One inventive aspect relates to a method of lithographic processing of a device). The method may be performed using a lithographic processing system and applying a reticle). Lithographic processing of a device typically is characterized by focus conditions, a set of selectable lithographic processing system parameter values and selectable reticle parameter values. The method of configuring the lithographic processing comprises receiving values for the lithographic processing system parameters and for the reticle parameters. The method further comprises receiving focus conditions for the lithographic processing, the focus conditions allowing separation of image performance effects due to lithographic processing system aberrations and image performance effects due to reticle shadowing effects. The method further comprises determining image performance effects due to lithographic processing system aberrations and the image performance due to reticle shadowing effects. Furthermore, a test kit for performing a method for lithographic processing devices such as a lithographic processing system or a reticle adapted for using the method is described.

1. Field of the Invention
Certain inventive aspects relate to the field of lithography. More particularly, they relate to methods and devices for characterizing, optimizing and performing lithography using electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, such as extreme ultraviolet lithography.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In the production of today's integrated circuits, optical lithography is one of the key techniques. The ongoing miniaturization of integrated circuits or other devices has resulted in the use of new types of lithography, e.g. in lithography using electromagnetic radiation with short wavelength. A typical example thereof is extreme ultraviolet lithography.
Whereas in conventional lithography techniques light typically is transmitted through the reticle, extreme ultraviolet lithography typically uses a reflective mask with a multi-layer coating. The illumination therefore typically is performed using an off-axis ring field illumination system that is non-telecentric with respect to the reticle side. In other words, illumination of the reticle typically is performed with a non-zero angle of incidence. By way of example, a schematic representation of a optical lithography system using a transmissive reticle is shown in FIG. 1a, while an optical lithography system using a reflective reticle is shown in FIG. 1b. FIG. 1a shows an illumination source 2, a transmissive reticle 4 and a device 6 comprising a resist layer 8. The resist layer 8 is illuminated with an illumination beam 10, modulated by the transmissive reticle 4, thus allowing to illuminate the resist in accordance with a predetermined pattern. For a system using a reflective reticle, as shown in FIG. 1b, an illumination source 22, typically an off-axis illumination system, generates an illumination beam guided to a reflective reticle 24. The illumination beam 30 is modulated by the reflective reticle 24 and reflected towards the substrate 6 comprising a resist layer 8.
In lithography applications using a transmissive reticle and lithography applications wherein the wavelength of the radiation used is substantially larger than the feature thickness on the reflective mask, typically a thin mask approximation (Kirchoff approximation) is valid. In lithography application wherein the wavelength of the radiation used is substantially of the same order of magnitude or smaller than the thickness of the reticle features 26, a thick mask approximation is to be used where light having a non-zero angle of incidence might be blocked by reticle features 26. In other words, the non-zero angle of incidence in combination with the three dimensional mask topography results in the so-called "shadowing effect". The latter is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 1c, which is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 1b.
In Emerging Lithographic Technologies V, Proc. of SPIE 4343 (2001) 392-401, Krautschik et al. describe a comparison between a thin mask approximation and a thick mask approximation for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. It has been found that, using reflective EUV reticles, the critical dimension (CD) through focus behavior shows asymmetry and a shift in focus for thicker masks. The dependency on the angle of incidence, on the pitch, on the wavelength in the finite bandwidth of the illumination source and on the mask orientation has been studied.
In 21st Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, Proc. of SPIE 4562 (2002) 279-287, Yan has studied the cause of the asymmetry of Bossung curves and best focus shifts for extreme ultraviolet lithography, i.e. where the thickness of the mask plays a role. It is discussed that these effects are due to a phase error at the reticle pattern edge. It furthermore has been shown that such effects may occur both for transmissive as for reflective masks. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,872,495, Schwarzl describes a method for fabricating a lithographic reflection mask for e.g. extreme ultraviolet lithography. Between the substrate and the reflection layer and/or on the side areas of the reflection layer, an absorber layer is applied allowing to reduce critical dimension changes due to shadowing of structures. The above described absorber layer allows projecting the patterned reflection layer in an undisturbed and image-faithful manner.
Furthermore, it is known that typically a number of aberrations are present in an optical system, such as a lithographic system. Spherical aberration may occur, which is the inability of the different zones of a lens/mirror to form an image all in one plane at the same distance of the lens/mirror. This typically results in the impossibility of making sharp focus. Coma may occur, which is a spherical aberration that passes light obliquely through the lens/mirror. This typically results in comet shaped images of a distant point, leading to blurred images as each detail is smeared. Astigmatism may occur, which is a non-uniform curvature of a refractive surface in an optical system resulting in blurred images as not all images are formed in the same point. Tilts in the Bossung curves, i.e. the CD behavior through focussing, also may be caused by these aberrations in the lithographic system or reticle.

Methods and devices for lithography using electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths


It is disclosed that a pager comprises: a receiving portion (1, 2) for receiving a radio wave paging signal and supplying a paging signal; an outputting portion (3, 6, 5) for outputting information when the paging signal is directed thereto; a power supplying portion (8, 9) for supplying a supply power; a detection portion (4) for detecting a voltage condition of the supply power; an operation portion (7) for generating a command signal in response to an operation; and an alarming portion (5, 6) for alarming when the operation portion generates the command signal after the detection of the low voltage condition. The pager may further comprise a timer (31) responsive to the detection portion. The alarming portion alarms in response to the timer if the operation portion does not generate the command signal within the predetermined time interval. The alarming portion generates an alarm sound or displays character data when the alarming portion alarms. There are two alarm sound tones, wherein one for the arrival of the paging signal and the other for informing the low voltage condition. The alarming portion may further alarm when detection of the low voltage condition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pager with a low voltage alarm.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that a pager comprises an alarm portion for alarming to inform its user of a low voltage of a battery when a low voltage detection circuit detects that a voltage of a battery is lower than a reference.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A charging energy control system includes an implantable medical device (IMD) and an external charger for effectuating wireless power transfer. The IMD receives charging energy to recharge a battery during an ON period and rejects the charging energy during an OFF period. A series switch is disposed between the IMD's coil and rectifier circuitry that is controlled by voltage regulation circuitry operative to generate a clamp control signal configured to detune the coil in the OFF state.

Neurostimulation systems are devices that generate electrical pulses and deliver the pulses to nerve tissue to treat a variety of disorders. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an example of neurostimulation in which electrical pulses are delivered to nerve tissue in the spine for the purpose of chronic pain control. Other examples include deep brain stimulation, cortical stimulation, cochlear nerve stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, sacral nerve stimulation, etc.
In addition to neurostimulation (NS) systems, several numerous medical devices exist today, including but not limited to electrocardiographs (ECGs), electroencephalographs (EEGs), squid magnetometers, implantable pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), electrophysiology (EP) mapping and radio frequency (RF) ablation systems, and the like, that may be implanted within a patient for facilitating therapy and/or diagnostics. In general, implantable medical devices or IMDs are configured to be implanted within patient anatomy and commonly employ one or more leads with electrodes that either receive or deliver voltage, current or other electromagnetic pulses from or to an organ or tissue for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
In order to provide consistent therapy and reliable operation over a substantial duration of time, IMDs are often provided with one or more batteries that may be charged and recharged to store energy, which may supply power to the rest of the IMD circuitry and associated lead systems. Because IMDs are implanted within patients, the IMDs are typically charged by an external charger that transmits energy wirelessly into the IMDs, such as through radio frequency (RF) signals. It is desirable that an IMD is generally charged as quickly and safely as possible within certain ranges depending upon the therapy application. However, if charging energy is input into the IMD too quickly and/or without proper regulation, the temperature of the IMD may increase to dangerous levels causing tissue damage and other deleterious effects. It is further desired that wireless energy transfer between the external charger and the IMD's charging circuitry be performed as efficiently as possible.
Whereas advances in IMD technologies and associated external charger systems continue to grow apace, several lacunae remain, thereby requiring further innovation as will be set forth hereinbelow

Wireless power transfer circuit for a rechargeable implantable pulse generator


A paper-sheet feeding device including a kicker roller configured to contact a forefront paper-sheet of a plurality of stacked paper-sheets and kick out the forefront paper-sheet; a feed roller to feed-out the paper-sheets to be kicked out by the kicker roller; and a press-fitting roller press-fit against the feed roller to provide a gate unit adapted to separate the paper-sheets to be fed by the feed roller, into one sheet. The kicker roller includes a base part and a high friction part formed in part of the outer circumference of the base part along the circumferential direction and configured to kick out the forefront paper-sheet. The feed roller includes a base part and a high friction part formed over the entire outer circumference of the base part and configured to contact the surface of the paper-sheet to be kicked out by the kicker roller to perform feed-out of the paper-sheet.

