A filing system scans original documents and converts the information on the documents into picture information which is then condensed and stored in a file storage block. If an index for the files is specified, an index of the picture information is stored in a file image memory having a plurality of fixed memory areas. Coordinates of an area of the original document enclosing the picture information on the original document can be specified, and tables in memory indicate the correspondence between specified areas, the corresponding fixed memory areas in the file image memory, and the addresses of the corresponding stored files. To retrieve the files, an operator can either press certain areas on a document with a stylus pen, provide an identifier of the files, or place marks on an index document prepared by the filing system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage and retrieval of files, and more particularly to the storage and retrieval of indexed files corresponding to documents.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventional document filing systems include some sort of memory for storing documents which have been scanned, as well as some capability to retrieve the files from memory. A technique for file storage disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 294587-1986 compiles a file by first condensing picture image information from a document before storage into memory in order to reduce the amount of memory necessary for storing the document. The file may be later retrieved by providing identifying information via a keyboard and using the retrieved information to display the corresponding picture image on a CRT.
Retrieving a file by providing identifying information via a keyboard makes it difficult to associate the desired picture images with the identifying information accurately. This in turn delays the presentation of the desired display on the CRT. An additional disadvantage of this technique is the complicated operations which are required to retrieve files, and the large size of the equipment necessary to accommodate a CRT display unit.
Another technique for file retrieval is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 61864-1989. This technique uses a system with an input-output panel having a liquid crystal display portion combined with an input tablet. Reduced-scale picture images corresponding to the individual files are displayed on the liquid crystal display portion, and files are retrieved by selecting a desired reduced-scale picture image with some type of pen.
This second technique is expensive, however, because the input-output panel must be specially constructed by superposition of a liquid crystal display portion onto an input tablet. This technique can be even more expensive if the input-output panel is enlarged because the liquid crystal display portion would occupy a larger area.
Alternative techniques for storing and retrieving files are disclosed in the Japanese laid open Patent No. 264379-1987 and No. 76560-1988.

Filing storage and retrieval equipment and apparatus


Exemplary methods and systems use a micro light emitting diode (LED) in an active matrix display to emit light and a sensing IR diode to sense light. A display panel includes a display substrate having a display region, an array of subpixel circuits, and an array of selection devices. Each subpixel circuit includes a driving circuit to operate a corresponding infrared (IR) emitting LED in a light emission mode. Each selection device may be coupled to a corresponding sensing IR diode to operate the corresponding sensing IR diode in a light sensing mode.

Field
The present invention relates to a display system. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to interactive display panels.
Background Information
Interactive display systems are quickly becoming ubiquitous in modern electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and laptop computers. A typical interactive flat panel display system includes an active matrix display panel and a separate sensor. For instance, an interactive flat panel display system typically includes an active matrix display panel and an interactive screen. The interactive screen includes a matrix of capacitors that are arranged at specific locations within the screen. The interactive screen is placed over the active matrix display panel such that the capacitors are arranged at strategic locations over the active matrix display panel. When a user interacts with the interactive screen, the capacitors output a corresponding signal to a processor. The signal is then processed as input signals and subsequently used to alter the active matrix display panel. Such interactive display systems require two separate devices to be layered together.
Other typical interactive display systems include an active matrix display panel with a separate sensor located near the active matrix display panel. These separate sensors are not layered over the active matrix display panel, but rather stacked on areas adjacent to it to avoid obstructing a display region in the display panel. The sensor, such as a light sensor (e.g., a photodiode), detects intensity of light emissions and relays corresponding signals to a processor. In response, the processor calculates the received signals and controls the active matrix display panel according to the calculations. Accordingly, such interactive display systems require two separate components located adjacent one another.

Interactive display panel with IR diodes


The present invention is directed to an ophthalmologic measurement method which can depict three-dimensional structures of the interfaces of an eye by short-coherence interferometry based on reference points. For this purpose, the pupil is illuminated at a plurality of points by a short-coherence illumination source. The measurement beam reflected at these points by the interfaces and surfaces of the eye is superimposed with a reference beam. The measurement data which are generated in this way are spectrally split by a diffraction grating, imaged on a two-dimensional detector array and conveyed to a control unit which determines a three-dimensional structure of all intraocular interfaces and surfaces of the eye. In the suggested Fourier domain OCT method, the depiction of three-dimensional structures is preferably carried out by spline surfaces or polygon surfaces. In doing so, it is possible to determine the depth positions of the measurement beams in many points of the pupil with a single recording of the array camera in that the pupils are illuminated by a diaphragm grid and the reference mirror contains a periodic phase grid.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a measuring method for ophthalmology which uses short-coherence interferometry to measure the positions of reference points on the basis of which the three-dimensional structure of all refracting and reflecting intraocular interfaces and surfaces can be depicted, for example, by means of spline surfaces or polygon surfaces.
b) Description of the Related Art
For this purpose, measurement beams are radiated into the eye simultaneously through a number of pupil points, and the depth positions at which these measurement beams pierce or are reflected at intraocular interfaces and surfaces are determined by spectral short-coherence interferometry (also known as Fourier domain OCT). Based on these piercing points and reflection points, the shape of these surfaces can be calculated numerically and used for depicting the structure of the eye in three dimensions by means of known computer graphics techniques such as spline surfaces or polygon surfaces.
For this purpose, the object to be measured is placed in one arm of a two-beam interferometer. The spectrum of the light bundle coming from the measured object is superimposed with the reference bundle at the interferometer output and the resulting spectral intensity is evaluated by spectrometry.
Roughly over the last 15 years, various experimental ray tracing methods have been developed which are suitable for measuring the characteristics of optical systems. For example, Navarro and Losada ("Aberrations and relative efficiency of light pencils in the living human eye", Optometry and Vision Science 74(7), 540-547, 1997) illuminate the pupil of the eye with parallel laser beams and determine the imaging characteristics of the eye from the position of the remitted beam on the photocathode of a CCD camera which is conjugated to the retina with respect to imaging. The application of this method for measuring the imaging characteristics of optics is described by Navarro and Moreno-Barriuso ("Laser ray-tracing method for optical testing", Optics Letters 24(14), 951-953, 1999). However, in this ray tracing method the cumulative total effect of all refracting surfaces is measured. The determination of the shape of individual interfaces and, therefore, a causal relationship between aberrations of the eye and the causative interfaces can only be approximated.
At present, ray tracing is known chiefly as a computer graphics method for depicting realistic illumination conditions in three-dimensional reproduction (rendering) of computer images. However, ray tracing, along with wavefront tracing, is also a numerical process for calculating the light propagation in inhomogeneous media. Whereas ray tracing, which is based on the laws of refraction, is already used in optics for optical design, the application of wavefront tracing, which is based on Huygens' principle, is known rather in seismology for calculating the propagation of seismic waves.
In optical coherence tomography, images are generated from short-coherence interferometric measurement data of so-called A-scans. These A-scans determine the object structure as a distribution of light-remitting points along the measurement beams in the depth of the object. The light remitted by the object is correlated with a reference beam in the short-coherence interferometer by displacing the reference mirror. On the other hand, according to the known rules of Fourier domain OCT, the A-scan data are calculated by Fourier transformation of the intensity spectra of the light that is remitted by the object and superimposed with a reference beam (Bouma, B. E., Tearney, G. J., Handbook of Optical Coherence Tomography", Marcel Dekker Verlag, New York, chapter 12, 2002).
For purposes of ray tracing in the eye it is necessary to illuminate the pupil of the eye at a plurality of distributed pupil points and to evaluate the measurement beams in a corresponding manner. In known time domain OCT, a pupil scan in which the measurement beam is guided consecutively to the various pupil points by a scanning unit is required for this purpose. The intensity spectrum of the A-scan would have to be measured at every point. This is time-consuming and can lead to motion artifacts.
For this purpose, a superluminescent diode, a light-emitting diode (LED), a mode-lock laser, an ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission) fiber light source, a photonic crystal fiber light source, a thermal light source (incandescent lamp), or a plasma light source (arc lamp), for example, can be used as a short-coherence illumination source.
Similar optical Fourier OCT methods which are known from the art will first be discussed in the following.
Publications by A. F. Fercher et al. ("Measurement of optical distances by optical spectrum modulation", Proc. SPIE Vol. 2083, 263-267, 1993) describe the optical Fourier OCT method in general and also the specific determination of the coherence function of the light reflected by the eye through inverse Fourier transformation of the spectral intensity distribution I(ω) ("In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography in Ophthalmology", Bellingham, W. A., SPIE, pp. 355-370, ISBN 0-8194-1379-8, 1993).
The use of Fourier transform methods specifically for measuring intraocular distances along an individual beam through the pupil was described by A. F. Fercher et al. ("Measurement of Intraocular Distances by Backscattering Spectral Interferometry", Opt. Commun. 117, 43-48, 1995) and used by G. Häusler and M. W. Lindner for producing OCT images ("Coherence RADAR" and "spectral RADAR"—New Tools for dermatological diagnosis", J. Biomed. Opt. 3(1), 21-31, 1998).
DE 43 09 056 A1 describes a method for determining the distance and scattering intensity of scattering points in which the distance and the local scattering intensity are determined by Fourier transformation of the spectrum according to wavelength.
A method in which three-dimensional images of the retina can be synthesized from en-face OCT recordings was described by A. G. Podoleanu, J. A. Rogers, D. A. Jackson, and S. Dunne ("Three dimensional OCT Images from retina and skin", Opt. Express 7, pp. 292-298, 2000).
A parallel OCT method which likewise uses a step reference mirror is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,921 B1. The step reference mirror is used to implement the depth scan in time domain OCT. Accordingly, the step sizes are also appreciably greater than λ/8. Further, the steps are distributed over the entire surface in a staircase shape rather than with periodically recurring total heights. The phase shifter used in this solution acts identically on the entire reference arm or measurement arm. These differences are a natural result of the different problem to be solved as stated therein.
A similar method which is based on piezoelectric phase shifting phase measurement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,349 B1. In this solution, the displacement of the reference mirror is effected by means of piezo electricity. However, this displacement, the required additional exposures and the repeated readout of the photodetector array require time which leads to motion artifacts in in vivo objects like the eye.
A conventional OCT method for determining the dimensions of the anterior segments of the eye using a slit lamp and a hand-held device was described by S. Radhakrishnan et al. ("Real time optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment using hand-held and slit-lamp adapted systems", Proc. SPIE 4619, 227-229, 2002). The device which is based on time domain OCT works very fast and delivers eight images per second. For example, the eight images per second can be distributed equidistantly on the entire pupil for a three-dimensional depiction of the anterior eye structure; about one second would then be required for data recording. In contrast, the method upon which the present application is based can register the required data within milliseconds.

