Embodiments of the present invention may be used in the generation of an overall weight from the comparison of various attributes of data records, where the linking of the data records is dependent on the overall weight. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention may calculate a false positive penalty based on a set of results, each of the set of results based on a comparison of an attribute. The false positive penalty may be subtracted from the overall weight generated from the comparison of the attributes of data records to adjust the overall weight. By configuring which attributes of the data records are used as the set of attributes for generating the false positive penalty, and the penalties associated with a particular combination of results for the comparisons of these attributes, the incidence of false positives in the linking of data records may be significantly reduced.

In today's day and age, the vast majority of businesses retain extensive amounts of data regarding various aspects of their operations, such as inventories, customers, products, etc. Data about entities, such as people, products, parts or anything else may be stored in digital format in a data store such as a computer database. These computer databases permit the data about an entity to be accessed rapidly and permit the data to be cross-referenced to other relevant pieces of data about the same entity. The databases also permit a person to query the database to find data records pertaining to a particular entity, such that data records from various data stores pertaining to the same entity may be associated with one another.
A data store, however, has several limitations which may limit the ability to find the correct data about an entity within the data store. The actual data within the data store is only as accurate as the person who entered the data, or an original data source. Thus, a mistake in the entry of the data into the data store may cause a search for data about an entity in the database to miss relevant data about the entity because, for example, a last name of a person was misspelled or a social security number was entered incorrectly, etc. A whole host of these types of problems may be imagined: two separate record for an entity that already has a record within the database may be created such that several data records may contain information about the same entity, but, for example, the names or identification numbers contained in the two data records may be different so that it may be difficult to associate the data records referring to the same entity with one other.
For a business that operates one or more data stores containing a large number of data records, the ability to locate relevant information about a particular entity within and among the respective databases is very important, but not easily obtained. Once again, any mistake in the entry of data (including without limitation the creation of more than one data record for the same entity) at any information source may cause relevant data to be missed when the data for a particular entity is searched for in the database. In addition, in cases involving multiple information sources, each of the information sources may have slightly different data syntax or formats which may further complicate the process of finding data among the databases. An example of the need to properly identify an entity referred to in a data record and to locate all data records relating to an entity in the health care field is one in which a number of different hospitals associated with a particular health care organization may have one or more information sources containing information about their patient, and a health care organization collects the information from each of the hospitals into a master database. It is necessary to link data records from all of the information sources pertaining to the same patient to enable searching for information for a particular patient in all of the hospital records.
There are several problems which limit the ability to find all of the relevant data about an entity in such a database. Multiple data records may exist for a particular entity as a result of separate data records received from one or more information sources, which leads to a problem that can be called data fragmentation. In the case of data fragmentation, a query of the master database may not retrieve all of the relevant information about a particular entity. In addition, as described above, the query may miss some relevant information about an entity due to a typographical error made during data entry, which leads to the problem of data inaccessibility. In addition, a large database may contain data records which appear to be identical, such as a plurality of records for people with the last name of Smith and the first name of Jim. A query of the database will retrieve all of these data records and a person who made the query to the database may often choose, at random, one of the data records retrieved which may be the wrong data record. The person may not often typically attempt to determine which of the records is appropriate. This can lead to the data records for the wrong entity being retrieved even when the correct data records are available. These problems limit the ability to locate the information for a particular entity within the database.
To reduce the amount of data that must be reviewed, and prevent the user from picking the wrong data record, it is also desirable to identify and associate data records from the various information sources that may contain information about the same entity. There are conventional systems that locate duplicate data records within a database and delete those duplicate data records, but these systems may only locate data records which are substantially identical to each other. Thus, these conventional systems cannot determine if two data records, with, for example, slightly different last names, nevertheless contain information about the same entity. In addition, these conventional systems do not attempt to index data records from a plurality of different information sources, locate data records within the one or more information sources containing information about the same entity, and link those data records together. Consequently, it would be desirable to be able to associate data records from a plurality of information sources which pertain to the same entity, despite discrepancies between attributes of these data records.
No matter the system utilized to identify and associate data records, however, certain conditions may arise with respect to associating these data records. More specifically, there will almost certainly be cases where data records which should be associated are not (known as false negative) and cases where data records are associated when they do not refer to the same entity (known as a false positive). In certain areas, these conditions may be relatively innocuous, the false negatives and false positives are easily dealt with and no harm may arise. In highly critical areas such as health care industries, however, these conditions may have the potential to cause great harm. This is particularly true for false positives. Mistakenly associating data records which refer to distinct entities may have large ramifications when it comes to the application of medical care and pharmaceuticals.
Thus, there is a need for system and methods for comparing attributes of data records and linking these data records which is operable to filter these linked data records for false positives, and it is to this end that embodiments of the present invention are directed.

Method and system for filtering false positives


A security bar providing improved security from breach is obtained with the use of a fiber optic cable longitudinally inserted in a hollowed out cavity thereof. Monitoring of the security bar to identify attempts at breach thereof may be achieved by connecting an optical light source to one end of the fiber optic cable and a light monitoring device (i.e., an optical receiver) at the other end. In this manner, a breach of the security bar is identified when the optical receiver fails to receive the light generated by the optical light source. In one embodiment, an isolator which consists of a material that is soft enough to absorb a potential shock but hard enough to break or splinter if the security bar is substantially deformed (e.g., wood) surrounds the fiber optic cable.

Most security bars, such as those used in prisons, banks, vaults, jewelry stores, museums and other barred windows, comprise a solid bar made of an appropriately strong metal such as iron or steel. Most typically, the biggest threat to the breach of security of a security bar is a hacksaw or similar tool, which is used to cut completely through the security bar, thereby rendering it useless.
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/745,884, "Security Bar With Multiple Internal Rolling Bars And Electronic Monitoring," filed on Dec. 26, 2003 by John A. Meyer (the inventor of the present invention) and commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a security bar providing improved security from breach using a plurality of free rolling inner bars was described. In addition, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/745,884 also taught a method for electronically monitoring such security bars with the use of electrically conducting wiring. Specifically, such electrically conducting wiring could be advantageously connected into an electronic circuit such that the breach of the security bar—for example, as a result of a successful attempt to cut through the bar—resulted in a breach of the electrical conductivity of the wiring in the security bar. This breach would then be electronically detectable by the electronic circuit, thereby alerting appropriate authorities to the breach of the security bar. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/745,884 is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Despite the clear advantages of providing electronic monitoring of a security bar in the manner taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/745,884, such an approach does have some limitations. First, it is possible for someone attempting to breach the security bar (e.g., a thief or prison break accomplice) to create an electrical "short circuit" around the bar prior to cutting through it, thereby rendering the electrical conductivity within the security bar irrelevant to the overall electrical monitoring circuitry. In addition, even though such security bars are typically quite strong, any electrical conductivity within the security bar will most likely not be disturbed by merely deforming (i.e., bending) the bar—as opposed to breaking or cutting through it—thereby leaving the bar susceptible to such a breach by deformation.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide a security bar which eliminates these limitations of the security bar of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/745,884, and which provides a more robust and secure monitoring against possible breach thereof.

