Spectroscopic chemical analysis methods and apparatus are disclosed which employ deep ultraviolet (e.g. in the 200 nm to 300 nm spectral range) electron beam pumped wide bandgap semiconductor lasers, incoherent wide bandgap semiconductor light emitting devices, and hollow cathode metal ion lasers to perform non-contact, non-invasive detection of unknown chemical analytes. These deep ultraviolet sources enable dramatic size, weight and power consumption reductions of chemical analysis instruments. In some embodiments, Raman spectroscopic detection methods and apparatus use ultra-narrow-band angle tuning filters, acousto-optic tuning filters, and temperature tuned filters to enable ultra-miniature analyzers for chemical identification. In some embodiments Raman analysis is conducted along with photoluminescence spectroscopy (i.e. fluorescence and/or phosphorescence spectroscopy) to provide high levels of sensitivity and specificity in the same instrument.

The use of optical sources of radiation such as lasers, light emitting diodes (LED's), arc lamps, and other sources of incoherent radiation to perform chemical analysis and identification has been known for many years and such sources have been used in a wide range of chemical analysis and analytical instruments. Among these instruments, capillary electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography, flow cytometry, Raman and fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy are emerging as powerful analytical tools for a wide range of biological and chemical research, as well as clinical, industrial, and governmental applications. These instrumental techniques are being increasingly used in commercial and governmental applications such as product inspection during the manufacture of pharmaceutical and medical products, manufactured food and chemical products, environmental testing, and other applications.
When a sample is exposed to radiation (e.g. infrared (IR) radiation, visible light, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation) at a given frequency, some of the radiation is transmitted through the sample. Some of the radiation is elastically scattered and retains the same frequency as the incident radiation. Some of the radiation is absorbed in the sample. The absorbed radiation is either re-emitted after interaction with the sample or converted to thermal energy in the sample. The re-emitted radiation is sometimes referred to as inelastically scattered radiation. The inelastically scattered radiation is re-emitted as fluorescence or phosphorescence at wavelengths longer than, or frequencies shorter than the irradiation frequency, and a small fraction is re-emitted as Raman scattered radiation. Fluorescence or phosphorescence emissions are red shifted from the excitation frequency and have a spectral distribution that is relatively independent of the excitation frequency. Raman emissions are dependent on excitation frequency and are measured as a sum or difference frequency from the excitation frequency. Absorption of radiation requires that the energy of the exciting photon is higher than the first excited state of the molecule being excited. Raman emissions can be either blue (anti-Stokes) or red (Stokes) shifted from the excitation frequency by an amount determined by the rotational and vibrational bonds within the molecules being irradiated. Raman scattering efficiency is typically very low compared to fluorescence. However, when the energy of the excitation radiation corresponds to strong absorption bands of the analyte, a resonance effect can amplify the Raman signal by many orders of magnitude.
Fluorescence, phosphorescence and Raman techniques are employed for chemical detection and identification in a wide range of instruments. Lasers, LED's and other sources are typically used for excitation. Chemical separation technologies such as capillary electrophoresis (CE), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary electrochromatography (CEC), and various related instrumental forms allow rapid separation of complex chemical and biochemical mixtures into component elements. Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) allows the sensitive detection of separated elements or analytes where limits of detection have been demonstrated into the zeptomole range.
A major drawback to the use of fluorescence detection is that the vast majority of chemicals do not absorb strongly at visible or infrared wavelengths where simple, inexpensive lasers emit. In order to match the emission wavelength of these desirable lasers and other sources, fluorescence detection performed above about 300 nm requires derivatization of most analytes with a fluorescent dye tag prior to analysis. This is highly inconvenient, especially at low analyte concentrations, and for compounds that lack appropriate functional groups. For multifunctional compounds such as proteins, it is very difficult to ensure stoichiometrical reactions that can result in complex mixtures after derivatization. Derivatization limits the types of molecules that can be studied, can lower overall detection sensitivity, reduces the ability to find unexpected analytes in complex mixtures, and may alter the very chemistry being studied. Derivatization is commonly employed in analytical instruments today because of the lack of suitable lasers in the deep UV with small size, reasonable power consumption, and acceptable cost. The sensitivity and specificity as well as simplicity and ease of use of analytical instruments have been demonstrated to be considerably enhanced when combined with a laser that emits in the deep UV between 200 nm and 300 nm. These advantages were demonstrated using lasers that are unacceptable in a commercial instrument application because of their size, weight, power consumption, and/or cost. The advantages of deep UV excitation are true for detection in chemical separation instruments as well as in point-by-point or global imaging instruments, and other instruments using optical methods of detection. In addition to fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytical method for determining properties of unknown materials. Narrow Raman emission bands carry a great deal more information on molecular structure, in contrast to broadband fluorescence emission. It has been hampered as an analytical method by the fact that normal Raman scatter cross-sections of materials are typically very small. Another problem that has hampered Raman spectroscopy as an analytical method is fluorescence background from many materials at wavelengths of interest in obtaining Raman spectra. In the visible portion of the spectrum where many types of lasers are available, many materials emit fluorescence that overwhelms the small Raman emissions from a sample. To alleviate this problem instruments have been developed which operate in the near infrared where fluorescence background is greatly diminished or, in some cases, eliminated. The problem remains that Raman scatter cross-sections in the infrared are small and powerful lasers are needed to obtain Raman spectral data. In addition to their other problems, these powerful lasers sometimes cause sample damage.
Several advantages arise for Raman spectroscopy and analysis when using a deep ultraviolet laser to irradiate a sample. First, scatter cross-sections are inversely proportional to the fourth power of excitation wavelength. Thus, as the excitation wavelength of a laser is moved from the near infrared to the ultraviolet, an increase over 100 times in Raman scattering typically occurs. Second, when excitation occurs below about 250 nm, fluorescence background is eliminated within the Raman spectral range of most samples. This ubiquitous fluorescence, which is a major impediment for visible wavelength Raman studies, does not occur for UV spectral studies below about 270 nm. This is because at these high energies the excited state of most molecules in a condensed phase relaxes by means of fast radiationless processes before it has time to fluoresce. Third, when excitation occurs within an electronic absorption band of the sample, a resonance effect causes dramatic increases in Raman signal strength, often over one million to one hundred million times, thus eliminating the need for powerful lasers. Many types of materials have strong absorption bands in the deep ultraviolet below about 300 nm. These include organic and biological materials as well as a large range of other materials. And fourth, resonance Raman bands are enhanced preferentially for those molecular bonds associated with the electronic absorption, thus considerably simplifying the Raman spectra and making them more easily interpreted. For these types of samples, deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy and single band Raman imaging can be important analytical methods.
The state of the art of Raman spectroscopy can still be advanced by the application of additional deep UV laser sources to such analytic instruments (particularly low power and/or small size sources), by using optical components that allow further reductions in system size, weight, power consumption, and the like.
Various analytic instruments and analytic methods have been described previously. Patents having such teachings include:    1. U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,869, entitled "Analytic Instrument Using a Sputtering Metal Ion Laser" by Hug, et al.;    2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,476, entitled "Chemical Imaging System" by Treado;    3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,342, entitled "Raman Microscope" by Batchelder, et.al.;    4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,438, entitled "Spectroscopic Apparatus and Methods", by Batchelder, et.al.; and    5 U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,912, entitled "Raman Analysis Apparatus" by Batchelder, et.al.
The teachings of each of these patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full. With the exception of the '869 patent, a feature that universally distinguishes these patents from some embodiments of the invention is that they are related to apparatus utilizing visible or infrared wavelengths. The teachings of the '869 patent will be discussed further herein after.