Fourier-domain OCT ray-tracing on the eye


The present invention relates to a saw including a sawhead pivotably connected to a base. The pivotable connection may define a pivot axis therethrough, wherein the pivot axis may be parallel to the horizontal plane. In addition, the sawhead may rotate around the pivot axis and may be axially displaceable along the pivot axis.

A chop saw (also a miter saw, a compound miter saw, a sliding compound miter saw, etc.) is a power tool, which may be used to make a quick crosscut in a workpiece, such as a piece of lumber, trim, etc. It may be used to cut wood, although some plastics and light metals may also be cut with the tool. Common uses include framing operations and the preparation of crown molding or other types of trim. A chop saw may be considered a lightweight circular saw mounted on a spring-loaded pivoting arm supported by a metal base. Chop saws may be relatively small and portable, with common blade sizes ranging from eight to twelve inches. While these relatively small saws may not have the cutting capacity of a radial arm saw, they may be very portable and rugged enough to stand up to daily use (and abuse) on the job.
Depending on the chop saw, a number of cuts may be made. For example, a basic chop saw may cut a workpiece at a 90° angle or perpendicular to the table supporting the work piece. A miter saw may allow for rotation of the saw head relative to the workpiece, thus, providing angular cuts within a given range, common angles may include 15°, 30°, or 45°. In addition, some chop saws, referred to as compound miter saws, may make bevel cuts, which may include cuts angled relative to the horizontal plane of the support table.
If you tilt the blade while cutting at an angle, these saws may be able to cut trim or molding while the stock lies flat on the table. But tilting the blade means that there must be clearance at the fence when the saw head heels over. To achieve this, the height of the fence near the blade may be reduced, and users may be advised to add a supplemental wood fence when making regular cuts that may need extra-height support. In addition, sliding fence may be used, which provides full-height support and moves out of the way for bevel cuts.
Preset detent positions on the saw's turntable (typically set at 0, 15, 22.5, 30, and 45 degrees) may help to position the blade for common miter cuts. Some manufacturers also offer detents for the common crown molding angles on the miter and bevel scales. But the detents on some saws may be tricky to override if you want to make minute adjustments to the fit of a cut—say, a 32.25-degree miter instead of the 31.62 degrees that crown molding typically requires. The miter and bevel scales offered by different manufacturers may not be equally easy to read, either. For example, bevel scales may be partially hidden behind the body of the saw.
A number of steps may be taken to use a chop saw to create a cut on a workpiece. A workpiece may be marked for cutting with either a line or a mark. The workpiece may then be placed on the chop saw table with two hands and positioned with two hands such that the line or mark is approximately in line with the blade. One hand may be released from the workpiece to grip the handle of the saw while the second hand continues to hold the workpiece down and against the fence of the chop saw. The saw head may be lowered with the blade either stationary or running to touch down on the workpiece to see how much adjustment of the workpiece is necessary to line the blade with the mark. The saw head may then be released back to the "up" position and both hands may be placed back on the workpiece to adjust it relative to the blade. (It is usually very difficult to accurately adjust a workpiece of any size with one hand.)
The steps of releasing one hand from the workpiece, lowing the saw head with that hand to determine the degree of adjustment necessary to make a proper cut, and then readjusting the workpiece may be repeated until the workpiece is properly positioned (this frequently takes 3-4 iterations). A cut may then be made by turning on the saw and pulling the chop saw through the workpiece.
To help with gross positioning, some saws may be equipped with a laser. With a laser, the saw blade may not need to be brought down to the work piece during adjustment. However, the laser may have a finite width and determining very accurate cuts through the laser alone may be difficult. Also, an iterative process is still required to finely adjust what could be a large, heavy workpiece to a laser line.
In addition, cutting a workpiece to less than 1/32″ (0.032″) of its ideal length may require an extensive amount of time positioning the work piece to get an accurate cut. The number of iterations to get an accurate cut may be increased by the fact that a user needs to be conservative in determining where he/she makes a cut; you can always cut more off, but you can't add it on.


A method includes receiving a first signal at a circuit from a first base station and receiving a second signal at the circuit from a second base station different from the first base station. The method further includes determining a first channel estimate based on the first signal, determining a second channel estimate based on the second signal and determining a feedback information based on the first channel estimate and based on the second channel estimate.

In a radio communications system, a mobile station may communicate with multiple base stations and provide feedback information to the base stations. Based on the feedback information, a transmission of data from the base stations to the mobile station may be adjusted. Methods for determining feedback information and circuits to perform such methods constantly have to be improved. In particular, it may be desirable to provide feedback information resulting in an improved communication between a mobile station and a base station.

Method for determining feedback information and circuit to perform such method


A method and system allow anonymous observation of premium content. A purchaser (user) of premium content connects and logs in to the server system via the Internet or other electronic medium. The server presents the user with a number of options for viewing or otherwise observing premium content (i.e. HTML Document, Video or Audio Stream, etc.) from a variety of providers. Through these options the user submits a request for an item of content to the server. The server then retrieves the content from the content provider's system or from a local cached version. If the content contains links (i.e. HTML Links) to other items of content at the provider, the server changes these links into links that request the same content from the server. The content is then delivered to the user's observation device (i.e. Web Browser, Telephone, etc.).

1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains in general to computer software, and more particularly, to providing the components that give Internet based and other technology based providers the ability to charge fees for content, while allowing users to maintain their anonymity.
2. Description of Related Art
With the growth of the Internet, and particularly of the World-Wide Web, many companies have offered premium content over the Internet. To access such premium content, a user must typically enter a credit-card number, both for billing purposes and (when required) to establish proof of legal maturity.
However, companies providing such premium content may wish to allow customers a free, time-limited preview of the content. In that case, there must be a way of ensuring that the person using the preview does so only during the specified time. A generic guest ID and password allow no such function. While the user can be prompted to enter a credit card, with the promise that the card will not be charged during the preview period, many users are understandably suspicious of such a promise.
Also, a user may wish to remain anonymous during the preview period, or for that matter throughout the user's subscription to the premium service. That is especially the case with "adult" services. The user's anonymity can be breached in several ways. For example, when the user's computer forms a TCP/IP connection to the server, the user's computer sends certain identifying information to the server, which stores that information in an access log. Such information can be used to identify the user. Also, if another person (such as a family member or a co-worker) accesses the user's computer, that other person can easily identify the URL's of the last several Web sites that the user has accessed. Further, in the case of premium content, a charge will appear on the user's credit-card statements. Many users find such recording of their identities objectionable. On the other hand, companies providing premium content still have to be able to charge their customers.

