An organic electroluminescence device comprising a pair of electrodes and a layer of an organic light emitting medium disposed between the pair of electrodes, wherein the layer of an organic light emitting medium comprises a mixed layer comprising (A) at least one hole transporting compound and (B) at least one electron transporting compound, an energy gap of the hole transporting compound represented by Eg1 and an energy gap of the electron transporting compound represented by Eg2 satisfy a relation: Eg1<Eg2. Electrons and holes are recombined in the layer of an organic light emitting medium and light is emitted. The organic electroluminescence device has a long life and emits light at a high efficiency.

EL devices which utilize light emission under application of an electric field show high self-distinguishability due to the self-emission and exhibit excellent impact resistance since they are completely solid devices. Therefore, EL devices have been attracting attention for application as light emitting devices in various types of display apparatus.
The EL devices include inorganic EL devices in which an inorganic compound is used as the light emitting material and organic EL devices in which an organic compound is used as the light emitting material. Organic EL devices have been extensively studied for practical application as a light emitting device of the next generation because the applied voltage can be decreased to a great extent, the size of the device can be reduced easily, consumption of electric power is small, planar light emission is possible and three primary colors are easily emitted.
As for the construction of the organic EL device, the basic construction comprises an anode/an organic light emitting layer/a cathode. Constructions having a hole injecting and transporting layer or an electron injecting layer suitably added to the basic construction are known. Examples of such constructions include the construction of an anode/a hole injecting and transporting layer/an organic light emitting layer/a cathode and the construction of an anode/a hole injecting and transporting layer/an organic light emitting layer/an electron injecting layer/a cathode.
In the development of organic EL devices which can be practically applied, various studies to obtain a light emitting element having a long life and emits light at a high efficiency have been conducted. However, an element having a longer life and emits light at a higher efficiency is desired so that consumption of electric power can be further reduced.
For example, in International Patent Application Laid-Open No. 98/08360 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,905, elements in which a mixed layer of an amine derivative having the electron transporting property and an energy gap of 3 eV or greater and an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline (Alq) as an electron transporting compound is used as the light emitting medium are disclosed. Since the energy gap of Alq is 2.7 eV, holes and electrons are recombined in Alq having a lower energy gap and light is emitted in this light emitting medium. Since Alq itself has a small quantum yield of fluorescence, the efficiency is enhanced by adding a light emitting dopant such as coumarine and rubrene.
However, the technology disclosed in the above references has a drawback in that the life of the device cannot be increased to the desired value. In other words, in general, few organic materials which simultaneously achieve excellent transportation of electrons and excellent durability under an electric current can be found. It is confirmed that Alq is degraded when holes are injected into Alq although Alq exhibits excellent durability in transportation of electrons. In the case of the above light emitting medium, the energy gap of the hole transporting compound Eg1 and the energy gap of the electron transporting compound Eg2 has the relation: Eg1>Eg2. Therefore, holes tend to be injected into Alq having a smaller energy gap and the life of the device cannot be increased to the desired value. Although it is known that durability of Alq can be improved by addition of a light emitting dopant such as coumarine and rubrene, further improvement has been desired.


An apparatus for discriminating valuable papers is provided wherein a validation control circuit 56 (i) drives conveyer device 8 to inwardly move bill along passageway 9 when inlet sensor 13 detects bill, (ii) ceases driving of conveyer device 8 to keep bill in the standby position in passageway 9 when trigger sensor 50 detects bill, (iii) drives a release device 42 to shift a guide roller 40 from the contact position to the separated position, (iv) activates a centering device 10 to centralize bill along the longitudinal central axis of passageway 9, (v) drives release device 42 to return guide roller 40 from the separated position to the contact position, and (vi) again drives conveyer device 8 to further inwardly move bill. When bill is inserted into an inlet 7, inlet sensor 13 detects bill to immediately drive conveyer device 8 and center bill on conveyer device 8 for smooth inserting, transporting and centering of bill with the reduced number of structural components of the apparatus.

A bill validator is provided with a conveyer to transport a bill inserted from an inlet of the validator along a passageway when an inlet sensor detects the inserted bill, and a validation sensor is provided in the vicinity of the passageway to scan the moving bill to pick out and convert optical or magnetic feature of the bill into electric signals. In some kinds of bill validators, a centering device is provided to centralize bills of different widths along a longitudinal central axis of the passageway to assure the accurate validation of the bills even of different widths.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,147 issued on Nov. 29, 1994 to Wilhelm Menke et al., discloses a testing device for banknotes that has a testing channel with a transport device and scanning devices for recognizing and checking the authenticity of the banknote. An input channel of variable width is in front of the testing channel. The input channel includes two channel halves, one on either side of the longitudinal center axis of the input channel. The two channel halves can be adjusted synchronously against the force of a spring. In their contact position, the channel halves determine the minimum width of the channel, and in their separated end position they determine the maximum width. A banknote of any type is introduced into the input channel at its locked maximum channel width as far as a passage detector arranged in a starting region of the testing channel. The passage detector unlocks the channel halves, as a result of which the side walls of the channel halves are pressed by the force of a spring against the banknote and align it centrally with the testing channel.
Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 2000-149089 to Y Saito et al., shows a bill handling apparatus that has a centering device provided before a bill validating device, and a transfer device for carrying a bill along a path in the centering device. The transfer device is provided independently from and in communication with a conveyer device provided in the bill validating device, and comprises upper and lower transfer units pivotally mounted on shafts to rotate between the incorporative position for carrying the bill along the path and the opened position for centering the bill. The upper transfer unit is rotated upwardly around one of the shafts in the counterclockwise direction from the incorporative to the opened position, and the lower transfer unit is rotated downwardly around the other of the shafts in the clockwise direction from the incorporative to the opened position to release the bill from the transfer device. Then, the bill is centralized by the centering device that comprises a pair of centering levers rotatable toward and away from each other between original and closer positions, a spring connected to each end of the centering levers for urging the centering levers toward the original position, and a pair of arms each connected to the centering lever. When the lower transfer unit is rotated in the clockwise direction to the opened position, the lower transfer unit is brought into contact to the arms to forcibly move the centering levers toward the closer position against resilient force of the spring so that the centering levers press each side edge of the bill for centering.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,150 to Oleksandr Onipchenko et al., demonstrates a banknote centering device that comprises an enlarged slot for receiving a banknote longitudinally, V-shaped side engaging members associated with the slot and movable from an open position either side of the slot to a narrow position defining a minimum position between the side engaging members, a banknote drive wheel formed with three corner engaging portions for driving a banknote from an insert position to a centering position where the banknote is free to move within the slot, and a drive arrangement for moving the side engaging members in a controlled manner towards one another and equally spaced either side of a centerline of the slot. The side engaging member drive arrangement includes a motor for accelerating the side engaging members from the open position towards the narrow position until further inward movement of the side engaging members is opposed by a resistance of the banknote to buckling which resistance stalls the motor drive.
Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 2002-279487 to Tokimi Nago et al., presents a bill validator that comprises a conveyer for inwardly transporting a bill inserted from an inlet along a passageway, a detection sensor for converting a physical feature of the bill passing through the passageway into electric signals, a discriminative controller for receiving the electric signals from the detection sensor to decide the authenticity of the bill and to drive the conveyer in response to the result of the authenticity decision, and a centering device mounted in the validator before the detection sensor for centrally aligning the bill moved along the passageway. The centering device comprises a pair of pinch jaws movable toward and away from each other on the opposite sides of the passageway, and a centering motor for driving the pinch jaws for the reciprocal movement. The centering motor is activated to move the pinch jaws toward each other after the bill is positioned between the pinch jaws so that the pinch jaws are brought into contact to side edges of the bill, thereby causing lateral movement of the pinch jaws to make the bill come coaxial with the passageway. The centering motor arrives at a power-swing damping when the bill comes coaxial with the passageway and the resistive force against deformation of the bill becomes greater than output torque of the centering motor, then, the centered bill is inwardly transported along the passageway by the conveyer.
However, prior art bill validating devices are defective in that, as the centering device is provided separately from and in communication to a conveyer device of a bill validating device, inserted bills cannot be smoothly shifted in a reduced period of time to the centering operation and subsequent transportation through the passageway in the bill validating device. Besides, the centering device requires the increased number of structural components and complicated structure.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for discriminating valuable papers capable of smoothly performing inserting, centering and transporting operations of the valuable papers. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for discriminating valuable papers that can exactly carry out centering operation of the valuable papers with lesser number of the structural components.

