A communication system adapted to allow participants, during a collaboration event or session, to ask questions while also serving up or providing relevant context to the presenter. This can be done by the participant clicking anywhere on the screen of their display on their client device during an online presentation and then presenting their question (e.g., typing or otherwise entering their input) about that particular portion of the presentation. When a user clicks on their screen during the presentation, a new dialog will open with a screenshot of the point of the presentation that occurred as well as a dialog box to type in a question. When the participant submits their question, a question report can be created and sent to the server. This report may include a user identifier (ID), a timestamp of when the screenshot was taken, the coordinates of the click/selection location, and the question itself.

Mobile and web applications allow users, such as operators of smartphones and other portable computing devices as well as tablets, laptop, notebook, and desktop computers, to perform a wide range of communication functions. In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of the use mobile and web applications to allow two-to-many people in varying locations to communicate with each other in a concurrent manner or as a group.
For example, video conferencing and similar applications have rapidly expanded in popularity, and these applications allow the users to see each other and share information. These applications are being used for business and other meetings, for remote learning classes for primary schools, secondary schools, universities, and other organizations, for marketing presentations, for courtroom sessions, and for many other settings where one or more facilitators or presenters wish to present or share both visual and audio content and to interact with the participants (or application "users"). Such video conferencing applications often allow screen sharing and messaging to occur during the video conference or web-based meeting.
While providing many advantages for disseminating information, there remain unresolved issues with using video conferencing or similar applications. During a presentation to a group of people, some of the audience members or participants may have questions they wish to present. For example, they may wish to get further details about a particular portion of the presentation (e.g., not understand how to solve a problem in an online math class, have not heard the presenter's point during a business meeting, and so on) or may wish to provide input to the presenter (e.g., the "question" may be a counterpoint or an added statement that agrees with the content being presented at a particular time during a meeting or class). The portion related to the question may be presented by a slide, a live demo, a shared video clip, or simply by a speaker (such as the presenter/facilitator/teacher or another audience member/user) talking. Many video conferencing applications do not adequately support users (or audience members) presenting questions (which may include comments or nearly any input as the term is used herein).
In some presentations, the presenter(s) may provide a question and answer (Q&A) session at the end of the presentation. In this case, though, the audience members may forget their questions or the portion for which the question pertains as they must wait until the end of the presentation to ask their question (e.g., have a question about content presented in first few minutes of an hour long class or meeting). From a presenter's perspective, they may lose track of the context in which the question was framed or be confused as to which portion of the presentation the question pertains.
In other presentation formats, the users or audience members are allowed to interrupt (e.g., press a button on their client device to "raise their hands" or indicate they have a question or simply begin talking to ask their question) the presenter during the presentation, but this often is undesirable as it can disrupt the presentation and distract the presenter. In some cases, the users can submit questions during the presentation, but these "live" questions are often ignored or not addressed by the presenter in real time or are saved by the video conferencing application for review at the end of the presentation. Again, such a delayed Q&A approach can result in the context being lost making it more difficult for the presenter to provide an adequate or appropriate response.
Any discussion of problems provided in this section has been included in this disclosure solely for the purposes of providing a background for the present invention and should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussion was known at the time the invention was made.
It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of illustrated embodiments of the present invention.


A method is disclosed for inspecting a device imprint lithography template to detect defect particles of imprintable medium remaining on the patterned imprinting surface after an earlier imprint step. The method involves illuminating the patterned surface with radiation of a first wavelength selected to induce fluorescence of the defect particles and not to induce fluorescence of anti-adhesion compound on the patterned surface. The presence of defect particles is indicated by the presence of fluorescence from the patterned surface and can be used to initiate a cleaning step when necessary, speeding processing by eliminating unnecessary cleaning. The elimination of false positives from transferred anti-adhesion compound is reduced or eliminated. Related apparatus is also disclosed.

In lithography, there is an ongoing desire to reduce the size of features in a lithographic pattern in order to increase the density of features on a given substrate area. In photolithography, the push for smaller features has resulted in the development of technologies such as immersion lithography and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, which are however rather costly.
A potentially less costly road to small features (e.g., nanometer sized features) that has gained increasing interest is so-called imprint lithography, which generally involves the use of a "stamp" (often referred to as an imprint template or an imprint lithography template) to transfer a pattern onto a substrate. An advantage of imprint lithography is that the resolution of the features is not limited by, for example, the emission wavelength of a radiation source or the numerical aperture of a projection system. Instead, the resolution is mainly limited to the pattern density on the imprint lithography template.
Imprint lithography involves the patterning of an imprintable medium on a surface of a substrate to be patterned. The patterning may involve bringing together a patterned surface of an imprint lithography template and a layer of imprintable liquid medium (e.g., moving the imprint lithography template toward the imprintable medium, or moving the imprintable medium toward the imprint lithography template, or both) such that the imprintable medium flows into recesses in the patterned surface and is pushed aside by protrusions on the patterned surface. The recesses define pattern features of the patterned surface of the imprint lithography template. Typically, the imprintable medium is flowable when the patterned surface and the imprintable medium are brought together. Following patterning of the imprintable medium, the imprintable medium is suitably brought into a non-flowable or frozen state (i.e. a fixed state), for example by illuminating the imprintable medium with actinic radiation such as UV radiation. The patterned surface of the imprint lithography template and the patterned imprintable medium are then separated. The substrate and patterned imprintable medium are then typically processed further in order to pattern or further pattern the substrate. The imprintable medium may be provided in the form of droplets (e.g. deposited by ink jet printing) on the surface of a substrate to be patterned, but may alternatively be provided using spin coating or the like.
In some instances, imprint lithography may be used to imprint a pattern onto a substrate which has previously received a pattern (or more than one pattern). Where this is the case, it is desirable to align the patterned surface of the imprint template with the pattern already present on the substrate. One known way in which this may be achieved uses alignment marks provided on the imprint template and on the substrate. The relative positions of the imprint template alignment marks and the substrate alignment marks are measured using one or more detectors. The substrate (and/or the imprint template) is then moved with respect to the imprint template (and/or with respect to the substrate) until the substrate and the imprint template are aligned with respect to each other.