Additional publications providing teachings about analytic instruments and methods include:    1. Ianoul, A., T. Coleman, and S. A. Asher, "UV Resonance Raman Spectroscopic Detection of Nitrate and Nitrite in Wastewater Treatment Processes", Anal. Chem., Vol. 74, pp. 1458-1461, 2002.    2. Storrie-Lombardi, M. C., W. F. Hug, G. D. McDonald, A. I. Tsapin, and K. H. Nealson. "Hollow cathode ion laser for deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence imaging". Rev. Sci. Instruments, 12, 4452-4459, December 2001    3. Sparrow, M. C., J. F. Jackovitz, C. H. Munro, W. F. Hug, and S. A. Asher, "A New 224 nm Hollow Cathode UV Laser Raman Spectrometer", J. App. Spectroscopy, Vol. 55, No. 1, January 2001.    4. Gillespie, S. R. and J. W. Carnahan, "Ultraviolet Quartz Acousto-optic Tunable Filter Wavelength Selection for Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry", J. App. Spectroscopy, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2001.    5. Wu, Q, T. Hamilton, W. H. Nelson, S. Elliott, J. F. Sperry, and M. Wu, "UV Raman Spectral Intensities of E. Coli and Other Bacteria Excited at 228.9, 244.0 and 248.2 nm", Anal. Chem. Vol. 73, No. 14, pp. 3432-3440, Jul. 15, 2001.    6. McCreery, R. L., "Raman Spectrocopy for Chemical Analysis", John Wiley & Sons, ISBN #0-471-25287-5, 2000.    7. Munro, C. H., V. Pajcini, and S. A. Asher, "Dielectric Stack Filters for Ex Situ and In Situ UV Optical-Fiber Probe Raman Spectroscopic Measurements", App. Spect., Vol. 51, No. 11, pp 1722-1729, 1997.    8. Morris, H., C. et.al., "Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter Raman Chemical Imaging", App. Spect., Vol. 50, No. 6, pp. 805-811, 1996.    9. Turrell, G, et.al., "Raman Microscopy", Academic Press Ltd., ISBN#0-12-189690-0, 1996.    10. Macleod, A., "Thin-Film Optical Filters", McGraw-Hill, ISBN#0-07-044694-6, reprinted 1989    11. Treado, P. J., and M. D. Morris, "A Thousand Points of Light: The Hadamard Transform in Chemical Analysis and Instrumentation", Anal. Chem., Vol 61, No. 11, pp. 722-734, Jun. 1, 1989.    12. Asher, S. A., "Raman Spectroscopy of a Coal Liquid Shows That Fluorescence Interference Is Minimized with Ultraviolet Excitation", Science, Vol. 225, 20 Jul. 1984.    13. Wolf, W. L. ed., Handbook of Military Infrared Technology, Office of Naval Research, Dept. of the Navy, Washington, D.C., pp. 286-306, 1965.    14. Military Standardization Handbook, MIL-HDBK-141, Section 20, 5 Oct. 1962. (angle dependence, p. 20-11)    15. Jenkins, F. A. and H. E. White, Fundamentals of Optics, (McGraw Hill), 1957.    16. Mooney, C. F., and A. F. Turner, "Infrared Transmitting Interference Filters, Proceedings of the Conference on Infrared Optical Materials, Filters, and Films", Engineering Research and Development Laboratories, Fort Belvoir, Va. (1955).
Each of the publications is hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full. Additional references having such teachings are found in the background of previously incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,869. These additional references are hereby incorporated therein by reference as if set forth in full.
The teachings in U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,869 provided improved and more commercially viable analytical systems by providing deep UV radiation sources in the form of sputtering metal ion hollow cathode lasers for use in such systems. These lasers provided improved choice of emission wavelengths, improved duty cycle, reduced size, reduced power consumption, reduced complexity, reduced cost and improved reliability. A need remains, however, for other UV radiation sources that provide further size reductions, weight reductions and cost savings for use in analytical instruments.
Semiconductor optical sources including lasers and light emitting diodes may be the ultimate forms of radiation sources for analytical instruments since they typically are very small, have low power consumption and can be produced at low cost. Research on blue and ultraviolet lasers has been ongoing for many years with significant progress. But several major technical roadblocks have impeded progress in demonstrating sources which operate in the deep UV, especially at wavelengths less than about 300 nm. Wide bandgap semiconductor materials based on alloys of aluminum and gallium nitrides plus various dopants are being extensively investigated to fulfill the need for UV semiconductor sources. Pure aluminum nitride (AlN) has a bandgap of 6.2 electron volts (eV), which corresponds to an emission wavelength of 200 nm. Pure gallium nitride (GaN) has a bandgap of 3.4 electron volts, which corresponds to an emission wavelength of 365 nm. By alloying these materials any emission wavelength between 200 nm and 365 nm can theoretically be produced. To produce a semiconductor laser with emission wavelength less than 250 nm requires an aluminum mole fraction in the alloy greater than about 60%. The major roadblocks to producing deep UV semiconductor sources have been:                1. the inability to adequately p-dope AlGaN materials with aluminum content greater than a few percent (i.e. measure as mole fraction);        2. the inability to make low resistance, ohmic, contacts to AlGaN alloys with aluminum content greater than a few percent;        3. Lattice mismatch with available substrate materials resulting in high defect density in active region;        4. Inability to form facets with low losses at deep UV wavelengths; and        5. Difficulty in forming waveguiding layers in high Al-content AlGaN alloys. A need exists in the art for overcoming these roadblocks. The first two items above are the most significant of these roadblocks.
The general idea of using electron beams to pump various materials to produce laser output is not new. In fact, a significant amount of literature and some patents exist on various devices and applications based on these methods. These publications date back to 1964. These publications include the following articles and patents, each of which is incorporated herein by reference:    1. C. E. Hurwitz and R. J. Keyes, "Electron-beam-pumped GaAs Laser", App. Phys. Lett, Vol. 5, No. 7, pp. 139-141, (Oct. 1, 1964).    2. C. E. Hurwitz, "Efficient ultraviolet laser emission in e-beam excited ZnS", Appl. Phys. Lett., v.9, N. 3, pp 116-118 (1966)    3. C. E. Hurwitz, High Power and Efficiency in CdS Electron Beam Pumped Lasers, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 9, No. 12, Dec. 15, 1966, pp. 420-423.    4. C. E. Hurwitz, "Electron-beam pumped lasers of CdSe and CdS", App. Phys. Lett., Vol. 8, No. 5, pp. 121-124, (March 1966)    5. C. E. Hurwitz, "Efficient visible lasers of CdSeSe by electron-beam-excitation", Applied Physics Letters 8, 243 (1966)].    6. C. A. Klein, "Further remarks on electron beam pumping of laser materials", Appl. Optics, 5, 12, 1922 (1966)    7. Nasibov et al., "Electron-Beam Tube with a Laser Screen", Sov. J. Quant. Electron., vol. 4, No. 3, September 1974, pp. 296-300.    8. O. V. Bogdankevich et al., Application of Electron Beam Pumped Semiconductor Lasers to Projection Television, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 13, No. 9 (September 1977), p. 65D.    9. O. V. Bogdankevich, The Use of Electron-Beam Pumped Semiconductor Lasers in Projection Television, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. QE-14, No. 2, February 1978, pp. 133-135.    10. Bogdankevich et al., "Multilayer GaAs—AlAs Heterostructure Laser Pumped Transversely by an Electron Beam", Sov. J. Quantum Electron. 10 (6), June 1980, pp. 693-695.    11. Bogdankevich et al., "Influence of Doping of Ga.sub.0.68 Al.sub.0.32 As on its Cathodoluminescence and Threshold Current Density of a Laser Pumped by an Electron Beam", Sov. J. Quant. Electron., 11 (1), January 1981, pp. 119-121.    12. B. Kozlovskii, A. Nasibov, et.al., Sov. J. Quant. Electr., 12, 505 (1982)    13. E. Markov, V. Smirnov, V. Khryapov, "Physics and technical application AB Semiconductors", V Conf., Prod., Vilnius, SU, 3, 131 (1983)    14. O. V. Bogdankevich et al., Distribution of the excitation density in electron-beam-pumped semiconductor lasers, Sov. J. Quantum Electron. 13 (11), November 1983, pp. 1453-1459.    15. Tong, F., R. M. Osgood, A. Sanchez, and V. Daneu, "Electron-beam-pumped two-dimensional laser array with tilted mirror resonator", App. Phys. Letters (ISSN00003-6951), Vol. 52, pp. 1303-1305, Apr. 18, 1988    16. I. Akimova, V. Kozlovskii, et. al, "The influence of stoichiometry in A2B6 monocrystal compounds on the characteristics of a semiconductor electron-beam pumped laser", Proc. Of Lebedev Phys. Inst., Nova Science Publ., USA, v.177, pp. 195-233, 1988.    17. A. Nasibov, V. Kozlovsky, Y. Skasyrsky, "Deep blue and ultraviolet e-beam pumped semiconductor lasers", SPIE Vol. 1041, Metal Vapor Deep Blue and Ultraviolet Lasers, Los Angeles, Calif., 17-20 Jan. 1989.    18. Molva, E., R. Accomo, G. Labrunie, J. Cibert, C. Bodin, Le Si Dang, and G. Feuillet, "Microgun-pumped semiconductor laser", App. Phys. Letters, Vol. 62(8), pp. 796-798, Feb. 22, 1993    19. O. V. Bogdankevich, "Electron-beam-pumped semiconductor lasers", Quantum Electronics, Vol 24, No. 12, pp. 1031-1053, 1994.    20. D. Nerve, R. Accomo, E. Molva, L. Vanzetti, J. J. Paggel, L. Sorba, and A. Francoisi, "Microgun-pumped blue lasers", App. Phys. Letters, Vol. 67 (15), pp. 2144-2146, Oct. 9, 1995    21. V. I. Kozlovshy, A. B. Krysa, Y. K. Skyasyrsky, Y. M. Popov, w. S. DenBaars, "Electron beam pumped MQW InGaN/GaN laser", MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 2, 38 (1997).    22. J. M. Bonard, J. D. Ganiere, L. Vanzetti, et. al., "Transmission electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence studies of extended defects in electron-beam-pumped Zn1-xCdxSe/ZnSe blue-green lasers", J. App. Phys., (83) 4 p 1945 (15 Feb. 1998)    23. S. Krivoshlykov, "Compact high-efficiency electron-beam-pumped semiconductor laser operating at room temperature", BMDO Phase I SBIR 1999    24. Nicholls, J. E., B. Lunn, et.al., "Electron-beam-pumped near-UV semiconductor laser emission", EPSRC reference number GR/L27206, University of Hull, UK.    25. J. R. Packard, et. al., "Electron Beam Laser", U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,250, Sep. 4, 1973    26. R. R. Rice, et.al., "Vertical cavity electron beam pumped semiconductor lasers and methods", U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,764, Sep. 15, 1998    27. R. R. Rice, et.al., "Vertical cavity electron beam pumped semiconductor lasers and methods", U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,923, Oct. 14, 1997.    28. D. A. Campbell, et.al., "Zinc Oxide Laser", U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,613, Apr. 7, 1970.
A need exist in the field for extending the use of electron beam pumping to additional materials and applications so as to enable improved radiation sources (e.g. lasers and incoherent sources) which in turn may enable improved applications for such sources, e.g. improved chemical analysis methods and devices.


