A biaxially oriented polyester film which has a difference between refractive index on the front side and refractive index on the rear side of the film of 0 to 0.002, a heat shrinkage factor of 0 to 0.6% when it is heated at 105xc2x0 C. for 30 minutes under no load, a Young""s modulus of 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2) or more and a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of Young""s modulus on the film plane of 981 MPa (100 kg/mm2) or less, a center line average roughness on the film plane of 2 to 10 nm, and a static friction coefficient of 0.55 or less. A flexible disk having excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be produced by forming an adhesive layer on both sides of the film and a magnetic layer on the adhesive layer.

The present invention relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film and to a flexible disk comprising the same as a base film. More specifically, it relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film which has excellent handling properties and is free from a dimensional change when or after it is processed for use in a flexible disk and to a flexible disk which comprises the same as a base film and has excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics.
A biaxially oriented polyester film typified by a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film and a biaxially oriented polyethylene naphthalene dicarboxylate film is widely used as a base film for magnetic recording media due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. In recent years, an adhesive polyester film prepared by forming an adhesive layer on a biaxially oriented polyester film to improve its adhesion to a magnetic layer and simplify the production process of a magnetic recording medium (improving production efficiency) has been becoming the main stream of the market.
Meanwhile, along with the popularization of personal computers and the like, floppy disk drive units and floppy disks have been widely used as storage devices and the capacity and density of floppy disks have been increasing. Therefore, a base film having a more flat surface and better handling properties is now desired.
Further, due to the recent improvement of the performance of notebook type personal computers, personal computers equipped with a floppy disk drive and the like involve such a problem as high temperature inside the drive. Therefore, dimensional stability is an extremely important factor for a high-density magnetic recording medium.
A base film having a more flat surface is now in demand and the further improvement of blocking resistance is desired. In addition, along with an increase in the flatness of the surface of the base film, coating defects readily exert an influence upon the electromagnetic conversion characteristics of a magnetic tape. Accordingly, an adhesive polyester film free from coating defects and having excellent coatability is desired from the market.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a biaxially oriented polyester film which is flat, excellent in handling properties and free from a dimensional change when and after it is processed for use in a flexible disk.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a biaxially oriented polyester film which is useful as a base film for a flexible disk because its dimensional stability is not deteriorated by tension applied when a magnetic layer is formed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a biaxially oriented polyester film which has excellent adhesion, blocking resistance and coatability in addition to the above performance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexible disk which comprises the above biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention as a base film and has excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
According to the present invention, firstly, the above objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by a biaxially oriented polyester film which has:
(A) a difference between refractive index on the front side and refractive index on the rear side of the film of 0 to 0.002;
(B) a heat shrinkage factor of 0 to 0.6% when it is heated at 105xc2x0 C. for 30 minutes under no load;
(C) a Young""s modulus of 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2) or more and a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of Young""s modulus on the film plane of 981 MPa (100 kg/mm2) or less;
(D) a center line average roughness on the film plane of 2 to 10 nm; and
(E) a static friction coefficient between the films of 0.55 or less.
According to the present invention, secondly, the above objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by a laminate polyester film consisting of the above biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention and an adhesive layer which contains colloidal particles having an average particle diameter of 0 to 200 nm and resin components including a water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester having a sulfonate group as the main component and which is formed on both sides of the above film.
Further, according to the present invention, thirdly, the above objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by a flexible disk comprising the above laminate polyester film of the present invention and magnetic layers formed on the adhesive layers on both side of the laminate polyester film.
The polyester forming the biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention is a polyester which comprises an aromatic dicarboxylic acid as the main dicarboxylic acid component and an aliphatic glycol as the main glycol component. The polyester is substantially linear and has film formability, particularly film formability by melt molding.
Illustrative examples of the aromatic dicarboxylic acid include terephthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, isophthalic acid, diphenoxyethanedicarboxylic acid, diphenyldicarboxylic acid, diphenylether dicarboxylic acid, diphenylsulfonedicarboxylic acid, diphenyl ketone dicarboxylic acid, anthracenedicarboxylic acid and the like.
Illustrative examples of the aliphatic glycol include polymethylene glycols having 2 to 10 carbon atoms such as ethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, tetramethylene glycol, pentamethylene glycol, hexamethylene glycol and decamethylene glycol; and alicyclic diols such as cyclohexane dimethanol.
The polyester used for the production of the biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention preferably comprises an alkylene terephthalate and/or an alkylene naphthalene dicarboxylate as the main recurring ingredient.
Out of the polyesters, polyethylene terephthalate- and polyethylene-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate-based polyesters which are a homopolymer and copolymer comprising terephthalic acid and/or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid in an amount of 80 mol % or more based on the total of all the dicarboxylic acid components and ethylene glycol in an amount of 80 mol % or more based on the total of all the glycol components are particularly preferred.
In the case of a copolymer, less than 20 mol % of the total of all the acid components may consist of any one of the above dicarboxylic acids other than terephthalic acid and/or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, for example, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid such as adipic acid or sebacic acid, or an alicyclic dicarboxylic acid such as cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylic acid.
Less than 20 mol % of the total of all the glycol components may consist of any one of the above glycols other than ethylene glycol, for example, an aromatic diol such as hydroquinone, resorcin or 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane; an aliphatic diol having an aromatic ring such as 1,4-dihydroxydimethylbenzene; or a polyalkylene glycol(polyoxyalkylene glycol) such as polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or polytetramethylene glycol.
The polyester in the present invention comprehends a polyester prepared by copolymerizing an oxycarboxylic acid such as an aromatic oxyacid exemplified by hydroxybenzoic acid or aliphatic oxyacid exemplified by w-hydroxycaproic acid in an amount of 20 mol % or less based on the total of the dicarboxylic acid component and the oxycarboxylic acid component. When the amount of the oxycarboxylic acid is more than 20 mol %, the obtained film can be hardly used as a base film due to deterioration in its physical and chemical properties.
The polyester in the present invention further comprehends a polyester prepared by copolymerizing a polycarboxylic acid component having a functionality of 3 or more or a polyhydroxy compound component such as trimellitic acid or pentaerythritol in such an amount that it is substantially linear, for example, 2 mol % or less based on the total of all the acid components. When the amount of the polycarboxylic acid component or polyhydroxy compound component is more than 2 mol %, the characteristic properties of a linear polymer are impaired and the film formability of the polymer lowers.
The above polyester is known per se and can be produced by a known melt polymerization method. Preferably, the obtained polyester has an intrinsic viscosity measured at 35xc2x0 C. in an o-chlorophenol solution of 0.4 to 0.9. When the intrinsic viscosity is lower than 0.4, the degree of polymerization is low, making it difficult to obtain desired physical properties. When the intrinsic viscosity is higher than 0.9, the degree of polymerization is high, making molding difficult.
The biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention must have a difference between refractive index on the front side and refractive index on the rear side of the film of 0 to 0.002, preferably 0 to 0.001. When the difference is larger than 0.002, the obtained film is curled by curing after a magnetic layer is formed, thereby impairing the flatness of the obtained flexible disk. Thus, the flexible disk cannot be used.
The biaxially oriented polyester film must have a heat shrinkage factor of 0 to 0.6% when it is heated at 105xc2x0 C. for 30 minutes under no load. The heat shrinkage factor is preferably 0 to 0.5%, more preferably 0 to 0.2%. When the heat shrinkage is larger than 0.6%, the heat shrinkage factor of a flexible disk after a magnetic layer is formed becomes large, thereby causing such a problem as a track shift.
The biaxially oriented polyester film must have a Young""s modulus of 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2) or more, preferably 4,904 MPa (500 kg/mm2) or more, more preferably 5,590 MPa (570 kg/mM2) or more. When the Young""s modulus is smaller than 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2), the heat shrinkage factor of the obtained flexible disk becomes larger than that of the base film because large stress is applied to the film by tension which is applied when a coating for forming a magnetic layer is applied, or the like. Further, the Young""s modulus is preferably uniform on the film plane from the viewpoint of stiffness and the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of Young""s modulus must be 981 MPa (100 kg/mm2) or less, preferably 686 MPa (70 kg/mm2) or less.
The biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention must have a center line average roughness (Ra) on the both sides of the film of 2 to 10 nm, preferably 3 to 10 nm. When the center line average roughness is smaller than 2 nm, the film is easily scratched extensively during its production process and when the center line average roughness is larger than 10 nm, recording output lowers disadvantageously. The term xe2x80x9ccenter line average roughnessxe2x80x9d means a value obtained by measuring the surface of an adhesive layer when the adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the film.
Inert fine particles can be contained in the polyester forming the film to achieve the above center line average roughness. Preferably, first inert fine particles (A) having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 xcexcm are contained in the film in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 wt % and second inert fine particles (B) having an average particle diameter of 0.1 to 1.0 xcexcm are contained in the film in an amount of 0.001 to 0.1 wt %. The average particle diameter of the second inert fine particles (B) is larger than the average particle diameter of the first inert fine particles (A).
The average particle diameter of the first inert fine particles (A) is 0.01 to 0.5 xcexcm, preferably 0.01 to 0.3 xcexcm, more preferably 0.05 to 0.2 xcexcm. When the average particle diameter is smaller than 0.01 xcexcm, the slipperiness of the surface becomes unsatisfactory and when the average particle diameter is larger than 0.5 xcexcm, recording output lowers disadvantageously. The content of the first inert fine particles (A) is suitably selected from a range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt % to obtain a predetermined surface roughness.
The average particle diameter of the second inert fine particles (B) is 0.1 to 1.0 xcexcm, preferably 0.1 to 0.8 xcexcm, more preferably 0.2 to 0.8 xcexcm. When the average particle diameter is smaller than 0.1 xcexcm, the slipperiness of the surface becomes unsatisfactory and when the average particle diameter is larger than 1.0 xcexcm, recording output lowers disadvantageously. The content of the second inert fine particles (B) is suitably selected from a range of 0.001 to 0.1 wt % to achieve a predetermined friction coefficient. It is preferably 0.005 to 0.05 wt %.
The inert fine particles are preferably externally added particles. Internally precipitated particles are not preferred as main particles because it is difficult to control the particle size of the internally precipitated particles. Examples of the externally added particles include monodisperse particles and agglomerated particles such as calcium carbonate, colloidal silica, agglomerated silica, alumina and organic particles. Out of the monodisperse particles, colloidal silica and organic particles are preferred and spherical particles are more preferred as the main particles to achieve the reproducibility of surface roughness and reduce coarse protrusions.