Apparatus for discriminating valuable papers with centering means


An algorithmic method is described for sensor-based real-time application of an agricultural material. Method includes means for characterizing and treating crop biomass variability without the use of a grower managed reference crop. Crop variability is determined statistically by driving one or more transects through the field in order to collect crop canopy information for sensor calibration purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to crop canopy light sensors and, more specifically, to an algorithm and method for the real-time application of agrochemicals utilizing active crop-canopy light sensors.
2. Background of the Art
The term "precision farming" is often used to describe the management of spatial variability in soil and crop conditions within a field. Other terms, "site specific farming", "prescription farming", and "variable rate application (VRA) technology" are sometimes used synonymously with precision farming to describe the tailoring of soil and crop management to the conditions at various locations throughout a field. Typical precision farming techniques include: varying the planting density of individual plants based on the ability of the soil to support growth of the plants; and the selective application of farming products such as herbicides, insecticides, and, of particular interest, fertilizer. Precision farming techniques utilizing, for example, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has found many uses, one being the application of fertilizers in agricultural fields, as is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,876 to Monson et al. The '876 patent describes a variable-rate fertilizer application system. The system has a digital map characterizing the field's soil types. The system also has other maps that characterize the desired level of various fertilizer types to be applied upon the field. The patent states that the levels of fertilizer can be determined from predefined characteristics, such as existing fertilizer levels, field topography or drainage studies. A processor calculates and controls the dispensing of the various fertilizers based on both the soil map and the fertilizer map. A position locator on the vehicle dispensing the fertilizers provides the necessary location information to apply the prescribed amount of fertilizer in the correct location. Related U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,815 to Monson describes a closed-loop fertilizer application system, which also varies the application rate, but which does not require maps of current fertilizer levels. The system is said to be able to determine a chemical prescription in real-time for a soil scene, depending on the existing soil fertilizer content ascertained by a real-time soil analyzer.
Another variable-rate fertilizer application system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,773 to Ortlip. The '773 patent describes a system that applies fertilizer according to the specific needs of each individual soil type of soil comprising a field. The patent also describes the assembly of a digital soil map for a field to be fertilized. An aerial infrared photograph of the field is taken. The patent states that the different shades in the photograph correspond to different moisture contents of the soil types. The photograph is digitized into an array of pixels. Each pixel is assigned a digital value based on the shading in the photograph, such that the value is representative of the soil type the pixel represents. The application of fertilizer is varied according to the digital soil map.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/085,589 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,889,620 and 7,171,912 utilize maps of site-specific amounts of a soil nutrient, to be applied in fertilizer to an agricultural field is created using a map of site-specific amounts of the soil nutrient needed to produce the maximum possible yield at the particular site. The nutrient amounts may be added to the soil using the map and conventional variable-rate fertilizer application methods. In one embodiment, the amounts of the soil nutrient needed to produce the maximum possible yield at each site is created using a map of site-specific measures of biomass produced by the field in a past growing season or seasons, which in turn is created from a remotely sensed biomass image.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,927 discloses a method and apparatus for the real time determination and application of optimum amounts of nitrogen fertilizer to corn and other arable crops such as cotton, sugar beats, wheat, etc. by the use of rapid, non-destructive sensors and various fertilizer application methods. In a first embodiment, optical reflectance measurements of the crop canopy and a reference strip at the fertilizer response plateau are taken by sensors carried by a center pivot irrigation system. A second embodiment of the invention utilizes a tractor drawn fertilizer applicator with the sensors mounted on the application booms. This second embodiment may also utilize the Global Positioning System to provide tractor position for storage along with crop data for later use and comparison.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,601,341, 6,880,291 and 7,188,450 disclose methods for in-season macro and micronutrient application based on predicted yield potential and a nutrient response index. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,601,341 and 6,880,291 disclose methods that include the steps of: determining a nutrient response index for a field; determining the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of an area to fertilize; determining a predicted crop yield for the area; determining an attainable crop yield for the area; determining the nutrient requirement for the area as the difference between the nutrient removal at the attainable yield minus the nutrient removal at the predicted yield, adjusted by the efficiency of nutrient uptake in the particular crop. Whereas the U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,450 method includes the steps of: determining a nutrient response index for a field; determining the NDVI of an area to fertilize; determining the coefficient of variation of NDVI over a plot; determining a predicted crop yield for the area without additional nutrient; determining an attainable crop yield for the area with additional nutrient; determining the nutrient requirement for the area as the difference between the nutrient removal at the attainable yield minus the nutrient removal at the predicted yield, adjusted by the efficiency of nutrient utilization in the particular crop as indicated by the coefficient of variation. Like the '927 patent, both methods rely on a producer-created adequately fertilized reference area in order to calibrate the sensing system to field growing conditions.
There are many problems associated with utilizing a high N reference strip or region as an in-season calibration standard for calibrating real-time remote sensors. The reference concept assumes that a section of the field (usually a strip) can be over fertilized so as to create a region in the field that is non nutrient limited. The region can then be compared to the remainder of the field in order to determine the site specific nutrient needs for the entire field. It is assumed that if a non treated portion of the field compares in biomass and/or color (dark green) to the reference strip, then it has its nutrient requirements met and subsequently will receive less nutrient via variable rate application. Whereas, portions of the field that have lower biomass and/or lighter color (pale green) in comparison to the reference strip receive higher amounts of nutrient. If fields had uniform soil, drainage, micronutrients, organic matter, etc. . . . the reference strip concept would be and exceptional solution for in-season, real-time variable rate applicator calibration. Herein lays the primary problem: crops grown within a reference strip in the real world can not be an absolute reference for comparison to crops grown in other locations in the field. This is due to crop growth variability resulting from variable soil types throughout the field. Variations in organic matter, micronutrients and drainage impact how the crop will grow. Even within the reference strip, wide variations in crop status can be measured as the reference strip transverses the various soil types and conditions across the field, see FIG. 1. Here, notice the spatial variability apparent in each of the three preplant N rates, especially notice the variations in the 252 kg/ha reference strip rate. As such, data collected from the reference strip crops can result in a dubious standard for comparison against crops grown in other regions of the field. Varying levels of organic matter and resulting mineralization can give a false indicator as to plant's future nutrient requirements, that is, a plant can appear to have adequate nutrient resources when compared to the reference plants. In reality, available soil nutrient may be on the verge of running out and subsequently these plants would be deprived of required nutrients as the plant accumulates biomass later in the growing season.
Another problem related to the use of the reference strip concept pertains primarily to adoption by the end user. Cultural practice barriers are difficult to over come. Many growers do not want the added steps and cost of preparing and managing a nutrient rich reference region in their fields. A University of Nebraska extension publication actually recommends not just one reference strip per field but rather several. Furthermore, many large growers may have up to a dozen fields to manage each with multiple reference strips. Sprayer service companies may have dozens of fields to manage for their clients. In addition to establishing a reference strip in a particular field, care has to be exercised as to where the reference strip is positioned within a field from year-to-year. Reference strip management is not a management process that is desirable for growers to adopt. Conceptually, the use of a reference strip or region appears to be a novel method to calibrate remote sensing instrumentation, however, when one considers management overhead involved, the appeal of the technique quickly fades as the management and logistical realities become clear.
In the following, we will disclose an alternative method that uses real-time active crop sensors for variable rate control of agrochemicals. The method to be presented differs from previous VRA systems in that it does not require the use of a managed crop reference strip or region in a field to calibrate the system and it does not rely on preprocessed geospatial, yield or biomass data in order to make agrochemical rate prescriptions.

Sensor-based chemical management for agricultural landscapes


Disclosed is a ceramic electronic component having external electrodes on each of opposed end portions of a rectangular parallelepiped component body. A first direction dimension, a second direction dimension and a third direction dimension of the component body satisfy a condition of second direction dimension>first direction dimension>third direction dimension. The external electrodes are of a five-face type having a first face portion, a second face portion, a third face portion, a fourth face portion and a fifth face portion. At least one edge of the fourth face portion and the fifth face portion of the external electrode has a recess portion recessed from the edge toward the first face portion. Both side portions in the third direction of the recess portion are covering portions which cover ridge portions of the two faces in the second direction of the component body.