A shift register includes control circuits CNi (i=1 through n) corresponding to respective blocks, and a level shifter LSi+1 of the next stage is controlled by one of the outputs of the shift register and one of the outputs of flip-flops Fi. With this, a level shifter of the present stage operates only for a period minimum for outputting the shift output from the present block, so that the power consumption is reduced, Furthermore, it is possible to cause the outputs SL1 through SLn not to overlap each other.

For a scanning signal line drive circuit and a data signal line drive circuit of a liquid crystal display device, shift registers are broadly used for generating a scanning signal supplied to scanning signal lines and determining timing for sampling a data signal from a video signal. The electric power consumption of an electronic circuit increases in proportion to the frequency, load-carrying capacity, and second power of the voltage. Accordingly, a preset drive voltage of circuits including external circuits such as a circuit for generating a video signal supplied to a display panel tend to be lowered in order to reduce the power consumption.
However, in the cases of pixel circuits, a scanning signal line drive circuit, and a data signal line drive circuit which are formed by adopting polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors in order to secure a large display area, the difference between threshold voltages sometimes reaches a few volts, between substrates or in one substrate. Taking this into consideration, the drive voltage includes a margin for canceling out the influence of the difference between the threshold voltages, so that there is still a room for the reduction of the drive voltage. In the meantime, circuits adopting single-crystal silicon transistors, such as a circuit for generating the video signal, generally have a drive voltage of 5V, 3.3V or lower.
For this reason, from an external circuit, such as the circuit for generating the video signal, to the display panel, a start pulse and a clock lower than the drive voltage of the shift register is supplied. In such a case, the shift register is provided with a level shifter for boosting the start pulse and clock.
To provide such a level shifter, for instance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-135093 (Tokukai 2001-135093; published on May 18, 2001) teaches that a start pulse is boosted by a level shifter and then supplied to a flip-flop of the first stage which is a part of the shift register, while a clock is boosted by the level shifter and then commonly supplied to flip-flops of all stages via buffers. In this case, the load on the occasion of driving the buffers equals to the total of the load of one clock line substantially identical in length with a side of the panel in the shifting direction, the load of the off-capacity of a transistor connected to said one clock line, and the like, so that the load is very heavy. Because of this heavy load, the clock supplied to the flip-flops of the respective stages of the shift register greatly delays. For this reason, the arrangement taught by the patent document cannot be used for high-frequency circuits, and hence generally used for low-frequency circuits such as a scanning line drive circuit. Furthermore, in the aforesaid arrangement, the heavy load increases the power consumption. Thus, in high-frequency circuits such as a data signal line drive circuit, each flip-flop of the shift register is provided with a corresponding level shifter.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing circuitry of a shift register 1 which typifies the above-mentioned conventional art. The shift register 1 is disclosed by documents such as Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-339984 (Tokukai 2000-339984; published on Dec. 8, 2000, corresponding to US2003/0174115A1; published on Sep. 18, 2003) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-307495 (Tokukai 2001-307495; published on Nov. 2, 2001). The shift register 1 is basically made up of a shift register section 2 and a level shifter section 3. On the input sides of n-stage flip-flops f1, f2, . . . , fn−1, and fn constituting the shift register section 2, level shifters ls1, ls2, . . . , lsn−1, and lsn corresponding to the respective flip-flops are provided. On the output side of the flip-flop fn of the last stage, a level shifter lsn+1 is further provided. Furthermore, on the flip-flop f1 (first stage) side, a level shifter ls0 is provided on a stage before the level shifter Is1.
As a drive voltage of the shift register section 2, the level shifter ls0 generates a start pulse SPO, which is, for instance, boosted to about 15V, from a start pulse SP which is supplied from the circuit for generating the video signal and has an amplitude about 5V and an inversion signal SPB which is an inversion of the start pulse SP. In the level shifter section 3, the start pulse SPO is supplied to an enable terminal ENA of the level shifter ls1 corresponding to the flip-flop f1 of the first stage of the shift register section 2. To clock input terminals CK and CKB of the level shifter ls1, a clock signal CK which is supplied from the circuit for generating the video signal and has an amplitude about 5V and an inversion signal CKB which is an inversion of the clock signal CK are supplied, respectively. From an output terminal OUT of the level shifter ls1, the clock signal CK is outputted as long as the enable signal ENA is active HIGH.
An output signal 11 from the level shifter ls1 appears as an output to the outside of the shift register 1, inverted in an inverter invs1, and then supplied to a low-active set input terminal SB of the flip-flop f1 of the first stage. In this flip-flop f1, an output signal 13 is supplied from the level shifter ls3 which is two stages after the flip-flop f1 to a reset input terminal R of the flip-flop f1 so that the output signal 13 is reset, and an output signal q1 from an output terminal Q is supplied to an enable terminal ENA of the level shifter ls2 of the next stage.
In a similar manner, output signals 12 through ln from the respective level shifters ls2 through lsn appears as outputs to the outside of the shift register 1, inverted by respective inverters invs2 through invsn, and supplied to set input terminals SB of the corresponding flip-flops f2 through fn. The flip-flops f2 through fn−1 are reset by output signals 14 through ln+1 supplied from the level shifters ls4 through lsn+1 which are two stages after the respective flip-flops f2 through fn−1. From the output terminals Q of the flip-flops f2 through fn−1, output signals q2 through qn−1 are supplied to the enable terminals ENA of the level shifters ls3 through lsn which are the next stages of the respective flip-flops f2 through fn−1.
Note that, in the odd-stage level shifters ls1, ls3, . . . , the clock signals CK and CKB are supplied to the clock input terminals CK and CKB, respectively. Meanwhile, in the even-stage level shifters ls2, ls4, . . . , the clock signals CK and CKB are supplied to the clock input terminals CKB and CK, respectively. With this, the level shifters ls2 through lsn+1 carry out serial shifting at intervals of a half of the cycle of the clock signals CK and CKB.
The timing of the output signals l1 through ln from the respective level shifters ls1 through lsn is adjusted in the respective delay circuits d1 through dn in such a manner as to prevent the overlap of sampling pulses. Then the output signals l1 through ln appear as sampling pulses sl1 through sln, after passing through the buffers b1 through bn. With the help of these sampling pulses sl1 through sln, the scanning signal line drive circuit and the data signal drive circuit serially select the signal lines.
FIG. 19 show waveform charts for describing the operation of the aforesaid shift register 1. In accordance with the clock signals CK and CKB which are reverse-phased (180° out-of-phase) with each other, the start pulses SP each having the length half as much as the cycle of the clock signals CK and CKB are, as described above, serial-shifted by the flip-flops f1 through fn at intervals of a half of the cycle of the clock signals CK and CKB. As a result, the output signals l1 through ln are generated from the start pulses SP. Then, also as described above, the flip-flops f1 through fn−1 are reset by the output signals l3 through ln+1 supplied from the level shifters ls3 through lsn+1 which are two stages after the respective flip-flops f1 through fn−1. The flip-flop fn of the last stage is reset by the output signal ln+1 supplied from the level shifter lsn+1 which is one stage after the flip-flop fn. Furthermore, the level shifter lsn+1 of the last stage is reset in a short period by the output signal ln+1 from the level shifter lsn+1 itself, via the flip-flop fn of the previous stage.
In the shift register 1 being thus described, the flip-flops f1 through fn are set-reset flip-flops (SR-FF), and the positive-phase output signals q1 through qn from these flip-flops f1 through fn are used for controlling the operation of the level shifters ls2 through lsn+1 which are one stage after the respective flip-flops fn through fn. Thus, the level shifters ls2 through lsn+1 operate only when the output signals q1 through qn are active. As FIG. 19 shows, therefore, during the first half of the active period of each of the level shifters ls2 through lsn, the first half corresponding to a half of the cycle of the clock signals CK and CKB, the level shifters ls2 through lsn do not contribute to the shifting of the flip-flops f2 through fn (the shifting of the flip-flops f1 through fn−1 of the previous stages is realized if the output signals q1 through qn−1 are switched to be active before the timing at which the clock signals CK and CKB is switched to the next signals), so that the operation of the level shifters ls2 through lsn during the first half of the active period is redundant.
On the other hand, when the level shifters ls1 through lsn+1 are in operation, a stationary current flows in the level shifters ls1 through lsn+1, so that the level shifters ls1 through lsn+1 consume electric power. In case that the level shifters are a voltage-driven type, an input switching element to which the clock signal is supplied is turned on only when the supplied clock signal is active, so as to consume low amounts of power. However, the amplitude of the clock signal has to be higher than the threshold voltage of the input switching element, and this hampers the reduction of the power consumption. For this reason, the level shifters must be a current-driven type with which level-shifting of an input signal by which the input switching element is turned on/off is achieved without no hindrance, even if the amplitude of the input signal is lower than the threshold voltage of the input switching element, so that the input switching element to which the clock signal is supplied is always turned on when the level shifters are in operation, thereby consuming large amounts of power. As a result, the power consumption of a device including the shift register 1, e.g. a liquid crystal display device, is large, so that the battery power quickly burns in the cases of small portable devices and mobile phones, and hence the operating time of such devices is short.
Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-356728 (Tokukai 2001-356728; published on Dec. 26, 2001, corresponding to US2001/0043496A1; published on Nov. 22, 2001) teaches in FIG. 21 that a clock signal is supplied to a gating circuit, and a signal level-shifted by the gating circuit is supplied to a flip-flop, so that an output pulse is fetched from the flip-flop. According to this document, when the length of the-output pulse from the flip-flop is equivalent to one pulse (a half of the cycle) of a clock signal, the operation time of the gating circuit is equivalent to one pulse of the clock signal. However, when the length of the output pulse is equivalent to not less than two pulses of the clock signal, the operation time of the gating circuit is also equivalent to not less than two pulses of the clock signal. In this manner, as the length of the output pulse increases, the power consumption of the gating circuit increases.