Security bar with fiber optic cable based security monitoring


A camera for optically capturing a screen, wherein the screen has an area and wherein a predetermined overall resolution is provided for the optical capture, comprises a camera support with an array of camera mounts, an array of optical individual cameras as well as an image processing device for processing digital individual images of the array of optical individual cameras to generate the optical capture of the screen with the predetermined overall resolution. The image processing device is effective to reduce a correction of the individual images with regard to alignment inaccuracies and/or parameter variations, wherein for correction purposes a correction resolution is used, which is higher than the overall resolution, and wherein for every individual camera an individual correction rule is used for the correction. After the correction has been performed, the corrected overall image is brought to the predetermined overall resolution by combining adjacent pixels. Thereby, with inexpensive individual cameras, an image of a large-format screen is obtained efficiently, inexpensively and with little artifacts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to large-format cameras and particularly to large-format cameras for optically capturing a screen comprising an array of optical individual cameras.
The cameras for optically capturing a screen, for example a scintillator screen, are used in digital radioscopy.
Currently, for digital radioscopy, mainly three detector types are used. A first detector type uses an image intensifier, whose output signal is captured by an optical camera, for example a CCD camera. The second detector type is based on a semiconductor detector, which mostly consists of silicon, and which converts the visible light generated by a scintillator screen attached to the semiconductor into electrical charge, which is then read out to obtain an image based on the charge after corresponding image processing.
A third detector type is based on a scintillator screen captured by an optical camera. For high resolution applications, the optical imaging is performed via fiber optics. For applications requiring a large-format image, usually refractive optics are used.
The usage of refractive optics is disadvantageous compared to other detector types in that it has unfavorable detection characteristics. This is also the reason for the fact that the latter detector type, which means the scintillator screen captured via a refractive optical system, is only used very rarely. The only fields of application are low cost applications, where the light sensitivity is not of significant importance, and where an X-ray dose supplied to an object is no main issue, respectively.
The above-mentioned X-ray cameras have different disadvantages, depending on detector type. Thus, image intensifiers are very sensitive, but their size is limited. Image intensifiers are only available in cross sections up to about 25 cm and have a low dynamic with regard to brightness differences.
Currently, semiconductor detectors are only available up to a size of 40×40 cm and can only be produced free of any defect with high effort. Further, they provide only low image repetition rates. In the normally used semiconductor detectors based on amorphous silicon, "image lag" is an additional major disadvantage.
Fiber optical X-ray cameras usually image very small areas, which typically comprise an area of only 3 cm×3 cm. An arrangement of many fiber optical X-ray cameras can basically cover large areas as well. However, such arrangements are expensive and costly. Further, dead zones develop between individual camera modules.
Refractive optical X-ray cameras, however, can image large areas. It is a disadvantage, however, that their sensitivity is very low, since usually a lot of light is lost in optical imaging. If, for example, a scintillator screen with a size of 40×40 cm2 is to be captured via a refractive optical CCD camera, comprising a light sensor with an effective size of 4×4 mm2, the refractive optics of the CCD camera has to achieve a reduction of the screen area by the factor 10,000. Such strongly reducing lenses cause inherently large light losses, which results immediately in a low light sensitivity of such a detector system.
Thus, for example, industrial applications as they appear in quality control of industrially produced parts, such as wheels, or in security technology, where larger subjects are to be screened, require detector systems, which on the one hand, have a large format and, on the other hand, are fast-working. Particularly in X-ray computer tomography, X-ray cameras are required, which image the whole object in order to avoid speed losses. Up to now, in large examination objects, such as automobile wheels, partial images are generated, which are created by time-consuming positioning of the X-ray camera in different capture positions. Then, the partial images are assembled in the computer.
If semiconductor detectors based on amorphous silicon were used for this task, often the required speed could not be achieved, since the above-mentioned image lag of the semiconductor detectors reduces the usable image repetition frequency to 1-2 images per second.
Since depending on the desired resolution, several hundred X-ray images are required in X-ray computer tomography, due to the requirement of assembling an X-ray image of partial images and due to the low image repetition frequency the measurement time for large objects increases so much that the usage of such detectors for fast examination of large objects cannot be considered.
As has already been discussed, a system of scintillator screen and optic camera has been known for a long time. However, due to the bad detection characteristics, which particularly show in a low quantum efficiency (DQE), the application in practice is very rare. One reason for the low quantum efficiency is that a large-format scintillator screen is imaged on a single optical camera with the help of refractive optics. The light-sensitive sensor of the camera, which can be a CCD camera, has an edge length of usually only a few millimeters. The larger the format of the scintillator screen to be imaged, the more the optics has to reduce the image, and the more light is lost by imaging. Depending on the energy, X-ray quantums generate a certain number of light quantums in the scintillator layer. An optimum quantum efficiency is obtained when so much light reaches the optical sensor for every X-ray quantum, that the amount of charge generated by the light on the sensor is higher than the electronical noise of the optical camera. Since more and more light is lost with increasing optical reduction, this structure is disadvantageous.
For imaging large-format scintillator screens, it has been suggested to image a single scintillator screen with four individual CCD cameras. This concept can be found in the system with the name Paladio of the company Leti. This system comprises a specific module for the reconstruction of an image, which is assembled of four individual images from four different individual cameras, in order to optimize the reconstruction length. Further, this module comprises operations for adjusting the images with regard to amplification, offset and also with regard to adjusting geometrical distortions.
The simple assembly of an overall image from individual images, however, is disadvantageous in that certain adjustments can be performed at the individual images prior to assembly, but that the edges of the individual images typically remain visible in the overall image. Thus, clearly visible edges occur, which lead, for example, to artifacts and erroneous evaluations, when an overall image assembled in such a way is subject to image processing, for example to detect edges in the image automatically. This problem occurs particularly in the application of the X-ray technique in an industrial field, where, for example, air inclusions or foreign matter in general have to be detected in a test object, such as an automobile wheel, in order to determine whether such an object fulfills the prevailing specifications or not.
Particularly in an environment where large objects are to be imaged in "one piece" and with high repetition frequency, a price reduction of the system could be obtained by using more than four individual cameras. This is due to the fact that the costs for CCD cameras rise clearly disproportionate to the increase of the effective area of the image sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,743 discloses an apparatus and a method for image detection by a plurality of cameras. Several cameras or image sensors are arranged in a camera array. The cameras are arranged in rows and columns, so that a viewing area of a camera overlaps with a viewing area of an adjacent camera. The overall resolution of the image generated by all cameras together is determined by the amount and density of placing the cameras. The resolution or contrast can be increased by increasing the percentage of the overlapping of the several cameras or sensors, which are all directed to the same object area, or to a portion of the same object area. Binning the pixels of the camera can be performed at the camera or in the software of the system. Binning is used to exponentially increase the sensitivity of the individual cameras. Further, the system has to be calibrated first. Therefore, during manual calibration of the system, a geometrical test pattern is placed before the camera array. Every camera is aligned on sub pixel level by using the geometrical test pattern.
Then, a gray level test pattern is placed before the camera array. Then, exposing is performed. A software program compensates gray level deviations and then loads these corrections into a system memory.

Method and camera (apparatus) for optically capturing a screen

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.


A movable ramp is disclosed having a base having a channel therealong, and an upright member extending upwardly from the base. The upright member has a plurality of hooks at differing elevations above the base. A plurality of protrusions extend from a first end of a runway and rest on a hook of the upright member to elevate the first end of the runway above the base. Another protrusion extends outwardly from the runway and slides within the channel of the base to facilitate movement of the first end of the runway relative to the base. In another embodiment, a base has a first end; a frame is fixed to the first end and extends upwardly therefrom. A runway is fixed at its trailing edge to the base. A winch is fixed between the frame and the leading edge of the runway for moving the runway.