The present disclosure relates to a ceramic electronic component such as a multilayer ceramic capacitor, a manufacturing method for the ceramic electronic component, and a ceramic electronic component-mounting circuit board in which the ceramic electronic component is mounted on a circuit board.
Generally, a ceramic electronic component such as a multilayer ceramic capacitor has external electrodes on each of lengthwise end portions of a rectangular parallelepiped component body satisfying a condition of length direction dimension>width direction dimension, but recently, a so-called LW-reversed type ceramic electronic component is also known, in which a dimensional relationship between the length direction dimension and the width direction dimension is reversed (see FIG. 4 in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-146669).
On the other hand, with thinning of electronic apparatuses such as smartphones and notebook computers, ceramic electronic components mounted on circuit boards are required to correspond to low-height mounting (low mounting height). That is, it is necessary to reduce a height direction dimension of a component body for satisfying the above requirements in the LW-reversed type ceramic electronic component.
Incidentally, since the LW-reversed type ceramic electronic component has external electrodes on each of lengthwise end portions of a rectangular parallelepiped component body satisfying a condition of width direction dimension>length direction dimension, a bending strength according to a direction intersecting with the length direction is generally higher than that of a general type ceramic electronic component having the same external dimensions of the component body, in a case of a five-face type external electrode (so-called four-cornered cap shape, having a first face portion formed on one face in a length direction of the component body, a second face portion and a third face portion formed on a part of two faces in a height direction of the component body, and a fourth face portion and a fifth face portion formed on a part of two faces in a width direction of the component body: see FIG. 4 in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-146669).
However, even in the case of the LW-reversed type ceramic electronic component (the external electrode is of the aforementioned five-face type), when the height direction dimension of the component body is reduced, e.g., to 150 μm or smaller for satisfying the aforementioned requirements, cracks extends in the height direction especially on the two faces in the width direction of the component body, i.e., a so-called crack extension phenomenon is easily caused due to application of an external force that bends the ceramic electronic component in a direction intersecting with the length direction. As a result, there is a growing concern that the ceramic electronic component has dysfunction.

Ceramic electronic component, ceramic electronic component manufacturing method, and ceramic electronic component-mounting circuit board


Provided is a mobile communication terminal including an upper plate secured to a rear surface of an upper frame and having a first coupling shaft to which one side of a driving link is secured such that the upper frame is vertically guided, a middle frame including a first guide provided at one side of a front surface thereof to guide the first coupling shaft of the upper plate, and first guide means provided at both sides of a rear surface thereof, and a main plate including a main frame secured to a rear surface thereof, sliding guide parts slidably guided along the first guide means of the middle frame at both sides thereof, a second coupling shaft provided at one side of a front surface thereof and to which the other side of the driving link is secured, and a support means for the middle frame installed at the other side of the front surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile communication terminal with improved performance and reduced overall size.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, mobile communication devices include mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, and so on, each of which includes a plurality of operation buttons and a display window.
A mobile phone, one type of mobile communication terminal, is classified as a bar type, a flip type, a folder type, a slide type, etc., depending on its design and the positions of its receiver and transmitter. In the early stages of the market for mobile phones, the bar type and the flip type were mainstream.
Currently, demands for various display functions and miniaturization have placed the folder type and the slide type in the mainstream.
Among these mainstream types of mobile phone, the slide type has various advantages such as being more convenient to operate than the folder type in which a folder should be opened to about 180° to speak over the phone and operate its buttons, and having a wide display window due to exposure of the display window to the exterior. Consequently, demand for the slide type has steadily increased, leading to the continuous introduction of various models onto the market.
A slide type phone mobile phone generally includes a lower body on which operation buttons (characters and numbers) are mounted, and an upper body having a display window and slidably coupled with the lower body.
However, since the upper body should include a navigation button (for moving a cursor in vertical and horizontal directions) in addition to the display window, it is difficult to increase the size of the display window.
In addition, to enlarge the display window, the upper body should be enlarged as well, which increases the overall size of the mobile phone and runs counter to efforts toward miniaturization.


Anti-reflective coatings formed from new polymers and having high etch rates are provided. Broadly, the coatings are formed from a polymer binder and a light attenuating compound. The polymer binder has halogen atoms bonded thereto, preferably to functional groups on the polymer binder rather than to the polymer backbone. Preferred polymer binders comprise acrylic polymers while it is preferred that the halogenated functional groups of the polymer binders be dihalogenated, and more preferably trihalogenated, with chlorine, fluorine, or bromine atoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with new halogenated polymers which can be used as polymer binders in anti-reflective coatings, the resulting anti-reflective coatings, and methods of use thereof. More particularly, the inventive anti-reflective coatings comprise a polymer binder and a light attenuating compound wherein the polymer binder is halogenated, preferably on functional groups of the polymer binder. The coatings have high etch rates as well as good light-absorbing properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Integrated circuit manufacturers are consistently seeking to maximize substrate wafer sizes and minimize device feature dimensions in order to improve yield, reduce unit case, and increase on-chip computing power. Device feature sizes on silicon or other chips are now submicron in size with the advent of advanced deep ultraviolet (DUV) microlithographic processes.
However, a frequent problem encountered by photoresists during the manufacturing of semiconductor devices is that activating radiation is reflected back into the photoresist by the substrate on which it is supported. Such reflectivity tends to cause blurred patterns which degrade the resolution of the photoresist. Degradation of the image in the processed photoresist is particularly problematic when the substrate is non-planar and/or highly reflective. One approach to address this problem is the use of an anti-reflective coating (ARC) applied to the substrate beneath the photoresist layer.
Compositions which have high optical density at the typical exposure wavelengths have been used for some time to form these ARC layers. The ARC compositions typically consist of an organic polymer which provides coating properties and a dye for absorbing light. The dye is either blended into the composition or chemically bonded to the polymer. Thermosetting ARCs contain a cross-linking agent in addition to the polymer and dye. Cross-linking must be initiated, and this is typically accomplished by an acid catalyst present in the composition.
While these ARCs are effective at lessening the amount of light reflected back into the photoresist, most prior art ARC compositions are lacking in that they do not have a sufficiently high etch rate. As a result, prior art ARCs present significant limitations which make them difficult or impossible to use on submicron (e.g., 0.3 xcexcm) features. Accordingly, there is a need for faster etching ARCs which can be effectively utilized to form integrated circuits having submicron features.
The instant invention overcomes these problems by providing new halogenated compounds and polymers which can be used to form anti-reflective coatings (ARC) having substantially improved etch rates when compared to prior art ARCs. The instant invention also provides methods of using the inventive ARCs in the integrated circuit manufacturing process.
In more detail, the inventive ARCs comprise a polymer binder and a light attenuating compound (as used herein, the term xe2x80x9clight attenuating compoundxe2x80x9d is intended to include light absorbing compounds, chromophores, and any other compound which minimizes or prevents the transmittance of light) dissolved in a solvent system (either single or multiple solvents such as alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, esters, ketones, water, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethyl lactate, and p-chlorobenzotrifluoride). Preferred polymer binders include each of the following in halogenated forms: polyesters, polyacrylates, polyheterocyclics, polyetherketones, polyhydroxystyrene, polycarbonates, polyepichlorohydrin, polyvinyl alcohol, oligomeric resins (such as crown ethers, cyclodextrins, epoxy resins), and mixtures of the foregoing, with acrylic polymers being particularly preferred.
The polymer binder should be present in the ARC at a level of from about 30-90% by weight, preferably from about 35-85% by weight, and more preferably from about 45-85% by weight, based upon the total weight of the ARC taken as 100% by weight. The weight average molecular weight of the polymer binder should be from about 1,000-1,000,000 Daltons, and preferably from about 3,000-200,000 Daltons. The ARC""s preferably comprise from about 4-35% by weight, and preferably from about 8-32% by weight of a cross-linking agent, based upon the total weight of the ARC taken as 100% by weight. Preferred cross-linking agents include aminoplasts, epoxides, isocyanates, acrylics, and mixtures thereof. The inventive ARC""s preferably also include from about 0.1-5.0% by weight, and more preferably from about 0.3-4.5% by weight of a catalyst such as 2,2xe2x80x2-azobisisobutyronitrile. Finally, the solvent system is preferably present in the ARC composition at a level of from about 60-99% by weight, preferably from about 65-99% by weight, and more preferably from about 70-98% by weight, based upon the total weight of the ARC taken as 100% by weight.
The polymer binder comprises halogen atoms bonded thereto, preferably in sufficient quantities so that the polymer binder comprises at least about 5% by weight halogen atoms, preferably from about 20-80% by weight halogen atoms, and more preferably from about 30-70% by weight halogen atoms, based upon the total weight of the polymer binder taken as 100% by weight. Preferred halogen atoms are those selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, and bromine atoms.
It is particularly preferred that the halogen atoms be bonded to a functional group on the polymer binder rather than directly to the polymer backbone (i.e., rather than to an atom which is along the direction of polymerization). Of the total halogen atoms present in the polymer binder, it is preferred that at least about 5%, preferably at least about 10%, and more preferably from about 20-80% by weight of the halogen atoms be bonded to a functional group on the polymer binder, with the percentages by weight being based upon the total weight of all halogen atoms present in the polymer binder taken as 100% by weight. Even more preferably, each functional group has two and preferably three halogen atoms bonded thereto, preferably to the same carbon atom.
In one embodiment, the polymer binder comprises recurring monomers having the formula
wherein: R in each monomer is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C8 alkyls (preferably C1-C4 and more preferably C1-C2); X in each monomer is individually selected from the group consisting of the halogens and hydrogen halides, and preferably from the group consisting of xe2x80x94H2I, xe2x80x94HI2, xe2x80x94I3, xe2x80x94H2F, xe2x80x94HF2, xe2x80x94F3, xe2x80x94H2Cl, xe2x80x94HCl2, xe2x80x94Cl3, xe2x80x94H2Br, xe2x80x94HBr2, and xe2x80x94Br3; and m is from about 3-9,000, preferably from about 5-5,000, and more preferably from about 8-2,000.
Even more preferably, the polymer binder comprises recurring monomers having the formula
wherein: R and Rxe2x80x2 in each monomer are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C8 alkyls (preferably C1-C4 and more preferably C1-C2); X in each monomer is individually selected from the group consisting of the halogens and hydrogen halides, and preferably from the group consisting of xe2x80x94H2I, xe2x80x94HI2, xe2x80x94I3, xe2x80x94H2F, xe2x80x94HF2, xe2x80x94F3, xe2x80x94H2Cl, xe2x80x94HCl2, xe2x80x94Cl3, xe2x80x94H2Br, xe2x80x94HBr2, and xe2x80x94Br3; Xxe2x80x2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and light attenuating compounds; m is from about 1-8,000, preferably from about 1-5,000, and more preferably from about 1-1,600; and n is from about 1-3,000, preferably from about 1-1,500, and more preferably from about 1-600. In this embodiment, the molar ratio of m:n can be adjusted as necessary to modify the etch rate and absorbance desired for the particular application. Preferably, the molar ratio of m:n is from about 1:9 to about 9:1, and more preferably from about 2:8 to about 8:2.
Regardless of the embodiment, the light attenuating compound can be bonded to the polymer binder or simply mixed therewith. The light attenuating compound should be present in the polymer binder at a level of from about 4-50% by weight, preferably from about 10-45% by weight, and more preferably from about 10-30% by weight, based upon the total weight of the polymer binder taken as 100% by weight. Preferred light attenuating compounds for use in the inventive ARCs include naphthoic acid, anthracene, naphthalene, benzene, chalcone, phthalimides, pamoic acid, acridine, azo compounds, dibenzofuran, and derivatives thereof
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other compounds may be added to the inventive ARC as desired. For example, a cross-linking agent and a catalyst for the cross-linking agent can be added to the ARC.
The inventive ARCs are formed with the above-described compounds utilizing known ARC preparation procedures. For example, all of the components of the ARC (i.e., the polymer binder, solvent system, cross-linking agent, catalyst, etc.) can be formed into a mixture and refluxed for about 24 hours under nitrogen. The polymer binders can also be prepared by known methods. For example, the desired monomers can be dissolved in a solvent and polymerized by a free radical polymerization reaction using a catalyst such as 2,2xe2x80x2-azobisisobutyronitrile. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the reaction conditions, amount of catalyst, and other parameters can be adjusted to control the molecular weight of the final ARC composition.
The resulting ARC composition is subsequently applied to the surface of a substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) by conventional methods, such as by spin-coating, to form an anti-reflective coating layer on the substrate. The substrate and layer combination is baked at temperatures of at least about 160xc2x0 C. The baked layer will generally have a thickness of anywhere from about 500 xc3x85 to about 2000 xc3x85. Next, a photoresist can be applied to the ARC layer followed by exposing the photoresist to light at the desired wavelength, developing the exposed photoresist layer, and etching the developed photoresist layer all according to known procedures.
ARCs according to the invention have a dramatically improved etch rate, particularly those ARCs where halogen atoms are bonded to functional groups of the polymer binder. Thus, the ARCs have an etch selectivity to resist (i.e., the ARC etch rate divided by the photoresist etch rate) of at least about 1.2, preferably at least about 1.4, and more preferably at least about 1.5 when CF4 is used as an etchant. Alternately, the etch rate of ARCs including a polymer binder halogenated on a functional group thereof is at least about 10%, preferably at least about 20%, and more preferably from about 30-100% greater than the etch rate of an ARC which includes the same polymer binder without halogenated functional groups. This faster etch rate is particularly important because prior art ARCs have etched substantially slower than the photoresist layer, thus resulting in overetching of the remaining photoresist layers. Use of faster etching ARCs prevents degradation of the photoresist during etching, which in turn protects the device layers.
Additionally, at 248 nm the inventive ARCs have a k value (i.e., the imaginary component of the complex index of refraction) of at least about 0.3, and preferably at least about 0.4, and have an n value (i.e., the ratio of the speed of light through a vacuum to the speed of light through the particular material) of at least about 1.35, and preferably at least about 1.45. Furthermore, when subjected to a stripping test as defined herein, the inventive ARCs will have a stripping amount of less than about 20 xc3x85, and preferably less than about 10 xc3x85. Finally, the ARCs give an interlayer formation result as defined herein of less than about 40 xc3x85, and preferably less than about 30 xc3x85.


