Fabrication and use of porous silicon structures to increase surface area of heated reaction chambers, electrophoresis devices, and thermopneumatic sensor-actuators, chemical preconcentrates, and filtering or control flow devices. In particular, such high surface area or specific pore size porous silicon structures will be useful in significantly augmenting the adsorption, vaporization, desorption, condensation and flow of liquids and gasses in applications that use such processes on a miniature scale. Examples that will benefit from a high surface area, porous silicon structure include sample preconcentrators that are designed to adsorb and subsequently desorb specific chemical species from a sample background; chemical reaction chambers with enhanced surface reaction rates; and sensor-actuator chamber devices with increased pressure for thermopneumatic actuation of integrated membranes. Examples that benefit from specific pore sized porous silicon are chemical/biological filters and thermally-activated flow devices with active or adjacent surfaces such as electrodes or heaters.

The present invention relates to porous silicon, particularly to the fabrication and use of porous silicon structures, and more particularly to the fabrication and use of structures which benefit from a high surface area or a specific pore size of porous silicon.
In recent years crystalline silicon micromachining technology has enabled the development of numerous miniaturized devices such as chemical reaction chambers, micro-actuators, micro-grippers, microvalves, etc. Also, it has been recently established that miniaturized porous silicon structures can be fabricated using micromachining technology. P.C. Searson, "Porous Silicon Membranes", Appl. Phys. Lett. 59 (7), Aug. 12, 1991; and S. Ottow et al., "Processing Of Three-Dimensional Microstructures Using Microporous n-Type Silicon", J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 143, No. 1, January 1996. Porous silicon is a material that is fabricated from crystalline silicon. Very small pores (nm-.mu.m diameters) can be introduced with a relatively high degree of uniformity and control. The present invention is based on the recognition that porous silicon compared to crystalline silicon provides a means to significantly increase the surface area of a silicon device or provide specific pore size arrays, while maintaining capability of modifying them with integrated circuit (IC) processes, or by micromachining processes. For example, a doped porous silicon membrane with appropriate pore diameter, which can be fabricated using known IC processes, could be used to provide a resistive heater and/or it could contain electrodes or arrays of electrodes to control the flow of electrically charged chemicals through the pores (such as in electrophoresis). A heated porous silicon membrane could be used to control the viscosity or surface tension of a fluid, thereby making it a selectable/active filtering or valving device. The high surface area of such a porous silicon heater is expected to increase the internal pressure of a liquid/vapor filled closed cavity, thereby increasing the force generated for membrane deflection in a microfabricated thermopneumatic valve. As well, the high surface area pores of porous silicon could be coated with specific coatings for the adsorption/desorption of liquids or gasses, thereby creating a chemical species concentrator. The specific pore size of the porous silicon enables its use as chemical/biological filters and thermally-activated flow devices with active or adjacent surfaces such as electrodes or heaters.

Process for forming a porous silicon member in a crystalline silicon member

The Regents of the University of California


A cold separation device for separating an elongate metallic member along its length. The device has a separation unit having a driven blade, support member to support the elongate member upstream and downstream of the separation unit. The device further has to feed the elongate member towards and through the separation unit.

Steel sections and steel piling often require splitting along their lengths to provide a desired shape of section. For example, by splitting an "I" beam along the longitudinal centre line of the web thereof, a pair of "T" sections can be produced. Similarly, by splitting a box section along the longitudinal centre line thereof, a pair "U" shaped channel members can be produced. Many other shapes can be produced by starting with differently shaped products including double rolled sections, for instance bulb flats, conventional flats, grader bars and channels can all be double rolled and then split along their lengths.
Traditionally, oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene torches have been used to split elongate steel members longitudinally. When splitting a member using such torches it is common practice when commencing splitting to cut the member at spaced apart intervals in order to avoid the halves of the member bowing outwards or inwards. This practice is known as stitching. As a secondary operation, the stitches (which are short in comparison with the cuts) are removed, again using and oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene torch. Using these torches poses a number of problems. Firstly, the separating process is slow and requires a significant amount of labour. Secondly, the operation is dangerous. Occasionally, the stitches holding the member together are too weak to withstand the internal stresses in the member created during its manufacture. If this is so, the member may break the stitches and spring outward or inward without warning. Such an event could result in injury or loss of life. Thirdly, heat generated during separation accentuates any inherent tendency in the member to bend during separation. Fourthly, the finish on the separated edges is of a low standard and often requires milling to establish an edge that can be welded to.
In order to overcome the problem of speed of operation, and quality of finish plasma guns have been introduced. However, these still often use the "stitching" technique Additionally, plasma guns operate at higher temperatures than do flame cutters, i.e. oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene torches. Whilst less dross and slag is produced during separation with plasma cutting compared to flame cutting, the resulting edges must nevertheless be dressed. The heat generated during flame and plasma cutting also causes metallurgical changes to the steel in the region of the cut. In plasma cutting the region can extend 5 mm to 15 mm to either side of the cut along the full length thereof, whereas in flame cutting the metallurgical changes extend further but are less marked. As the steel cools, or when it is straightened cracking can occur. These metallurgical changes are unacceptable, and because of this, the industry will not permit the splitting of members having a web thickness of 20 mm or greater using plasma guns or flame cutting.
In terms of rolling steel, it can be advantageous to double roil sections, i.e. two angles are rolled as a channel. This is because the throughput of the mill is increased, and therefore its costs of production are decreased. It is known to split double rolled sections in half by snapping the section in two along a line of weakness. For example, angles may be formed by splitting a channel along a longitudinal line of weakness. The problem with sections produced by double rolling and splitting them in the manner described is that the finish is extremely poor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,610 a support station is described, the station being used to support workpieces shaped as U-, I-, L-, T- or circular profiles, whilst they are cut using a flame cutter. The workpieces are cut to length, rather than longitudinally.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,761 a device and process for cutting or welding profiles using a robot having a cutting torch attached thereto is described. The device and process are used for cutting profiles to length, rather than for cutting them longitudinally.

Device for cold cutting elongate members along a longitudinal axis


A weather station has an MCU for evaluating weather information relating to an atmospheric parameter, a sensor for sensing the parameter for subsequent processing by the MCU, and an LCD display. The LCD display has a multi-layered structure including front and rear glass plates, liquid crystal material located between the plates in a pattern having a number of parts, a foremost transmissive polarizer, and a transflective polarizer behind the rear glass plate. There is also a color backing behind the rear polarizer, which has a number of regions in different colors and cover the liquid crystal pattern parts, so that the color regions are selectively revealed through the parts of the pattern as the parts of the pattern of the liquid crystal material are activated, thereby displaying the weather information in color.

Weather stations having an LCD display for measuring and indicating weather information are of course known. The weather information is normally indicated using numbers on a greyish background on the display. Certain weather stations might incorporate a colour LCD display, but the manufacturing cost would be high as it involves handling of the three basic colour components i.e. red, blue and green.
The invention seeks to obviate or at least alleviate such a problem or shortcoming by providing a new or otherwise improved weather station.


A process of preparing a photographically useful high chloride {100} tabular grain emulsion is disclosed. The grain characteristics of the emulsion are improved by interrupting precipitation of the grain nuclei used to prepare the emulsion by performing a halide conversion step in which a molar ratio of iodide ion to bromide ion in the range of from 1.times.10.sup.-4 :1 to 5.times.10.sup.-2 :1 is employed.

There are many reasons for believing high chloride {100} tabular grain emulsions, the invention of Maskasky U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,264,337 and 5,292,632, to be ideal for a variety of photographic applications. Tabular grain emulsions are well known to offer improved sharpness and an improved speed-granularity relationship. Silver chloride emulsions are recognized to be ecologically attractive and to possess the capability of rapid processing. Silver chloride grains with predominantly {100} crystal faces are recognized to have a high degree of shape stability, allowing morphologically stable {100} tabular grains to be formed.
House et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,938 disclosed a process of preparing high chloride {100} tabular grain emulsions that employs iodide during grain nucleation. Subsequently Chang et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,904 disclosed an improvement in the House et al process resulting from delaying iodide addition in the nucleation step for a short period after initial silver and chloride ion addition.
Japanese origin patent disclosures (e.g., Saitou European patent applications 0 645 670 and 0 670 515 as well as Yamashita et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,620 and Oyamada et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,530) modified the Chang et al process by purporting to substitute "halide" for iodide in grain nucleation, although no "halide" other than bromide is demonstrated. These processes for preparing high chloride {100} tabular grain emulsions rely on an AgCl/AgBr/AgCl precipitation sequence (described as creating a "halide gap") during grain nucleation to create the crystal lattice dislocations that promote {100} tabular grain growth. After grain nuclei formation further precipitation results in the growth of high chloride {100} tabular grains.