The organic particles are preferably heat resistant polymer particles such as crosslinked divinylbenzene particles or crosslinked silicone particles.
The first inert fine particles and the second inert fine particles may be of the same chemical species or different chemical species.
The first inert fine particles are preferably at least one member selected from the group consisting of spherical silica particles and alumina particles. The second inert fine particles are preferably at least one member selected from the group consisting of heat resistant polymer particles and spherical silica particles.
When the first inert fine particles and the second inert fine particles are of the same chemical species, for example, spherical silica, it is desirable that the first inert fine particles and the second inert fine particles should differ from each other in the particle size peak value of a distribution curve.
When the first inert fine particles (A) and the second inert fine particles (B) are both spherical silica particles, the particle diameters of 99% or more of the spherical silica particles are preferably in the range of 0.5a to 2a (a is the average particle diameter of the spherical silica particles).
Further, the biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention must have a static friction coefficient (xcexcs) between films of 0.55 or less. The dynamic friction coefficient (xcexcd) of the biaxially oriented polyester film is preferably 0.2 to 0.55. For example, when the handling properties of the film having a flat surface are poor in the film forming step or magnetic layer forming step, it is wrinkled or scratched while it is running over rolls or rolled in these steps.
Preferably, the biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention has a curl value of 10 mm or less when measured after it is left at a temperature of 60xc2x0 C. and a humidity of 50% for 24 hours. The curl value is more preferably 6 mm or less, much more preferably 3 mm or less. When the curl value is larger than 10 mm, the film is easily curled at the time of curing after a magnetic layer is formed, whereby the flatness of the obtained flexible disk may be impaired, and the contact of the flexible disk with the head may become nonuniform or the distance between the floating head and the flexibe disk may become nonuniform, thereby reducing output.
The biaxially oriented polyester. film of the present invention has a thickness of preferably 20 to 80 xcexcm, more preferably 25 to 75 xcexcm. This thickness is especially preferred for a high-density magnetic recording flexible disk. Further, the film has the above surface roughness. These satisfy requirements for a high-density recording system. When the thickness of the film is smaller than 20 xcexcm, the rigidity of the film as a disk lowers and when the thickness is larger than 80 xcexcm, the flexibility of the film becomes unsatisfactory for recording and reproduction with the magnetic head.
The biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention is preferably produced in accordance with a known sequential biaxial stretching method but may be produced by a simultaneous biaxial stretching method or with a simple testing apparatus.
For example, the biaxially oriented polyester film can be produced by melt extruding a sufficiently dried polyester resin at a temperature of melting point to (melting point+70)xc2x0 C., quenching the resin on a casting drum to produce an unstretched film, biaxially stretching the unstretched film sequentially or simultaneously and heat setting it.
Biaxial stretching is preferably sequential biaxial stretching. The unstretched film is stretched to 2.5 to 5.0 times in a longitudinal direction at a temperature of (Tgxe2x88x9210) to (Tg+70)xc2x0 C. (Tg: secondary transition point of the polyester). Preferably, the stretching temperature is adjusted or the film is preheated before stretching at this point to ensure that the difference between the front surface temperature and the rear surface temperature of the film at the time of stretching should become 10xc2x0 C. or less so that the difference of refractive index on the front side and refractive index on the rear side of the film becomes 0.002 or less.
Thereafter, the film is stretched to 2.5 to 5.0 times in a direction perpendicular to the above direction (transverse direction when the film was first stretched in a longitudinal direction) at a temperature of Tg(xc2x0 C.) to (Tg+70)xc2x0 C. In this case, the area draw ratio is preferably 9 to 22 times, more preferably 12 to 22 times.
The biaxially oriented film may be heat set at a temperature of (Tg+70)xc2x0 C. to Tm(xc2x0 C.). For example, a polyethylene terephthalate film is preferably heat set at 190 to 230xc2x0 C. The heat setting time is 1 to 60 sec., for example. The stretching conditions in longitudinal and transverse directions are selected to ensure that the physical properties of the biaxially oriented polyester film in both directions should become almost the same, the Young""s modulus in a plane direction should become 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2) or more, and the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of Young""s modulus should become 981 MPa (100 kg/mm2) or less. In the case of simultaneous biaxial stretching, the above stretching temperature, draw ratio, heat setting temperature and the like can be adopted.
Three-stage stretching or four-stage stretching may also be adopted that the biaxially oriented polyester film is further stretched in a longitudinal direction and/or transverse direction as required.
A description is subsequently given of a laminate polyester film provided by the present invention. This laminate polyester film comprises the above biaxially oriented polyester film of the present invention and an adhesive layer formed on both sides of the film. The adhesive layer contains colloidal particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 200 nm and resin components mainly including a water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester having a sulfonate salt group. Although this adhesive layer is aimed to improve adhesion to a magnetic layer formed thereon, it has slipperiness because it has colloidal particles on the surface.
The sulfonate salt group contained in the molecule of the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester is preferably a group represented by the formula xe2x80x94SO3M (M is a metal atom, ammonium group or quaternary amine having the same equivalent to that of xe2x80x94SO3). The amount of the sulfonate salt group is preferably 5 to 18 mol %, more preferably 8 to 18 mol %, particularly preferably 9 to 12 mol % based on the total of all the dicarboxylic acid components. When the amount is smaller than 5 mol %, the water dispersibility and coatability of the copolyester are apt to deteriorate and when the amount is larger than 18 mol %, adhesion and blocking resistance are liable to lower.
To introduce the sulfonate salt group into the molecule of the polymer, a bifunctional compound having a sulfonate salt group, such as a dicarboxylic acid component having a sulfonate salt group exemplified by 5-Na sulfoisophthalic acid, 5-ammonium sulfoisophthalic acid, 4-Na sulfoisophthalic acid, 4-methylammonium isophthalic acid, 2-Na sulfoisophthalic acid, 5-K sulfoisophthalic acid, 4-K sulfoisophthalic acid or 2-K sulfoterephthalic acid, or a dihydroxy compound having a sulfonate salt group represented by the following general formula (1) or (2) is preferably used.
(m and n are an integer of 1 to 2, with the proviso that m+n is 2 to 4.)
(p and q are an integer of 1 to 2, with the proviso that p+q is 2 to 4.)
Out of these, dicarboxylic acid components having a sulfonate salt group are preferred and may be used in combination of two or more.
Illustrative examples of the acid component forming the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester include terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4xe2x80x2-diphenyldicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, trimellitic acid, pyromellitic acid, dimeric acid and the like. They may be used in combination of two or more.
Further, an unsaturated polybasic acid such as maleic acid, fumaric acid or itaconic acid, or hydroxycarboxylic acid such as p-hydroxybenzoic acid or p-(xcex2-hydroxyethoxy)benzoic acid may be used in a small amount. The amount of the unsaturated polybasic acid component or hydroxycarboxylic acid component is preferably 10 mol % or less, more preferably 5 mol % or less. When the amount is larger than 10 mol %, the chipping resistance and blocking resistance of the polyester resin lower.
Illustrative examples of the dihydroxy compound component forming the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester include ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol, xylylene glycol, dimethylolpropionic acid, glycerin, trimethylol propane, poly(ethylene oxide)glycol, poly(tetramethylene oxide)glycol, bisphenol A adduct with alkylene oxide and the like. They may be used in combination of two or more.
The secondary transition point (DSC method) of the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester is preferably 50 to 85xc2x0 C., more preferably 60 to 80xc2x0 C., much more preferably 65 to 75xc2x0 C. When the secondary transition point is lower than 50xc2x0 C., chipping resistance and blocking resistance are apt to lower and when the secondary transition point is higher than 850xc2x0 C., adhesion or coatability are liable to lower.
The above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester can be produced by any methods known as polyester production methods. The types and amounts of the dicarboxylic acid component and the dihydroxy compound component can be suitably selected in consideration of the above-described characteristic properties of the polymer. The number average molecular weight of the copolyester can be freely selected but it is preferably 5,000 to 28,000. When the number average molecular weight is smaller than 5,000, the desirable characteristic properties of the polymer are hardly obtained, and chipping resistance and blocking resistance are apt to lower. When the number average molecular weight is larger than 28,000, it is difficult to form a uniform coating solution, and adhesion and coatability are liable to lower.
The adhesive layer may further contain a surfactant composed of a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether having an HLB value of 11 to 20 as a resin component other than the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester.
The above polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether surfactant is a polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether represented by the following general formula (3).
This compound has an HLB value of 12.6 when n is 8.5 and 17.1 when n is 30.
When the HLB value of the polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether surfactant is larger than 20, hydrophilic nature become too strong and the coatability of a coating solution is liable to lower and when the HLB value is smaller than 11, the characteristic properties of the interface become weak and the stability and coatability of the coating solution are apt to lower.
The polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether surfactant is preferably contained in an amount of 1 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester.
When the amount of the above surfactant is smaller than 1 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester, the characteristic properties of the interface become slightly weak and the stability of the coating solution is apt to lower and when the amount is larger than 100 parts by weight, the content of the copolyester in the coating solution lowers with the result that adhesion tends to lower.
Another polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether having a different HLB value of 11 to 20 may be used in combination with the above polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether. The combination of polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers is preferably a combination of a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether having an HLB value of 11 to 13 and a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether having an HLB value of more than 13 and 20 or less.
Particularly preferably, the above combination consists of 0.5 to 50 parts by weight of the polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether surfactant having an HLB value of 11 to 13 and 0.5 to 99.5 parts by weight of the polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether surfactant having an HLB value of 13 to 20 based on 100 parts by weight of the water-soluble and water-dispersible copolyester resin. The HLB value of the surfactant having an HLB value of 13 to 20 is preferably 13 to 19, more preferably 17 to 18.
Since the hydrophilic nature and lipophilic nature of the surfactant used are well balanced by this combination, a copolyester having excellent coatability as well as blocking resistance and adhesion can be obtained.
Further, the adhesive layer contains colloidal particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 200 nm.
The average particle diameter of the colloidal particles is preferably 30 to 150 nm, more preferably 50 to 120 nm. When the average particle diameter is smaller than 10 nm, the particles are too small, thereby making it difficult to exhibit the effect of improving blocking resistance and the chipping resistance of the magnetic layer and when the average particle diameter is larger than 200 nm, the particles readily fall off and the chipping resistance of the base film is liable to deteriorate.