Inspection method for imprint lithography and apparatus therefor


A matrix optical switch that can switch the transmission path of an optical signal without requiring a driving unit for each optical switch is realized. A matrix optical switch for switching a transmission path of an optical signal by connecting plural input sides and plural output sides, respectively, comprises: a semiconductor optical waveguide substrate; a photo mask choosing system for selecting and arranging one photo mask from plural photo masks each of which has printed thereon a pattern connecting plural input sides to plural output sides; and a light source for casting output light having larger energy than a band gap of the semiconductor optical waveguide substrate onto a photon injection area between the plural input sides and the plural output sides on the semiconductor optical waveguide substrate via the selected photo mask.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a matrix optical switch for switching the transmission path of an optical signal by connecting plural input sides to plural output sides, respectively, and particularly to a matrix optical switch that can switch the transmission path of an optical signal without requiring a driving unit for each optical switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
The current communication networks such as LANs (local area networks) and WANs (wide area networks) usually employ a communication system that transmits information on electrical signals.
A communication method of transmitting information on optical signals is used only in trunk networks for transmitting a large quantity of data and some other networks. These networks use "point-to-point" communications and have not yet developed into communication networks that can be called "photonic networks".
To realize such a "photonic network", an "optical router", an "optical switching hub" and the like that have functions similar to the functions of devices such as a router and a switching hub for switching the destination of an electrical signal are needed.
Particularly for the optical router used in trunk networks, a matrix optical switch of N×N (multiple-by-multiple) type is important, as in the current router of electrical signals. There is an optical switch having an optical waveguide formed in a semiconductor, to which carriers are injected to change the refractive index and thus switch the transmission path of an optical signal.
The following are references of the related art of the conventional matrix optical switch that switches the transmission path of an optical signal by connecting plural optical waveguides on the input side to plural optical waveguides on the output side, respectively:
JP-A-6-75179;
JP-A-8-163031;
JP-A-9-105959;
JP-A-10-308961; and
Hiroaki Inoue et al., "An 8 mm Length Nonblocking 4×4 Optical Switch Array," IEEE JOURNAL ON SELECTED AREA IN COMMUNICATIONS, Vol. 6, No. 7, p. 1262–1266 (1988).
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a part of the conventional matrix optical switch described in Hiroaki Inoue et al.
In FIG. 1, an optical waveguide 2 and an optical waveguide 3 are formed on a semiconductor substrate 1, intersecting each other. An optical waveguide 4 is formed near the intersection of the optical waveguide 2 and the optical waveguide 3 so as to connect the input side of the optical waveguide 3 to the output side of the optical waveguide 2. In carrier injection areas indicated by "IR01" and "IR02" in FIG. 1, electrodes (not shown) for injecting carriers are provided.
In the actual matrix optical switch, plural stand-along optical switches as shown in FIG. 1 are arranged to form an N×N (multiple-by-multiple) matrix optical switch.
The operation in the conventional example shown in FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 2 and 3 are explanatory views for explaining the operation in the conventional example shown in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the semiconductor substrate 1, the optical waveguide 2, the optical waveguide 3, the optical waveguide 4 and the other elements are denoted by the same numerals and symbols as in FIG. 1.
When the optical switch shown in FIG. 1 is off, no currents are supplied from the electrodes (not shown) to the carrier injection areas indicated by "IR01" and "IR02" in FIG. 1.
Therefore, the refractive index does not change in the carrier injection areas indicated by "IR01" and "IR02" in FIG. 1. For example, as indicated by "PS11" in FIG. 2, an optical signal becomes incident from an incidence end indicated by "PI01" in FIG. 2, then travels straight through the intersection and is emitted from an emission end indicated by "PO01" in FIG. 2.
On the other hand, when the optical switch shown in FIG. 1 is on, electrons and holes are injected from the electrodes (not shown). Therefore, carriers (electrons and holes) are injected into the carrier injection areas indicated by "IR01" and "IR02" in FIG. 1.
As the refractive index is lowered in the carrier injection areas indicated by "IR01" and "IR02" in FIG. 3 by a plasma effect, for example, an optical signal indicated by "PS21" in FIG. 3 is totally reflected by the low refractive index part generated in the carrier injection area indicated by "IR01" in FIG. 3 and propagates through the optical waveguide 4 as indicated by "PS22" in FIG. 3.
Then, the optical signal indicated by "PS22" in FIG. 3 is totally reflected by the low refractive index part generated in the carrier injection area indicated by "IR02" in FIG. 3, then propagates through the optical waveguide 2 as indicated by "PS23" in FIG. 3, and is emitted from an emission end indicated by "PO02" in FIG. 3.
As a result, an N×N (multiple-by-multiple) matrix optical switch can be constructed by arranging plural optical switches each of which has a bypass-like optical waveguide formed near the intersection of two optical waveguides 2 and 3 intersecting each other so as to connect the input side of the one optical waveguide to the output side of the other optical waveguide and which propagates an optical signal through the bypass-like optical waveguide to switch the propagation path when the optical switch is on.
However, in the matrix optical switch having the plural conventional optical switches shown in FIG. 1, the following relational expression holds:nc=ni×no−1  (1)where "nc" represents the number of intersections at which the propagation path of an optical signal must be switched, "ni" represents the number of optical waveguides on the input side, and "no" represents the number of optical waveguides on the output side. Therefore, the increase in the number of optical waveguides on the input side and output side increases raises a problem that a very large number of intersections exist at which the propagation path of an optical signal must be switched.
There is also a problem that it is difficult to realize a driving unit for independently driving (i.e., injecting carriers) the individual electrodes arranged at the very large number of intersections (i.e., the conventional optical switches as shown in FIG. 1).


An illuminating module with battery backup consisting of an array of light-emitting diodes is provided wherein the module combines the battery backup with the LED array in a self-contained light bulb-like unit which can be retrofitted into an existing incandescent light bulb socket. The batteries and the LED array are attached to a planar baseboard which further includes two base connectors. The base connectors are adapted to fit into existing light bulb sockets and are rotatably mounted on an edge of the baseboard to enable screwing them into light bulb sockets while the baseboard is kept stationary. The backup batteries are recharged from an external source of electrical current flowing through the base connectors. An automatic switching device switches the supply of electrical power for the LED array from the external source of electrical power to the backup batteries, when the flow of external electrical power is disrupted. A circuit causes the LED array to flash on and off to indicate interruption of external power, to prolong battery life, and to make the module more conspicuous in emergency conditions.

This invention relates generally to devices useful for illuminating display units, and specifically to illuminated display units which can be retrofitted into existing incandescent light bulb sockets.
Most public buildings now require perpetually lighted exit signs to direct people out of the buildings in case of an emergency. Usually such exit signs are powered by the normal building electrical power supply.
Problems arise, however, when the nature of the emergency causes the building power supply to go out. This shuts down the exit signs, defeating their purpose.
In an attempt to get around this problem, many building codes are now requiring that the exit signs have an independent, back-up power supply. The theory is that, if the main power supply goes out, the back-up power supply will continue to maintain the signs in a lighted state. However, most prior back-up power supply systems utilize a remote source of power, such as a generator. Because such power back-up source is remote, long runs of electrical wiring must often be used to connect the back-up remote source to the individual exit signs. Such wiring can be damaged during a fire or other catastrophic disaster.
Some installations use battery packs as the backup system for emergency signs. Each sign has its own battery pack located somewhere in the vicinity of the illuminating units. However, this is not entirely satisfactory either. Such battery packs still require some amount of external wiring to electrically connect the battery pack to the signs. Such wiring is damageable and requires labor and time for installation. Moreover, battery packs must generally be monitored closely to make sure the batteries never run down. Also, battery packs are bulky and difficult to hide in a way where they can be easily maintained and where the batteries can be periodically replaced.
These problems with prior art back-up devices become even more acute where an existing sign must be upgraded to include an independent back-up power supply. Utilizing a remote source of electrical power is even less satisfactory than in new installations since, in addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, installation requires extensive rewiring of the entire building. Utilizing individual battery packs is also less satisfactory because hiding the bulky, unsightly battery packs generally requires substantial remodeling efforts.
Accordingly, there is a pressing need for a system which will provide emergency back-up power to exit signs and other emergency signs which does not rely on a remote power source or extra wiring. Such a system should not require the "hiding" of a battery pack unit. Such a system should be able to utilize small and manageable battery packs. Such a system should not require the continued monitoring and frequent replacement of the batteries. Such a system should be easy to maintain. There is also a need for such a system which is easily and inexpensively "retrofittable" into existing exit signs.


A processing node in a temporal memory system includes a spatial pooler and a sequence processor. The spatial pooler generates a spatial pooler signal representing similarity between received spatial patterns in an input signal and stored co-occurrence patterns. The spatial pooler signal is represented by a combination of elements that are active or inactive. Each co-occurrence pattern is mapped to different subsets of elements of an input signal. The spatial pooler signal is fed to a sequence processor receiving and processed to learn, recognize and predict temporal sequences in the input signal. The sequence processor includes one or more columns, each column including one or more cells. A subset of columns may be selected by the spatial pooler signal, causing one or more cells in these columns to activate.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to learning and processing spatial patterns and temporal sequences in a temporal memory system, and more specifically to using a sparse distributed representation to learn and process spatial patterns and temporal sequences in a temporal memory system.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM) systems represent a new approach to machine intelligence. In an HTM system, training data comprising temporal sequences and/or spatial patterns are presented to a network of nodes. The HTM network then builds a model of the statistical structure inherent to the spatial patterns and temporal sequences in the training data, and thereby learns the underlying 'causes' of the temporal sequences of patterns and sequences in the training data. The hierarchical structures of the HTM system allow them to build models of very high dimensional input spaces using reasonable amounts of memory and processing capacity.
The training process of the HTM system is largely a form of unsupervised machine learning. During a training process, one or more processing nodes of the HTM system form relationships between temporal sequences and/or spatial patterns present in training input and their associated causes or events. During the learning process, indexes indicative of the cause or events corresponding to the training input may be presented to the HTM system to allow the HTM system to associate particular categories, causes or events with the training input.
Once an HTM system has built a model of a particular input space, it can perform inference or prediction. To perform inference or prediction, novel input including temporal sequences or spatial patterns are presented to the HTM system. During the inference stage, each node in the HTM system produces an output that is more invariant and temporally stable than its input. That is, the output from a node in the HTM system is more abstract and invariant compared to its input. At its highest node, the HTM system will generate an output indicative of the underlying cause or event associated with the novel input.