Chloride bromide and iodide nucleation of high chloride (100) tabular grain emulsion


A display device includes a substrate, a plurality of first layered link lines spaced apart from each other on the substrate, a first insulating layer on the plurality of first layered link lines, a plurality of second layered link lines spaced apart from each other on the first insulating layer, each second layered link line between neighboring first layered link lines, a second insulating layer on the plurality of second layered link lines, and a plurality of data lines or a plurality of gate lines connected to the plurality of first layered link lines and the plurality of second layered link lines.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device including link lines.
Discussion of the Related Art
With the advancement of information society, demand for display devices in various forms has increased. Recently, various flat panel display devices, such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), and an organic light emitting diode display device (OLED), have been used.
A display panel of the display device includes a display region to display images, and a non-display region surrounding the display region.
The display region includes gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define pixel regions in a matrix form. Further, power lines to supply a power signal i.e., a power voltage to the pixel regions are formed in the display region.
In case of the LCD, each pixel region includes a switching thin film transistor (TFT), a storage capacitor, and a liquid crystal capacitor. In case of the OLED, each pixel region includes a switching thin film transistor (TFT), a driving TFT, a storage capacitor, and an organic light emitting diode.
Gate drivers and data drivers are connected to the non-display region. A printed circuit board (PCB) is connected to the data drivers.
The PCB supplies a power voltage, control signals and data signals to the data drivers, and the data drivers supply control signals through signal lines (e.g., LOG lines) formed in the non-display region.
Link lines are formed in the non-display region and function to transfer signals to signal lines in the display region.
In other words, the gate driver is connected to the gate lines through respective link lines in the non-display region, and the data driver is connected to the data lines through respective link lines in the non-display region. Further, the data driver is connected to the power lines in the display region through respective link lines.
Accordingly, the gate driver supplies gate signals to the gate lines, and the data driver supplies data signals to the data lines and supplies the power voltage to the power line.
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating link lines of a display device according to the related art, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, link lines LL connect a data driver 13 with respective signal lines in the display region, for example, respective data lines DL and power lines. Even though not shown in the drawings, link lines connect a gate driver with respective gate lines.
The data driver 13 is connected to a PCB 11 and is supplied with control signals and data signals from the PCB 11.
Each data driver 11 or gate driver is connected to many link lines LL, and a distance between neighboring link lines LL is much shorter than that between neighboring gate lines or data lines.
Accordingly, there increases possibility that a short-circuit between neighboring link lines LL happens, and product yield is thus reduced.
In other words, when neighboring link lines LL contact each other, interference in data signals applied to the data lines DL happens, and thus images can't be displayed normally.
Referring to FIG. 2, first to fifth link lines 26a to 26e are formed at the same layer. Among these, the neighboring first and second link lines 26a and 26b are in contact, and thus a short-circuit happens.
The contact between the first and second link lines 26a and 26b happens due to a light exposure defect or etching defect when forming the first to fifth link lines 26a to 26e. Even though an insulating layer 28 is formed on the first to fifth link lines 26a to 26e, the short-circuit between the first and second link lines 26a and 26b is not prevented by the insulating layer 28.
The short-circuit causes interference in data signals applied to the data lines DL connected to the first and second link lines 26a and 26b, and images are thus not displayed normally. Accordingly, product yield is thus reduced.
Further, since all link lines 26a to 26e have a single layered structure, a link line, for example, the fourth link line 26d to transfer a power voltage has a high resistance. This causes a drop of the power voltage applied to the display region, and display quality is degraded.


Systems and methods for generating arrival traffic schedules incorporating equipage-dependent in-trail spacing (time or distance). An arrival management system has a ground-based scheduling tool that applies customized spacing buffers between in-trail aircraft depending on the types of FMS equipage onboard aircraft sequence pairs.

This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for generating air traffic arrival schedules.
The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programs seek to implement a trajectory-based operations concept that requires substantial changes to the current air traffic management (ATM) system, in both equipment and procedures. It is expected that required airplane capabilities for trajectory-based operations will include four-dimensional (4-D) trajectory execution with lateral and vertical navigation performance bounds, as well as navigation to a required or controlled time of arrival (CTA) at one or more points in space, and/or airplane traffic situation awareness with interval management applications. Limitations to the deviations of these 4-D trajectories will be required in order to avoid conflicts between merging, in-trail and crossing traffic. Additionally, due to traffic growth, airport throughput will have to be improved so arrival time accuracy will become more stringent. At the same time, the improved predictability of trajectory-based operations should reduce fuel consumption and the environmental impact by planning Continuous Descent Operations (CDOs) as much as possible with minimal tactical interventions to solve conflicts.
It is envisioned that NextGen and SESAR air traffic management (ATM) systems will enable aircraft to be at much closer longitudinal/lateral spacings in all phases of flight in controlled and uncontrolled airspace to increase airspace capacity and efficiency. These new airspace environments will be enabled by Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology along with other technologies. ADS-B enhances safety by enabling display of traffic positions and other data, in real-time, to Air Traffic Control (ATC) and to other appropriately equipped ADS-B aircraft with position and velocity data transmitted every second. The ADS-B system relies on two avionics components—a high-integrity GPS navigation source and a data link (ADS-B unit) connected to other aircraft systems. ADS-B enables a pilot to display traffic information for surrounding aircraft, including the identification, position, altitude, heading and groundspeed of those aircraft. However, not all aircraft are equipped with an ADS-B system.
With the introduction of new ATM systems, the flight crew will be given responsibility for achieving and maintaining spacing behind other aircraft for higher airspace efficiency and capacity in all phases of flight. To achieve higher airspace efficiency and capacity, ATC operations will work to decrease spacing and also maintain consistent spacing between all ADS-B-capable aircraft. One of the procedures that will be utilized in achieving this goal will allow the air traffic controller to provide instructions to the flight crew to position their aircraft (hereinafter "trailing aircraft") behind a preceding aircraft (hereinafter "leading aircraft") at a specified longitudinal spacing interval defined in either time or distance. Once the clearance has been accepted, it will be the trailing aircraft flight crew's responsibility to achieve and then maintain the specified spacing value behind the leading aircraft as instructed by the controller.
The main arrival operations concept proposed for NextGen encompasses strategic optimization of the traffic flow using ground automation capabilities prototyped by NASA, namely, Traffic Management Advisor and Efficient Descent Advisor. Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) is the traffic scheduling and sequencing tool in charge of building conflict-free arrival sequences at runways and at a set of predefined metering fixes (i.e., a fix along an established route from over which aircraft will be metered prior to entering terminal airspace). The latter are typically located at the entry of the terminal area, such as in Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. Efficient Descent Advisor (EDA) is the meet-time advisory tool that issues speed and path instructions to aircraft to meet the scheduled arrival time at the metering fixes set by the TMA. For independent arrival-departure operations, the scheduled inter-arrival time at the runway (or final approach fix) is typically based on wake-vortex criteria and weather conditions, resulting in fixed spacing (in distance or time) per pair of aircraft category types. At the metering fix, the planned spacing gap is typically based on a fixed miles-in-trail criterion independent of the trailing aircraft types.
On the airborne side, most commercial aircraft are equipped with Flight Management Systems (FMS) that offer automated vertical navigation (VNAV) with different modes. In descent, aircraft typically fly VNAV PATH, a mode where the aircraft uses a path-on-elevator method to track the vertical reference profile while throttles typically remain idle. From an energy point of view (assuming the aircraft mass is accurate), the aircraft is tracking the reference potential energy while the engines keep the reference idle power. According to the principle of energy conservation, any unexpected energy deviations (for example, wind energy prediction errors) will affect the kinetic energy. Hence the groundspeed of the aircraft changes, resulting in deviations in the position of the aircraft over time. More advanced guidance methods, like the Required Time of Arrival (RTA) method, combine VNAV PATH with path recalculations in order to meet a target time at a given waypoint. Other 4-D guidance methods track the groundspeed reference with the elevator pushing all errors into the vertical profile. For example, the supplemented Continuous Descent Approaches for Maximum Predictability (CDA-MP) guidance technique is an automated version of the manual crew-in-the-loop version disclosed by Garrido-Lopez et al. in "Analysis of Aircraft Descent Predictability: Implications for Continuous Four-Dimensional Navigation," AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, AIAA 2011-6217, Portland, Oreg. (2011), which features periodic speed adjustments to maintain the continuous 4-D tracking. Some guidance methods apply energy corrections through some use of the spoilers and throttles, or the timing of the aircraft landing configuration. Alternatively to the above-mentioned absolute time-based guidance methods, relative (time-based) guidance techniques are being developed that manage the aircraft's own position relative to a leading aircraft. An example of such a Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) system is the Airborne Spacing for Terminal Arrival Routes (ASTAR) system developed by NASA. Besides the various FMS guidance logics, also other factors influence the 4-D trajectory confinement in time and space, like the accuracy of the wind prediction, which may vary per FMS type and per airline.
Arrival management systems, like TMA, have been deployed at various airports over the world. These existing systems sequence flights to the runways and a set of metering fixes with the goal of predicting the optimal sequence in order to maximize runway throughput. The resulting arrival schedule is used by air traffic controllers today primarily as a guideline. The addition of strategic intent advisory tools like EDA (and others around the world) to the arrival management concept is currently still in a prototyping and validation phase. Adding spacing buffers into the scheduling algorithm has been proposed in research, but only fixed spacing buffers independent of the FMS equipage type and arrival demand have been evaluated so far. In today's operations without the advanced ground automation systems or advanced 4-D FMS guidance, CDOs have been implemented in some airports using customized arrival procedure design and an optimal inter-aircraft spacing target at the beginning of the arrival procedure as an advisory for the air traffic controllers to condition the traffic. This optimal initial spacing was determined offline with a Monte Carlo simulation for different levels of CDO success rate and per specific pair of trailing aircraft types. Hence these spacing buffers are based on differences in aircraft type performance rather than FMS guidance equipage. This method works satisfactory for trailing aircraft flying the same or similar routes, but is more difficult to be applied to arrival routes merging from different arrival directions. The latter requires ground automation to be in place.
The global operational aircraft fleet has a mix of aircraft guidance capabilities and with that comes variability in achievable arrival time accuracies. There is a need for improved means and methods for scheduling arrival traffic at airports which take into account the different FMS equipage onboard different types of aircraft.