The paper-sheet feeding device for use in a banknote counter or the like is constructed to feed paper-sheets (e.g., banknotes or the like) stored therein in a stacked state, successively, one sheet for each operation, so as to carry them to the outside.
For instance, as disclosed in JP62-280141A and JP2003-155128A, the paper-sheet feeding device of this type generally comprises a kicker roller and a feed roller, each having a high friction part formed on the outer circumferential face thereof, in order to kick out and carry out a plurality of paper-sheets held in a stacked state, one sheet for each operation. A gate unit (or reversal roller) is provided to be opposed to the feed roller, in which a gate part is provided between the feed roller and the gate unit, in order to pass only one of the paper-sheets therethrough during each feed operation and prevent feeding the one paper-sheet together with a second or more later paper-sheets at a time.
In such a paper-sheet feeding device, however, in the case of changing denominations of paper-sheets to be fed, the gate part must be adjusted depending on the thickness and/or strength of rigidness of the paper-sheets to be changed. Additionally, for banknotes of various countries differing in the thickness and/or strength of rigidness, for example, it is sometimes difficult to adjust the gate part appropriately.

Paper-sheet feeding device with kicker roller


A method includes: determining, by a computer device, affinities between components in a networked computer system; determining, by the computer device, a risk level of each of the components; determining, by the computer device, a risk level of the networked computer system; detecting, by the computer device, a threat in the networked computer system; determining, by the computer device, an action based on the threat, the risk level of ones of the components affected by the threat, and the risk level of the system; and reconfiguring, by the computer device, the networked computer system based on the determined action.

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to networked computer systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for network shutdown for cyber security.
Computer security, cybersecurity, or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems from the theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.


Aspects of the invention can provide an electro-optical device having n image signal lines to which n serial to parallel converted image signals are supplied. A driving circuit has a sampling circuit that can include a plurality of thin film transistors. Each of the thin film transistors can have (i) a drain connected to a drain wiring line arranged from a data line in a direction in which the data line extends, (ii) a source connected to a source wiring line arranged from the image signal line in a direction in which the data line extends, and (iii) a gate arranged to be sandwiched between the drain wiring line and the source wiring line in a direction in which the data line extends, and the plurality of thin film transistors can be arranged to correspond to the plurality of data lines. Two adjacent thin film transistors with the boundary between thin film transistor groups interposed therebetween among the plurality of thin film transistors can be arranged such that the arrangements of the source and drain wiring lines with a gate interposed therebetween are opposite to each other. By doing so, it is possible to reduce image faults caused by parasitic capacitance located between the thin film transistors in the sampling circuit.

1. Field of Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to a driving circuit of electro-optical devices, such as a liquid crystal device, to an electro-optical device, and to an electronic apparatus, such as a liquid crystal projector, having the electro-optical device installed therein.
2. Description of Related Art
Related, these types of driving circuits can have a data line driving circuit for driving data lines, a scanning line driving circuit for driving scanning lines, and a sampling circuit for sampling image signals formed above a substrate of an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal device. In addition, when driving the related driving circuits, at the timing of sampling circuit driving signals supplied from the data line driving circuit, the sampling circuit can sample an image signal supplied to image signal lines and supplies the sampled signals to the data lines.
In a technology for obtaining high-definition image display while suppressing an increase in driving frequency, serial image signals can be converted into a plurality of parallel image signals of three phases, six phases, twelve phases, twenty four phases, etc. (that is, phase development), and then the converted signals can be supplied to a corresponding electro-optical device through a plurality of image signal lines. Here, the image signals are simultaneously sampled by a plurality of sampling switches and the sampled signals are simultaneously supplied to the plurality of data lines.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus


A latent electrostatic image bearing member including at least a support, a photoconductive layer on the support and a surface layer on the photoconductive layer, wherein a film having the same composition as the surface layer is formed on a slide glass such that the film had a thickness of 5 μm; and the haze value measured after rubbing the film with a steel wool of #000 and a load of 500 gf for 50 times is 10% or less.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to: a latent electrostatic image bearing member used for a photocopier, a Facsimile, a laser printer and a direct digital plate maker, which is hereinafter referred to also as a photoconductor or an electrophotographic photoconductor; and a process cartridge, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus which uses thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over ten years have passed since a plan of action 'Agenda 21' established with hope for handing the rich global environment on to the next generation was adopted, and public awareness towards the environmental conservation has considerably deepened. For example, separation of recyclables from non-recyclables and frequent use of the blank sides of used sheets of paper as printer sheets are examples of immediate change in awareness. Today, the environmental performance of an industrial product has been generally emphasized such that it influences the future of the product. Under such circumstance, the usage pattern of a photoconductor still has a strong aspect as a disposable supply product, and the situation is such that the impact on the global environment cannot be accepted. In response to this, it is required to suppress the abrasion and scratches on a photoconductor in view aspects of design and usage of the photoconductor. At the same time, the damage to the contacting members disposed around the photoconductor should be reduced. Once these are achieved, it becomes possible to suppress the temporal degradation of an image forming engine. As a result, the frequency of component replacement as well as the replacement of the apparatus itself may be reduced, which can contribute to the reduction of environmental burdens such as resource saving and prevention of air pollution.
An amorphous silicone photoconductor is a typical heavy-duty photoconductor today. The production cost of the amorphous silicone photoconductor is high since the manufacturing method thereof is a dry process, and it is used only for high-end apparatuses with some exceptions. The contribution of the high durability of the amorphous silicone conductor to the reduction of environmental burdens is considered insufficient since the use ratio of the amorphous silicone conductor is small. In order to achieve the reduction of environmental burdens, it is desirable that the durability of the photoconductor is enhanced as well as the cost is reduced to increase the usage ratio. To achieve this, it is advantageous to increase the durability of a low-cost organic photoconductor (OPC).
When an abrasion resistance of a metal is given to the organic photoconductor, the abrasion resistance equivalent to the increase in the abrasion resistance is required. When the surface of the photoconductor is scratched, the electrical discharge hazard in an electrophotographic process concentrates in and alters the scratched portions. Also, grooves formed by the scratches are embedded with a toner component or paper powder, and thus, local image deficiencies such as background smear and blur tend to occur. As the abrasion resistance further improves, a scratch once occurred cannot easily disappear with time as if it is engraved. As a result, the scratches inhibit the longer operating life of the photoconductor.
Therefore, an improvement of the operating life of a photoconductor by means of a reduction of the abrasion in the photoconductive layer has been examined, and various proposals thereof have been made. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 06-118681 proposes the use of a curable silicone resin including colloidal silica as a surface protective layer of a photoconductor.
Also, JP-A Nos. 09-124943 and 09-190004 propose a photoconductor whose surface includes on its surface a resin layer in which an organosilicon modified hole transport compound is bound in a curable organosilicon polymer.
In addition, JP-A 2000-171990 proposes a method for manufacturing a photoconductor in which a curable siloxane resin including a functional group which imparts an electron transport property is cured in a three-dimensional network.
However, these proposals are likely to encounter problems such as reduction of the adhesion to a material and occurrences of a crack due to the use of rigid monomer for enhanced hardness and the increase of the distortion during cure time for enhanced crosslink density. Also, it is extremely difficult to resolve an issue specific to an electrophotography that a scratch is engraved even on a hard surface such as amorphous silicone once a very hard material such as developer carrier is adhered and rubbed on the conductor surface. When a photoconductor having a high surface hardness is used, it is restricted to use a developer carrier having an extremely large particle diameter or to employ a one-component developing method so that the carrier adhesion is avoided. Furthermore, for the improvement of abrasion resistance, it is considered advantageous to improve the stress relaxation rather than to enhance the surface hardness.
So far, no effective solutions have been proposed to improve the durability for scratches of a latent electrostatic image bearing member. Therefore, a latent electrostatic image bearing member is protected with excessive packaging materials so that no scratches are made on the surface of the latent electrostatic image bearing member, and it is currently not given a status as a product which anybody can handle with ease.

Latent electrostatic image bearing member, and process cartridge, image forming apparatus and image forming method


A method of digitally processing data for use in representing an image, comprising scaling edge data relating to edges in at least one colour-adjusted component of the image using unadjusted data relating to a colour-unadjusted component of the image, and a device operable in accordance with the method.

