650 alleges that the aripiprazole hydrate prepared as per WO 03/026659 does not provide consistent results and that by an altered process conventional aripiprazole hydrate can be prepared with more consistent results.
In particular, US Patent Publication 2005/0277650 describes a process for preparing aripiprazole hydrate in which aripiprazole is dissolved in an aqueous, organic solvent; the solution is heated to a temperature of above about 67° C.; the heated solution is seeded with aripiprazole hydrate crystals at a temperature of above about 67° C.; the so-seeded solution is cooled to a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 55° C. and is maintained at that temperature as crystals form; followed by further cooling of the solution to a temperature in the range of about 0° C. to about 10° C. and maintaining such temperature as crystals form; separating the crystals from the cooled solution; and drying the separated crystals at a temperature of about 45° C. to about 50° C. until the water content of the dried crystals is about 3 to about 4.5 percent by weight.

Process for preparing anhydrous Aripirazole type I