Arrival Traffic scheduling system incorporating equipage-dependent in-trial spacing


A roof arrangement for a cabriolet vehicle has a rear window arrangement (10) with a rear (15) that surrounds a front edge (14A) of the rear window (14), a lower frame element (16) that surrounds a lower edge (14B) of the rear window (14), and connecting elements (18) that connect respective ends (15A, 15B, 16A, 16B) of the front and the lower frame element (15, 16). The roof arrangement also has a lower roof element (20) that is connected to the rear window arrangement (10) and can be moved between open and closed positions.

1. Field of the Invention. The invention relates to a roof arrangement and to a method for mounting a roof arrangement for a cabriolet vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art. EP 0 845 378 A1 discloses a cabriolet vehicle with a roof structure that has front and rear roof elements. The front roof element extends between a windshield frame and a roll bar, and the rear roof element adjoins the roll bar. The rear roof element comprises a rear window with a border frame that surrounds an upper transverse edge and two lateral edges of the rear window. The border frame is drawn to the front sufficiently at the upper transverse edge of the rear window to close the upper transverse section of the roll bar completely when the rear roof element is closed. A folding top compartment lid is connected to the lower edge of the border frame of the rear window. The folding top compartment lid is configured so that two side limbs of the folding top compartment lid are drawn further to the front than the lower end regions of the border frame. The border frame, the rear window, the folding top compartment lid and an inner parcel shelf form a prefabricated structural unit.
A roof structure of the type described above has a plurality of links arranged on respective folding top bearings to displace the respective roof elements. Moreover, the rear roof element is configured so that in the closed state the border frame completely covers the upper transverse section of the roll bar for stability reasons.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved roof arrangement and an improved method for mounting a roof arrangement for a cabriolet vehicle to improve stability and to simplify mounting of the roof arrangement.

Roof arrangement, and method for mounting a roof arrangement for a cabriolet vehicle

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device provided with a MOS field effect transistor having a channel region of a first conduction type formed in a surface layer portion of a semiconductor substrate, a source region of a second conduction type formed on a rim portion of a trench made to penetrate through the channel region, and a base region of the first conduction type formed in the surface layer portion of the semiconductor substrate adjacently to the source region. The method includes: a step of forming a mask layer having a base-region forming opening corresponding to the base region and a trench forming opening corresponding to the trench on the semiconductor substrate in which the channel region is formed; a base-region forming step of introducing impurities through the base-region forming opening; a trench forming step of forming the trench through the trench forming opening; and a step of forming a gate insulation film on an inner wall surface of the trench.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device in which is formed a MOS FET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) having a trench structure, and a semiconductor device suitably manufactured through the manufacturing method.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor device includes a type provided with a MOS FET (MOS Field Effect Transistor) having a trench structure. In a semiconductor device of this type, a source region and a channel region are placed along the depth direction of the trench, which makes it possible to achieve miniaturization of elements and a reduction of power consumption.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section showing a structure of a semiconductor device provided with a MOS FET having the trench structure, obtained through a conventional manufacturing method.
An N− epitaxial layer 52 is formed on the surface of a silicon substrate 51, and a diffusion region 65 is formed on the N− epitaxial layer 52. Trenches 54, each of which penetrates through the diffusion region 65 and halfway through the N− epitaxial layer 52 in the thickness direction, are formed at regular intervals. Inside each trench 54 is provided a gate electrode 55 made of polysilicon, and a gate oxide film 56 is provided to surround the gate electrode 55.
N+ source regions 57 and P+ base regions 58 are formed in the surface layer portion of the diffusion region 65, and the rest of the diffusion region 65 forms a P− channel region 53. The N+ source regions 57 are formed on the periphery (rim portion) of each trench 54. The P+ base region 58 is formed between every two adjacent N+ source regions 57, and is connected to the P− channel region 53.
Insulation films 59 made of silicon oxide are formed to cover above each trench 54. The insulation films 59 are also present on the periphery of each trench 54 (on the N+ source regions 57) when viewed in a plane. A space between every two adjacent insulation films 59 forms a contact hole 60. An electrode film 61 made of metal, such as aluminum, is formed on the diffusion region 65 and the insulation films 59. The electrode film 61 is placed to fill in the contact holes 60.
While the semiconductor device described above is operating, a current flows from the N+ source regions 57 toward the silicon substrate 51 through the P− channel region 53 along the gate oxide films 56.
FIG. 4(a), FIG. 4(b), and FIG. 4(c) are schematic cross sections used to explain a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of FIG. 3.
Initially, the N− epitaxial layer 52 is formed on the silicon substrate 51. Then, impurities used to control a conduction type to be a p-type are introduced into the surface layer portion of the N− epitaxial layer 52, whereby the P− channel region 53 is formed. Subsequently, the P+ base regions 58 and the trenches 54 are formed. Although it does not matter which of the P+ base regions 58 and the trenches 54 are formed first, the following description will describe a case where the P+ regions 58 are formed first.
A mask layer 71 having openings (hereinafter, referred to as base-region forming openings) 70 in portions corresponding to the P+ base regions 58 is formed on the P− channel region 53. Then, impurities are implanted and diffused into the P− channel region 53 through the base-region forming openings 70, whereby the P+ base regions 58 are formed (FIG. 4(a)). The mask layer 71 is then removed. Subsequently, the N+ source regions 57 are formed through the same method using another mask layer having openings.
Then, a first resist film 73 having openings (hereinafter, referred to as trench forming openings) 72 in portions corresponding to the trenches 54 is formed on the P− channel region 53. Then, the N+ source regions 57, the P− channel region 53, and the upper portion of the N− epitaxial layer 52 are etched away through the trench forming openings 72, whereby the trenches 54 are formed (FIG. 4(b)). The first resist film 73 is then removed, and the inner wall surface of each trench 54 is subjected to thermal oxidation, whereby the gate oxide film 56 is formed.
Then, a polysilicon film is formed to fill in the trenches 54. Impurities are introduced into the polysilicon film to make the polysilicon film electrically conductive, whereby the gate electrodes 55 are formed. The top surfaces of the respective gate electrodes 55 are flush with the surfaces of the P+ base regions 58 and the N+ source regions 57.
Subsequently, a silicon oxide film 76 is formed across the entire surface of the silicon substrate 51 having undergone the foregoing processes. A second resist film 75 having openings 74 in portions corresponding to the contact holes 60 is then formed on the silicon oxide film 76 (FIG. 4(c)). The silicon oxide film 76 is etched away through the openings 74 of the second resist film 75, whereby the contact holes 60 are formed. Residual portions of the silicon oxide film 76 form the insulation films 59. After the second resist film 75 is removed, the electrode film 61 is formed on the silicon substrate 51 having undergone the foregoing processes. The semiconductor device shown in FIG. 3 is thus obtained.
The base-region forming openings 70 and the trench forming openings 72 are formed through the lithographic technique using a stepper (exposure apparatus). For this reason, the trench forming openings 72 are aligned and formed so that the trenches 54 will be formed at predetermined positions with respect to the P+ base regions 58.
Also, the openings 74 used to form the contact holes 60 a realigned and formed so as to avoid portions above the trenches 54 (gate electrodes 55).
Referring to FIG. 3, because the P+ base regions 58 need to be spaced apart from the gate oxide films 56, the base-region forming openings 70 are aligned with accuracy within a diffusion margin Md, which is equal to intervals between the P+ base regions 58 at the predetermined positions and the gate oxide films 56. Also, because the insulation films 59 need to be present between the respective gate electrodes 55 and the electrode film 61, the contact holes 60 are aligned with accuracy within a contact margin Mc, which is equal to intervals between the contact holes 60 at adequate positions and the gate electrodes 55.
Incidentally, in order to meet the demand to reduce power consumption of the power MOS FET, miniaturization of cell pitches has been advancing recently, and the diffusion margin Md and the contact margin Mc are also becoming smaller. On the other hand, according to the manufacturing method as described above, for example, a shift in alignment of approximately 0.3 μm is inevitably caused during exposure by the exposure apparatus. For these reasons, it has been becoming difficult to form a microscopic MOS FET having a trench structure through the method described above.