Preferably, the colloidal particles have a volume shape coefficient (f) represented by the following equation (4) of 0.4 to xcfx80/6:
f=V/D3xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
wherein f is a volume shape coefficient, V is the average volume of particles (m3), and D is the average maximum diameter (m) of the particles.
When the volume shape coefficient (f) is smaller than 0.4, the effect of improving blocking resistance and the chipping resistance of the magnetic layer is hardly exhibited in full.
The amount of the colloidal particles is preferably 5 to 150 parts by weight, more preferably 10 to 100 parts by weight, much more preferably 20 to 80 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the above water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester. When the amount is smaller than 5 parts by weight, the effect of improving blocking resistance is not exhibited in full and when the amount is larger than 150 parts by weight, the particles are liable to coagulate and the chipping resistance of the base film is apt to deteriorate.
Preferably, the thickness (nm) of the adhesive layer has the relationship represented by the following expression (5) with the average particle diameter (nm) of the colloidal particles.
0.2xe2x89xa6(thickness of adhesive layer/average particle diameter of colloidal particles)xe2x89xa63.0xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(5)
The relationship is more preferably represented by the following expression (6), particularly preferably the following expression (7).
0.4 xe2x89xa6(thickness of adhesive layer/average particle diameter of colloidal particles)xe2x89xa62.0xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(6)
0.5xe2x89xa6(thickness of adhesive layer/average particle diameter of colloidal particles)xe2x89xa61.5xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(7)
When the value of (thickness of adhesive layer/average particle diameter of colloidal particles) is smaller than 0.2, the particles are readily chipped off and the chipping resistance of the base film is liable to deteriorate and when the value is larger than 3.0, the effect of improving blocking resistance and the chipping resistance of the magnetic layer is hardly exhibited in full.
The colloidal particles are preferably spherical silica particles or heat resistant polymer particles.
The spherical silica particles are as described above but the heat resistant polymer particles are preferably particles of a polymer having a 5% heat weight reduction temperature under a nitrogen gas atmosphere of 310xc2x0 C. or more, more preferably 330xc2x0 C. or more, particularly preferably 350xc2x0 C. or more. Illustrative examples of the particles include crosslinked silicone resin particles, crosslinked acrylic resin particles, crosslinked polystyrene particles, Teflon particles, polyimide particles and the like. Out of these, crosslinked silicone resin particles and crosslinked acrylic resin particles are preferred and core-shell type particles are particularly preferred from the viewpoint of adhesion to a binder.
Preferably, the adhesive layer comprises 100 parts by weight of a water-soluble or water-dispersible copolyester, 1 to 100 parts by weight of a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether having an HLB value of 11 to 20 and 5 to 150 parts by weight of colloidal particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 200 nm.
A coating solution for forming the adhesive layer, preferably an aqueous solution may contain as required other resin, antistatic agent, lubricant, filler, colorant, ultraviolet light absorber, antioxidant, surfactant, crosslinking agent such as melamine, epoxy or aziridine compound for improving the heat resistance and blocking resistance of an adhesive. The aqueous coating solution may contain a small amount of an organic solvent.
The solids content of the coating solution may be determined optionally but is preferably 1 to 15 wt %, more preferably 1 to 12 wt %, more preferably 1 to 10 wt %.
The amount of wet coating is preferably 0.5 to 20 g, more preferably 1 to 10 g per 1 m2 of the running film (uniaxially stretched film) and the thickness of a dried coating film is preferably 5 to 200 nm, more preferably 10 to 100 nm.
Any known coating methods may be employed. For example, roll coating, gravure coating, reverse coating, roll brushing, spray coating, air knife coating, impregnation and curtain coating may be used alone or in combination.
The coating solution may be applied to the biaxially oriented polyester film but is preferably applied to a longitudinally stretched polyester film.
The uniaxially stretched polyester film to which an aqueous coating solution has been applied is dried, stretched in a transverse direction, stretched again in a longitudinal direction as required and introduced to the following heat setting step. For example, the longitudinally stretched polyester film to which the aqueous coating solution has been applied is introduced to a stenter to be stretched in a transverse direction, stretched in a longitudinal direction again as required and heat set. During this, the coating solution is dried to form a continuous coating film on the film. Drying may be carried out before or after stretching in a transverse direction.
The biaxially oriented polyester film and the laminate polyester film having an adhesive layer on both sides of the present invention are advantageously used as a base film for a flexible disk.
According to the present invention, there is provided a flexible disk comprising the laminate polyester film of the present invention and a magnetic layer formed on the adhesive layer on both sides of the laminate polyester film.
Technologies known per se may be used for the magnetic layer and forming the same may be used.
The following examples are provided for the purpose of further illustrating the present invention but are in no way to be taken as limiting. xe2x80x9cPartsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c%xe2x80x9d in the following examples or comparative examples are based on weight unless otherwise stated. The physical property values and characteristic properties in the present invention were measured in accordance with the following methods.
(1) difference between refractive index on front side and refractive index on rear side of film.
The refractive index of the film is measured using sodium D-rays (589 nm) as a light source, Abbe refractometer and methylene iodide as an intermediate solution. The refractive indices on the front and rear sides of the film are obtained by sampling 18 films at a pitch of 10xc2x0 from a certain direction on the film plane, for example, a longitudinal direction and measuring refractive indices on the front and rear sides of each sample in the same direction. When the difference between refractive index on the front side and refractive index on the rear side of the film measured as described above is in the range of 0 to 0.002 in all of the 18 samples, all the samples satisfy the difference of refractive index in the present invention. The largest difference of refractive index between the front and rear sides is the largest out of the values obtained by the above measurement.
(2) heat shrinkage factor
An about 30 cm (width)xc3x9730 cm (length) film whose size has been measured accurately is suspended in an oven heated at 105xc2x0 C., retained under no load for 30 minutes, taken out from the oven and returned to room temperature to measure its size.
The heat shrinkage factor is defined by the following equation.
heat shrinkage factor=(xcex94L/L0)xc3x97100 xcex94L=|L0xe2x88x92L|
(L0 is the length of the film before a heat treatment and L is the length in the same direction of the film after the heat treatment)
The heat shrinkage factor of the present invention is satisfied when a value obtained by sampling 6 films at a pitch of 30xc2x0 from every direction on the film plane, for example, the longitudinal direction of the film and measuring each sample as described above is in the range of 0 to 0.6%.
(3) Young""s modulus
The Young""s modulus of the film is measured by setting a film sample having a width of 10 mm and a chuck interval of 100 mm in a tensile tester and pulling it at 23xc2x0 C., 65%RH and a pulling rate of 200 mm/min.
The Young""s modulus of the present invention is satisfied when a value obtained by sampling 18 films at a pitch of 10xc2x0 C. from every direction on the film plane, for example, the longitudinal direction of the film and measuring each sample as described above is 4,609 MPa (470 kg/mm2) or more. When the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of Young""s modulus measured for each sample is 981 MPa (100 kg/mm2) or less, the difference of Young""s modulus in the present invention is satisfied.
(4) film surface roughness (center line average surface roughness Ra)
The surface roughness of the film is measured with the tracer type surface roughness meter of Kosaka Kenkyusho Co., Ltd. at a tracer load of 80 mg, a measurement length of 4 mm and a cut-off of 0.25 mm. The definition of Ra is given in xe2x80x9cMeasurement And Evaluation Methods Of Surface Roughnessxe2x80x9d written by Jiro Nara (published by Sogo Gijutsu Center in 1983), for example.
(5) static friction coefficient (xcexcs), dynamic friction coefficient (xcexcd)
A load of 200 g (W: g) is placed on two cut films (samples) measuring 75 mm (width)xc3x97100 mm (length), the upper film is caused to travel at a speed of 150 mm/min, and the static friction coefficient (xcexcs) is calculated from tensile force (Fs: g) when the film begins to travel and the dynamic friction coefficient (xcexcd) is calculated from force (Fd: g) when the film is traveling based on the following equations.
xcexcs=Fs(g)/W(g)
xcexcd=Fd(g)/W(g)
The film sample has been left at 23xc2x0 C. and 65%RH for 24 hours.
(6) total thickness of film
10 films are placed one upon another so that dust is not contained therein and the thickness of the 10 films is measured with an intermittent electronic micrometer to calculate the thickness of each film.
(7) curl value
A 8.9 mm-diameter (3.5 inches) circular sample is left at a temperature of 60xc2x0 C. and a humidity of 50% for 24 hours, taken out and left at room temperature (humidity of 50%) for 1 hour. The gap between the edge portion of the film and a vertical axis when the sample is suspended perpendicularly is measured.
This measurement is carried out at a pitch of 10xc2x0 in a circumferential direction and the maximum value is taken as a curl value (unit was mm) (measured clockwise with a longitudinal direction taken as 0xc2x0).
(8) handling properties
The wrinkling of the film caused by poor slipperiness over pass rolls is judged based on the following criteria.
◯: no practical problem
X: film is wrinkled, causing practical problem
(9) secondary transition point
The secondary transition point of a polyester is obtained by measuring with DSC at a temperature elevation rate of 20xc2x0 C./min.
(10) average particle diameter of particles
This is measured using the CP-50 Centrifugal Particle Size Analyzer (trade name) of Shimadzu Corporation. A particle diameter equivalent to 50 mass percent is read from the cumulative curve of the particles of each diameter and the amount thereof calculated based on the obtained centrifugal sedimentation curve and taken as the above average particle diameter (refer to xe2x80x9cParticle Size Measurement Technologyxe2x80x9d issued by Nikkan Kogyo Press, pp. 242-247, 1975).
(11) adhesion (evaluation of MAG scratches)
The following xe2x80x9cevaluation magnetic coatingxe2x80x9d is applied to the coating surface of a sample film with a Meyer""s bar to ensure that the thickness of the coating film after drying should become about 4 xcexcm and dried at 100xc2x0 C. for 3 minutes. Thereafter, the coating film is aged at 60xc2x0 C. for 24 hours. xe2x80x9cevaluation magnetic coatingxe2x80x9d (1) 30 parts of a polyester resin (Vilon 20SS (trade name) of Toyobo Co., Ltd.), (2) 10 parts of a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resin (Eslec A (trade name) of Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.), (3) 3 parts of a dispersant (Lecion P (trade name) of Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) and (4) 260 parts of a magnetizing agent (CTX-970 (trade name) of Toda Kogyo Co., Ltd.) in terms of solid matter are dissolved in a mixed solvent of methyl ethyl ketone, toluene and methyl isobutyl ketone to prepare a 30% solution and dispersed with a sand grinder for 2 hours. Thereafter, 12 parts of a crosslinking agent (Colonate L (trade name) of Nippon Polyurethane Co., Ltd.) in terms of solid matter is added to the dispersion and stirred well to obtain a magnetic coating.
A surface coated with the thus obtained magnetic coating is scratched with a scratch tester covered with fibers having high rigidity (registered trademark xe2x80x9cKevlarxe2x80x9d yarn) under a load of 1 kg to evaluate scratches on the surface coated with the magnetic coating. This evaluation method corresponds well with scratches (MAG scratches) on the magnetic surface after the formation of a magnetic layer in the production of a magnetic medium.
 less than Criteria greater than
⊚: MAG does not peel off at all
◯: MAG peels off slightly
X: MAG peels off significantly
(12) coatability
The adhesive layer formed surface of the film is observed with the eye to evaluate coating nonuniformity.
 less than Criteria greater than
⊚: almost no coating nonuniformity is seen
◯: slight coating nonuniformity is seen
X: coating nonuniformity is large
(13) blocking resistance
After two polyester films having an adhesive layer on both sides are placed one upon the other and left at a temperature of 60xc2x0 C. and a humidity of 80%RH under a load of 14.7 MPa (150 kg/cm2) for 65 hours, the peel strength of the two films is measured with a tensile tester and evaluated.
 less than Criteria greater than
⊚: peel strength is 0 to 10 g/10 cm
◯: peel strength is 11 to 20 g/10 cm
xcex94: peel strength is 21 to 30 g/10 cm
X: peel strength is 31 g/10 cm to breakage