Temporal memory using sparse distributed representation


An electrical connector (100) is provided for mating with a mating connector and includes an insulator (21) having a plurality of passageways (213) defined therein and a number of conductive contacts (22) received in the passageways. Each conductive contact includes a rear fixing portion (221), a front contacting arm (224) projecting beyond the insulator and a spring portion (223) elastically connecting the contacting arm to the fixing portion. The contacting arm has a pair of contacting fingers (225) angled outwardly in a front end thereof. The spring portion is flexed to permit the contacting arm to move in a first direction. Simultaneously, the contacting fingers are forced to move outwardly in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and wipe along mating contacts 5 of the mating connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and more particularly, to an electrical connector having a contact element for elastically movable connecting with a complementary electrical connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spring contacts for electrical interfaces are well known in the prior art and represent a wide family of technology for providing interconnection between electrical contact elements. A known type of such a conventional connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,140 B2 issued to Takagi et al. on Feb. 25, 2003. The Takagi connector comprises an insulator and a plurality of conductive contacts received in the insulator. Each contact includes a contacting arm having a contact point extending beyond a mating opening of the insulator, and a spring portion integrally formed with the contacting arm. The insulator has a stopper portion adjacent to the mating opening thereof for elastically pressing a lower portion of the spring portion inwardly, thereby maintaining the contacting arm in a normal downwardly inclined state. When the connector mates with a complementary connector, the contacting arm of each contact is depressed inwardly and is free from the pressing of the stopper portion of the insulator, thereby moving upwardly relative to the complementary connector. As a result, the contacting arm upwardly goes back to a horizontal state.
However, being always pressed by the stopper portion of the housing, the spring portions of the contacts of the Takagi connector may be distorted or become robustless after repeatedly mating with the complementary connector, thus the contacts can not electrically and reliably connect with mating contacts of the complementary connector. Moreover, it is desired that the contacting portions be clean and having a low contact resistance. The Takagi contacts move from the inclined position to the horizontal position to provide the so-called "wiping effect". Due to elastic distortion of the Takagi contacts, a distance between inclined position and the horizontal position will be decreased, thus rendering unsatisfied wiping effects.
Hence, an electrical connector having reliable contacts is desired to overcome the foregoing shortcomings.

Electrical connector having reliable contacts


The ergonomic appliance handle is an extension handle that is attachable to a carrying or transport handle on a canister style vacuum cleaner or similar floor appliance. The ergonomic appliance handle provides an elongated handle shaft that is attached to the canister vacuum's handle at a proximate end of the handle shaft by a mounting assembly. The handle shaft extends angled upward, away from the vacuum, placing a handgrip at the distal end of the handle shaft at an ergonomically comfortable height and position for a user to easily and conveniently operate the vacuum in a comfortable posture without subjecting the user to unnecessary bending, stooping, or twisting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handles and similar attachments for various devices, and more particularly to an ergonomic appliance handle that provides an ergonomic improvement to a vertically oriented canister style vacuum cleaner or other floor appliance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vertical canister type vacuum cleaners are widespread in use in homes, commercial settings, and many other places. Vertical canister type vacuum cleaners (canister vacuums) generally have a cylindrical main housing disposed vertically on a plurality of wheels, some or all of the wheels being pivoting or caster type wheels. The housing contains a motor and vacuum mechanism, as well as a collection receptacle such as a filter bag, or a bag-less drum or water reservoir. An intake opening and an exhaust opening in the housing are connected to the vacuum mechanism, whereby air, along with dirt, particulate matter, and other objects are drawn into the collection receptacle, the air being discharged through the exhaust opening.
In use, a proximal end of a flexible hose is attached to the intake opening. The distal end of the hose is used, generally along with a cleaning attachment, accessory, or power nozzle, attached to the distal end for cleaning tasks.
Canister vacuums are advantageous over traditional upright vacuum cleaners. Because cleaning accessories, including power nozzles such as for vacuuming, shampooing, or steam cleaning carpets, are essentially separate from the main housing, they are of relatively light weight. Thus, a person operating the canister vacuum may maneuver the cleaning accessory at the end of the flexible hose during cleaning tasks, within the range of freedom of the hose, without the need to maneuver the main housing. In contrast, operating an upright machine requires a user to maneuver the machine's entire weight. Thus, because a canister vacuum requires only movement of the relatively lightweight hose and cleaning accessory during much of a cleaning task, the canister vacuum presents a lighter workload and less mechanical strain on a user's body, and in particular on a user's back. A user may remain in an upright posture, expending minimal strength to perform cleaning tasks, presenting an ergonomic and body-mechanical advantage.
Of course, during the course of operating a canister vacuum, it will become necessary from time to time to move the main housing itself, as the hose and cleaning accessory reach their maximum extent from the main housing. Generally, the main housing is simply pulled along by the hose to a new position wherein the hose and cleaning accessory are again operable unencumbered by the main housing.
During the course of moving a canister vacuum, some situations are encountered that compromise the ergonomic advantage of the canister vacuum. As a canister vacuum is pulled from place to place by its hose, the canister vacuum trails the user by the length of the hose. To draw the canister vacuum closer, the user may need to bend, twist, or stoop to reach along the hose to pull the canister vacuum closer, contorting a normal and comfortable posture. Such actions place a strain on the user's body and in particular the lumbar-sacral area of the user's lower back.
Additionally, as a canister vacuum is pulled from room to room, or area to area, the canister vacuum's wheels are likely to encounter obstacles such as carpet edges, door thresholds, and the like that prevent further rolling movement of the canister vacuum. Simply pulling harder on the hose risks pulling the hose free from the main housing, or tipping over the canister vacuum entirely. Either case requires a corrective intervention by the user to either re-attach the hose, or to upright the canister vacuum, both operations requiring bending and/or twisting by the user that present the potential for back strain and other bodily injury. The alternative to pulling harder on the hose to overcome the obstruction is to lift the canister vacuum over the obstruction, again risking back strain or other injury. In addition to the obstacles of carpet edges, door thresholds, and the like, additional obstacles, such as furniture, require the user to stop and bend, stoop, or twist to guide the canister vacuum around the obstacles. Also, on certain flooring surfaces the caster wheels may tend to guide the canister vacuum in an erratic path as it is pulled, requiring the user to intervene to prevent the canister vacuum from bumping walls, furniture, and such.
An additional drawback to moving a canister vacuum by simply pulling the canister vacuum along by its hose is that, because the hose is flexible, the canister vacuum cannot be pushed, or maneuvered backwards, by the hose. Again, user intervention is required that requires the user to bend, stoop, twist, or stretch in a manner that may cause injury.
Various handle configurations have been employed to provide an ergonomic advantage for vacuum cleaners and other types of floor appliances.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,222, issued on Jun. 1, 2004 to T. Furr-Britt et al., discloses a dual handle attachment for an upright floor appliance. A single central bracket attaches to the conventional single handlebar of an appliance, such as an upright vacuum cleaner, with a left and a right handgrip adjustably extending from the central bracket. The dual handle attachment allows a user to maneuver the appliance using generally symmetric upper body, arm, wrist, and hand forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,607, issued on Aug. 5, 1975 to R. Schaffer et al., discloses a readily removable implement handle for a vacuum cleaner, tool, floor scrubber, sweeper, or other device. Insertion means disposed on the handle releasably engage with receiving means affixed to the device, the handle including a locking means in the form of a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,071, issued on Apr. 16, 1996 to R. Berfield, discloses a U-shaped handle that is attachable to a motor housing of a vacuum apparatus to carry or lift the appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,364, issued on Oct. 13, 1998 to J. Sham, discloses a detachable handle accessory for a handheld portable steam vacuum cleaner. The handle accessory includes a support base for mounting the portable steam vacuum cleaner, a handle portion extending upwardly from the support base, and a wheel assembly affixed to the support base. The handle converts the handheld portable steam vacuum cleaner into an upright steam vacuum cleaner.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0124347, published on Sep. 12, 2002 and applied for by J. Roney et al., discloses a telescoping handle built into an upright vacuum cleaner.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0124345, published on Sep. 12, 2002 and applied for by S. Holsten et al., discloses a vacuum appliance having push and pull handles. The vacuum cleaning appliance is generally of the canister vacuum configuration. A first handle is disposed on a first side of the vacuum appliance, a second handle being disposed on a second side of the vacuum appliance generally opposite the first side.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0101534, published on Jun. 5, 2003 and applied for by M. Noreen et al., discloses a canister-type vacuum cleaner having a collapsible handle attached to the housing that is adjustable to the height of a user and positioned so that the user can use the handle to move and guide the vacuum cleaner housing.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0229964, published on Dec. 18, 2003 and applied for by S. Thompson et al., discloses a handled cart that receives a wet/dry vacuum and converts the vacuum into an upright walk behind cleaning device. The cart provides a handle attached to a mobile base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,026, issued on May 5, 1987 to W. Sumerau et al., discloses a convertible vacuum cleaner handle that is convertible between a first position suitable for floor standing operation and a second position suitable for hand carried operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,667, issued on Dec. 22, 1998 to J. Orsini, discloses an extension handle for a portable vacuum that includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a bracket for attaching the shaft to the handle portion of a portable vacuum. The distal end of the shaft is pivotally retained in the bracket such that an on/off switch on the portable vacuum may be operated by the pivoting of the shaft to activate and deactivate the vacuum.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an ergonomic appliance handle solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