System and method for anonymous observation and use of premium content by indirect access through portal


A method for increasing the capabilities of an object program of a digital data processing system having a coded character set, with each character having a given attribute, by providing each of a selected subset, or subsets, of said characters with a second attribute. Which attribute of a given character of such a subset is its relevant attribute is determined by such a character being the operand of a limited number of operation codes of the computer system capable of properly acting on the second attribute of the character of such a selected subset. The data entry routine of such a program is modified to require data represented by the second attributes of the selected subsets and to convert such data into a character of such a subset. For each operation code capable of properly acting on the second attribute of a character of a selected subset of said characters, a subroutine is created to check each operand acted upon by the operation code for the presence of character of a selected subset and to convert such an operand into a format upon with the desired operation can be executed. Each data output operation of an object program capable of outputting the second attribute of such a character is provided with the means to output where appropriate a graphic character, or characters, defining such a second attribute.

Application programs are normally compiled from a fairly understandable source language program into a computer-specific object program, which object program may be understood by itself by only the most expert programmers. If the source language program is lost or misplaced, the object program can be patched only by someone who knows the principle of its working. But people die and move away. It is unarguable that many of today's most important programs are indecipherable as to principle, or algorithm.
It is basic to computers of the Von Neumann type, e.g., stored program type, that data can exist in boundaryless juxtaposition in the memory of such systems with other data, or even sections of the program. Existing data, new data, and the object program that operates upon them are an amorphous mix. The program itself may be recognized only by the sequence of its instructions.
The location of data in memory is known only by the addresses embedded in the program. With respect to the nature of the data itself, there are few clues. Without such clues it is impossible to distinguish a field containing the year portion of a date from any other pair of digit characters, or what instructions manipulate that field. Further, the proper execution of a program depends upon the finding of the correct data, not by name, not by descriptor, not by content, but by its relative position in the memory of the computer system executing the program.
The so-called millennium problem is the consequence of the history of development of digital computer systems which began in the 1940's, but which were not put into extensive use until the last half of the 20th century. Thus, from the beginning of the computer era to now, the millennium and the century have had constant digit values of 1 and 9. For convenience and to minimize size of memory required to execute such a program, the practice was to enter, to store, to perform arithmetic operations as required, and to output only two digits to represent the decade D and the year Y for the year value of a date. Reasons justifying this practice were that the sizes of the memories of early computer systems were relatively small, and their cost was very high. This practice is now a well-recognized problem, reportedly being worked on by many thousands of people.
The crux of the millennium problem is not that calendar year values are expressed in only two digit characters. It is rather that it is very difficult, when faced with a need to compute with and display them in a clearly recognizable form, such as in a 4-digit form, to recognize sans ambiguity a calendar year value, or calendar year increment value, hidden away in all that maze of existing data and instructions that consist only of 0's and 1's. Even if calendar year values were stored as 4 digit characters, how would one know "1990" to be a year value rather than a portion of a part number, a social security number, a vehicle I.D. code, a bar code identifier, a number of acres, an insurance policy number, a real estate deed number, a portion of a binary number (even floating point), etc. Barring source code change, as by the Picture Clause of COBOL, even entry of new year data as 4 digit characters does nothing to resolve this dilemma. Absent source code, the nature of data in memory may only be deduced via some limitations of the operations upon it.
One solution being pursued to solve the millennium problem is to detect the year value of dates of the source language version of the program, or of the object program if the source version is not available, and to modify the program so that the millennium and century digit characters, M and C, representing 1900 or 2000 are incorporated correctly in both program and its data descriptions. To do this, one has to search, or trace, through the program to find occurrences of numeric data and numeric data operations. Doing this by using Picture Clauses in source programs and then recompiling to a new object program is the optimum solution, albeit uncommon due to loss of much source code. Alternatively, one could replace all old code operating on date values with new code of a better method; e.g. one that always operates internally on dates in the Julian Day form. Unfortunately there does not seem to be time to implement either of these solutions before the year 2000 AD becomes a cause of failure.

Method of solving millennium problems of some application programs


A method is disclosed for sealing and bonding the seams and edges of resilient and other types of floors, whereby specially formulated hot-melt sealants/adhesives are applied in molten form at the flooring installation site using a heated gun equipped with a specially designed tip. The hot-melt sealant/adhesive flows into and completely fills the seam and bonds to the edges of the flooring producing a bead of material that extends above the surface of the flooring. The specially designed tip facilitates this process by guiding along easily in the groove of the seam or joint and directing the molten sealant/adhesive accurately into the seam. The tip allows the seam or joint width to be very narrow and enhances sealing and adhesion by imparting heat to the edges of the flooring material. Upon cooling, a spatula knife or other appropriate tool is used to skive off the excess bead of material leaving it flush with the flooring. The appropriately pigmented sealant/adhesive produces an appearance that is barely noticeable from the surrounding floor.

Seams and joints of floor coverings are sealed and bonded to keep out moisture and dirt and to impart strength. Seam sealing or bonding systems presently used in the prior art involve the use of environmentally dangerous chemicals, expensive high temperature equipment, or porous grouting materials.
Most floors have seams or joints at regular intervals. These seams can be bonded or sealed or left alone. Sealing of seams is usually preferred because it keeps dirt, spills and cleaning solutions from penetrating into the seam. Foreign matter which penetrates into the seam can interfere with the adhesion of the floor covering to the substrate, produce an undesirable appearance, or foster bacterial growth.
The sealing methods most commonly used are the grouting of rigid tile, the bonding of resilient floors to the subfloor with strong impervious adhesives, the welding of PVC based resilient floors using very high temperatures and threads of PVC inserted into specially cut grooves, and the use of PVC resins dissolved in strong solutions forming lacquers that partially dissolve the PVC flooring forming a solvent weld. Each of these systems has its drawbacks and the floor covering industry is always looking for faster, easier, less expensive, and less dangerous ways to seal or bond seams.

Hot-melt seamed floor covering system and method of installing the same


A process of manufacturing a semiconductor circuit includes providing a substrate layer, forming a metal layer above the substrate layer, incorporating circuit components in the substrate layer, and electrically connecting the circuit components to the metal layer. The process includes configuring the circuit components to perform an electrical function of the semiconductor circuit. The semiconductor circuit has a specific electrical conductivity between the substrate layer and the metal layer based on the electrical function performed. The process includes increasing the electrical conductivity between the substrate layer and the metal layer compared with the specific electrical conductivity.

In the manufacture of present-day semiconductor circuits, plasma is typically used directly for treating the conductive layers of the semiconductor circuit. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a charging current 1 generated via the plasma can cause major problems. This charging current 1 is collected directly in printed conductors 2 incorporated in metal layers of the semiconductor circuit and then dissipated via connections 3 to these printed conductors by circuit structures of the semiconductor circuit, while, because of a F-N-tunnel effect, an electrical current 4 forms through the gate oxide in the substrate layer of the semiconductor circuit. If this electrical current 4 through the gate oxide exceeds a certain threshold value, the associated circuit structure (e.g., a transistor) of the semiconductor circuit, and thus the semiconductor circuit itself, is damaged.
Since the printed conductor 2 functions like an antenna, by collecting the charging current 1 generated via the plasma, this effect is also referred to as antenna effect. Measures to protect against this antenna effect are referred to herein as antenna protection. Design rules, which should be adhered to, in order to avoid damage of the semiconductor circuit because of the antenna effect are referred to herein as antenna rules. The antenna rules basically dictate what ratio between an antenna surface area and a gate surface area of a gate of a transistor of the semiconductor circuit should not be exceeded. The antenna surface area comprises the surface area of the printed conductors connected with the corresponding gate.
Due to the increasing miniaturization of the structures of present-day semiconductor circuits and because of the increasingly larger combinational circuits in proportion to the dimensions of these structures, the antenna rules and other design rules are becoming increasingly more restrictive, as a result of which the design of semiconductor circuits or the design freedom in the design of semiconductor circuits is becoming increasingly more restricted.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Manufacturing semiconductor circuit, corresponding semiconductor circuit, and associated design process


An electronic circuit for adjusting a property of an input signal of a non-linear element is disclosed. A detector detects a strength of the input signal. An analog controller forms a control signal as a piecewise approximation of a non-linear dependency between the property and the strength of the input signal detected by the detector. An adjusting circuit adjusts the property of the input signal according to the control signal from a controller.