A microscope objective for imaging a specimen using a microscope, the microscope objective having a front lens enclosed by a surround and being designed for microscopy with an immersion liquid. In the microscope objective, the front lens and/or the surround thereof is provided with a coating which can be switched between a state which repels the immersion liquid and a state which does not repel the immersion liquid.

The prior art has disclosed various approaches for ensuring that a front lens of a microscope objective is wetted as completely as possible with an immersion medium. EP 1717628 A1 and EP 2256535 A1 disclose a mechanism for inverted microscope objectives, i.e., microscope objectives that examine a sample by microscopy from below. A mechanism is provided on the front edge of the objective casing, said mechanism preventing a drop of immersion liquid placed on the front lens from running off over the front edge of the objective casing. Moreover, provision is made of outflow tubes that drain the immersion liquid downward in targeted fashion. An inner zone of the edge is configured to repel the immersion liquid for which the microscope is designed. A surrounding outer zone is configured in exactly the opposite way, and so it drains immersion liquid reaching it to the outside. With reference to further publications, JP 4603295 discusses various concepts that avoid contamination of the objective interior with immersion liquid. Two of the solutions described therein correspond to those of the specified EP documents. A third solution, which is described in the Japanese publication, provides for a groove on the objective that prevents excess immersion liquid from running into the objective. Further, for an oil immersion-based microscope, JP 4603295 proposes a lipophilic coating on the lens surface, which is surrounded by a lipophobic coating on the edge of the lens surface. Thus, the prior art is concerned in various approaches with avoiding contamination of an objective with immersion liquid or draining excess immersion liquid in a targeted manner.


Disclosed are a method and a device for transmitting uplink control information (UCI) by a terminal in a wireless communication system. The UCI transmission method comprises the steps of: generating an encoding information bit stream by performing channel coding for a UCI bit stream; generating complex modulation symbols by performing modulation for the generated encoding information bit stream; spreading the complex modulation symbols in block-wise on the basis of an orthogonal sequence; and transmitting the spread complex modulation symbols to a base station. The encoding information bit stream is generated by a channel coding for circularly repeating the UCI bit stream.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for transmitting uplink control information in a wireless communication system.
Related Art
Effective transmission/reception methods and utilizations have been proposed for a broadband wireless communication system to maximize efficiency of radio resources. An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system capable of reducing inter-symbol interference (ISI) with a low complexity is taken into consideration as one of next generation wireless communication systems. In the OFDM, a serially input data symbol is converted into N parallel data symbols, and is then transmitted by being carried on each of separated N subcarriers. The subcarriers maintain orthogonality in a frequency dimension. Each orthogonal channel experiences mutually independent frequency selective fading, and an interval of a transmitted symbol is increased, thereby minimizing inter-symbol interference.
When a system uses the OFDM as a modulation scheme, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is a multiple access scheme in which multiple access is achieved by independently providing some of available subcarriers to a plurality of users. In the OFDMA, frequency resources (i.e., subcarriers) are provided to the respective users, and the respective frequency resources do not overlap with one another in general since they are independently provided to the plurality of users. Consequently, the frequency resources are allocated to the respective users in a mutually exclusive manner. In an OFDMA system, frequency diversity for multiple users can be obtained by using frequency selective scheduling, and subcarriers can be allocated variously according to a permutation rule for the subcarriers. In addition, a spatial multiplexing scheme using multiple antennas can be used to increase efficiency of a spatial domain.
Uplink control information (UCI) can be transmitted through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). The UCI can include various types of information such as a scheduling request (SR), an acknowledgement/non-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) signal for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a rank indicator (RI), etc. The PUCCH carries various types of control information according to a format.
Uplink control information may be subject to channel coding and transmitted. Any one of various types of coding methods, such as simple repetition, simplex coding, RM coding, punctured RM coding, tail-biting convolution coding (TBCC), low density parity check (LDPC) coding, and turbo coding, may be used as the channel coding method. Each of the channel coding methods have advantages and disadvantages depending on channel environments or systems, and some of the channel coding methods may have different channel coding performance depending on the length of information. Furthermore, in some of the channel coding methods, channel coding may not be performed on information having a length of a constraint length or less.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of efficiently performing channel coding on information having a length of a constraint length or less.