Colour correction of digital colour images is required in a number of image processing contexts.
One important environment is in digital imaging. It is known to produce colour sensors by introducing an alternating pattern of colour filters onto the array of individual sensor elements of a device. Alternatively, an image sensor may capture information relating to a plurality of different wavelengths of light at each point of the sensor.
It is, however, difficult to construct colour filters for such sensors which exactly match the spectral characteristics of our eyes or which exactly match the primary colours used in computers to represent or display images. For this reason it is necessary for the captured images to be processed to transform the sensed colours to the desired colour system.
These issues apply to other contexts in which colour correction is required, such as for images generated by imaging systems having three CCD sensors (one for each colour plane) for example, by flatbed colour scanners, or by other imaging systems in which the colour image is formed from sets of separate, registered images. Certain of these issues may apply to other contexts also such as printing, where colour correction is used to map from one colour space to that of the printer such as, for example, from a standard RGB (Red, Green, Blue additive primary) colour space to the RGB space of the printer (prior to the final transformation to the physical CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black subtractive primary) colour space of the printer).
When processing an image in order to transform it from one colour space to another, it is desirable to avoid mixing noise from a noisy channel, such as the blue colour channel for example, into a less noisy channel, such as the green colour channel for example.
Co-pending United Kingdom Patent Application Number 0118456.3, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method for the colour correction of images. An image to be processed is split into low and high frequency components and colour correction is applied to the low frequency component only. In this manner, the effect of noise is reduced during the colour correction process as the higher spatial frequency component of the image, which generally carries a larger proportion of the noise in an image, has no colour correction applied to it.
The process of GB0118456.3 is suitable for modest transforms within the same basic colour space such as RGB to RGB, but it does not work particularly well in more extreme situations such as when transforming from complementary colours such as CMY to the primary RGB colours, for example.
Both Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-110860 and "Suppression of Noise Amplification During Colour Correction", Kharitonenko et al., IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 48, No. 2, May 2002 (Published), pp. 229-233 describe processes for colour correction of images.
A further enhancement of GB0118456.3 is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/216,648. Therein, an adjustment may be applied to the high frequency image before recombining it with the colour corrected low frequency image in order to provide additional colour correction around areas of highly chromatic edges.
Despite this improvement and the fact that any high frequency image component processing only occurs around highly chromatic edges, noise is still introduced into the final transformed image. Furthermore, the method of Ser. No. 10/216,648 is limited in its ability to convert an image from one colour space into a different one and is only suitable for transformation between broadly similar colour spaces.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention provides an external heating member abutment controller which can instantaneously adjust the quantity of heat provided by external heating members to the surface of a fixing member, to provide a fixing apparatus which can drastically increase productivity for cardboards and which can provide high-quality color images free from variations in gloss (gloss nonuniformity). Thus, a fixing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a first and second fixing rotating members that use nip portions to thermally fix a toner image on a recording material and a first and second heating members that abut against the first fixing rotating member to heat an outer surface of the first fixing rotating member. The fixing apparatus is characterized in that when a fixing operation is started, the first heating member and the second heating member are sequentially abutted against the first fixing rotating member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus for use in a printer, copier, facsimile machine, or the like which employs an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system.
2. Related Background Art
Various image forming apparatuses are conventionally known. Of these image forming apparatuses, those based on an electrophotographic system have prevailed which exposes a photosensitive member to laser light and which then develops an image. Such an image forming apparatus has advantages such as a high image quality and high-speed operations and is widely used as, for example, an output apparatus such as a copier or a color laser beam printer.
The color image forming apparatus such as a copier or a color laser beam printer has been requested to achieve high productivity (the number of prints per unit time) using various sheets (recording materials) such as cardboards.
In order to increase the productivity of the image forming apparatus to which the electrophotographic system is applied, notably in connection with paper with a heavy basic weight, it is necessary to increase the fixing speed of a fixing apparatus. However, paper with a heavy basic weight absorbs much heat. Accordingly, such paper requires a significantly larger quantity of heat for fixation than thin paper. Thus, at present, when images are fixed to paper with a heavy basic weight, a fixing process is executed with a reduced fixing speed.
Thus, as a technique for enabling an increase in the speed at which color images are fixed, a fixing apparatus configuration has already been proposed which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H10-149044 and 2004-37555.
An image heating fixing apparatus according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-149044 has paired fixing members disposed so as to be rotatable while in pressure contact with each other. An unfixed image is formed on a recording material at a nip portion formed by fixing member pair. While conveyed, the recording material is sandwiched between the fixing members to heat and fix the unfixed image. One or more external heating members can abut against and retract from the fixing member pair.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-37555 discloses an external heating apparatus and a fixing apparatus using the external heating apparatus. The external heating apparatus comprises a plurality of external heating rolls that come into pressure contact with a surface of a heated member to externally heat the surface. The external heating apparatus has contacting and separating means for bringing the plurality of external heating rolls into pressure contact with the surface of the heated member and separating the external heating rolls from the surface and adjusting means for bringing the plurality of external heating rolls into uniform pressure contact with the surface of the heated member.
The above conventional techniques have the following problems. With the fixing apparatuses according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-149044 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-37555, even if recording materials (referred to as transfer paper below) are cardboards, the following measure can be taken to realize a high productivity substantially equivalent to that for thin paper; the quantity of heat generated by the external heating rolls is increased to allow the external heating rolls to provide more heat to the surface of the heated member. However, with a mere increase in the quantity of heat provided by the external heating rolls, when the fixing apparatus fixes an image to transfer paper, if the external heating rolls provide a large quantity of heat to the surface of the heated member before the transfer paper enters a fixing portion, then the surface of the heated member becomes too hot. This causes toner on the transfer member to be excessively melted to make the toner too glossy. Thus, an attempt to control the external heating temperature or the temperature of the heated member cannot solve the above problems because of the insufficient thermal responsiveness of the external heating rollers or heated member.
Further, if an attempt is made to cause the external heating rolls to provide a quantity of heat to the surface of the heated member after the transfer paper has entered the fixing portion, the transfer paper absorbs heat from the heated member to make the heated member too cold. Consequently, the toner on the transfer paper cannot be melted and thus has a reduced gloss. As a result, the toner gloss becomes nonuniform (gloss nonuniformity). It is thus impossible to effectively heat the surface of a fixing roll that is the heated member, using the external heating rolls. This may in turn make it impossible to achieve a high productivity or vary the gloss of color images (gloss nonuniformity). Therefore, disadvantageously, high-quality color images are not obtained.
To solve these problems, it is possible to use the external heating rolls to provide a quantity of heat to the surface of the heated member the instant the transfer paper enters the fixing portion. However, in view of the deviation of timing of the abutment of the external heating rolls against the heated member and the deviation of timing of the entry of the transfer paper into the fixing portion, it is impossible to match the timing of entry of the transfer paper into the fixing portion with the timing of provision, by the external heating rolls, of a quantity of heat to the surface of the heated member. For example, it is assumed that an attempt is made to increase the productivity of a copier and that the transfer paper is conveyed at a speed of 300 mm/sec in order to achieve a productivity of 70 CPM. When the deviation of timing of the abutment of the external heating rolls against the heated member is 100 msec in view of the responsiveness of a motor or the like and the deviation of timing of the entry of the transfer paper into the fixing portion is 200 msec in view of conveying speed errors, the resulting timing deviation is about 300 msec. In terms of distance, this corresponds to a deviation of 90 mm.

Fixing apparatus with controlled heating members for heating the outer surface of the fixing rotating member


A tire-information administration system includes a plurality of sensor modules installed in tires; at least one reception module configured to receive data from the sensor modules; and a central control module configured to command the reception module to acquire data from the sensor modules. The central control module includes a predetermined number of connection ports for the reception module, assigned in advance to each sensor modules; and a specifically configured control means. The control means sequentially outputs at predetermined sampling time a command of data acquisition from a sensor module, to the connection port assigned to each sensor module; assigns the connection port to the sensor module for the next sampling, when there is a data input from the sensor module in response to the command; assigns data acquisition from the sensor module to another connection port, and assigns the other connection port to the sensor module for the next sampling, when there is no data input from the sensor module even by the command issuance. Thus, the tire-information administration system maintains communications even in case of troubles of the reception modules or damages of tires.

There has been proposed a tire-information administration system for administrating information of tires of a vehicle in operation such as a construction vehicle; in a manner that the system includes sensor modules attached to inner surfaces of the tires, to thereby measure temperatures, pressures and the like of the tires and reception modules configured to receive radio signals including measured data transmitted from the sensor modules; in which the radio signals are transmitted to a vehicle operation administrating center configured to administrate a plurality of vehicles such that the center instructs a driver to take a suitable action if the vehicle is brought into a difficult situation of a possible trouble.
Further, the reception modules of the system are mounted on a vehicle correspondingly to the sensor modules installed in the tires, respectively, and the signals processed in the reception modules are once collected by a central control module of the vehicle, and then transmitted from the central control module via radio waves to the vehicle administration center.
It has been impossible for the above-mentioned conventional tire-information administration system to detect an abnormality in a tire upon occurrence of such an abnormality, if the reception module or the like has become incapable of communicating with the sensor module due to trouble of them. In addition, abnormalities can not be detected even in case of damages of tires such as due to puncture, thereby also causing a problem in safety.
The present invention has been conceived in view of such a problem, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tire-information administration system capable of: maintaining communications even in case of troubles of reception modules or damages of tires; commonizing a central control module irrespectively of the number of reception modules; and mitigating a service operation for assigning sensor modules to tires, respectively, as required upon exchange or arrangement rotation of tires.


The present invention relates to a resist composition with a hardener and a solvent, and a method for forming a pattern using the resist composition. The hardener has a thermal-decomposable core part, and a first photosensitive bond art. The solvent has a low-molecular resin, and a second photosensitive bond part.