Semiconductor device having a trench with a step-free insulation film


The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for distinguishing between data formats, and a communication device. The method includes a terminal receives a downlink data packet, and determines whether the data format of the downlink data packet is a first data format or a second data format, wherein the first data format indicates that the downlink data packet is encrypted using a first key of a source base station and/or compressed using a first header compression format of the source base station, and the second data format indicates that the downlink data packet is encrypted using a second key of a target base station and/or compressed using a second header compression format of the target base station.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of mobile communication technologies, and in particular to a method and device for distinguishing data formats, and a communication device.
Mobility enhancement for reducing handover delay mainly includes two methods, one is handover based on Dual Connectivity (DC), and the other is handover based on enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB). The DC-based handover achieves the effect of handover mainly by adding a target base station as a Secondary Node (SN) and then changing the SN to a Master Node (MN) through role change. The eMBB-based handover refers to maintaining a connection with a source base station while connecting to the target base station, so as to achieve uninterrupted handover.
There is only one Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) entity on the terminal side (and also on the network side), which means that the PDCP entity needs to support keys and/or ROHC profiles of both the source base station and the target base station.

Method and apparatus for distinguishing between data formats, and communication device

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A magnetic circuit is shaped to generate an essentially uniform magnetic field parallel across the length of a container, and an essentially uniform magnetic field gradient along the length of the container as well. The dot product of the magnetic field and magnetic field gradient, known as the relative force density, is substantially uniform over the entire container, thereby causing particles to uniformly separate throughout the container.

The use of high gradient magnetic fields for the separation of particles is commonplace in the fields of biology, biotechnology, and other bio-medical fields. Target particles, comprising entities such as proteins and the like, may be separated from a solution by a technique known as magnetic separation.
In general, magnetic separation of specifically sought after biological entities involves coating small magnetically susceptible paramagnetic, super paramagnetic, or ferromagnetic, materials with a chemical-specific substance (e.g., a ligand that is known to chemically bond with target entities). These coated materials are referred to hereinafter as beads. The beads are introduced into a well containing a hydrous solution of the sought after, or target, entities, and unwanted biological material. Cells, proteins, nucleic acid sequences and the like are examples of target entities. The target entities chemically bond to the coating of the beads. Magnets are placed near the well to apply magnetic fields in the well and the solution. Although it is the presence of substances and other coatings that ultimately interact with the target entities, it is the characteristics of the magnetic field that is applied and physical characteristics of the beads that determine the separation time and the uniformity of the profile of the separated beads. A uniform bead separation profile is desirable, such as a profile in which the beads uniformly distribute about the base of each well to produce a "flat" profile, or in which the beads pull to the sides of the wells equally at every location.
The beads, including the target entities chemically bonded to the coating of the beads, are attracted to the magnets. The magnetic configuration corresponds well with the analytical equation which states that the resultant force on the beads (F) is proportional to the magnitude of the magnetic field (B) multiplied by its gradient (∇B).F∝B·∇B  (1)
For the case of bead separation within a multi-well tray, the hydrous solutions in each well are physically divided. Consequently, to obtain a "uniform" distribution of beads (assuming that each well is using the same size beads, density of beads, and volume of solution) along the entire base of the tray, the above two components (B and ∇B) of the force equation (1) are equal throughout the active volume of the tray, but not necessarily equal to each other. This can be accomplished by shaping a magnet to provide a uniform magnetic field and gradient parallel to the base of each well within the tray. FIG. 1 represents one such configuration.
In the case of positive separation, that is, where the sought after entities are attracted to the beads, once the beads have been collected at the desired location, the well is rinsed, removing the solution and unwanted particles. The collected beads with the target entities chemically bonded to the coating of the beads remain in the well as long as the magnetic fields are applied.
Once the well has been rinsed, a "clean" solution, without unwanted particles, is introduced into the well. A chemical is mixed with the "clean" solution to break the chemical bonds between the target entities and the coating of the beads, resulting in a well with isolated target entities. Additionally, the beads may be removed by disabling/removing the magnetic fields from the well.
In the case of negative separation, that is, where the unwanted entities are attracted to the beads and the sought after entities removed, once the beads have been collected at the desired location, the well is rinsed, removing the solution and sought after particles. The collected beads with the unwanted entities chemically bonded to the coating of the beads remain in the well as long as the magnetic fields are applied.
Molecular biological magnetic separation is well known, and until relatively recently, this process was performed using large tubes of fluids (e.g., 15–50 ml tubes) and beads. Recent molecular magnetic separation techniques typically involve the use of 96-well micro-plates, that is, a tray having 96 wells, arranged in an 8×12 matrix, with each well capable of holding 250–500 micro-liters (μl) of liquid. In another embodiment of the invention, each well may be capable of holding more than 250–500 micro-liters of liquid. A variety of placement methods for magnets to apply the desired magnetic fields may be employed on these micro-plates. One method is to place small magnets, having predetermined magnetic fields, between micro-plate receiving orifices, so that the beads collect along the walls of the wells. Another method is to place an apparatus with magnetic pins into the wells with the beads collecting on the pins. Another method is to have a base for a micro-plate with cylindrical magnets positioned for insertion from the base of the micro-plate into the spaces between the wells of the micro-plate with the beads collecting along the walls of the wells.
As molecular magnetic separation techniques advance, the number of wells increase. In high throughput applications, typically involving automated systems, 384-well to 1536-well micro-plates are utilized to increase capacity and throughput. In such systems, each 384-well micro-plate is arranged as 16×24 wells, while each 1536-well micro-plate is arranged as 32×48 wells, effectively increasing the throughput of the conventional 96-well micro-plate by 4 and 16 times respectively.
As the number of wells increase, the spaces between the individual wells in micro-plates decrease, in some cases, to the point where there is no space between the wells, making the placement of magnets between rows of wells impracticable. However, magnets are still required to separate the target particles from the solution contained in micro-plates.

Method and apparatus for magnetic separation of particles


A blade pin alignment and positioning system for the installation of helicopter blade pins, including an elongated alignment pin and at least one drive member. The drive member is configured to mate with the top end of the alignment pin for use in driving the alignment pin to its initial position in blade installation. Then the drive member is removed from the top of the alignment pin. The exposed top end of the alignment pin is configured to mate with the insertion end of a blade pin. The other end of the alignment pin is tapered for easy operation in alignment of the blade root holes with the holes in the lead lag link portion of the main rotor hub.