An alert processing system and method are adapted for processing device alerts. The system includes a routing device in communication with a printer. The routing device receives at least one alert description in a source language transmitted from the printer. The routing device identifies a set of words derived from the alert description related to a condition of the associated device. The routing device compares the set of words, in a target language, to a categorization model and, based on the comparison, categorizes the set of words into to one of a predetermined set of alert categories.

The present disclosure is directed toward a system and method for handling alerts generated by electromechanical devices. The disclosure also relates to a method for categorizing each alert for purposes of attending to the alert.
A managed printing environment typically has goals of maximizing working time for multiple devices, such as printers, within an organization. In such a networked environment, a number of devices can be managed by a remotely located service provider. Generally, in a fleet of heterogeneous devices, the devices are each programmed to fire status messages, in the form of alerts, to a common server located at a customer site. These alerts are composed of codes and description messages that contain valuable information about current resource levels, device health, and the like. The information is pooled at the customer site and relayed to the remote service provider in batches. A conventional method for managing the device alerts involves an operator at the call center who supervises the received information to monitor the status of the printers and to assist in diagnosing and troubleshooting problems. The operator identifies and resolves any issues that are indicated by the alerts. The operator has to sort through the alerts and schedule the responses, based on a level of importance associated with each alert. The importance can vary based on the type of alert and whether the alert relates to a problem that requires immediate attention.
One problem with this approach is that the importance of an alert or pertinent information contained in the alert can be lost amongst an influx of redundant alerts acquired for one device or by identical alerts for multiple devices at one or multiple customer sites. The task of maintaining knowledge of different sets of rules for attending the alerts can be challenging for an operator that is supervising a diverse fleet of devices.
Therefore, filtering systems have been developed for automatically filtering alerts, such as repetitive alerts, from the batch, based on a set of programmed rules. One problem associated with the rule-based filtering approach is that this may not cover all types of alerts encountered by the system. In this case, the filtering process may not be triggered by certain categories of alerts that should be filtered. For example, business rules are flexible and can vary among different fleets of devices. Different sets of customized rules can be associated with certain customer sites. These rule-based systems can therefore require substantial information and experience to formulate. Furthermore, the differences in business rules among fleets and customer sites can be difficult to maintain, which can affect the categorization of alerts for purposes of attending to an alert. Any changes made to rules should be propagated with proper versioning controls and can be difficult to control. Accordingly, the filtering system is continually updated to categorize alerts based on current and changing rule requirements.
There remains a need for a system and a method that enables a categorization scheme to be automatically updated for purposes of filtering, analyzing, and responding to device alerts. A desired system is adapted to analyze each received alert and update a reference list using a categorization model for an alert description that is determined not to have been previously referenced in the model.

System and method for labeling alert messages from devices for automated management


Compositions for treating erectile dysfunction (“ED”), including age related erectile dysfunction (ARED), comprise in a preferred embodiment ginger and an amino acid. Preferably the amino acid is L-arginine and/or L-citrulline. Additionally, the compositions may comprise guarana (Paullinia cupana), Muira puama cortex Magnoliae officinalis (CMO) and/or Fructus aurantil immaturus (FAI). The compositions of the present inventions are administered in a pharmaceutically effective amount to treat erectile dysfunction. Essential ingredients in formulations of the present inventions for treatment of ED and ARED are ginger (or ginger derivative) and L-citrulline or L-arginine. A daily dosage of at least about 250 mg ginger and at least about 400 mg L-citrulline or L-arginine for a sufficient period of time will result in improved IIEF scores in a substantial number of patients.

Impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED) is a problem that most men will face at some time in their life. In fact, by the time a man reaches 50 years of age, he has about a 1 in 2 chance of having some problem with his erection. The problem could be either attaining and/or maintaining his erection long enough to complete the sexual act. As men get older, the chance of getting ED increases such that a 60 year old man has approximately a 60% chance of having ED, a 70 year old man has about a 70% chance, etc. Even men in their 40's have about a 40% chance of having some form of ED, while it has been extrapolated that men in their 30's and 20's have about a 30% and 20% chance, respectively, of having noticed that something has changed with their erectile function.
From an anthropological or evolutionary standpoint, the demand on the reproductive organs inclusive of erectile function decreases after men pass their peak reproductive age which ranges from their late teens into their 20's. The actual age of onset of ED in an individual depends on many factors, such as genetics, health, lifestyle, etc. The major reason ED manifests itself, regardless of the age of onset, is due to an alteration in the corporal cavernosal smooth muscle (CSM), which is located within the cavernosal or corporal bodies of the penis.
The function of the CSM in the erectile process is to receive and trap blood entering the corporal bodies. This is accomplished when the CSM undergoes relaxation that allows it to open up and create spaces or sinusoids into which the entering blood pools. The pooling of this blood in sinusoidal spaces increases the pressure within the corporal bodies and when a certain intracorporeal pressure is reached, the pressure closes off the veins that drain the blood out of the corporal bodies, essentially trapping it within the corporal bodies. Clinically, this is how the CSM tissue is able to attain (by creating spaces for the blood to pool into) and maintain (by closing off the veins) an erection. It is when this CSM begins to degrade in some way or another and becomes incapable of either relaxing sufficiently enough to create these spaces where the blood is normally trapped or it cannot maintain its relaxation long enough so that it fails to compress the veins that provide egress for blood from the corporal bodies that ED begins to be manifested. While some men may not notice signs of ED until later in life, it is inevitable that ED will occur if one lives long enough.
There are multiple biochemical pathways involved in penile erection and dysfunction. Without stimulation, flaccidity can be considered as the baseline state. Flaccidity is due to corpus cavernosum smooth-muscle cells ("CSM") being contracted and helicine arterioles being sufficiently contracted to limit blood flow to corpus covernosal sinuses; the sympathetic nervous system and tonic adrenergic discharge maintain baseline contraction of smooth muscle cells and arteriole blood supply (e.g., adrenergic, cholinergic, and nonadrenergic-noncholinergic pathways). So, a combination of metabolic pathways are involved in inducing the erectile processes involving smooth muscle relaxation, arterial dilation, and venous occlusion.
As noted above, by age 50 about one half of all men will have noticeable ED. The presence of certain diseases, e.g. diabetes, or certain lifestyles, e.g. smoking, may accelerate in time the genetically predetermined onset of the degradation of the CSM such that men with diabetes tend to get ED at a younger age when compared to non-diabetics. It is believed that the degradation of the CSM is ultimately the result of oxidative stress; this oxidation process within the CSM is accelerated by certain diseases (e.g. diabetes), and lifestyles (e.g. smoking), etc. Oxidation of this tissue ultimately results in a progressive loss of the CSM cells and a corresponding increase in collagen fibers or fibrous tissue. At a certain level of loss of the CSM within the corporal tissue, which some estimate to be between 10 and 20% of the CSM cells, the impact on erectile function becomes noticeable. The first recognition that one's erectile mechanism is worsening is the increase in time that it takes for one to achieve subsequent erections. This time in between subsequent erections is called the refractory period and it is the first indication that the CSM tissue is changing for the worse.
When the CSM cells begin to undergo oxidation and deteriorate either as a result of aging or some other cause, the CSM begin to induce an enzyme called inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which produces nitric oxide in high quantities within the cells that begins to combat the oxidative stress. This induction of nitric oxide (NO) by iNOS is different from the NO that is found in the nerves of the body including the nerves that innervates the CSM cells. This NO in the nerves is produced by a related enzyme, neuronal nitric oxide synthase ("nNOS"), and in the penis it only releases NO when the patient is sexually stimulated. This NO from nNOS is the major chemical that is involved in the relaxation of the CSM cells and hence is required for the initiation and maintenance of a normal erection. Therefore, while nNOS is normally present in the nerves innervating the penis, iNOS is normally not present in the CSM cells of the penis and is only induced by the CSM cells themselves when the cells experience oxidative stress. However, when iNOS is induced as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,032, human erectile dysfunction can be ameliorated by treatment with iNOS, inducers of iNOS or iNOS cDNA. Further background on sexual dysfunction, urogenital disease, ED and treatments therefore can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,133,281, 6,007,824, U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0085486, and Schwartz, Eric, et al., "Sildenafil Preserves Intracorporeal Smooth Muscle After Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy," The Journal of Urology, Vol 171, pp. 771-774, February 2004.
With reference to U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0085486, fibrotic disease is linked to reproductive disorders and cardiovascular disease, which are both prevalent in aging males. The ubiquitous and long felt need to treat sexual dysfunction has led to surgical and pharmacological treatment approaches. The ongoing commercial success of prescription medications under the trademarks VIAGRA®, LEVITRA® and CIALIS® for treatment of ED demonstrates the long felt and widespread need for effective treatments for ED, particularly for patients that present with ED symptoms advanced sufficiently that erections of satisfactory duration at the desired time can only be reliably accomplished by taking the prescription drug.
Thus, there remains a ubiquitous and long-felt need to treat ED before it progresses to the point where pharmacological and/or other medical intervention is required in order to have desired sexual performance. Nevertheless, current ED drugs, such as VIAGRA® and CIALIS®, are generally prescribed only after the patient has presented with symptoms of ED. These drugs belong to a class of drugs called Type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. PDE5 is an enzyme that breaks down cGMP once it is formed and PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra prevent the cGMP from breaking down so the effect of the cGMP on the tissues is enhanced. With regards to erectile function, cGMP is formed within the CSM from a reaction that is initiated by the NO that is released from the cavernosal nerve following sexual stimulation. The NO that begins the erectile response comes from the enzyme nNOS that is located in the nerve endings. The NO enters the CSM cells and causes a reaction to occur. NO activates the enzyme soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) in the cytoplasm of the CSM and this enzyme in turn converts guanosine triphosphate (GTP) into cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). An increase in cGMP stimulates protein kinase G to phosphorylate potassium and calcium channels causing a decrease in cytosolic calcium, dilation of the helicine arterioles, and the relaxation of the trabecular smooth muscle where all the CSM cells are located. As noted above, the relaxation of the smooth muscle leads to an increase in the intracavernosal volume, initiating the erectile process. Normally, endogenous PDE5 enzyme degrades cGMP which reverses the relaxation of the smooth muscle cells, and leads to loss of erection whereas the ingestion of these PDE5 inhibitors prior to sexual stimulation prevent the degradation of the cGMP that is formed thereby prolonging any CSM relaxation and enhancing any erectile response.
Currently, one suffering from ED needs to see a doctor and get a prescription for an ED treatment in advance in order to be prepared for a satisfying experience. Onset and duration of the effects of PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra depend on the specificity of the compound. While PDE5 inhibitors are considered the "first line treatment of ED," there are notable side effects (headache, flushing, dyspepsia, rhinitis, visual disturbances, back pain, etc.) and adverse interactions that can limit or bar their use (e.g., patients taking nitrates with a PDE5i can experience hypotension and syncope. See Dorsey, Philip et al., "Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors for the treatment of erectile dysfunction," Expert Opinion, Pharmacother. (2010), 11(7): pp 1109-1122). Since most men will at some time in their life get ED mainly as the result of CSM deterioration secondary to the aging process, the present inventor faced the problem of whether or not it is desirable to treat men who are asymptomatic but whose refractory period has begun to increase—a subtle sign that the CSM is beginning to undergo deterioration—in order to slow or prevent the progression of this deterioration and the forthcoming ED. For patients who already have noticeable ED symptoms, it may also be desirable to slow if not stop or reverse the progression of the ED.
Prior research indicated that high doses of ginger combined with the iNOS stimulant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could increase nitric oxide production. However, this conflicted with other work that indicates that ginger by itself and without LPS stimulated iNOS production in a dose dependent manner and in much lower doses (see American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Vol. 32, No. 5, pp 727-735, 2004). Use of high dosages of ginger are impractical for long term routine administration, so initially the present inventor focused on isolating specific compounds within ginger, such as 6-gingerol, that might be utilized in a formulation for stimulating iNOS. However, use of such specific compounds is more expensive, and ginger by itself was insufficient to provide a reasonable alternative to PDE5 inhibitors to treat and/or prevent ED.
Numerous natural products, such as ginseng, are claimed to have "tonic" or "adaptogenic" properties. A tonic or adaptogenic effect is characterized as a general feeling of vigor or well-being that is purportedly the result of taking natural herbs, such as ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, etc. Traditional Chinese folk medicine includes numerous teachings of herbal formulations having different purported properties. However, natural herbs are often complex mixtures, and have different names and chemical formulations depending on the geographic source. The mixture of the main or named ingredient with other ingredients and conflicting reports of the effects of same requires that careful scientific studies be conducted to determine the properties of each ingredients in an herb on specific aspects of health. The use of natural herbs in treating disease cannot be reliably predicted on the basis of folk lore.
For example, Withania somnifera, a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, is also known as Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, Amukkara in Tamil, etc. Ginseng or Ashwagandha is widely promoted for a wide variety of uses, including as an aphrodisiac or for increasing male sexual performance, alone or in combination with other ingredients. in Japanese patent application 2002-193826, to Kosuke, a combination of 1 gram of ashwagandha with 1 gram arginine or of 1 gram of ashwagandha and 1 gram of oat extract is taught as a tonic or adaptogenic composition that can increase erectile function; with daily use for 90 days, increases in sperm count and erections were reported. The essential ingredient taught by Kosuke to improve erectile function is ginseng (or Ashwagandha). One formulation of Kosuke includes ashwagandha, arginine, and yeast with zinc; the zinc is purported to help increase sperm count. In addition to ashwagandha and/or oat, Kosuke suggests addition of at least one of eight other natural products: velvet bean, cola, guarana, ginkgo leaves, kava kava, mace, ginger and extracts thereof for different purposes. For example, ginger is a suggested additional ingredient for "stimulating the central nerve and thereby having a perspiration action and a blood flow stimulation action." However, ginger is also taught by the prior art to adversely effect the nitric oxide metabolism involved in erectile function; see Liao, Hui et al., "Elucidation of Danzhixiaoyao Wan and its Constituent Herbs on Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Production," eCam, Advanced Access publication Jan. 9, 2007), i.e., ginger is taught to cause, not treat, erectile dysfunction. Thus, one would not be led to add ginger to Kosuke's formulation that requires ginseng and that purports to increase erectile function in view of other teachings that ginger has an adverse effect on erectile function; such reports of ginger's adverse effect on erectile function would not outweigh Kosuke's suggestion to use ginger for a generalized tonic effect, not erectile function.
The listing of a wide variety of different compositions of natural products with unverified benefits, such as by Kosuke, can be risky to persons taking them. Sometimes one herb ingredient counteracts another, the formulation does not result in the claimed benefit, and/or in some instances medical conditions can be overlooked or made worse.
With respect to ginseng, its purported effect on sexual function may be due to impact on nitric oxide production, while arginine is also believed to play a role in endogenous nitric oxide metabolism. Nevertheless, ashwagandha or ginseng has not proven to have a sufficient benefit in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Further, complex formulations including ginseng and a "shotgun" approach to adding up to eight different ingredients (or more) for purported enhancement of a tonic effect is not a reliable indicator that any product, natural or synthetic, has a beneficial impact on the patient or particular symptom being treated. Moreover, a tonic benefit may arise from the patient having increased food intake as a result of taking the compositions, and therefore the recipient may simply have more energy or good health resulting from caloric, vitamin and protein ingestion from their overall diet. The addition of various other ingredients without having reliable data on which ingredients have the purported benefit, while other ingredients may have their effects covered up or misinterpreted, makes it practically impossible to medically rely on generalized suggestions. Kosuke gives examples of tests with formulations that contain ashwagandha and arginine, but formulations with other ingredients were not tested for the purported effects they would bring. While the prior art suggests that ginseng may enhance erectile function, the benefits thereof have not been sufficient to replace treatment with existing erectile dysfunction drugs, such as PDE5 inhibitors, particularly for patients that are showing increases in the refractory period between erections and other symptoms indicative of progressive erectile dysfunction.
The science behind the use of dietary supplements to treat diseases has increased over the past several decades. This includes the use of natural foods or products in combination with specific compounds. For example, arginine and other amino acids have been known for decades to play important roles in biological function of humans and animals in general, however, the biological and biochemical roles are still being elucidated so that significant unpredictability remains for even small changes in formulations and/or depending on varying patient specific factors. Ginger and other herbs are often combined in foods. A combination of rosemary with other ingredients (e.g., curcumin and guercitin) is taught in U.S. Patent application 2002/0051826 to Darland et al for use in treating inflammation-related diseases. In addition to those main ingredients, Darland also suggests optionally using limonene, which can come from D-limonene or hesperidin, or the use of between 180 mg and 220 mg of ginger; the formulation can optionally include 180 mg to 220 mg of citrulline and other vitamins. Such reports indicate the safety of ingredients such as ginger, citrulline and arginine as long-term dietary supplements. While such complex formulations are indicated to have general health benefits, there is a need for increased testing of specific formulations and determination of their impacts, both positive and negative, on different aspects of health.
Thus, there remains substantial unpredictability in the benefits and detriments of natural herbs, with a wide range of conflicting and unreliable teachings, many based on anecdotal reports that cannot be reliably reproduced. In order to make a medical treatment recommendation, one of ordinary skill in the art of Western medical research, requires data from studies that used accepted scientific methods. Such scientific methods include controls (e.g., placebo or base line formulations), independent objective analysis, patient histories and patient monitoring before, during and after each study, where possible double blind clinical trials, and uniform compositions with reliable and consistent ingredients and analyses. Otherwise, the data or conclusions are subject to criticism as subjective, anecdotal, and/or wrong based on properly conducted studies, for example studies of the type accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Agency (US FDA), which may include an IRB protocol (Institutional Review Board protocol submitted to and approved by other scientists). It is desired to have study results that can be relied upon by clinicians trained in modern medicine and science in the United States, Europe, Canada, China, Japan, and other countries. While it is desirable to use natural products that have well-established safety as foods in place of synthetic chemical pharmaceutical formulations, such use must be based on sufficient studies to justify replacing or supplementing medicines that have met regulatory and scientific scrutiny. The present inventor was challenged by the problems of finding compositions and methods for treatment and inhibition of ED that are practical for long term routine administration, while avoiding side effects of existing formulations, enable treatment of and prevention of ED in patients that cannot utilize prior art ED treatments, and/or provide new practical and cost effective compositions to prevent as well as treat ED. Preferably, such formulations are simpler and do not include ginseng, rosemary and/or ingredients that have not been demonstrated to have a sufficient and consistent clinical benefit for the treatment of ED.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compositions and methods for treating, inhibiting the onset, and slowing the progression of erectile dysfunction including naturally occurring age related erectile dysfunction