(a) Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a resist composition and to a method for forming a pattern using the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Photolithography processes are being widely used to form display devices and electronic devices. However, photolithography may involve high cost equipment such as a light exposing device and a mask, thereby possibly resulting in increased initial investment costs and lowered economic efficiency. Moreover, there may be a limit in forming ultra-minute patterns using photolithography.
Consequently, imprint lithography technology has come to the fore to allow processing without using any masks. With imprint lithography, a desired resist pattern may be formed similar to stamping a seal onto a substrate, and large amounts of minute patterns may be processed at a relatively low cost.
With the above-mentioned imprint lithography process, a resist layer may be formed on a substrate, and a mold with a predetermined pattern may be placed on the resist layer to imprint the pattern of the mold thereon. Thereafter, the resist layer with the mounted mold thereon may be hardened through light exposure or heat-treatment, and the mold may be detached from the resist layer to thereby form a resist pattern. A target metallic film may be etched through the resist pattern, and the resist pattern may then be removed through a strip process.
However, the hardened resist material may not be completely removed from the target, and thus some may remain deposited thereon. The above-mentioned unremoved resist material, may exist in the form of broken pattern particles, and may thereby make it difficult to manage the stripper or cleaner. Moreover, the above-mentioned unremoved resist material may in turn cause thin film transistor failures such as, for example, line cuts, short circuits, etc.
In an attempt to solve the above-mentioned difficulties, various different methods have been proposed, including ways of using a highly soluble stripper in the stripping process, reinforcing the time and temperature conditions of the stripping process, using a zone-to-zone filter, or exchanging the stripper. However, such methods may not solve the above-mentioned difficulties at a fundamental level.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a resist composition, a system with the resist composition, and a method for forming a pattern using the same, which includes the benefits of readily removing a resist layer after desired pattern formation without increasing the number of processing steps, and at a low cost.

Resist composition and method for forming a pattern using the same


An integrated image recorder (100) receives first pictorial image data from an input scanner (300) and stores the same in an image disk (150). The pixels of the picture are skipped at a predetermined rate to obtain second pictorial image data having a lower resolution. The second pictorial image data is transmitted to a front end processor (201, 202) and employed in editing/designing of a page as an integrated image. The integrated image is represented in a page description language and is delivered to the integrated image recorder. The integrated image recorder is operable to read out the first pictorial image data from the image disk and to convert the integrated image into a bit map using the first pictorial image. The integrated image is then delivered to an output scanner (190) and is recorded on a recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for integrating respective images of a character, a graphic and a picture and recording an integrated image, used in an editing system, and more particularly, to a technique for outputting the integrated image in accordance with an arrangement of images which are compiled through a personal computer or the like.
2. Description of the Background Art
DTP (desk top publishing) systems have rapidly spread in recent years. The DTP system is constructed to easily make-up a page with respective images of a character, a graphic and a picture and to output the integrated image thus obtained as a result of such page-designing. A personal computer or a design work station is employed as a front end processor of the DTP system. In such a system, an operator designs a page with images of characters, graphics and pictures with the front end processor which generates a program which is expressed in a page description language. The page description language is symbolically written as "PDL" in general and such languages include "Postscript", "Interpress" and "DLL", for example. The program for a designed page is called as a page description program and is outputted through the front end processor.
When it is intended to express a high-resolution image of a picture such as a photograph, in some cases the image may have a greater amount of data than a conventional DTP system can process. Accordingly, a conventional DTP system has a problem in that the system can not produce an integrated image containing a high-resolution image of a picture.

Method and system for integrating in a single image, character and graphical information by employing data of different pixel resolution


The present invention relates to novel compositions of methotrexate-containing heterodimeric probe molecules, also known as chemical inducers of dimerization (CID), useful in three-hybrid assays. The invention further relates to synthesis of said compositions and their intermediates. Another aspect of the invention is a method for using the heterodimeric probe molecules described herein in drug screens to identify potential protein targets to a given ligand, optimize protein-ligand interactions, or identify potential ligands for a given protein target. In certain embodiments, the invention contemplates the synthesis of the following methotrexate-containing heterodimeric probe:

A fundamental goal of pharmacology and medicine is to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ligand-receptor interactions. At the cellular level, drug action is quite often the consequence of non-covalent interactions between therapeutically relevant small organic molecules and high-affinity binding proteins within a specific cell type. These small organic ligands may function as agonists or antagonists of key regulatory events which orchestrate both normal and abnormal cellular functions. For years, the pharmaceutical industry's approach to discovering such ligands has focused on random screenings of thousands of small molecules in specific in vitro and in vivo assays to determine potent lead compounds for their drug discovery efforts. Using these screenings, a lead compound may be found to exert well-defined effects with regard to a function at the cellular level (e.g., inhibition of cytokine production or DNA replication in a particular cancer cell line). However, such results may give little indication as to the mechanism of action at the molecular level (e.g., ligand-protein interaction).
Furthermore, screening for a compound's activity in one cellular function may not reveal its potential for cross-reactivities or its undesired side-effects. Such cross-reactivities and side-effects are often caused, for example, by proteins having closely similar structures to protein(s) under study, or by a single protein fulfilling different functions when expressed in different cell types or when localized to different sub-cellular compartments. Therefore, identifying possible protein targets for a pharmacological agent is challenging but highly desirable. There is an unmet need for a general and efficient method to identify the cellular targets for such pharmacological agents so as to accelerate the search for novel drugs at both the basic and applied levels of research.
Similarly, there is a need for a general approach to identifying a small molecule capable of binding any selected cellular target regardless of the target's biological function. Fowlkes et al. and Broach et al. describe a screening assay for identifying molecules capable of binding cell surface receptors so as to activate a selected signal transduction pathway. These references describe the modification of selected yeast signaling pathways so as to mimic steps in the mammalian signaling pathway. This approach is applicable only to certain signaling pathways and has limited utility for broader applications, such as discovering small molecules that interact with any cellular target. Thus, there is also need for general screening methods to determine the interaction between small molecules and target proteins so as to identify agonists and antagonists that may interfere or compete with the binding of the small molecules for these targets, and to identify new drugs that are capable of specific therapeutic effects in a variety of disease states.
Currently, few efficient methodologies exist for rapidly identifying a biological target such as a protein for a particular small molecule ligand. Existing approaches include the use of affinity chromatography, radio-labeled ligand binding and photoaffinity labeling in combination with protein purification methods to detect and isolate putative target proteins. This is followed by cloning of the gene encoding the target protein based on the peptide sequence of the isolated target. These approaches depend on the abundance of the putative target protein in the sample and are laborious and painstaking.
Crabtree et al. (WO 94/18317) describes a method to activate a target gene in cells comprising (a) the provision of cells containing and capable of expressing (i) at least one DNA construct comprising at least one receptor domain, capable of binding to a selected ligand, fused to a heterologous additional protein capable of initiating a biological process upon exposure of the fusion construct to the ligand, wherein the biological process comprises the expression of the target gene, wherein the ligand is capable of binding to two or more fusion proteins, and wherein the biological process is only initiated upon binding of the ligand to two or more fusion proteins, the two fusion proteins being the same or different, and (ii) the target gene under the expression control of a control element which is transcriptionally responsive to the initiation of said biological process; and (b) exposing said cells to said ligand in an amount effective to result in expression of the reporter gene. Further described are DNA constructs, ligands and kits useful for performing such method. In related documents, Crabtree et al. show these and other embodiments; specifically, Holt et al. describes the synthesis of hybrid ligands for use with the subject methods. The purpose envisaged for these methods and compositions is restricted to the investigation of cellular processes, the regulation of the synthesis of proteins of therapeutic or agricultural importance and the regulation of cellular processes in gene therapy. Nothing therein suggests the use of these methods and compositions to study the interaction of proteins with small molecules, particularly in its application to pharmaceutical research and drug development.
Licitra et al. describes a "three-hybrid screen assay" that implements the basic yeast two-hybrid assay system. (See Fields & Song, Fields et al., Gyuris et al., and Yang et al., for a description of the "two-hybrid assay") The significant difference is that instead of depending on the interaction between a so-called "bait" and a so-called "prey" protein, the transcription of the reporter gene is conditioned on the proximity of the two proteins, each of which can bind specifically to one of the two moieties of a small hybrid ligand. The small hybrid ligand constitutes the "third" component of the hybrid assay system. In that system, one known moiety of the hybrid ligand will bind to the "bait" protein, while the interaction between the other moiety and the "prey" protein can be exploited to screen for either a protein that can bind a known moiety, or a small moiety (pharmaceutical compound or drug) that can bind a known protein target. Licitra et al. used such an approach to targets for FK506 by fusing a rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene to a lexA-based vector and screened a cDNA library from human leukemia Jurkat cells for proteins to induce reporter gene expression in the presence of a synthetic heterodimeric compound dexamethasone-FK506. Clones expressing a FK506-binding protein (FKBP12) were identified as a mediating partner of the interaction.
Weak affinity between FK506 and FKBP was a limitation of the three-hybrid system disclosed by Licitra et al. The FK506-FKBP interaction utilized by Licitra et al. provided only micromolar affinity. Higher affinity between bait protein and its binding partner is desired for improving system performance. Lin et al. improved upon the Licitra's dexamethasone-FK506 pair by synthesizing a methotrexate-dexamethasone heterodimeric probe molecule, also known as a chemical inducer of dimerization (CID). Lin et al.'s three-hybrid system consisted of a DNA binding protein-dihydrofolate reductase chimera (LexA-DHFR), a transcription activation protein-glucocorticoid binding protein chimera (B42-GR), and a heterodimeric probe molecule consisting of analogs of methotrexate and dexamethasone linked via a biphenyl linker. Dexamethasone and methotrexate have low nanomolar and picomolar affinities to their protein receptors GR and DHFR respectively. This system provided a significant improvement of system performance over Licitra et al.
There is a need to develop and synthesize heterodimeric probe molecules that have improved cell permeability, and toxicity, and are efficient chemical dimerizers of proteins in vivo.