Shift register and display device using the same


A one step method and system for producing nanofluids by a particle-source evaporation and deposition of the evaporant into a base fluid. The base fluid such (i.e. ethylene glycol) is placed in a rotating cylindrical drum having an adjustable heater-boat-evaporator and heat exchanger-cooler apparatus. As the drum rotates, a thin liquid layer is formed on the inside surface of the drum. A heater-boat-evaporator having an evaporant material (particle-source) placed within its boat evaporator is adjustably positioned near a portion of the rotating thin liquid layer, the evaporant material being heated thereby evaporating a portion of the evaporant material, the evaporated material absorbed by the liquid film to form nanofluid.

Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing science that is leading to numerous useful applications in a variety of fields. A primary limitation in further applications of nanotechnology is the ability to efficiently and rapidly produce optimal size and quality of nanoparticles in the desired mediums for use, especially in relation to nanofluids, which are suspensions of nanometer-sized particles in a base fluid. It is very tedious and difficult to manufacture adequate quantities and qualities of nanofluids for the high demand which has developed.
Nanofluids have the potential to impact a myriad of industries and technologies including the area of advanced thermally conductive fluids. For example, when nanoparticles having high thermal conductivities are added to a base fluid the resulting nanofluid often has significantly higher thermal conductivities than that of the base fluid. For example, the heat-transfer capability of ethylene glycol increased by 40% when only 0.3 percent of 10 nanometer size of pure copper nanoparticles were suspended in it. Nanofluids have great potential as heat transfer fluids in many practical applications, such as different thermal systems, electronics, nuclear and biomedical instrumentation and equipment, transportation and industrial cooling, and general thermal management (heating and cooling).
Nanofluids are currently produced by two methods. One method, known as the two-step method, involves first producing the nanoparticles, either pure metals or typically metal oxides, which are then dispersed into the base fluid. In practice this approach has not worked well, particularly for metallic particles, since they tend to oxidize and agglomerate.
The second known method is a one-step preparation process in which nanocrystalline particles ("nanoparticles") are produced by direct evaporation and deposition onto a low vapor pressure liquid. Nanoparticles produced by this one-step method have tremendous potential. See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,275 issued to Choi et al. on Apr. 24, 2001, which is hereby by incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, the current one-step method is a short batch process with limited control over a number of important parameters including those that determine nanoparticle size within the formed nanofluid. Therefore, state of the art systems can only produce nanofluids with nanoparticles equal to or greater than about 10-20 nm. There is a need in the art to produce nanofluids incorporating nanoparticles less than 10 nm.
One parameter that determines the size of the nanoparticles within the nanofluid is the chamber (system) pressure of the system. The chamber pressure is principally determined by the saturation vapor pressure of the base liquid in the vacuum chamber. As the liquid is heated, the chamber vapor pressure rises, and thus, it is critical to keep the liquid temperature low and as constant as possible throughout the process. Without sufficient cooling of the fluid, the temperature will rise mostly due to radiation heat input from the heater, as well as heat input from the impinging nanoparticles and heat gain from the surroundings. An increase in the temperature of the fluid can lead to evaporation of the fluid and other negative results. Therefore, controlling the temperature of the fluid and pressure within the system are very important.
Another important factor in determining the size of the nanoparticles within the nanofluid is the distance the evaporated nanoparticles need to travel before being absorbed by the fluid. Generally, the smaller the distance, the smaller number of gaseous atoms, molecules and particle collisions, and the smaller size of the nanoparticles (all other factors being equal).
For these reasons, it is difficult to make larger quantities of nanofluids or a nanofluid with a large concentration of desired size nanoparticles using current state of the art methods. Also because of the complex nature of the process, it is difficult to control nanoparticle size, the latter being very important.

One-step method for the production of nanofluids

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A wheeled luggage case includes a main body having a rectangular housing so as to define an interior and the housing includes a back panel which has a back portion connected to the back panel by a zipper. A base frame is located in the main body and has two corner members. A wheel unit is connected to the base frame and has two wheels. A back plate is located in the main body and a lower edge of the back plate is connected between the corner members and the wheel unit. A handle unit is located between the back plate and the back portion of the housing, and includes two retractable tubes and a handle connected between the two retractable tubes. The handle extends through an opening defined in a top of the back panel.

A conventional wheeled luggage case known to applicant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,768 and generally includes a main body having a main frame sandwiched between an inner frame and an outer frame, two wheel assemblies connected to a bottom of the luggage case, a rear panel covering the rear of the main body to form a storage space, an L-shaped support plate connected to the bottom of the main frame and the wheel assemblies extending through two openings in the support plate, two U-shaped enhanced members connected to the wheel mount an the support plate, and a retractable handle connected to the support plate and being capable of storage in the storage space at the rear of the luggage case.
However, there are so many parts are involved for the wheeled luggage case and the assembling time is too long to obtain a competitive commercial product in the market.
The present invention intends to provide a wheeled luggage case having a hidden retractable handle unit which is composed of less number of parts when compared with that of the wheeled luggage case disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,768.

Luggage case with hidden retractable handle unit


A metal sheet having a low friction coefficient and a low waviness. Multiple round or roughly-round small pits are distributed on the surface of the metal sheet. The diameter of a single pit ranges from 30 μm to 150 μm, and the overlap between adjacent pits is lower than 10%. On the surface of the metal sheet where the pits are located, the proportion of the area of pits per square millimeter of surface area is greater than 30%, and the difference between the quantities of pits in any unit square millimeter is less than 20%. By means of the proper design of surface microstructure, the friction coefficient and the waviness can be effectively reduced, thereby improving the forming and painting performance of the material.

In the stamping forming process of a metal sheet material, the frictional properties between the material and the mold significantly affect the metal flow of the material during the forming process, and further affect the stamping forming properties of the material. In order to reduce the friction between the material and the mold, in addition to applying some lubricating coatings on the surface of the material, making the surface of the material have a certain roughness can also effectively improve the friction properties between the material and the mold. The principle is that the surface microstructure of the material allows the storage of lubricating oil, so that a layer of oil film can be maintained at the contact interface between the mold and the material to improve the lubrication effect in the stamping forming process. Therefore, in order to obtain a good lubricating effect, it is required that the surface of the material have a relatively suitable microstructure, which allows a good storage of lubricating oil and ensures a relatively stable oil film during the stamping forming process.
When painting is conducted on the surface of the material, the surface microstructure of the material will affect the painting performance. In particular, due to the limited ability of the paint film to cover the microscopic uneven surfaces of the material, the microstructure, particularly the waviness of the surface of the material, will be transferred to the surface after painting. Therefore, in order to obtain a good surface after painting, it is usually required that the waviness of the material surface be as low as possible.
Chinese patent document titled "Production Method for Automobile Exterior Board" (Publication No. CN103769431A, Publication date: May 7, 2014) disclosed a production method for automobile exterior board. The technical solution disclosed in this patent document mainly relates to a production method for manufacturing a hot-dip galvanized automobile exterior board with low-waviness. By adjusting the roughness of the rolls in different processes, the roughness of the surface of the steel plate in each process is reasonably controlled, which ultimately ensures that the finished steel plate has a low waviness while having a certain roughness. However, the technical solution disclosed in this patent document mainly optimizes and improves the roll arrangement technique in the rolling leveling process so as to achieve the purpose of improving the coating effect of the steel plate surface, and does not involve specific optimization and improvement of the microscopic surface structure.
Chinese patent document titled "Flat Products Made of Metal sheet, in Particular a Steel Material, Use of Such Flat Products, and Roll and Method for Producing Such Flat Products" (Publication No. CN104884180A, Publication date: Sep. 2, 2015) involves in flat products made of metal sheet, in particular a steel material, useful use, a roll particularly suitable for the manufacture of such flat products, and method for producing such flat products. The technical solution disclosed in the patent document relates to a metal plate having specific surface texture and a manufacturing process thereof. The topography of the plate is obtained by rolling with a roll having a deterministic surface texture of double I-shape, H-shape, cross-shape, C-shape or X-shape, wherein the surface texture is characteristic in an RPc value in the range of from 45 to 180/cm, an Ra in the range of from 0.3 to 3.6 μm, and a Wsa in the range of from 0.05 to 0.65 μm. However, although the technical solutions disclosed in this patent document have optimized the surface microstructure to a certain extent, it does not significantly improve the lubricity of the surface of the material. Moreover, the regular surface topography is prone to "Moire" defects during painting.
That is, techniques for improving the surface lubrication and painting properties of materials by improving and controlling the surface microstructure of materials have not been found in the prior art.

Metal sheet having low friction coefficient and low waviness


In an oil pump structure of an automatic transmission using a torque converter, a hydraulic pressure chamber is defined by a pump housing and a pump cover, to rotatably accommodate therein inner and outer rotors. First and second inflow ports respectively communicating with an oil strainer and a control valve are formed in the outside surface of the pump cover separately from each other. First and second oil inflow passages communicating with the respective inflow ports, a merged-flow portion that downstream portions of the first and second oil inflow passages are merged with each other, a downstream-side oil distribution channel intercommunicating a downstream side of the merged-flow portion and the hydraulic pressure chamber, are formed in at least one of the pump housing and the pump cover.