Biaxially oriented polyester film and flexible disk


A system includes a microcontroller configured to: (a) receive, from an application processor, data for display on an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display having one region with a first dynamic range and another region having a second dynamic range; and (b) arrange the data into columns. A gamma generator is electrically connected to the microcontroller and generates first and second gammas specific to the different regions. A column driver is configured to: (a) apply the first gamma to each column to be displayed in the corresponding region to generate a first output, and apply the second gamma to each column to be displayed in the second region to generate a second output; and (b) electrically transmit the first and second outputs to the corresponding regions.

In an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, there is often a desire and a need to display content in different regions of the display with significant different brightness that are in different DBV band. For example, a graphical user interface may need to display the prominent content (e.g., a high dynamic range (HDR) video or image selected or currently being played, and/or other videos or images that can be selected or played later) with a higher brightness than less prominent content (e.g., a standard dynamic range (SDR) text or an advertisement) and data displayed above one or more sensors underneath the OLED display. Conventionally, however, the entire OLED display screen is controlled by a single gamma, which may be for variable display brightness value. Such single gamma across the entire OLED display may undesirably apply to other contents with improper display brightness value band across the entire OLED display, thereby distorts the gamma for the content in those DBV bands.

OLED display with different spatial gamma


A meter and test wand system is capable of cooperatively processing an analysis fluid and communicating results to a user. The system includes a meter case including a case front, a case back, a case top, a case bottom, a first case side member, and a second case side member. The first and second case side members connect the case front to case back. The first case side member has a longitudinal dimension between said case top and said case bottom and a latitudinal dimension between said case front and said case back. The first case side member includes a first case ridge; A test wand is capable of receiving an analysis fluid, and includes a cartridge including a cartridge ridge. The cartridge ridge is sized and shaped to matingly engage with said first case ridge to connect said test wand to said meter case.