A non-linear element, for example a power amplifier, causes distortion to a signal. Reduction of distortion caused by amplifiers has been attempted by various means. Because the distortion of amplitude or phase as a function of amplitude of an input signal often resembles a known function, distortion has been compensated for with a component having a similar characteristic behaviour. Typical components for predistortion include a diode, a field effect transistor or a bipolar junction transistor. Although this solution is simple, it is also inaccurate. A characteristic curve of one component cannot well enough cancel the distortion of a non-linear element, such as a power amplifier.
Predistortion can be performed by using look-up tables, which can, in addition, be updated in order to achieve adaptability since amplifier distortion is affected by temperature, age of the amplifier and changes of the signal fed to the amplifier, for example.
Instead of look-up tables, a polynomial higher than the first order can be used to estimate distortion. Typically, the order has to be at least five or even seven for cancelling the distortion well enough. This, however, increases the number of multiplication operations drastically.
Look-up tables and polynomials result in very complicated and non-ideal compensation circuits which cause problematic delays in signal processing. Furthermore, multiplication operators used in a polynomial solution are difficult to implement and cause unnecessary delay. Irrespective of whether or not a linearization is used, power amplifiers cannot, thus, linearly amplify a signal if the power level of the incoming signal varies, which is the case e.g. in UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and WCDMA (Wide-band CDMA) radio systems.


A system and method for responding to changes in social traffic in a geographic area receives, via an electronic communications interface, information describing a geographic area and one or more attributes of people expected to be in the geographic area. A geofence is defined based on the information describing the geographic area, and a cohort of people expected to be in the geofence is defined based on the one or more attributes. Information from a sensor regarding an attribute of a person at a geographic location is received via an electronic communications network. Based on the attribute, a determination is made whether or not the person is a member of the cohort of people expected to be in the geofence. An alert may be triggered based at least in part on whether or not the person is a member of the cohort of people expected to be in the geofence.

Present invention embodiments relate to computer systems and methods for determining changes in social traffic in a geographic area and, more particularly, computer systems and methods for responding to such changes.
In large and complex organizations, people may not always be aware that visitors are present in their area. However, it is important that people in the organization act appropriately when visitors are present. For example, people in the organization should be careful not to accidentally disclose any confidential data to the visitors.
Additionally, people in large and complex organizations are frequently unaware of off-site events attended by their colleagues.
Currently, people rely on communications from other employees to be notified about such situations. However, such communications may be sent weeks in advance and forgotten by the time the event occurs. Thus, there remains a need to address such situations.

Responding to changes in social traffic in a geofenced area

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to polyesters capable to give moldings having excellent flow characteristics, heat resistance and mechanical properties.. These polyesters are prepared by copolymerizing specified amounts of specific dioxycompounds such as t-butylhydroquinone, phenylhydroquinone and so on with polyesters comprising specified amounts of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl, hydroquinone and terephthalic acid or terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid.

Needs for high performance plastics have been recently raised more and more and many polymers having various new characteristics have been developed and are available in the market. Among them, optically anisotropic liquid crystalline polymers characterized by parallel arrangement of their molecular chains are given attention because they have excellent mechanical properties.
As one of these liquid crystalline polymers, thermotropic polyesters are well known and, for example, p-hydroxybenzoic acid homopolymer and its copolymer copolymerized with 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl and phthalic acid are well known. However, these homo- and co-polymers of p-hydroxybenzoic acid are inferior in melt-fluidity as their melting points are too high. Therefore, polyesters whose melting points are lowered by copolymerizing various components with p-hydroxybenzoic acid have been applied for to obtain patents. For example, a polyester prepared by copolymerizing phenylhydroquinone, terephthalic acid and/or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (Japanese Patent Publication No. 500,215/1980), a polyester prepared by copolymerizing 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene and terephthalic acid with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50594/1979), a polyester prepared by copolymerizing 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene, isophthalic acid and/or terephthalic acid with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 38426/1985, No. 104,123/1985), a polyester prepared by copolymerizing hydroquinone, isophthalic acid and moreover a small amount of 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl and terephthalic acid with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 38425/1985, No. 235,833/1985), a polyester consisting of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl or hydroquinone, terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid (Japanese Patent Publication No. 47870/1972), a polyester prepared by copolymerizing phenylhydroquinone, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl and terephthalic acid with p-hydroxybenzoic acid of less than 57 mole % of the whole (Japanese Patent Laid-Open 199,028/1985) and a polyester prepared by copolymerizing p-oxybenzoic acid, an aromatic dihydroxy compound and terephthalic acid with polyethylene terephthalate (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8395/1976) are disclosed.
Therefore, the present inventors carried out polymerization, molding and evaluation of various new polyesters to obtain polyesters capable of providing moldings having good flow characteristics, heat resistance and mechanical properties and found that aromatic polyesters consisting of specified amounts of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl, hydroquinone and terephthalic acid or terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid as well as aromatic polyesters prepared by copolymerizing dihydroxy compounds such as t-butylhydroquinone and so on with these polyesters could satisfy the above described purpose.

Aromatic polyesters having good heat resistance


Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to using a vehicle to provide building security. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer that is provided in a vehicle is communicatively coupled to various sensors included in an anti-theft security system of the vehicle. The computer automatically activates a building security procedure upon determining that the vehicle has entered, or is located inside, a geofence of a residence. The sensors are configured to detect a security event that may take place near the residence. For example, a motion sensor may be used to detect a burglar approaching the residence or a sound detector may be used to detect shattering of a glass window of the residence. Upon detecting such a security event, the anti-theft security system of the vehicle may transmit a security alert to an individual and/or a monitoring service.

Most vehicles now include anti-theft systems to protect against break-ins and theft. A typical vehicle anti-theft system can include various types of devices such as sensors for detecting a break-in attempt, alarms for discouraging the break-in, and a communication system to report the break-in attempt to a driver of the vehicle. A vehicle may include, for example, a door sensor for detecting an attempt to open a locked door, a glass-break sensor for detecting a window being broken into, and a pressure sensor for detecting an object making unexpected contact with the vehicle. While such sensors can detect actions carried out upon the vehicle, other types of devices may be used to operate as a deterrence to an individual approaching a vehicle with malicious intent even before the individual makes contact with the vehicle. For example, a sonar or a radar device may be used to detect a person coming too close to a vehicle and to transmit a signal to a horn of the vehicle for sounding a warning beep.
In view of the prevalence of anti-theft systems in vehicles, most car buyers typically consider an anti-theft system to be an integral part of a vehicle and may not be offered an option to exclude purchase of the anti-theft system. On the other hand, many home owners and renters would consider installing a residential security system as a personal choice and may opt to forgo installing one due to various reasons such as installation cost and monitoring fees. However, a residence and the contents of a residence may, in many cases, be equally valuable, or even more valuable, than a vehicle or the contents of a vehicle. It is therefore desirable to provide solutions that can offer home security in a cost-effective manner.

Using a vehicle to provide home security


A grafted copolymer containing low cis-polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of 30 to 40 as a rubber component, and 30% by volume or more of particles of said rubber component becoming non-spherical rubber particles when molded into a molded article, is suitable for use as a low gloss agent which is usable in the fields of internal and external automotive trims, exterior parts of household electric appliances, etc.

This invention relates to a process for producing a low gloss agent capable of giving molded articles having a low gloss, the low gloss agents, low gloss thermoplastic resin compositions and molded articles, which can be used in the fields of, for example, internal and external automotive trims, exterior parts of household electric appliances, office automation appliances and the like, and building materials such as gutter, in which not only high heat resistance and impact strength but also low gloss are required.
Thermoplastic resins are utilized for various purposes because of their excellent processability and mechanical properties. The surface of molded articles of these resins usually has a good gloss, but there is also a demand for molded articles having a low surface gloss.
Particularly when a molded article is used as an internal or external automotive trim, its gloss should be sufficiently low to avoid lowering of visibility by reflected light and secure safe driving.
As a method for imparting a low gloss to the surface of molded articles, there have heretofore been known, for example, (1) a method of embossing the surface of a mold, (2) a method of coating a low gloss coating material on the surface of a molded article, (3) a method of mixing a resin with an inorganic filler such as talc, calcium carbonate, mica, etc., (4) a method of mixing a thermoplastic resin with a crosslinked polymer, (5) a method of adding a rubber-like elastomer to a starting resin, and (6) a method of increasing the particle size of a rubber grafted in emulsion polymerization.
The above low gloss imparting methods have, for example, defects described below. In the case of the method of (1), no sufficient low gloss imparting effect can be obtained, and a molded article surface having a complicated shape cannot be embossed. In the case of the method of (2), a coating step costs much, environmental pollution is caused, and the resin surface and physical properties are deteriorated by a solvent. In the case of the methods of (3) and (4), lowering of the impact strength is unavoidable, and the gloss of molded article changes depending on molding conditions including molding pressure, mold temperature, etc., so that no uniform low gloss can be attained. In the case of the methods of (5) and (6), nonuniformity of gloss tends to be caused, weld lines are formed owing to the rubber-like elastomer, and the stiffness and hardness of molded article are deteriorated. Thus, according to the prior art, it has been very difficult to attain both high impact strength and low gloss.
Particularly in attaining an improved heat resistance which is required of internal automotive trims, it is more difficult to maintain the impact strength as in the case of ordinary thermoplastic resins.

