A THz imaging system with the emitter region of the THz generator designed so that the sample to be analyzed is placed in the near field of the generator allows radiation to impact the sample without intervening optics.

Far infra-red pulsed beam devices operating in the terahertz frequency range have been described in various forms in the prior art. Devices have been used in time resolved infrared spectroscopy to characterize a variety of properties of solid state materials such as refractive index, photoconductivity, absorption, and dispersion.
Recent advances in terahertz beam generation can be attributed to optoelectronic interactions in semiconductor photoconductors. The advantage of this mechanism is that the radiation produced by this interaction can be radiated into free space. The beam can be steered using conventional optics to direct it onto samples for analysis, or imaging, and refracted or reflected to a photodetector operating on the same principle as the generator. A more thorough description of such a device is given by Smith et al, "Subpicosecond Photoconducting Dipole Antennas", IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. 24, No. 2,, pp. 255-260, February 1988. The device described by Smith et al uses a coplanar stripline terminating in a dipole antenna consisting of a small electrode gap formed over intrinsic silicon on sapphire. The electrode gap produces the high field photoconductive region. The pump beam was a mode locked dye laser pumped with an argon laser and operating with a pulse duration of 120 fs at 620 nm.
Another terahertz device is described by Van Exter et al in "Characterization of an Optoelectronic Terahertz Beam System", IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 38, No. 11, pp. 1684-1691, November 1990. Van Exter et al describe a device that uses a dipole antenna formed in the middle portion of a stripline. The substrate forming the photoconductive region in their device is also silicon on sapphire and they also use a colliding-pulse mode-locked dye laser as the pump source.
The terahertz generators/detectors in all of these devices is relatively simple in structure. Basically they comprise a semiconductor substrate with electrodes on the substrate and a small gap between the electrodes. With an appropriate DC bias applied to the electrodes, a field is established across the gap which produces a small high field photoconductor region near the surface of the semiconductor in the electrode gap. When this region is excited by fast pulses of light, rapid changes in conductivity occur. In the presence of the DC electric field these changes in conductivity result in ultrafast pulses of electric current through the dipole forming the gap, and equally ultrafast bursts of electromagnetic radiation are emitted from the gap region. Much of this radiation is emitted into the substrate, and since it has a photon energy well below the direct bandgap of the semiconductor, it can be collected by suitable lens arrangements on the obverse side of the semiconductor. The radiated beam can be collimated and focused using suitable mirrors, and can be detected by a device operating in a mode in reverse to that just described.
These THz devices were considered potentially useful in high speed pulse generators, high speed switching devices for communications and related applications, and in far infrared spectroscopy studies of different materials.
The potential usefulness of THz radiation for spectroscopy was later reported by Ralph et al in "Terahertz Beams: Generation and Spectroscopy", Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., Vol. 261, 1992, pp. 89-100, 1992. Much of this paper deals with the design and operation of the THz generator. Ralph et al analyzed the effect of the semiconductor properties on the electric field profile between the electrodes forming the emitter gap. They found that semi-insulating semiconductors produce enhanced field profiles. The desired semi-insulating property may be obtained through choice of a material with high trap density, or traps may be created in a normal semiconductor by ion beam damage. The device of Ralph et al used a semi-insulating substrate (GaAs) and the high field region was formed by relatively widely spaced (80 .mu.m) parallel electrode strips. The THz radiation produced by the apparatus described by Ralph et al was used to experimentally demonstrate THz time domain spectroscopy.
A more recent development in this technology was the proposal and demonstration of T-ray imaging by Hu and Nuss and reported in "Imaging with terahertz waves", Optics Letters, Vol. 20, No. 16, pp 1716-1718, August 1995. T-rays here refers to THz waves, and imaging with these waves is based on the fact that dielectric materials are quite transparent to this radiation, whereas water rich materials and metals are not. The maximum spatial resolution obtained in this work was limited by diffraction theory of far-field optics which in this case translates to roughly 150-400 .mu.m.
Following these published results interest increased in applications requiring effective imaging using THz beams. Pulsed THz devices have been used to characterize a variety of properties of solid state materials such as refractive index, photoconductivity, absorption, and dispersion.
Terahertz radiation imaging (T-ray imaging) shows promise in a variety of analytical applications such as chemical mapping, and a host of commercial applications such as safe package inspection, industrial process control, food inspection, biology and medicine. As radiation sensors, these devices are effective for analysis of solids, liquids or gases. Analysis of gases is particularly effective since gases have characteristically strong absorption lines in the THz frequency range. Accordingly, these devices can be used effectively for environmental studies and environmental monitoring.
Although these systems are characterized as T-ray imaging systems, they typically are applications that do not require high spatial resolution. It was recognized early that THz beams inherently have low spatial resolution, typically several hundred microns. Consequently their usefulness in many analytical applications, particularly in several sophisticated forms of time domain spectroscopy, requiring high spatial resolution, has thus far been limited.
In a recent advance in THz radiation imaging technology, near field imaging was pursued to overcome the resolution limitations of prior THz systems. Near field imaging allows spatial resolution below the wavelength of the radiation, i.e. sub-wavelength radiation. As described earlier, in a typical prior art THz generating device the emitter gap region is illuminated with a pump laser incident on the emitter gap surface, and far field radiation is emitted from the back side of the device substrate. This far field radiation can be converted to near field radiation using a small aperture converter device. This approach has been used successfully to produce scanning wavelengths well below the far field range. See e.g. S. Hunsche et al, "Near-Field THz Imaging", OSA Trends in Optics and Photonics Series (TOPS) Volume on Ultrafast Electronics and Optoelectronics (UEO TOPS 97').
In the near field system used by Hunsche et al, the near field converting device was a tapered metal tube, analogous to the tapered fibers used in near-field. scanning optical microscopes, and the tapered tube was used to aperture a conventional THz source beam to a spot smaller than the radiation wavelength. The tube was formed by electroplating a small conical aluminum tip with a Ni/Cr alloy, and polishing the tip to produce small circular apertures of the order of 50-100 .mu.m. This aperture diameter corresponds to .lambda./3 for a T-ray frequency of 1 THz. The THz beam was focused into the 2 mm opening of the tapered tube using off-axis paraboloid mirrors. While this technique has been successful, it requires somewhat complicated apparatus, and is lossy due to the multiple interactions of the THz beam with the beam collimating, steering, and near field converter surfaces.


A method for discriminating four kinds of nucleic acid bases of DNA at high speed by utilizing chromophores intrinsic to DNA. The sample is added to a polar glassy solvent. Then the temperature of the glassy solution is reduced. A (n,.pi.*) quencher is then added as a fluorescence intensifying reagent to the solution. The solution is then irradiated with an excitation light of UV laser beams thereto. The lifetimes of fluorescence from the sample are measured and used to discriminate the nucleic acid bases of DNA.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for discriminating a kind of nucleic acid bases of DNA.
2. Related Background Art
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a copolymer of four kinds of deoxynucleotides, which are shown in FIGS. 2A-2D, i.e., deoxyadenylic acid (shown in FIG. 1A), deoxyguanylic acid (shown in FIG. 1B), deoxythymidylic acid (shown in FIG. 1C), and deoxycytidylic acid (shown in FIG. 1D). These deoxynucleotides have at the base sites of their respective deoxyriboses an adenine, a guanine, a thymine, or a cytosine, which are nucleic acid bases. A sequence of these deoxynucleotides is intrinsic to a gene.
Conventionally in sequencing these deoxynucleotides, a DNA chain is labeled using a radioactive isotope (R.I.) or a fluorescent dye. The conventional method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,037. But this method needs a preparatory treatment of separately adding a fluorescent dye, etc.
In view of this, discriminating methods using the chromophores of DNA are used. As a typical example of these methods, a method using a solution of DNA in a water/methanol solvent with a ratio of 1:1 is described in "Basic Principles in Nucleic Acid Chemistry", Vol. I, Academic Press (1974), p. 322.about.328. In this method, a temperature of this solution is lowered to 77K, and then UV laser beams are irradiated to the sample solution by a secondary higher harmonic generator. By these laser beams directed to electrons of the respective chromophores of A (adenine), T (thymine), G (guanine), C (cytosine), four kinds of nucleic acid bases of each of DNAs are discriminated from each molecule flowing one after another in the above-mentioned solution. The reference discloses that the irradiation of laser beams as excitation light at a temperature below room temperature much improves quantum yields of the nucleic acid bases in comparison with yields at room temperature.
The solvent comprises a the mixture of water and methanol because, when water is used alone, cubical expansions of the water take place at low temperatures, breaking the container. Usually alcohol is added to water for the prevention of volume expansion at low temperatures, and, additionally, causes the solvent to be transparent and vitreous.
FIGS. 3A-3D show spectra of the fluorescence and phosphorescence emitted from the solution using the above-described method in A, T, G and C, respectively. As shown, all the nucleic acid bases have peaks of fluorescence near a wavelength of 325 nm. A and G have spectra having high peaks near 400 nm. These are phosphorescence spectra, and the lifetimes of the respective phosphorescence are of A and G 2.7 seconds, and 1.6 seconds. By their respective phosphorescence lifetimes, A and G can be discriminated from each other. T and C, which emit no phosphorescence, are measured in terms of lifetimes of fluorescence. FIG. 10 shows the lifetimes of fluorescence of the four kinds of nucleic acid bases. In FIGS. 4A-4D, fluorescence intensity is taken on the vertical axis, and lifetime of fluorescence is taken on the horizontal axis. 1 ch on the horizontal axis is equal to 77 psce. The sharp peaks around 100 ch show excitation light, and the blunt extinction curves of FIGS. 4A-4D respectively show the fluorescence from the nucleic acid bases A, T, G and C. In comparison with the fluorescence lifetime of T and that of C, which cannot be discriminated by phosphorescence, it is apparent that there is a difference in the extinction curve therebetween. Accordingly T and C can be discriminated from each other by fluorescence lifetime.
This method can be used to discriminate A from G by phosphorescence lifetime. However, but taking into account ultra-high speed sequencing, (at a speed at which one base can be identified per 1 second at worst), the respective phosphorescence lifetimes of A and G are too long to be used as a parameter for the discrimination of the nucleic acid bases.
The method discrimination by phosphorescence lifetime cannot be used for T or C, because T and C emit no phosphorescence. Accordingly T and C have to be discriminated from each other using respective fluorescence lifetimes. As a result, a problem exists in the current art that the nucleic acid bases contained in DNA cannot be discriminated from one another efficiently at ultra-high speed.
FIG. 5 shows relationships between fluorescence lifetimes of long lifetime components and ratios of the components. But as shown in FIG. 5, there are cases in which the discrimination is difficult, and made possible only by comparison of fluorescence lifetimes. Based on the long lifetime components, the ratio of the fluorescence lifetime 365 ps of C is 77.6%, which can be apparently discriminated from the other three nucleic acids A, T, G. But it is difficult to discriminate A, T, G by long lifetime components. Furthermore, even if G can be discriminated, it will be difficult to discriminate A from T.