Method and device for transmitting uplink control information in wireless communication system


Process for guiding a web from one treatment station to another in a web manufacturing or treatment process. The process includes guiding the web with at least one pneumatic support device and controlling air pressure in the at least one pneumatic support device via a microprocessor. The air pressure is related to at least one quality factor of the web.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for guiding a web, in particular a paper web, such as a continuous paper web or a paper strip cut therefrom, in a web manufacturing or treatment process with the aid of a pneumatically supported device.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Pneumatic support devices for guiding a paper web, or at least a paper strip cut therefrom, are disclosed, for example, in EP 0 232 689 A2. In such pneumatic support devices, one can generally distinguish between compressed air guidance devices that create air cushions with jets and guide media on which the paper sheet or paper strip is guided, and suction and transport devices that create a vacuum with the paper sheet or paper strip and guide the same to a concurrently running perforated endless conveyor belt.
For example, suppose a paper sheet has to be guided at a high rate of speed from the last cylinder of a drying cylinder group of a paper manufacturing process to the roll opening of a calender. For this purpose, a wide strip of paper (e.g., 20-40 cm) is cut off from the running paper sheet behind the last drying cylinder and is guided to the first roll opening of the calendar with known pneumatically supported devices. Meanwhile, the larger portion of the paper sheet, which can have a width of approximately 8 m, is guided back to pulp treatment. Only when the strip successfully passes to the next treatment step in the paper manufacturing process (in the selected example the calender), is the strip gradually cut wider by moving cutting knives across the paper sheet until the entire paper sheet width runs to the next treatment station.
The guidance of the strip is often associated with significant difficulties adjusting the correct air pressure (either too much pressure for the jets, or too little suction pressure on the perforated conveyor belts). In particular, if the paper quality of new products changes--here principally the weight--or the paper sheet speed, the pressures have to be newly adjusted, which is costly, time-consuming, and can lead to significant waste, since one has to wait for the width cut of the paper sheet until the strip has been properly guided to the next treatment station.


A carrier for carrying an osmium oxide comprising an aromatic polyolefin polymer having a group shown by the general formula [1] as a substituent on the aromatic ring of said polyolefin polymer:—A′—O(—A—O)n—R[1](wherein A is an alkylene group; A′ is a direct link or an alkylene group; R is an aryl group; and n is an integer of 1 to 10), an osmium oxide carried by the carrier for carrying an osmium oxide and a method for producing the osmium oxide carried by said carrier are disclosed. Since the osmium oxide carried by the carrier of the present invention has a hydrophilic group, in an oxidation reaction and an asymmetric oxidation reaction, particularly in a heterogeneous solvent system, the osmium oxide carried by the carrier of the present invention enables to produce a diol compound easily and in a high optical yield.

Although it is said that osmium oxides existing solely and firmly are oxides of osmium of 4 and 8 valences, but osmium oxides of 2, 3 and 6 valences can also exist.
An osmium oxide of 8 valences is usually called "osmium tetroxide", or "osmic acid" in the case of an aqueous solution, and known as a superior oxidizing agent or catalyst in an organic synthetic reaction due to a great oxidizing ability thereof. On the other hand, however, it is also well known that osmium tetroxide is of high toxicity and sublimation character, having an offensive odor perceptible even at an extremely low concentration such as 2×10−5 mg/ml, and offending a mucous membrane of eyes or affecting adversely upon general respiratory organs with vapor thereof. Therefore, so far osmium tetroxide has been only used as an oxidizing agent for oxidizing a small amount of precious substance due to many problems in an industrial use thereof. In this connection, several attempts have been made to use osmium tetroxide safely for an industrial use.
For instance, a process for manufacturing catalysts based on nitrogen-containing polymers on which osmium oxide is precipitated from a solvent has been described in JP-A-4-505884, and actually a commercial product of about 1% by weight of osmium tetroxide carried on poly(4-vinylpyridine) (for instance, the one listed up in a catalogue of Sigma-Aldrich Corp.) is on the market.
However, it was not necessarily easy to produce an osmium tetroxide compound by said method, because said method always utilized a chemical bonding of an osmium oxide to a quaternary nitrogen atom, using a basic polymer having a nitrogen atom, in particular, a cross-linked polymer thereof. In addition, there was another problem that a polymer itself carrying said osmium oxide gradually decomposed when an osmium oxide compound obtained by said method was used as an oxidizing agent under an oxidative condition (Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical Vol. 120(1997), page 203 right column).
Furthermore, the osmium oxide in the osmium oxide compound disclosed in the above JP-A-4-505884 is not necessarily stably carried as osmium tetroxide, and is evidently inferior in a function as an oxidizing agent to that of osmium tetroxide itself, because it does not exist as osmium tetroxide, but as osmium trioxide or sometimes in a reduced state such as an oxide of a polymer or an oxo anion.
On the other hand, it has been lately reported that an optically active compound can be obtained by using an optically active ligand together with osmium tetroxide in a dihydroxylation reaction using osmium tetroxide in "Catalytic Asymmetric Snthesis" ed. by I. Ojima, VHC Publisher, New York, 1993, page 227–272; Chem. Rev., 94, 2483–2547(1994) and the like. However, it is difficult to recover and reuse osmium tetroxide from the viewpoint of safety in handling and the like because osmium tetroxide used in these asymmetric oxidation reactions is employed as it is, without being carried on a polymer or the like.
Furthermore, a polymer complex in which osmium tetroxide is coordinated with optically active ligands introduced into the polymer, and an asymmetric reaction using the above complex have been reported in Eur. J. Org. Chem., 1981, 21–27 and the like, but many problems are remaining unsolved in the production of such an osmium tetroxide compound, because it is not easy to produce a polymer itself in which an optically active ligand is introduced, and the polymer is necessary to be further reacted with osmium tetroxide. In addition, there is another problem that osmium tetroxide coordinated to the ligands gradually drops off during a reaction and cannot be reused.
Moreover, it has been attempted to make handling of an osmium oxide easy and improve solvent resistance thereof by microcapsulating said osmium oxide such as osmium tetroxide which is not easy to handle due to strong toxicity, using an olefin-based polymer such as polystyrene (JP-A-11-314038). Although this microcapsulated osmium tetroxide enabled use for an asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction due to an improved solvent resistance, it was used only for a reaction in a homogeneous solvent system, and in addition it was necessary to react a substrate gradually so as to strictly control the asymmetric reaction.
It is known that a heterogeneous asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction using potassium ferricyanide or the like as a co-oxidizing agent does not require a gradual addition of substrate to the reaction system, and therefore gives a high optical yield in a short reaction time, while an asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction in a homogeneous solvent system generally requires a gradual addition of substrate to the reaction system so as to obtain a high optical yield.
Thus, it has been desired to create a new compound to carry osmium oxide as an oxidizing agent that enables an asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction in a heterogeneous solvent system where a conventional operation or the like to control an asymmetric reaction is not required.

Osmium oxide carried by hydrophilic polymer


The present invention provides an R-T-B based permanent magnet capable of improving a coercive force HcJ while maintaining a residual magnetic flux density Br.

Patent Document 1 discloses a rare earth magnet including a crystal grain having an R2T14B crystal structure as a main phase, and having Ga concentration gradient which increases towards inside of the main phase grain from surface of the main phase grain. Patent Document 1 discloses the rare earth permanent magnet having improved demagnetization factor at high temperature and coercive force at room temperature.
[Patent Document 1] WO 2016/153057

Abstract: The R-T-B based permanent magnet includes Ga. R is one or more selected from rare earth elements, T is Fe or a combination of Fe and Co, and B is boron. The R-T-B based permanent magnet has main phase grains including a crystal grain having an R2T14B crystal structure and grain boundaries formed between adjacent two or more main phase grains, and 0.030≤[Ga]/[R]≤0.100 is satisfied in which [Ga] represents an atomic concentration of Ga and [R] represents an atomic concentration of R in the main phase grains.


A compound ophthalmic lens having improved chromatic aberration is provided which includes a polymerized resin superstrate lens formed on a substrate lens. The chromatic dispersion characteristics of the resin, as well as its refractive index, are matched to the substrate lens to obtain the desired Abbe number, lens power and thickness of the finished lens, and to render the interface between the substrate lens and the superstrate lens substantially invisible. The color dispersion of the substrate lens is compensated for by the superstrate lens which has a relatively low Abbe number and has an opposite power from the substrate lens.