The present invention relates generally to ramps used to facilitate moving objects, such as lawn mowers, from one elevation to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,607,937 to G. B. Stone teaches the use of a pulley positioned at the top of a frame for lifting the leading edge of a ramp into position. The runway of the ramp is raised and lowered via traverse shaft (44), which is rotatably journaled in brackets (46) affixed to cross bar (18). A handle (48) is attached at one end of the shaft (44) and a pair of cables is windable about the shaft (44). The Stone patent fails to teach the use of supporting structures, such as hooks, on both sides of an upright member and cooperating tabs on the side of the runway for manually positioning the runway relative to a base. The Stone patent further fails to teach the use of a channel along the base and tabs on the trailing edge of the runway for maintaining proper alignment of the runway while the runway is moved to different elevations relative to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,449,829 to C. G. Agren teaches the use of a deck that may be raised and lowered by means of a hand-pump carried by a jack cylinder. Notably, the hand pump is positioned beneath the ramp and pushes the ramp into position. The Agren patent fails to disclose the use of a ramp positioning means, such as a winch, positioned above the runway. The Agren patent also fails to teach the use of supporting structures, such as hooks, on both sides of an upright member for manually raising and lowering the runway.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,468 to Royce teaches the use of a ramp for facilitating loading and unloading wheel chairs. The motor drive for the ramp assembly is positioned on the vehicle between the two pivotally mounted ramp members to further increase the available space within the vehicle. The Royce patent fails to disclose the use of supporting structures, such as hooks, on both sides of an upright member, for manually raising and lowering the runway. Royce further fails to teach the use of a channel along the base and tabs on the trailing edge of the runway, the tabs sized to fit within the channel, for maintaining proper alignment of the runway while the runway is adjusted to different elevations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,340 to Moseley teaches the use of a mobile elevatable platform fitted with an impact absorbing bumper set at a height above the ground to meet the horizontal bumper on the rear of a truck.
What is needed, then, is a ramp that is easy to build and maintain, that is sturdy and suitable for loading and unloading heavy machinery, that is capable of both manual and electric operation, that utilizes supporting structures and cooperating tabs, or protrusions, for adjusting the elevation of the runway, and that utilizes a guide structure for guiding the rear of the runway when the runway is moved relative to the base.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ramp that is relatively easy to build and maintain when compared to conventional ramps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a ramp that is sturdy and suitable for loading and unloading heavy machinery.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a ramp that may be operated both manually and automatically.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a ramp that utilizes supporting structures and cooperating tabs, or protrusions, for adjusting the elevation of the runway relative to a base.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a ramp that utilizes a guide structure for guiding the rear of the runway when the runway is moved relative to the base.
To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to achieve the objects and advantages mentioned above, a ramp is disclosed comprising a base having a first guide structure defined thereon. The first guide structure may take on any suitable structure; in the preferred embodiment, the first guide structure comprises at least one channel along at least a portion of the base.
An upright member is fixed to and extends upwardly from the base. The upright member has a plurality of supporting structures defined thereon at differing elevations above the base. In the preferred embodiment, the supporting structures comprise hooks.
A runway has a first end and a second end. The first end of the runway is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the base. A plurality of supported members is fixed to the first end of the runway and selectively engagable with one of the supporting structures to elevate the first end of the runway above the base. In the preferred embodiment, the supported members comprise a plurality of protrusions, each of which is adapted in size and shape to be received in the corresponding hook and to be operatively engaged therewith.
A second guide structure is fixed to the second end of the runway and is operatively engaged with the first guide structure of the base, so that the second end of the runway may move relative to the base when the elevation of the first end of the runway is adjusted. The second guide structure may take on any structure suitable to accomplish its intended purpose; in the preferred embodiment, the second guide structure comprises a plurality of protrusions, extending outwardly from the runway, wherein each protrusion is adapted in size and shape to be received in the channel of the base.
In another preferred embodiment, a movable ramp is disclosed comprising a base having a first end and a second end, and a frame having a top. The frame is fixed to the first end of the base and extends upwardly therefrom. A runway, having a leading edge and trailing edge, is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the base. The trailing edge of the runway is fixed to the second end of the base and rotatable about at least a portion thereof. A winch is fixed to the top of the frame and connected to the leading edge of the runway for moving the runway between a plurality of positions. The winch may be either electric or manual, depending on the needs of the operator.


In language translation and intent understanding scenarios, the automated translation of expressions including temporal elements (e.g., calendar dates, date ranges, times, and durations) may be achieved by an implementation of translation techniques, such as compiled rule sets and/or machine learning recognizers that have been trained with a training set. However, sharing development resources among various implementations may be difficult; e.g., updates that extend a rule set for application of the translation techniques to a new context may be difficult to utilize while updating a machine learning recognizer. Presented herein are techniques for facilitating the development of temporal translation resources by providing a temporal translation grammar, comprising recognition rules that specify the recognition of temporal elements; normalization rules that specify the normalization of recognized temporal elements into normalized temporal elements and temporal intent; and translation rules that translate the normalized temporal elements of an expression into dates in a translated expression.

Within the field of language translation, many techniques may be utilized to identify, normalize, and/or translate temporal elements of an expression that are associated with a date, such as a calendar date, a weekday, a time of day, or a duration. These techniques often involve the configuration of a device to apply a translation logic to the expression, such as a rule set comprising a set of manually developed rules that respectively specify the translation of a temporal element of an expression into a translated expression, or a machine learning recognizer that has been trained using a training data set to facilitate the translation of temporal elements into translated expressions. Many such techniques may be devised and implemented for a variety of contexts; e.g., a first implementation may comprise a comparatively simple rule set that provides basic date translation for use on a mobile device having comparatively limited computational resources, and a second implementation may comprise a robust machine-learning recognizer and a sophisticated logic that together provide sophisticated, highly accurate date translation for use on computationally plentiful servers.

Temporal translation grammar for language translation


A system for communicating information between a valve controller and an engine controller is presented. The system is designed to improve the timing of data transferred between two controllers.

An internal combustion engine burns a mixture of fuel and oxidizer in a combustion chamber to create high temperature and pressure gases that expand to provide useful work. Some engines may use valves to control intake of oxidizer and sometimes fuel as well as to control exhaust gases. These engines conventionally use mechanically driven camshafts to actuate the valves and control combustion by the timing, duration and sometimes lift of the valves, thus controlling the intake and exhaust of air, fuel and exhaust gases.
Unfortunately, conventional mechanically driven camshafts provide the same timing, duration and lift of the valves under all engine operating conditions. For example, a camshaft may be designed to improve low engine speed torque but this also affects high engine speed horsepower, overall engine efficiency, exhaust emissions and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Due to these factors, variable valve timing cam driven systems have been designed to vary aspects of valve timing, duration, or lift based on engine operating speed. While these systems allow increased control over pumping losses, combustion parameters, volumetric efficiency, etc., these systems still provide sliding friction losses, typically only operate on a bank of cylinders and therefore do not individually control cylinders, and decrease overall efficiency by having to overcome valve spring forces.
Electromagnetic/electronic valve actuation (EVA) engines have been developed that use electromagnetic solenoid actuators to open and close valves, providing variable valve control without some of the detriments of cam operated variable valve systems. Valve timing may be computed based on intake and exhaust manifold pressures, air charge estimation, fuel charge estimation, driver demand, etc. EVA control allows for dynamic changes to valve timing based on calculations of these variables. One such electronically controlled variable valve timing system has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,543, issued to Arai, et al.
In Arai, an intake-air quantity control apparatus advances intake valve closure timing if an intake-air quantity is above a threshold value, and adjusts a throttle opening if an intake-air quantity is below a threshold value, in order to adjust an actual intake-air quantity closer to a desired value. However, Arai uses a single control unit to receive measurements of engine operating conditions, calculate valve timing, and adjust a throttle opening with a throttle actuator. Use of one control unit may disrupt the response of the control unit to other functions and thus requires a lead time to calculate valve timing well in advance of actual valve open and close events.
In one approach, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,012 issued to Hayase, et al., a multiple control unit approach to distribute processing power for an EVA engine is described. In particular, Hayase provides a method and apparatus to assign a controller to a group of valves with non-overlapping opening periods while the internal combustion engine is operated in a low speed low load region to reduce operation noise. Additionally, Hayase provides dividing electromagnetically driven valves in an internal combustion engine into plural valve groups to minimize overlap of concentrated control periods for the valves, and controlling the valves in each of the valve groups using a single control body.
However, the inventors herein have recognized disadvantages with this approach. Specifically, when valve timing is initially computed in a master controller and sent to slave controllers, computation and transmission delays allow engine operating conditions such as manifold pressures, in-cylinder pressure, driver demands, etc., to change considerably by the time the valve timing information is used at a valve controller. Conversely, if the valve timing information is too up to date, it will not reach the valve controller within a meaningful time to allow actuation before the corresponding cylinder combustion event. A conventional approach provides valve timing updates every 900 degrees of crank rotation in order to not be too late to be relevant or too early to be calculated. However, in such a degree based delay approach, timing information is fast at a slow engine speed and slow at a fast engine speed.
The inventors herein have recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and have developed a system that improves communication and data exchange between a valve controller and an engine controller.


Block polymers are formed by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of a cyclic carbonate monomer using a polymeric initiator for the ROP that comprises repeating functionalized ethylene units. The block polymers are free of, or substantially free of, any polymer having a chemical structure that does not comprise the polymer backbone of the polymeric initiator. The block polymers are capable of directed self-assembly.

