A photoconductive imaging member containing a photogenerator layer comprised of a mixture of bis(methylbenzimidazo)perinone, optionally an (alkylimido)perylene, such as (n-pentylimido)perylene or mixtures of (n-pentylimido)perylene, bisbenzimidazo(2,1-a-1',2'-b)anthra(2,1,9-def: 6,5,10-d'e'f')diisoquinoline-6,11-dione and bisbenzimidazo(2,1-a:2',1'-a)anthra(2,1,9-def: 6,5,10-d'e'f')diisoquinoline-10,21-dione, and a charge transport layer.

This invention is generally directed to imaging members, and more specifically, the present invention is directed to imaging members containing BZP doped with perinones, perylenes, or mixtures thereof, BZP being disclosed in some of the above patents and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,189, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, and a charge transport layer. The imaging members of the present invention in embodiments exhibit excellent cyclic stability, independent layer discharge, and substantially no adverse changes in performance over extended time periods. The aforementioned photoresponsive, or photoconductive imaging members can be negatively charged when the photogenerating layer is situated between the hole transport layer and the substrate. Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, are also encompassed by the present invention. More specifically, the layered photoconductive imaging members of the present invention can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein negatively charged or positively charged images are rendered visible with toner compositions of an appropriate charge polarity. The imaging members as indicated herein are in embodiments sensitive in the wavelength region of, for example, from about 550 to about 900 nanometers, and in particular, from about 700 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source. Moreover, the imaging members of this invention are preferably useful in color xerographic applications where several color printings can be achieved in a single pass.


A redundant column is mapped to a defective or over-erased column in the memory array. When an erase command occurs, both the redundant column and the defective or over-erased column are preconditioned by preprogramming them. The defective or over-erased column is preprogrammed and verified a predetermined number of times or until the verification passes. The redundant and defective or over-erased columns are then erased with the rest of the memory block.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to memory devices and particularly to flash memory devices.
II. Description of the Related Art
Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Common uses for flash memory include portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and cellular telephones. Program code, system data such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), and other firmware can typically be stored in flash memory devices.
A synchronous flash memory device is a flash memory device that has a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) interface. This enables the synchronous flash device to operate at much higher speeds than a typical flash memory.
An erase operation in flash memory is typically comprised of three separate activities. The entire array is pre-programmed, the memory block is erased, and a Vt tightening operation is performed.
The array is pre-programmed in order to reduce the chances of the cells going into a depletion mode. As the cells in a flash memory device get erased, they may get erased to the point where they go into depletion and conduct current even when those cells have a gate voltage of 0 V. This affects the reading of all other cells in their respective columns. By pre-programming the memory, the cells start from a known programmed state and are therefore less likely to go into depletion.
The erase operation is then conducted to ensure that all cells are erased to at least a minimum level. At the end of the erase operation, there is no guarantee that some cells have not been over-erased. In this case, a Vt tightening operation is performed.
The Vt tightening operation is a short programming pulse that is intended to pull memory cells that are marginal back into the erase state. Vt is the gate voltage to which the memory cell is programmed. This operation may be accomplished by pulsing the cell, then checking for the erased state. This operation is repeated until the check turns up an erased state for that cell.
Most flash memory devices are read in a byte or word mode. In this case, the interaction between bit lines (also referred to in the art as columns or data lines) is not an issue since only 8 or 16 out of 2000 or 4000 columns, for example, are being sensed at any one time. However, in synchronous flash memory devices, 8000 bit lines may be sensed at a time. This makes the interaction between adjacent bit lines an important part of the read operation.
If an adjacent bit line is defective or over-erased, it pulls down at a faster rate than a normal bit line. The coupling capacitance between the two bit lines shows up as an AC injected current in the adjacent bit line. This current is going to make the cells in that adjacent bit line appear as erased when they may actually be programmed.
In a synchronous flash device, the defective bit lines do not get preprogrammed and are therefore continually erased until they go into an over-erasure condition. These bit lines then discharge even more quickly thus causing greater problems with adjacent bit lines.
An additional problem is that typical preprogram operations may try to verify the preprogrammed data up to one thousand times. This reduces the speed advantage that synchronous flash has over typical flash memory devices. There is a resulting need in the art for a way to reduce or eliminate the effect that defective or over-erased bit lines have on adjacent bit lines while also reducing the time required to perform a preprogram operation.

Preconditioning of defective and redundant columns in a memory device


Illuminated controls for use with air moving products such as fans and humidifiers wherein the controls for motor speed, temperature, or humidity are illuminated by an electroluminescent panel to show the location and settings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to controls for air moving products such as fans or humidifiers, of the type that are illuminated to show the general control location, as well as the control settings for the speed,or thermostat for fans, or humidistat settings for humidifiers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Air moving products such as fans and humidifiers are widely used in many locations, and are often used in bedrooms. It is desirable to be able at any time to change the temperature, or degree of humidity, or the speed of the motor which circulates the air in the room.
It is desirable to be able to view the settings on the fan or humidifier at night without turning on a light, however while illumination of the thermostat, or humidistat, or switch control must be easily visible it should be unobtrusive.
In the prior art it is known to use LED'S or minature incadescent lights or neon bulbs to illustrate the status of the apparatus, such as on/off,the bulbs may not be located at the control, and are not useful to show the exact location and status of the control.
The illuminated controls of the invention show both the location and status of the control.
The illuminated controls of the invention do not suffer from prior art problems, and provide many positive advantages.

Illuminated controls for air moving products


A fiber cutting device is disclosed having a cutting head with one or more blades disposed across a surface of the cutting head and disposed to rotate about a cutting head axis. An anvil roller is disposed and driven to rotate about an anvil axis and has a surface in momentary contact with each the one or more blades of the cutting head. Fibers are delivered to the device across a feeder. A feed control toggle may be moved to a stop position, where a first end of the feed control toggle presses the plurality of fibers against the feeder to stop motion of the fibers and prevent cutting. Contact with the anvil roller to draw the fibers between the cutting head and the anvil may also be controlled by the feed control toggle. A flap for sliding contact between the fibers and the anvil may also be used.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to composite manufacturing. Particularly, this invention relates to techniques for cutting fibers such as glass fibers to be used in composite manufacturing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some existing methods of cutting fibers, e.g. such as cutting glass fibers as may be used in composite manufacturing, employ two rollers, one having a series of horizontal cutting blades and another having a hard rubber surface. The rollers are rotated together in contact so that when strands of glass fibers pass between them the fibers are broken into short segments by the cutting blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,967 issued Nov. 23, 1976 to Morris Fram, discloses a fiber cutter for cutting lengths of glass fibers and glass rovings into short lengths includes a cutter roller carrying a plurality of cutting blades and shaped annular means cooperatively associated with a resilient back-up roll means. In operation the force executed between the cutter roller and the back-up roller controls the spacing between the rollers by forcing the shaped annular means into the resilient surface of the back-up roller means. In addition to permitting control of spacing, the coaction of the cutter roller with its shaped annular means and the resilient back-up roll means holds the rollers in alignment, reduces the bounce between the rollers as the blades engage and pass over the back-up roll means and permit force to be used to build the blades in engagement with the back-up roll means without blade breakage.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of an example prior art fiber cutting device. FIG. 1A is an isometric view of the typical three rollers of a prior art fiber cutting device 100 and a feed bar 102. FIG. 1B is a side view of the same prior art fiber cutting device 100. The cutting device 100 includes one roller as a cutting head 104 which has blades 114 mounted on its surface. The cutting head 104 rotates clockwise. The adjacent roller is a rubber surfaced anvil roller 106. The anvil roller 106 rotates counter-clockwise. Finally, the upper roller is a feed roller 108, which rotates clockwise against the anvil roller 106 and draws the glass fibers 112 into the space between the cutting head 104 and the anvil roller 106 to be cut. The feed bar 102 is mounted on the upper right-hand side with pins 110 to guide the glass fibers 112 (or strands). In the example, twelve glass strands 112 are shown entering the cutting device 100, spaced substantially evenly across the width of the feed bar 102. Typically, the fibers 112 are long continuous strands, which may be packaged as separate balls (not shown), that each deliver a fiber end drawn from the center. However, sometimes they come in spools (not shown). In some devices, plastic tubes or ceramic eyelets (not shown) are used to feed the strands to the cutting device 100.                The glass fibers 112 are pulled into the nip point between the cutting head and anvil roller 106, and the blades 114 mounted on the cutting head 104 part the fiber 112 through a breaking action and not so much by actually slicing. This is because the glass fiber cannot bend around the sharp radius of the blade as it is squeezed against the rubber surface of the anvil roll and the fiber is brittle enough to fracture. Thus, the blades 114 of the cutting head 104 can be dull by normal standards and still part the glass fiber 112.
One known problem with fiber cutting devices employing a feed roller 108 like the prior art device 100 described above occurs if any of the fibers 112 should stick to the feed roller 108 surface even momentarily. If this should occur, the fiber 112 will begin to spool around the feed roller 108. The fiber cutting device 100 must then be shut down in order for the fiber 112 to be tediously removed from the feed roller 108 so that the device may be reset for cutting to begin again. Over the years, glass fiber cutting techniques have further evolved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,799 issued Sep. 8, 1981 to Fujita et al., discloses a cutting roller of a glass filament chopping apparatus mounts a plurality of spaced, axially parallel cutting blades 19 held in receiving grooves by retainer strips. The peripheral flange surfaces of the cutting roller on the opposite ends of the roller drum are raised to almost the radius of the cutting blade edges, and serve as driving engagement surfaces when the rotating cutting roller is biased into contact with a feed roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,291 issued Feb. 23, 1999 to Sand, discloses an apparatus for cutting fibrous reinforcement material in relationship with an ejector nozzle. The apparatus comprises at least two feeding rollers and a rotary cutter which is provided with a substantially cylindrical mantle surface with attachments for a number of knives. These cooperate with a support roller with an elastic surface layer for forming a thread nip. The mantle surface of the cutter is provided with slot-shaped recesses for the fiber thread, which recesses extend peripherally along the mantle surface and between successive knives. The recesses enable the thread to be fed forward by means of the feeding rollers at a feeding rate which deviates from the speed of the cutter, for adaptation of the cutting length of the fiber thread.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,837 issued Oct. 26, 1999 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,442 issued Jun. 20, 2000 both to Arterburn et al., disclose a type of multi-chopper for cutting strands or ribbon shaped material such as strands of glass fibers, and a method of using this chopper, is disclosed. The chopper has at least two chopper assemblies on a rotating frame. When one chopper assembly needs repair, the frame is rotated which brings a rebuilt or repaired chopper assembly into operating position quickly and also brings the assembly needing repair into a position where it can be worked on while the other chopper is operating resulting in much reduced downtime. The frame of the chopper can rotate around a vertical or horizontal line, or around a line passing through two opposite corners of a frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,211 issued Mar. 4, 2003 to Bellasalma, discloses a fiber chopper overcoming the disadvantages of the previous cutting rollers for chopping continuous filaments. The apparatus includes a means for feeding continuous fibers to a chopping roller. A spring holds the cutting blades on the chopping roller. The filaments pass between the chopping roller and a feed roller for chopping.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,617 issued May 17, 2005 to Knauder, discloses a charging arm for conveying, treating and discharging different starting materials in order to produce glass fiber armored plastic pipes.
Although developments in glass fiber cutting technology has occurred, there is a need in the art for apparatuses and methods for efficiently excluding cut fibers that may be employed in composite manufacturing. Particularly, there is a need for such apparatuses and methods to efficiently start and stop cutting in a well-controlled manner. In addition, there is a need for fiber cutting devices that eliminate the problem of fibers sticking and spooling around the feed roller resulting in lost production time. There is also a need for such apparatuses and methods to provide to deliver cut fibers for molded composite manufacturing. There is further a need for such systems and apparatuses to be cheaper and operate at higher production rates than existing systems and minimizing wasted fiber. These and other needs are met by the present invention as detailed hereafter.