The invention relates to a ‘Parking Location Reminder Device’ with means to remind drivers of the location of their parked vehicle. It comprises of housing containing a microphone, speaker and voice recorder; and is constructed in a way such that it can be attached to a vehicle key chain. Drivers record the location of their parked vehicle recorder of the said device using microphone as the audio input means. The parking location of the said vehicle is retrieved by playing back the recorded voice message using speaker as the audio output means. Means is also provided in the said device to record and playback other voice memos. Means is also provided in the ‘Parking Location Reminder Device’ for drivers to record and display/playback still images and/or video of the location of their parked vehicles.

Drivers often forget the location where they had parked their vehicle. This is a frequent problem, especially in large multi storied parking garages. In this event, drivers have to either walk a long distance in the parking garage till they locate their vehicle; or they have to request the services of a parking attendant or a friend to drive them in the parking garage to locate their vehicle. Parking garages have come up with many innovative solutions to help drivers remember the location of their parked vehicle; 1) some have unique color schemes for each parking level; 2) some have easy to remember names for each parking level; 3) some have fliers at each level with the corresponding parking level printed on them that drivers can take with them; 4) some print their map and layout on the back of parking tickets, on which drivers can mark the location of their parked vehicle. However there are many drawbacks with each of the present methods used by parking garages; 1) there is no uniformity in the method used, with each parking garage having its own unique method; 2) most methods only help drivers remember the level on which their vehicle is parked and not its exact location; 3) most methods consume paper which is environmentally unfriendly; 4) the methods employing unique color schemes or unique names for each parking level still require driver to memorize them, which can be problematic, especially in case of older drivers and drivers who park their vehicles for longer periods of time; 5) some methods require drivers to write the location of their parked vehicle which can be a problem on many accounts; a) requires drivers to carry a writing instrument, which is not the case at all times; b) some elderly drivers have trouble writing because of poor vision, arthritis in their hand joints or neuromuscular disorders; c) sometimes lighting conditions in the parking garage is not optimal.
In addition, there are inventions in the prior art that have attempted to provide a suitable device with means to remind drivers of the location of their parked vehicle. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,142 issued on Mar. 4, 2003; Yeh et al have disclosed a system for locating a vehicle that is parked in a parking lot, a parking garage or on a street. The system comprises of two separate signal generator/processor circuits, each circuit being contained in a module, one being a hand-held locator module and the other, a receive/response module that is installed in a vehicle. Both modules, when activated by user, communicate with the other by means of specially encoded radio signals. To find a parked vehicle, a user merely presses a pushbutton on the locator module which transmits a high frequency search signal. In response, the receive/response module emits a direction indicating signal to the locator module, which then displays the direction and elevation of the vehicle with respect to the user location. Provision is made for the receive/response module to operate without a connection to a vehicle battery if necessary, allowing the module to be used portably. The system is small in size, inexpensive and easy to use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,921 issued on Dec. 2, 2002; Wilkinson has disclosed a system for locating a parked vehicle, as in the case of a driver having forgotten the location of his/her parked vehicle in a crowded parking lot, whereby a handheld apparatus is automatically engaged prior to the driver leaving the immediate vicinity of his/her parked vehicle. When thusly engaged, the apparatus retrieves GPS location coordinates for the parked vehicle from GPS satellites and stores these coordinates in its memory. Once activated by the driver for the purpose of finding his/her parked vehicle, the Vehicle Locating Apparatus retrieves GPS location coordinates for the driver's current position. Using the GPS location coordinates stored in its memory and those retrieved for the driver's current location, a microprocessor contained within the apparatus calculates the shortest course between the driver and his/her parked vehicle. This course is then presented on a visual display by way of a "floating" directional arrow. In the case of a parking garage where GPS satellite signals cannot be retrieved consistently, the apparatus has a built in counting switch that allows the driver to manually record in the apparatus' memory the floor number on which he/she parked his/her vehicle. When requested, the apparatus displays the floor number on a visual display.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,358 issued on Jun. 4, 2002; Carter has disclosed a portable electronic parking location reminder device that may be easily carried on a key chain or key ring has an electronic display screen and contains a battery powered microcontroller with memory and timer features. User input keys on the housing allow the user to enter letters and/or numbers corresponding to the location of a parked vehicle, store the entered data, and later retrieve and display the data when it is desired to find the parked vehicle. The user input keys include a mode key for selecting between an alpha mode for entering letters of the alphabet (A-Z), a numeric mode for entering numerals (0-9), and a direction mode for entering letters representing geographical directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W,). Data is entered and displayed in several distinct fields that correspond to an aspect of the location of the parked vehicle. The identity of a parking lot in which the vehicle is parked may be entered in a first field, the identity of a row of a parking area entered in a second field, the identity of a floor level of a parking facility in a third field, and the identity of a geographical location of a parking area in a fourth field. Stored data may be selectively locked to prevent accidental changing. An automatic reduced power mode reduces power consumption when not in use, and a low battery condition is also displayed.
None of the inventions in the prior art however, has the unique construction, design and functionality of the 'Parking Location Reminder Device' of the present invention discussed here forth.