The present invention relates to the maintenance of helicopters. In particular, the present invention relates to a blade positioning system used for the installation of helicopter rotor blades.
Helicopters are useful for a broad range of short-range and medium-range flight missions due to their versatility, load-carrying capacity, and ability to take off and land in a vertical path. This VTOL ("Vertical Take-Off and Landing") capability is particularly useful for maritime flight operations where the available space is strictly limited. It is also useful in field operations where suitable landing strips for other aircraft may not be readily available.
The flight capability of a typical helicopter is provided by at least one main rotor assembly having a plurality of rotor blades, with an overall structural envelope that typically extends far beyond the helicopter body. This results in the need for a large amount of storage space per helicopter, whether it is stored in a hangar, stowed below-decks in an aircraft carrier or other vessel, or stored in an aircraft for transport to a location in the field. Stimulated by the strategic and tactical considerations of military as well as civilian use, helicopter designers have taken various approaches to reducing the space requirements for helicopter storage during routine transport and stowage, while not compromising the need for rapid deployment.
One approach is a main rotor assembly with removable rotor blades which can be stacked for storage, greatly reducing the structural envelope of the helicopter. With the rotor blades removed, several helicopters can be stored in the space required for one fully-deployed helicopter. However, main rotor assemblies may be complex in design, and once removed, reinstallation of the blades is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Many helicopter blades have bifurcated ends that must be precisely aligned with corresponding hub structures when the blades are reattached to the main rotor assembly. The sheer weight and size of the blades makes this process difficult for the involved personnel.
Another approach is the type of blades known as "folding" blades. Both automated and manual folding blade assemblies are available. Automated assemblies typically require extensive modifications to the main rotor assembly as well as software to regulate the blade folding operations, all of which increases the complexity and cost of the helicopter. Automated blade folding assemblies may also have higher maintenance requirements and decreased reliability when compared to conventional, fixed-blade rotor assemblies. Manual folding blade assemblies require fewer modifications to the main rotor assembly. In a typical manual folding blade assembly, the individual rotor blades are attached to a rotor hub by blade pins. In one type of rotor assembly with folding blades, removal of one of a pair of blade pins allows the blade to pivot around the remaining pin into a folded position. The structural envelope of the rotor assembly is more compact with the blades in the folded positions than when the blades are deployed for use, resulting in correspondingly less need for storage space.
Correct blade alignment is crucial for both flight safety and accurate navigation. Thus, whenever helicopter blades are disassembled, there are concerns about the proper alignment of the blades when they are re-deployed for use. Whether the blades are folded or removed totally, they must be properly realigned with the hub before the blade pins can be installed. Because of the size of the main rotor blades, even small displacements such as are easily induced by wind gusts, inaccuracies in aligning the blades, etc can lead to compromised safety and navigational errors. A main rotor blade can easily be 20 feet long and weigh over 150 pounds with a center of gravity 10 feet out from the rotor hub, making it difficult for service personnel to position and align the blades correctly.
Mechanisms for servicing helicopters, including a variety of blade alignment mechanisms are available. By way of example, Muylaert (U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,712) discloses a helicopter blade positioning mechanism for foldable rotor blades. The system includes a connection which can be attached to the pitch control housing and which can pivot relative to the housing with two degrees of freedom, a rotor blade clamp which can be attached to a rotor blade, and a clamp positioner which positions the rotor blade clamp at a distance from the connection after removal of one of the blade pins. The mechanism permits the rotor blade to pivot about the remaining blade pin, allowing controlled folding of the main rotor blade while the blade remains attached to the pitch control housing.
Ide, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,981) describe an automatic pitch link adjuster for helicopter rotor blades. The adjuster includes a diamond-shaped frame that carries a worm and a worm wheel mounted to a turnbuckle shaft, and an electric motor coupled to the worm shaft through a spline. The pitch link is adjusted by operating the motor to rotate the shafts with respect to each other.
Noehren, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,821) provide a mid-beam jointed reconfigurable bearingless main rotor assembly that facilitates removal or folding or the main rotor blade of a helicopter. The torque tube subassemblies include access panels (for blade removal) and removable splice tubes (for blade folding).
Costanzo, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,013) disclose a retractable helicopter rotor where the connection between the rotor support system and the fuselage is a single interface between overlapping circumferentially extending flanges joined together by compression-loaded bolts. The rotor, swashplate, and pitch change rods are moved as a unit between an operational position and a retracted stowage position, without requiring disconnection and reconnection of the pitch change rods.
Covington, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,504) show a helicopter blade folding system with blade pins which are locked in place by a latch plate. Each pin has an annular groove that is mated to a corresponding aperture in the latch plate.
Mayerjak (U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,583) provides a hub assembly for an articulated rotor system that includes three plates centrally secured to the shaft. The assembly supports blade retention assemblies that are equally spaced about the rotor shaft.
Alignment tools are used with other apparatus where precise alignment of components is desired. For example, Allyn, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,209) disclose a casing installation and removal adapter for downhole well drilling apparatus. The adapter is mounted on the lower end of a pneumatic hammer drill, and couples the drill to a pipe string maintaining a movable part of the drill in an operative condition. This enables the drill to operate while rotational torque and upward directed force are simultaneously applied during removal of a casing from a downhole position. The adapter includes a cylindrical main portion threaded with a male hammer chuck thread which mates with the female hammer chuck thread within the lower end of a hammer drill barrel. A reduced-diameter cylindrical portion engages the lower end of a hammer drill and operates to maintain the piston in the hammer drill barrel.
Bocking, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,175) show an auto-coupling tool for drill-pipes having a body portion with a female-threaded adapter at one end and a tapered, multi-intertwined-spiral bit portion at the other end. The tool is used to retrieve broken drill pipes.
Esperandieu, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,935) provide a device used for guiding, driving, and locking a slot-in module in a cabinet (the module contains electrical or electronic equipment whose circuitry is to be connected to the circuitry of the cabinet). Their device includes a slideway and a slide fixed to the cabinet and the module, respectively, for guiding the module into its proper position.
Bittner (U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,300) shows a precision center with interchangeable double-arcuate floating collet, used for mounting a workpiece for precision machining. This device includes a modified head center, a drive assembly mounted within the head center and mechanically coupled to an actuating assembly, and a double-arcuate floating collet.
Williams, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,947) disclose a mounting adapter for a centrifuge rotor. The adapter includes a spud member with an internal chamber defined by a locking surface and a lifting surface, with a threaded access bore and a mounting bore (see Fig). A connecting member has a head confined within the chamber and a shank extending into the mounting bore, and is rotatable by a tool extended through the access bore.
Deutsch (U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,842) shows an improved nose member for an expandable bushing type locking assembly of the type which includes a handle with camming means at one end to operate the bushings. The improvement consists of a nose cone on the free end of the locking pin, positioned so as to overlie the adjusting nut. The tapered nose cone guides the pin into the parts to be assembled.
Battrick (U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,754) provides a universal spud wrench has a tubular shaft with four perpendicularly oriented sloped surfaces that form four longitudinal slots, with aligned extensions (with different diameters) adjacent the slots and a cross-wise shaft to facilitate turning.
Fenton (U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,228) discloses a tool which includes a drive member (such as a lever arm or shaft), a driven member (the object to be turned), and a torque transfer assembly having a male portion formed on one of the drive and driven members and a female portion on the other member. The drive member can turn the driven member in only one direction; it disengages when turned in the opposite direction.
Despite the availability of alignment tools and servicing tools, there remains a need for a simple, reliable system for the efficient installation of helicopter rotor blades. An ideal system would result in correctly and reproducibly aligned blades, and be straightforward to implement regardless of operating conditions. Further, it would reduce the amount of wear and tear that the alignment process exposes blade pins to when connecting blades to main rotor hubs.

Blade pin alignment and positioning system for installation of helicopter rotor blades


A system and method for deploying a software build from a plurality of software builds is presented. A target computer sends a request for the software build to a build master. The build master authenticates the request, permitting only authorized requests. If the request is authorized, the build master identifies a build server that stores the requested software build. The build master generates request data that identifies the build server and authentication information, and returns the request data to the target computer. The target computer submits the request, with the request data, to the build server. The build server authenticates the request according to the request data. If the request is an authorized request, the build server returns the software build to the target computer.

In order to achieve broad customer acceptance for a computer software application, software providers must make their software applications available in a variety of configurations. These software applications may be configured according to a variety of factors, including spoken languages, computer hardware systems, single and multi-user systems, enterprise systems, and home/professional systems, to name just a few. Operating systems are excellent examples of software applications which are available in a wide variety of configurations. For example, configurations of Microsoft Corporation's Windows operating system are currently available in English, French, Spanish, and German, to name just as few, as well as student, home, and professional editions, and small office and enterprise versions. Each specific configuration is generally referred to as a build of the software application, or more simply a build, because the application must be particularly built, i.e., compiled, assembled, linked, etc., to create a particular configuration.
For a single user, obtaining a particular software build, and installing the build on the user's computer, is a relatively straightforward task. However, in other situations, deploying the build to a target computer can be quite challenging. For example, multinational enterprises may require a variety of different builds of the same software application within the enterprise. Some enterprise users may require advanced tools that are part of a professional build, while others may need only the basics. Still further, some of the offices in the enterprise may require an English build, while other offices need other languages, such as a French build. Clearly, for these types of enterprises, centralizing the distribution, or deployment, of a standard software application can be complex and challenging. More often, there is no centralized control. Instead, information technology (IT) personnel in each office operate semi-autonomously.
Hardware vendors are also faced with the challenge of deploying multiple builds of the same software application. For example, hardware vendors typically install an operating system on each system that is sold. In order to sell their computer systems to more than one class of user, e.g. home users and business users, the hardware vendor must be adaptable, able to install a particular operating system build according to a user's request. However, deploying the particular operating system build must be done efficiently in order to be delivered profitably. Of course, hardware vendors also commonly install numerous other software applications on a new system, many of which are available in a variety of configurations/builds, and must be deployed according to the particular operating system build installed on the new system. Clearly, hardware vendors would benefit from a system and method for deploying multiple software application builds onto a target computer.
Software providers, those who develop software applications in multiple configurations, would also benefit from a system and method for deploying multiple software application builds onto a target computer. For example, the software provider's quality assurance personnel, i.e., testers, are charged with testing all of a software application's builds. This often requires that testers install one build, run their battery of tests against that build, analyze the results, uninstall the build, and then repeat the process with another build. Clearly, efficiently managing the installation/deployment of the builds onto a tester's computer would reduce the amount of time involved with installing each build, and increase the amount of time that the tester could focus on quality assurance.
What is needed is a system and method capable of deploying multiple software application builds to a target computer. The present invention addresses these needs, and others, found in the prior art.

System and method for deploying a software build from a plurality of software builds to a target computer


An electronic cigarette comprising a cigarette-holder is provided, the cigarette-holder includes a variable color material; and when the electronic cigarette is smoked, the variable color material generates a chemical reaction or a physical change and causes a color of the variable color material to change. Thereby whether the electronic cigarette has been smoked can be determined by observing the color change of the variable color material.

As a hobby, smoking attracts many persons, especially men. However, tar of cigarettes comprises dozens of kinds of carcinogenic ingredients and is harmful to human bodies. Furthermore, second-hand smoking does great harm to non-smokers. Therefore, most public places have bans on smoking. But it is difficult to stop smoking for a smoker. Thus, electronic cigarettes have been more and more widely used as a substitute for traditional tobacco.
An electronic cigarette is provided with a cigarette-holder. When a switch of the electronic cigarette is turned on, the electronic cigarette can be smoked via the cigarette-holder or an airflow sensor. The electronic cigarette can be put back into a cigarette box for the next use after it is smoked. However, a typical electronic cigarette that has not been smoked is not different from such an electronic cigarette that has been smoked, and thus it is difficult to determine whether such an electronic cigarette has been smoked or not. When a plurality of persons smoke electronic cigarettes stored in a same cigarette box, one of the electronic cigarettes may be shared by different users, which may adversely affect the users' health and become a transmission way of many diseases.