As is generally known, in an automatic transmission mounted on an automotive vehicle, hydraulic pressure used to engage (apply) or disengage (release) each of friction elements, such as clutches and band brakes, and hydraulic pressure used for lubrication of sliding/moving transmission parts with lubricating oil are generated by means of an oil pump. In the automotive automatic transmission, hydraulic pressure has to be generated and supplied by the oil pump, irrespective of whether the vehicle is running or in its stopped state. Thus, in an automatic transmission using a torque converter, an oil pump is laid out in the rear of a torque-converter pump impeller, which is rotated in synchronism with rotation of an engine crankshaft. An inner rotor of the oil pump is fixedly connected to the pump impeller so as to always drive the oil pump during rotation of the crankshaft.
Such a technology related to a pump structure of an oil pump laid out between a torque converter and a transmission mechanism has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-35904 (hereinafter is referred to as "JP2-35904").
Referring now to FIGS. 7-8, there is shown the oil pump structure disclosed in JP2-35904. As can be seen from the simplified drawing of FIG. 7, an oil pump 201 is laid out between a torque converter 211 and a transmission mechanism 212. A pump body 202 is laid out or installed on one side facing a pump impeller of torque converter 211, whereas a pump cover 203 is laid out or installed on the opposite side facing transmission mechanism 212. Pump body 202 and pump cover 203 are integrally connected to each other to define therein a pumping chamber 204. An inner rotor and an outer rotor are operably accommodated in pumping chamber 204. A separate plate (not shown) is interleaved between pump body 202 and pump cover 203 so as to ensure a high sealing performance of fluid passages formed in oil pump 201. As shown in FIG. 8, one end of an oil passage formed in pump body 202 communicates with a discharge portion (an outlet port) 222 of an oil strainer 221. Lubricating oil supplied to sliding/moving transmission component parts in transmission mechanism 212 is sucked through a suction portion (an inlet port) 223 of strainer 221. The sucked oil is filtered out through an oil filter 224 of strainer 221. The filtered-out oil flows through discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 via a suction port 202a into pump body 202, that is, into the space defined between the inner and outer rotors for pumping action. On the other hand, working oil drained from each of hydraulic servos for friction elements such as clutches and band brakes is exhausted from a valve body (exactly, a control valve body) 231 into an oil passage 214 formed in a transmission case 213 of transmission mechanism 212, and then flows through discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 via suction port 202a into pump body 202.
That is to say, as can be seen from the cross section of FIG. 8, the discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 has a fluid-flow communication opening 222b communicating with the oil passage 214 of transmission case 213 and a fluid-flow communication opening 222a communicating with the suction port 202a of pump body 202. Thus, oil, which is used as lubricating oil for transmission mechanism 212 and discharged from the discharge portion 222 of strainer 221, and oil, which is drained from each of hydraulic servos and directed to pump body 202, are merged with each other at the discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 (that is, into the space defined between the above-mentioned two fluid-flow communication openings 222a-222b). The merged oil flows through suction port 202a into the pumping chamber of pump body 202.
To provide leakproof oil seals and to prevent oil leakage, a pair of O-ring seals 225, 225 are respectively interleaved between the opening end of oil passage 214 of transmission case 213 and the first fluid-flow communication opening 222b of discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 and between the second fluid-flow communication opening 222a of discharge portion 222 of strainer 221 and the suction port 202a of pump body 202.
Additionally, in the oil pump structure disclosed in JP2-35904, as shown in FIG. 7, generally, the diameter of the outer circumference of pump body 202 is dimensioned to be greater than that of pump cover 203. The oil inflow port, i.e., suction port 202a (see FIG. 8) is formed in the outer peripheral portion of pump body 202, further projected radially from the outer circumference of pump cover 203. This is because the subjective component part of oil pump 201 is the pump body 202, which also serves as an end cover of transmission mechanism 212. That is, oil pump 201 is constructed by integrally connecting pump body 202 onto the end face of transmission mechanism 212, and therefore major structural portions of oil pump 201, for example, pumping chamber 204 and suction port 202a tend to be all provided in pump body 202 rather than pump cover 203.


A wash composition that includes a polymeric surfactant and methods for using the wash composition are described herein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, electronic devices, and in particular, to the field of electronic device manufacturing.
2. Description of Related Art
In the current field of semiconductor manufacturing, a photolithography process is often used to form a photoresist pattern on a substrate of a die or a wafer. The resulting photoresist pattern may be used to etch circuitry and/or electronic component features onto the substrate.
In brief, a photolithography process typically involves initially depositing a photoresist composition on top of the substrate to form a photoresist film on the substrate. A patterning mask is then placed on top of the photoresist film leaving certain portions of the photoresist film exposed while leaving other portions unexposed. The exposed portions may then be exposed to an electromagnetic radiation source (e.g., light source) that generates electromagnetic radiation of specific wavelength or range of wavelengths in order to initiate chemical reactions within the exposed portions of the photoresist film.
As a result of these reactions, the exposed portions become either removable or not removable (depending on whether the photoresist film is a positive or negative type photoresist) in subsequent processes such as a wash process that may further include separate develop and rinse processes. For lack of a better term and for purposes of this description, the process of exposing the photoresist film to the electromagnetic radiation will be called an "exposure curing" process. After the completion of the exposure curing process, the wash process may be performed in order to remove the removable portions of the photoresist film. As a result, a photoresist pattern is formed on top of the substrate.
The formed photoresist pattern, in turn, may be subsequently used as an etching mask in order to form circuitry and/or electronic component features on the substrate. Although not described above, additional procedures such as baking and/or heating procedures may also be performed during the various stages of the photoresist patterning process.
Typically the formulation of a photoresist composition used for a photolithography process may vary depending on various design criteria. That is, the formulation of a photoresist composition may depend on the size of the circuitry or electronic components being formed or patterned. As circuitry and electronic components become smaller, the formulation of the photoresist composition will likewise change in order to meet the changing manufacturing requirements for producing the circuitry features used to form these smaller components. For example, if a via or a trace is being formed then the formulation of the photoresist composition may depend upon the size, such as the node width, of the via or the trace being formed. Each of the photoresist composition formulations is typically identified by the wavelength of the corresponding electromagnetic radiation (e.g., light) used to exposure cure the photoresist. For example, a photoresist composition may be identified as 365 nanometer (nm) photoresist (I-line), a 248 nm photoresist (called deep UV or DUV), a 193 nm photoresist, 157 nm photoresist, and the like. Commercial suppliers typically sell these photoresist types.
As electronic components have become smaller, one problem faced by semiconductor device manufacturers is the problem of pattern collapse or photoresist pattern collapse. It has been proposed that pattern collapse occurs as a result of the photoresist development process when a developer solution or rinse solution (DI water) "pulls down" the photoresist lines. In order to avoid such problems, it is known to add surfactants to the developer or rinse solutions to reduce collapse. However, such solutions may have certain drawbacks.

Wash composition with polymeric surfactant


A cancer cell detection device includes a computer with a database and a display and a microscope coupled to the computer. The microscope has a base upon which a biopsy sample can be placed. The device further includes a camera coupled to the microscope and computer. The camera is configured to capture images of the biopsy sample. The device also has a filter configured to attach to the microscope and a connection feature for connecting the computer to the camera and the filter. The computer further includes a processor that processes the images captured by the camera and classifies the images according to known variables stored in the database.

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases worldwide. Despite all the latest technologies and treatments available, it can be a fatal if not detected timely. The American Cancer society records show that prostate, lung and colon cancers are those leading to highest rates of mortality, and colorectal cancer holds the third position among all other types.
Automated tumor cell grading systems have potential in improving the speed and accuracy of cancer diagnostic procedures. Such systems can boost the confidence level of pathologists who perform the manual assessment of tumor cells. The application of image processing and machine learning techniques on the digitized biopsy slides enables the distinction between various cell types. Deployment of multi-spectral imaging technique for biopsy slide digitization serves to provide spectral information along with the spatial information. Multi-spectral imaging allows pathologists to acquire several images of the sample in multiple wavelengths including the infrared and visible ranges. Current medical imaging techniques deal mostly with images taken in the infrared domain.
In terms of the mortality rate, colorectal cancer holds the third position among all other types. Colorectal cancer can affect the colon, rectum, and parts of the large intestine. Most colon cancers appear initially as colorectal polyps, which are abnormal growths inside the colon or rectum. Among the various diagnostic methodologies available, the major types are colonoscopy, molecular, and histopathologic and spectroscopic diagnosis.
Histopathologic diagnosis refers to the microscopic examination of tissue to study the manifestations of disease, and is commonly referred to as a biopsy. It is the ultimate screening aid for majority of cancers. When testing large populations, however, the analysis of numerous biopsy slides by an experienced pathologist can be a time-consuming task. Moreover, the expertise of the concerned pathologist can affect the result of histopathologic analysis. The tedious task of looking under the microscope may result in several false positives and misinterpretations. Thus, there is a need for a computer aided diagnostic system that can detect and classify the various tumor grades, to improve the reliability and rapidity of the screening procedure.
A wide range of image processing based approaches are currently employed as part of automated colorectal diagnosis. The digitization of biopsy slides is the first step in such approaches. Commonly utilized techniques include RGB, HSV, grayscale etc. Multispectral imaging involves capturing images in specific wavelength bands, including the invisible infrared range. Classification of cells in tissue, which includes cancer detection, have already been adopted multispectral imaging methods.