A method and apparatus for efficient provisioning of a VT/TU cross-connect includes checking a state of a control bit that specifies whether to assemble an output from multiple virtual tributary (VT1.5/VT2) or tributary unit (TU11/TU12) connections or handle the output as an synchronous transport signal (STS) or administrative unit (AU-3/AU-4) connection, and switching a predetermined number of entries together based on a state of the control bit.

This invention relates to cross-connect provisioning.
Synchronous data communications networks can carry payload data using, for example, the synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) protocol or synchronous optical network (SONET) protocol. In each of these protocols, payload data is transported within synchronous payload envelopes (SPE's), in which the payload data is organized into rows. Typically, each row is subdivided into a plurality of data segments, each of which may comprise one or more bytes of data. For example, a virtual connection level 4 (VC-4) may include 63 tributary unit level 1, rate 2 signals (TU-12s) or 2 low order virtual connection level 3 signals (VC-3s) and 21 TU-12s. The VCs are transported across a network in frames known as synchronous transport module (STM) frames. Similarly a synchronous optical network (SONET) system carries data in high order structures known as synchronous transport signals (STS) or low order structures known as virtual tributaries (VTs). An STS-1 may comprise some combination of lower signals such as 28 VT1.5s or 21 VT2s, where VT2s are comparable with SDH TU-12s.
If a VT/TU cross-connect has the ability to cross-connect the overhead column in a SONET/SDH frame as well as the VT/TU data, the cross-connect can operate as an STS-1/VC-3 cross-connect. Cross-connects capable of switching STS-1/VC-3 are typically capable of switching any concatenated rate (e.g. STS-3c/VC-4 to STS-Nc/VC-4-Nc) or other integer multiple rate of 51.84 Mbps.

Efficient provisioning of a VT/TU cross-connect


A display card holder which securely holds and displays a directory card or the like for use in connection with shopping baskets. The holder has a releasable outer frame member which clamps the card to a backing member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a directory holder for use in combination with a shopping cart.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, large shopping centers and food markets typically have thousands of items of products stacked on shelves and arranged in aisles. These thousands of products are typically grouped together where they are essentially the same product but differ in brand or manufacturer. As is often the case, the department store or food store can assist the shopper by indicating in which aisles particular items may be found. For example, a shopping directory may be hung from a ceiling or placed in a stand at either end of an aisle. There are several problems associated with directories which must be hung from the ceiling over a particular area of the store or above a certain aisle. For example, in a very large store it is often difficult to see what is in a particular aisle or in a particular section of the store when one is located at the opposite end of the store. Also, because the printing on such directories must be large enough to be readable from a distance, fewer items can be listed on such a directory. Finally, if the store relocates a certain product, the directory will have to be changed or replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,077 is directed to a directory holder which is mounted directly on a shopping cart. The directory holder of this reference allows directory and advertising placards or cards to be carried directly on the shopping cart for easy reference by a shopper. Moreover, the directory holder is designed so that the store owner can easily change the placard to substitute a revised directory or a new advertisement. In particular, the directory holder has a plurality of slots positioned to receive mating tabs of the placard. A raised periphery of the holder frame centers the placard and protects its edges. The placard is readily removed by flexing the placard sufficiently to withdraw the tabs from the frame slots.
However, for some applications, it may be desirable to hold the placard more securely without sacrificing the ability to easily change the placard. In addition, it may be desirable to more uniformly secure the periphery of the placard for a more uniform appearance.


To provide a liquid crystal aligning agent to obtain a liquid crystal alignment film which has favorable seal adhesion and a favorable residual image property, and which is excellent in removability of a decomposed product formed after irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

A liquid crystal display device used for a liquid crystal television, a liquid crystal display, etc. usually has a liquid crystal alignment film to control the liquid crystal alignment state provided therein. As the liquid crystal alignment film, a polyimide liquid crystal alignment film obtained by applying a liquid crystal aligning agent containing as the main component a solution of a polyimide precursor such as a polyamic acid (polyamide acid) or a soluble polyimide to a glass substrate or the like and baking it is mainly used. At present, by the industrially most common method, a liquid crystal alignment film is prepared by carrying out so-called rubbing treatment such that the surface of a polyimide liquid crystal alignment film formed on an electrode substrate is rubbed in one direction with a cloth of e.g. cotton, nylon or polyester.
A method of applying a rubbing treatment to the film surface in the alignment procedure of the liquid crystal alignment film, is an industrially useful method which is easily conducted and is excellent in the productivity. However, demands for higher performance, high definition and increase in the size of a liquid crystal display device are increasing, and various problems have been revealed such as scars on the surface of the alignment film formed by the rubbing treatment, influences by dust, mechanical force and static electricity, and non-uniformity in the alignment film plane.
As an alternative to the rubbing treatment, a photo-alignment method of imparting liquid crystal alignment performance by irradiation with polarized ultraviolet rays has been known. As the liquid crystal alignment treatment by the photo-alignment method, in terms of mechanism, one utilizing photoisomerization reaction, one utilizing photocrosslinking reaction, one utilizing photodecomposition reaction, etc. have been proposed (Non-Patent Document 1). Further, in Patent Document 1, use of a polyimide film having an alicyclic structure such as a cyclobutane ring in its main chain for photo-alignment method has been proposed.
The above photo-alignment method is not only advantageous in that a liquid crystal alignment film can be produced by an industrially easy production process but also has the following advantages. That is, in an in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display device in which an electric field is applied to a substrate in a horizontal direction (a transverse direction) for switching the orientation of liquid crystal molecules or a fringe field switching (hereinafter referred to as FFS) mode liquid crystal display device, by using a liquid crystal alignment film obtained by the above photo-alignment method, as compared with a liquid crystal alignment film obtained by the rubbing treatment method, improvement of the contrast and the viewing angle of a liquid crystal display device can be expected.
A liquid crystal alignment film to be used for an IPS mode or FFS mode liquid crystal display device is not only required to have basic properties such as excellent liquid crystal alignment property and electrical properties but also required to suppress a residual image which occurs due to long-term alternative-current drive in an IPS mode or FFS mode liquid crystal display device.
However, a liquid crystal alignment film obtained by the photo-alignment method is problematic in that the anisotropy to the alignment direction of a polymer film is small as compared with a film obtained by rubbing. If the anisotropy is small, no sufficient liquid crystal alignment property will be obtained, and when such a liquid crystal alignment film is used for a liquid crystal display device, problems may arise such that a residual image occurs. Thus, as a method for increasing the anisotropy of a liquid crystal alignment film obtained by the photo-alignment method, removal of low molecular weight components (decomposed products) formed by cleavage of the main chain of the polyimide by irradiation with light, by heating, has been proposed (Patent Document 2).
Further, in order to broaden the effective pixel area of a liquid crystal display device in recent years, it has been required to reduce a so-called picture frame area on which pixels are not formed on the peripheral edge portion of a substrate. As the picture frame of a panel is narrowed, a sealing agent for bonding two substrates to prepare a liquid crystal display device is applied on a polyimide liquid crystal alignment film, however, since a polyimide has no polar group, no covalent bond is formed between the sealing agent and the surface of the liquid crystal alignment film, and adhesion of the substrates may be insufficient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Liquid crystal aligning agent, liquid crystal alignment film and liquid crystal display device

Abstract: A liquid crystal aligning agent containing at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyimide precursor having structural units represented by the formula (1) and structural units represented by the formula (2) and an imidized polymer of the polyimide precursor:

Abstract: wherein X1 and X2 are a tetravalent organic group, Y1 and Y2 are a bivalent organic group, and R1 and R2 are a hydrogen atom or a C1-5 alkyl group.