Synthesis of methotrexate-containing heterodimeric molecules


In a color image sensing system, a solid state image sensor has every four adjacent picture elements thereof grouped as one set, and combinations of color filters are arranged to cover almost all the picture elements of the image sensor. The color filters include first color filters which are arranged to pass a given color component for an obliquely adjacent pair of picture elements within each of the sets, and second and third color filters which are arranged to cover the other obliquely adjacent pair of picture elements within the same set. A signal composing circuit is arranged to receive the outputs of the solid-state image sensor, to form a signal corresponding to one of the picture elements having the first color filters by combining, in a given ratio, the output of this picture element and also those of other picture elements having the first color filters, and to form a signal corresponding to one of the picture elements having the second or third color filters by combining, in a given ratio, the outputs of the picture elements which have the first color filters and are disposed in the neighborhood of that picture element above, below and on the left and right sides of that picture element.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color image sensing system of the kind using a solid-state image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many of the image sensing systems of the kind using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD, MOS or the like have been formed with a color mosaic filter, etc., arranged in front of a single image sensor.
For example, they are arranged as follows: Among the picture elements of the image sensor, every four mutually adjacent picture elements are grouped as one set. For each of these sets, green (G) filters are allotted to two obliquely adjacent ones of the picture elements, a red (R) filter to one of the rest and a blue (B) filter to the other (a G-check, R and B method). This filter allotment is repeated for all the picture elements of the image sensor. With the picture elements arranged in this manner, a luminance signal Y and color-difference signals R-Y and B-Y are composed from the outputs of the image sensor and formed into a color video signal.
In another known method, the filter colors to be allotted to each of the groups (sets) of four picture elements of the image sensor are arranged to be white (W), green (G), yellow (Ye) and cyan (Cy) or to be magenta (Mg), green (G), yellow (Ye) and cyan (Cy).
In forming, for example, a luminance signal in accordance with the above-stated conventional method, however, spurious resolution tends to be caused by the color of a picture-taking object or by the ratio of color components of illumination light because the signal is composed of the outputs of the picture elements corresponding to a plurality of color filters. Under such a condition, it is hardly possible to obtain an adequate resolution.
In the case of the above-stated G-check, R and B method, for example, no luminance output is obtainable from the picture elements corresponding to the G and B filters in taking a picture of a red object. Then, in the horizontal direction of the image sensor, the luminance output is obtainable only from one of every two picture elements. This is equivalent to a decrease in the sampling frequency and thus increases the possibility of spurious resolution. Other methods mentioned above also present the same problem.


A wiper for use in a container for liquids such as correction fluid consists of a cylindrical length of yieldable material within the neck of the container. The wiper may be formed as an insert which consists of a cylindrical body formed about a central axis and having an upper end in the form of an annular flange, with which to engage the container neck, and a lower end extending toward a reservoir within the container. From the body depend one or more cleaning elements angled toward the central axis, the ends of the elements extending beyond the lower end of the insert and defining a gap allowing for frictional passage of an applicator, and allowing removal of excess fluid from the applicator. The upper end terminates in a wiping lip upon which an applicator may be wiped to remove liquid before application. Excess liquid so removed flows through apertures provided between the cleaning elements.

1. Technical Field
The present invention concerns an improvement to containers used for liquids such as correction fluid and the like. In particular, the improvement provides a more efficient container wiper against which an applicator may be wiped to remove excess liquid, thus preventing waste of the liquid and avoiding a common problem in which the container cannot be properly sealed due to excess liquid running onto and drying on the exterior of the container.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Liquids and semi-liquids, such as correction fluid, cosmetics, paint, and the like are often stored in containers that include a reservoir for the liquid product and an applicator brush attached to the cap of the container. When the container is closed, usually by being snugly screwed onto the container's neck, the applicator brush is submerged in the reservoir of liquid. Upon removal from the reservoir, liquid product adheres to the applicator brush. A user then applies the liquid as desired. However, if the amount of liquid withdrawn on the brush is not limited in some manner, it is frequently the case that more liquid adheres to the brush than the user actually needs. Because the liquid product is typically fast-drying, problems develop when excess liquid is removed from the container. For example, too much product may be applied, thus wasting it and possibly causing a mess. In addition, unused portions of the product will dry-out and become unusable if not promptly returned to the reservoir. The buildup of dried and unusable product on the brush makes future applications less effective. Therefore, the containers usually employ means by which excess liquid on the applicator brush can be wiped off during and/or after withdrawal of the brush from the reservoir.
The means employed is often in the form of an insert placed in the neck of the container. Such inserts are usually intended to strip the liquid from the brush as it is withdrawn from the reservoir. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,080 to Cole depicts an insert for a cosmetics container that includes at its lower, reservoir, end a "wiping orifice" to wipe cosmetics from the shaft and bristles of an applicator brush. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,088 to Zubek, a plurality of "tongues" protrude downward from the lower end of an insert to perform the same function.
However, not all liquid can be removed by the reservoir end of the insert because the brush must retain enough for the necessary application. Unfortunately, though, even after being wiped against the lower end of the insert, more than enough liquid for the present application often still adheres to the brush. In such an event, the user typically wipes superfluous amounts of liquid off against the inside of the upper edge of the insert. This can, however, lead to another problem if some of the liquid runs onto the exterior of the container. Inserts known in the art are not effective in preventing the liquid from running over when the brush is wiped against the upper edge of the insert. When liquid runs over the upper edge of the insert, it tends to run onto the closure threads with which the container cap must interact to create a proper seal when the container is closed. If not removed, the liquid dries in place. Over time, the buildup of excess liquid will preclude proper closure of the container, thus allowing the liquid in the reservoir to dry-out or to spill if the container is tipped over. Even if the dried excess liquid does not preclude proper closure, it generally cannot be reclaimed, thus causing additional waste.
Another disadvantage inherent in prior inserts is that users must exercise caution while re-inserting an applicator brush lest he or she accidentally brush liquid onto the exterior of the insert or neck of the container and cause additional buildup of product on the closure threads. This problem occurs because the inner diameter of the upper edge of prior art inserts is often no greater than the inner diameter of the central portion, and therefore only slightly greater than the diameter of the applicator brush used with the container.
There is thus a need in the art for means with which to remove excess liquid from an applicator brush, preclude the accumulation of dried liquid product on the exterior of the container, and provide facile re-insertion of an applicator brush.


A manually operated pump having a pump assembly and a check valve. The pump assembly includes a dome with a fluid inlet. A support plate is sealed to the dome to define a fluid chamber. The support plate includes a fluid outlet. A foam material is positioned in the fluid chamber, the foam material expanding the dome to a rest state upon release of external pressure on the dome. The check valve has a valve inlet in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the support plate. The check valve is positioned outside of the fluid chamber. The check valve has at least one exhaust channel to provide one way fluid flow from the fluid chamber through the exhaust channel.

This invention relates to valves and more particularly, to such valves as are adapted to control fluid flow out of a chamber to an inflatable bladder.
Digitally operable pumps with thermoplastic check valves are presently known in the relevant art for a variety of applications. One such pump is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,487 (the '487 patent), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The pump in the '487 patent is commonly used to inflate elastomeric bladders. While the pump and valve disclosed in the '487 patent are well suited for their intended purpose, the design does require integration of pump and valve in a specific position within a bladder. In the '487 patent, openings and channels are formed in the inflatable bladder to locate the pump at a specific location with respect to the bladder.


An ice-making machine includes a housing having a brine solution inlet to receive brine solution from which ice is to be made and having an ice-brine slurry outlet to permit the egress of an ice-brine slurry from the housing. A heat exchanger within the housing has a heat exchange surface. The heat exchanger further includes a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet and at least one refrigerant circuit interconnecting the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet to permit a flow of refrigerant through the heat exchanger to extract heat from the brine solution contacting the heat exchange surface. The at least one refrigerant circuit is constituted by refrigerant passages integrally formed in a body portion of the housing. A blade assembly within the housing carries a plurality of blades each of which is in contact with the heat exchange surface. The blade assembly is mounted on a shaft which is rotatable by a motor to move the blades across the heat exchange surface to remove cooled fluid therefrom and inhibit the deposition of ice crystals on the heat exchange surface.