Diabetes has been referred to as the "undiagnosed epidemic of the third millennium". Some experts predict the number of diabetics world-wide to triple over the next 15 years to about 320 million. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is considered the quintessential prerequisite for diabetes management and treatment. As will be explained in more detail, most current SMBG systems, whether designed for patient or professional use, still have significant limitations.
The three major types of diabetes are type 1 (formerly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM, juvenile-onset), type 2 (formerly non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM, adult-onset), and gestational diabetes. About 130,000 children in the US have type 1 diabetes. Treatment for type 1 consists of insulin injections, diet and exercise.
In type 2 diabetes, treatment may include insulin, but preferably oral glucose lowering agents, diet, weight reduction and exercise. Approximately ninety percent (90%) of diabetics are type 2.
Diabetics are predisposed to heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, retinopathy, kidney disease and neuropathy. The latter is associated with amputations, silent myocardial infarction and sudden death, and it accounts for over 300,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year. Today's total diabetes-related toll to the US economy (direct and indirect costs combined) is estimated to approach $150 billion.
As a true cure for diabetes remains elusive, tight glucose control will continue to be the sine-qua-non of diabetes combat strategies. The benefits of tight glucose control in curbing diabetes-related complications are now authoritatively documented. This evidence also suggests that a large portion of type 2 diabetics may benefit from tight glucose control and insulin. As worldwide knowledge about diabetes will be nurtured by the information age and media-assisted education, masses of undiagnosed diabetics who would benefit from tight glucose control will eventually be brought into the system. Since testing technology will also further mature, these megatrends will co-functionally establish an enormous market for SMBG in the future.
The mainstay of treatment for type 1 and many type 2 diabetics is SMBG in conceit with responding self-administration of insulin to harmonize glucose levels. Current SMBG systems are typically comprised of a test strip-type, dry chemistry device. The test strip is insertable into a hand-held meter that contains a display that gives the user a read-out of results. Alternately, results can be obtained by comparing reaction colors to printed color charts.
From a provider perspective, the main shortfall is that current systems are generally limited to the measurement of glucose. This is in drastic discord with the concept of diabetes as a multi-factorial metabolic syndrome. From a user point of view, there are still limitations in those features that consumers and users believe to be important, such as (1) minimal invasiveness; (2) speed of analysis and (3) ease of performance and minimal complexity (inconvenience) from primary and auxiliary product mixes.
The majority of presently marketed SMBG systems utilize more or less 'invasive' technology (lancing of fingertips) to obtain blood samples in a range between 2 and 30 μL. Non-invasive and minimally invasive technologies have been under active development for years, but made it to market only on a very limited scale due to technical difficulties.
Invasive Systems. Several dry-chemistry technologies exist for testing of whole blood specimens. In most devices, liquid reagents are applied onto solid support substrates by some impregnation or coating method. After solvent evaporation, the dry and therefore stable reagent is contained within a reactive zone or signal member (test field). As the blood sample makes contact with the reagents, a chemical reaction is initiated between analyte in the blood and the reagents on the test field. In most conventional test strips the analyst provides blood to test fields manually, contacting the strip with a drop or unspecified portion of a drop of blood. This technique has limitations with respect to constancy of volume applied and locations on the test field surface contacted by the drop. Consequences can be under- or over-sampling, or heterogeneous distribution of blood and hence reaction signal.
Both photometric and electro-sensimetric detection principles are in use. The vast majority of systems used to employ reflectance photometry, however, in recent years an increasing trend towards electrochemical detection ('sensors') has occurred.
In meters that measure reflectance photometry, light of a wavelength absorbed by the colored reaction product is shined onto the surface of the test field and the reflected portion is monitored. In contrast to conventional photometry where absorbance is measured from reduced light transmittance in the direction of the incident beam, reflectance is measured at locations angled away from incident light. As light of varying wavelengths is reflected in different directions, an informed choice must be made as to which incident and reflective angles to select for obtaining a signal that is most sensitively and most specifically related to concentration. Preferably, the photocurrent detector (photodiode) of the metering device is positioned at a location where unspecific scattering is minimal and specific reflectance maximal. However, since the two can usually not be completely spatially separated, pure signals are by definition unobtainable ('needle in a haystack' phenomenon). This is one reason why it is so difficult to achieve universal standardization of these systems and why the systems differ so much among each other, resulting in widely scattered method means in proficiency testing surveys.
Another limitation resides in the method by which cellular component of blood is separated from plasma. In older products, plasma was separated by soak through methods into coated bibulous materials or reagent films. Cells were then manually removed from the site of blood application by either washing or wiping, potentially giving rise to significant operator-induced errors. Several newer methods permit separation by means other than washing or wiping. The most frequently used are separation by porous glass fiber fleeces or membranes. In these matrices, pore sizes are chosen so that cellular component is held back within the matrix, whereas plasma diffuses through the separating and into the detection layer.
In most calorimetric test strips the separating layer is sandwiched against the detection layer. The reflectance measurement is then made at the side of the test strip opposite to the side of blood application. To keep needed blood volume low, the thickness of the separation layer is kept at a minimum. An adverse consequence is that spatial separation of red cells from the site of measurement is then so small that the thin zone of separation material that is devoid of cells incompletely shields cells. In instrumented measurements this 'shining through' effect of red cells can, as long as the effect is constant, be corrected by calibration or a dual wavelength measurement. However, such corrective methodology makes measurements more complex and less precise.
The shining through effect of red cells is particularly disadvantageous for visual interpretation. It is for this reason that most present-day calorimetric test strips cannot be read visually. Visual interpretation can serve as a confidence check for quantitative results provided by the meter. And in locations where meters are not readily available (rural areas, doctors office, ambulance, third world) concentrations can still be determined semi-quantitatively by visual comparison of reaction colors to standardized color charts. Unfortunately, the feature of visual backup is realized only in a minority of present-day systems.
Non-Invasive (NI) and Semi-Invasive Technology. The goal for the SMBG market, a completely non-invasive glucose monitoring technology, although pursued for over a decade, has so far proven elusive, despite perennial promises from companies in the industry. These failures have led to predictions that completely non-invasive optical technology (infrared or other) may not make it to market in any significant way, for both cost and technical reasons. It is also argued that this lack of success was predictable from early theoretical considerations of signal engineering. These considerations include the numerous and variable challenges of isolating a meaningful signal against a background of overpowering non-specific noise, such as noise from water. An authoritative recent review of NI glucose testing technology concludes that: " . . . none of the NI experiments reviewed provides proof that the signal is related to actual blood glucose concentration. Clark error grid presentation shows performance that is not acceptable for home glucose meters."
A promising alternative to non-invasive is "semi-invasive" or minimally invasive testing using interstitial fluid (IF). The only product currently marketed that employs this technology is Glucowatch™. from Cygnus, Inc. It uses electrically stimulated (reverse iontophoresis) glucose extraction from IF into a sensor-equipped sample pad. The product was recently approved by the FDA but only for supplementary (trend) testing. Reported problems with IF sampling are variations in skin thickness and permeability, changes in blood/IF equilibration, sweating, signal instability and skin irritation. Furthermore, the watch must be recalibrated every 12 hours which is done by invasive finger stick measurements.
Several more recent devices employ electrochemical (sensimetric) detection. Good progress in system miniaturization has been achieved with these methods because they can function on whole blood, obviating the need for a plasma-consuming, cell-separating member. In some of these products miniaturization is further aided by provision of capillary sampling techniques. Despite these improvements, a major limitation of sensor methods is that visual backup is completely lost. This places a very heavy burden on the manufacturer as even minor flaws in test strip architecture or signal conductivity could have disastrous consequences. Hematocrit dependence in sensor methods can also be substantial due to 'dilution' of the electrochemical reaction milieu by cellular component. Furthermore, in these devices signal output is, as in the case of reflectance measurement, non-linear with respect to concentration, requiring complex mathematics for calibration. Finally, the technical sophistication and manufacturing complexity of the sensor methods makes it difficult to produce them at low cost.
In the future the SMBG market will increasingly be driven by consumer demand, managed care, and cost pressures from third party reimbursement companies. In this environment a market conversion from established and affordable invasive whole blood technology to unproven and costly non-invasive systems appears unlikely. However, it is expected that the market will migrate to invasive systems which minimize invasiveness and its associated pain. As such, the Applicant's minimally invasive and relatively less painful technology is believed by Applicants to better achieve the goals sought by the industry, and be well placed in the direction in which the market is heading.