Method of discriminating a kind of nucleic acids bases


Systems and methods for identifying trending topics from social communications are presented. Social communications from one or more social networking sites are obtained. Links within the social communications are extracted. In various embodiments, the extracted links are filtered such that the linked content corresponding to the extracted links that can be categorized as news are retained. Topic descriptors for the retained links are generated and the topic descriptors are stored in a trending topic data store as trending topics. According to various embodiments, the topic descriptors are stored in the trending topic data store with the extracted links.

News distribution is one of the many features that arise from the use of social networking sites. For example, a person may post a social communication to his/her social network in a social networking site, where the social communication references and comments on some news article or content from a news organization. Upon receiving the social communication, one or more of the receiving members of the social network may comment on or repost the original social communication, and these comments/reposts are delivered or made available to members of their respective social networks. In this manner, news distribution through social networking sites is said to "go viral", meaning a widespread, growing distribution of news content through social networking sites often occurring within a short amount of time. News content that is "going viral," i.e., in the process of the widespread, growing distribution of the news content, is referred to as trending news content.
Due, at least in part, to the importance of delivering timely to people, there have been attempts to identify trending news content from social communications of various social networking sites. However, timely identifying news content among the vast amount social communications that are posted, as well generating informative summary topics, has proven to be a difficult challenge.

Trending topic identification from social communications


A method and apparatus are provided for automatic bundle transport, positioning, wrapper entry, wrapper opening, wrapper loosening, wrapper removal and wrapper dunnage takeaway. The wrapper is made from pliable material, thin film or similar material and which can comprise a variety of package types and sizes of mail, media or other items. Additionally the method and apparatus of the invention performs the tasks of wrapper removal and discharge without damaging the item contents within. A bundle unwrapping machine according to the invention includes a conveyor by which bundles are presented to the unwrapping machine for opening. An opening mechanism includes a pair of openers positioned to engage a bundle on opposite sites. The bundle is transported into an opening zone in which it is supported for engagement with the openers.

The time consuming task of opening wrapped packages of mail, media or other similar items without damaging the contents within is currently performed manually. The specific tasks of piercing an entry point into the wrapper, enlarging the entry point, loosening the wrapper surrounding the contents and then removing the wrapper from the contents and placing the removed wrapper in a waste receptacle or dunnage takeaway is today laboriously performed manually. Improvements to aid this task have been proposed as in Redford et al. United States Patent Application 20050120675, Jun. 9, 2005. According to this publication a method of preparing flat articles for sorting includes the steps of: (1) receiving a bundle of flat items to be sorted, the bundle being wrapped with a flexible film such that the film forms an enclosed package of flat items, (2) placing the bundles on a substantially horizontal, substantially frictionless work surface, moving the bundle adjacent at least one film opener, the film opener being automatically activated when the bundle is moved adjacent the film opener, (3) removing the cut film from the flat items, and (4) stacking the unbundled flat items in a cartridge. This is still fundamentally a manual process.
While automated systems for opening boxes and the like are known, plastic wrapped bundles of flat items like mail are particularly difficult to unwrap by machine. The plastic conforms closely to the contents and an operation of cutting it away with blades or the like would inevitably damage the contents. The present invention attempts to resolve this problem and enable automated unwrapping of plastic wrapped bundles. See for example the system of Porter et al. U.S. Patent Pub. 2009/0113853. In this system content damage is likely during opening, and unwrapping is manual.


Techniques for automatically approving transactions are described herein. These techniques may include determining whether a user who requested to conduct a transaction is the same user as a user that approves the transaction. If so, then the transaction may be approved. If not, then the approving user may be asked to provide authentication information in order to finish the approval process.

Companies utilizing e-commerce sites strive to make their sites easier for users to locate and purchase items. To help users locate items, for instance, these sites may categorize products into varying categories of an electronic catalog. In order to ease users' ability to purchase items, meanwhile, these companies may configure their sites to accept many forms of payment. While many of these strategies have increased the effectiveness of these sites, companies continually strive to further enhance user experiences.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A fastener system for mounting a furniture fitting includes a pair of spreader dowels supported in corresponding holes in the fastening flange of a furniture fitting. Each spreader dowel includes an expandable dowel with an inner notch and a noncircular spreader screw within the inner notch. The spreader screw expands the dowel with a 90-degree turn of the spreader screw, and each spreader screw is provided with a cover cap from which a crank extends. The respective dowels are expanded by rotating the respective cranks through a 90-degree turn from a position substantially parallel to one another to a position overlapping one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening system for mounting a furniture fitting on a furniture article and, more particularly, to a fastener system for mounting a furniture hinge on a desk or cabinet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of fastener systems for mounting a furniture fitting on a furniture article have been used in the furniture and cabinetry industry for many years. One such device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,342, known as a spreader dowel, which is supported in a fastening flange of the furniture fitting and which includes an expandable dowel with an inner notch and a non-circular spreader screw which is rotatable within the inner notch. The spreader screw expands or spreads the dowel with a slight right-hand or left-hand twist of the spreader screw, and the spreader screw is provided with a slotted or socketed head to accommodate turning the screw with a tool, such as a screwdriver. A disadvantage of such prior art fastener system is the necessity of providing the tool with which to turn the spreader screw and thereafter affixing a cover cap to conceal the head of the spreader screw.

Fastener system for mounting a furniture fitting


A mounting device comprises: a mounting head having multiple pickup members configured to pick up components; a mounting control section configured to cause a second component to be picked up later when a first component, held by the mounting head at a predetermined height, and the second component, held by the mounting head at a lowered position lower than the predetermined height, are picked up with the mounting head; the mounting control section being configured to cause the second component to be released earlier when the mounting head, having picked up the first component and the second component, releases a component.

Conventionally, a device having a rotary head has been proposed as a mounting device in which multiple pick-up nozzles are circumferentially attached to a rotary body, and while the rotary body rotates, the rotary head picks up components at a first position and a second position (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Since components can be picked up at multiple positions, throughput is improved with this device.

Mounting device, information processing device, mounting method, and information processing method


The invention disclosed in this patent document relates to transmembrane receptors, more particularly to a human G protein-coupled receptor and to mutated (non-endogenous) versions of the human GPCRs for evidence of constitutive activity.