Ice-making machines are well known in the art and many designs have been considered. For example, Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,441 issued on Jan. 10, 1989 discloses an ice-making machine having a chamber with a fluid inlet to receive a brine solution from which ice is to be made and a fluid outlet to permit the egress of an ice-brine slurry from the housing. The interior surface of the chamber defines a heat exchange surface. A blade assembly is mounted on a rotatable shaft extending through the centre of the chamber. The blade assembly is in contact with the heat exchange surface. A motor rotates the shaft at a rate such that the interval between successive passes of the blade assembly over the heat exchange surface is such so as to inhibit the formation of ice crystals on the heat exchange surface.
A tubular jacket surrounds the chamber. A refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet communicate with the space between the jacket and chamber and are positioned at opposed ends of the ice-making machine. Refrigerant flowing from the inlet to the outlet boils and in so doing, cools the brine solution in contact with the heat exchange surface. Refrigerant leaving the ice-making machine via the outlet is compressed before being fed back to the inlet. Rings are welded to the jacket at laterally spaced locations to provide structural stability to the ice-making machine allowing it to withstand internal pressures. Although this ice-making machine works satisfactorily, it is time consuming and expensive to manufacture. Accordingly, improved but less expensive ice-making machines with increased efficiency are continually being sought.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel ice-making machine and a heat exchanger therefor.

Ice-making machine and heat exchanger therefor


A transmission provides nine forward gears from the first gear to the ninth gear, including a first and a second planetary gear set configured axially in series, each planetary gear set configured to provide a first and a second forward speed reduction and one direct speed with a one to one (1:1) speed ratio, the first forward speed reduction being larger than the second forward speed reduction, wherein each planetary gear set is individually shiftable between three forward speeds with different speed ratios. The transmission is configured to provide the first to third gears by utilizing the first speed reduction of the second set, the fourth to fifth gears by utilizing the first speed reduction of the first set, the sixth to seventh gears by utilizing the second speed reduction of the first set, and the eighth to ninth gears by utilizing the direct speed of the first set.

There are many types of power transmissions for vehicles, including manual transmissions and different types of automatic transmissions. For example, it is known to use automated manual transmissions (AMT) for e.g. trucks. An AMT for a truck may for example include 12 forward gears and one or more reverse gears. The gear shifts are performed by actuators which are controlled by a transmission control unit. The gear shifts are initiated by the transmission control unit based on manual input from a driver and/or based on information relating to vehicle speed, acceleration, weight, road grade, torque demand etc.
A power transmission is generally provided between one or more power units—such as an internal combustion engine (ICE) and/or one or more electric motors—and drive wheels, or the like, of the vehicle.
Even though the above-mentioned AMT for a truck has shown to be very efficient, reliable and robust for its purpose, it may however result in e.g. bulky dimensioning of its gear wheels, bearings and shafts. A reason for this is that the AMT must be designed to withstand high radial forces and high forces on its gear teeth.


A document and draft paper holding device for a computer, comprising a main body capable of being located beside a monitor for clamping the draft document and exposing part of the contents of the draft. A paper passing device separates and passes the paper upward to the exposing part of the holder. A driving device, activated by pushing a button, starts a pick-up roller for delivering the requested amount of paper. By pushing a button located on the monitor or nearby, part of the contents of the draft will be clearly shown in the main body of the computer for the convenience of operator, reducing typing mistakes and increasing operator efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document and draft paper holder for a computer, particularly to a frame which can hold a large amount of draft paper and sequentially display the contents of the draft on a transparent part of the frame, by pushing a key on the keyboard or a button nearby.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, computers are widely used for storing and processing a great amount of data and documents. However, an operator must type the data of the document or paper. Average operators have to move their eyes back and forth between the monitor and a draft, while inputting data into the computer. However, it is a very inefficient and uneconomical operation according to the principle of Motion and Time Study, causing strain on the operator's eyes, as well as neck, and causing more typos.
For solving the above-mentioned problems, Taiwan No. 133555 discloses a document and draft holder for a computer. The holder is attached to the casing of the monitor at the same eye level. Thus, the operator does not have to move back and forth between the monitor and draft. As shown in FIG. 1, the holder is characterized by two elastic clamping plates B located on a document or draft clamping base A. Elastic clamping plates B are connected with clamping base A at one side thereof. An empty space is left between the clamping base A, and the top of clamping plates B. The drafts are inputted between the elastic clamping plate B and empty space C. Various drawbacks in the above holder are as follows:
1. The clamping base A and elastic clamping plates B are made of a single piece, therefore, the elasticity of the elastic clamping plates B is limited, i.e., the plates can't be opened and the drafts placed inside. The drafts can only be inserted between the elastic clamping plate B and through empty space C, one at a time, requiring a large amount of time to clamp and remove the drafts.
2. While a draft inputted between clamping base A and elastic clamping strap B, is fixed, the operator doesn't have any indexing device available for referencing the line they are reading, thus it is easy to duplicate, or miss an entire line, in addition to other typos.

Document and draft paper holder for a computer


A numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) is defined to include counter circuitry and integrator circuitry. The counter circuitry includes a first input for receiving a minimum count value, a second input for receiving a maximum count value, and a third input for receiving an increment value. The counter circuitry is defined to generate a counter digital waveform that oscillates between the minimum count value and the maximum count value with a linear slope corresponding to the increment value. The integrator circuitry is defined to compute a running integral of the counter digital waveform. The running integral of the counter digital waveform represents a sinusoidal digital waveform output of the NCO.

Numerically controlled oscillators (NCOs) are used to generate digital representations of sinusoidal waveforms for use in electronic devices. For example, a NCO can be used to generate a digital representation of a sine wave that is in turn processed through a digital-to-analog converter to generate an analog sine wave. The analog sine wave can then be used for a variety of purposes such as a carrier wave for data transmission.
Some conventional NCOs use a lookup table to generate the digital representation of the sine wave. The lookup table includes values of the sine wave corresponding to a number of phase values. NCOs that use the lookup table typically implement a method for traversing a pointer through the lookup table in a closed-loop serial manner. Each value of the sine wave that the pointer points to is output as part of the digital representation of the sine wave. Traversal of the pointer through the lookup table is temporally controlled such that each value of the sine wave is output at an appropriate time. Use of the lookup table can require a large amount of memory, particularly when higher resolution sine wave representations are required. It should be appreciated that the large amount of memory associated with the lookup table can consume a large amount of chip space and power.
Other conventional NCOs use a coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC). The CORDIC functions to calculate trigonometric functions such as sine. The CORDIC operates by rotating the phase of a complex number by multiplying the phase by a series of constant values. Thus, the CORDIC will compute an appropriate value of the sine wave to be output from the NCO in accordance with a temporally controlled signal. Implementation of the CORDIC requires a complex logic structure which increases expense by consuming chip space and power.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a NCO that does not require either a lookup table or a CORDIC.

Numerically controlled oscillator and method for operating the same


An OLED device includes an array of light-emitting pixels having organic layers, including at least one emissive layer that produces light and spaced electrodes, and wherein at least three pixels produce colors which define a color gamut and at least one pixel produces light within the color gamut, and wherein the at least one pixel within the color gamut includes a reflector and a semitransparent reflector which function to form a microcavity.

Full color organic electroluminescent (EL), also known as organic light-emitting devices (OLED), have been demonstrated recently as a new type of flat panel display. OLED devices are attractive because of their low driving voltage, high luminance, wide-angle viewing, and capability for full color flat emission displays. In simplest form, an organic EL device is comprised of an anode for hole injection, a cathode for electron injection, and an organic EL medium sandwiched between these electrodes to support charge recombination that yields emission of light. An example of an organic EL device is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,429. Other examples have been described by Tang, et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,769,292 and 4,885,211. In order to construct a pixilated display device that is useful, for example as a television, computer monitor, cell phone display or digital camera display, individual organic EL elements can be arranged as an array of pixels in a matrix pattern. This matrix of pixels can be electrically driven using either a simple passive matrix or an active matrix driving scheme. In a passive matrix, the organic EL layers are sandwiched between two sets of orthogonal electrodes arranged in rows and columns. An example of a passive-matrix-driven organic EL device is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,380. In an active matrix configuration, each pixel is driven by multiple circuit elements such as transistors, capacitors, and signal lines. Examples of such active matrix organic EL devices are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,066 (commonly assigned); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,281,634; and 6,456,013.
Full color OLED devices are also known in the art. Typical full color OLED devices are constructed of three different color pixels that are red, green, and blue in color. Such an arrangement is known as an RGB design. An example of an RGB design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,634. Full color organic electroluminescent (EL) devices have also recently been described that are constructed of four different color pixels that are red, green, blue, and white. Such an arrangement is known as an RGBW design. An example of an RGBW device is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Publication 2002/0186214 A1. In an RGBW device, high efficiency white-emitting pixels are used to display a portion of the digital image content. This results in improved power consumption relative to an RGB constructed of similar OLED materials.
A white-emitting electroluminescent (EL) layer can be used to form a multicolor device. Each pixel is coupled with a color filter element as part of a color filter array (CFA) to achieve a pixilated multicolor display. The organic EL layer is common to all pixels and the final color as perceived by the viewer is dictated by that pixel's corresponding color filter element. Therefore, a multicolor or RGB device can be produced without requiring any patterning of the organic EL layers. An example of a white CFA top-emitting device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,340. Other examples of white-light-emitting OLED devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,823, JP 07-142169, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,709.
Numerous OLEDs with alternative layer structures, including polymeric materials, have been disclosed, and device performance has been improved. For the commercial success of OLEDs, further improvement in devices is needed. Among the key areas that need further improvement are the efficiency and operating stability of the devices. It is also desirable to improve the color gamut obtainable from such devices.