The present invention provides a sheet for thin layer transfer (10) including: a substrate (1) including a thin metal film or a thin heat-resistant resin film; and a fluorine resin layer (2) provided on at least one side of the substrate (1). The sheet for thin layer transfer thus provided can have reduced surface irregularities and be less prone to deteriorate even when subjected to repeated thermal transfer by thermocompression bonding.

For example, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell employs a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) as its major component. The MEA is composed of an electrolyte membrane and electrode catalyst layers stacked on both sides of the electrolyte membrane. Each of these electrode catalyst layers may be stacked, for example, as a catalyst layer for an anode or as a catalyst layer for a cathode. A MEA including a diffusion layer stacked on the surface of an electrode catalyst layer is also preferably used. Thermal transfer is an often-used technique for stacking an electrode catalyst layer on an electrolyte membrane in such a MEA. Patent Literature 1 describes a method for consecutive thermal transfer of catalyst layers onto an electrolyte membrane in view of operation efficiency, the method including: forming a stack of a band-like electrolyte membrane and a catalyst layer-carrying film carrying a catalyst layer; passing the stack between a pair of thermal transfer rolls heated to a predetermined temperature; and then peeling off only the catalyst layer-carrying film. Patent Literature 2 describes a method for producing a MEA, the method including: joining an electrode catalyst layer, formed on a transfer sheet used as a substrate, to a polymer electrolyte membrane by hot press (heat press); and then peeling off the substrate. That is, this method performs thermal transfer of an electrode catalyst layer onto a polymer electrolyte membrane.

Sheet for thin layer transfer, electrode catalyst layer-carrying sheet for thin layer transfer, method for producing sheet for thin layer transfer, and method for producing membrane electrode assembly


A system and method for current sensing which is substantially consistent over device, temperature, and process variations is provided. A current sensing system includes a first switch coupled to one or more variable resistive elements. The resistive elements being configured to scale down the voltage across the first switch which is provided to an input of an amplifier. The amplifier is coupled to the resistive elements and the second switch and is configured to sense the voltage across the first switch, and force the voltage across the second switch to be equal to the first switch scaled down voltage. Thus, a current of known proportion can be provided at the output of the amplifier. A driver and timing circuit may be provided to prevent the amplifier from providing an excessive slewing of current during the off period.

The present invention generally relates to current sensing, and more particularly, to a system and method for current sensing which is substantially consistent over device, temperature, and process variations.
Current measurement techniques in electronic devices provide a variety of functions: fault protection, current control, switching, and/or the like. Various types and configurations of current sensors have been developed for current measurement. In such current sensors, it is desirable to restrict variations in device, temperature, process, and aging characteristics of circuit components and parasitic elements. Despite efforts to restrict, variations in such characteristics remain a problem. Further, correcting inaccuracies in sensing the current waveform can require additional printed circuit board (PCB) area and additional components, e.g., discrete resistors, which can increase cost and decrease system efficiency.
With reference to FIG. 1A, a switch mode circuit 100 is illustrated for providing a current to a load device. Circuit 100 includes a pair of switches Q1 and Q2 comprising a p-channel FET (Field Effect Transistor) device and an n-channel FET device, respectively, although both switches Q1 and Q2 could comprise n-channel FET devices as well. The gates of switches Q1 and Q2 are connected to an FET drive circuit 102, while the drains of switches Q1 and Q2 are coupled to a load 104 through various elements, including an inductor L1 and a capacitor C1. FET drive circuit 102 is configured with switches Q1 and Q2 to alternately couple inductor L1 to supply voltage VCC and ground. For example, as illustrated with reference to FIG. 1B, as switch Q1 is turned xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d, during a time TON, the voltage at a node VSW is high, i.e., connected to supply voltage VCC, causing the current IL1 to ramp upwards within inductor L1. In that the voltage V across an inductor is the product of the inductance L times the change in current over time di/dt, the rate of change of current for inductor L1 can be derived in equations (1) and (2) below:                     V        =                  L          ·                                    ⅆ              i                                      ⅆ              t                                                          (        1        )                                                      ⅆ            i                                ⅆ            t                          =                              (                          Vin              -              Vout                        )                    /          L                                    (        2        )
During a time TOFF, switch Q2 will turn on, the voltage at a node VSW will go low, resulting in a pulsed waveform switching between approximately zero volts and VCC, and current IL1 will ramp downward through inductor L1, at a rate set forth in equation (3) below:                                           ⅆ            i                                ⅆ            t                          =                  Vout          /          L                                    (        3        )
Currently, it is difficult to accurately sense this inductor current IL1 without dissipating significant power. Moreover, variations in discrete circuit elements negatively impact accurate current sensing, e.g., variations in temperature, process, and/or the like will have varying effects on the differing discrete circuit elements, which will produce inaccuracy in current sensing. In addition, other current sensing techniques commonly used, such as Rds(ON) sensing techniques of a power device, can have reduced accuracy. For example, FETs can have variations in resistance of about 40% in such Rds(ON) sensing techniques, which decreases the accuracy of current sensing. Other techniques include the placing of an RC network across the inductor, in which the effective series inductance (ESL) of the inductor is used to select the resistance used in the RC network. Unfortunately, the ESL has initial and temperature variations, which lead to inaccuracies in current sensing. Other techniques may utilize a sense resistor for current sensing, but which exhibit power losses, e.g., I2R losses.
Many current sensor applications include the use of current mirror circuits configured with operational amplifiers to provide a sensed current based on a load current. For example, current mirror circuits have included a first resistor of known resistance placed in series with a load device, and have measured the voltage drop across the resistor through use of the operational amplifier and a second resistor to calculate the current passing through the load device, e.g., by knowing the drop across the first resistor and forcing that voltage at both the inverting and non-inverting inputs of the amplifier, a sensed current of known proportion to the load current can be provided at the output of the amplifier. In addition to the difficulty and high costs in fabricating resistors within integrated circuit devices, matching a resistor to the power device is difficult to achieve due to variations in process.
With reference to FIG. 2, another prior art application including a current sensor 200 is illustrated. Current sensor 200 is configured as a basic current mirror circuit as described above, with the first and second resistors being replaced with p-channel transistors QP and QR configured to operate as variable resistive devices. For example, in that MOSFET devices can operate as linear resistors whose value can be controlled and/or varied by overdrive voltage when operating within the triode region, such as is disclosed by Behzad Razavi, DESIGN OF ANALOG CMOS INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (McGraw-Hill 2001), current sensor 200 can use the variable resistor devices QP and QR with an amplifier 202 to mirror a load current ILOAD, and thus provide an output current ISENSE representing a known proportion of load current ILOAD. In particular, current sensor 200 can sense the voltage at node V1, and by forcing the voltage at node V2 to equal the voltage at node V1 through amplifier 202, generate a scaled current through a follower transistor QF, to provide sensed current ISENSE.
However, current sense circuit 200 has various operational deficiencies. For example, current mirror circuit 200 generally requires a high speed amplifier for operational amplifier 202 to force the voltage at node V2 to equal the voltage at node V1, which can be difficult to implement in processes optimized for high voltage power devices, i.e., it is difficult to use high voltage devices in a high speed amplifier. Moreover, during switch mode applications, the voltage at node V1 will equal the voltage at node VSW, including having a pulsed waveform between VCC and ground. Thus, when the voltage at node VSW is low, and thus low at node V1, amplifier 202 will attempt to slew sufficient current to pull the voltage at node V2 to ground, which can amount to a significant amount of current being pulled from current sense circuit 200.
Accordingly, a system and method for more accurate current sensing over device, temperature, and process variations are desired, particularly for applications sensing high di/dt currents.
The present invention includes a system and method for current sensing which is substantially consistent over device, temperature, and process variations. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a current sensing system and method are configured to provide a scaled down sense current of a known proportion to a load current being sensed. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary current sensing system includes a first switch coupled to one or more variable resistive elements, wherein the resistive elements are configured to facilitate scaling of the current output from the first switch. A second switch is coupled to the first switch, wherein the size of the second switch is suitably scaled down relative to the size of the first switch. In addition, both switches can be fabricated using substantially the same process. The resistive elements are configured to scale down the voltage across the first switch, with the scaled down voltage being provided to an input of an amplifier. The amplifier is coupled with the resistive elements and the second switch, and is configured to sense the scaled down voltage across the first switch, and force the voltage across the second switch to be equal to the scaled down voltage across the first switch, such that a current of known proportion to the load current can be provided at the output of the amplifier.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, to prevent the amplifier from providing an excessive slewing of current from the second switch to ground during the off period of the current sensing circuit, a driver and timing circuit can be provided. The driver and timing circuit can be configured to decouple a resistive switch connected to the input of the amplifier to prevent the amplifier from excessive slewing when the voltage at the input node is low, e.g., when the first switch is not being driven. In addition, another resistive switch can be configured to facilitate biasing of the amplifier when the first switch is not being driven, i.e., when current sensing circuit is not sensing current. As a result, the current sensing circuit can include the use of low voltage devices with a high voltage overlay in the amplifier to provide for higher speed and accuracy.