Although a number of receptor classes exist in humans, by far the most abundant and therapeutically relevant is represented by the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) class. It is estimated that there are some 30,000–40,000 genes within the human genome, and of these, approximately 2% are estimated to code for GPCRs. Receptors, including GPCRs, for which the endogenous ligand has been identified, are referred to as "known" receptors, while receptors for which the endogenous ligand has not been identified are referred to as "orphan" receptors.
GPCRs represent an important area for the development of pharmaceutical products: from approximately 20 of the 100 known GPCRs, approximately 60% of all prescription pharmaceuticals have been developed. For example, in 1999, of the top 100 brand name prescription drugs, the following drugs interact with GPCRs (diseases and/or disorders treated are indicated in parentheses):
Claritin ®Prozac ®Vasotec ®(allergies)(depression)(hypertension)Paxil ®Zoloft ®Zyprexa ®(depression)(depression)(psychotic disorder)Cozaar ®Imitrex ®Zantac ®(hypertension)(migraine)(reflux)Propulsid ®Risperdal ®Serevent ®(reflux disease)(schizophrenia)(asthma)Pepcid ®Gaster ®Atrovent ®(reflux)(ulcers)(bronchospasm)Effexor ®Depakote ®Cardura ®(depression)(epilepsy)(prostatic hypertrophy)Allegra ®Lupron ®Zoladex ®(allergies)(prostate cancer)(prostate cancer)Diprivan ®BuSpar ®Ventolin ®(anesthesia)(anxiety)(bronchospasm)Hytrin ®Wellbutrin ®Zyrtec ®(hypertension)(depression)(rhinitis)Plavix ®Toprol-XL ®Tenormin ®(MI/stroke)(hypertension)(angina)Xalatan ®Singulair ®Diovan ®(glaucoma)(asthma)(hypertension)Harnal ®(prostatic hyperplasia)(Med Ad News 1999 Data).
GPCRs share a common structural motif, having seven sequences of between 22 to 24 hydrophobic amino acids that form seven alpha helices, each of which spans the membrane (each span is identified by number, i.e., transmembrane-1 (TM-1), transmebrane-2 (TM-2), etc.). The transmembrane helices are joined by strands of amino acids between transmembrane-2 and transmembrane-3, transmembrane-4 and transmembrane-5, and transmembrane-6 and transmembrane-7 on the exterior, or "extracellular" side, of the cell membrane (these are referred to as "extracellular" regions 1, 2 and 3 (EC-1, EC-2 and EC-3), respectively). The transmembrane helices are also joined by strands of amino acids between transmembrane-1 and transmembrane-2, transmembrane-3 and transmembrane-4, and transmembrane-5 and transmembrane-6 on the interior, or "intracellular" side, of the cell membrane (these are referred to as "intracellular" regions 1, 2 and 3 (IC-1, IC-2 and IC-3), respectively). The "carboxy" ("C") terminus of the receptor lies in the intracellular space within the cell, and the "amino" ("N") terminus of the receptor lies in the extracellular space outside of the cell.
Generally, when an endogenous ligand binds with the receptor (often referred to as "activation" of the receptor), there is a change in the conformation of the intracellular region that allows for coupling between the intracellular region and an intracellular "G-protein." It has been reported that GPCRs are "promiscuous" with respect to G proteins, i.e., that a GPCR can interact with more than one G protein. See, Kenakin, T., 43 Life Sciences 1095 (1988). Although other G proteins exist, currently, Gq, Gs, Gi, Gz and Go are G proteins that have been identified. Ligand-activated GPCR coupling with the G-protein initiates a signaling cascade process (referred to as "signal transduction"). Under normal conditions, signal transduction ultimately results in cellular activation or cellular inhibition. Although not wishing to be bound to theory, it is thought that the IC-3 loop as well as the carboxy terminus of the receptor interact with the G protein.
Under physiological conditions, GPCRs exist in the cell membrane in equilibrium between two different conformations: an "inactive" state and an "active" state. A receptor in an inactive state is unable to link to the intracellular signaling transduction pathway to initiate signal transduction leading to a biological response. Changing the receptor conformation to the active state allows linkage to the transduction pathway (via the G-protein) and produces a biological response.
A receptor may be stabilized in an active state by a ligand or a compound such as a drug. Recent discoveries, including but not exclusively limited to modifications to the amino acid sequence of the receptor, provide means other than ligands or drugs to promote and stabilize the receptor in the active state conformation. These means effectively stabilize the receptor in an active state by simulating the effect of a ligand binding to the receptor. Stabilization by such ligand-independent means is termed "constitutive receptor activation."

Endogenous and non-endogenous versions of human G protein-coupled receptors


Embodiments of the invention provide an analogue to digital converter comprising a dual differential digital to analogue converter (DAC) having first and second digital inputs for first and second digital input signals respectively, and having first and second analogue differential outputs for first and second differential output signals respectively, where the first and second digital output signals are associated with the first and second digital inputs respectively; storage for storing a DAC digital input value; logic for deriving the first and second digital input signals from the DAC digital input value, such that the difference between the first and second differential output signals from the DAC represents the DAC digital input value; a comparator for comparing the first and second differential output signals from the DAC with an analogue input signal and providing a comparator output; and a controller, responsive to the comparator output, for modifying the DAC digital input value such that the DAC digital input value substantially represents the analogue input signal.

Analogue to digital converters are used in many applications where it is desirable to convert an analogue value (such as, for example, an analogue voltage) to a digital value. The digital value may then, for example, be processed using digital processing.
Many analogue to digital converters (ADCs) use a digital to analogue converter (DAC). A digital value stored within the ADC is converted to an analogue voltage using the DAC. The resulting analogue voltage is then compared with the analogue input voltage using an analogue comparator. The output of the comparator, which indicates whether the analogue output of the DAC is higher or lower than the analogue input voltage, is then used in an analogue to digital conversion to modify the digital value, until the output of the DAC is substantially equal to the input voltage. At this point, the digital value represents the analogue input voltage, and is provided as the output from the ADC.
The digital value may be modified using a method of successive approximation. In an example of this method, the bits of the digital value are set to 0, except for the most significant bit (MSB) which is set to 1. If the output of the comparator indicates that the output of the DAC is too high, and thus the digital value is too high, then this bit is reset to 0, otherwise it remains at 1. The process is then repeated for the next most significant bit, and so on, until all the bits of the digital value have been considered. The digital value then substantially represents the analogue input voltage. This approach has the advantage that a single conversion requires the same time and/or number of clock cycles, regardless of the magnitude of the input voltage.
A number of different DAC architectures can be used within an ADC. A string DAC, for example, has a string of (2n−1) resistors connected in series between a power supply voltage and ground, where n is the number of DAC bits. A number of switches are employed to connect the output of the DAC to a point along the resistor string, depending on the value of the digital input to the DAC. The resistor string acts as a potential divider, and the output, therefore, has an appropriate voltage level that represents the digital input to the DAC. A string DAC has good accuracy, as it is possible to produce a number of highly matched resistors on an integrated circuit, and can operate at high speeds. However, the large number of resistors in a string DAC may introduce high levels of noise into the output of the DAC. The number of resistors in a string DAC can be reduced by forming a segmented DAC by cascading two or more string DACs that have fewer resistors in each respective resistor string, at the possible expense of speed and/or accuracy.
It is an aspect of embodiments of the invention to at least mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art.

Analogue to digital converter, and method of analogue to digital conversion


A ferroelectric thin film includes lead titanate including La and at least an element which forms a six-coordinate bond with oxygen atoms and which is selected from the group consisting of Mg and Mn. The ferroelectric thin film is imparted with a high c-axis orientation while the film is formed without a polarization process. The ferroelectric thin film is manufactured by the steps of: positioning a MgO single crystal substrate disposed in advance with a foundation platinum electrode by a sputtering method on the surface of a substrate heater, exhausting a chamber, heating the substrate by a substrate heater, letting in sputtering gases Ar and O.sub.2 through a nozzle into the chamber, and maintaining a high degree of vacuum. Then, high frequency electric power is input to a target from a high frequency electric power source to generate plasma, and a film is formed on the substrate. In this way, a ferroelectric thin film containing, for example, [(1-x).Pb.sub.1-y La.sub.y Ti.sub.1-y/4 O.sub.3 +x.MgO], where x=0.01.about.0.10 and y=0.05.about.0.25 can be manufactured.