Color OLED with added color gamut pixels


A circuit which detects an end-of-lamp life or false lamp condition in a fluorescent lamp being driven by an electronic ballast by indirectly sensing total load power through an analog signal indicative of the operating frequency while controlling lamp power using phase control, and which deactivates the half-bridge driver circuit if the operating frequency exceeds a predetermined maximum frequency. Controlling the lamp power via phase control enables the simple detection of excessive lamp power due to either a symmetrical or an asymmetrical increase in lamp running voltage over the course of the life of the lamp. A simple resistor user-programmable interface which allows flexibility for setting different threshold levels for different ballast/lamp combinations. The circuit is easily implemented in an electronic ballast driver IC (e.g., the IR2158/2159), resulting in the elimination of existing high-voltage-sensing-component methods, reduction of PCB interconnects, and an increase in manufacturability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic ballast circuit and, more specifically, to a circuit for detecting an end-of-life or false lamp condition for a fluorescent lamp driven by electronic ballast.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a fluorescent lamp is driven at high-frequency with an electric ballast, it is desirable to detect an end-of-life (EOL) lamp fault condition, or the operation of a lamp which is different from that which the ballast is designed for (i.e., a "false lamp"), and to shut the ballast off upon the occurrence of either event.
As a lamp approaches end-of-life, the voltage drop over one or both lamp filaments gradually increases, causing the total lamp voltage to increase symmetrically or asymmetrically. Similarly, if a false lamp is driven, the lamp voltage can exceed that which the ballast output stage is designed for. In either case, the increase in lamp voltage can cause the power being drawn by the lamp filaments to increase, depending on the type of output stage configuration connected to the lamp. If the filament power exceeds the maximum power for which the lamp is designed (i.e., the maximum power in the manufacturer's specifications), the heat being dissipated by the filament(s) can melt the tube glass, resulting in the fluorescent lamp falling out of the fixture and causing an injury.
FIG. 1 shows a typical ballast output stage that consists of a half-bridge driver circuit driving a totem-pole MOSFET or IGBT configuration at a given frequency. The square-wave voltage produced by the half-bridge switches drives a series-parallel lamp resonant circuit and therefore establishes the operating point for the lamp. The square wave voltage can be adjusted by changing the operating frequency and/or the DC bus voltage. Should the lamp voltage increase due to an end-of-life condition, the filament current, or capacitor C.sub.R current, also increases and is given by: EQU I.sub.Filament =C.sub.R .multidot.V.sub.LAMP .multidot.f.sub.run[ 1]
where:
C.sub.R =the capacitance of the resonant capacitor [in Farads]; PA1 V.sub.LAMP =the running lamp voltage amplitude [in Volts]; and PA1 f.sub.run =the running frequency [in Hertz].
Equation [1] shows that, for an increase in lamp voltage, there is a corresponding increase in the filament current. The filament power is then given by: EQU P.sub.Filament =(I.sub.Filament).sup.2 (R.sub.Filament) [2]
Equation [2] shows the power in the lamp filaments increasing quadratically with filament current. Equation [2] can also be written as: ##EQU1## which shows the filament power increasing quadratically with lamp voltage.
FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram for typical running voltages and currents corresponding to the ballast output stage for both normal and end-of-life (symmetrical and asymmetrical) operating conditions. The timing diagram of FIG. 2a shows an increase in filament current (I.sub.CR) during a symmetrical or asymmetrical increase in lamp voltage (V.sub.LAMP) during end-of-life. It is this increase in lamp voltage as the lamp ages which causes excessive power to be dissipated in the filaments (equation [3]).
FIG. 3 shows a typical prior art circuit for detecting both symmetrical and asymmetrical peak lamp voltage. If the lamp voltage increases to between approximately 30 and 50 volts above the nominal, the resulting signal V.sub.EOL can be compared against a threshold, for example, and the ballast shut down when the threshold is exceeded. However, it is difficult and expensive to monitor the voltage out at the lamp and then regulate the operation of the electronic ballast driver circuit based on that voltage.
Furthermore, because of possible asymmetry of the lamp voltage, present circuit solutions may include one or more capacitors to block any dc offset, rectifiers and filters for establishing a low-voltage signal representative of the lamp voltage, and high-voltage resistive dividers for sensing. Care must also be taken to ensure that other operating points of the ballast, such as start-up, pre-heat and ignition, do not conflict with the end-of-life circuit, therefore requiring additional circuitry.

End of lamp life or false lamp detection circuit for an electronic ballast


A multi-surface spray mop system having a spray mop and mop stand. The mop having an elongated segmented body with at least an upper pole section and a lower pole section releasably coupled. The mop stand supports and maintains the spray mop in an upright position above a floor surface by maintaining the center of gravity of the spray mop within a base of a support area defined by the mop supporting stand.

It is known that, to clean the surface of a floor, a mop and/or brush-like cleaning tools may be effectively used. Typically, an appropriate amount of water and cleaning solution may be used on a mop head or a brush head for each cleaning operation followed by thorough rinsing, cleaning and wringing/drying of these parts after use. However, storing a wet or damp mop or other cleaning tools in a storage area or closet may cause stains and/or water damage on the floor, and can often lead to unpleasant odors as well as the spreading of bacteria.
Accordingly, there is a need for a spray mop that can be used on various surfaces and a mop supporting stand that allows for wet or damp mop and other cleaning tools to drain and dry in a clean and compact way.

Multi-surface spray mop and mop supporting stand


The disclosed invention provides an abdominal exerciser comprised of a padded bench with an adjustable arc shaped lumbar support mounted to a tubular support frame. The radius of the lumbar support is slightly larger than the radius of ordinary spinal arching. The lumbar support fully extends the lumbar section of the spine decompressing the intervertebral space while stretching the abdominal muscles and neutralizing the lumbar muscles in preparation for a sit-up or legs-up movement in which the spine is fully supported. Adjustably attached on either side of the lumbar support are two generally semicircular shaped side extensions. The support frame includes a base, two feet, and an arc shaped extension with a plurality of parallel footrests. The support frame also includes a hinge about which the bench rotates through the arc of the extension to adjust the inclination angle of the bench.