The present invention relates to methods of forming block polymers for directed self-assembly applications, more specifically methods of making high-chi (χ) block polymers prepared by ring opening of cyclic carbonyl monomers.
Block copolymers (BCPs) find many applications in solution, bulk and thin films. Thin film applications of BCPs are particularly attractive for nanolithography and patterning due to the ability of some BCPs to form periodic self-assembled structures ranging in feature size from 5 nm to 50 nm. The thin-film self-assembly property of BCPs can be utilized with existing photolithographic techniques to provide a unique approach to long range order for semiconductor applications. This approach, called directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers, promises to extend the patterning capabilities of conventional lithography.
BCPs for directed self-assembly (DSA) applications comprise two or three polymer blocks that can phase separate into ordered nanoscopic arrays of spheres, cylinders, gyroids, and lamellae. The ability of a BCP to phase separate depends on the Flory Huggins interaction parameter (χ). PS-b-PMMA is the most widely used block copolymer for DSA. However, the minimum half-pitch of PS-b-PMMA is limited to about 10 nm because of lower interaction and interaction parameter (χ) between PS and PMMA. To enable further feature miniaturization, a block copolymer with higher interaction parameter between two blocks (higher chi) is highly desirable.
Several block copolymers having higher interaction parameter between the two blocks have been studied to obtain smaller feature sizes. Of particular interest are block copolymers comprising a block derived from ring opening of a cyclic carbonyl monomer from a reactive end-group on the first polymer block. Block copolymers derived by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic monomers (e.g., lactides, lactams, lactones, ethylene oxide) have been used to generate sub-10 nm feature size for patterning applications.
In the case of ring opening polymerizations (ROP) of cyclic carbonyl monomers, several side reactions can occur. For example, ROP of cyclic ester monomers (i.e., lactides and/or lactones) can include transesterification reactions and/or end group backbiting reactions (Macromolecules, 1998, 31, 2114) that can degrade the polyester backbone, broaden the molecular weight distribution of the block copolymer, and/or form residual free polyester chains and/or cyclic polyester oligomers. Similar side reactions can occur in ring opening polymerization of cyclic carbonates that can significantly broaden the molecular weight distribution and ultimately lead to bimodal GPC traces (Macromolecules, 2011, 44 (7), pp 2084-2091). The presence of moisture or other nucleophilic impurities either in the cyclic carbonyl monomer, reaction solvent, catalyst, and/or the initiator can also form ring opened oligomers or ROP homopolymers in addition to the desired block copolymers (Macromolecules 2010, 43, 8828-8835). Oftentimes the cyclic oligomers or homopolymers formed as side reactions cannot be easily separated from the block copolymers, resulting in poor thin-film self-assembly behavior. For good thin-film self-assembly, block copolymers that are free of homopolymer and that have low polydispersity index (PDI) are preferred.
Thus, there exists a need for methods of forming ROP based block copolymers for self-assembly applications that minimize the amount of homopolymer, cyclic oligomer and other byproducts derived from ring opening of cyclic carbonyl monomer.

Methods of forming block polymers for directed self-assembly

International Business Machines Corporation


A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles having non-cylindrical inclined surfaces with a liquid beverage filling material. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles having non-cylindrical inclined surfaces with a liquid beverage filling material.
2. Background Information
A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material can possibly comprise a beverage filling machine with a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position having a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material. The filling devices may have an apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined volume of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material. The apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material further comprises an apparatus that is designed to terminate the filling of the beverage bottles upon the liquid beverage filling material reaching the predetermined level in bottles. There may also be provided a conveyer arrangement that is designed to move bottles, for example, from an inspecting machine to the filling machine. Upon filling, a closing station closes the filled bottles. There may further be provided a conveyer arrangement configured to transfer filled bottles from the filling machine to the closing station. Bottles may be labeled in a labeling station, the labeling station having a conveyer arrangement to receive bottles and to output bottles. The closing station and the labeling station may be connected by a corresponding conveyer arrangement.
The labeling of containers or cans, for example, or cartons or similar objects is of particular importance in the beverage and packing industry because an advantageous and attractive labeling of the containers represents a major contribution to the successful sale of a product.
The prior art describes numerous different methods that can be used for the labeling of bottles, cans, glasses, cartons etc. These methods also include methods for providing the containers with printed, self-adhesive film segments, which are also called self-adhesive labels, whereby these labels at least partly surround the peripheral surfaces of the container.
To facilitate the processing of self-adhesive labels of this type, the prior art teaches that the labels are not stored and processed loosely and individually in the corresponding labeling machines as they are, for example, in the type of machine that is used for the processing of single-sheet paper labels. Instead, the manufacturing process of these self-adhesive labels is designed so that at the end of their manufacturing process, the self-adhesive labels are positioned on a backing film that is realized in the form of a long, narrow strip. The backing film provided with the self-adhesive labels is coiled up and then fed in the form of a roll of labels, which can contain several thousand, e.g. 16,000 self-adhesive labels, to a suitable labeling machine and is processed in said machine.
In industrial practice, it has become common to call the backing film provided with self-adhesive labels Label Strip 13.
As the self-adhesive labels are processed, the label strip is unwound from a label strip roller and is guided in an appropriate manner through the labeling machine. At a point that is in close proximity to the beverage containers or cartons to be labeled, the label strip is guided over a sharp edge—which is also called the dispensing edge—during which process it is bent at a sharp angle. The label located on the label strip is thereby unable to bend as sharply as the label strip and therefore becomes detached from the label strip, as a result of which it is available for the subsequent labeling process. Then the label strip 13, which as a result of the detachment of the labels has become what is now called the backing film 14, is transported further through the labeling machine and wound up on a take-up device so that it is easy to handle and dispose of.
One of the tasks that comes up again and again during the operation of a labeling machine is the need to label containers that have inclined surfaces, i.e. surfaces that are inclined at an angle with respect to the vertical, whereby it is also desirable to attach the labels so that they are at least partly located on these inclined surfaces.
During the processing of self-adhesive labels, it is particularly advantageous to apply the labels to the surface to be labeled in an orientation in which the dispensing edge and the surface to be labeled are essentially parallel to each other.
For this reason, in the past, labeling stations have been proposed in which the entire labeling station can be pivoted around an axis of rotation that is oriented horizontally in space, as a result of which an orientation of the dispensing edge parallel to the surface to be labeled is achieved, which corresponds to what is called the working position.
However, one consequence of this method is that the label strip and backing strip rollers, which are conventionally located on the rear end of the labeling station, track the pivoting movement, and therefore move farther away from the ground or the floor of the building and are sometimes so high that they are either totally out of reach or can be accessed only with difficulty.
On account of the great weight of label strip and backing strip rolls and of the great distance between the mounting positions of these rolls and the floor, in the configurations of the prior art it is not possible to change the label strip roll, for example, when the labeling station is in the operating position. Consequently, a labeling station that is in the operating position must be pivoted out of that position every time it is necessary to change or replace the label and/or backing roll(s), so that the mounting position is within the reach of the operating personnel. This procedure requires not only a re-orientation of the labeling station, but also an interruption of production, which is undesirable in practice. The devices of the prior art are also mechanically complex and therefore expensive.
The present application relates to a station for labeling machines that process label strips, and in particular for machines that are suitable for the labeling of inclined surfaces on containers such as, for example, bottles, cans, glasses, cartons etc.

Labeling machine for beverage bottling plant


A fusible conductive adhesive for making electrical and mechanical contact is provided. The fusible conductive adhesive contains a polymer having a glass transition temperature and a thermal expansion co-efficient. The thermal expansion co-efficient of the polymer is in the range of about 5 parts per million per degree centigrade to about 10 parts per million per degree centigrade along a z-axis. The polymer is loaded with a conductive material having a sintering temperature range overlapping the glass transition temperature of the polymer. In addition, the loading of the conductive material in the polymer is in the range of about 15% to about 20% conductive material by weight based on the total weight of the polymer and the conductive material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a conductive adhesive, and in particular to an anisotropic conductive adhesive. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a thermoplastic conductive adhesive that becomes uniaxially conductive upon the application of heat and a force.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In attaching electronic components to various surfaces, such as those on printed circuit boards or on other electronic components, it is desirable to use a composition or substance that is able to form a mechanical connection between the electronic component and the printed circuit board to hold the component in place. Moreover, the substance should be conductive in order to make an electrical contact between the component and the printed circuit board.
Presently, solder and conductive adhesives are some of the compositions utilized to form a mechanical and electrical connection between an electronic component and a printed circuit board. Solder has been used for many years to attach electronic components to printed circuit boards, but solder has a drawback since it contains toxic materials, i.e., lead. Moreover, as the leads extending from electronic components and the holes and contacts in which the leads are placed into or onto circuit boards become finer and finer and closer together, it becomes necessary to place precise amounts of the solder very accurately to avoid bridging or short circuiting between leads of an electronic component or leads between two or more electronic components.
The problem of bridging also occurred with conductive adhesives until anisotropic adhesives having the property of being uniaxially conductive were developed. The term "anisotropic" means exhibiting properties with different values when measured along axes in different directions. The term "uniaxially conductive" means e.g., conductive in a direction along a perpendicular axis intersecting two parallel planes generally normal to the perpendicular axis.
Conductive adhesive technology currently utilizes point contact between dispersed metallic particles to form a conductive path. In such a contact system, the mechanical integrity of the connection arises solely from the adhesive properties and the intrinsic strength of the polymeric matrix.
Increasing environmental concerns have led to a search for non-toxic alternatives. Many of these alternatives, such as gold or silver, are expensive and still are not very reliable. Currently, the anisotropic conductive adhesives that are available contain either gold or silver spheres dispersed in a polymer matrix or polymer spheres coated with silver or nickel. The spheres are forced into contact under an applied load which allows electronic percolation in localized regions. Such a system can experience problems such as electrical failure due to polymer expansion causing the spheres to lose contact with each other. In addition, these systems may also have problems with metal oxidation, causing high resistance paths at the interface.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for forming electrical and mechanical connections between electronic components that is non-toxic and low-cost.