Electronic cigarette, electronic cigarette atomizer, and electronic cigarette-holder

HUIZHOU KIMREE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. SHENZHEN BRANCH


The present invention provides a compound having a GOAT inhibitory action, which is useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of obesity and the like, and has superior efficacy. The present invention is a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a salt thereof.

Ghrelin is a physiologically active substance consisting of 28 amino acids, and is mainly produced in the stomach. Ghrelin includes active type (acyl form) and inactive type (des-acyl form), and the active type is produced by the addition, by GOAT, of fatty acid to the serine residue at the 3-position of ghrelin [non-patent document 1]. The fatty acid to be added to ghrelin by GOAT includes octanoic acid, decanoylic acid and the like. The target of the active type ghrelin is mainly a growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) in the stomach, and the activation of signal causes promoted food ingestion and low energy consumption. Therefore, GOAT plays a key role in the control of food ingestion and energy metabolism.
The decrease of active type ghrelin due to the inhibition of GOAT leads to a promoted energy consumption [non-patent document 2] and promoted utilization of lipid as an energy source thereof. Promotion of such systemically lipid utilization brings about lower fat content of adipose tissues, and further, decreased weight of adipose tissues [non-patent document 3]. That is, since a GOAT inhibitor acts on an environment, which permits increase of obesity formation factors such as excess fat ingestion, in the direction toward suppression thereof, it can be used as an antiobesity drug for the treatment of obesity. Furthermore, since ghrelin increases along with a weight loss therapy of obese patients, a GOAT inhibitor provides a further antiobesity effect as a medicament that decreases ghrelin [non-patent document 4]. In addition, promoted utilization of lipid is also expected to improve lipid abnormality. Moreover, since it may also have a sugar metabolism improving effect [non-patent document 5], a GOAT inhibitor is expected to be effective for the prophylaxis or suppression of metabolic disorders including metabolic syndrome.
GOAT inhibition increases des-acyl ghrelin in the inactive type. This has also been confirmed in genetically-altered animals wherein GOAT has been knocked out [non-patent document 6]. Since des-acyl ghrelin suppresses activation of microglia by β-amyloid, it is expected to be a therapeutic drug for Alzheimer's disease [non-patent document 7]. Furthermore, since des-acyl ghrelin suppresses nerve cell death due to low oxygen and low glucose, it is expected to be a therapeutic drug for ischemic cerebral dysfunctions such as cerebrovascular dementia, cerebral apoplexy, cerebral infarction and the like and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and the like [non-patent document 8]. In addition, a heart protecting action including suppression of ischemic cardiac diseases and cardiac hypertrophy is also expected [non-patent document 9]. Therefore, the compound of the present invention has a potential of a therapeutic drug for a metabolic disease with a heart protecting action.
Ghrelin is also involved in the preference control mechanism, and activates consumption of rewarding substances (alcohol, sweetener, narcotic etc.) [non-patent document 10]. Therefore, decrease of ghrelin by inhibition of GOAT is an effective treatment method of alcohol dependence [non-patent document 11], stimulant dependence or narcotic dependence [non-patent document 12].
It has been reported that ghrelin and a receptor thereof are expressed in proliferative tumors such as prostate cancer and breast cancer [non-patent document 13]. An antitumor effect may be exhibited by controlling ghrelin in charge of cell proliferation signals.
Accordingly, a compound having a GOAT inhibitory activity is extremely useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes etc.); the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension [non-patent document 14], cardiac failure etc.); and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease etc.), ischemic cerebral dysfunctions (e.g., cerebrovascular dementia, cerebral apoplexy, cerebral infarction etc.), alcohol/stimulant dependence, narcotic dependence, proliferative tumors including′ prostate cancer and breast cancer.
WO 2008/001931 (patent document 1) has reported, as a GPR40 agonist, the following compound
R1 is R6—SO2— (wherein R6 is a substituent) or an optionally substituted 1,1-dioxidotetrahydrothiopyranyl group;X is a bond or a divalent hydrocarbon group;R2 and R3 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted hydroxy group;R4 and R5 are the same or different and each is a C1-6 alkyl group optionally substituted by hydroxy group(s);ring A is a benzene ring optionally further having substituent(s) selected from a halogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, an optionally substituted hydroxy group and an optionally substituted amino group; ring B is a 5- to 7-membered ring;Y is a bond or CH2; andR is an optionally substituted hydroxy group.
WO 2010/143733 (patent document 2) has reported, as a GPR40 agonist, the following compound
whereinR1 is a halogen atom, hydroxy, optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl or optionally substituted C1-6 alkoxy,R2 is optionally substituted hydroxy,R3 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl,X is CH2 wherein R1 and X in combination optionally form a optionally substituted ring,Y is CH2, NH or O,Z is CH or N,n is an integer selected from 1 to 3, andA is a halogen atom, optionally substituted amino, or a 4- to 13-membered cyclic group optionally substituted by 1 to 5 substituents selected from(1) a halogen atom,(2) optionally substituted amino,(3) optionally substituted C1-6 alkylthio,(4) optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl,(5) optionally substituted C3-10 cycloalkyl,(6) optionally substituted C1-6 alkoxy,(7) optionally substituted C6-14 aryl,(8) optionally substituted 4- to 7-membered heterocyclic group, and(9) optionally substituted 4- to 7-membered heterocyclyloxy.
WO 2009/137500 (patent document 3) has reported, as a hepatitis C polymerase inhibitor, the following compound
whereinR1 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano or alkyl;R2 is halogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy or the like;R3 is —NR10SO2R11, —NRwCOORz, —NRxRy, (particular substituent)-ring, or the like;R4 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, alkyl or the like;R5 is alkyl, cycloalkyl or the like;R6 is optionally substituted aryl;R10 is H, —SO2-alkyl or the like;R11 is optionally substituted alkyl or the like;Rw is hydrogen, alkyl or the like;Rz is alkyl or the like; andRx and Ry are each independently optionally substituted alkyl or the like.
WO 00/69844 (patent document 4) has reported, as a PDEIV inhibitor, the following compound
whereinA and D in combination form phenyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl or the like, wherein the ring is optionally substituted by —OR5;R5 is C1-15 alkyl optionally substituted by OH, C1-6 alkoxy, phenyl or the like;E is O or S;R1 is hydrogen, C1-4 alkyl or the like;R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen, C3-6 cycloalkyl or the like; andR4 is optionally substituted C6-10 aryl, or optionally substituted 5- to 7-membered heterocycle which is optionally fused with benzene.
WO 95/02402 (patent document 5) has reported as a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, the following compound
wherein
R3 is hydrogen, cation, aroyl or C1-12 alkanoyl;B is O or S;R4 is NR5R6 or the like;R5 is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl;R6 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl or the like;W is —O—(CH2)s—;S is 0-1;R1 is (CH2)m—Ar—(X)v, O(CH2)m—Ar—(X)v or S(CH2)m-Ar-(X)v;m is 0-3;v is 1-3;Ar is, phenyl or naphthyl; andX is F.


Dusts containing zinc and/or lead in the form of oxides and one or more reducing agents are mixed with each other before or after being introduced into a heat treatment furnace. The mixture is heated to a given temperature range under a substantial vacuum so that the zinc and/or lead in the form of oxides are reduced to zinc and/or lead in the state of pure metals and evaporated in the furnace. The evaporated zinc and/or lead are introduced into a retrieving container also under a substantial vacuum and at a given temperature where the evaporated zinc and/or lead pure metals are condensed and retrieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating dusts containing zinc and/or lead in the form of oxides to a retrievable form of their respective pure metals.
2. Description of Related Art
Various industries generate a number of kinds of dusts, some of which contain among other metals zinc and/or lead. For example, steelmaking dusts from electric furnaces usually contain oxides of zinc and/or lead as well as oxides of iron. More particularly, in the automotive industry where steelmaking materials thrown into the electric furnace are car shredder dusts, the dusts generated from the electric furnace will typically contain zinc from automotive steel sheets constructed of galvanized steel sheets, and the dusts will further typically contain lead from car fuel tanks constructed of lead-and-tin-coated steel plates.
In the case of press scraps generated during the manufacture of automobiles, which contain zinc in the form of its substantially pure metal, the zinc can be removed from the galvanized steel sheet scraps by heating the scraps under reduced pressure to cause the zinc to evaporate, as in Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 4-346681, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. However, zinc and/or lead when in the form of oxides rather than their substantially pure metals cannot be retrieved and recycled using the method of Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 4-346681.
Among other known methods to remove zinc from dusts, there is a method using a rotary kiln where the dusts are heated using a burner and the zinc oxides contained in the dusts are reduced using coke or coal. However, since the dusts have to be heated to extremely high temperatures, this method is disadvantageous in that a large energy cost is necessary and the zinc in the dusts tends to be re-oxidized making it difficult to retrieve the zinc. There is another known method to remove zinc from dusts where the zinc is evaporated at a high temperature generated by a plasma and is retrieved in the form of its pure metal by a Pb splash condenser. However, this method is also disadvantageous in that it tends to cause environmental problems when the method is performed on-site.
Therefore, dusts containing zinc and/or lead are now typically treated by embedding them in the ground so as to satisfy regulations for waste disposal. However, the embedding treatment of dusts is problematic due to the lack of waste sites and the high cost associated with disposal. Further, since all the materials of the dusts are wasted without recycling, in the embedding treatment, the treatment method is not desirable from the viewpoint of material economy.