QATAR UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH


A driver-initiated warning device is described for communicating descriptive vehicle-to-vehicle warning messages. The device can be deployed within an automobile and can include an interface that receives input from a driver or passenger of a vehicle. The device also includes a vehicle-to-vehicle communications component that generates anonymous messages upon having received the input and broadcasts the anonymous messages to other vehicles within range. The anonymous messages have embedded electronic data regarding an event observed by the driver or passenger, such as location information of a road hazard. Based on receiving the messages, the device can make decisions as to whether to alert the driver of any upcoming dangers or other events. The location information contained in the messages can be used to filter the messages based on relevance. The messages can also be relayed to other vehicles in order to optimize information diffusion between moving automobiles.

In recent years, automobiles and other vehicles have become increasingly integrated with onboard computing systems, software and other related technologies. Virtually every feature in today's standard automobile has become reliant on one form of computer or another. From computer-controlled engine timing and emission technologies, to global positioning and navigation systems, the automobile is quickly becoming a collection of software and hardware systems that provide a wide variety of features to drivers and passengers.
Much research has gone into providing driver assistance and auto driving capabilities in the automobile. For example, advanced parking guidance systems have surfaced, which aid the driver in parallel parking the automobile and in other similar situations. Some manufacturers have also implemented on-board emergency response systems, such as Onstar, in case of accidents or automobile collisions. However, there is still much room for improvement by way of automated assistance during everyday driving.
In daily driving situations, hazardous conditions or events often occur which require quick response on the part of a driver of an automobile. For example, a flooded area of a road, the presence of an emergency vehicle or an accident may occur rapidly on the road network. Communication of warnings regarding such events and their respective locations would often be helpful and facilitate a quick response on the part of warned drivers. Most of today's standard non-broadcast communication methods, such as cellular telephones, are not well suited for such uses because they generally require some kind of identity (e.g. phone number) of the person intended to be warned, which is not readily available in most emergency situations. In addition, the time taken to use a cell phone, radio or other device is excessively long since the warned vehicle may have very little time to adjust speed or change lanes before encountering the hazardous or otherwise risky situation. Even though identifiers are not needed for broadcast technologies, time and bandwidth limitations still apply.
In the past, drivers have given independent and anonymous warnings to other drivers of significant events or locations of things by direct short-range broadcast communications, such as citizen's band (CB) radio, or by flashing headlights to warn oncoming drivers of the presence of hazards in the road (e.g. broken-down vehicles or emergency vehicles). However, these types of warnings are severely limited in many ways. For example, the flashing headlights fail to specify anything about the hazardous event, such as its description, location, importance and other information. By using CB radio, the driver may be able to provide some verbal instructions, however this is often too imprecise and too time-consuming to provide any significant benefit, in addition to being cumbersome to use. Furthermore, most drivers do not carry CB radios and do not wish to continuously listen for various transmissions while driving the vehicle. As such, another approach is needed.
Recently, the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) protocol has been created to specifically address communications within the context of automotive use. DSRC is a wireless RFID-based technology, mainly used for communications between automobiles and roadside equipment, such as automatic toll collection machinery and the like. DSRC has also been proposed for use between automobiles for various purposes.
Generally, it is undesirable for communications to require extensive dedicated infrastructure, such as road-side transmitting equipment, since such equipment is likely to be concentrated spatially and not be pervasive across a road network. A method is needed to spread anonymous location-dependent information quickly within a local area at the will of a driver or other vehicle occupant and without requiring extensive infrastructure. Furthermore, it is desirable that the information spread quickly and efficiently, without requiring knowledge of driver and automobile identity or other dedicated information. Applicant has identified the foregoing, as well as other shortcomings and needs which currently exist in the art in coming to conceive the subject matter of the present disclosure.

Driver initiated vehicle-to-vehicle anonymous warning device


A tool pot according to the present invention includes a synthetic resin portion made from thermo-plastic resin and arranged over an entire length from an opening end to a tool gripping portion. Inner surface of the synthetic resin portion is a tool attachment hole. The synthetic resin portion is provided in the vicinity of the opening end of the attachment hole with a supporting surface for supporting a tool. The synthetic resin portion includes an outer structure defining outer shape, an inner structure defining inner circumference of the tool attachment hole, a cavity provided between the outer structure and the inner structure, and joint ribs joining the outer structure and the inner structure. Each of the outer structure, the inner structure and the joint ribs has wall-thickness enough to secure rigidity of the synthetic resin portion and capable of suppressing mold shrinkage of the synthetic resin portion. The tool pot according to the present invention has rigidity without damaging tools by the synthetic resin portion, and has high dimensional accuracy and design freedom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool pot used for a tool magazine of a machine tool, and more particularly, to a tool pot composed of a cylindrical synthetic resin portion over an entire length from an opening end to a tool gripping portion. The synthetic resin portion is made from thermo-plastic resin, and inner surface thereof is a tool attachment hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 2001-347434 discloses a tool pot composed of a cylindrical synthetic resin portion over an entire length from an opening end to a tool gripping portion. The synthetic resin portion is made from thermo-plastic resin, which is recyclable.
Inner surface of the synthetic resin portion serves as a tool attachment hole. A part of the inner surface of the attachment hole near an opening end is diverged toward the opening end and serves as a tapered supporting surface for holding tools.
The synthetic resin portion of the tool pot disclosed in above reference is injection molded from thermo-plastic resin material such as polyamide. The synthetic resin portion is provided on outer side thereof with reinforcing ribs for securing certain rigidity. If the ribs are thickened, rigidity of the synthetic resin portion is improved easily. However, thickening of the ribs may also cause mold shrinkage, and hinder the synthetic resin portion from attaining expected dimensional accuracy.
In order that the synthetic resin portion with reinforcing ribs secure rigidity and also avoid mold shrinkage, a great deal of effort has been made to design shape, size, or arrangement of the ribs. Consequently, there has not been so much freedom in design of the synthetic resin portion.
To improve rigidity while avoiding thickening of the ribs, it is conceivable to mix a great deal of reinforcing filler such as glass fiber into thermo-plastic resin material for the synthetic resin portion. If the thermo-plastic resin material itself is rigidified, however, inner surface of the tool attachment hole is rigidified, too, and may damage tools inserted into the hole if tools are dislocated from exact inserting position when inserted into the attachment hole. That is, hardening of the material itself cannot be an appropriate solution to the above problem.
In the synthetic resin portion of the tool pot, moreover, angle and inner diameter of the tapered supporting surface of the attachment hole, and length from the supporting surface to the tool gripping portion made of ball plungers or the like, which is located at the bottom of the tool attachment hole for gripping tools, requires dimensional accuracy.


A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) used for detecting lift of a wheel includes a speed sensor (20) coupled to the wheel producing a wheel speed signal and a torque control system (57) coupled to the wheel for generating an operating input torque to the wheel. A controller (26) is coupled to the torque control system (57) and the wheel speed sensor (20). The controller (26) determines a wheel response to the operating input torque and generates a wheel lift signal as a function of the operating input torque, the wheel speed signal and the wheel response.

Dynamic control systems for automotive vehicles have recently begun to be offered on various products. Dynamic control systems typically control the yaw of the vehicle by controlling the braking effort at the various wheels of the vehicle. Yaw control systems typically compare the desired direction of the vehicle based upon the steering wheel angle and the direction of travel. By regulating the amount of braking at each corner of the vehicle, the desired direction of travel may be maintained. Typically, the dynamic control systems do not address rollover (wheels lifting) of the vehicle. For high profile vehicles in particular, it would be desirable to control the rollover characteristic of the vehicle to maintain the vehicle position with respect to the road. That is, it is desirable to maintain contact of each of the four tires of the vehicle on the road.
In vehicle rollover control, it is desired to alter the vehicle attitude such that its motion along the roll direction is prevented from achieving a predetermined limit (rollover limit) with the aid of the actuation from the available active systems such as controllable brake system, steering system and suspension system. Although the vehicle attitude is well defined, direct measurement is usually impossible.
During a potential vehicular rollover event, one side of the wheels starts lifting, and the roll center of the vehicle shifts to the contact patch of the remaining tires. This shifted roll center increases the roll inertia of moment of the vehicle, hence reduces the roll acceleration of the vehicle. However, the roll attitude could still increase rapidly. The corresponding roll motion when the vehicle starts side lifting deviates from the roll motion during normal driving condition.
When the wheels start to lift from the pavement, it is desirable to confirm this condition. This allows the system to make an accurate determination as to the correction.
Some systems use position sensors to measure the relative distance between the vehicle body and the vehicle suspension. One drawback to such systems is that the distance from the body to the road must be inferred. This also increases the number of sensors on the vehicle. Other techniques use sensor signals to indirectly detect wheel lifting qualitatively.
One example of such a wheel lifting determination can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,188. The system applies a change in torque to the wheels using the available sensed signals and the available calculated signals to determine wheel lift. The output from such a wheel lifting determination unit can be used qualitatively to detect, monitor and predict potential rollover event. If the qualitative determination indicates a positive flag for potential rollovers, a quantitative determination of how severe the rollover might be through estimated vehicular roll angle is conducted. This method is an active determination since the basis of the system relies on changing the torque of the wheels by the application of brakes or the like. In some situations it may be desirable to determine wheel lift without changing the torque of a wheel.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a rollover detection system that improves reliability in predicting the occurrence of wheel lift during the operation of the automotive vehicle.