A display device including pixels; a leakage current compensator connected to at least one of data lines connected to the pixels; and an integrator connected to the leakage current compensator. The leakage current compensator is configured to store a voltage that corresponds to a leakage current that flows to the at least one data line, and to flow the leakage current to ground from the at least one data line according to a voltage that corresponds to the leakage current. The integrator is configured to receive a pixel current generated by subtracting the leakage current from a measurement current that flows to the at least one data line, and to output a difference value between a pixel voltage that corresponds to the pixel current and a reference voltage.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device and a driving method thereof. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device for measuring an accurate pixel current by compensating a leakage current, and a driving method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Background
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display uses an OLED for controlling luminance by controlling a current or voltage. The OLED includes an anode layer and a cathode layer for forming an electric field, and an organic light emitting material emits light by controlling the electric field.
Generally, the organic light emitting diode display is classified, according to the driving method, as a passive matrix OLED (PMOLED) or an active matrix OLED (AMOLED). Of these, in view of resolution, contrast, and operation speed, the AMOLED is mainly used. The AMOLED is selectively turned on for every unit pixel.
An organic light emitting diode tends to degrade with use over time, resulting in an emission amount controlled by the pixel current of the degraded organic light emitting diode which may be different from the emission amount at an initial stage. Accordingly, image quality of the organic light emitting device is degraded.
Various methods for compensating the degradation of the organic light emitting diode have been developed. One of them is a method for measuring a pixel current to detect a degree of degradation of the organic light emitting diode. When the pixel current is measured, a leakage current is included in the measured pixel current. When the leakage current is compensated in the measured pixel current, an accurate pixel current is measured, but it is not easy to accurately measure the leakage current.
Further, organic light emitting devices have recently increased in width, thereby resulting in an increase in resistance and capacitance components, and an increase in the time for measuring the pixel current. As a result, there is also an increase in the difficulty in measuring the pixel current and accurately detecting the degradation of the organic light emitting diode.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute the prior art.

Display device and driving method therof


Photodynamic therapy systems comprising a nanoparticle that emits electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength when irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, a photosensitizer which absorbs electromagnetic radiation of said first wavelength and a biocompatible mesoporous material are disclosed herein. In some examples, the photodynamic therapy system comprises a core comprising the nanoparticle, a first shell comprising the biocompatible mesoporous material, and a photosensitizer embedded in the first shell. Upon irradiation by, for example, X-rays, the nanoparticle can function as a transducer, converting X-ray photons to visible photons, and in turn, activating the photosensitizers. Methods of using the photodynamic therapy system are also disclosed.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an emerging treatment modality that has shown promise for many types of disease, including cancer. Compared to other common treatment modalities (e.g., radiotherapy and chemotherapy), PDT is minimally invasive, induces low systematic toxicity, and causes little intrinsic or acquired resistance. One downside of PDT, however, is its inability to treat tumors located deep under the skin, a result of short penetration depth of light in tissues. This problem can be partially compensated with advanced light-delivering technologies that allow for illumination of certain internal cavities, such as the bladder, prostate, lung, and esophagus (Agostinis, P., et al. Photodynamic therapy of cancer: an update. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 61, 250-281 (2011) and Kostron, H., Methods in molecular biology, 635, 261-280 (2010)). Nonetheless, it is considered challenging or impossible for conventional PDT to treat tumors of large volumes or multiple loci. Recently, there have been exciting developments of novel PDT derivatives, such as two-photon PDT or upconversion nanoparticle-mediated PDT, which aim to minimize tissue interference and improve on penetration depth (Wang, C., et al., Theranostics 3, 317-330 (2013); Gu, Z., et al. Adv Mater., 25, 3758-3779 (2013); Idris, N. M., et al. Nature medicine, 18, 1580-1585 (2012); and Chen, et al., Mat Sci Eng R, 74, 35-69 (2013)). But since light is still employed as the energy source, the efficiency of the treatments may still be surface-weighted.
There is a need for photodynamic therapy systems and methods for treating diseases such as tumors, located deep under the skin, a result of short penetration depth of light in tissues. In accordance, the present disclosure addresses these needs.

Induced photodynamic therapy using nanoparticle scintillators as transducers

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


A map-information providing site S1 has a WWW server S1a for displaying a WWW page for making a designation entry for a request to provide a map image to an information terminal T. A map database site S2 has a map-information database S2b storing map image data, a retrieval database S2c storing retrieval data for retrieving map image data corresponding to the designation entry from the map-information database S2b, and a map server S2a comparing the designation entry and the retrieval database S2c to read out the map image data corresponding to the designation entry from the map-information database S2b, and sending it to the information terminal T.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a map-information providing system for providing map information required by a user through a computer network.
2. Described of the Related Art
In recent years, information providing services with the aid of computer networks such as the Internet, an intracompany network system (an intranet) have been explosively expanded as information terminals such as a microcomputer have achieved widespread use.
Such information providing services include a map-information providing service for providing map data required by a user to an information terminal via the computer network.
With the map-information providing service, when a user enter information for designating an address, a name of a facility and/or the like into the information terminal, a database server retrieves a map image corresponding to the designated information entered by the user from a map database which is stored with data of map images in advance, and then provides the data file of the retrieved map image to the user's information terminal via the computer network such as the Internet.
Such map-information providing service is available, for example, when a WWW (World Wide Web) page of a corporation or the like displays a map showing locations of sales offices or the like of the corporation in response to the request of the user.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional map-information providing system through the Internet for offering the aforementioned map-information providing service.
In FIG. 5, reference symbol S1′ is a map-information providing site managed by a corporation or the like which provides map information to a user. Reference symbol S2′ is a map database site for collectively offering the providing service of the map information.
The map-information providing site S1′ and the map database site S2′ are connected to an internet I. An information terminal T is connected to the map information providing site S1′ and the map database site S2′ by means of connecting to the internet I through the public switched phone network and an access server which are not shown.
The map-information providing site S1′ is provided with a WWW server S1a′ for displaying a web page to provide map information to the user information terminal T, and a position information database S1b′ storing position data representing coordinates (a latitude and a longitude) on a map corresponding to an address, a name of a facility, a telephone number or the like.
The map database site S2′ is provided with a map server S2a′ for retrieving map images to provide the data file of the retrieved map image to the information terminal T, a map-information database S2b′ storing map image data, and a retrieval database S2c′ storing retrieval data representing the correspondence between the map image data stored in the map-information database S2b′ and the position data representing the coordinates on the map.
The information terminal T is a user terminal, which uses an application program referred as a WWW browser so as to receive services of the WWW.
In the above map-information providing system, a user designates the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for connecting from the information terminal T to the map-information providing site S1′ via the internet I, and then input the designation information, e.g. an address or a name of a facility, on the displayed web page to see the required map image. Thereupon, the WWW server S1a′ of the map-information providing site S1′ compares a character string of the entered address or the like with the position database S1b′. The corresponding position data is read out and sent to the information terminal T.
The position data is sent from the information terminal T to the map database site S2′.
The map server S2a′ of the map database site S2′ compares the sent position data with the retrieval database S2c′. The corresponding map image data is read out from the map-information database S2b′, and the read-out data file is sent to the information terminal T to display the map image thereon.
The map-information providing system is in no need of storing enormous amounts of map data in particular map-information providing sites S1′ because the map database site S2′ collectively manages the map image data, and thus the map-information providing system has a feature that the burdens on a corporation or the like who manages the map-information providing site S1′ are significantly reduced.
However, with the aforementioned conventional map-information providing system, for example, when a corporation or the like managing a map-information providing site S1′ opens its new shop or relocates its existing shop, the need for providing map information in accordance with the new position data arises. In this event, the corporation must update the position information database S1b′ of the map-information providing site S1′ as occasion demands. In consequence, there is a disadvantage that the corporation or the like managing the map-information providing site S1′ bears the significant burden of the updating operation.

Map-information providing system using computer network


Apparatus for obtaining an image of a specimen (6) by optical projection tomography comprises a confocal microscope which produces a light beam which scans the specimen (6) whilst the latter is supported in a rotary stage (7). Light passing through the specimen is passed through a convex lens (8) which directs, onto a central light detector of an array of detectors (9), light which exits or by-passes the specimen parallel to the beam incident on the specimen.