Exercises aimed at strengthening the abdominal muscles include the traditional sit-up and legs-up movements. This type of movement, typically performed lying supine on a flat surface of the floor causes negative stress to the spine and can lead to back muscle and spinal injuries. Because of the flat surface, the starting position tilts the pelvis and tends to straighten the natural curvature of the lumbar section of the spine. When performing a sit-up or legs-up movement in this position, injuries such as back muscle strain, particularly the lumbar muscles, or abnormal compression of intervertebral discs leading to slipped or herniated discs and pinched nerves may occur.
The ordinary sit-up movement is initiated in the neck area, specifically by the contraction of the neck muscles, followed by the pectoral muscles and finally the abdominal muscles. This progression of muscle groups produces negative stress along the length of the spine tending to straighten it first in the cervical section, then in the thoracic section, and finally in the lumbar section. Because the lumbar section of the spine is unsupported by the flat floor, the ordinary legs-up movement produces the same compressive pressures on the vertebral column as the sit-up movement.
FIG. 9 illustrates the negative stresses on the spine and the tendency to straighten the spine during an ordinary sit-up movement performed on a flat surface. The first 15° of the movement are initiated by the neck muscles attending to the 100% pull of the head. During this fraction of time, the spine bears 85% of the stress produced by the weight of the head because the abdominal muscles do not begin to contract until after the second half of the movement, or until the torso has moved past 45°. From zero to 45° the spine is under tremendous stress which tends to straighten the natural curvature of the spine and it is most apparent when observing exercisers in action. The head, at that initial moment is much heavier due to gravitational acceleration. Additionally, the drastic and sudden initial effort of lifting the head can compare to a car whiplash, with all the complications that this condition may comport to the cervical vertebral region.
The ideal abdominal exercise will reverse the order of muscle group engagement and prevent the negative stresses on the spine by maintaining the spine's natural curvature. Additionally, it is advantageous to simultaneously decompress or fully extend the lumbar section of the spine while stretching the abdominal muscles immediately before each sit-up movement. Full extension of the spine is not achieved when the back is flat on the floor, but rather when the spine is arched back or extended, a position the flat floor does not allow. Decompressing the spine helps to restore proper intervertebral space and allows the discs between the vertebrae to reacquire their proper thickness and function as the spine's shock absorbers. This exercising of the spine enhances the elasticity of cartilage and ligaments for a more flexible spine as well as enhances vertebral alignment and proper curvature of the spine. Further, the ideal abdominal exercise in addition to neutralizing the lumbar muscles should provide a starting position where the pelvis is not abnormally tilted and the torso or legs are free to pivot at the hip joint.
Numerous abdominal exercisers are known in the art. However, the prior art does not provide an abdominal exerciser that prevents negative stresses on the spine throughout a sit-up movement while additionally decompressing the lumbar section of the spine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,553 to Hatfield discloses an exercising device having a seat in which the user sits and bends forward working against weights supported on a pulley system. The weights are connected to the user via a shoulder harness. The user's lumbar section is never fully extended throughout the movement and negative pressures are placed on the spine as the movement forces a progression of muscle groups instead of a simultaneous contraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,122 to Moore, et al. discloses an exercising apparatus that enables a large number of movements to be performed thereon especially abdominal and lower back exercises. The apparatus is generally a sectioned bench that comprises a seat supporting section, a back supporting section, and a head supporting section all initially in the same plane. Although the back supporting section may be inclined, it does not include an arched support to fully extend the vertebral column and performing a sit-up movement on the apparatus is identical to performing the movement on the flat floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,370 to Oman discloses a weight lifter's bench that includes a longitudinally adjustable pad providing lumbar support. The apparatus enables the user to perform the bench press exercise while supporting the cervical and lumber sections of the spine. While the apparatus is designed to support the lumbar region of the spine while developing body musculature, primarily the pectoral muscles of the chest, it does not exercise the abdominal muscles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,857 to Lemire discloses an orthopedic back support attachment for a weight lifter's bench. The apparatus includes a padded cervical rest and a padded lumbar rest in combination with a padded mat each having a centrally aligned spine protecting channel that supports the back and eliminates the compression of the spinal column normally associated with weight lifting. The padded mat removably attaches to the top surface of a typical weight lifter's bench and the other two particularly shaped pads are removably attached to the pad side surface of the mat by the use of straps. Both the cervical rest and the lumbar rest are longitudinally adjustable to accommodate different size users. After attaching the padded mat to a bench, the bench loses its incline functionality. Additionally, the weight lifter's bench is not conducive to sit-up or legs-up movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,841 to Henschel, et al. discloses a longitudinally and height adjustable lumbar support attachment for a weight lifter's bench. The lumbar support is comprised of a plurality of interlocking stackable platelets. The platelets are relatively thin rectangular shaped members and the number of platelets used determines the height of the support. The removable lumbar support can also be used on the floor. In addition to the faults of the previously discussed weight lifter's benches, the rectangular shape of the support does not fully extend the lumbar section and thus does not decompress the spine.

Abdominal exercising apparatus and method


A method of forming a silicon layer disclosed herein includes the steps of depositing an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate, irradiating a silane gas to the substrate, and performing an annealing process in a high vacuum or in an inert gas. The amorphous silicon layer is thereby converted into a silicon layer having an uneven surface caused by hemispherical or spherical silicon grains. The annealing process may be performed while irradiating a hydrogen gas or an oxidizing gas. In this case, such a silicon layer that has an even surface is formed.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a method of producing a silicon layer having a surface controlled to be uneven or even. A silicon layer having an uneven surface may be used for an capacitor electrode in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, and a silicon layer having an even surface may be used for a thin-film-transistor in a static random access memory (SRAM) cell.
Recently, the areas of section available for formation of capacitors are decreasing with the smaller cell sizes due to the increase in the degree of integration of DRAMs. Accordingly, stacked or other type capacitors having larger plate surface areas have been used in order to have satisfactory levels of capacity
The cell areas, however, must be further reduced as the degree of integration of DRAMs is increased to as high as 64 Mbits and even 256 Mbits, and even with the above-mentioned structures, the insulated plates are required to be ultra-thin. Here, it is to be noted that the thinnest film of SiO.sub.2 /Si.sub.2 N.sub.4 which has become practical is on the order of 4 nm, and thus the above-mentioned problem is difficult to solve by merely thinning the plate films.
A technical solution to this problem is described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication HEI 3-272165. This publication describes that deposition of a silicon film by LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) involves production of hemispheric silicon grains (hereunder referred to only as "grains") at a temperature around which the crystal state of the film changes from an amorphous to a polycrystalline state. Since application of these grains to electrodes results in provision of irregularities to the electrodes which contribute to much greater amount of accumulated charges, that process is very effective.
The irregularities due to grains, however, can grow only within a certain range of temperatures. There still remains the additional problem of difficult control of grain sizes, etc.
A method as a solution to the problem is described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Puglication HEI 5-304273. This publication discloses a method of growing mushroom-shaped grains by first irradiating the clean surface of an amorphous silicon electrode with disilane gas (Si.sub.2 H.sub.6 gas) to form micro-crystal nuclei thereon, and then attaching, to the micro-crystal nuclei, silicon atoms which migrate on the surface of the amorphous silicon.
This method allows density-controlled, uniform dispersion of grains on the electrode surface. Accordingly, the method is a very effective one to be applied to devices.
In this connection, "Solid State Devices and Materials" issued in 1992 describes, on page 422, that grains with controlled sizes and a density may also be formed on an electrode of phosphorous-doped amorphous silicon, under the title: "Hemispherical" Grained Silicon (hereunder abbreviated to "HSG-Si") Formation on in-situ Phosphorous-Doped Amorphous-Si Using the Seeding Method."Accordingly, the above-mentioned method has the advantage of eliminating the need for impurity-doping processing such as ion implantation which causes deformation of the grains, which processing is otherwise required after formation of irregularities on the surface of the amorphous silicon electrode.
In addition, on page 259 of "International Electron Devices Meeting" it is stated that even electrodes having cylindrical structures may have irreguralities thereon which are due to micro-crystals, under the title. "A New Cylindrical Capacitor Using Hemispherical Grained Si (HSG-Si) for 256-Mbit DRAMs." This technology has made possible 256-Mbit DRAMs. For the foregoing reasons, it is understood that the method described in the above publication HEI 5-304273 is a very effective one.
The above-described method, however, has the drawback of failing to form irregularities on amorphous silicon having a phosphorus content of over 5.times.10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3. The reason for this drawback is that the formation of the irregularities is prevented by the phosphorus on the surface of the film, and this will be described in more detail later.
Also, an additional drawback is that the respective grains cannot grow to a satisfactory degree in cases where the sidewall, etc. of the cylindrical electrode is thin, since the formation of irregularities proceeds with supply of atoms from the amorphous silicon.

Method of producing silicon layer having surface controlled to be uneven or even


The present disclosure discloses a method and digital device for improving performance in discovery stage of fast roaming. A disclosed digital device switches from a first wireless communication channel to a second wireless communication channel; transmits, on the second wireless communication channel, a request message comprising a designated field; and switches from the second wireless communication channel to the first wireless communication channel prior to receiving a response message corresponding to the request message on the second wireless communication channel. A network device receives the request message from a client device on the second wireless communication channel. The request message is associated with a first signal strength level. The network device determines that the request message includes a designated field; and transmits a response message to the client device via a different communication interface, such as a wired or wireless distribution system, or the client device's data transmission channel.

Wireless digital networks, such as networks operating under the current Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards, are spreading in their popularity and availability. With such popularity, however, problems related to fast roaming tend to occur during high speed movement of a client device in a wireless network.
When a client device moves at a low speed in the wireless network, the client device can iteratively scan through a plurality of wireless channels and determine which network device to associate with. Specifically, the client device can send a request message, such as a probe request, and receive a response message, such as a probe response, from a network device in the neighborhood. Because the speed of client movement is rather slow, the change in location among multiple iterations typically does not cause the signal strength level (e.g., received signal strength indication, RSSI) to vary drastically, and thereby will not likely affect the accuracy of the scanning procedure.
Nevertheless, when a client device moves at a high speed in the wireless network, the change in location among multiple iterations of scanning can be so large that it causes the signal strength level (e.g., RSSI) to vary drastically, and thereby affects the accuracy of scanning. Hence, in order to ensure the accuracy of scanning when a client device moves at a high speed, the client device needs to reduce the scanning intervals. As a result, the client device will spend less time on data transmissions and more time on network device discovery when moving at a fast speed. Thus, network traffic could suffer apparent degradation and/or fluctuation.
Conventionally, a network device can maintain a list of adjacent network devices and the wireless channels that they communication on, and send the list to a client device when the client device needs to roam at a high speed. Thus, the client device uses the adjacent network device list it received from the network device that it currently is associated with to reduce the number of channels the client device needs to scan. However, because the adjacent network device list may not be up-to-date or complete, the conventional solution to channel scanning during fast roaming may not produce accurate results.
Moreover, the solution does not benefit much in a high density deployment of wireless network devices.

Method and system for improving performance in discovery stage of fast roaming