A ferroelectric material is characterized by the presence of spontaneous polarization, even when the material is not in an electric field. This phenomenon arises from the presence of permanently-polarized dielectrics forming lines parallel or antiparallel within the material. In addition, the direction of polarization can be reversed by application of an external electric field. By taking advantage of this property, a ferroelectric material can be applied to various electronic components, such as a pyroelectric infrared detecting element, a piezoelectric element, a light modulator using electro-optical characteristics, or to a non-volatile memory element. A typical example of a well-known ferroelectric material is a perovskite crystal structure oxide, e.g., PbTiO.sub.3, Pb.sub.1-X La.sub.X Ti.sub.1-X/4 O.sub.3 (PLT), PbZrXTi.sub.1-X O.sub.3 (PZT), BaTiO.sub.3. Among these oxides, a PbTiO.sub.3 type ferroelectric material is thought to be a promising pyroelectric material because of its high Curie temperature, large pyroelectric coefficient, preferably small dielectric constant, and small dielectric loss. This material is already put to practical use in the form of an infrared sensor using ceramics.
Merits of this pyroelectric infrared sensor are that the operation can take place at room temperature, and the sensor has no wavelength dependency. Besides, the pyroelectric infrared sensor is superior among thermal type infrared sensors with respect to sensitivity and response speed.
At present, most ferroelectric materials used for an infrared detecting element or a piezoelectric element are polycrystalline ceramics. Along with the recent tendency of electronic components towards compact size, smaller electronic components compatible with ferroelectric materials are also demanded. Furthermore, since a pyroelectric element is formed thinner, heat capacity decreases and sensitivity increases accordingly. Therefore, due to the need for improved performance of an infrared detecting element, and also because of the development towards smaller and lighter components as mentioned above, the formation of a ferroelectric single crystal thin film which can achieve high sensitivity and high speed response has been drawing attention.
For example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor using a PbTiO.sub.3 type thin film of c-axis orientation is reported in J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 61, P. 411 (1987). Also, a ferroelectric thin film is disclosed in Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. (Tokkai Sho) 59-138004 which discloses improved performance index by adding a small amount of La.sub.2 O.sub.3 to PbTiO.sub.3. Furthermore, as disclosed in Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. (Tokkai Sho) 59-141427, a small amount of MnO.sub.2 is added to PbTiO.sub.3 for improving figure of merit and dielectric loss of a ferroelectric thin film. In addition, Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. (Tokkai Sho) 61-88403 discloses a mono phase ferroelectric PbTiO.sub.3 thin film having a high electro-optical effect by selecting a Pb/Ti molar ratio in the PbTiO.sub.3, and also having pyroelectricity and piezoelectricity. Also, it is disclosed in Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. (Tokkai Hei) 3-245406 that a small amount of MgO is added to PbTiO.sub.3 for obtaining a ferroelectric thin film having a high direct current resistivity and a high pyroelectric coefficient.
In the various conventional techniques mentioned above for forming thin films by using PbTiO.sub.3 type materials, there has been some improvement made regarding pyroelectric characteristics or piezoelectric characteristics as well as with regard to resistivity, withstand voltage, and dielectric loss. However, a thin film which has satisfactory characteristics in all respects is not yet obtained.

Ferroelectric thin film and method of manufacturing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Various embodiments utilize an auto-complete module to expose a website's content structure. In at least some embodiments, a user can take an action within an application and, responsively, the auto-complete module can retrieve a site index file or site map and use the site index file or site map to display the website's content structure. In at least some embodiments, a website's content structure can be displayed without navigating to the particular website. In at least some embodiments, the auto-complete module can utilize standard protocols such as HTTP protocols to retrieve the site index file or site map.

With the proliferation of online browsing and other activities involving the Internet, users are faced with a daunting task of identifying content that may be of interest to them. For example, if a user navigates to a particular website, they must often either parse through the content on the website to find items of interest or use the website's site index to ascertain what content is available at that site. In the former case, the user must navigate to and physically look through various content at the website. In the latter case, the user must first locate the website's site index, if there is one, and then navigate through the site index to locate content of interest.
Needless to say, this places a significant burden on the user. In addition, in scenarios in which a user might be employing a hand-held device, such as a cellular phone to navigate the web, latency issues associated with rendering content on the device can further bog down the user's experience.


A system including a plurality of servers each executing an application, a plurality of Wide Area File System (WAFS) clients which are correspondingly connected to the servers, a WAFS server which is connected to each WAFS client, a storage system or network attached storage (NAS), connected to the WAFS server, which stores data in a plurality of volumes or filesystem forming a consistency group, and a backup server for controlling backup of the consistency group. Each WAFS client includes a cache for temporarily storing data, and a cache manager for managing the cache. The WAFS server includes a backup agent that responds to the backup server, and a consistency manager that maintains consistency among the caches. The system is implemented to bring to a state of consistency the caches in the WAFS clients and the corresponding volumes in the WAFS server.

The present invention relates generally to a backup system for a volume or files in a Wide Area File System (WAFS). More particularly, the present invention relates to a backup system for a volume or files in a WAFS system when a cache is provided in a WAFS client of the WAFS system.
In today's environment the challenge of managing, for example, distributed enterprise efforts across multiple remote locations exists. While gigabytes of data can easily be shared on a local area network (LAN) using standard file server technology, these benefits do not extend to remote offices connected over a wide area network (WAN). When it comes to file sharing over WANs, standard file server protocols provide unacceptably slow response times when opening and writing files.
Various solutions have been proposed to solve the WAN file sharing problem including replicating file copies or implementing distributed file systems. Neither of these approaches provides a complete solution. Content delivery networks attempted to mitigate this problem by caching copies of files at each remote office. However, content delivery networks only provide a read-only copy of data at the remote offices.
WAFS systems combine distributed file systems with caching to allow real-time, read-write access to shared file storage from any location, while also providing interoperability with standard file sharing protocols such as the Network File System (NFS) and the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocols. A WAFS system makes it possible to access a remote data center as though it were local. Such a system provides various benefits including enabling businesses, academic institutions, and government agencies having numerous branch offices to centrally manage data backups in real time.
In order to hide latency of file access from a client a cache server which is a WAFS client is used. Such a cache server is embodied in the iShared™ Server product marketed by TacitNetworks. Important properties of such a server are to maintain data coherency and consistency across the entire network. Although the TacitNetworks product provides a backup solution as described at Internet address: www.tacitnetworks.com/M03—01—03-Business-Continuity-Backup.php, there is no disclosure of how to backup data for a files of a WAFS server.
Prior cache based file systems in a WAN are disclosed, for example, by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0163568 entitled "Storage System Management Data Through a Wide Area Network", by Y. Kano, et al. In this application there is described a system and method of how to access a file from a client on LAN via WAN. However, this Patent Application Publication does not disclose how to make a complete procedure for making a backup from a centralized server on a remote data center.

Method and apparatus of WAFS backup managed in centralized center


Design synchronization for a High-Level Modeling System (“HLMS”) of an integrated circuit device (“IC”) is described. In a method for generating a netlist, a description of a first circuit block of a user design is input to a programmed computer system programmed with a computer-aided modeling system. The description includes output port information of the first circuit block and synchronization signal information. The computer-aided modeling system selects a circuit core for the first circuit block responsive to output port information and the synchronization signal information, the circuit core including port metadata. The computer-aided modeling system selects at least one macro responsive to the port metadata for generation of the netlist. The macro is for rate synchronized coupling of the first circuit block to a second circuit block of the user design. The computer-aided modeling system outputs the netlist including the macro.