Low gloss agents, process for production thereof, low gloss thermoplastic resin compositions, and molded articles


A unique storm door construction utilizes economical, plastic glide channel strips disposed about fixed and sliding panes of glass to provide not only a weather seal, but also a means for interconnection to a storm door mounting frame within which the glass panes are mounted. The system also provides a top edge protector for the sliding pane, as well as a sash member with a finger grip thereon that can be used to raise and lower the sliding pane. The sliding pane member can thereby be raised to permit ventilation through a screen covering a portion of the rectangular opening defined in the storm door frame. Alternatively, the sliding pane member can be lowered to thereby provide a complete, transparent, weather-tight barrier across the enclosed rectangular area delineated within the storm door frame. The system provides a means for assembly of a storm door which allows the component elements to be snapped together without the use of screws or other metal fasteners.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique construction of a storm door for a building, and the method of manufacturing a storm door having this unique construction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years storm doors have been produced and utilized to provide an extra measure of thermal and moisture insulation at door openings of a building. Some styles of storm doors are currently formed of one or more panes of glass seated within a surrounding metal door frame.
In the construction of storm doors it is important to avoid direct contact between the metal of the door frame and the glass of the panes held within the frame. The elimination of such metal to glass contact is sometimes achieved by interposing a rubber or plastic gasket between the metal door frame and the glass pane or panes. This is normally accomplished by first laying the panes of glass onto a surrounding, resiliently compressible, water impervious gasket, and then advancing the metal frame members toward the glass panes so that channels or grooves within the metal frame members capture the peripheral margins of the gaskets. The metal storm door frame members are then secured to each other, typically by means of screws, to form longitudinally extending stile members and transversely extending top and bottom rail members. These members are fastened to each other with the gasketed pane or panes of glass held therewithin.
Other styles of storm doors are formed with a fixed glass pane and a sliding glass pane. Each of the glass panes occupies approximately one-half of the length of the elongated opening defined within the frame of the storm door. The sliding glass pane can be moved into a position offset from the fixed glass pane so as to completely cover the opening within the door frame. Alternatively, the sliding glass pane can be moved longitudinally so as to completely overlie the fixed glass pane. This allows air circulation through the portion of the opening vacated by the sliding glass pane. Very typically this opening is covered with a screen offset from the plane of the sliding glass pane. The screen admits air for ventilation, but excludes insects and reduces the passage of solid, airborne material.
The use of a sliding glass pane in a storm door is advantageous in that the user is able to select the level of ventilation permitted by the storm door. Very typically the sliding glass pane will be withdrawn from the portion of the opening which it would otherwise cover during periods of warm weather, and moved back into position longitudinally offset from the fixed glass pane so that the door opening is completely covered during periods of cold weather. The sliding glass pane may be partially opened or closed as intermediate temperature conditions dictate.
In a conventional combination screen and sliding glass pane storm door, the fixed glass pane is mounted within its own frame, which includes a gasket of the type described to prevent direct contact between the glass and the surrounding metal frame. Similarly, the sliding glass pane is also mounted within a separate metal frame in which a rubber or plastic gasket is interposed between the rectangular pane of glass and the surrounding metal frame. The metal frame of the fixed glass pane is secured within the larger metal storm door frame. The metal frame holding the sliding glass pane is also mounted in the larger storm door frame so as to move along longitudinal tracks defined in the storm door frame in a plane offset from the plane of the fixed glass pane.
While storm doors of conventional construction do provide adequate thermal and moisture insulation, they are relatively time consuming and expensive to fabricate. The rubber or plastic gasket must first be wrapped about each glass pane so that the edges of the glass reside within corresponding channels formed in the gasket material.
The pairs of opposing rail and stile members are then moved toward each other at the opposing edges of the gasket material. Care must be exercised to ensure that the gasket material properly enters into corresponding channels formed to receive it in the rail and stile members. The rail and stile members must then be secured to each other by means of fasteners, such as metal screws, so as to ensure that the frame members surrounding the gasket do not separate at the corners at which they meet. The assembly of a conventional storm door therefore takes quite a number of minutes to complete, even in the environment of an assembly line. Due to the labor intensity required to manufacture metal frame storm doors, the expense of production is relative high.

Storm door and method of fabrication thereof


Downhole fluid treatment planning systems and methods should enable efficient creation, review, and editing of downhole fluid treatment plans. In some of the disclosed embodiments, a downhole fluid treatment planning method includes receiving downhole environment information. The method also includes generating a polar graph with multiple stage type wedges to visually represent fluid coverages or volumes of a downhole fluid treatment plan based on the downhole environment information. Meanwhile, a system for downhole fluid treatment planning includes a memory having software and an output device. The system also includes a processor coupled to the memory to execute the software. The software configures the processor to receive downhole environment information and to output a polar graph. The polar graph includes multiple stage type wedges to visually represent fluid coverages or volumes of a downhole fluid treatment plan based on the downhole environment information.

After a wellbore has been drilled, the wellbore typically is cased by inserting lengths of steel pipe ("casing sections") connected end-to-end into the wellbore. Threaded exterior rings called couplings or collars are typically used to connect adjacent ends of the casing sections at casing joints. The result is a "casing string" including casing sections and connecting collars that extends from the surface to a bottom of the wellbore. The casing string is then cemented in place to complete the casing operation. Well completion is then achieved by perforating the casing to provide access to one or more desired formations, e.g., to enable fluid from the formation(s) to enter the wellbore.
Hydraulic fracturing is an operating technique where a fracturing fluid, typically water with selected additives, is pumped into a completed well under high pressure. The high pressure fluid causes fractures to form and propagate within the surrounding geological formation, making it easier for formation fluids to reach the wellbore. After the fracturing is complete, the pressure is reduced, allowing most of the fracturing fluid to flow back into the well. Some residual amount of the fracturing fluid may be expected to remain in the surrounding formation and perhaps flow back to the well over time as other fluids are produced from the formation.
In addition to or as part of hydraulic fracturing processes, stimulation treatments may be considered. In the stimulation planning process (e.g., for fracturing treatments or matrix acidizing treatments), the goal is to determine the appropriate fluids, and the attributes of those fluids, for optimal stimulation of a wellbore. Costs of treatments also may be taken into account. During the stimulation planning process, multiple treatment stages, stage types, and fluids may be considered. Stage types, stage fluids, volumes, or other parameters, may be determined manually, or may result from a recommendation engine or algorithm. In either case, the resulting fluid selection information may be displayed for viewing and evaluation.
Information such as treatment fluid type, stage type, stage data, etc., is typically presented in a simple tabular form. However, for complex treatment job designs, a tabular presentation requires detailed review to comprehend. Existing techniques to determine and convey information for stimulation treatment planning are inefficient.
The drawings show illustrative embodiments that will be described in detail. However, the description and accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the illustrative embodiments, but to the contrary, the intention is to disclose and protect all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Methods and systems using a fluid treatment polar graph