Method and composition for making mechanical and electrical contact

International Business Machines Corporation


A seat carriage body comprises a front leg, a rear leg, a push rod, and position fixing means. An upper end of the front leg is turnably connected to an upper end of the rear leg through a first shaft. A front end member of the push rod is connected to the front leg such that it can be displaced along the front leg at the time of a folding operation. A middle part of the push rod is turnably connected to the rear leg through a second shaft. The position fixing means fixes a positional relation among the front leg, the rear leg and the push rod in both open and folded states.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carriage body which carries a seat and more particularly, to a folding seat carriage body having a simple structure.
2. Description of the Background Art
The carriage body for carrying a seat includes a baby carriage as its one example. Folding baby carriages are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-161039, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-237784, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-291661, for example. The baby carriage disclosed in each of the above documents is folded such that a front wheel and a rear wheel come close to each other and it can stand by itself in a folded state.
According to the baby carriage disclosed in each of the documents, it is desired to reduce the number of frames constituting a basic structure to simplify its structure.

Foldable carriage body for carrying a seat

Aprica Ikujikenkyukai Aprica Kassai Kabushikikaisha


A Flash based memory comprising a Flash translation layer which comprises first translation information associating a first logical address of a logical file system emulating a sectored storage medium, the logical address being a logical sector start address with a first physical address of said flash based memory. The logical file system comprises a number of logical stuffing bits expanding a logical size of data of a file stored in said Flash based memory such that the expanded logical size corresponds to an integer number of logical sectors and the Flash translation layer comprises second translation information associating a second logical address with a second physical address and depending on said number of logical stuffing bits, the file being stored in a contiguous physical address sequence starting at the first physical address and ending at the second physical address.

The invention relates to a Flash based memory comprising a Flash translation layer and method for storing a file therein.
Flash based memories provide a significant advantage over other storage media like hard disks and optical media like DVD or BD: Flash memories need no moving parts to be accessed and thus cannot become inaccessible due to impacts impairing operation of the moving parts. This makes Flash a well suited storage device for mobile applications where rough conditions may occur.
One of such applications is the capturing of images, either stills or video frames. Flash based memories are used as storage in end consumer devices like digital still cameras and digital video cameras. Flash based memories can be found in MP3-players, also. Further, Flash based memories gain more and more importance as storage devices for professional digital film cameras.
Commonly, Flash memories have an internal storage management taking care of wear-levelling and error correction. Applications interact with the internal storage management via a so-called Flash translation layer (FTL). The FTL emulates a file system, for instance FAT32.
Theoretically, FAT32 file systems may have any size but practically very large FAT32 file systems become slow and inefficient. Therefore, in some operating systems FAT32 file system size is limited to 32 GB. Furthermore, the maximum possible file size on FAT32 is one byte less than 4 GByte and the number of files per directory which can be handled by FAT32 is limited to 1000. And due to the fact that clusters, the smallest logical amounts that can be allocated to hold a file, are large in FAT32, lots of storage capacity is wasted for stuffing bits to clusters to which files significantly smaller than the cluster size are stored.
FAT on removable media may be replaced by Universal Disk Format (UDF), a format specification of a file system for storing files on optical media. An FTL emulating a UDF appears from outside as a sectored storage medium.
Flash based memories have the disadvantage that—at least today—the price per GB is high compared to other storage media like optical disks.
Therefore, there is an ongoing effort in the art to exploit the storage capacity of Flash based memories as efficiently as possible.


A thermostatic mixing valve for mixing a hot fluid and a cold fluid to produce a tempered mixed fluid stream. The thermostatic mixing valve may have a valve body that defines a cold fluid inlet port, a hot fluid inlet port, a mixing chamber, a mixed fluid outlet port in fluid communication with the mixing chamber, and a hot fluid outlet port in fluid communication with the hot fluid inlet port and disposed upstream of the mixing chamber. In some cases, the hot fluid outlet port may be used to provide hot water directly to an appliance or other fixture that can use non-tempered hot water.

Thermostatic mixing valves are used in a variety of applications for mixing fluids of dissimilar temperatures to produce a tempered fluid discharge output temperature. For example, and in one illustrative application, thermostatic mixing valves are commonly used in conjunction with water heaters. Water heaters are frequently used to supply hot water to desired locations within a house, office building, or other structure. To regulate the temperature of water discharged by the water heater, a thermostatic mixing valve can be connected to the hot water outlet of the water heater, allowing hot water discharged from the water heater to be mixed with cold water supplied to the structure to produce a relatively constant tempered discharge output temperature. The tempered water discharged from the mixing valve can be fed into the structure's hot water piping for subsequent use by the occupants. Such mixing valves are typically configured such that the temperature of the mixed water remains constant or nearly constant regardless of the temperature and flow rate of the hot and cold water supplied to the mixing valve.
With the construction of larger homes and an increased usage of hot water, the demand for water heaters having larger heating capacities has grown significantly. Some water heaters are configured to produce hot water that is at a temperature that is significantly hotter than that desired in the structure's hot water piping. By increasing the temperature of the water supplied by the water heater, a greater amount of cold water may be mixed with the hot water to increase the effective heating capacity of the water heater. Some thermostatic mixing valves have a temperature adjustment mechanism that allows a contractor or other personnel to adjust the discharge water temperature that is produced at the output of the mixing valve. In some instances, it may be desirable to include an optional secondary hot port for providing hot water directly to an appliance or other fixture that can use non-tempered hot water (e.g. water provided directly from a water heater or the like).


A method includes retrieving a webpage requested by an extended reality (XR) web reader. The method further includes determining one or more content elements of the webpage and one or more menu elements of the webpage. The menu elements may comprise navigational controls for accessing additional content linked to the webpage. The method further includes mapping the one or more menu elements to one or more pre-defined menu interfaces of the XR web reader. The method further includes presenting the webpage via the XR web reader. The one or more content elements may be presented on one or more first layers of an interface of the XR web reader, and the one or more pre-defined menu interfaces may be presented on one or more second layers of the interface of the XR web reader.

An extended reality (XR) system may generally include a computer-generated environment and/or a real-world environment that includes at least some XR artifacts. Such an XR system or world and associated XR artifacts typically include various applications (e.g., video games and the like), which may allow users to utilize these XR artifacts by manipulating their presence in the form of a computer-generated representation (e.g., avatar). In typical XR systems, image data may be rendered on, for example, a lightweight, head-mounted display (HMD) that may be coupled through a physical wired connection to a base graphics generation device responsible for generating the image data. In some instances, it may be desirable to view other content such as webpages on the XR system (e.g., via a web reader application). However, webpages are typically designed to be viewed in a two-dimensional space (e.g., on the screen of a laptop, smart phone, or tablet). It may be thus useful to provide techniques to improve the viewing of webpages on XR systems.

Systems and methods for viewing webpages in extended reality environments


An item recognition system and method which is particularly suited for automating entry of items too small to carry readable bar code labels. The system includes a camera which digitizes the image to produce a digitized image and a gray-scale digitized image. A binary image of the gray-scale image is then produced from which the computer records an image of the item, and a computer coupled to the camera which digitizes the image to produce a digitized image and a gray-scale digitized image. A binary image of the gray-scale image is then produced from which the computer identifies the item from the binary image and obtains the price from a price-lookup file.