Methods and apparatus for analyzing an analysis fluid


A rodent trap is provided including a base having a release door formed therein to release rodents from the trap. A bait tray is provided having a cavity for retaining bait. The bait tray is removably attached to the base. The release door is sealed when the bait tray is attached to the base. The release door is opened when the bait tray is removed from the base. A top is provided having a tube with a tube opening extending therethrough. The tube opening sized to receive a rodent therethrough. A wire body extends between the top and the base.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rodent trap, and more particularly to a rodent trap having no movable parts and a cavity for retaining bait.
Related Art
Rodent traps are well known for catching rodents and releasing them into the wild. However, many rodent traps include a plurality of movable parts that cause the trap to break or malfunction over time. Additionally, many rodent traps are incapable of keeping the rodent alive long enough to release the rodent into the wild. In particular, bait placed within known rodent traps may not be sufficient to keep the rodent alive for several days. When extra bait is placed within a known trap, the bait is often scattered throughout the trap or even blown from the trap in windy conditions. As such, the bait is not effective in attracting rodents and the bait is not sufficient to maintain the life of the rodent over several days.
Very often peanut butter is used to bait a mouse trap. However, for live catch and release of mice, peanut butter without water actually dehydrates and kills mice. A different form of bait and water is needed to sustain a mouse for several days. Many devices have spaces where a cup or container of water can sit. However, a frantic trapped rodent will tip or spill that container and subsequently not have water to drink. The present invention has integrated containers to hold water and food, and these integrated containers cannot be spilled by the trapped rodent.
Another drawback of known traps is that the rodent may be capable of escaping the trap. For example, if a movable part in the trap malfunctions when the rodent is caught, the rodent may be able to easily escape the trap through the trap door. Moreover, some rodents are capable of jumping to such heights that the rodent may be able to climb out of the trap door. Additionally, many wire mesh traps allow the rodent to climb out of the trap or chew through a corner of the trap and escape.
A need remains for a rodent trap that can catch multiple rodents and keep them alive for several days. Another need remains for a trap that does not include movable parts to capture the rodent. By removing the movable parts from the trap, the trap is not subject to malfunctioning and allowing the rodent to escape.
Prior known rodent traps include U.S. Pat. No. 710,020 which discloses a wire cage with a plate metal top and bottom. The top has a funnel opening with bait displayed below it to entice the mouse into the cage. U.S. Pat. No. 1,040,329 discloses a mouse trap with a domed wire mesh cover over a metal sheet bottom, with a metal tube extending down from the dome into the cage. The tube is moveably attached to swing from the top of the cage, so the mouse cannot find purchase to climb out. U.S. Pat. No. 2,162,623 discloses a rectangular wire cage with a horizontal conical tunnel that terminates with prongs pointing inward to prevent the rodent from exiting the cage via the tunnel after climbing in. U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,320 discloses a wire crab cage with a conical downward sloping opening to prevent crabs from escaping. U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,741 discloses a conically shaped mousetrap with an opening at the top of the container and a liquid at the bottom to drown the entrapped mouse. U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,175 discloses an inverted cup shaped wire mesh cage with an aperture on top through which a rodent falls onto a wire plate and is electrocuted. None of the above discloses a bait tray having integrated cavities for feeding and drinking in the bottom, or a release door on the bottom that is opened when the bait tray is removed.


Various methods and systems disclosed compand audio signals using signal prediction, followed by expansion and reconstruction. The methods and systems compress and expand an error signal that represents deviations between samples of the original signal and predicted samples. Each predicted sample is generated by an extrapolation based on a sub-sequence of prior samples of the original signal. A time series of correction samples based on the error signal as it is received from the analog channel after amplitude expansion. Output samples are then generated from the sums of the correction samples and respective predicted samples of a second time series, each of which is extrapolated based on a sub-sequence of prior correction samples. Numerous variations are also disclosed.

Although audio signals are often transmitted in digital form, analog transmission remains attractive for many applications, particularly where bandwidth and dynamic range constraints of the transmission channel limit the potential data rate of digital transmission. Audio encoding schemes have been developed that permit audio transmission at lower data rates, but the data rate reduction is typically accompanied by various drawbacks. These include digital signal processing complexity, degraded audio quality, encoding and decoding delays, and abrupt performance degradation with weakening signals.
Conventional analog transmission techniques can efficiently convey the frequency spectrum of an audio signal without the excess bandwidth of high digital data rates or the disadvantages associated with data rate reduction. Such techniques require strong signals to preserve high audio dynamic range, however, which is ultimately limited by noise in the analog transmission circuitry. This problem is often mitigated by "companding" the signal.
Companding involves compressing an audio signal by variably amplifying it depending on signal level (with stronger signals being amplified less than weaker signals), transmitting it over an analog channel, then expanding the audio signal at the receiving end of the channel by subjecting it to a complementary variable amplification. The two variable amplifications complement each other so that expansion restores the final signal to its original amplitude. The compressed audio signal requires less dynamic range than the original for faithful transmission over the analog channel. However, companding requires compromises in selecting the attack and release times used in tracking amplitude variations. The compressor should track variations rapidly enough to compress a signal effectively but slowly enough to avoid distorting its low-frequency components. The resulting design compromise attempts to balance compandor performance with compandor artifacts like signal distortion and "pumping" and "breathing" sounds that many listeners find equally objectionable.
Dual-band compandors have been developed in an attempt to alleviate these audio problems. By separating an audio signal into high and low frequency bands, a dual-band compandor can process each band with attack and release times better suited for the frequencies in question. But the selections made for each band are still compromises, and compandor artifacts and signal distortion can remain problematic. In addition, the expansion stage of a multi-band compandor is difficult to implement accurately.
Accordingly, a need remains for a method of transmitting audio signals over an analog channel with the dynamic range benefits of companding but without significant audio degradation of the type conventionally associated with companding, and without the difficulty of multiple band companding.

Signal-predictive audio transmission system


The search engine optimizer transforms input information interactively and works independently and in parallel with a browser and search engine supercomputer. The optimizer reorganizes the input, and provides an optimized version as an output. The output (Optimized, reorganized input) is sent to the search engine, which responds to the end user with search results. The optimizer recognizes each request as a pattern and stores the pattern in an advanced Glyph format. This permits the optimizer to use left brain English language and right brain geospatial key featured association equation to gain factor the best results, and then using deductive reasoning feedback equation attenuate content with confounding variables in order to stabilize and reduces sensitivity parameter variations due to the environment and identify a left and right side human brain checkmate combination required to achieve certitude.

The limitations, drawbacks and/or disadvantages of technologies are as follows: search engines are based on Boolean algebra eigenvector algorithms that are used to parse and filter information indices until the top page ranks are determined and displayed to the end user. Unfortunately, some specific keywords combinations may be too narrow and confound a search by hiding optimal results. search engines are predominately configured to perform static search patterns. Each search is processed from the ground up without taking into account many requests belonging to one reply. A session consists of consecutive related and unrelated search requests to reach the final destination.
The Internet searchable environment or (U) can be construed as a complex network with billions of web pages. The search engine supercomputer analyzes each web page, and then uses eigenvectors to determine the highest ranked pages from the end user's match criteria. As explained, in related subject matters "As the size of the environment increases the level of redundancy and tax burden of a system exponentially increases".
Transform Data: The supercomputer system cleans, standardizes and organizes the spaghetti of the environment by organizing the information into managerial hierarchical structured supercomputer (hereinafter referred as HIVE) that removes redundancy, latency and the tax burden.
Synchronize tasks: the HIVE is a decentralized supercomputer consisting of a plurality of nodes, which are specifically arranged in three tiers. The summit tier coordinates and executes global tasks. The middle tier coordinates and executes regional tasks. The lower tier coordinates and executes localized tasks and processes the lion share of noncritical transactions. The summit node of each tier synchronizes tasks by sending command instructions messages that assigns the fuzzy logic state of each node belonging to its chain of command.
Lateral and Vertical Synergy: A tier consisting of groups of nodes that are independent from other groups of nodes. Each tier partition performs mission critical tasks within their domain and works in parallel with other partitions of the same tier. Each node can shunt available resources using lateral and vertical synergy with parent, sibling or subordinate nodes to maximize available resources. Each node continuously analyzes its own environment current conditions and forward chains summary information until reaching the summit. At this point, the summit nodes rearward chain messages with command instructions that priorities resources and notify each subordinate with command instructions tasks constraints based on network conditions to avoid saturation, clog and eliminate the tax burden of the environment'.
Remove chaos and anarchy: Once the 'spaghetti of the environment' is eliminated the HIVE creates command messages that are also known as summary reports that coordinate and synchronize each node to operate at maximal output capacity. Each node operates without adversely affecting the network flow of data. The HIVE maximizes available throughput and limits the exponential rate of growth of complexity as the size of the environment increases.
Convert requests into Ideas: Search engines dependency on Boolean algebra use inductive reasoning popularity scores to find the top results. In contrast, the HIVE using deductive reasoning to interpret interactive input as being part of an idea being formulated by both the left and the right sides of the brain. When a request is incomplete the HIVE probabilistically supplies and inserts missing gaps of information. Related art teaches that a Vector CDR can be expressed as the summation of a plurality of valid vectors. The HIVE correlates a plurality of partial vectors and creates a resultant vector containing the top (n) pages.
Heartbeat: The Summit tier gives a heartbeat to the HIVE.
The X_FOB and Y_CDIF Inventory Control Bitmaps are referred as summary report objects, with pre-calculated look up information to eliminate redundant and resource intensive calculations.