A screw attachment (10, 10′, 10″) disposed around a fastening piece (17) secured to a main fastening body (25a), the screw attachment sandwiched between a head (17b) of the fastening piece and a securing object (22) so that the screw attachment bears a securing force of the fastening piece to press the securing object. The screw attachment includes a pair of arms (12, 13) made of a shape restoring material. Each arm has a fore end, and the fore ends are joined to each other with an adhesive material that is softened when heated. The arms expands radially such that the screw attachment is released from the head of the fastening piece when heat or force is applied to the arms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a screw attachment, a fastening assembly having the screw attachment, and a process of releasing the fastening assembly, which are effectively applied to an instrument or machine which can be recycled such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a television, a battery pack, and a convenient charger.
2. Background Art
Recycling of electric appliances such as an air conditioner, a washing machine, and a refrigerator has been positively realized for reuse of natural resources in view of environmental preservation. However, it takes time to remove securing screws of the electric appliances. Thus, a recycling process with sufficient work efficiency has not been established yet.
FIGS. 16 to 18 show examples of fastening pieces and screw attachments which are made of shape memory alloys. A first prior art as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. H-2-36616 (particularly in Pages 4 to 6 and FIG. 5 of the prior art) shows a device for preventing looseness of a bolt 60 as well as for releasing the bolt 60 when necessary. As shown in FIG. 16, a washer 62 is provided as a screw attachment sandwiched between a head 61 of the bolt 60 and a fastened plate 68. The washer 62 consists of a first ring 63, a second ring 64, an insulator 65 layered between the rings 63 and 64, and a pair of annular insulating seats 66, 67 each disposed over or under the second ring 64. All the members align with one another in an axial direction of the bolt 60. The rings 63 and 64 each are made of a shape memory alloy. Heating the rings 63 and 64 above a temperature of reverse transformation expands the first ring 63 and contracts the second ring 64 vertically in FIG. 16 due to shape memory processes provided for the rings.
That is, the first ring 63 expands vertically above its reverse transformation temperature, so that a bearing surface 61a of the bolt 60 is pressed to increase contact pressure between threads of the bolt 60 and the fastened plate 68. This secures the bolt 60 to the fastened plate 68, preventing looseness of the bolt 60. The second ring 64 contracts vertically at its reverse transformation temperature and above, so that the bearing surface 61a of the bolt 60 is released from pressure to decrease contact pressure between the threads of the bolt 60 and the fastened plate 68. Thereby, the bolt 60 is brought in a loosened state. Accordingly, the first prior art provides the device to enable fastening and loosening of the bolt 60.
FIGS. 17A and 17B show a second prior art as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H-7-4407 (in FIGS. 5 and 12 of the prior art). The second prior art discloses a securing screw 70 to easily disassemble electric appliances for scraping. As shown in FIG. 17A, the screw 70 is made of a shape memory material and has a stem 71 and a head 72 contiguous with the stem 71. The stem 71 has a slit 71a at its fore end to divide the fore end in two parts. The two fore ends each have an outer periphery formed with a tapered surface. The tapered surface has threads 71b formed thereon.
FIG. 17A shows the stem 71 having a closed end which corresponds to a memorized shape, while FIG. 17B shows the stem 71 having an end open in a V-shape. The screw 70 is inserted through a through hole 73a of a fastened plate 73 and engages with an internal thread 74a of a main fastening body 74. A spring 75 is provided between a bearing surface 72a of the screw 70 and the fastened plate 73. A resilient force of the spring urges the screw 70 outward to release it from the main fastening body 74 when the screw 70 returns in its memorized shape.
FIG. 18 shows a third prior art as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S-62-110013 (in Page 2 and in FIG. 1 of the prior art). The third art discloses a resilient washer 80 as a screw attachment for preventing looseness of a bolt due to thermal expansion. The resilient washer 80 is made of a shape memory alloy having a shape restoring temperature of 5 to 10□. As shown in FIG. 18, the resilient washer 80 has a pair of arms 82, 83 with a cut-off part 81 therebetween. The arms are offset from each other due to a shape memory process.
The resilient washer 80 is formed in a flat shape at a temperature sufficiently lower than its shape transformation point, and the flat resilient washer 80 is sandwiched between the bolt and a securing object or between a nut and the securing object to contact them with a temperature lower than the shape transformation point. After fastening of the bolt, the resilient washer 80 returns in a memorized shape at a temperature higher than the shape transformation point, causing a tensile force in an axial direction of the bolt. This increases contact pressure between threads of the bolt and the securing object to provide a fastening force of the bolt.
In the third prior art, the return-back of the resilient washer 80 due to a shape memory function is larger than a thermal expansion of the bolt. This prevents looseness between the resilient washer 80 and the bolt with a fastening force regardless of the thermal expansion of the bolt.
Furthermore, another prior art described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. H-4-113320 discloses a washer of a shape memory alloy, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open NO. 2001-59512 discloses a construction of a washer.
However, the conventional fastening pieces and screw attachments described above have following disadvantages to be eliminated.
In the first prior art, the washer 62 is constituted by several parts to have a complex construction. Thus, the washer 62 is difficult in minimization not to be applied to a small screw. Furthermore, an automatic machine like a robot is employed to fasten screws with a given torque during an assembling step of an electric appliance. Therefore, a heating process after fastening of the screws to increase the fastening force like the first prior art will be disadvantageous in work efficiency for the assembling step. Such a heating process step will be difficult for obtaining a constant fastening force, decreasing productivity of the assembling step.
Moreover, the washer 62 can not be applied to a flush head screw broadly used for assembling electric appliances. Because, the washer 62 is applicable only for a screw or the bolt 60 having the bearing surface 61a perpendicular to an axial direction of the bolt.
The screw 70 of the second prior art has the stem 71 with the pair of branched tips to define a clearance therebetween. The branched tips decrease solidity of the screw 70 not to provide a sufficient fastening force. The screw 70 may be disadvantageously loosened due to vibration of the electric appliance. Furthermore, the screw 70 requires a thread formed thereon with a rotating dice, increasing an assembling cost of the electric appliance. Because, the threads need to have a specifically larger depth to keep a sufficient fastening force.
The washer of the third prior art provides an increased fastening force for a bolt to reliably assemble a plastic chassis of an electric appliance. On the contrary, the increased fastening force is disadvantageous when the bolt is removed during disassembling of the electric appliance.
In another prior art disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. H-4-113320, a fastening bolt has a seating surface perpendicular to an axial direction of the bolt. Thus, a strong fastening force provides a larger contact pressure on the searing surface. The larger contact pressure may undesirably prevent a washer form releasing from the bolt when the washer is heated for disassembling of an electric appliance.
In another prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open NO. 2001-59512, a washer has a pair of arms and a connection piece for the arms. The connection piece forces into a head of a screw and an opposing object to stop turning of the screw to prevent loosening of the screw. Meanwhile, such a connection piece is undesirable for easily disassembling an electric appliance, because the screw having the connection piece is not easily removed.

Screw attachment, fastening assembly having screw attachment, and process of releasing fastening assembly


A communication control apparatus for enabling a quality of service (QoS) to be maintained, the security against interception to be ensured, and a communication route to be switched over without any interruption of communications, and capable of restraining the processing time and the number of adjusting parameters. The communication control apparatus including a coding unit, an allocation unit, and a sending unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication control apparatus and a communication control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
At the present, there exist a variety of communication networks such as a mobile network, Hot spot (registered trademark) and the Internet. Then, in these communication networks, respective technologies support keeping a communication quality (quality of service: QoS), ensuring the security against interception and switching over a communication route without any interruption of the communications.
Generally, an advanced error correcting code is applied to keeping the quality of service (QoS). The advanced error correcting code is a coding method in a way of adding a redundant piece of information to digital data. Then, the advanced error correcting code is a method of correcting, if an error occurs in part of the coded digital data due to a noise etc. during a transfer of the digital data, this error with the redundant information added to the digital data. A case of applying the advanced error correcting code to packet communications across the Internet is stated. In the case, a packet size increases depending on the redundant information added to the data. Further, when the packet size increases, a congestion gets easy to occur on the communication control apparatus in the communication network. Then, when the congestion occurs on the communication control apparatus in the communication network, the packets equal to or more than an error-correctable quantity of the packets might be discarded. Hence, avoidance of this congestion needs having a width in time, when sending the packets, thereby avoiding the congestion. From this point of view, the advanced error correcting code has a defect that the packet size becomes large and a defect that a processing delay gets large because of adjusting the time width for sending the packets.
As for ensuring the security against the interception, IPsec (IP security protocol) is a general protocol. This method is a technology scheming to make an interceptor unable to decrypt a content of the communication information by encrypting the information with an algorithm such as DES (Data Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).
On the other hand, a general technology for switching over the communication route without any interruption of the communications is a multihoming technology for ensuring a communication route to which the communication route is switched over while ensuring the in-use communication route, and switching over the communication route by taking synchronization between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal. SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol) is given as a transport layer protocol that supports the connection between the plurality of routes that employs the multihoming technology. In addition to the switching method of switching over the communication route by taking the synchronization, there exists a method of transmitting the same packet to both of a new communication route and an old communication route by multicasting.
As described above, the technologies respectively support keeping the QoS, ensuring the security against the interception and switching over the communication route without the interruption of the communications. Hence, a defect is that the processing time for sequentially executing these technologies is needed.
Further, a variety of adjusting parameters are required for implementing these technologies, and therefore the communication control apparatus is required to hold a great number of these adjusting parameters.
The following are related arts to the present invention.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-274703    [Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-57487    [Patent document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-529533

Communication control apparatus and communication control method


A wireless device having a remote station portion, such as a cellular telephone, PDA, laptop computer, handheld computer, or the like and a removably connectable medical device portion, such as a blood glucose monitor or the like, is provided. The medical device portion is separated from the remote station portion by an isolation circuit and electromagnetic shielding to inhibit the electronics and radio frequency transmission of the remote station portion interfering with the medical device. Moreover, a control processor in the remote station portion has a battery management module to disable functions as the charge in the power source falls to provide sufficient power for operation of the medical device.