A programmable logic device (PLD) is one type of integrated circuit containing features that can be electronically configured to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the field programmable gate array ("FPGA"), typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, input/output blocks ("IOBs"), configurable logic blocks ("CLBs"), dedicated random access memory blocks ("BRAMs"), multipliers, digital signal processing blocks ("DSPs"), processors, clock managers, delay lock loops ("DLLs"), and so forth. As used herein, "include" and "including" mean including without limitation.
Each programmable tile typically includes both programmable interconnect and programmable logic. The programmable interconnect typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by programmable interconnect points ("PIPs"). The programmable logic implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that can include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect and programmable logic are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
Another type of PLD is the Complex Programmable Logic Device, or CPLD. A CPLD includes two or more "function blocks" connected together and to input/output ("I/O") resources by an interconnect switch matrix. Each function block of the CPLD includes a two-level AND/OR structure similar to those used in Programmable Logic Arrays ("PLAs") and Programmable Array Logic ("PAL") devices. In CPLDs, configuration data is typically stored on-chip in non-volatile memory. In some CPLDs, configuration data is stored on-chip in non-volatile memory, then downloaded to volatile memory as part of an initial configuration (programming) sequence.
For all of these programmable logic devices ("PLDs"), the functionality of the device is controlled by data bits provided to the device for that purpose. The data bits can be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static memory cells, as in FPGAs and some CPLDs), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.
Other PLDs are programmed by applying a processing layer, such as a metal layer, that programmably interconnects the various elements on the device. These PLDs are known as mask programmable devices. PLDs can also be implemented in other ways, e.g., using fuse or antifuse technology. The terms "PLD" and "programmable logic device" include but are not limited to these exemplary devices, as well as encompassing devices that are only partially programmable. For example, one type of PLD includes a combination of hard-coded transistor logic and a programmable switch fabric that programmably interconnects the hard-coded transistor logic.
PLDs are sometimes used for prototyping ICs. Because of the enhancements in PLDs, more complex designs may be prototyped and deployed using PLDs than in the past. Some of this design effort has been in the area of Digital Signal Processing ("DSP") applications. In DSP applications, the ability to process multiple rate data streams is sometimes relevant.
A software tool available from XILINX®, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., known as System Generator or "SysGen" is a high-level modeling and design software tool. SysGen may be used for developing, designing, and debugging integrated circuits that are implemented using field programmable logic gates of a PLD. Though the example of SysGen is used, it should be appreciated that there are other known high-level modeling and design software tools that may be used instead of SysGen, such as DSP Builder, available from ALTERA® Corporation of San Jose, Calif., or Synplify DSP, available from SYNOPSYS®, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.
SysGen provides a graphical user interface for building a system as represented by a block diagram. Blocks specify rates and data types for outputs therefrom based on several factors. The factors include parameters of the blocks, and rates and data types of the inputs to the blocks.
Conventionally, these blocks are abstractions of high-level cores. A soft core ("core" for short) is a circuit described using text or code that is instantiated in field programmable logic gates using at least in part a configuration bitstream. Examples of cores include FIR filters, dividers, CIC filters, adders, and many other known circuits. An abstraction of such a core may among other things include transformation of an output sample of a block. This transformation may be to a form for SysGen or some other software tool to use.
Cores used in an HLMS, such as SysGen or some other software tool, facilitate any of a variety of designs being realized more rapidly. The interface of high-level cores may generally be represented as having a number of data inputs ports, a number of data output ports, a data input qualifier port, a data output qualifier port, a clock enable port, and a clock port. However, it should be appreciated that other interfaces for high-level cores may be used. More generally, a high-level core has some level of handshaking, such as qualifying data as valid or invalid for example. In contrast, a low-level core does not have any such handshaking.
A data input qualifier port is used to assert validity of input data, and may be set by a circuit that is upstream to the core or circuit block. A data output qualifier port may be used to assert validity of output data by the core or circuit block for a circuit coupled downstream to the core. It should be appreciated that a high-level core may be used to support a data streaming interface if the throughput of the circuit block is generally constant once such circuit block is active. In other words, inputs to such core change in such a way that an output qualifier is periodic. Even though, the example of data streaming cores is used for referring to high-level cores, it should be appreciated that other types of high-level cores may be used.
In an HLMS, such as SysGen or other HLMS software tool, system-wide synchronizer signals may be broadcast. Examples of such synchronizer signals include clock enable signals and clock signals. Accordingly, high-level core outputs may involve synchronization or re-sampling to fit within the context of a larger circuit's design environment. Heretofore, the process by which design synchronization, namely the coupling of synchronizers to high-level cores, was generally performed manually.
Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to provide means for automatically adding synchronizers to a design for coupling a high-level core to a downstream circuit of the design.


A tension fluctuation alleviating device, for use in a fabric printing apparatus including a fabric supplying device, a printing mechanism, a guide between the fabric supplying device and the printing mechanism, and a fabric take-up device, the fabric printing apparatus configured to perform printing on the fabric while intermittently sending the fabric to the printing mechanism, includes a support member provided between the fabric supplying device and the guide device and extending across a width direction of the fabric, and a tension relieving member including an elastically deformable elastic portion supported by the support member and extending from the support member toward the fabric, and a contacting portion closer to the fabric than the elastic portion and contacting with the fabric.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tension fluctuation alleviating device for use in a fabric printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printing apparatus that performs printing on a long printing medium while sending the printing medium intermittently is known. JP 2010-052379 A discloses a printing apparatus including a fabric supplying device primarily having a roll body in which a long printing medium is wound, a printing mechanism including a print head for performing printing on a printing medium supplied from the fabric supplying device, and a delivering roller pair serving as a guide device for guiding the printing medium supplied from the roll body to the printing mechanism. This printing apparatus intermittently feeds the printing medium to the printing mechanism by the intermittent rotation of delivering rollers, which constitute the delivering roller pair.
JP 2009-090578 A discloses a printing apparatus including a fabric supplying device for supplying a printing medium, a printing mechanism including a recording head for performing printing on the printing medium supplied from the fabric supplying device, a platen roller provided between the fabric supplying device and the printing mechanism and serving as a guide device for guiding the printing medium toward the printing mechanism, and a take-up roller for taking up the printing medium that has been printed by the printing mechanism.

Tension fluctuation alleviating device for use in fabric printing apparatus


A chemical bath deposition (CBD) process is provided for forming a textured zinc oxide film pattern from a zinc oxide printed seed layer. The process provides a substrate and prints a zinc oxide seed layer in a pattern overlying the substrate. Using a CBD process, a textured zinc oxide film is grown overlying the zinc oxide seed layer pattern, where the textured zinc oxide film has a variation in film thickness of greater than 200 nanometers (nm). In one aspect, growing the textured zinc oxide film includes: preparing a ZnO precursor bath; maintaining a bath temperature of about 70 degrees C.; and, leaving the substrate in the bath for about an hour. In another aspect, growing the textured zinc oxide film includes forming a textured zinc oxide film with zinc oxide crystals having a pyramidal shape with a height of greater than 200 nm.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to photovoltaic cell and integrated circuit (IC) fabrication and, more particularly, to a method for forming a textured thin film from a printed seed layer pattern using a chemical bath deposition process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The patterning of conductive oxides is typically accomplished by photolithographic patterning and employing a dry or wet chemical etch process to remove unwanted areas of conductive oxides. Materials need to be patterned so that useful circuits can be defined. However, photolithographic patterning requires expensive equipment and the process must pattern active materials in an additive fashion.
In contrast to photolithographic patterning techniques, it is becoming common to pattern some thin film materials more simply using a printing deposition process. A conventional inkjet device, for example, includes a solution cartridge with a plurality of chambers. If the process is thermal, each chamber may include a heater. To eject a droplet from each chamber, a pulse of current is passed through the heating element causing a rapid vaporization of the solution in the chamber to form a bubble, which causes a large pressure increase, propelling a droplet of solution onto the substrate. The solution's surface tension and condensation, in cooperation with the contraction of the vapor bubble, pulls a further charge of solution into the chamber. The solution typically includes a volatile component to form the vapor bubble, otherwise droplet ejection cannot occur.
If the process is piezoelectric, each chamber may include a piezoelectric element. To eject a droplet from each chamber, an electrical signal is sent to the piezoelectric element causing a change in strain within the piezoelectric element. This strain creates an acoustic wave within the ink in the chamber. Upon interaction with the printhead nozzle, this acoustic wave generates a droplet that is propelled onto the substrate.
It would be advantageous if conductive oxide patterns could be formed on a substrate using a simple printing process.
It would be advantageous if the above-mentioned printing could form textured conductive oxide surfaces to enhance light absorption.

Patterned chemical bath deposition of a textured thin film from a printed seed layer


An automobile door comprises a cavity-defining door body, and shock absorber consisting of a plurality of foamed-resin tubes disposed in the cavity such that the tubes are axially in parallel and are aligned in the thickness direction of the door body.

The present invention relates generally to a door, and particularly to a door employed in an automobile.
Automobile doors are equipped with a shock-absorbing means in order to protect the driver/passengers from collision shock in the event of an accident.
Conventionally, shock absorbers therein have been plate or block foam, or metal beams. However, the door is thus made necessarily heavy, due to the relative heaviness of such shock-absorbing materials forming the absorber which it contains. Moreover, conventional absorbers do not provide shock absorbency sufficient to meet forthcoming Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (MVSS)-307.


The present disclosure relates to methods of systems for allocating a call from a user to an agent. Embodiments of the disclosure may determine a set of sentiment indicators associated with the user from one or more acoustic parameters of the call. In addition, embodiments of the disclosure may select a candidate agent to handle the call based on the set of sentiment indicators and a sentiment handling capability associated with the candidate agent. Moreover, embodiments of the disclosure may allocate the call to the candidate agent.

Typical customer call centers use traditional call-assignment processes such as round-robin based methods or skills-based routing methods to route a call from a customer to a call center agent when the customer dials in. In a round-robin based method, agents are generally assigned to only one queue of incoming calls of a certain type to answer the calls sequentially. This means that agents who can deal with a range of call types has to be reassigned to different queues at different times of the day to make the best use of their skills, or face being exposed to a wide variety of calls for which they are not trained. With skills-based routing, the skills needed for a particular call are often assessed by the dialed telephone number, as well as choices made in any associated interactive voice response (IVR) system. With this assessment, a skills-based routing system then attempts to match the call to a suitably trained agent. These traditional processes, however, lack an automatic analysis of historical and/or live conversations. For example, current call center routing systems cannot measure various emotions of a customer and an agent's ability to handle such emotions, and therefore cannot apply such knowledge in the process of routing the customer's call.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a new call routing system and method capable of dynamically allocating a call from a customer to an agent based on an analysis of the emotions of the customer and based on the agent's ability to handle the emotions.