Method of treating dusts containing oxides


Systems and procedures are provided for transferring a service identifier for use by an IHS (Information Handling System), where technical support is provided to the IHS based on the service identifier. During factory provisioning of the IHS, a signed inventory certificate is uploaded to the IHS that includes an inventory identifying factory installed components of the IHS. Upon deployment of the IHS, a hardware component is removed, where the service identifier of the IHS is associated to the removed component. Upon installing a replacement hardware component, a request is initiated to transfer the association of the service identifier from the removed hardware component to the replacement hardware component. In response to the request to transfer the service identifier, an updated inventory certificate is generated that associates the service identifier to the replacement hardware component, wherein the replacement inventory certificate maintains the inventory of factory installed hardware components of the IHS.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is Information Handling Systems (IHSs). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some types of IHSs, such as mobile phones and tablets, are typically manufactured in large quantities and with few variations. For instance, for a particular model of mobile phone or tablet, hundreds of thousands of identical, or nearly identical, devices may be manufactured. Other types of IHSs, such as rack-mounted servers, are manufactured in much smaller quantities and are frequently manufactured and customized according to specifications provided by a specific customer that has contracted for the manufacture and delivery of the server. In such instances, a customer may specify various hardware and/or software customizations that configure the server to support specific functionality. For example, a customer may contract for manufacture and delivery of a server that includes security adaptations that will enable the server to securely process high volumes of financial transactions. Over time, a customer may acquire a large number of IHSs that have been factory customized in various manners. In addition, each IHS may be modified throughout its service history as software and hardware of the IHS repaired and replaced.

Secure transfer of service identity for information handling systems


A display control apparatus that can display a video includes an inputting unit configured to input the video, a designation unit configured to designate an area in the video, a detection unit configured to detect that a coordinate in the designated area of the video has been pointed, and a display control unit configured to control a display size of a predetermined area in the video in such a manner that the display size of the predetermined area is larger when the detection unit detects that the coordinate in the designated area has been pointed than when the detection unit does not detect any pointing of the coordinate in the designated area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display control apparatus for causing a display apparatus to display an image captured by an imaging apparatus thereon.
More specifically, the present invention relates to, for example, a display control apparatus that distributes to a display apparatus a video of a conference in which a presentation material created as electronic data is used.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a personal computer has enabled a presenter of a conference or a lecture to prepare a presentation material as electronic data beforehand. A screen or a large-scale television can be used to display the presentation material.
In general, in such a conference or a lecture, a large-scale projector or a large-scale television is available for all members or participants. Alternatively, a monitor dedicated to each participant can be provided in the vicinity of the participant. A presentation material or images captured by a camera (hereinafter, referred to as a conference video) can be distributed to these monitors.
When a conference video is available as electronic data or digital data, a remote conference can be realized to enable each participant of a conference to attend the conference even when the participant is not present in a conference room. In this case, a remote distribution system needs to be constructed to distribute the conference video captured in the conference room to a remote place where a participant is present.
More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the above-described conference video generally includes an image of the presenter captured together with a screen or a large-scale television that displays a presentation material. Therefore, each participant can attend the conference through a dedicated monitor such that the participant has the feeling such that the participant is actually listening to the presentation in the conference room.
However, the above-described conventional remote distribution system has the following problems. First, if the conference video is insufficient in resolution or the monitor is relatively small in size, it may be difficult to read a presentation material displayed as a part of the conference video.
Second, as a simple method for solving the above-described problem, it may be useful to electronically distribute only the presentation material. However, in this case, motions or expressions of the presenter cannot be viewed. In other words, an actual atmosphere in the conference room cannot be transmitted to each remote participant.
Third, as a method for solving the above-described first and second problems, it may be useful to distribute the conference video and the presentation material separately and display the presentation material in synchronization with the content of the distributed conference video. However, in this case, each remote participant is required to determine a screen to be looked at. For example, if a presenter uses a laser pointer, each remote participant is required to confirm a pointed position on the conference video. Further, the participant is required to read a corresponding portion from the electronic data.
Fourth, as a method for solving the above-described first to third problems, it may be desired that a presenter or an operator selectively distributes a conference video together with related electronic data. However, in this case, a heavy burden may be placed on the presenter or the operator.
A conventional technique, for example as discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3948264, can solve the above-described problems. According to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3948264, when there are two or more inputs, a function is available to identify an image presently displayed by an information control display device. Therefore, the technique discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3948264 can determine availability of information.
However, the technique discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3948264 is intended to use only electronic data and therefore cannot be applied to the above-described conference video. In particular, not only a mouse but also a laser pointer may be used in an actual conference. Further, a presenter may manually point on a material with his/her finger. In these cases, the technique discussed in Japanese Patent No. 3948264 cannot be effectively used.


When light is made incident to an optical waveguide path 14 formed through a main body 12 composed of silver (Ag) that is a plasmon active medium, surface plasmon is generated on a definition face 55 of the optical waveguide path 14 (including a fine aperture 16). Thus, the intensity of the light propagating in the optical waveguide path 14 is strengthened as the light propagates toward the fine aperture 16. In addition, a distal end 51 of a first protrusive piece 13a is more protrusive as compared with a distal end 52 of a second protrusive piece 13b. Thus, in a distal end part of a projection 13, the light is focused in the vicinity of the first protrusive piece 13a based on an intensity distribution of an electric field at the distal end part. Thus, the light having seeped out from the fine aperture 16 is restricted from spreading in a polarizing direction. Therefore, the light intensity of the light propagated through the optical waveguide path 14 is increased at a low cost without causing an increase of the spread of the light while maintaining a good S/N ratio.

In recent years, as a technique enabling optical processing in a region that is smaller than a wavelength of a light (visible light: 0.4 microns to 0.8 microns), attention has been focused on a technique of utilizing a near-field light (light arriving at only a region with a distance shorter than a wavelength of light). For example, in the field of a scanning near-field optical microscope, an optical probe having a fine aperture that is smaller than a wavelength of light at a distal end of the probe, as described in Patent Document 1, is used as an optical waveguide. In addition, at the time of observing a small region of a sample surface, a fine aperture of the optical probe is disposed in proximity to the small region targeted for observation so as to bring an optical field (near-field) that seeps out in the vicinity of the surface of the fine aperture into contact with the sample surface.
Then, only the small region of the sample surface coupled with this near field is irradiated with the light (near-field light), and then, reflected light, scattering light, or transmitted light from the sample due to that irradiation is detected, thereby locally observing and evaluating the small region. Therefore, with respect to such an optical probe that is a type of optical waveguide, a variety of optical probes have been conventionally proposed as optical waveguides in order to contribute to a request for downsizing a recording bit in an optical recording medium such as CDs, for example, or evaluation or the like of a semiconductor manufacturing process for carrying out a fine processing on the order of sub-microns.
Incidentally, like the optical probe described in Patent Document 1, an optical probe which forms a fine aperture at the distal end of the probe, irradiates a sample surface through the fine aperture, and detects a reflected light or the like through the fine aperture is referred to as an aperture probe. On the other hand, an optical probe which forms a distal end of the probe as a sharp end having a significantly small radius of curvature like a metal needle and detects scattering light by means of another detection optical probe produced at the time of inserting the end of the probe into a near-field optical region generated by irradiating the sample surface under a full reflection condition is referred to as an apertureless probe.
In the meantime, the fine aperture of an aperture probe is smaller than a wavelength of light, and thus, the light intensity of the near-field light is unavoidably very weak. For example, in the case of an illumination mode in which irradiation of the near-field light and a focusing of the light obtained from a sample are carried out through the same aperture, the light intensity of the near-field light that seeps out from the fine aperture of the aperture probe becomes very weak, i.e., on the order of about 1/1000 of the light intensity of the light introduced into the aperture probe. Therefore, for example, at the time of high speed writing or readout in an optical information recording apparatus or the like, a problem such as an insufficient amount of light may occur. Thus, at the time of practically using the aperture probe, there is a need for increasing the light intensity of the near-field light that seeps out from the fine aperture.
However, if a light source is strengthened in order to increase the light intensity of the near-field light, cost is increased. On the other hand, if the distal end aperture is increased, the spread of the light that seeps out from this aperture increases, resulting in the lowered resolution. Namely, in any case, a problem with use of the aperture probe cannot be properly avoided. On the other hand, the resolution (resolving power) of an apertureless probe can be improved more remarkably than that of an aperture probe. However, if the distal end of the apertureless probe is actually inserted into the near-field optical region, the scattering light occurs not only at the distal end of the probe, but also at a portion other than the distal end of the probe. Therefore, an S/N ratio (Signal/Noise Ratio) of the apertureless probe is worsened than that of the aperture probe, and the detection sensitivity may be lowered. Further, when using the apertureless probe, and a detection optical probe must be further provided, resulting in high cost.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-221478


An improved monitoring system for monitoring a fiber optic transmission system using optical side tones. The monitoring system includes a line monitoring equipment (LME) connected to a portion of an optical transmission system. The LME includes a pseudo-random sequence (PRS) tone generator for generating a PRS tone, a laser transmitter for transmitting an LME optical side tone based on the PRS tone. The LME includes a delay system for delaying the PRS tones, an optical filter for passing only the wavelength of the LME side tone. A plurality of data channels are transmitted over the system using WDM. A coupler is used to combine the WDM data with the LME side tone. A repeater having an optical loopback coupler returns a portion of the combined signal to the LME. The comparator/correlator correlates the delayed PRS tones with the LME side tone returned by each repeater.