Passive wheel lift identification for an automotive vehicle using operating input torque to wheel


A crimpable wear band (105) tool has been invented for installation on casing (6), used in well bore drilling. A wear band (105) is provided having a cylindrical body which when coaxially placed over a pipe and substantially radially inwardly displaced at a plurality of points (i.e. crimped) about the circumference of a section of cylindrical body, attaches to the pipe to create a connection having structurally significant axial and torque load transfer capacity. When crimped according to the methods of the present invention, the load transfer capacity of the connection between the wear band (105) tool and the pipe (6) can be arranged to substantially prevent significant relative movement of the wear band tool on the pipe under loads that may be encountered when using one or more of the pipes as components of a tubular string used for drilling or running the casing in to complete a well bore.

Within the context of petroleum drilling and well completions, wells are typically constructed by drilling the well bore using one tubular string, largely comprised of drill pipe, then removing the drill pipe string and completing by installing a second tubular string, referred to as casing, which is subsequently permanently cemented in place. The installation of casing, in this typical construction requires that the casing be run into long boreholes, some having horizontal stretches. In these horizontal stretches, the casing must be installed by pushing it along the borehole. In so doing the casing is pushed in engagement with the borehole wall.
Recent advances in drilling technology have enabled wells to be drilled and completed with a single casing string, eliminating the need to 'trip' the drill pipe in and out of the hole to service the bit and make room for the casing upon completion of drilling. This change is motivated by potential cost savings arising from reduced drilling time and the expense of providing and maintaining the drill string, plus various technical advantages, such as reduced risk of well caving before installation of the casing.
However, casing installation through deviated wellbores or by drilling with casing challenge the performance requirements of the casing. Installation can place severe structural demands on casing since they must survive extended periods of time in contact with the borehole wall.
A device is needed to facilitate installation of casing either during a standard run in operation or when the casing is used for drilling.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Casing wear band and method of attachment


A sprinkler includes a sprinkler body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end having a nozzle with a discharge orifice; the nozzle surrounded by an outer wall forming an annular chamber radially spaced from the discharge orifice. A rotor plate is supported by the sprinkler body for rotation about an axis, the rotor plate having a tubular water distribution passage with an inlet and an outlet, the passage configured to cause the rotor plate to rotate when a stream from the nozzle passes therethrough. The inlet of the passage is axially spaced from the discharge orifice by a distance sufficient to aspirate air into the inlet end of the passage, thereby pulling water leaked into the chamber back into the passage.

It is well known in the field of irrigation generally and rotating sprinklers particularly for a sprinkler device to emit a non-rotating stream from a fixed nozzle onto a rotating plate with substantially radial grooves that also establish a moment arm, causing the plate (often referred to as a "rotor plate") to rotate about the nozzle axis. The plate also reorients the stream from vertical to substantially horizontal, distributing the water in a circular pattern. The grooves of the rotor plate may be configured to produce different wetting patterns depending on specific site applications. In some cases, the rotation of the rotor plate is slowed by a brake or "motor" in order to maximize the throw radius of the stream. In other cases, the rotor may be of the free spinning type. Examples of such sprinkler constructions may be found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 33,823; 4,796,811; 5,297,737; 5,372,307; 5,439,174; and 5,588,595.
To get maximum distance of throw in a sprinkler described generally above, it is desirable that the emitting stream be as concentrated as possible. It has been found that to obtain such a concentrated stream, it is advantageous to configure the rotor plate to have a single closed water passage that resembles a curved tube which is slightly larger in cross sectional diameter than the stream that is exiting the nozzle. The water passage needs to be substantially constant in cross sectional diameter throughout its length except for a slight flare at the entrance to help capture the stream, and a slight taper to a slightly smaller diameter at the exit. Because the size of the tubular water passage has to be so close in size to the nozzle stream, and in order to conserve space, the entry flare cannot be very large, and sometimes a small amount of the nozzle stream does not enter the water passage, but rather sprays out between the nozzle exit and the water passage entrance. This is generally due to manufacturing tolerances, i.e., the rotor plate entrance is not always perfectly aligned over the nozzle exit.
In the past, and for somewhat closed sprinkler body architecture, this leakage spray impinges on the inside diameter of the sprinkler body and then drips down the riser pipe that supports the sprinkler. For sprinklers having a more open architecture, the leakage spray carries radially a few feet before dropping to the ground. In either case, the net result is an undesirable excess of water in the first few feet around the base of the sprinkler.


In apparatus and processes for producing pellets of plastic resins and additives, the heat collected in the quench water of the pelletizer device is used to heat the plastic entering the process. This simple unique idea has an energy saving in the process.

The present invention is directed to the compounding of plastic pellets, where one or more plastic resins and one or more additives are melted and mixed in a compounding extruder. In the present methods of compounding and forming plastic pellets, the heat generated in cooling the extrudate that forms the pellets is thrown away. The prior art method of forming plastic pellets is illustrated in the schematic drawings labeled FIG. A and FIG. B.
Referring to FIG. A, extruder 10 is a single screw or double screw compounding extruder powered preferably by a DC motor 12 and a gear drive 14. Extruder 10 has a plurality of zones, seven (7) being shown. The zones are heated by heaters (not shown) on the external surface of extruder 10. A feed hopper 16 is located at the near end of extruder 10, near the first of the internal zones, usually near the first or second zone. The temperature within the extruder 10 usually increases as the plastic resin and additives advance from the first to last zone, and the plastic resin that is introduced as a solid is melted to a point that the additive(s) are homogeneously mixed in the plastic resin. Extruder 10 has a die 18 having a plurality of holes through which the mixed plastic and additive(s) flow as an extrudate. Above the feeder hopper 16 of extruder 10 is shown feed handling equipment 20, the details of which are immaterial to the description of the prior art. Extruder 10 has a pelletizer device 30 at the terminal end. Illustrated is an underwater pelletizer characterized by structure that brings cool water from inlet "A" through a chamber with a rotating cutter that cuts the extrudate immediately as the extrudate passes through die 18, cooling the cut extrudate as a pellet and removes the quench water, that is now hot, and the pellets through outlet "B".
Referring now to FIG. B, the slurry of pellets in the quench water from extruder 10 and pelletizer 30 enter through "B" into equipment 40 for pellet recovery. The pellets are separated from the water in a de-watering box 42 and the water collected in water tank 44. The water exits water tank 44 and is passed through a heat exchanger 46, which may be a chiller or cooling towers, to reduce the temperature of the water. In the prior art, this heat is essentially thrown away. The heat must be removed since the water is re-circulated, after passing though filters 48 to exit "A" for use in the pelletized 30 as shown in FIG. A.

Apparatus for lowering energy consumption of a polymer compounding process


A power generation plant including a turbine (1) of a Kaplan, bulb, diagonal flow or propeller turbine type, a water intake (4) and a water run-off (5). Additional vanes vane (8) are deployable into a water passage formed between the water intake (4) and the housing of the turbine. Eddy flows formed in the water intake (4) are reduced by the additional vanes. The vanes allow the turbine operating range to be extended to cover smaller outputs.

Exemplary water turbine types are Kaplan, diagonal flow, propeller and bulb turbines. While operating at low power, these water turbines may be subjected to severe pressure fluctuations in the water flow due to eddy flows formed in the intake between the guide vane and the runner of the turbine. These severe pressure fluctuations cause vibrations in the turbine that may limit the operating range of the turbine, especially in low power operational conditions. Water turbines typically operate at low power during turbine start-up, low output or in lock or coasting modes when water passes through the turbine without generating turbine output. There is a long felt need to avoid restrictions in the operational range of a water turbine, especially in low power operational conditions.
Rotatable guide vanes in Frances turbines in the water run-off are known, such as shown in EP2399022A1, to stabilize water through-flow. Similarly, DE1503279, AT284034, AT248255 and WO2012/059174 disclose Francis-type pump turbines where auxiliary vanes are used to improve or adjust the efficiency in pump or turbine operations. These auxiliary vanes have no corresponding effect in axial turbines.

Power generation plant having a Kaplan, bulb, diagonal flow or propeller turbine


A punch for simultaneously pressing two or more different powder formulas has a punch body with a first region and second region. The first region is comprised of a first material and configured to apply a first predetermined pressure to a first powder formula when a ram force is placed on the punch body. The second region is at least partially comprised of a second material and is configured to apply a second predetermined pressure to a second powder formula when the ram force is placed on the punch body. The second material is less hard than the first material such that the second predetermined pressure is less than the first predetermined pressure.

Currently available punches for pressing powder, such as cosmetic powder, consist of a solid block of metal, such as cold-rolled steel. Such punches are typically pressed onto a pan containing loose or lightly packed powder so as to achieve a particular hardness of a particular material. Such punches cannot be used to simultaneously compress more than one formula in a pan unless the formulas are highly similar or identical to one another because applying the single pressure from the punch to the two different formulas will result in different hardness characteristics and payoff performance.
For example, when pressing two different formulas contained within the same pan, the formula with more caking or pressing agent will press to a greater hardness than the formula with fewer caking or pressing agents. In such a scenario, the powder formula on one side of the pan will be much harder than the formula on the other side of the pan. The formula with more caking agents may become overly pressed, exhibit glazing, and/or yield insufficient payoff performance. The formula with less caking agents, on the other hand, may be under pressed, prone to dusting and breaking, and yield too much payoff performance.
Presently available systems and methods for pressing two or more formulas and containing them within the same pan involve separately pressing each formula in a separate plate to achieve a given hardness for each formula, and then combining the pressed formulas into a single pan where a finishing press is applied to smooth the edges of each formula and give the pan an appealing and unified look. Such systems and methods are time consuming, expensive, and error-prone, as each formula must be separately pressed and then removed from its initial container and placed in a new pan together with one or more other formulas that have also been pressed.