System and method for dynamic job allocation based on acoustic sentiments


Aspects of the present invention provide electronics for controlling and synchronizing operation of electro-active lenses regardless of frame type, size or style. The controlling electronics can be contained within one or more electronic modules positioned within the frame temples and can be removable and reprogrammable and can include inductive charge regions. Conductive links between electronic modules and/or between left and right Sides of the electro-active spectacles can include left and right upper and lower rim portions of the frame, the bridge, conductive layers of the electro-active lenses, the upper and lower grooves of the electro-active lenses, and/or wires embedded within any portion of the frame. Aspects of the present invention also provide chargers for recharging electro-active spectacles of any size, shape or style using adjustable inductive charging cradles to inductively charge electro-active spectacles of the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electro-active spectacles, More specifically, the present invention provides electronics for operating and synchronizing electro-active lenses compatible with any frame type, style or size, as well as associated charging devices.
2. Background Art
Electro-active lenses generally provide a region of adjustable optical power by changing the refractive index of an electro-active material (e.g., a liquid crystal material) by the application and removal of electrical power. Conventional electro-active lenses and spectacles fail to provide cosmetically acceptable and practical mechanisms for (a) controlling and synchronizing operation of the electro-active lenses, (b) providing electrical connectivity between controlling electronics and the electro-active lenses, and (c) recharging the electro-active lenses. Further, conventional devices and techniques for addressing these problems are limited in that they are not generally compatible with any frame size, type or style.
Accordingly, what is needed are electronics for controlling and synchronizing operation of electro-active lenses that can be housed in any type of frame in a cosmetically acceptable and easily implementable manner. Further, power charger devices for recharging electro-active lenses of any frame size, shape or style are also needed.

Electro-active spectacles and associated electronics


A optical instrument (e.g., coronagraph) is described herein that has a pick-off mirror with a surface having an array of reflective structures (reflective occulting mask) machined therein which enables an optical image of one or more low intensity objects (e.g., planets) to be obtained when the low intensity object(s) are located in close proximity to a high intensity object (e.g., sun). Also described herein, is a method for manufacturing the pick-off mirror which has a surface with an array of reflective structures (reflective occulting mask) that are machined therein.

An optical instrument known as a coronagraph was originally invented to observe the sun's corona at times other than when there is a solar eclipse. This type of optical instrument has since been used in other astronomical applications to help obtain an optical image of low intensity object(s) (e.g., planet(s)) that are located in close proximity to a high intensity object (e.g., sun). In addition, this type of optical instrument could be used in military applications to help obtain an optical image which can be used to identify low intensity object(s) (e.g., missile(s)) that are located in close proximity to a high intensity object (e.g., sun or other infrared source). Two traditional optical instruments 100 and 200 are described next with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.
Referring to FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), there is shown a diagram of a traditional optical instrument 100 which has been setup to obtain an optical image 102 of three low intensity objects 104 (e.g., three planets 104) that are located in close proximity to a high intensity object 106 (e.g., sun 106) (note: the high intensity object 106 does not appear in the final optical image 102). As shown, the traditional optical instrument 100 includes an imaging device 108 (e.g., refractive imaging device 108, reflective imaging device 108), a pick-off mirror 110 and a re-imaging device 112 (e.g., refractive re-imaging device 112, reflective re-imaging device 112). The pick-off mirror 110 has a surface 115 with a hole 116 extending there through which functions like an occulting mask to re-channel light 111 associated with the sun 106 away from the light 113 associated with the three planets 104 (see the front view of the pick-off mirror 110).
In this example, the imaging device 108 has been positioned to receive an image 114 that contains light 111 associated with the sun 106 and also contains light 113 associated with each of the three planets 104. Plus, the pick-off mirror 110 has been positioned on an optical path 117 (at an intermediate focal plane) to receive the image 114 from the imaging device 108. In particular, the pick-off mirror 110 has been positioned such that the hole 116 receives a portion of the image 114 containing the light 111 associated with the sun 106 and re-channels this light 111 off the optical path 117 and away from the re-imaging device 112. In addition, the pick-off mirror 110 has been positioned such that a part of the surface 115 which does not have the hole 116 therein receives a portion of the image 114 containing the light 113 associated with the three planets 104 and reflects that portion of the image 114 on the optical path 117 towards the re-imaging device 112. Upon receiving the light 113 reflected from the pick-off mirror 110, the re-imaging device 112 generates the desired optical image 102 that contains the light 113 associated with the three planets 104 but does not contain the light 111 associated with the sun 106 (note: the desired optical image 102 is focused on the focal plane 120 which is located on the optical path 117).
Referring to FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART), there is shown a diagram of another traditional optical instrument 200 which has been setup to obtain an optical image 202 of three low intensity objects 204 (e.g., three planets 204) that are located in close proximity to a high intensity object 206 (e.g., sun 206) (note: the high intensity object 206 does not appear in the final optical image 202). As shown, the traditional optical instrument 200 includes an imaging device 208 (e.g., refractive imaging device 208, reflective imaging device 208), a pick-off mirror 210 and a re-imaging device 212 (e.g., refractive re-imaging device 212, reflective re-imaging device 212). In this case, the pick-off mirror 210 has a surface 215 where a portion of which has one or more opaque spots 216 (only one shown) which function like an absorptive occulting mask and absorb light 211 associated with the sun 206 while not affecting the light 213 associated with the three planets 204 (see the front view of the pick-off mirror 210).
In this example, the imaging device 208 has been positioned to receive an image 214 that contains light 211 associated with the sun 206 and also contains light 213 associated with each of the three planets 204. Plus, the pick-off mirror 210 has been positioned on an optical path 217 (at an intermediate focal plane) to receive the image 214 from the imaging device 208. In particular, the pick-off mirror 210 has been positioned such that the opaque spot(s) 216 receives a portion of the image 214 containing the light. 211 associated with the sun 206 and absorbs this light 211 such that it will not be reflected on the optical path 217 towards the re-imaging device 212 (note: the opaque spot(s) 216 is typically an adsorptive material which can be rather difficult to apply in a precise manner on the surface 215 of the pick-off mirror 210). In addition, the pick-off mirror 210 has been positioned such that a part of the surface 215 not covered by the opaque spot(s) 216 receives a portion of the image 214 containing the light 213 associated with the three planets 204 and reflects that portion of the image 214 on the optical path 217 towards the re-imaging device 212. Upon receiving the light 213 reflected from the pick-off mirror 210, the re-imaging device 212 generates the desired optical image 202 that contains the light 213 associated with the three planets 204 but does not contain the light 211 associated with the sun 206 (note: the desired optical image 202 is focused on the focal plane 220 which is located on the optical path 217).
Although these two traditional optical instruments 100 and 200 function relatively well there is still a desire for an improved optical instrument that can be used to obtain an optical image of one or more low intensity objects (e.g., planets, missiles) that are located in close proximity to a high intensity object (e.g., sun). This need and other needs are satisfied by the present invention.

Reflective occulting mask and method for manufacturing the reflective occulting mask


Systems and methods for processing stackable articles, such as, frozen hamburgers or compact disks, are provided. The systems include mechanisms for determining the number of articles in a stack of articles, a transfer device adapted to transfer the articles when the number of articles equals a predetermined number of articles, a gripping device adapted to receive the stacks of articles from the transfer device, an automated manipulator adapted to transfer the gripping device with the stacks of articles, and a mechanism for discharging the stacks of articles from the gripping device to, for example, a container. The systems and methods may also provide staging areas adapted to receive the stack of articles and then transfer the stack of articles to the gripping device. Though aspects of the invention may be uniquely adapted to handle food items, aspects of the invention may also be used for non-food items.

Technical Field
The present invention relates, generally, to methods and apparatus for handling articles, for example, stackable articles, such as, stackable food items. In particular, methods and apparatus are disclosed for handling stackable food items, such as, frozen hamburger patties, for efficient handling and packaging.
Description of Related Art
Many methods and apparatus have been provided in the art for efficiently handling food articles, for example, frozen hamburger patties.
However, prior art methods and apparatus have deficiencies that indicate that a need exists for improving the handling of stackable articles in general, and stackable food items in particular. For example, deficiencies of the existing art may include the inability of the systems to process and stack articles in a container without stopping a conveyor whereby such articles are supplied for stacking. As described in detail below, aspects of the present invention overcome these and other deficiencies of the prior art and provide the desired improved methods and apparatus.