1. Field
The technology of the present application applies to personal health module supported by a portable communication device, and more specifically to a personal health module removably mounted to a portable communication device where the portable communication device provides priority to the personal health module and shielding between the portable communication device and personal health module.
2. Background
Portable communication devices, such as radios and cellular telephones are useful devices in everyday operations. Some personal health electronics, such as, for example, blood glucose monitors, include radio frequency communication capability to transmit personal health information from the monitor to a central repository of data.
Incorporating the personal health electronics, which for clarity will be generally referred to as a personal health module, into an existing radio frequency communication unit, such as, for example, a conventional cellular telephone, would be desirous except that integrating the functionality of a personal health module, which may include medical equipment, into a generic radio frequency communication unit, such as a cellular telephone, may convert the generic radio frequency communication unit to a medical device subject to the requirements of the food and drug administration for medical devices. Moreover, the radio transmitter or other electronics associated with portable communication device, in some cases, may impact the functionality of the integrated personal health module.
Thus, it would be desirous to provide a conventional portable communication device that is capable of being integrated with a personally health module such that the conventional portable communication device is not considered a medical device and the portable communication device does not interfere or influence the functionality of the personal health module.

Personal health modules supported by portable communication devices


The invention relates to a cooling system (10) for fuel cell stacks (22, 26), comprising a first cooling module (14) and a second cooling module (18). The first cooling module (14) comprises a fuel cell stack (22, 26), a supply line connection (30, 34) for connecting a supply line (38, 42) for supplying coolant to the fuel cell stack (22, 26), a discharge line connection (46, 50) for connecting a discharge line (54, 58) for discharging coolant from the fuel cell stack (22, 26), and a venting line connection (94, 98) for connecting a venting line (102, 106).

To achieve the highest possible efficiency for a fuel cell, the fuel cell must be operated at a certain, ideally constant operating temperature. This operating temperature is dependent on the type of fuel cell. If the fuel cell becomes overheated, the output of the fuel cell must be restricted. For that reason, adequate cooling during operation is critical. Moreover, when a fuel cell is started up at low temperatures, a condition referred to as a cold start, the fuel cell is able to supply only a low output since the electrochemical reaction and thus the voltage of the fuel cell are highly temperature-dependent. The temperature of the fuel cell must therefore be increased rapidly for a cold start.


A digital broadcast receiver and an upgrading method thereof that can achieve an upgrade stabilization. The digital broadcast receiver includes a tuner to receive broadcast data of a selected channel, a demultiplexer to separate new middleware data and information data corresponding to the new middleware data from the broadcast data, a memory to pre-store previous middleware data and to store the new middleware data and the information data, and a controller to determine whether to store the new middleware data in the memory based on the information data. If storage of the new middleware data is completed, the controller checks whether an upgrade is successful by executing the new middleware data, and if the upgrade fails, the controller executes the previous middleware data pre-stored in the memory. Thus, the receiver upgrades the received middleware program in a stable manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a digital broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to a digital broadcast receiver and an upgrading method thereof that can achieve stable upgrades.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional upgrading method for a digital broadcast receiver is to separate upgrade data from a received broadcast signal and then confirm whether the separated upgrade data corresponds to the receiver by analyzing information in the separated upgrade data. If it is confirmed that the separated upgrade data corresponds to the receiver, then the upgrade is performed. Specifically, the conventional upgrading method performs the upgrade in a manner that removes the existing system software on the receiver, and stores the received data in a flash memory.
The conventional upgrading method for a digital broadcast receiver as described above can add a new operation or receive a new service.
However, the conventional upgrading method upgrades the system software on the assumption that the received upgrade data was downloaded intact and is compatible with the receiving unit. Accordingly, the conventional upgrading method cannot handle problems that may be produced in a situation where there is a lack of integrity of the received upgrade data, the receiving hardware is incompatible with the upgrade data, or the receiving hardware is inoperable.

Digital broadcast receiver and upgrading method thereof


An apparatus and method for providing radial alignment of a housing mounted on a circuit board is provided. A mounting leg portion extends outward from a mounting surface of the housing. The mounting leg portion has a body portion, an end portion, and a radial alignment portion. The radial alignment portion extends outward from the mounting surface. The radial alignment portion has a circumference, and is adapted to be received in a mounting opening formed in the circuit board. The radial alignment portion prevents radial movement of the mounting leg portion with respect to the circuit board. The end portion of the mounting leg portion includes a snap portion for engaging the circuit board and securing the mounting leg portion to the circuit board.

This invention relates generally to the field of mechanical fasteners for printed circuit board applications and, in particular, to a latching apparatus and method for providing radial alignment of a housing mounted on a printed circuit board.
Many types of electronic devices typically include conventional printed circuit boards. Oftentimes, connectors having plastic housings need to be mechanically fastened to the circuit board. Because the various connectors are oftentimes very small, and because of the limited space on the printed circuit board, the precise alignment of these plastic housings on the circuit board is oftentimes critical. Moreover, it is equally important that the housings be securely fastened to the circuit board so that the housings remain in place when subjected to lateral forces.
Conventional connector housings typically include one or more plastic snap leg latches that extend through openings in the circuit boards. The snap leg latches may include a head portion that engages the circuit board thereby securing the housing to the circuit board. Examples of such snap leg latches are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of Des. Pat. No. 278,143 (see also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,281,149, 5,255,159, and 6,058,579).
However, there are several disadvantages to these conventional snap leg latches. For example, when the snap leg latches are in the installed position, the cross section of the latches may only occupy approximately 60% of the receiving hole in the circuit board. The xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d space is typically required to provide the necessary clearance for the snap legs to enable the latch to operate. Because conventional snap leg latches typically occupy less than 100% of the volume of the receiving hole (see, for example, FIGS. 1 and 2 of Des. Pat. No. 278,143), they typically do not adequately prevent radial movement of the housing when lateral forces are applied to the housing. As a result, these conventional latches may result in the misalignment of connectors mounted on the circuit board.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method of providing improved radial alignment of a housing mounted on a circuit board that overcomes the disadvantages described above.
One aspect of the invention provides a latching apparatus for providing radial alignment of a housing mounted on a circuit board. A mounting leg portion extends outward from a mounting surface of the housing. The mounting leg portion has a body portion, an end portion, and a radial alignment portion. The radial alignment portion extends outward from the mounting surface. The radial alignment portion has a circumference, and is adapted to be received in a mounting opening formed in the circuit board. The end portion of the mounting leg portion includes a snap portion for engaging the circuit board and securing the mounting leg portion to the circuit board. The radial alignment portion prevents radial movement of the mounting leg portion with respect to the circuit board. The circuit board may preferably include a first side and a back side, and the mounting surface of the housing may preferably contact the first side of the circuit board. The snap portion may preferably extend through the mounting opening. The snap portion may preferably include a flange portion for contacting the circuit board. The flange portion may preferably extend outward perpendicular to the body portion of the mounting leg portion. The mounting leg portion may preferably extend outward substantially perpendicular from the mounting surface of the housing. The body portion may preferably include a planar inner surface and a curved outer surface. The mounting leg portion may preferably be integrally formed with the housing. The mounting leg portion and the housing may each preferably be formed from plastic.
Another aspect of the invention provides a system for providing radial alignment including a housing mounted on a circuit board. The circuit board has a first side, a back side, and at least one mounting opening formed therein. The housing includes at least one mounting leg portion extending outward from a mounting surface of the housing. The at least one mounting leg portion has a body portion, an end portion, and a radial alignment portion. The radial alignment portion extends outward from the mounting surface. The radial alignment portion has a circumference. The radial alignment portion is received in the mounting opening. The end portion of the mounting leg portion includes a snap portion for engaging the circuit board and securing the mounting leg portion to the circuit board. The radial alignment portion prevents radial movement of the mounting leg portion with respect to the circuit board. The radial alignment portion may preferably be positioned between the first side of the circuit board and the back side of the circuit board. The mounting surface of the housing may preferably contact the first side of the circuit board. The snap portion may preferably extend through the mounting opening. The snap portion may preferably include a flange portion for contacting the circuit board. The flange portion may preferably contact the back side of the circuit board. The at least one mounting leg portion may be two mounting leg portions, and the at least one mounting opening may be two mounting openings.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of providing radial alignment of a housing mounted on a circuit board. A mounting leg portion extends outward from a mounting surface of the housing. The mounting leg portion has a body portion, an end portion, and a radial alignment portion. The radial alignment portion extends outward from the mounting surface. The radial alignment portion has a circumference, and the circuit board has a mounting opening formed therein. The radial alignment portion is positioned into the mounting opening, and radial movement of the mounting leg portion with respect to the circuit board is prevented. The circuit board may preferably include a first side and a back side. The mounting surface of the housing may preferably be contacted against the first side of the circuit board. The radial alignment portion may preferably be positioned between the first side of the circuit board and the back side of the circuit board. The end portion of the mounting leg portion may preferably include a snap portion. The snap portion may preferably be contacted against the circuit board, and the mounting leg portion may preferably be secured to the circuit board. The snap portion may preferably extend through the mounting opening.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Latching apparatus and method for providing radial alignment of a housing mounted on a circuit board