Opposed cones for slips on a packer have an annular undercut in general alignment with the end of the cone that has the slip ramp. The undercut faces the mandrel on which the cones can be driven together to radially extend the slips. A high modulus insert sleeve is interference fitted to the undercut. This results in the cone exterior surface being in hoop stress tension before the slips are set. Once the slips are set and a reaction load comes radially back from the surrounding tubular into which the slips have extended there is a tendency for the reaction force to put the exterior surface of the cones into compressive hoop stress. The initial tensile hoop stress from the sleeve placement acts to at least in part offset the reaction force tending to create compressive hoop stress. The net loading and deflection of the mandrel is minimized.

Retrievable packers typically have a sealing system and anchoring slips that are set in a variety of ways including axial compression with a setting tool. There is generally a lock to hold the set position to allow the setting tool to be released. Release of the packer involves defeat of the locking system that can occur with a predetermined applied force or even cutting the mandrel in two. When the slip or slips are extended to the surrounding tubular for the anchoring function there is a reaction force from the surrounding tubular radially back through the slips. Depending on the slip system design the reaction force can go circumferentially into a slip ring, as in US 2004/0244966; into an adjacent slip circumferentially when slip segments make a continuous ring, as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,669; or into the mandrel through a cone that has a plurality of ramps as in US2012/0285684. Barrel slips are cylindrically shaped cohesive structures that can take radial reaction load and spread it circumferentially especially when used with multi-ramped drive cones. Barrel slips are shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,497.
Other designs that use opposed single ramp cones that are brought together under opposed ends of slip segments have a unique way of directing the reaction force from the surrounding tubular when the slips are set radially into the actuation cones. What can happen is that the reaction force can be so great as to cause the mandrel beneath the cones to plastically deform if not collapse. This issue could be addressed with a thicker wall on the mandrel but then the price of that design choice is a much smaller passage through the mandrel for production. Another approach is to make the mandrel of rather high modulus materials but then in the event of a need to mill out the packer for any reason the milling becomes problematic or protracted. Similarly space constraints often limit the cone thickness that can be used between the mandrel and the slips and making a thicker cone will generally mean having to make other parts thinner to offset the cone dimension increase. Doing this creates pressure rating issues for the mandrel or else a smaller through bore needed to regain a desired pressure rating.
What is needed and provided by the present invention is a simple way to offset reaction force so as to minimize loading on the mandrel that can lead to undesirable deformation of the mandrel. In essence a sleeve is interference fit in the cone so that the fitment results in tensile hoop stress at the cone outer surface when running in. As the packer is set and the reaction force comes from the surrounding tubular through the slips and cones there is a tendency to place the outer cone surface in compression hoop stress. The initial hoop tension from the interference fitted sleeve offsets the compression hoop stress component resulting from the reaction force thereby minimizing the stress transmitted to the mandrel from the cone. These and other aspects of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and the associated FIGURE while recognizing that the full scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.


In a capacitor main body, a dimension along the thickness direction of a first region where a first inner electrode and a second inner electrode are provided is t1, a dimension along the thickness direction of a second region that is positioned on the side of a first main surface relative to the first region is t2, and a dimension along the thickness direction of a third region that is positioned on the side of a second main surface relative to the first region is t3. A condition of t2/t1> about 0.15 and a condition of t3/t1> about 0.15 are satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to capacitors, capacitor mounting structures, and taped electronic component series.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, capacitors such as multilayer ceramic capacitors are used in various types of electronic components.
When a voltage applied to a multilayer ceramic capacitor varies, the multilayer ceramic capacitor is distorted in some cases. The distortion of the multilayer ceramic capacitor is transferred to a circuit board on which the multilayer ceramic capacitor is mounted, via a bonding material. This causes the circuit board to vibrate. In a case where a vibration frequency of the circuit board is about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, the vibration of the circuit board is recognized as a sound. A sound generated at this audible frequency band is called "acoustic noise". This acoustic noise has been a problem in various types of electronic apparatuses such as television sets, personal computers, mobile communication terminals such as cellular phones, and so on.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-38332 discloses that acoustic noise can be suppressed by making, in a capacitor region where a first inner electrode and a second inner electrode oppose each other, the thickness of a suppression region located on one side of the capacitor region be larger than the thickness of a suppression region located on the other side thereof.
It has been desired to further suppress acoustic noise in capacitor mounting structures.

Capacitor, capacitor mounting structure, and taped electronic component series


A self-supporting swing structure made of a plastic material is disclosed. The swing includes two support shoulders (11), a horizontal crosspiece (12) for connecting the support shoulders in their upper part, and an oscillating seat (13) hung from suspension supports (14), which are fixed to the crosspiece. Each support shoulder (11) includes two tubular legs (15), which are fixed to one another at the top and to an end of the said crosspiece (12) by a locking bolt (16). The two legs turn downward and are joined at half height by at least one connecting crossbar (17). This connecting crossbar has its ends threaded in tubular joints (15') of the legs, and they are locked there by anti-unthreading tongues (17') and pins (20). In addition, the legs (15) of each shoulder (11) are rigidly connected (32, 114, 131) to an adjacent suspension support (14) of the oscillating seat.

Different embodiments of garden swings or seesaws made of plastic material are already known, in which, however and invariably, each shoulder is en bloc, i.e., is molded in a single piece of large dimensions. The shoulders produced in this manner, given their space occupied and not being able to be disassembled, place remarkable problems in the way of packing and of shipping and, when assembled, they require particular measures and means for the stability of the structure of the swing.


A translation machine capable of translating one or more sentences described in a source language into a target language, the translation machine having a storing unit which stores dictionaries and predetermined rules, the translation machine includes unit for dividing a sentence described in the source language into morphologic elements so as to analyze a syntax structure of each of the morphologic elements in accordance with the dictionaries and the predetermined rules, a unit connected to the dividing unit for converting the syntax structure of the source language into a syntax structure of the target language so as to generate a translated sentence in the target language on a basis of the syntax structure of the target language, and a unit connected to the converting unit for moduling a result of the translated sentence generated by the generating unit so as to create a user dictionary.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a translation machine which can generate a natural translated sentence. More particularly, the invention relates to the translation machine which is capable of changing an interface with a user depending on the user's setting.
2. Description of the Related Arts
The inventors of the present invention know that there have been traditionally proposed translation machines. Of those machines, a typical translation machine mainly includes a CPU, a translation module, and storage units for storing a main dictionary, a user dictionary, grammatical rules and tree-structure converting rules. In operation, the typical translation machine takes the steps of entering a source language input from a keyboard into a translation module under the control of the CPU and translating the source language into a target language in the translation module using the main and user dictionaries and the grammatical and tree-structure converting rules in respective storage units.
When the translation machine is in operation for translating English into Japanese, for example, a user often needs to register a new English word uniquely created in the user dictionary. For registering a new word, the word has to be input together with the information of Title of the English Word, Part of Speech of the English Word, Inflection (Conjugation) of the English Word, Japanese Equivalent of the English Word, Part of Speech of the Japanese Equivalent and Inflection (Conjugation) of the Japanese Equivalent.
As mentioned above, for generating a more natural translation sentence, it is necessary to register in the user dictionary not only the English word and its Japanese equivalent but also each part of speech and inflection of the English word and the Japanese equivalent.
When of registering a new English word in the user dictionary, a use is required to input the inflection (conjugation) of an equivalent Japanese word to the English word. Therefore the user has to have a knowledge about Japanese grammar. It brings about a disadvantage that users except those having the knowledge about the Japanese grammar cannot easily and efficiently create the user dictionary.
Further, the foregoing translation machine has another disadvantage. When the translation machine is in operation for translating English into Japanese, for example, at first, the translation machine divides the input English sentence into words and obtains the grammatical information about each word and its Japanese equivalent by consulting the dictionaries stored in the memory. As mentioned above, the typical translation machine has the user dictionary in which a user can register new words in addition to the basic and special dictionaries. The user dictionary contains not only the English word itself but also the information about the English word such as a title, a part of speech, its Japanese equivalent, and a part of speech of the Japanese equivalent.
Assume that the foregoing translation machine translates a sentence including the proper-noun phrase "Sharp Information Systems Laboratories" into Japanese. It may analyze the proper-noun phrase word by word without treating it as one phrase. Or, it may merely translate the part of the phase using the words registered in the dictionaries. In any event, if the proper-noun phase is not treated as one phrase in operation of the translation, the resulting translated sentence becomes unclear.
To overcome the disadvantage, such a proper-noun phrase is registered as a block of words in the user dictionary. However, disadvantageously, the Japanese equivalent to each word cannot be uniquely specified.
Such a specific proper-noun phrase may be registered as one block in the user dictionary so that its Japanese equivalent is the same phrase. In this case, the proper-noun phrase is left intact in the Japanese translated sentence, because it is analyzed as one block. In registering the long proper-noun phrase title like "Sharp Information Systems Laboratories", however, an operator has a large burden, because the operator has to make sure the long phrase title, character by character, for avoiding erroneous registration.
In turn, a further disadvantage of the foregoing normal translation machine will be described hereinafter. The normal translation machine is so arranged that it performs a translation without considering how much a user knows about the source language and the target language or the translation machine itself. However, a user having little knowledge about the languages or skill about the operation of the translation machine cannot make full use of the functions of the translation machine.