A light emitting sheet module includes a light guiding sheet to cover a plurality of key switches, at least one LED disposed on at least one end portion of the light guiding sheet, and a circuit board disposed on the one end portion of the light guiding sheet on which the LED is disposed. When the light emitting sheet module is, mounted on a switch board, it is capable of adaptation to key switches in a wide variety of forms and to illuminate the key switches with light emission of high brightness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting sheet module which is installed in an operation panel of each of various electronic instruments and has an illumination function.
2. Description of Related Art
A sheet switch 10 as shown in FIG. 13 is used as a key inputting part installed in each of various electronic instruments such as mobile phones, mobile information terminals or the like. The sheet switch 10 achieves its illumination function through provision of a plurality of light sources including light emitting diode elements 6, each of which is disposed about each of key switches 8.
FIG. 14 illustrates a sheet switch 1 including light emitting elements 6 and a flat plate-like light guiding plate 5 (for reference, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-69751, FIG. 9). The sheet switch 1 includes a circuit board 2 provided with a wiring pattern, fixed contacts 3 arranged on the circuit board 2, dome contacts 4 each of which works as a tact spring and is disposed on the circuit board 2 to cover each of the fixed contacts 3, the light guiding plate 5 disposed above the circuit board 2, a light emitting diode 6 (hereinafter, referred to as light emitting diode, or LED) which is a light emitting diode element or package including at least one light emitting diode element configured to illuminate one side surface of the light guiding plate 5, and key tops 7 each at the other side including an extended lower end portion which is configured to extend through the light guiding plate 5 and press each of the dome contacts 4. Light emitted from the LEDs 6 and guided in the light guiding plate 5, finally illuminates the lower end portion of each of the key tops 7 and then, the light illuminates the entire of the key tops 7.
Also known is a sheet switch which has been further thinned while retaining an illumination function for meeting a recent trend of thinning electronic instruments, (for reference, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No 2004-69751, FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 15, the sheet switch 11 includes a circuit board 12 provided with fixed contacts 13 and dome contacts 14 each of which is disposed on the circuit board 12 to cover each of the fixed contacts 13, a light guiding plate 15 covering the area above the dome contacts 14 and the circuit board 13, and key tops 17 provided above the light guiding plate 5. Each of the key tops 17 corresponds to each of the dome contacts 14. In the sheet switch 11, light emitted from the LED 16 disposed on one end of the circuit board 12 is guided into the light guiding plate 15 to provide light emission to the entire light guiding plate 15 and illuminate the key tops 17 from below.
However, the above-mentioned conventional sheet switches face the following problems.
That is to say, in the sheet switch 10 as shown in FIG. 13, in which LEDs 6 are disposed adjacent to the key switches 8, the number of LEDs 6 must be increased as the number of key switches 8 increases. Consequently, the problem arises that power consumption is increased and the sheet switch 10 becomes large in size.
In the sheet switch 1 as shown in FIG. 14, because the light is guided to the key tops 7 through the light guiding plate 5, the number of LEDs is reduced, but in order to guide the light emitted from the LEDs 6 to the light guiding plate 5 efficiently and without leakage, a light guiding plate 5 having a certain thickness must be used. The light guiding plate 5 increasing in thickness results in increased thickness of the entire sheet switch 1.
In the sheet switch 11 as shown in FIG. 15, because the light emitted from the LED 16 enters one side surface of the light guiding plate 15 to illuminate the entire light guiding plate 15, there is a problem that brightness of the key tops at positions remote from the LED 16 is reduced and variations in brightness are noticeable throughout the entire light guiding plate 15.
Because the light guiding plate 15 is merely positioned over the circuit board 12, it is easy for a clearance to occur between the light guiding plate 15 and the sheet switch, in addition, it is easy for a clearance to occur even between the LED and the light guiding plate 15.
Accordingly, if such a clearance exists around the light guiding plate 15, there is a problem that light may leak from the clearance so that an insufficient amount of light passes through the key tops 17 and variations in brightness of the sheet switch occur.
In addition, because each of the above-mentioned sheet switches 10 and 11 including an illumination device comprising the light guiding plate and the LEDs corresponding to the key switches are integrated, it is not possible to utilize only the illumination device function. Therefore, there is a problem that the sheet switches can not be adapted flexibly to various devices in which structures of the key switches, or switch board or the like have different structures.


Optical sensors, more particularly infrared sensors, use an array of MEM micromirrors to chop a light beam impinging on an array of sensors of an imaging device to minimize the influence of thermal noise. The array of micromirrors preferably switches the beam impinging on the array of sensors between an image to be analyzed and an image of a reference black body at a clearly defined temperature. These sensors are not cooled and require no cryogenic devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical imaging devices, preferably devices operating in the infrared band, that are not cooled. This kind of imaging device is more particularly intended for use in a video camera or a telescope to form an image outside the visible band. This kind of device is sometimes referred to as an infrared focal plane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As with any sensor, one of the main qualities required of an optical imaging device is to be able to deliver a signal of sufficient amplitude compared to the inherent noise of the device. Referring more particularly to infrared imaging devices, the most serious form of noise is usually the inherent thermal noise of the device, caused by the ambient temperature to which the device is exposed. To illustrate the importance of this effect, note that the normal human temperature of 37° C. corresponds to an infrared wavelength of substantially 10 micrometers.
The solution most widely used for reducing this noise consists in cooling the imaging device to a temperature corresponding to a wavelength outside the spectral domain to be imaged.
The devices used to obtain such cooling are bulky and expensive. They also introduce serious limitations on the dimensions of the imaging device and/or the cryogenic device and in some cases have a prohibitive power consumption. The simplest solution, which consists in using cooling by expansion of a gas contained in a pressurized cylinder, although it simplifies the production of the cryogenic device, leads to a considerable consumption of gas and is in practice essentially reserved for single-use devices, such as imaging devices in missiles.
In the case of a video camera generating successive frames, dispensing with a cooling device by using an array of thermocouples or an array of bolometers in combination with a device for chopping the signal between two successive frames has been envisaged. This produces the wanted signal, or at least a signal that is less degraded, by subtracting the noise from the total signal. However, this method has the drawback of not providing a reference signal, which degrades the accuracy of the measurements as a function of the temperature of the device.
Also known in the art are bolometer devices that dispense with chopping of the signal. However, these devices have a temperature drift such that they cannot be used for radiometric measurements.


Successively from an object side, a stop, a biconvex lens, a biconcave lens, a biconvex lens, and a meniscus lens having a convex surface directed onto the image side are disposed, while the image-side surfaces of the second and third lenses are set to have a predetermined range of power, thereby favorably correcting various kinds of aberration, such as distortion in particular, while reducing the size of the whole lens system. Disposed successively from the object side are a stop i, a first lens L.sub.1 made of a biconvex lens, a second lens L.sub.2 made of a biconcave lens, a third lens L.sub.3 made of a biconvex lens, and a fourth lens L.sub.4 made of a meniscus lens having a convex surface directed onto the image side. These lenses satisfy the following conditional expressions : EQU 0.4<R.sub.5/ f<2.0 EQU 0.4<.vertline.R.sub.7 .vertline./f<2.2. wherein. R.sub.5 is a radius of curvature of the surface of the second lens on the image side; PA1 R.sub.7 is a radius of curvature of the surface of the third lens on the image side; and PA1 f is a composite focal length of the whole system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens and, in particular, to an imaging lens suitable as a taking lens for a video camera or still video camera used for TV phone, door phone, monitoring purposes, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, solid-state imaging devices have often been disposed on imaging surfaces of various kinds of video cameras and still video cameras. With the advance of technology, such solid-state imaging devices have been reducing their size year by year, while employing imaging lenses with smaller size and wider angle of view.
Conventionally known as the imaging lens used for the above-mentioned purposes is the one disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-5908 comprising four lens sheets and a stop disposed between the lenses.
In an imaging lens employed in a video camera or the like used for TV phone, door phone, monitoring purposes, and so forth, it is necessary for the whole lens system to have a small size in view of the space for its installation and the like.
When a stop is disposed between the lenses as in the imaging lens disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-5908 in the case where the stop function is to be provided within the lens system, however, a large space is necessary in front of and behind the stop, thus increasing the size of the whole lens system.
Hence, in order to reduce the size of the whole lens system, the stop may be disposed on the image side or object side of the lens system. When the stop is disposed on the image side of the lens system, however, in order to secure an exit pupil position, back focus has to be elongated more than necessary. Accordingly, when the stop function is to be provided within the lens system, it is preferable that the stop be positioned on the object side of the lens system.
When the stop is disposed on the object side of the lens system, however, various kinds of aberration, such as distortion in particular, may increase too much to be easily corrected.