Abbe number is a measure of color dispersion or chromatic aberration, which is caused by the fact that refractive indices of materials are wavelength dependent. Abbe number is generally defined as (n.sub..lambda.v -1)/(n.sub..lambda.1 -n.sub..lambda.2) where n.sub..lambda.1 and n.sub..lambda.2 are the refractive indices at two different wavelengths, and n.sub..lambda.v is the refractive index at a median wavelength, i.e., yellow. Ophthalmic (eyeglass) lenses made of glass or plastic and having Abbe numbers ranging from about 25-60, are generally relatively free of annoying color dispersion. Abbe numbers in the range of 40-60 are especially desired, because an ophthalmic lens (e.g., -4.00 D, 75 mm in optic diameter) with an Abbe number of 40 will produce 10 mm of image separation.
The angular separation between two different wavelengths increases with lens power. Generally, the color dispersion, is high for plastic materials which have refractive indices above 1.50. These materials often possess aromatic moieties with extended conjugation and high polarizability, with electronic absorption in the near ultraviolet wavelength range, which contribute to the refractive index. However, aromatic groups possessing electronic absorption bands near the visible wavelength range (400 nm-700 nm) generally lead to an increase in color dispersion of the material. An example of such a high refractive index material is polycarbonate of bisphenol A, which has a refractive index of about 1.58 and possesses other desirable properties, such as superior impact resistance. The Abbe number for this material is quite low, for example 28-32, depending on the end groups and processing methods. Therefore, while polycarbonate of bisphenol A is widely used as a material of choice for safety glasses, its use is largely limited to medium to low prescriptions because higher prescriptions cause an increase in color dispersion, and therefore lead to undesirable color separation in white images.
Prescriptions higher than +/-4.00 D generally require the use of other high index materials which are generally more costly than polycarbonate and do not have as good an impact resistance as polycarbonate. These high index materials have been developed with an improved color dispersion, but even the best of these high index materials, that is having a refractive index greater than 1.57, have Abbe numbers in the range of 30-50. The color dispersion of such materials is generally only marginally acceptable. People wearing eyeglasses made of these materials often experience chromatic aberration, especially at the periphery of their visual field, since off axis rays are more prone to chromatic aberration than axial rays close to the optical center.
The present invention includes a compound ophthalmic lens and a method of fabricating such a lens which permits the use of plastic or glass materials having a high refractive index and impact resistance, such as polycarbonate of bisphenol A or other materials, in making eyeglass lenses without sacrificing satisfactory integration of colors in the image, as measured by Abbe numbers in the range of about 40-100.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens with an Abbe number in the range of about 40-100, and preferably in the range of about 60-80.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating such a lens using a desired material having a high refractive index and impact resistance, such as polycarbonate of bisphenol A and diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate (CR-39.TM.), for fabrication of ophthalmic lenses.


Systems and methods detect steps from one or more sensed accelerometer signals. Systems comprise an accelerometer and a non-transitory computer readable medium, each of which communicates with a processor. The accelerometer is coupled to an individual and generates outputs received by the processor. The non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions controlling the processor to perform steps of a method. The processor determines a minimum and a maximum reading for respective time periods. Counted peak heights are maxima that exceed a rest threshold. The rest threshold may be a function of the rest maximum. The processor determines a peak threshold for each time period having a counted peak height. A counted amplitude comprises the difference between the maximum reading and minimum readings of a time period in which the counted peak height exceeds the peak threshold. The processor increments a step counter when a counted amplitude exceeds an amplitude threshold.

Physical activity has long been recognized as benefitting health. Physical activity levels can also be an indicator of health. For these reasons, a variety of individuals and institutions are interested in monitoring physical activity. Over the past years, activity trackers have become an increasingly popular way for individuals to monitor their physical activity. An activity tracker typically includes an accelerometer as a means of detecting the physical activity of the individual wearing it. The accelerometer generates a series of outputs that vary according to the magnitude of acceleration the accelerometer detects. Outputs may then be converted into readings that correspond to a particular level of acceleration. A series of readings over time may be viewed as a signal.
Activity trackers use accelerometer signals to quantify physical activity in a variety of units including calories burned, distance traveled, and steps taken. Devices that count steps are referred to, generally, as pedometers, though accelerometer-based step counters are sometimes distinguished from pedometers that count the oscillations of a weight. The initiation of contact between a foot and the ground during a step causes a peak in the acceleration signal from an accelerometer coupled to the individual taking the step. However, not all peaks in the acceleration signal are caused by steps. Peaks that are not caused by steps may be referred to as "noise." Noise may be caused, for instance, by the vibrations of a car or the lack of damping in the accelerometer itself.
One method of filtering out noise is to set an acceleration threshold. Peaks that exceed the threshold are presumed to be caused by steps while readings below the threshold are presumed to be noise. However, the boundary between acceleration caused by step activity and that caused by noise may change substantially depending on factors such as how fast an individual is walking or running, the elasticity of the surface on which the step is taken, and the hardness of the individual's shoe soles.
The graph in FIG. 1 illustrates the shortcomings of a single, fixed threshold. Two samples of accelerometer gait data are superimposed on top of each other. Each sample illustrates two steps taken by an individual. The sample with higher peaks (110) comes from a healthy individual. The sample with the lower peaks (120) comes from a patient after surgery. The time scale on the x axis is in 24ths of a second and the units of acceleration on they axis are 1/64 of g (g=free-fall acceleration in Earth's gravity). Threshold 1 (130) would record both steps from the healthy individual hut would not capture any steps from the post-surgery patient. Threshold 2 (140) records both steps from the post-surgery patient, but counts four steps from the healthy individual when only two steps were actually taken. Threshold 3 (150), just slightly lower than Threshold 2, also records both steps from the post-surgery patient, but counts only one step from the healthy individual. Thus, a fixed threshold does not accurately count steps from both the patient and healthy individual.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Accelerometer-based systems and methods for quantifying steps


There is provided a semiconductor device for detecting a change in ion concentration of a sample and method of using same. The device can have a plurality of Field Effect Transistors (FETs) coupled to a common floating gate and an ion sensing layer exposed to the sample and coupled to the floating gate. There may be other input voltages coupled to the floating gate.