Optical projection tomography is a technique for producing three-dimensional images of specimens, one example being disclosed in the applicant's specification WO 02/095476. The invention aims to provide a different way of optically processing the light emanating from the specimen, with a view to increasing the content and quality of information obtained from the specimen.


An injection-seeded whispering gallery mode optical amplifier. The amplifier includes a micro or nanoscale whispering gallery mode resonator configured to amplify a whispering gallery mode therein via a gain medium separated from the whispering gallery mode resonator but within the evanescent field of the whispering gallery mode resonator. A pump stimulates the whispering gallery mode. A plasmonic surface couples power into the whispering gallery mode resonator.

Optical communication is in widespread use, such as in telephonic and data networks. Fiber optic networks efficiently and reliably handle massive amounts of voice and data communications. The benefits of optical communications compared to wired communications are well known, and include higher speed, larger bandwidth and reduced vulnerability to interference.
These known advantages have created significant interest in micro and nanoscale optical devices and systems. Several applications for such devices and systems provide the impetus for research and development of new optical amplifiers. Over the past two decades, considerable effort has, therefore, been directed toward developing such nanoscale and microscale optical amplifiers but those available suffer from one or more drawbacks. For example, conventional micro/nano optical amplifiers include semiconductor based devices that require sophisticated and expensive fabrication systems such as MOCVD or MBE reactors, and focused ion beam and plasma etching tools. Furthermore, semiconductor optical amplifiers are restricted to specific spectral regions that are dictated by the electronic structure of the material. Other microscale and nanoscale optical amplifiers often produce a host of emission (spectral) lines and present impractical integration issues.
Most of the amplifiers and optical lasers (oscillators) that have been demonstrated to date are based on the III-V or II-VI semiconductors. These devices generally have thin layers of semiconductor materials that are bounded by mirrors (often a stack of thin films) or are encapsulated by metal. One drawback of these devices is the inherently complex and expensive fabrication processes, and equipment, for formation of one or more optical emitters, and the requirement that the layers forming the gain medium must be crystalline. Another drawback is that the semiconductors are inherently limited to specific regions of the visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared.
Other types of microlasers and amplifiers have been reported in which a gain medium is provided in conjunction with a whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator. The resonator can be shaped as a sphere, ring, or toroid. For example, a group at the California Institute of Technology has obtained lasing in glass microspheres made from Er-doped glass. The first lasers of this type were a calcium difluoride crystalline sphere (in the early 1960s) and, subsequently, droplets of a solvent into which laser dye was dissolved. Such lasers do not require a conventional optical resonator because the optical mode circulates within the resonator, around its periphery. A gain medium combined with a solvent is impractical for many applications. Also, coupling power out of a resonator medium often requires a tangential waveguide or a tapered fiber, and is difficult to accomplish reliably. Another concern is that the output spectrum is often multi-line. This is a serious drawback for on-chip communications, computing, or sensing applications.
Whispering gallery mode resonators have been studied in the microscale. Pump thresholds of only a few photons per whispering gallery mode have been observed, and Raman gain coefficients for a nonlinear whispering gallery mode resonator are increased by two orders of magnitude relative to bulk values. See, Lin, H. & Campillo, A. Microcavity enhanced Raman gain. Opt. Commun. 133, 287-292 (1997). Ahn et al. employed plasmonic nanoantennas to deliver optical radiation, by free-space transmission, to a spherical resonator with a coupling efficiency of 44%. Aligned with the equatorial plane of the microsphere, the nanoantennas were separated from the sphere surface by a mean distance of ˜100-150 nm and radiated into the evanescent optical field of the resonator. Toroidal resonators have also been demonstrated by the Vahala Research Group at the California Institute of Technology.
Plasmonic structures have also been considered and demonstrated to act as nanoscale and microscale amplifiers and lasers. These structures have been shown to be effective as nanoantennas for both lasers and fluorescent optical sources. See, e.g. Suh, J. Y. et al., "Plasmonic Bowtie Nanolaser Arrays," Nano Lett. 12, 5769-5774 (2012); Zhou, W. et al., "Lasing action in strongly coupled plasmonic nanocavity arrays," Nature Nanotech. 8, 506-511 (2013). A drawback is that plasmonic sources are typically of low Q as a result of dissipative losses. Nevertheless, enhancements of orders of magnitude in the local electric field strength are available with plasmonic nanostructures in the form of (for example) bowties, spheres, cylinders, or cones, an attribute that is responsible for the detection of single nanoparticles and molecules by Raman scattering. Nie, S. & Emery, S., "Probing single molecules and single nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Science 275, 1102-1106 (1997).
Some approaches have combined the resonator and gain medium. See, e.g., Sandoghdar, V. et al., "Very low threshold whispering-gallery-mode microsphere laser," Phys. Rev. A 54, R1777-R1780 (1996); Kuwata-Gonokami, M., Takeda, K., Yasuda, H. & Ema, K. Laser-emission from dye-doped polystyrene microsphere. Japanese J. Appl. Phys. Part 2-Lett. 31, L99-L101 (1992); Cai, M., Painter, O., Vahala, K. J. & Sercel, P. C., "Fiber-coupled microsphere laser," Opt. Lett. 25, 1430-1432 (2000). Combining the resonator and gain medium is advantageous from the perspective of minimizing the overall volume of the emitter. However, integrating the gain medium and resonator precludes the opportunity to optimize separately the performance of either element. This is particularly true for crystalline microresonators for which controllable doping of the resonator material with the lasant species is problematic. See, e.g., Hartnett, J. G., Locke, C. R., Ivanov, E. N., Tobar, M. E. & Stanwix, P. L., "Cryogenic sapphire oscillator with exceptionally high long-term frequency stability," Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 203513 (2006) "Grudinin, I. S., Matsko, A. B. & Maleki, L., "Brillouin lasing with a CaF2 whispering gallery mode resonator," Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 043902 (2009).
In virtually all existing micro- and nano-scale optical amplifiers and lasers, the optical intensity builds up from the spontaneous emission background, also known as "the noise", but doing so limits the temporal coherence of the output radiation.
Injection seeding is a concept that has been used in various devices to introduce weak optical fields into gain media, such as injecting a laser signal into a bulk dye, for the purpose of overcoming the noise quickly, and, thereby, building the optical field intensity more rapidly. See, Farkas, A. M. & Eden, J. G., "Pulsed dye amplification and frequency-doubling of single longitudinal mode semiconductor-lasers," IEEE J. Quant. Electron. 29, 2923-2927 (1993).
Despite these efforts and advances, the functionality of existing hybrid optoplasmonic systems has been limited. As an example, the existing systems have failed to provide a narrow linewidth emitter integrated with a broadband amplifier. In prior efforts, the amplifier Q had been constrained by the whispering gallery mode resonator. See, Choi, Y. et al., "Ultrahigh-Q microsphere dye laser based on evanescent-wave coupling. J. Kor. Phys. Soc. 39, 928-931 (2001); Kuwata-Gonokami, M. & Takeda, K. Polymer whispering gallery mode lasers. Opt. Mater. 9, 12-17 (1998).

Injection-seeded whispering gallery mode optical amplifier devices and networks

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently is selected from the group consisting of H, C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 straight or branched alkyl, aryl or lower alkyl-substituted aryl; or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be joined to form a 4-to 6-membered saturated or unsaturated ring or a 4-to 6-membered saturated or unsaturated lower alkyl-substituted ring; R.sub.3 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 straight or branched alkyl, NO.sub.2, NH.sub.2, N.sub.3, CN, halogen, CO.sub.2 R, OR, or SR wherein R is H or lower alkyl; R.sub.4 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 straight or branched alkyl, NO.sub.2, NH.sub.2, N.sub.3, CN, halogen, CO.sub.2 R, OR, or SR wherein R is H or lower alkyl; A is nothing or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkylene to form a ring; Z is 0, NH, S or --CH.dbd.CH--; and n is an integer of 1-3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The compounds are useful in compositions and methods for treating psychiatric and neurological disorders.