A hearing aid system including an implant (60) configured for insertion into a recess (40) formed under the skin of the retro-auricular space (50), which implant does not occlude the ear canal (30). The implant includes electronic circuitry (72), a transducer (65, e.g., speaker), antenna (64), and power source (66). The hearing aid also includes an external module (70), which module includes a microphone (163), electronics (172), antenna (164), and power source (166). A telemetry link (76) between the external module antenna and the implant antenna allows transmissions between the microphone module and the implant.

Traditionally, most hearing aids capture sound through a microphone that delivers an amplified and/or modified version of the sound signal into the user's ear canal through a suitable electrical-to-audio transducer, e.g., a small speaker. The proximity of the microphone to the transducer can disadvantageously produce audio feedback from the transducer to the microphone. The present invention relates to a hearing aid system that includes a transducer configured for implantation to project acoustic energy into a patient's outer ear canal in combination with a remote microphone.
The solution in the past for eliminating feedback has been to occlude the ear canal via an ear mold such that the transducer is located distally to the occlusion, while the microphone is located proximally to the occlusion. Unfortunately, occlusion of the ear canal can create several disadvantages for the user, such as reverberation and physical discomfort, and is a major cause for non-use of traditional hearing aids by the hearing impaired.
In addition, it is desirable to make hearing aids less visible, as most users perceive the aid as imparting a negative stigma. Thus, hearing aids are continuously becoming smaller and have moved from behind the ear into the outer ear and into the canal of the ear.
It is known in the art to connect the retro-auricular space (space behind the pinna of the ear) to the ear canal via a hollow titanium tube that is permanently placed into a tunnel through the tissue. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,493, which patent is incorporated herein by reference. In one embodiment of the '493 patent, an amplification hearing aid is connected to the proximal (retro-auricular) end of the tube. The hearing aid is thus located behind the pinna of the ear and a transducer sends the amplified sound signal through the tube into the ear canal. This concept, which has been commercialized by Auric® Hearing Systems, Inc. of Charlotte, N.C. as the RetroX technology, allows a certain degree of amplification without feedback and without the need for occlusion of the ear canal. In another embodiment of the '493 patent, the microphone, transducer, electrical and electronic components are installed in the tube.
Although hearing amplification via the '493 patent is achieved without occluding the ear canal, the tunnel leaves a continuous opening which is subject to infection and inflammation. In addition, although the described invention provides improvements over traditional hearing aids, the user still has the burden of maintenance associated with body-mounted hearing devices. These burdens include (1) frequent replacement of a tiny battery within an enclosed battery chamber, (2) removal of the miniature device from its mounting in the retro-auricular space for showering and water sports, and (3) expelling water from the hollow tubular element after exposure to moisture.
Improvements to the system referenced above have been described in patent applications by Advanced Bionics, Inc. However, the tunnel providing the continuous opening between the retro-auricular space and the ear canal remains, with its associated risks for infection and inflammation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,801, the use of a silicone tube "sound conductor" with similar infection and inflammation risks is disclosed. The sound conductor is physically attached to the electronics package of the hearing aid, and directs the output from the electronics into the ear canal by extending through the skin of the retro-auricular space. A microphone is positioned in the conchal bowl of the user, and the electronics package is connected to the microphone and held behind the pinna via a piercing through the cartilage of the concha.
Several concepts for implanting all or part of the hearing aid into the middle ear have been developed. Such approaches couple an amplified and processed version of the sound signal to structures of the middle ear mechanically, thereby reducing feedback without occlusion of the ear canal. Such systems also reduce or eliminate visibility of the hearing aid, and have the potential for improving user comfort. Disadvantageously, however, such middle-ear-coupled systems require, inter alia a significant surgical procedure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A composite optical-dividing component receives a light beam. There are mixed-bands in the light beam. The composite optical-dividing component includes a first optical-patch and a second optical-patch. The first optical-patch has multiple micro-structural lenses in an identical shape. Each micro-structural lens receives the light beam and generates a deflecting light in some degrees of condense. The second optical patch has multiple polygonal structures. Some polygonal structures are periodic and provide the function of deflection in order to receive the deflecting light and then separate multiple bands from the beam. In accordance with wavelengths in multiple bands, the bands are emitted to a target area (RGB) in a plane, respectively. Another part of the polygonal structures has the capability of light refraction, which receives the deflecting light and deflects and the rest of the bands in the beam. And it is emitted to a target area (W) in a plane.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of composite optical dividing device, suitable for use in the image apparatus to divide into multiple wavelength bands
2. Description of Related Art
The device used in liquid crystal displaying apparatus to mix light is called a color filter (CF). Usually, the transmission lights through three color filters in red, green, and blue are mixed into various colors. The color filter can be fabricated by several different methods, such as color matter dispersion, color dyeing, electro-deposition, printing, and so on.
For massive production, the color matter dispersion is mainly used, but it uses the spin coating and causes the waste of the color photoresist.
Although the electro-deposition method can have large fabrication area in massive production and save the material, the light transparent efficiency is relatively low and can not easily change and match to the requirement of pixels from different customs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,732 has provides a method to fabricate the color filter based on electro-deposition method. A transparent electrode circuit is coated on a substrate, and the photolithographic process is performed including steps of light exposure and image development. In other words, the electro-deposition method can have large fabrication area in massive production and save the material. However, the light transparent efficiency is poor and it not easy to have a change to meet the requirement of pixel patterns from different customs.
For the printing method, it has low fabrication cost. However, it has poor reproduction with pixel resolution and pixel location. U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,268 has provides an intaglio printing method for fabricating the color filter. The film thickness is controlled by the trench on the printing plate but it has the disadvantages of poor quality of pixel resolution, smooth surface, and precise control of location. However, since the printing method needs no the photolithographic equipment, the fabrication cost is low in advantage. Taiwan patent I278395 has also provided a surface printing method. However, this surface-printing method has the issue that a texture in concavoconvex pattern exits at the edge of the printing plate. This method is not proper for fabricating into rather small pixels. However, due to no need of photolithographic equipment, the printing method has low fabrication cost.
The dyeing method has better color saturation level but is poor in duration for light and thermal factors. In one of design considerations is not including the dyeing mechanism, so as to avoid the disadvantage of dyeing method.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A pin lock is movably mounted for linear movement along a longitudinal axis. A magnet, preferably a permanent magnet, is mounted for limited rotation between the pin extended and pin retracted positions. An electromagnet provides a controllable electromagnetic field which encompasses at least a portion of the permanent magnet. A ferromagnetic latch is located within the magnetic field of the mounted magnet in each of the pin extended and pin retracted positions. A mechanical interconnection between the pin lock and the permanent magnet for moving the pin lock when the permanent magnet is rotated wherein the movement extends or retracts the pin lock between its pin extended and pin retracted positions. Reversing the electromagnetic field of the electromagnet serves to rotate the magnet so that the pin lock moves from one to the other of the two positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to locking pins which move between extended and retracted positions. More specifically, the present invention relates to locking pins which when extended prevent movement of another component in at least one lateral direction.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The existence of electromagnetically actuated pin locks is well known. Typically such locks are in the form of an electromagnetically actuated solenoid which when actuated overcomes the bias of a spring and extends a pin which engages some structure and prevents lateral movement of the structure. Alternatively, the electromagnetically actuated pin lock may be biased by a spring into its extended position and actuation of the electromagnet solenoid serves to retract the pin. For example, many motor vehicles have a pin locking the transmission into the "park" position, thereby preventing movement of the vehicle. However, when the vehicle engine has been started and the operator steps on the brake, that energizes the electromagnet solenoid which retracts the pin lock and allows the operator to move the transmission out of "park."
Another well known linear pin lock is an electromagnetically actuated solenoid having two coils. The movement between the two positions is controlled by actuating the appropriate coil. At each position, there is also a permanent magnet to hold the pin lock in that position, until an actuated coil generates an attractive force that overcomes the magnetic latch and allows the pin to move to the other position.
There are other situations in which it is desirable to be able to electromagnetically actuate the pin lock to either extend or retract or both, but have the lock restrained in either position without continuing to provide power to the electromagnetic solenoid.
It is also highly desirable that in one or both of the retracted and extended positions, the pin lock be constructed such that shocks or forces in a longitudinal direction on the pin lock cannot dislodge the pin lock from its "latched" extended or retracted position.