Generally ISFETs were built for continuous time (analogue) measurement with analogue pre-processing circuits around them. Normally analogue to digital conversion is one of the processing steps. This is the case where a continuum of values is needed. However, there are many applications where a yes/no decision is sought. For example, in DNA hybridization and SNP insertion detection, it is enough to detect that a process took place or not with a yes/no answer (5) (6). Other applications require just comparison between concentrations of two chemicals in a solution. For example, if Creatinine is of higher concentration than Urea or vice versa (7).
An Ion Sensitive Field Effective Transistor (ISFET) is comprised of a Field Effective Transistor (FET) whose gate is exposed to ionic charges in a electrolyte. A reference electrode is immersed in the electrolyte solution which comes into contact with the gate oxide of the transistor. See FIG. 1. Therefore, the combination of the electrolyte and the reference electrode plays the role of the gate in a normal MOSFET. The gate oxide becomes the ions sensitive membrane. The electrical operating modes of a FET may be expressed by:
                              Weak                                                              inversion                                                                                I            DS                    =                                    I                              D                                                                                0                                                                W              L                                                  ⅇ                              (                                                                            V                      Gs                                        -                                          V                      t                                                                            nU                    T                                                  )                                                                                Triode                                                              Region                                                              Saturation                                                                                I            DS                    =                      μ                                                                                C              ox                                                  W              L                                                  (                                                                    (                                                                  V                        gs                                            -                                              V                        t                                                              )                                                                          V                    DS                                                  -                                                      V                    DS                    2                                    2                                            )                                                                                I            DS                    =                                    1              2                                    μ                                                                                C              ox                                                  W              L                                                                  (                                                      V                    GS                                    -                                      V                    t                                                  )                            2                                                  (                              1                +                                  λ                                                                                V                    DS                                                              )                                                          (        1        )
The voltage drops arising from interactions of the reference electrode, the electrolyte and the ion sensitive membrane can be viewed as part of either the gate-source voltage (Vgs) or the threshold voltage (Vt). This is supported by the fact that it is their difference that appears in the MOSFET Id−Vgs relations in all regions of operation, equation (1).
From the above analogy, it was debated whether the reference electrode remotely plays the role of the MOS gate (1). Therefore, the electrolyte plays the role of the gate metal which comes into contact with the gate-oxide. In MOSFET, Vt is decided by the gate material, substrate doping, their insulator and the charges in this system, equation (2). It is a constant for each device; and because the manufacturing process is very well controlled, its variation across devices is well controlled. However, in the ISFET according to this analogy, the electrolyte became part of this system making its Vt dependant on the electrolyte properties, equation (3) (1). The threshold voltage may be expressed by:
                              MOSFET                                                                          V            t                          =                                                            Φ                M                            -                              Φ                Si                                      q                    -                                                    Q                ox                            +                              Q                ss                            +                              Q                B                                                    C              ox                                +                      2                                      ϕ              f                                                          (        2        )                                          ISFET                                                                          V            t                          =                              -            Ψ                    +                      χ            sol                    -                                    Φ              Si                        q                    -                                                    Q                ox                            +                              Q                ss                            +                              Q                B                                                    C              ox                                +                      2                                      ϕ              f                                                          (        3        )
Where: φM is the metal work function, φSi is the Silicon work function, q is the electron charge, Qox is accumulated charges in the oxide insulator, Qss is trapped charge in the oxide-Silicon interface, QB is depletion charge in the silicon bulk, Cox is gate oxide capacitance, and φf defines the onset of inversion depending on silicon doping levels. In equation (3), φM is replaced by both the chemical parameter of the ion sensitive membrane-electrolyte interface potential Ψ, and the surface dipole potential of the electrolyte in contact with the ion sensitive membrane χsol. The former is a function of the electrolyte ion concentration, where pH is a possible measure of it. The latter is a constant. Equation (3) suggests that the ISFET's threshold voltage can be modified using electrolyte ion concentration (1).
In 1999, Bausells et al integrated an ISFET using the 1 μm single poly-silicon, double metal standard CMOS process of Atmel-ES2 (10). They integrated a standard CMOS amplifier in the same die. Basically, the ISFET was given, for the first time, a poly-silicon gate that was floating and connected to the metal stack until the topmost metal layer where the ions were sensed through the oxi-nitride passivation. This basic idea was carried out by others and ISFETs were built in different commercial CMOS processes with multiple metal layers (10) (11) (12).
It is interesting to note that the transistor part here is effectively an FG-MOSFET and the sensitive part looks like an ion sensitive capacitor where the topmost metal is one plate and the electrolyte forms the second while passivation is the insulation layer. This is very similar to the traditional capacitive ion sensor which results if the reference electrode is removed.
The passivation capacitance from the transistor's gate may be considered split to make two different structures. Hence, the ISFET's transistor gate may be called the "electrical gate" and the topmost metal under the ion sensitive membrane may be called the "chemical gate".
Therefore, Vt is a process dependant constant given by equation (2). The chemical dependence introduced into equation (3) may be expressed as part of the floating gate voltage of the ISFET given by:VFC=VrefΨ+χsol+VQpass  (4)
Where, VQpass is due to the trapped charges in the passivation layer.
Using the site-dissociation model and the Gouy-Chapman-Stern double layer model, the ISFET may be modeled as in FIG. 2. Where Vchem is the chemical voltage arising from the electrolyte and its interface to both reference electrode and ion sensing membrane (6).Vchem=γ+VQpass+2.3αUTpH  (5)
Where, γ is a grouping of all pH independent terms apart from passivation trapped charges which is VQpass. UT is the usual thermal voltage, and α is a sensitivity parameter with values between 0<α<1. Its maximum gives the theoretical limit known as the Nernstian sensitivity given by 59.2 mV/pH at 25° C. (1).
Most of the publications about ISFETs consider Vt as the pH dependant parameter. The inventors have appreciated that from a pure circuit point of view, the ISFET is effectively a standard FGMOS with its gate capacitively coupled to the superimposed voltages Vref and Vchem. Therefore, they considered them to form the floating gate input and assume Vt as a constant, like a standard MOSFET. Thus a pH change is can be seen as a modulation for Vgs instead of Vt. However, from a physical point of view, there is no change to the system and the same analysis holds. Therefore, equations (1) and (2) are still valid, equation (3) is no more relevant, and equation (5) represents the chemical voltage.
The first attempt to use an ISFET to build an inverter was by Dr. Shepherd and her colleagues (5) (16). FIG. 4 shows an ISFET as an NMOS in a standard class AB inverting amplifier with the PMOS role taken by a normal transistor. The input is connected to both the gate of the PMOS (M2) and the reference electrode of the n-ISFET (X1). Therefore, the switching threshold of the circuit shifts in proportion to the solution's pH.
Therefore pH changes modulate the gate voltage of the n-MOS but not the p-MOS. That is, only half of the complementary pair is pH sensitive. The pull up transistor sees a different input than the pull down transistor, the difference being Vchem.
However, this may be acceptable if there is no drift or passivation trapped charges. An ISFET's Vt can have an initial variation, due to passivation trapped charges, in the range of few Volts (17) (12). This can render the switching function of that circuit non-operational, especially if the n-ISFET had a negative threshold voltage.


The present invention is directed to a phenolic resin composition useful for preparing a binder for reinforced composites, to a binder for reinforced composites made using the phenolic resin composition, and to a reinforced composite made using the binder. The phenolic resin composition of the present invention contains an aqueous mixture of: (a) a resole formed by reacting phenol with formaldehyde in the presence of an ortho directing catalyst at a mole ratio of formaldehyde to phenol ranging from about 0.7:1 to about 3:1 and (b) a water-soluble borate, wherein the composition contains at least about 0.02 equivalent of the ortho directing catalyst per mole of phenol, has a pH at least about 7 and contains from about 0.02 to about 0.5 mole borate per mole of phenol. When the ortho directing catalyst has a cation that forms an insoluble material with a borate anion, the cation is removed after the resole is formed and prior to adding the water-soluble borate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a phenolic resin composition useful for preparing reinforced composites. The present invention particularly relates to a resole-type phenolic resin prepared using an ortho directing catalyst and containing a borate salt which is useful for preparing reinforced composites. The resole resins of the present invention possess superior water dilutability and storage stability, reduced volatile emissions upon curing, and excellent compressive strengths, and flexural strength when used to make reinforced composites. The reinforced composites may use inorganic and/or organic fibers, which may be chopped, non-woven or woven, and honeycombed materials as the reinforcing materials, e.g. to form prepregs which are laminated and cured, and cured honeycomb composites for various conventional applications, particularly those requiring excellent flame and smoke properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Phenolic resins have long been employed as binders for use with glass fibers in the preparation of fiber reinforced composites. Glass fibers which may be chopped, non-woven or woven are coated or saturated with the aqueous binder solution, usually by dipping or spraying, and passed through an oven where they are compressed to the desired thickness and density, and then permanently fixed by heat setting or curing the resin binder. Phenolics are preferred over many other polymer systems, such as polyesters and epoxies, due to their well known excellent resistance to flame and smoke generation. Thus, their use in the aerospace, mass transit, and other applications requiring excellent flame and smoke properties is expected to grow. However, environmental considerations have directed the composite industry away from the solvent-based phenolic resins. Efforts to employ water-based phenolics have previously resulted in problems with reduced strengths and poor water dilutability during storage.
The properties desired of binder compositions depend to a large extent on the properties of the basic resin. A good binder composition should above all be easily applied and capable of covering and/or bonding the reinforcing components, e.g. fibers and honeycombs, and at the same time it should cause little pollution. Further, the resin should have good long term stability and a high degree of dilutability with water. Since the concept of dilutability is particularly important, it will be defined for the purposes of the present invention as follows: The water dilutability of a resin solution is the volume of de-ionized water which can be added at a given temperature to one unit volume of this solution without producing any permanent perturbation, i.e., haze, clouding or precipitation.
Of particular interest are high efficiency single phase aqueous phenolformaldehyde resins which have low free phenol and low free formaldehyde. Such resins retain a high percentage of the organic moiety when the resin is cured. However, free phenol and free formaldehyde volatilize in the curing of the resin causing pollution considerations and also reducing the efficiency and performance of the resin in various bonding applications. Accordingly, it is necessary that the resin should be as free as possible from any unconverted starting materials or residues thereof while preserving its useful qualities. The risk of atmospheric pollution is in fact mainly due to the presence of volatile monomers. These consist, for example, the starting materials required for producing the resin, e.g. formaldehyde and phenol, which have been left unconverted by the reaction or regenerated in the course of binding the fibers or subsequently.
The utilization of boron compounds in hardenable polymeric binder materials, and in particular the binder which are based on phenol-formaldehyde condensation products is known. It is also generally known that such boron compounds are useful in imparting flame retarding properties to such condensation products. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,941,904, 2,990,307 and 3,218,279 to Stalego and U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,105 to Miedaner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,068 to Santos et al. discloses that prior art attempts to employ borates in sufficient quantities needed to give improved thermal resistance have frequently resulted in resins which exhibit poor storage stability and poor tensile strength. The reason for this seems to be that the addition of larger amounts of boric acid disrupts the cure properties of the binder and, thus, affects the final strength of the bonds which are formed. In Santos, these disadvantages are overcome by using a special binder. The binder is prepared in an aqueous medium by mixing (1) a mixture of boric acid and a soluble hydroxyl compound, (2) a nitrogen containing compound, and (3) a phenol-formaldehyde resole modified with urea, then (4) adjusting the pH to 8.5-9.5.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,101 to Shappell, boric acid may be used to improve aging characteristics and water dilutability of an alkali metal catalyzed phenol-formaldehyde resin.
The prior art also discloses the use of boron containing compounds as catalysts or accelerator for phenol-aldehyde resins. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,888 to Williams et al. (novolac); U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,782 to Mitchell (phenolic, melamine and urea resins); U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,236 to Foley et al. (tertiary condensation product of phenol, formaldehyde and a silane); U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,329 to Gardziella et al. (phenol-aldehyde); and British Pat. No. 1,055,637 (phenolic resin). In U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,911 to Huck, boric acids or borate salts of divalent electropositive metals which are above hydrogen in the electromotive series are used as catalysts in both novolac preparation and curing stages.
The prior art also discloses the use of boron containing compounds as emulsifiers or viscosity enhancers. See U.S. Pat. No. 1,999,715 to Billings et al. (borax as an emulsifying agent); U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,241 to Gregory et al. (boric acid as a thickener); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,896 to Clarke et al. (borax as a thickener and to improve bonding at lower press time). In U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,414 to Milette, boric anhydride is used as a hydrophilous inorganic compound. However, to avoid the viscosity increase associated by adding the boric anhydride to the resole beforehand, the method thereof involves simultaneously projecting into a mold a resole resin, glass reinforcing elements, an acid catalyst and boric anhydride.
Various references directly or inferentially teach away from the use of electropositive divalent metals as condensation catalysts in the preparation of phenolaldehyde resins if boron containing compounds are to be included therein. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,101 to Shappell discloses suitable condensation catalysts are those that do not form water-insoluble borate salts or complexes upon the addition of boric acid thereto. Barium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide are disclosed as unsatisfactory catalysts, in that they yield insoluble products with boric acid. Alkali catalyzed phenol-formaldehyde resins are also used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,068 to Santos et al. which also adds boric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,489 to Barker et al. discloses that catalysts such as zinc acetate are less desirable because they yield resins having a mixed bridging structure containing ortho-ortho benzylic ether bridges and ortho-para methylene bridges which reduces the desired capacity of the resin for complexing with the oxyanions, e.g. borate ions. Molecules in which the phenolic residues are linked by ortho-ortho methylene bridges have very few sites for complexing with oxyanions, and it is therefore desirable that such molecules be absent, or if present, present in relatively small numbers. The oxyanions form a stable complex with the resin when carbon dioxide gas is passed through the formed articles containing the resin and oxyanions, thereby curing the resin. When zinc acetate was used, the properties, e.g. compression strength, of the binders were inferior to those of similar binders obtained using alkali catalyzed resole phenol-formaldehyde resins due to the reduced capacity in the zinc acetate catalyzed resins for complexing with borate ions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,431 to Conner et al. discloses a phenolic resole composition useful in a glass fiber insulation binder. The binder is an aqueous mixture of a phenolformaldehyde resole, a water-soluble-borate and optionally a silane coupling agent. The resole is prepared using alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal carbonates and tertiary amines as suitable condensation catalysts. Such catalysts promote para-para and ortho-para condensation and discourage ortho-ortho condensation. However, like the prior art, this system suffers from increases in viscosity when increasing amounts of the water-soluble borate is added thereto.
The present invention is based on the discovery that the addition of a proper amount of a water-soluble borate compounds to a phenolic resole resin in which the aldehyde groups are predominately substituted ortho to the phenolic hydroxyls (forming ortho methylol phenols) results in products with unexpectedly increased water dilutability even at pH values in the range of 7 to 8.5. Such phenolic resins will also accommodate higher borate contents without the large viscosity increases observed with the practice of the prior art, particularly Conner et al. Dramatic reductions in volatile emissions during cure were also obtained as well as large increases in compressive strengths and flexural strength measured on glass fiber reinforced laminates prepared using the resins of the present invention.