The present invention relates to object identification systems, and more specifically to an item recognition system and method.
Readable bar code labels are difficult to impossible to attach to fasteners and other small unpacked items. For example, in a typical building supply store, a store clerk must identify small items by visually matching a customer-provided item to one of a plurality of sample items fastened to a sheet of cardboard, or by manually identifying the item in a blue-print book. The clerk reads an item number, such as a stock keeping unit (SKU) number, for the identified item from the cardboard sheet or blue-print book, and enters the item number into the transaction using a keyboard of a retail terminal. Alternatively, the clerk may scan the bar code next to a picture of the item in a book. These methods are time consuming and subject to error.
Most retailers realize that unpacked items increase check-out time. They tend to package most of the small items in boxes, forcing the customers to purchase the items in a quantity that sometimes is unnecessary and even wasteful.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that more quickly identifies an item and incorporate its item number into a transaction without the disadvantages above.

Price determination system and method using digitized gray-scale image recognition and price-lookup files


The invention relates to a method for producing interconnections with electrically conductive cross connections between the top and the bottom part of a substrate and interconnections having such cross connections. The substrate (S1) is given a slanted, roof-shaped or convex contour (K1) in the area of at least one front face and/or in the area of at least one inner wall of a recess. After metallizing the substrate (S1), printed-board conductor-shaped cross connections (Q) are produced in the area of the above-mentioned contours (K1) simultaneously with laser structuring of printed board conductors (L) on the top part (0) and the bottom part (U) of the substrate (S1).

The number of connections on integrated circuits is becoming ever greater, while said integrated circuits are at the same time becoming miniaturized to an ever greater extent. The difficulties expected in the course of this increase in miniaturization in the application of solder paste and component mounting are intended to be overcome by new housing forms, where emphasis may be given here in particular to single-chip, few-chip or multi-chip modules in the ball grid array package (DE-Z productronic 5, 1994, pages 54, 55). These modules are based on a plated-through substrate, on which contact is made with the chips for example via bonding wires or by means of flip-chip mounting. The ball grid array (BGA) is situated on the underside of the substrate, and is often also referred to as a solder grid array or solder bump array. The ball grid array comprises solder studs arranged over the area on the underside of the substrate, which allow surface mounting on the printed circuit boards or assemblies. The arrangement of the solder studs over an area allows large numbers of connections to be realized, in a coarse grid of 1.27 mm, for example.
In the case of so-called MID technology (MID =Molded Interconnection Devices), injection-molded parts with integrated conductor runs are used instead of conventional printed circuits. High-quality thermoplastics suitable for the injection molding of three-dimensional substrates form the basis of this technology. By comparison with conventional substrate materials for printed circuits, such thermoplastics are distinguished by better mechanical, chemical, electrical and environmental properties. In the case of one specific direction of MID technology, so-called SIL technology wherein SIL stands for the German phrase of Sitzgiexcex2teile mit integrierten Leiterzxc3xcgen which phrase translates to injection-molded parts with integrated conductor runs a metal layer applied to the injection-molded parts is structured without using the mask technique that is otherwise customary, by means of a special laser structuring method. In this case, a plurality of mechanical and electrical functions can be integrated in the three-dimensional injection-molded parts with structured metalization layer. The housing support function is simultaneously taken over by guides and snap-connections while the metalization layer, in addition to the wiring and connection function, also serves as electromagnetic shielding and provides for good heat dissipation. In order to produce electrically conductive. cross connections between two wiring installations on mutually opposite surfaces of the injection-molded parts, corresponding plated-through holes are produced as early as during the injection-molding process. The inner walls of these plated-through holes are then likewise coated with a metal layer during the metalization of the injection-molded parts. Further details relating to the production of three-dimensional injection-molded parts with integrated conductor runs are revealed for example in DE-A-37 32 249 or EP-A-0 361 192.
According to a variant of MID technology which is disclosed in EP-A-0 645 953, a substrate is produced by injection molding and provided with a well and then a first conductor plane, a dielectric layer and a second conductor plane are successively produced, whereupon an electronic component is incorporated in the well, the connections of the component are electrically conductively connected to assigned connection areas on the substrate, preferably by bonding, and then an encapsulation is formed for the component by the well being filled with plastic. A compact, thin structure with a high wiring density is produced. The recessed mounting and encapsulation of components in wells of the injection-molded substrate not only results in a thickness reduction but also attains optimum protection of the component and the connection wiring thereof.
WO-A-96 096 46 has disclosed a so-called polymer stud grid array (PSGA), which combines the advantages of a ball grid array (BGA) with the advantages of MID technology. The new design was called a polymer stud grid array (PSGA) on the basis of the ball grid array (BGA), the term xe2x80x9cpolymer studxe2x80x9d being intended to refer to polymer studs which are concomitantly formed during the injection molding of the substrate. The new design is suitable for single-chip, few-chip or multi-chip modules and comprises
an injection-molded three-dimensional substrate made of an electrically insulating polymer,
polymer studs which are arranged over the area on the underside of the substrate and are concomitantly formed during the injection-molding process,
external connections which are formed on the polymer studs by a solderable end surface,
conductor runs which are formed at least on the underside of the substrate and connect the external connections to internal connections, and
at least one chip which is arranged on the substrate and whose connections are electrically conductively connected to the internal connections.
In addition to the simple and cost-effective production of the polymer studs during the injection molding of the substrate, the production of the external connections on the polymer studs can also be carried out with minimal effort together with the production of the conductor runs, which is normal for MID technology and SIL technology. The fine laser structuring which is preferred in SIL technology enables the external connections to be realized on the polymer studs with large numbers of connections in a very fine grid. It should be emphasized, furthermore, that the thermal expansion of the polymer studs corresponds to the thermal expansions of the substrate and to that of the printed circuit board accommodating the module. Should any mechanical stresses occur, then the elastic properties of the polymer studs allow at least partial compensation. The dimensional stability of the external connections formed on the polymer studs also allows the reliability for repair and replacement to be considerably enhanced by comparison with ball grid arrays, whose connections are formed by solder studs. In the case of the polymer stud grid array, the polymer studs and the chip or the chips are usually arranged on the same side of the substrate. In the case of a substrate provided with plated-through holes, the polymer studs and the chip or the chips may perfectly well be arranged on different sides of the substrate as well. Such an arrangement of polymer studs and chips on opposite sides of the substrate is of interest particularly for large chips, which require a multiplicity of assigned external connections.
WO-A-89 00346 discloses single-chip modules which are suitable for surface mounting and are based on an injection-molded three-dimensional substrate with plated-through holes. In addition to these plated-through holes, during the injection-molding process, the substrate acquires a well, arranged centrally on the top side, and a multiplicity of polymer studs arranged in one or else in two peripheral rows on the underside. The chip arranged in the well on the top side is connected to assigned conductor tracks, which lead to the outside in the form of strips, via fine contact-making wires. These conductor tracks are then electrically conductively connected to the assigned, surface-metalized polymer studs over plated-through holes arranged in the outer region. If the edge regions of the substrate are then separated with cutting lines which pass centrally through the plated-through holes, then electrically conductive cross connections with a semicircular cross section are produced, which electrically conductively connect the outer ends of the conductor tracks arranged on the surface of the substrate to the assigned polymer studs arranged on the underside of the substrate.
R. C. ANDERSON et al.: xe2x80x9cPrinted circuit boards with multi-conductor through-holesxe2x80x9d, TECHNICCAL DIGESTxe2x80x94WESTERN ELECTRIC, No. 41, January 1976, pages 1-2, discloses substrates with plated-through holes which have a roof-shaped or convex contour. During the photolithographic production of the conductor tracks on the top side and underside of the substrate, optionally a plurality of conductor track-type cross connections are also produced in the same work operation in the region of the plated-through holes, which cross connections connect together mutually assigned conductor tracks on the top side and underside of the substrate.
The invention of providing a molded substrate with at least one edge with an oblique, roof-shaped or convex contour so that a metallized layer can be partially removed to form a conductive structure extending from one side of the substrate to the other is based on the problem, in the context of MID technology, of simplifying the production of electrically conductive cross connections between conductor structures on the top side and underside of a substrate. In this case, the cross connections are intended to be suitable, in particular, also for the polymer stud grid arrays explained above.
The invention is based on the insight that cross connections can be produced at the same time as the laser structuring of the conductor structures provided that the cross connections are produced, on at least one end of the substrate, at edges with an oblique, roof-shaped or convex contour. The structuring of the cross connections according to the invention can be carried out with minimal outlay since no additional work operation is necessary.
Advantageous refinements of the method according to the invention are molding the substrate by injection molding, compression molding or transfer molding The refinement of the method enables the substrate to be produced simply and in a manner suitable for mass production, in particular, by means of injection molding.
In contrast to a convex contour, the contours of either a roof-shape or oblique facilitate the laser structuring of the cross connections by virtue of their pronounced edges. An accordance with claims 4 and 11, effective laser structuring of the cross connections is ensured in this case. through angles of inclination of at least 110xc2x0 with respect to the horizontal and/or at least 20xc2x0 with respect to the vertical.
The refinement of molding studs on the underside of the substrate, which studs are provided with a solderable end surface after the metallization step; enables the cross connections according to the invention to be realized in polymer stud grid arrays.
The development of applying the metallized layer by electroless and electrodeposition of copper; has the advantage that, for the application of the metallization layer, it is possible to resort to technologies which have long proven their worth in the production of printed circuits.
Although the method according to the invention can, in principle, also be carried out using the semiadditive technique, the subtractive technique affords quite a few advantages. In addition to the simple and economical production of the desired conductor patterns, emphasis may be given here in particular to the simple laser structuring of an etching resist. The etching resist can in this case be applied in a particularly simple manner by chemical deposition or electrodeposition of tin or tin-lead.
In accordance with claim 12, the cross connections according to the invention can preferably be used in a polymer stud grid array with a chip arranged on the top side of the substrate. The arrangement of the chip on the top side of the substrate and the arrangement of the polymer studs on the underside of the substrate in this case result in ideal preconditions for realizing so-called chip scale packages, in the case of which the dimensions of the array essentially correspond to the dimensions of the chip.