The present invention relates to a video display apparatus and an operating method therefor. The operating method for a video display apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: receiving video information on an incoming video from outside or on a broadcast video; detecting conversion information between a 2D video and a 3D video within 3D video information, when the received video information is 3D video information; performing a 2D signal processing or a 3D signal processing on either the incoming video from outside or the broadcast video, according to the conversion information. In this way, it becomes easier to find out whether an incoming video from an external device is a 2D video or a 3D video.

A video display apparatus is an apparatus equipped with a function of displaying a video which can be watched by a user. A user can watch broadcasting through a video display apparatus. The video display apparatus displays broadcasting selected by a user, from broadcast signals transmitted by a broadcasting station, in a display. There is a tendency that broadcasting is now being switched from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting worldwide.
Digital broadcasting refers to broadcasting that transmits digital videos and audio signals. Digital broadcasting has less data loss because it is resistant to external noise, has advantageous error correction, and provides a vivid screen, as compared with analog broadcasting. Furthermore, digital broadcasting, unlike analog broadcasting, enables bi-directional service.
Furthermore, there are various researches recently being carried out on a stereoscopic image. Stereoscopic image technology gradually becomes general and commercialized not only in computer graphics, but also in other various environments and techniques.

Video display apparatus and operating method therefor


A display device includes: a display unit; scanning lines connected to rows of the pixels; data lines connected to columns of the pixels; a dummy scanning line being extended in parallel with the scanning lines; a scanning driver which outputs a selection signal to a selected scanning line and to the dummy scanning line in response to a selection clock signal; a data driver which outputs data for displaying one scanning line in response to a timing determination signal; and a timing determination signal line connected to a node preset on the dummy scanning line and transmits the selection signal transmitted to the node to the data driver as the timing determination signal. Even for a large size display, displaying defects can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device for displaying a screen.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of display devices such as the TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display device, the simple matrix liquid crystal display device, the electro luminance (EL) display device and the plasma display device are widely spread. On a display device, a screen is displayed. In recent years, the display size tends to become larger in order to display large size images.
However, as the size of a display device becomes larger, the signal delay caused by resistances or capacitances of scanning lines of the display device becomes larger. This delay causes a lag of the timing of outputting data on screen, which may cause a defect in the display screen. Therefore, it is desired to prevent such a defect.
As an example of the technique for preventing this problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2000-250068A (referred to as Patent Document 1) describes a TFT liquid crystal display device 100. As shown in FIG. 1, this TFT liquid crystal display device 100 includes: a glass substrate 101, a scanning driver (gate driver) 108, a drain driver 107, and a display unit (liquid crystal panel).
The liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged on a glass substrate 101 in a matrix form.
Each of the plurality of pixels includes: a thin film transistor (TFT) 102, and a pixel capacitor 105. The pixel capacitor 105 includes a pixel electrode and an opposite electrode opposing the pixel electrode. The opposite electrode is grounded. The TFT 102 includes: a drain electrode 103, a source electrode 104 connected to the pixel electrode, and a gate electrode 106.
The TFT liquid crystal display device 100 further includes: a k-number of scanning lines (gate lines) 108G1 to 108Gk (where k is an integer of two or larger).
To the gate electrodes 106 of the TFTs 102 of the pixels in a plurality of rows, the k-number of gate lines 108G1 to 108Gk are respectively connected.
To the gate driver 108, the k-number of gate lines 108G1 to 108Gk described above are connected.
The TFT liquid crystal display device 100 further includes a j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj (where j is an integer of two or larger).
To the drain electrodes 103 of the TFTs 102 of the pixels in a plurality of columns, the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj are respectively connected.
To the drain driver 107, the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj described above are connected.
The TFT liquid crystal display device 100 further includes a dummy gate line 109.
The drain driver 107 includes a latch terminal 112.
The dummy gate line 109 is provided on the glass substrate 101 in parallel to the k-number of gate lines 108G1 to 108Gk. To the gate driver 108, one end (input end) 109a of the dummy gate line 109 is connected as a 0-th gate line. The other end (terminal end) 109b of the dummy gate line 109 is connected to the latch terminal 112.
To the gate driver 108, selection clock signals (VCK, VSP) are supplied. These selection clock signals (VCK, VSP) are defined as clock signals for selecting the gate line 108G1 in one horizontal period.
The gate driver 108, in response to the selection clock signals (VCK, VSP), outputs a selection signal to the gate line 108G1. At this point, to the gate line 108G1, the selection signal is transmitted in order from one end to the other end thereof, and the TFTs 102 of a j-number of pixels corresponding to the gate line 108G1 are turned on by the selection signal supplied to the gate electrodes 106.
Moreover, to the dummy gate line 109, the clock signal VCK is supplied. At this point, to the dummy gate line 109, the clock signal VCK is transmitted in order from the input end 109a to the terminal end 109b thereof. As a result, the clock signal VCK transmitted to the terminal end 109b of the dummy gate line 109 is transmitted as a latch signal LP to the latch terminal 112 of the drain driver 107.
To the drain driver 107, a clock signal HCK and a j-number of one-line display data DAT are supplied.
The drain driver 107, in accordance with the clock signal HCK and the latch signal LP, outputs the j-number of one-line display data DAT to the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj. At this point, the TFTs 102 of the j-number of pixels corresponding to the gate line 108G1 and the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj are on. Thus, in the pixel capacitors 105 of the pixels corresponding to the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj, the j-number of one-line display data DAT are respectively written and held until the next writing. Consequently, the j-number of one-line display data DAT are displayed.
With the TFT liquid crystal display device 100 explained above, when the gate driver 108 has outputted the selection signal to the gate line 108G1, this selection signal is delayed by resistance and capacitance of the gate line 108G1. In this case, when the gate driver 108 has outputted a selection signal to the dummy gate line 109, this selection signal is delayed by resistance and capacitance of the dummy gate line 109. The delay time from when the gate driver 108 has outputted the selection signal to the dummy gate line 109 to when the selection signal is transmitted to the terminal end of the dummy gate line 109 is represented by Δ t.
The delay time Δ t shows the timing (transmission timing) at which the selection signal inputted from the input end transmits to the terminal end of the dummy gate line 109.
The clock signal VCK transmitted to the terminal end 109b of the dummy gate line 109 is transmitted as the latch signal LP to the latch terminal 112 of the drain driver 107 while being delayed by the delay time Δ t. The drain driver 107, in accordance with the clock signal HCK and the latch signal LP, outputs the j-number of one-line display data DAT to the j-number of data lines 107D1 to 107Dj. Therefore, the delay time Δt determines the timing (output timing) of outputting data by the drain driver 107.
Consequently, in the TFT liquid crystal display device 1 explained above, the timing of outputting data by the drain driver 107 can be adjusted to the delay by the resistance and capacitance of the gate line 108G1. As a result, a displaying defect caused by the signal delay can be prevented in the TFT liquid crystal display device 1.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an element region having a polygonal shape defined by a plurality of edges, and an isolation region surrounding the element region, and a plurality of gate electrodes provided on the substrate, crossing the element region, arranged in parallel with each other, and electrically connected with each other, wherein at least one of the edges does not cross any of the gate electrodes, and is not parallel to the gate electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the following technique has been proposed (see JP-A 2007-60616 (KOKAI)). According to the foregoing technique, a CMOS circuit is used for a high-frequency power amplifier of a transmitter of a mobile wireless terminal. In particular, the following structure has been proposed in order to obtain a large output current. According to the structure, a plurality of transistors is arranged in the same element region, and these transistors are connected in parallel. In this case, the layout structure called a multi-finger is usually employed. According to the multi-finger type layout structure, a plurality of gate electrodes is arranged in parallel and electrically connected in the same element region.
However, a semiconductor device having the foregoing multi-finger type layout structure does not necessarily provide a structure for realizing excellent characteristics.