In the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), including man, there are two types of benzodiazepine (BZD) recognition sites, each thought to be associated with a specific protein. The "central" BZD recognition site is associated with the .alpha.- subunit of GABA.sub.A receptors and participates in the gating of chloride (Cl) channels operated by GABA. The "mitochondrial" BZD recognition site (MBR) is associated with a protein in the outer mitochondrial membrane that participates in the regulation of cholesterol access to the mitochondrial inner membrane, where a specific type of cytochrome P.sub.450 catalyzes the side cleavage of cholesterol to form pregnenolone. Both BZD recognition sites are widely represented in the brain. The central type BZD recognition sites are present in neurons whereas the MBRs are abundant in astroglial cells.
Stimulation of MBR by appropriate ligands (e.g. 4-Cl-Diazepam and Alpidem) facilitates cholesterol influx into mitochondria and the formation of pregnenolone, the parent molecule of endogenous steroids. The BZD-induced activation of mitochondrial steroidogenesis occurs in glial cells, which are rich in MBR and produce steroids that can regulate the GABA.sub.A -operated Cl channel. These steroids act on recognition sites located in the transmembrane region of GABA.sub.A receptors and affect the channel gating process. Some pregnenolone derivatives, e.g. 3-.alpha.-hydroxy-5.alpha.-pregnan-20-one(3-.alpha.OH-DHP) and 3.alpha.,21-dihydroxy-5.alpha.-pregnan-20-one(THDOC) positively modulate, and others (pregnenolone sulphate) negatively modulate GABA action. Because these steroids appear to occur naturally in the brain, they are termed neurosteroids.
Research on BZD ligands by the present inventors, targeted to BZD recognition sites located on mitochondria of glial cells, has been carried out in order to provide drugs that can be used to modify neurosteroid production and to rectify neuropsychiatric abnormalities (pathological anxiety, panic, depression etc.) that have as an etiopathogenesis, an alteration in GABAergic function.
It is known that 4-Cl-Diazepam (a high affinity ligand for the MBR that also binds to the GABA.sub.A receptor) in small doses causes a proconflict response (i.e., anxiety) in rats that is partially resistant to Flumazenil, a specific antagonist of BZD at the GABA.sub.A receptors but which is sensitive to PK-11195, a partial agonist at the MBR. On the other hand, Alpidem (an imidazopyridine that has high affinity for the MBR and BZD recognition sites on GABA.sub.A receptors) causes a dose-related anticonflict (anxiolytic) action that is reduced by both PK-11195 and Flumazenil.
Thus, it is difficult to ascribe a behavioral effect on the MBR or modulation of GABA receptors by Alpidem and 4-Cl-Diazepam.
The compounds of the present invention modulate the MBR receptor, and their anxiolytic action can be related exclusively to the binding of MBR since they fail to bind to the BZD receptor site located on GABA receptors or to binding sites for other known putative neurotransmitters.

Indole derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating neurological and psychiatric disorders

Fidia Georgetown Institute for the Neurosciences


Provided herein is a luggage case having a first portion having a storage space, a second foldable portion having at least one expandable sleeve for transforming between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration, a separation member positioned between the first portion and the second foldable portion, the separation member separating the first and second portions such that when the second foldable portion is in the folded configuration the separation member prevents the second foldable portion from take away any storage space from the first portion. The luggage case may further have an extendable handle bar having at least one extendable bar, the extendable handle bar being connected to the first portion for pulling the luggage case, and an elastic handle connected to the second foldable portion and configured to accommodate the extendable handle bar such that when the second foldable portion is in the expanded configuration the elastic handle presses the extendable handle against the second foldable portion.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to luggage cases, specifically, it is related to luggage cases that may be carried onto commercial airplanes.
As luggage spaces can be limiting on today's commercial airplanes, the size of luggage cases one may bring onto a plane is also limited. Sometimes it may be desirable for one to bring only a luggage case that can be stored underneath a seat. But other times the same luggage case may be too small for the returning trip. One may try his best to anticipate his travel needs and bring multiple luggage cases, but such approach may be cumbersome and costly.
As such, there exists a need for luggage cases that can serve both as a larger carry on case and a smaller under the seat case.


A wavelet transform is carried out on an image signal representing an image, in which periodical structure patterns corresponding to a frequency higher than a Nyquist frequency in sub-sampling effected with the wavelet transform are embedded, by using at least one kind of low pass filter capable of decreasing the frequency components of the image signal, which correspond to the periodical structure patterns. A reduced image, which is represented by low frequency components of the image signal, is thereby obtained from the wavelet transform such that no moire may occur in the reduced image. The reduced image thus having good image quality is utilized as an image to be viewed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing method. This invention particularly relates to characteristics of a filter used in a wavelet transform carried out on an image signal representing an image, in which periodical structure patterns are embedded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wavelet transform is one of techniques for signal frequency analysis. The wavelet transform is advantageous over a Fourier transform, which has heretofore been used widely as the frequency analysis technique, in that a local change in a signal can be detected easily. Therefore, recently, the wavelet transform has attracted particular attention in the field of signal processing.
In the field of signal processing, processing is often carried out on an image signal such that different processes may be carried out for different frequency bands. In such cases, the wavelet transform is employed as means for classifying the image signal into signals falling within different frequency bands. Specifically, for example, the processes include a process for eliminating noise by separating high frequency components and a process for compressing an image signal by reducing the information of a frequency band, in which much noise is contained. The applicant proposed various image signal compressing methods, which are based upon a technique proposed in "Image Coding Using Wavelet Transform" by Marc Antonini, et al., IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 205-220, April 1992. In the proposed image signal compressing methods, the wavelet transform is carried out in order for different compressing processes to be carried out for different frequency bands. (The image signal compressing methods are proposed in, for example, U.S. Ser. No. 08/253,857; U.S. Ser. No. 08/303,198, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6(1994)-350990, 7(1995)-23228 and 7(1995)-23229. In such image processing, the signals having been obtained from the wavelet transform are subjected to different processes for different frequency bands, and the processed signals are then subjected to inverse wavelet transform. An image obtained from the inverse wavelet transform is utilized as the product of the image processing.
In cases where an X-ray image of an object is recorded on a recording medium, such that the image quality may be prevented from becoming bad due to scattered X-rays impinging upon the recording medium, a technique is often employed wherein a stationary grid having a predetermined grid pitch is located between the object and the recording medium and wherein the X-ray image of the object is thereby recorded on the recording medium. Heretofore, the wavelet transform has also been carried out on a radiation image, which has been recorded in such a manner, in order for the image quality to be kept high or in order for the image signal to be compressed for the purposes of signal transmission or signal storage. In such cases, heretofore, an image obtained ultimately from the inverse wavelet transform, which image has the same size as the size of the original image, has been reproduced, primarily on photographic film, and viewed.
An image signal falling within a low frequency band, which image signal is obtained from the wavelet transform carried out on an original image signal, represents an image having a reduced size and having a resolution lower than the resolution of the original image. In the conventional techniques for processing radiation images, the image to be viewed is the one which is obtained from the inverse wavelet transform, and the reduced image, which is obtained as an intermediate product from the wavelet transform, is not utilized. Therefore, no problem has occurred with regard to the image quality of the reduced image.
In image processing systems, it is often desired that an image subjected to processing can be checked on a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or the like. In such cases, ordinarily, the original image signal is subjected to a filtering process, and the level of resolution of the image is thereby decreased to a level appropriate for the level of resolution on the CRT display device, or the like. Therefore, in cases where the image processing systems have the characteristics such that the wavelet transform may be carried out on the image signal, the reduced image obtained as the intermediate product in the wavelet transform can be utilized as the image to be displayed on the CRT display device, or the like.
However, the reduced image having a low resolution, which is obtained from the wavelet transform, is the image obtained by carrying out sub-sampling at predetermined sampling intervals on the original image signal. Therefore, in cases where the reduced image is an image in which periodical structure patterns, such as the patterns of the stationary grid, are embedded, and the frequency corresponding to the periodical structure patterns is higher than the Nyquist frequency in the sub-sampling, moire due to the sub-sampling occurs in the displayed image. As a result, the image quality of the image displayed on the CRT display device cannot be kept good.


A gas turbine having at least one inner and outer housing part, between which two housing parts a ring channel is at least partially arranged, which ring channel circumferentially surrounds the useful flow of the working fluid prevailing during operation of the gas turbine and circumferentially surrounds the gas turbine rotor. The ring channel is designed to conduct a cooling fluid in the circumferential direction, wherein the ring channel is divided into ring sectors in the circumferential direction by separators. A tube is at least partially provided in the ring channel which fluidically connects individual ring sectors to each other, and is designed as a distributing tube, which is fluidically connected to at least one cooling-fluid line for conducting cooling fluid and has at least one outlet opening, which at least one outlet opening is designed to transfer the cooling fluid from the tube into the ring sectors.