Wiring arrangements having electrically conductive cross connections and method for producing same


A particle dispersion for display includes color particles for display that move in response to an electric field and include first color particles and second color particles; and a dispersion medium that disperses the color particles for display, in which the second color particles have a larger particle diameter than a particle diameter of the first color particles and the same charging characteristic as a charging characteristic of the first color particles, and in the color particles for display, a ratio (Cs/Cl) of a charge amount Cs of the first color particles per unit area of display to a charge amount Cl of the second color particles per unit area of display is less than or equal to 5.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a particle dispersion for display, a display medium, and a display device.
2. Related Art
In the related art, an electrophoretic display technique is proposed as a display medium for realizing repetitive rewriting. In such a display technique, by applying an electric field to charged particles for display (electrophoretic particles) in a liquid, the particles for display alternately move between a viewing surface and a back surface in a cell (for example, a structure in which two electrode substrates overlap each other; and particles for display and a dispersion medium are sealed between the electrode substrates), thereby performing display.

Particle dispersion for display, display medium, and display device


An array substrate is provided. The array substrate includes a first base material, and a display circuit layer and a recognition circuit layer laminated on the first base material. The display circuit layer includes multiple gate lines, multiple data lines, and multiple thin-film transistors (TFT). Projections of the multiple gate lines on the first base material and projections of the multiple data lines on the first base material define multiple sub-pixel projection areas. Each of projections of the multiple TFTs on the first base material falls into a corresponding area of the multiple sub-pixel projection areas. The recognition circuit layer includes multiple photoelectric sensors. Projections of the multiple photoelectric sensors on the first base material fall into different areas of the sub-pixel projection areas. The photoelectric sensor is configured to sense target lights carrying user fingerprint information. A display screen and an electronic device are further provided.

A fingerprint identification module of a conventional electronic device occupies space of a non-display area of the electronic device, which limits increase in screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device. However, with increasingly higher requirements on the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device by a user, the problem on how to decrease the area of the non-display area of the electronic device occupied by the fingerprint identification module, to increase the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device needs to be solved.

Array substrate, display screen, and electronic device

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A diagnosis device which includes a probe provided at a front end of an elongate insertion portion, and has the function of angling this probe. An angle portion is provided between the insertion portion and the probe, and the angle portion includes a pair of tubular segments pivotally connected together. The pair of segments are connected to the front end of the insertion portion and the rear end of the probe, respectively. A soft protective tube is disposed inside the pair of segments at the angle portion. An operating member is connected at one end thereof to a manipulation mechanism mounted on a body, and is connected at the other end thereof to the front segment of the angle portion. The operating member is disposed outside the protective tube at the angle portion.

This invention relates to a diagnosis device capable of angling a tip probe.
For example, an ultrasonic diagnosis device for a medical use, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 58-157434, comprises a body, an insertion portion extending from the body, and a probe mounted on a front end of the insertion portion through an angle portion, the probe having an ultrasonic oscillator. An internal structure of the angle portion comprises a row of cylindrical segments pivotally connected together. A manipulation member is provided on the body, and when this manipulation member is operated, an operating force is transmitted to the angle portion through an operating wire to bend the angle portion arcuately, thereby directing the probe in a desired direction.
One example of the use of the above ultrasonic diagnosis device will now be described. First, a trocar is inserted from a hole formed in a skin tissue of a human body, and the insertion portion of the ultrasonic diagnosis device is inserted into this trocar in such a manner that its probe is projected from the front end of the trocar to be located at an internal organ to be examined. Then, the manipulation member is operated to bend the angle portion to bring the ultrasonic oscillator of the probe into contact with the internal organ. In this condition, ultrasonic waves are emitted from the ultrasonic oscillator, and the ultrasonic oscillator receives the ultrasonic waves, reflected by the internal organ, and converts them into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is fed to a controller via a signal transmission cable passed through the angle portion and the insertion portion.
In the case of the above ultrasonic diagnosis device, in order to prevent a body fluid from contacting the signal transmission cable, the insertion portion and the angle portion are of a sealed construction. More specifically, the insertion portion comprises a metal tube. The angle portion includes a protective tube of a soft resin mounted around the above-mentioned row of segments.
In the above diagnosis device, when the insertion portion is withdrawn from the trocar after the diagnosis, with the angle portion kept bent, the protective tube of the angle portion be caught by the edge of the front end of the trocar and can be damaged.
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 2-71508 discloses an ultrasonic diagnosis device comprising another prior art device. In this diagnosis device, an ultrasonic oscillator is pivotally supported within an open front end portion of an insertion portion comprising a rigid tube. A wire is passed through the insertion portion, and is connected at its front end to the ultrasonic oscillator. By pulling the rear end of this wire, the ultrasonic oscillator is pivotally moved. The open front end portion of the insertion portion is closed by an elastic member, and this elastic member is deformed in response to the pivotal movement of the ultrasonic oscillator.

Diagnosis device with function for angling tip probe


Magnetostrictive actuator. The actuator includes a flexible substrate and a magnetostrictive film on the substrate. The shape of the flexible substrate is altered in the presence of a magnetic field.