A device for the contactless inductive transmission of electric energy to a movable consumer has a stationary primary circuit designed as an arrangement of elongated parallel leads connected to a source of high frequency alternating voltage or current and a transmission head arranged on the movable consumer. The transmission head consists of a ferrite core and of a secondary winding that surrounds the ferrite core and is magnetically coupled to the primary circuit. The primary circuit lead arrangement has an outer lead designed as an almost closed housing (7) and a middle lead (6) arranged approximately at the center of the housing. The current (11) that flows in the outer lead has the same intensity but an opposite flow direction to the current in the middle lead. The middle lead (6) is surrounded by a U-shaped ferrite core (2) that carries the secondary winding (W.sub.2). In order to transmit electric energy independently and at the same time to several movable consumers, a constant medium frequency current (J.sub.1) flows through the transmission device. The current is kept constant in that the transmission arrangement is connected in parallel to a capacitor (C.sub.E) connected in series to an inductor (L.sub.E) and to a medium frequency voltage source (MFG1). A resonance is created between the inductor (L.sub.E) and the capacitor (C.sub.E) at the frequency (fo) of the medium frequency voltage source (MFG1).

The invention relates to an arrangement for contactless inductive transmission of electrical power.
An arrangement of this type is known from the application WO 92/17929 A1. This application describes an inductive energy-distribution system that inductively transmits electrical energy to one or a plurality of movable consumers via a double line.
Ferrite bodies 2 are moved between these double lines l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' (FIG. 1B); these bodies support a secondary winding w.sub.2 that supplies the energy to drives and consumers on the moved systems. The ferrite bodies having the secondary windings are referred to hereinafter as transmitter heads. The conductors l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' of the double line (FIGS. 1B and 2) are secured to conductor supports S1 and S1' comprising magnetically and electrically non-conducting material. The double line is surrounded by an E-shaped ferrite core 2, whose center leg MS projects deep into the space between the conductors and supports the secondary winding w.sub.2, by way of which energy is tapped and supplied to the moved consumer. The inductive energy-transfer arrangement known from this publication comprises, in the simplest case, a middle-frequency generator, which feeds an elongated conductor loop formed by the conductors l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' with a high-frequency current; the two conductors form a double line.
FIGS. 1B and 2 show this type of double line of the related art, with a plan and cross-sectional view of a movable transmitter head 1 comprising an E-shaped ferrite core 2 having the secondary winding w.sub.2 on its center leg MS. A relatively high frequency, at least 10 kHz, is required to keep the transmitter head or heads as small as possible.
Arrangements having elongated conductors are referred to as line conductor or line pole systems, because the magnetic alternating flux extending transversely to the direction of movement is always directed uniformly along the conductor, and thus forms linear poles. In double lines, the moved transmitter head comprises at most an E-shaped ferrite core that surrounds the two stator conductors and conducts the magnetic flux through the secondary winding.
Energy transmissions of this type have numerous applications in areas in which conventional loop lines or trailing cables are advantageously replaced. For example, a transmission with loop contacts is associated with spark formation, wear and noise. Significant applications for contactless transmission of electrical energy are in the traveling cranes of hoists, high-lift storage or magnetic paths. This type of system would also be advantageous for energy transmission into elevator cars. Robots that must travel a specific path to work at different locations can likewise be supplied with energy by such a system.
In an arrangement according to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the middle-frequency generator MFG feeds the current I, at a frequency above 10 kHz, into the conductor loop formed by l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 '. This conductor loop generates scatter fields, which are indicated by .PHI..sub.c and .PHI..sub.c ' in FIG. 1.
Moreover, the double line comprising l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' is covered by an aluminum housing 7 in the front part of the conductor loop. Covers are basically necessary to prevent further propagation of the scatter field .PHI..sub.c, because it causes disturbances in adjacent signal-current circuits, for example, and influences the electromagnetic compatibility. With high powers, the danger of harm to human health may arise.
In the rear part of FIG. 1B, the indicated scatter fluxes .PHI..sub.O and .PHI..sub.O ' indicate that the field scatters significantly further into the surroundings without a cover housing.
The greatest disadvantage of this arrangement is the high inductance of the double line comprising the conductors l.sub.1, l.sub.1 '. In addition to the unhindered propagation of the scatter fields in unshielded double lines, the relatively large spacing D between the conductors l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' is the primary cause of the high inductance. This spacing D must, however, have a minimum value so that the center leg MS of the E-core supporting the secondary winding w.sub.2 can be guided between the conductors l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 '. The space requirement of the center leg and the secondary winding, and thus the spacing D, is determined by the power to be transmitted.
At the high transmission frequencies, the power inductances cause high inductive voltage drops that must be compensated through a large outlay for capacitors.
Elektrie 34, 1980, Volume 7, discloses an arrangement for inductive energy transmission to hauling locomotives. This arrangement employs double lines laid on the roof of a mine tunnel. Ferrite bodies 2 that support a secondary winding w.sub.2 move between these double lines l.sub.1, l.sub.1 ' (FIG. 1B); the winding supplies the energy to drives and consumers on the moved systems. The ferrite bodies with the secondary windings are referred to hereinafter as transmitter heads.
The above publication describes methods of compensating the inductive voltage drop on the lines and at the scatter inductances of the transmitter heads through capacitors switched in series with the double line and the secondary windings. The energy can be transmitted to at least two movable consumers by way of the same double line.
The inductance of the double lines has a decisive effect on the possible length of the travel path of the moved systems. For many applications, the arrangement is very costly, because it requires an additional cover housing 7 along with the double line. To prevent loss of current, the conductors l.sub.1 and l.sub.1 ' of the double line must comprise a high-frequency litz produced from individually-insulated conductors, which is standard in high-frequency technology.

Arrangement for contactless inductive transmission of electrical power


A circuit system for a vehicle electrical system, including a base vehicle electrical system having an energy store, a vehicle power supply system having an additional energy store, and a DC/DC converter. The energy store and the additional energy store are connected in series, and the DC/DC converter is provided for coupling between the base vehicle electrical system and the vehicle power supply system. A method for operating a vehicle electrical system is also described.

For vehicle electrical system topologies, conventional variants having multivoltage generators, i.e., variable-voltage generators, and downstream double-layer capacitors (DLC) or ultracapacitors (UCAP) are designed for a variable voltage level greater than 14 V, generally 30 V to 40V.
It is thus possible to increase the peak performance of the vehicle electrical system, typically for optimizing the recovery of electrical energy, i.e., the recuperation capacity. This is achieved by increasing the maximum generator power at fairly high voltage, and providing one of the mentioned capacitors as a recuperation store with increased capability for peak charge acceptance. Because an ultracapacitor has a very large number of serial cells in order to achieve the high voltage, and a DC/DC converter is designed for coupling the main vehicle electrical system to the vehicle-power supply system with variable voltage for providing a power P which is generally greater than 1.5 kW, the mentioned modules result in high costs.
In addition, there is the option of coupling high-power consumers to a vehicle power supply system of a vehicle electrical system of this type. However, this has limitations due to the greatly fluctuating voltage, which is low prior to the recuperation and is subsequently high. Likewise, conventional topology variants supply a higher voltage to high-power consumers by serial connection of an energy store (a capacitor or a second battery, for example) in series with the vehicle electrical system battery which is already present. The base vehicle electrical system of the vehicle electrical system, having a standard generator and further modules, is only slightly influenced by these changes in the vehicle power supply system.
In these topologies, an electrically insulating DC/DC converter is generally used for supplying the additional energy store. This results in the option of supplying high-power consumers with an increased voltage and with minimal effects on the rest of the vehicle electrical system caused by the voltage dip at high current load, for example. However, the additional expenditure for achieving this single function is relatively high.
A device for supplying power, in particular for a vehicle electrical system, is described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2004 043 129 A1. An electric machine which is operable as a starter generator with the aid of a pulse width modulation inverter and a changeover switch is connected to the battery and the vehicle electrical system. This connection is broken via the changeover switch, so that a capacitor is connected to the pulse width modulation inverter. The starter generator may be operated in generator mode as well as in engine mode. In addition, recovery of electrical energy into the battery or the capacitor is possible when a deceleration is carried out in generator mode with the aid of the starter generator.

Circuit system for redistribution of electrical energy in a vehicle


A brake lock for a riding mower. The brake lock may include a shaft having a first end and a second end. A blocker may be attached to the first end and a shackle may be attached to the second end. The present invention may further include a padlock having a shackle hole and an activation component that locks and unlocks the padlock. The shaft may be placed within a brake housing blocking a brake handle from moving. The shackle of the shaft may be locked within the shackle hole and may thereby lock the brake handle in a braked position.

The present invention relates to brake lock and, more particularly, to a brake lock that locks a mower in a braked position.
A lawn mower is a machine that uses a revolving blade or blades to cut a lawn at an even height. Riding mowers are a popular alternative for large lawns. The operator is provided with a seat and controls on the mower and literally rides on the machine. Most use the horizontal rotating blade system, though usually with multiple blades.
Riding lawn mowers are regularly stolen as many manufacturers use the same ignition key for all of their mowers. Since the parking brake of a riding lawn mower cannot be locked, thieves may use the keys to steal them. Further, chaining and padlocking the lawn mowers does not prevent them from being stolen because chains and padlocks may be cut.
As can be seen, there is a need for a device to prevent mowers from being stolen.