On a monitor (52) there is displayed a synthesized image (G4) in which an image (G1) of a subject lens showing a refractive power distribution, an image (G2) of a lens frame, and an eyepoint mark image (G3) are superimposed based on the refractive power distribution data of the subject lens by a lens meter (100), on the frame shape data of the lens frame by a frame shape measurement apparatus (200), and on the eyepoint data by an eyepoint measurement apparatus (300).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a layout judgment apparatus that judges the layout of a lens to be tested (hereinafter referred to as a subject lens) and a system for the layout judgment apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Progressive power lenses and distance aspheric lenses have become widespread in recent years as eyeglass lenses. With this wide spread, there is a need to appropriately put an eyeglass lens into the lens frame of an eyeglass frame so that the distance visual point and near visual point of a subject fall within the lens frame. For this reason, there is a need to measure the lens characteristics of a subject lens with a lens meter and confirm the distance portion (i.e., farsighted portion) and near portion (i.e., nearsighted portion) of the subject lens.
The aforementioned conventional lens meter, however, merely displays the measured value of each portion measured with a means of measuring. For this reason, there arises the disadvantage that the corresponding relationship between the frame of a subject lens and the distribution state of the lens characteristics of the subject lens, that is, the layout of the lens characteristics of the subject lens to the lens frame, is not known.

Layout judgment apparatus and layout judgment system


The present invention is a fluoropolymer comprising a plurality of pendent groups terminating in —CF2SO3X, —CF2SO2F, or combinations thereof, where X is selected from a group consisting of H+ and a monovalent cation, and at least one —CF2Y end group, where Y is selected from a group consisting of a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, an iodine atom, a nitrile group, and an —SO3X group.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce usable electricity by the catalyzed combination of a fuel such as hydrogen and an oxidant such as oxygen. In contrast to conventional power plants, such as internal combustion generators, fuel cells do not utilize combustion. As such, fuel cells produce little hazardous effluent. Fuel cells convert hydrogen fuel and oxygen directly into electricity, and can be operated at higher efficiencies compared to internal combustion generators.
A fuel cell such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell typically contains a membrane electrode assembly, which consists of a catalyst coated membrane disposed between a pair of gas diffusion layers. The catalyst coated membrane itself typically includes an electrolyte membrane disposed between a pair of catalyst layers. The respective sides of the electrolyte membrane are referred to as an anode portion and a cathode portion. In a typical PEM fuel cell, hydrogen fuel is introduced into the anode portion, where the hydrogen reacts and separates into protons and electrons. The electrolyte membrane transports the protons to the cathode portion, while allowing a current of electrons to flow through an external circuit to the cathode portion to provide power. Oxygen is introduced into the cathode portion and reacts with the protons and electrons to form water and heat.
Another type of electrochemical device is an electrolysis cell, which uses electricity to produce chemical changes or chemical energy. An example of an electrolysis cell is a chlor-alkali membrane cell where aqueous sodium chloride is electrolyzed by an electric current between an anode and a cathode. The electrolyte is separated into an anolyte portion and a catholyte portion by a membrane subject to harsh conditions. In chlor-alkali membrane cells, caustic sodium hydroxide collects in the catholyte portion, hydrogen gas is evolved at the cathode portion, and chlorine gas is evolved from the sodium chloride-rich anolyte portion at the anode.
Due to their ionic properties, fluorinated ionomers are suitable for forming electrolyte membranes in fuel cells, electrolysis cells, and other electrochemical devices. Fluorinated ionomers are typically prepared by free-radical polymerization of fluorinated ionic monomers or precursors. The free-radical polymerization, however, also produces carbonyl end groups (e.g., —COOH end groups, —COO− end groups, —COF end groups, and —CONH2 end groups) on the resulting fluorinated ionomers. The carbonyl end groups are vulnerable to peroxide radical attacks, which reduce the oxidative stability of the fluorinated ionomers. During operation of a fuel cell, electrolysis cell, or other electrochemical cell, peroxides can be formed. This degrades the fluorinated ionomers, and correspondingly reduces the operational life of the given electrolyte membrane.

Fluorinated ionomers with reduced amounts of carbonyl end groups


Clamping device for simultaneously holding several workpieces between a fixed central jaw and two endjaws situated on either side of it and joined by a threaded, lengthwise moveable spindle. A helicoidal spring surrounding the spindle urges it towards its extremity which is actuated, so that when the spindle tightened the spring elastically presses the end jaw far from the operator against a workpiece placed between said far jaw and the central jaw. This workpiece is thus immobilized even without counterpressure from the near end jaw, and need not be held by the operator who can simultaneously insert a second workpiece between the near end jaw and the central jaw with one hand and tighten the spindle with the other.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to workholding, or clamping devices for simultaneously holding several workpieces on a machine tool, and more particularly to such a device which is able to hold one or several workpieces in place whilst it still has a pair of open jaws, so that the operator may insert one or several further workpieces between these jaws and simultaneously tighten the clamping device until it securely grips all workpieces.
Clamping devices can be mounted on the table of a machine tool and comprise vise-like jaws for fixedly maintaining one or several workpieces to be machined by the machine tool These jaws--hereafter called endjaws--are joined by a threaded spindle which can be tightened by rotating it in order to maintain at least one workpiece in a determined position relative to the machine tool. In order to speed-up the machining process, particularly on semi-automatic or automatic machine tools, it is known in the art to mount between the two end jaws of the clamping device a third jaw which is fixed relative to the main body of the device. One can then simultaneously clamp at least two workpieces in the device, by inserting one workpiece between each of the end jaws and the middle jaw. If one utilizes jaw plates, or shoes, which exactly match the shape of the workpieces, one can even maintain several workpieces between each of the end jaws and the middle jaw. Because this latter possibility remains unchanged for the invention, it will not be mentioned explicitly in the sequel; for simplicity only the case where merely two workpieces an clamped in the device, one on each side of the middle jaw will be described. An extension to the case of more workpieces is straightforward.
Now a problem occurs because when one progressively tightens the spindle, both jaws grip their respective workpiece practically simultaneously. If these pieces do not remain the desired positions, either through gravity or because of their shape, they must be manually maintained in the proper position until they are securely clamped. But one must also tighten the spindle, which practically requires three hands: two for maintaining the workpieces in place and another one for rotating the spindle. This difficulty occurs mainly when the clamping device is used in the upright position, i.e. when its spindle is oriented vertically and its jaws are positioned one above the other.
It is known in the art to provide clamping devices comprising three jaws, or on which a third jaw can be added between the end jaws, with a so-called "jaw brake", i.e. with a mechanism that allows to maintain with a sufficient force a workpiece between one endjaw and the middle jaw even when there is no workpiece between the latter and the other end jaw. The operator than has a hand free for inserting the second workpiece and maintaining it in place until he has tightened the spindle so that both workpieces are safely clamped. Conversely, this mechanism allows the operator to unload the clamping device by loosening the spindle with one hand and taking out the second workpiece whilst the first workpiece is still held by the pressure of the jaws associated with it. The ability to load and unload a clamping device in this manner is particularly useful when it must be used in a vertical position and workpieces not positively maintained by the corresponding jaws tend to drop out of the clamping device.
A known jaw brake consists of a mechanism affixed at the far end of the spindle, i.e. at its end not acted upon by the operator, on the rear side of the device.
This mechanism can be displaced axially with respect to the main body of the clamping device and has a liner slipping clutch which acts as a brake against such an axial displacement. It further comprises a compression spring one end of which remains immobile with respect to the main body of the clamping device as long as the clutch does not slip. The other end of the spring is fixed relatively to the rear end jaw. If now the clutch is in an appropriate axial position, a workpiece placed between the middle jaw and the front end jaw, and then the spindle progressively tightened, the spring will stop the rear end jaw from moving towards the middle jaw until the workpiece is clamped. Once it has been clamped, a further tightening of the spindle generates an increasing pressure on it and maintains it in place whilst the second workpiece is being inserted. After this the spindle can be fully tightened. If the second workpiece is so small that the stroke of the spring is exceeded before said workpiece is clamped, the clutch will slip and thus protect the device from damage.
Although such brakes are fully functional, they have a number of drawbacks. Adjusting their axial position and securing it by activating the linear clutch is troublesome and must be done at the far end of the device, furthest away from the operator. It is moreover necessary to remove the rear end jaw in order to activate the brake, and a similar difficulty arises when one wishes to regulate the force of the clutch which must usually be done by adjusting a screw by an unknown amount. Further, the overall dimensions of the brake are necessarily small because a part of it must be located in the recess intended for the spindle and may therefore not exceed the diameter of the letter. This enforced small size limits the dimension of the compression spring and hence its gripping power, but also the robustness of the entire brake.