Electromagnetically actuated bistable magnetic latching pin lock


Various methods and systems for processing web crawling queries using a web crawling prioritization model based on classification operation performance. A classification operation for organizing products in a product listing platform is accessed. A web crawling engine is accessed for the classification operation. The web crawling engine operates based on a web crawling query prioritization model that supports determining web crawling priority scores that indicate a predicted performance improvement for classification operations executed with known data and web crawled data to be retrieved from executing a web crawling query operation. Using the web crawling prioritization model, a web crawling priority score is determined for a web crawling query for the corresponding classification operation. The classification operation is associated with a product in a product listing platform and known data for the product. Based on the web crawling priority score, the web crawling query is executed to identify web crawled data.

Users often rely on search systems to help find information stored on computer systems. Such search systems include web crawling functionality that is implemented to systematically browse the World Wide Web, typically for the purpose of web indexing to support search system operations. For example, a web crawler can be implemented in a search system so that a query for query result titles from the search system further includes additional relevant external information, where the additional relevant external information is identified by web crawler. With the ever-increasing use of search systems for retrieving electronically stored information, improvements in computing operations for search systems can provide more efficient processing of search queries and other operations in search systems.

Search system for providing web crawling query prioritization based on classification operation performance


A method and wireless devices (WDs) for geo-location of wireless devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method in a first WD includes: transmitting a sequence of ranging signals and receiving a plurality of ranging response signals from a second WD, the ranging response signals being responsive to the ranging signals. For each of the plurality of ranging response signals, a received sequence of bits is determined. A correlation between the received sequence of bits and an expected sequence of bits is determined. The method also includes determining a subset of the plurality of received sequences of bits deemed not to arise from noise, and determining the subset being based at least in part on the correlations. The method also includes determining a distance between the first WD and the second WD based at least in part on a plurality of received sequences in the subset.

Initially, it is noted that IEEE Standard 802.11—2016 is used as the base reference for disclosures used herein, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The IEEE 802.11-2016 Standard is commonly referred to as "Wi-Fi" and is referred to as such herein as the "Standard".
The location of wireless devices can be determined by various methods. These methods may be classified as active, passive, and combined active and passive. In an active location scheme, a device that is determining the location or range, the measuring device, transmits certain packets to the device being located, the target device, and a common method is to measure the time of arrival (TOA) of the response packet from the target device and compare that to the time of departure (TOD) of the request packet that was transmitted by the measuring device so as to determine the round trip time (RTT).
In such location systems, it is common to use multiple measuring devices to determine the location. In such systems, simultaneous TOA and/or TOD measurements are taken by different measuring devices situated at different points, and the location of the target device is calculated from these simultaneous measurements.
In an active location system, the TOD may be measured for a packet that is transmitted from the measuring station addressed to the target station. The TOA of the response from the target station at the measuring station is then also measured. If the turnaround time for the target station to receive the packet from the measuring station and to start to transmit the response is known, or is known to be a constant, then the time difference at the measuring station between the TOA and the TOD, minus the turnaround time at the target station will be directly proportional to twice the distance of the target station from the measuring station. For example, if the target station is a wireless device based upon IEEE 802.11 technology, and if the packet transmitted from the measuring station to the target station is a data packet, the response from the target station will typically be an acknowledgement (ACK) packet. If the packet transmitted from the measuring station to the target station is a control packet, for example, a request-to-send (RTS) packet, then the response from the target station will typically be a clear-to-send (CTS) packet. In these two examples, the turnaround time at the target station is defined in the IEEE 802.11 standard as the short interframe spacing (SIFS), which is a preset value. Hence, the time delay, td, between the measuring station and the target station, may be determined from the calculation td=(TOA−TOD−SIFS)/2 and the distance between the measuring station and the target station is then td*c, where c is the speed of light. This method of estimating the distance to a target station by measuring the TOD and TOA and accounting for the turnaround time is known.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a typical location system 100 which includes three measuring stations 110a, 110b and 110c (referred to collectively herein as "measuring stations" or "measuring receivers" 110). The target station 120 may be a wireless device, such as, for example, an Access Point (AP) that is to be located by the three measuring stations 110. The distance of the target station 120 from measuring station 110a is D1, 130. The distance of the target station 120 from measuring station 110b is D2, 140. The distance of the target station 120 from measuring station 110c is D3, 150. The time of flight, TOF1, determined from the calculation TOF=(TOA−TOD−SIFS)/2, is measured for transmissions from measuring station 110a and this can be used to calculate the distance D1 130 using the formula D1=TOF1*c where c is the speed of light. Similarly, TOF2 and TOF3 measurements result in the determination of distances D2 140 and D3 150. The methods for calculating the location of target station 120 using the distances D1 130, D2 140 and D3 150 are well known.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a location system where a single airborne measuring station 110 is used. The airborne measuring station 110 is depicted being flown in a circular orbit 200, center E 220, around a target station 120 at location F 230. The distance of the target station 120 from the measuring station 110, when the measuring station 110 is at position A 201, is D4 210. The distance of the target station 120 from the measuring station 110, when the measuring station 110 is at position B 202, is D5 211. The distance of the target station 120 from the measuring station 110, when the measuring station 110 is at position C 203, is D6 212. Unless the target station 120 is positioned at the center E 220 of the orbit 200, the distances D4 210, D5 211, and D6 212 will not be equal and thus, in the general sense, as the airborne measuring station 110 moves around the orbit 200 the RTT measurements will vary in relation to the relative positions of the airborne measuring station 110 and the target station 120.
RTT measurements, in the general sense, will exhibit variations due to noise, in the case of weak signal strengths, and, in part, the timing accuracy of the clock at the target station 120 and the timing accuracy of the clock at the airborne measuring station 110.
The signal level, Pr, received at the airborne measuring station 110 is:Pr=Pt+G1+G2−Lfs−Lo  (1)                Where Pt=Transmit power from the target station 120                    G1=Antenna gain at the airborne measuring station            G2=Antenna gain at the target station            Lfs=Propagation loss, free space            Lo=Obstruction loss
With respect of an airborne measuring station 110, the obstruction losses, Lo, for target stations may vary from 0 dB, for line of sight or outdoor target stations, up to 15-20 dB for target stations that are indoors. The range of the airborne measuring station 110 to successfully detect the response packets from each of these target stations is dependent upon the receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station 110. An airborne measuring station, compliant with the Standard, would need to receive a packet without errors and the receive sensitivity is restricted by the noise figure of the airborne measuring station 110.
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 and is an example diagram of an airborne measuring station 110 depicted being flown in the circular orbit 200, starting at point A 201, around a target station 120 at location F 230. The airborne measuring station 110 is transmitting request packets and at those points of the orbit where a response packet is received, and an RTT measured, an RTT dot 300 is placed on the orbit. In this example, the density or color of the RTT dot 300 may vary according to the signal level of the received RTT, and hence examples are shown of weak, medium and strong signal strengths, 301, 302 and 303 respectively. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the strong received signals 303 are shown when the airborne measuring station 110 is close to the target station 120. Also, in this example, there are no received response packets for sections of the orbit that are at longer distances from the target station 120. Such a display of the receptions is often referred to as a "heatworm" and may be used by the operator(s) of the airborne measuring station 110 as to provide a clear indication that response packets are being received from the target station 120, and also to provide information that may help the operator adjust the orbit so as to improve the location measurement, i.e., receive more response packets.
Improving the sensitivity of the airborne measuring station 110 may involve use of a technique known as correlation, where the individual bits of the received response packet are compared to the individual bits of the expected response packet and, based upon a correlation threshold, a decision may be taken as to whether the wanted response packet, CTS or ACK, has been received. As the correlation threshold is lowered, in order to make the sensitivity higher, there is an increased likelihood that pure noise can exceed the threshold and produce a false RTT result. False RTT readings may be quite acceptable for the calculation of the true geolocation of the target station 120, as long as a sufficient number of wanted RTTs are also present but there may be a significant time lag before the false RTTs can be filtered out. In order to be of maximum use, the heatworm should be updated in real time. If false RTTs due to noise are displayed on the heatworm, even if displayed as weak signal strength 301, then the operator of the airborne measuring station 110 may not know that these are not true RTTs, and consequently would not know if the airborne measuring station 110 was transmitting on the right channel or in the right area.

Peak to sigma ratio measurement with active geo-location for wireless local area network devices