This invention relates to micro- and nano-switching actuators employing magnetostrictive films.
Switches, adaptive optics, and MEMS devices require actuators for their operation. There are several known actuator technologies that can be used for these applications. Thermal actuation utilizes bimorphs, laminate structures made up of two materials having dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion. As bimorphs are heated, the differential thermal expansion causes a bending motion. Thermal actuation, however, is plagued by slow response and control difficulties when operating conditions of the system are not isothermal. Further, there is no opportunity for a long-term shape memory effect.
Electrostatic actuation is another modality. Voltages are applied to structures to cause them to move. Electrostatic actuation is the most common actuation method for MEMS devices. While electrostatic actuation is very well understood, there are several disadvantages. First of all, electrostatic actuators require significant applied voltage requiring careful design to avoid an instability that occurs when the applied voltage is increased beyond a critical value. This instability is known as "snap-down". Once the critical value is exceeded, there is no longer a steady-state configuration of the device such that an actuated portion and a substrate remain separated. Further, the control of electrostatic actuators requires wires that impose difficult space constraints as devices shrink in size and there is no opportunity for remote control or for long-term shape memory effect.
Piezoelectric actuation is another very common actuation modality. As is well known, piezoelectric materials deform under an applied voltage to provide actuation. These actuators require a significant applied voltage and cannot be actuated remotely. There are also space constraints because of the need for wires and/or electrical traces. As with electrostatic actuation, piezoelectric methods cannot provide for long-term shape memory effect. Some piezoelectric materials are polymers that require moisture to operate. Their applicability is therefore limited and varies with environmental conditions.
Shape memory alloys have also been used for actuators. Shape memory materials undergo a martensitic transformation when heated, cooled or under an applied magnetic field. Such actuators offer slow response, can be difficult to control when operating conditions are not isothermal and impose constraints on operating temperatures.
Microfluidics flow control is another area requiring micro and/or nano-control. The most common forms of flow control in microfluidic devices are either passive, allowing droplets of fluid to flow through channels and mix diffusively, or based on pneumatic valves that flex under pressure. The advantage of passive flow control is that it is very robust because there are no moving parts and no active intervention. A main disadvantage, however, is that diffusive mixing is slow. Mixing of fluid streams in such a device can be on the order of minutes which severely limits through-put of material.
A pneumatic valve system, on the other hand, enables channel designs with rapid mixing. Such pneumatic valves are often made of an elastomer such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Bladder-like areas of PDMS are inflated and deflated using applied pressure. There are, however, severe design restrictions. For example, each valve or array of valves connected to a single pressure manifold is constrained to open and close as a function of pressure drop. This means that if the channels to be controlled are the same length, all valves will actuate at the same time. To circumvent this limitation, channel lengths must be either designed as a function of pressure drop rather than optimized for the application, or separate pressure manifolds must be used for different channels requiring additional connections to the outside world and constraining the size of the device. See, for example, "Protein Crystalization Enabled by the NanoFlex™ Valve," Fluidigm Corporation, 2004, http://www.fluidigm.com.
Parallel-plate electrostatic valves have also been used for microfluidics flow control. These are typical MEMS actuators that bend under an applied voltage. See, for example, "Microvalves," Boston Micromachines Corporation, 2004, http://www.bostonmachines.com/products/micro valves.htm. Parallel-plate electrostatic valves are actuated electrostatically and therefore require on-chip power and there is no long-term memory so that power must be applied continuously to keep a valve actuated. Further, a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator is susceptible to "snap-down" as discussed earlier. This phenomenon severely restricts the range of stable operation of such valves and places size restrictions on the device.
Space inflatable structures such as solar sails, radar-based applications and optical mirrors require actuators for shape control. For externally reacted actuators, shape change is effected by positioning macroscopic actuators of any type behind a membrane of the structure. Precise control is effected by pushing on the membrane with the appropriate actuator in the appropriate location in response to a control signal. Alternatively, internally-reacted actuation is achieved by integrating into or onto the membrane a material that changes shape in response to a stimulus. See, E. M. Flint and K. K. Denoyer, "Approach for efficiently evaluating internally reacted global shape control actuation strategies for apertures," 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conf, Norfolk, Va. April 2003.
Space inflatable structures have also been controlled with piezoelectric patches, small localized patches of material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) attached to polymer membranes in a selected control pattern. The PZT is then actuated by an applied voltage.
Shape control for space inflatable structures is also known using photostrictive materials actuated by shining light onto them such as from a laser. Photostrictive materials have disadvantages because relaxation response is very slow, and for materials of faster relaxation response, the achieved strain is very small. Further, localized heating resulting from the applied light may overwhelm the photostrictive response. Finally, photostrictive actuators need to be within line of sight of the controlled light source.
Shape memory alloys have also been used for space inflatable structure applications and are usually actuated by temperature change.
Electroactive polymer (EAP) bimorphs are also known for this application. These actuators are polymeric piezoelectric materials that can be poured onto a membrane and cured. An example of such a material is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). It is often patterned to make a control pattern similar to other methods. See, D. M. Sobers, G. S. Agnes, D. Mollenhauer, "Smart Structures for Control of Optical Surfaces," 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conf., Norfolk, Va. April 2003.
There is therefore a need for actuators for use in the above-mentioned applications that have fewer disadvantages than the actuators known in the prior art.


This improved screening apparatus for sorting various size aggregates utilizes a screen made of polyurethane having two sets of perpendicular evenly spaced parallel webs each of which enclose a wire provided for reinforcement. If desired, the reinforcing wires can be single or multiple through either one or through both sets of webs. Web segments extend between web intersections. Areas enclosed by opposed adjacent web segments provide for the screen openings. This area can contain either a single hole or a plurality of holes to provide a number of different screen sizes. The holes increase in cross-section from the screen aggregate input side to the output side to eliminate or greatly minimize particles wedging within the holes. Backing bucker bars of various widths attached to the lower side of the screen provide a predetermined screen cross-section when their lower edges are supported horizontally. Hooks attached to opposite sides of the screen by bolts, arranged to engage mating mounting brackets, permit applying varying tension to the screen by tightening nuts which secure the bolts.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved screening apparatus, in particular to sieves which combine a screen with a support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Screens are used to separate and size different rocks, stones, gravel, water slurries and similar aggregate mixtures. Two characteristics are of major important in screens. One is the open area of the screen versus the total screen area, the larger the open area versus the total area the more efficient the screening process. The second is the wear life of the screen since a short life requires frequent screen changes which incurs both the screen and screen replacement costs. Both of these characteristics are economically important in the screening process.
Screens were originally formed only from woven wire. These screens were made of steel, stainless steel or spring steel wire. While wire screens have the largest open area versus the total screen area of about 50 to 55% of any screen, they also have the highest wear rate. To counter this high wear rate about 15 years ago screens were introduced made of polyurethane which greatly reduced the screen wear rate. While polyurethane screens greatly reduce the screen wear rate, they are considerably thicker than wire which reduces the amount of open area versus the total screen area to only 40 to 45 percent of the total area. This proportionally reduces the screen efficiency. Further, because of the lesser strength of polyurethane, cable rope under tension were incorporated into the screens to provide additional screen strength. This further reduces the open area and efficiency of the screens. Cables created another problem in that the cable had to remain under considerable tension to provide proper screen support. In manufacture, cables under tension are placed in an upwardly open mold which provided the frame shape, and mixed polyurethane plastic is poured around the cables until the frame is filled. The plastic is allowed to cure and the screens are then removed from the molds. After removal quite often the plastic will not hold the cables under the desired tension because of the inherent low friction between the plastic and cables.
Whenever polyurethane screens are substituted for wire screens, the structure which supported the wire screens must also be retrofitted to support polyurethane screens. The trade-offs between the relative advantages and disadvantages between wire and polyurethane screens have resulted in the industry currently using about 20% polyurethane screens and 80% wire screens.
It would be desirable if the wear characteristics of polyurethane could be obtained without the disadvantage of the reduction in open area versus open screen area, without the necessity for the use of cables to provide additional strength, and without having to retrofit the screen apparatus.


A display device includes a substrate and a plurality of first light-emitting elements having a microcavity structure on the substrate. Each of the plurality of first light-emitting elements includes a first light-emitting film and a first upper electrode and a first lower electrode sandwiching the first light-emitting film. The peak wavelength of an emission spectrum of the first light-emitting film is in a wavelength range where the luminosity curve slopes negatively. Within a wavelength range where the peak wavelength of a multiple interference spectrum caused by the microcavity structure varies when the viewing angle varies from 0° to 60°, the luminosity curve slopes negatively, and the emission spectrum slopes positively.

This disclosure relates to a display device.
The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) element is a current-driven self-light-emitting element and therefore, eliminates the necessity of backlight. In addition to this, the OLED element has advantages for achievement of low power consumption, wide viewing angle, and high contrast ratio; it is expected to contribute to development of flat panel display devices.
An OLED element having a top-emission structure exhibits higher luminous efficiency than an OLED element having a bottom-emission structure. To attain higher luminous efficiency, a microcavity structure is known that utilizes the optical resonant effect between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
In a top-emission microcavity structure, the anode electrode is made of a reflective material and the cathode electrode is made of a semi-reflective and semi-transparent material, such as MgAg. The resonant effect (cavity effect) that resonates light at a specific wavelength within the OLED element to increase the luminance can be attained by adjusting the film thicknesses in the OLED element. The microcavity structure selectively resonates and amplifies light having a specific wavelength and diminishes light having the other wavelengths. As a result, the luminance and the color purity increase.
Meanwhile, it is known that, in the case of a top-emission microcavity structure in which a cap layer in contact with air is provided over the cathode electrode, the chromaticity and the luminance change significantly depending on the viewing angle but high front luminance is attained because the light extraction efficiency improves. This is described in [0012] of JP 2018-190666 A, for example. This phenomenon occurs because the cap layer has a refractive index higher than that of the cathode electrode thereunder as described in [0006] in WO 2013/179536 A. Therefore, when the refractive index of the cap layer is higher, higher front luminance is attained although the dependency on the viewing angle increases.

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