Provided is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device including a plurality of pixels to display images, each of the pixels including an OLED, a driving transistor connected to the OLED, and a switching transistor configured to supply data signals to the OLED, the device including: a sensor configured to sense a change amount of a mobility of the driving transistor; a compensation value calculator configured to obtain a change amount of a threshold voltage of the driving transistor based on the sensed change amount of the mobility; and a data compensator configured to adjust the data signals based on the sensed change amount of mobility and the obtained change amount of the threshold voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an active matrix organic light emitting display, and more particularly to an organic light emitting display and a method of compensating for image quality thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An active matrix organic light emitting display includes organic light emitting diodes ("OLEDs") capable of emitting light by itself and has advantages of a fast response time, a high light emitting efficiency, a high luminance, a wide viewing angle, and the like.
The OLED serving as a self-emitting element includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an organic compound layer formed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The organic compound layer includes a hole injection layer HIL, a hole transport layer HTL, a light emitting layer EML, an electron transport layer ETL, and an electron injection layer EIL. When a driving voltage is applied to the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, holes passing through the hole transport layer HTL and electrons passing through the electron transport layer ETL move to the light emitting layer EML and form excitons. As a result, the light emitting layer EML generates visible light.
The organic light emitting display arranges pixels each including the OLED in a matrix form and adjusts a luminance of the pixels depending on a gray scale of video data. Each pixel includes a driving thin film transistor (TFT) for controlling a driving current flowing in the OLED. It is preferable that electrical characteristics (including a threshold voltage, a mobility, etc.) of the driving TFT are equally designed in all of the pixels. However, in practice, the electrical characteristics of the driving TFTs of the pixels are not uniform by process conditions, a driving environment, and the like. The driving currents from the same data voltage in the pixels are different because of these reasons, and thus a luminance deviation between the pixels is generated. A compensation technology of the image quality has been known so as to solve the problem. The compensation technology senses a characteristic parameter (for example, the threshold voltage, the mobility, etc.) of the driving TFT of each pixel and properly corrects input data based on the sensing result, thereby reducing the non-uniformity of the luminances.
In the related art image quality compensation technology, a method for sensing a change amount of the threshold voltage of the driving TFT and a sensing period thereof are different from a method for sensing a change amount of the mobility of the driving TFT and a sensing period thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, a sensing method 1 for extracting a change in a threshold voltage Vth of a driving TFT DT detects a source voltage Vs of the driving TFT DT as a sensing voltage VsenA after operating the driving TFT DT in a source follower manner, and detects a change amount of the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT DT based on the sensing voltage VsenA. The change amount of the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT DT is determined depending on a magnitude of the sensing voltage VsenA, and an offset value for data compensation is obtained through this. In the sensing method 1, after a gate-source voltage Vgs of the driving TFT DT operating in the source follower manner reaches a saturation state (where a drain-source current of the driving TFT DT becomes zero), a sensing operation has to be performed. Therefore, the sensing method 1 is characterized in that time required in the sensing operation is long, and a sensing speed is slow. The sensing method 1 is called a slow mode sensing method.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2B, a sensing method 2 for extracting a change in a mobility μ of the driving TFT DT applies a predetermined voltage Vdata+X (where X is a voltage according to the compensation of the offset value) greater than the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT DT to a gate electrode of the driving TFT DT, so as to prescribe characteristic of a current capability except the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT DT. Hence, the driving TFT DT is turned on. In this state, the sensing method 2 detects the source voltage Vs of the driving TFT DT, which is charged for a predetermined period of time, as a sensing voltage VsenB. The change amount of the mobility μ of the driving TFT DT is determined depending on a magnitude of the sensing voltage VsenB, and a gain value for data compensation is obtained through this. Because the sensing method 2 is performed in the turned-on state of the driving TFT DT, the sensing method 2 is characterized in that time required in the sensing operation is short, and a sensing speed is fast. The sensing method 2 is called a fast mode sensing method.
Because the sensing speed in the slow mode sensing method is slow, a sufficient sensing period is required. Namely, the slow mode sensing method for sensing the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT DT may be performed only during a first sensing period, which ranges from after an end of an image display to before the turn-off of a driving power in response to a power-off instruction signal received from a user, so that a sufficient sensing time can be assigned to the sensing operation without the recognition of the user. On the other hand, because the sensing speed in the fast mode sensing method for sensing the mobility μ of the driving TFT DT is fast, the fast mode sensing method may be performed during a second sensing period, which ranges from after the turn-on of the driving power to before the image display in response to a power-on instruction signal received from the user, or during vertical blank periods belonging to an image display driving period.
The offset value updated during the first sensing period and the gain value updated during the second sensing period affect each other. Namely, the gain value is obtained based on a data voltage, in which the offset value is reflected. Thus, the offset value updated in a power-off process has to be stored in a nonvolatile memory, so that the updated offset value can be used when the gain value is determined after a subsequent power-on process. As described above, in the related art compensation technology of image quality, the different sensing methods have to be used to find out the change amount of the threshold voltage and the change amount of the mobility. Therefore, the long time is required in the sensing operation, and the separate nonvolatile memory for storing the offset value is additionally needed and results in an increase in an amount of memory used.
Because the long time is required to sense the change amount of the threshold voltage, it is impossible to sense the change amount of the threshold voltage in a vertical blank period, which is disposed between adjacent image frames and has a relatively short length and in which an image is not displayed. Thus, when the organic light emitting display is driven for a long time and continuously displays an image, the related art image quality compensation technology cannot update the offset value based on the change amount of the threshold voltage. As a result, it is impossible to properly compensate for the change characteristic of the threshold voltage over a driving time.
FIG. 3 shows a change in the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT as well as a change in the mobility μ of the driving TFT over a driving time. When a temperature of the display panel rises because of the long time drive of the organic light emitting display, both the threshold voltage Vth and the mobility μ of the real driving TFT change. It is a matter of course that the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT is less than the change amount of the mobility μ of the driving TFT depending on a rise in the temperature. However, even if the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth is small at a low gray level as compared with a high gray level, the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth may have a relatively large influence on a change in a pixel current. Therefore, the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth of the driving TFT is important. As can be shown from FIG. 3, a change ratio of the pixel current largely depends on the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth at the low gray level. For example, the change ratio of the pixel current depending on the change amount of the threshold voltage Vth was about 155% at the low gray level '31' and was greater than the change ratio '137%' of the pixel current depending on the change amount of the mobility μ at the low gray level '31'. When the change in the threshold voltage Vth is not properly compensated, the non-uniformity of the pixel currents is generated. Therefore, a new compensation measure capable of compensating for the threshold voltage Vth as well as the mobility μ for a short period of time is required.

Organic light emitting display and method of compensating for image quality thereof


A current detection method for a current detection device including magnetism detection elements that detect magnetic flux density and output a voltage signal corresponding to the magnetic flux density is provided. The method includes acquiring measured value data that is obtained as a result of providing magnetic flux density in a detectable range of the magnetism detection elements that indicates the relationship between the magnetic flux density and an output voltage signal from the current detection device. Next, computational processing is performed so as to fit the acquired measured value data to a formula that includes plural factors and indicates the output voltage of the magnetism detection elements, thereby calculating the plural factors, and correcting the output voltage signal from the magnetism detection elements in accordance with the calculated factors so as to be approximately linear with respect to the magnetic flux density. Finally, a corrected voltage signal obtained by the correction is outputted.

Conventional current detection devices are known, in which a magnetoresistance effect element(s) such as AMR element using the anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) effect or GMR element using the giant magnetoresistive (GMR) effect is/are used (see, e.g., PTL 1).
The current detection device described in PTL 1 uses a method in which a magnetic field in a region with a relatively linearly varying resistance is selected as a bias magnetic field, the bias magnetic field is applied to a magnetoresistance effect element, and a magnetic field in the region centered around the bias magnetic field is measured. However, since the region with a linearly varying resistance is narrow, there is a problem that the range of the measurable magnetic field is very narrow. Then, to solve this problem, a bias magnetic field applying means is provided to apply a bias magnetic field with plural values to the magnetoresistance effect element. This allows the simple structure to improve linearity of the magnetic field with respect to the output and thus the measurement range to be extended.

Current detection method, current detection device, signal correction method for current detection device, and signal correction device for current detection device