The present invention relates to communication systems and more particularly to a system for monitoring a fiber optic transmission system using an optical side tone as a test signal.
In long distance fiber optic communication systems it is important to monitor the health of the system. For example, monitoring can be used to detect faults or breaks in the fiber optic cable, faulty repeaters or amplifiers or other problems with the system.
Prior art monitoring techniques include the use a testing system which generates a test signal and modulating the test signal onto a single channel (or wavelength) with the transmitted data signal. For example, the data signal may be amplitude modulated by the test signal. A loop-back coupler within an optical amplifier or repeater located downstream is used to return a portion of the transmitted signal (data signal plus test signal modulation) to the testing system. The testing system then separates the test signal from the data signal and processes the test signal to examine the health of the transmission system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,586,186 and 4,633,464 to Cleo Anderson et al. and assigned to AT&T disclose a similar technique to modulate test response information from a repeater onto the main data signal to monitor the health of the system.
There are several disadvantages and drawbacks, however, with the prior art monitoring systems. Due to ordinary losses or attenuation of signals in the fiber optic transmission systems (due to absorption, scattering, etc.), data signals must be amplified at periodic intervals. Because the test signal is modulated onto the data signal, the test signal modulation will further impair some of the bits of the data signal.
For example, FIG. 1A illustrates the test signal 12 and the data signal ("1"s and "0"s) prior to modulation. Initially, data bit 10 is above the threshold level 14 and therefore is a "1." As shown in FIG. 1B, amplitude modulating the data signal with the test signal can cause the amplitude of data bit 10 to significantly decrease. Due to this interference from the test signal modulation combined with the ordinary attenuation of the data signal, the amplitude of data bit 10 may decline below the threshold level for a "1," resulting in an erroneous bit (FIG. 1B). Consequently, prior art monitoring systems require additional optical amplifiers or repeaters to compensate for losses resulting from test signal modulation.
Moreover, the prior art monitoring systems described above are incapable of simultaneously monitoring more than a single channel. To increase information capacity, two or more wavelengths (or channels) may be used to carry information over the same optical fiber. This is known as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). The prior art monitoring technique described above uses a test signal having the same wavelength as the data signal, and therefore, can test only a single channel at a time. A separate testing system for each wavelength or channel would be required to simultaneously monitor multiple channels using the prior art technique. As a result, such a system would have a prohibitively high cost.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a monitoring system that does not attenuate data signals and which is capable of simultaneously monitoring multiple channels (wavelengths) on an optical fiber.

Monitoring system using an optical side tone as a test signal


Methods for identifying control keys with particular devices are disclosed along with methods of assigning control keys to particular devices. In particular, a remote control comprises a set of hard keys comprising channel group keys and volume group keys and a set of soft keys activated via a touch screen display. The display identifies the device the volume group keys are set to control and the device the channel group keys are set to control. Selecting the device currently controlled by the channel group keys by, for example, depressing the device indicator on the display screen, initiates a set up mode that displays numerous devices that may be controlled by the channel group keys. Selecting one of the numerous devices assigns the channel group keys to that device.

The description of art in this section is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is "prior art" with respect to this invention, unless specifically designated as such.
While the present invention relates to hand-held control modules generally, it will be better understood within the discussion of exemplary embodiments directed toward universal remote controls. Universal remote controls typically offer a preprogrammed set of standardized keys for each device type supported. These provide for the common operational functions of the device but do not necessarily offer the full range of features available on the original manufacturer's remote.
U.S. patents and applications relevant to remote control technology include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,515,052; 5,255,313; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/418,091 filed Oct. 14, 1999, which are incorporated herein by reference. Pat. '052 discloses a universal remote control with function synthesis. The remote control comprises driver circuitry for communicating code signal generation sequences including a code generated command signal followed by a code setting signal; and memory for storing information therein. Pat. '313 discloses a universal remote control system having a signal generator to transmit signals which will cause specific functions to occur in specific controlled devices. patent application Ser. No. '091 discloses means and methods for operating a remote control.
Users of universal remote controls who need access to one or more functions not preprogrammed into the unit must then use a learning capability or a feature, such as a function synthesizer (e.g., the function synthesizer discussed in Pat. '052) to add the desired extra functions to their remotes. Other U.S. patents related to remote control technology, and in particular, relating to learning technology include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,959,810; 5,228,077; and 5,537,463, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Pat. '810 discloses means for transferring instructions and/or data to RAM wherein the instructions and/or data is transferred from a source external to the RAM. Pat. '077 discloses a remotely upgradable universal remote control. Pat. '463 discloses means in the remote control for picking up an electromagnetic signal from an electromagnetic signal source and storing output signal data in memory. The output signal data stored in memory may correspond to control function data which may be transmitted to a device to be controlled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,256 issued Jan. 2, 1996, is incorporated herein by reference. The '256 patent discloses a circuitry for coupling a SCAN key to a microprocessor and a channel scan program. A channel scan of channels is initiated when the SCAN key is depressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,426 issued May 9, 1995, is incorporated herein by reference. The '426 patent discloses an entry program for enabling a user to define a macro for selecting at least one favorite channel, whereby rapid selection of at least one favorite channel is made upon subsequent depression of a MACRO key.
The following U.S. patent applications disclose methods for controlling media systems, and for capturing state information. U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/718,931 filed Nov. 21, 2000, and U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/418,091 filed Oct. 14, 1999, are incorporated herein by reference. The '931 application discloses a media return system with return to state capability. The status of the system is quickly captured and provides a simple means to reset the system to, for example, the state prior to channel surfing. The '091 application discloses a media system with punch-through capability. Functional control may be locked across devices to control a particular device while operating in a different device mode.
For example, a volume or channel lock feature assigns one device type permanently to the specified set of keys, namely the volume or channel control keys. There are advantages to cross linking devices and control keys. A cable subscriber might, for example, want his channel switching keys to always send cable box codes, regardless of what mode the remote is in. A consumer who plays the TV sound back through a home theatre surround sound system might want the volume keys to always send audio system codes, e.g., amplifier codes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,105, which issued Dec. 8, 1987, and European Patent Application No. 0120345 discussed therein are both incorporated herein by reference. The '105 patent describes the '345 application as teaching a hand apparatus comprising a limited number of keys, but with which all functions of a plurality modules (devices) can be controlled. For that purpose, one module is assigned to each key or a number of keys by changing (device) modes. To inform the user which function is assigned to which key at any given instant, each key is assigned a key element display element on which the actual control function of the key is displayed. The '345 application apparatus, while useful, has required display elements of a large size such that the actual control function can be shown clearly enough. Also, all of the display driver circuits require a considerable amount of space. Therefore, to keep the apparatus as a hand-held apparatus, the number of keys it can have are limited.
To overcome problems associated with the '345 application, the '105 patent provides a hand apparatus comprising a plurality of module keys. A module is assigned to each key. A user can only gain access to the relevant module through its key. One single display element of the dot-matrix type displays control functions associated with the modules to be controlled. Around the dot-matrix type display multi-functional control buttons are arranged such that the dot-matrix displays the function assigned to a multi-functional control button in a given mode.
One significant drawback of the apparatus of the '105 patent is that it is uni-mode—there is no way to lock devices across modes, as taught in the '091 application. Another significant drawback for applicant's objectives is that the apparatus is limited to one dot-matrix function display per multi-function button. This one button-one display approach appears to be an essential feature that the apparatus of the '105 patent uses to address problems discussed in the '105 patent.
While locked controls, such as are described in the '091 application, are generally useful, they are often difficult to set up—there is generally no intuitive way to input the desired device. Once the locked controls are set, they can be confusing to one who forgets, or does not know, to what device the control keys are locked. The prior art addresses key identification in various ways. But none sufficiently address key identification or other problems associated with locking keys across devices.