Phenolic resins for reinforced composites


An end user container for food in refrigerated storage and subsequent microwave cooking is made of a thermo-plastic material transparent to radiant energy. The lid and tray are thermo-formed pieces and incorporate latches as integral features in the respective parts. They are arranged with a post-in-socket capability for latching the lid to the tray in a position which will permit venting of the interior of the container assembly to the exterior. The rims of the tray and lid are formed to enable pressing them together providing a surface sealing between the tray and lid along engaging wall portions of the lid and tray continuously around the container. Also, the lid has a bottom cooperating with the wall to provide a well, and the wall of the tray is outwardly turned, providing a step or ledge near the top of the tray and extending out to the upper wall portion, forming a part of the rim and which engages the well wall when the container is closed to the seal condition. When it is in the venting condition, the latches enable a perimeter space between those walls and around the entire container.

This invention relates generally to food cooking apparatus and more particularly to a plastic container useful for cooking food in a microwave oven and also for containing and storing food before and/or after cooking, in a refrigerator or freezer.
Some container systems for such purposes have been devised and produced. Some incorporate features intended for enabling controlled release of steam developed in the food during the cooking by microwave. An example is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,431 B2 issued on May 6, 2003. The present invention represents another approach to achieving that type of functionality.

Microwave cooking container with 2-position inverted dome locks


An orthodontic appliance including labial and lingual bodies having teeth-contacting surfaces for acting against targeted anterior teeth of a patient and associated labial and lingual components incorporating spring-loaded biasing means for causing the labial and lingual bodies to act in generally opposed directions and in unison against the surfaces of the targeted anterior teeth. Bands for attaching the appliance to molars and a lingual support component also are provided. The foregoing is applied to a fixed spring aligner, a habit appliance and a bonded crossbite appliance, as well as appliances having new and improved labial and lingual components. The habit appliance includes a labial component to pull anterior teeth into an ideal position, and the aligner and crossbite appliances include labial and lingual components for applying corrective forces to the respective labial and lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to orthodontic appliances and treatments, and more particularly to appliances and treatments for correction of problems specific to the anterior teeth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Orthodontists and dental researchers are constantly searching for new and improved appliances and associated treatments for correcting problems related to the anterior teeth, including, for example, crossbites, overcrowding, rotated teeth, and splayed or flared teeth. Some prior art orthodontic appliances for treating such problems include both labial and lingual components for applying corrective forces to the respective labial and lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth identified for treatment. Although many such prior art devices are effective for accomplishing the desired correction, they leave much room for improvement.
In particular, prior art appliances which incorporate fixed, generally immovable labial and lingual components have significant disadvantages and limitations. A principal drawback is that the desired force of the labial and lingual components against the teeth steadily decreases as teeth are repositioned in response to the force. Consequently, adjustments of such prior art appliances by orthodontists or technicians are required at relatively short time intervals, requiring frequent patient visits. Furthermore, the overall treatment time is increased due to the inability to maintain a constant desired force against the teeth between adjustments.
The foregoing disadvantages, limitations and drawbacks of such prior art appliances having fixed, generally immovable labial and lingual components are avoided by the orthodontic appliance shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,871 issued Aug. 20, 2002 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The appliance of that patent incorporates labial and lingual components acting in generally opposed directions, and in unison, against the respective labial and lingual surfaces of a set of targeted anterior teeth, thereby enabling the application of a relatively continuous force against the targeted teeth between scheduled treatments, with minimal reduction in applied force. This is accomplished by the labial and lingual components incorporating spring-loaded biasing means having improved flexibility. Such flexibility, in turn, enables adjustments to the appliance to be made without requiring bending or manipulation of the labial and lingual wires.


Database systems use a plan cache to avoid the overheads (e.g., time, money) of query recompilation. Query plans can become invalidated by updates to the statistics on data or changes to the physical database design. Once a plan is invalidated, it can be repaired utilizing one or more of the disclosed embodiments. Incremental repair of query plans includes reusing parts of the current plan rather than discarding the plan entirely when it is invalidated. Repair to an existing query plan is attempted before resorting to full recompilation.

Electronic storage mechanisms have enabled accumulation of massive amounts of data. For instance, data that previously required volumes of books for recordation can now be stored electronically without expense of printing paper and with a fraction of physical space needed for storage of paper. Database systems are often employed for storage and organization of data, wherein such databases can be queried by users to retrieve desirable data. Database systems have been widely deployed and applications associated therewith have become increasingly complex and varied.
Complex queries are common in decision support and reporting scenarios. Query optimization tends to be expensive for such complex queries despite development of techniques to cope with such queries. Therefore, many database systems use a plan cache for compiled query execution plans, which helps to mitigate the overhead of repeated recompilation for the most frequently executed queries.
Even if a plan is resident in the cache, it is invalidated by changes to the statistics (or other information) of the base data or through changes in the physical database design such as addition or deletion of an index or changes to other relevant metadata in the system. This is common since changes in statistics on base data and addition of indexes can change the optimal plan selected by an optimizer. Further, removal of indexes used in a plan renders the current plan not executable. Once a plan is invalidated, the query must be optimized again to generate a new query plan. Although plan invalidation and consequent recompilation can be motivated for reasons associated with integrity of the base data, they can lead to a significant expense due to the time and costs of recompilation for complex queries.