Such gas turbines are typically designed as stationary gas turbines but also as aero engines which have metal casing parts which have a large thermal capacity and therefore also a high heat storage capability. In the casing parts, provision is typically made for discharge openings which are designed to direct the cooling fluid from the annular passage to further fluidically connected sections of the gas turbine for additional cooling and sealing purposes. Furthermore, the cooling fluid naturally also serves for thermal conditioning, i.e. for cooling the components which delimit the annular passage.
Depending on the operating condition of the gas turbine, it is necessary to feed the annular passage only with a comparatively small quantity of cooling fluid. This consequently leads to free convection cells being able to form in the annular passage, which convection cells are formed inside the annular passage on account of the temperature differences. The free convection cells have in turn a significant influence on the overall flow in the annular passage so that sometimes undesirable asymmetries are formed in the cooling fluid distribution in the annular passage. Therefore, increasingly local regions, which are hotter than other regions, are formed inside the annular passage. As a result of the temperature inhomogeneity in the temperature distribution, the geometries of the gas turbine can be distorted on account of the different material expansions of the individual local regions.
On account of this distortion, a loss of axial symmetry of the gas turbine can be the consequence, as a result of which the gap distances between the rotating and static components of the gas turbine over the cross-sectional inside circumference in the longitudinal direction of the gas turbine are different. So, it is known, for example, that on account of the uneven temperature distribution inside the gas turbine during the start-up process an ovalization or a warping of the entire casing can occur.
Moreover, the convective distribution of the cooling fluid in the annular passage provides for different cooling fluid temperatures over the circumference of the annular passage. As a result, however, variable cooling fluid temperatures ensue on those sections of the gas turbine on which additional cooling functions are to be performed by the cooling fluid, like in the case of turbine blade cooling which is fed from the annular passage. As a consequence, it may be required that these sections have to be designed for increased cooling fluid consumption, which is technically necessary to avoid.
Accordingly, the components in the gas turbine are always to be designed for the most unfavorable geometric case, as a result of which an efficiency loss or cost increase is to be added in.
Such problems are typically ignored in the case of most gas turbines and the efficiency losses or cost increase are tolerated. Especially tolerated is the fact that the gap distances between the inner casing part and the rotating components are larger than they might be, specifically when the gas turbine would not be subjected to distortion or warping.
Some attempts for avoiding these problems are already known from the prior art, for example from EP1505261A1, which gives instruction to subdivide the annular passage in the circumferential direction into zones which are fluidically separated from each other.
This fluidic subdivision enables the forming of free convection cells over the entire annular passage to be at least partially prevented, or even completely prevented. Comparable technical provisions are known for example from GB 2,017,826 A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,268 A or 4,631,913 A. A disadvantage of this fluidic subdivision of the annular passage into zones is, however, that the individual annulus sectors have to be expensively fed with cooling fluid from the outside and all the sectors require a feed line in each case. Moreover, the fluidic separation of individual sectors proves to be problematic to the extent that individual sectors may require different cooling capacity. As a consequence, different quantities of cooling fluid per time unit are to be fed to the sectors, as a result of which the expenditure on open-loop and closed-loop control is also significantly increased.

Gas turbine having an annular passage subdivided into annulus sectors


A general purpose programmable optical analyzer employs a nonlinear gain at the input stage of an analog to digital converter in order to limit the number of bits used to resolve shot noise.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a general purpose apparatus for digitizing an analog signal, and more particularly to a general purpose apparatus for digitizing an analog signal having an inherent noise component.
2. Description of the Related Art
A programmable optical analyzer is an instrument for detecting and analyzing light. The analyzer can be adapted to a wide variety of applications by means of software. One class of analyzers employs a charged coupled device (CCD) as an optical sensor and an analog-to digital convertor to convert sensed data into a number.
Programmable CCD read rates make such an analyzer general purpose. By providing a relatively fast read rate, a medium read rate, and a relatively slow read rate, the analyzer can be used for different types of applications. Certain scientific applications may require a relatively high quality signal at the relatively slow read rate. In contrast, image applications may require the relatively fast read rate, but may be able to tolerate signal quality degradation resulting from a fast read rate.
Programmable temperature control also makes the analyzer general purpose, because the optimal operating temperature of the CCD may vary from application to application. For some applications, it is desirable to cool the CCD to as low a temperature as practical in order to limit the amount of dark current generated in the CCD. CCD sensor performance anomalies can occur at very low temperatures, however, making these very low temperatures unsuitable for other types of applications. For example, in spectroscopic applications there is typically a sharply focused line of light imaged onto the surface of the CCD. At very low temperatures one side of the line will be smeared during the data readout. Further, at very low temperatures CCD sensors become less sensitive to the red end of the spectrum making the very low temperatures unsuitable for other types of applications.
Programmable exposure time control allows the analyzer to be used in both high and low light experiments. Exposure time is typically controlled with a shutter.
In summary, a general purpose programmable optical analyzer allows users to trade off certain performance specifications in order to enhance other performance specifications. In designing such a general purpose analyzer, design decisions that may preclude a class of applications should be avoided. For example, although some applications may be concerned with only a portion of the dynamic range, a general purpose analyzer that optimizes resolution at one end of the dynamic range at the expense of resolution at another end of the dynamic range would be undesirable, because such a trade-off might preclude applications that are concerned with resolution at the other end of the dynamic range.

General purpose system for digitizing an analog signal


A centrifugal pump has a pump case and a rotatable impeller disposed within the pump case. A central aperture is defined within the rearward wall of the pump case to facilitate the connection of an impeller drive shaft to the impeller. A drive shaft seal is disposed within the central aperture to seal the impeller drive shaft to the pump case. At least one or more grooves are defined in the rearward wall of the pump case to carry liquids to and from the drive shaft seal. One or more radial ridges are disposed on the rearward side of the impeller to encourage liquids to flow within the grooves to and from the drive shaft seal to continuously wash away precipitates around the seal and to cool the seal.

Centrifugal pumps used for recirculating water in water recreational apparatuses, such as spas, hot tubs, swimming pools and recirculating bathtubs, are prone to fouling and chemical build-up within the pump case. The principal problem area is around the seal which seals the impeller drive shaft to the pump case. Such fouling is the result of the precipitation of salts and other chemicals dissolved within the water.
Also, the seal which seals the impeller drive shaft to the pump case is prone to failure due to heat build-up at the seal.
Thus, there is a need for a centrifugal pump which avoids this problem in the prior art.


Voice or video communication is incorporated into a television or compatible audio capable visual display by routing a television signal through a communication interface apparatus connected to a voice or video communication network and switching between a call and at least the audio portion of the television signal when a call is detected and the user chooses to answer the call in response to an on-screen menu superimposed on the video portion of the television signal. The communication interface apparatus includes a controller that is configured to allow speed dialing using a wireless remote, as well as making calls from a user-defined contact list or a regional phone directory that is updatable from a remote source via the Internet.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a method, apparatus and system for incorporating a time division multiplexed ("TDM"), broadband, or wireless voice and/or video communication into a television or compatible audio enabled visual display device. This communication can be delivered in an analog or digital format, and may or may not include an accompanying video communications stream or other attachment.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Voice calls, whether TDM or broadband have long been terminated utilizing a "set". TDM sets terminate calls by utilizing the circuit created when the receiver is taken off-hook. Likewise, broadband calls are normally delivered to a device that is either hand held or desk/table top bound or even computer based which terminate packets converting them to audio. Each of these methods provides wireless handset capabilities so that the communication can span some distance without physical connection. Other known devices, such as My One Remote, have attempted to provide "TV Viewing" and voice mail reception relationships. However, such devices have limited functionality and have not provided incorporation of the service into one functional process. Further attempts to incorporate voice calls into a TV viewing experience can be seen with caller ID on the TV (a service of DISH Network, DirecTV and others). Additionally, other companies have introduced universal remote control devices that allow users to perform activities on a menu without toggling the status of a single item. While all of these products and services are popular and effective, a need remains for a cost-effective product that provides the user the capability to answer and initiate calls through a television set with greater functionality and flexibility.

Method, apparatus and system for incorporating voice or video communication into a television or compatible audio capable visual display


An apparatus for collecting solar energy includes a receptacle adapted for receiving solar thermal energy; an insert located within the receptacle, the insert being a heat pipe adapted to transfer heat; and an absorption device positioned proximate to and substantially conforming to at least a portion of an internal surface of the receptacle and thermally coupled to the insert. The insert enters the receptacle substantially at a cross-sectional center of the receptacle, and further inside the receptacle, the insert shifts to become closer to the absorption fin.

The present invention relates generally to the field of solar thermal energy. In particular, the present invention relates to solar thermal energy collectors.
Solar thermal collectors have been utilized for over 20 years. The designs have varied from flat plate, box, air, integral, unglazed more commonly to parabolic troughs and dishes and full power towers. Though they have been commercially available for over 20 years, recent designs of evacuated tubes have become more efficient and less costly, allowing them to be both commercially and domestically available as well as more widely utilized. Some devices contain heat removal inserts that are placed within the tubes that serve the purpose of transferring the collected energy to a heat-transfer fluid and are used to transfer heat to a manifold located at the end of the tubes or in connection with the inserts.
Conventional designs are limited in their ability to transfer heat from the collector. It is desirable to improve the efficiency with which such heat is transferred.

Apparatus and method for solar thermal energy collection

The Regents of the University of California


A rectangular conductor pattern is formed around a first waveguide on a multilayer dielectric substrate facing a metal substrate, with an end at about λ/4 away from a long side edge of the first waveguide, where λ is a free-space wavelength of a signal wave. A conductor opening is formed between the end of the conduction pattern and the long side edge of the first waveguide, with a length longer than a long side of the first waveguide and shorter than about λ. A closed-ended dielectric transmission path is formed in the multilayer dielectric substrate in the layer direction, with a length of about λg/4, where λg is an in-substrate effective wavelength of the signal wave.

In a conventional waveguide connection structure by which a waveguide (through hole) arranged in an organic dielectric substrate (connecting member) to transmit an electromagnetic wave is connected to a waveguide arranged in a metal waveguide substrate, a conductor on the through hole and the metal waveguide substrate are electrically connected to each other and are maintained at the same electric potential, so that reflection, transmission loss, and leakage of the electromagnetic wave are prevented at a connection area of the waveguides (for example, see Patent document 1).
In the conventional waveguide connection structure disclosed in Patent document 1, a gap is formed between a conductor layer on the through hole and the waveguide substrate due to warpage, or the like, of the organic dielectric substrate. As a result, there is a problem that a leaky wave in a parallel plate mode occurs between metal conductors and the reflection and the transmission loss of the electromagnetic wave becomes large at the connection area.
To improve the above-described degradation of the connection characteristics, a conventional choke structure is often employed in which a groove having a depth of λ/4 is formed at a position λ/4 away from an E-plane edge of the waveguide, and the E-plane edge of the waveguide is closed-ended in a standing wave from a closed-end point of a choke groove (for example, see Patent document 2).
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-267814 (paragraph [0028], FIG. 1) Patent document 2: U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,923

Waveguide connection between a multilayer waveguide substrate and a metal waveguide substrate including a choke structure in the multilayer waveguide


There is provided a damper device for a glove compartment has a housing, a damping unit, a rack member and a gear. An insertion hole is formed through a bottom surface of the housing. The damping unit has a case which is fixed to the housing, and a rotation shaft which extends into an inside of the housing. The rack member is removably installed to the housing and is movable back and forth with respect to the housing. The gear is removably coupled to the rotation shaft through the insertion hole of the housing and meshes with the rack member. The case has a boss which protrudes into the housing and is received in the inside of the housing. The gear has a non-gear portion which is inserted to the insertion hole, and a flange which is in contact with the bottom surface of the housing.

In general, a glove compartment (glove box) is a storage part which is located approximately at knee height of a person who sits on a passenger seat. A door of the glove compartment is configured to be opened slowly by means of a damper, preventing the door from suddenly dropping due to its weight when the door is opened.
FIG. 1 is a sectional perspective view showing a device for opening and closing a glove compartment from a prior art. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing main parts of the device of the prior art. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing that a rack member is engaged with a rear end of a housing. A damper case 11 is fixed to a lower portion of a damping unit 10 and is configured to fix the damping unit 10 to the housing 20. A rack member 30 is installed in the housing 20 so as to be moved back and forth. The rack member 30 is connected, at its front end, to a door (not shown) of a glove compartment. A gear 40, which is fixed to a rotation shaft 12 of the damping unit 10, is installed so as to mesh with a rack 31 of the rack member 30.
A boss 13 of the damper case 11 is fitted to an insertion groove 21 of the housing 20 and serves to support the damping unit 10.
A protruding step 32 is formed at a rear end of the rack member 30. The protruding step 32 prevents the rack member 30 from being demounted from the housing 20 when the door is completely opened. The opposite side of the protruding step 32 is formed to have the same width so that the rack member 30 can be assembled from the rear end of the housing 20.
When a passenger pushes the door in order to open the glove compartment when necessary, the door is opened while a lock device (not shown) of the door is released from the locked state. Therefore, the rack member 30 is moved in a front direction (F) shown in FIG. 1.
The gear 40 fixed to the rotation shaft 12 of the damping unit 10 is in mesh with a rack 31 of the rack member 30. As the rack member 30 is moved in the front direction (F), the gear 40 is rotated. Therefore, a damping force acts to gradually open the door.
However, the above-described device of the prior art has the following problems.
Since the boss of the damper case constituting the damping unit is fitted and fixed to the insertion groove of the housing, a support structure for the damping unit is weak. When the rack member is moved in the front direction in FIG. 1 due to the opening of the door, a reaction force acts on the damping unit in a direction opposite to the movement direction of the rack member. Therefore, the damping unit is prone to be tilted toward one side.
The damping unit is gradually tilted from the housing toward one side because of the repeated opening and closing of the door. Thus, noise is generated whenever the door is opened or closed.
Further, since the protruding step is formed at the rear end of the rack member so as to prevent the rack member from being demounted from the housing, the rack member must be assembled to the housing only by pushing a front end of the rack member into the housing from the rear side of the housing. This restricts a firm design for an assembly portion of the rack member where the rack member is assembled to the door. Further, the rack member may be frequently demounted from the housing.


The disclosed computer-implemented method for obscuring user location may include (i) detecting a motion of a user mobile device through a motion sensor of the user mobile device, (ii) checking whether the motion of the user mobile device satisfies a specified threshold that defines a threshold level of motion, (iii) determining that the motion of the user mobile device satisfies the specified threshold that defines the threshold level of motion, and (iv) protecting a user of the user mobile device by obscuring, in response to determining that the motion of the user mobile device satisfies the specified threshold, an actual location of the user mobile device by outputting information indicating a decoy location of the user mobile device that deviates from the actual location of the user mobile device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

With the widespread use of smartphones which sense, collect, and process valuable information about the user and the user's whereabouts, ensuring location privacy has become one of the most important concerns for cybersecurity vendors. Moreover, with the rise of employees using their own personal vehicles to commute to work, attackers can learn a great deal about a particular user by tracking the location of the user's mobile device. For example, in some cases attackers may be able to ascertain information about a particular user's office location, employee details, home address, regular halting spots (e.g., a coffee shop), etc., by tracking the location of the user's mobile device.
Additionally, when mobile devices disclose the locations of their users, the mobile devices may thereby expose the users to location-based risks. These location-based risks may include spam threats, scam threats, and/or unsolicited advertising. In some cases, the location-based risks may include potential victimization in terms of blackmail and/or violence. In view of the above, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for improved systems and methods for obscuring user location.

Systems and methods for obscuring user location


Described are laminate films including a polyolefin base layer, and a metal receiving layer including a blend of propylene homopolymer or mini-random propylene-ethylene copolymer, and an amorphous poly-alpha-olefin or ethylene-propylene elastomer. The metal receiving layer may also include an ethylene-propylene copolymer. The laminate film may also include additional layers such as an additional polyolefin resin-containing layer, a metal layer, or combinations thereof.

Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) metallized films used for packaging applications often perform multiple functions. For example, in a lamination these films can provide light, moisture, and oxygen barrier for gas-flush applications. In addition, these films can provide a heat sealable inner layer for bag forming and sealing, or a layer that is suitable for receiving an adhesive or inks either by coating or laminating.
It is desirable for the BOPP metallized film to have adequate adhesion between the vapor-deposited metal layer and the film's metal receiving layer. Often, the higher the bond strength between the film's receiving layer and the metal layer, the better. Higher metal adhesion can result in a more robust film in terms of barrier properties and lamination bond strengths. More specifically, by improving the metal adhesion, barrier properties are improved by minimizing the amount of metal pick-off and loss during the vacuum metallizing process and rewinding. Package lamination bond strengths are improved when a metallized film with high metal adhesion is used in a multi-layer lamination, since the interlayer bonds strengths of the laminate are improved. In thick multi-layer bags with many gussets and folds in the sealed areas (e.g. stand-up pouches), the metal layer often delaminates from the BOPP metal receiving layer. This can cause packaging failure or result in a "bag within a bag" phenomenon where the multi-layer laminate structure of the package has one of the layers delaminating. Accordingly, high metal adhesion to BOPP films is highly desirable.
Aesthetic appearance is also important. It is desired that the metallized BOPP film's metal surface has a bright, shiny, reflective appearance, and not a matte, dull, or pewter-like metal appearance. Such a shiny metal appearance is especially desirable when the package includes bright, reflective metal in the finished graphics. A bright, shiny metal appearance can make some print graphics look brighter with more visual "pop".
Another aspect of metallized BOPP robustness is to ensure that the metal layer does not "craze" during extrusion lamination processes. Due to the high heat load from the molten polyethylene that extrusion lamination can impart to the metallized BOPP film, if the metal receiving layer melts or deforms from this heat load, the metal layer can fracture and crack. This can, in turn, degrade or destroy gas and moisture vapor barrier properties of the film. Onset melting point is the temperature at which a polymer begins to show a phase change. It is desirable to design the metal receiving layer to have a relatively high onset melting point to help avoid issues with thermal shock caused by extrusion lamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,760 involves low crystalline content propylene homopolymers with a heat of fusion of 20-90 J/g as a metal receiving layer that provides high metal adhesion properties. However, it has been found to suffer from a matte metal appearance and to be prone to crazing during extrusion lamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,318 describes a HDPE as the metal receiving layer on a polypropylene substrate. Metal adhesion and appearance have been good; however, it has been found that in some high-speed extrusion lamination applications, crazing of the metal can occur, particularly if the HDPE receiving layer is over 3G (0.75 um) in thickness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,317 describes blends of propylene-based polymers with petroleum or hydrocarbon resins as a metal receiving layer. Metal adhesion and appearance are adequate; however, processability is an issue with the low molecular weight petroleum resins causing: die build-up issues, smoke generation, and a tendency to stick to downstream rollers in tentering operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,471 describes propylene random compolymers of ethylene or butene as a metal receiving layer. However, these materials are prone to metal crazing during extrusion lamination due to their relatively low melting points. In addition, these materials tend to have poor barrier properties. Moreover, the copolymers used are predominantly isotactic whereas the APAO materials are predominantly atactic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,566 describes an ethylene-propylene copolymer with a low ethylene content of 0.05-0.8 wt % as a metal receiving layer. The metal adhesion of such a layer continues to be relatively low being less than 100 g/in.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,786 describes blends of propylene-butene copolymers and ethylene-propylene copolymers combined with flame treatment as a metal receiving layer. However, such a blend with its relatively high ethylene and butene content (e.g. over 1 wt %) and low onset melting point can be prone to metal crazing.
This invention seeks to avoid some of the disadvantages of the prior arts and offer an improved metal receiving layer formulation.

Metallized biaxially oriented polypropylene film with high metal adhesion