In a glass optical waveguide having a core containing at least one oxide selected from the group of glass-constituting oxides consisting of Bi2O3, Sb2O3, PbO, SnO2 and TeO2, large transmission loss of light which occurs when the cross-sectional shape of the core is rectangle, is reduced, and wherein the glass optical waveguide contains at least total 35% in mass % of at least one type of the above glass-constituting oxides, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the core is trapezoidal, among two parallel sides of the trapezoid, a long side is in a substrate side and among four sides constituting the trapezoid, angles of two oblique sides to the long side are each within a range of from 60 to 80°.

In order to develop an optical amplifier to be used for the optical communication field of wavelength division multiplex system (WDM), a glass fiber having a core containing a rare earth element has been eagerly researched and developed. However, in an optical fiber having a core made of an Er-doped silica glass type glass, there are such problems as difficulty in obtaining desired transmission band, difficulty in achieving downsizing and difficulty in constituting an array. As a measure against these problems, an optical fiber having a core made of an Er-containing Bi2O3 type glass material (refer to e.g. Patent Document 1) or an optical waveguide having an optical amplifying core made of a glass material formed on a substrate, has been proposed and developed.
As a glass waveguide, a silica glass type glass waveguide is commonly known. As a method for forming a fine waveguide pattern on e.g. a silica glass film, dry etching technique is used and patterning is usually carried out using a resist or a metal film as a mask. Namely, a silica glass film to be subjected to microfabrication is coated with a resist, and the resist is subjected to pattern exposure and unnecessary-resist-removal process by development, to form a resist pattern, and the resist pattern is used as a mask for dry etching. As an alternative method, a metal film is formed on the silica glass film, the above-mentioned resist patterning is carried out, the metal film is dry etched using the resist as a mask, and the dry-etched metal film is used as a mask for etching the silica glass film.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the method for producing a conventional optical waveguide, and explanation is made using FIG. 3. In this method, a silica glass film is dry etched using a metal film as a mask. On a substrate made of silica glass or Si, first of all, an underlayer clad film 12 is formed, and subsequently, on the underlayer clad film 12, a core film 13 made of silica glass is formed to have a thickness of from 5 to 10 μm (FIG. 3(a)). Thereafter, a metal film 14 is formed on the core film 13 (FIG. 3(b)), the metal film 14 is uniformly coated with a resist 15, the resist 15 is subjected to core circuit pattern exposure using a mask aligner, the resist is developed to form a resist pattern by transferring the circuit pattern (FIG. 3 (c)). Using the resist pattern as a mask, the metal film 14 is dry etched by a reactive ion etching method as shown in FIG. 3(d) to form a metal mask pattern, and the resist is removed (FIG. 3 (e)). Subsequently, using the metal mask pattern as a mask, the core film 13 is etched (FIG. 3(f)), the metal mask pattern is removed (FIG. 3(g)), an upper layer clad film 16 is applied so as to cover the core, to complete an optical waveguide (FIG. 3(h)).
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in the vicinity of a core in a silica glass waveguide of FIG. 3, which is a schematic diagram of cross-section of an optical waveguide. A reference numeral 21 indicates a core, 22 indicates a clad, 22a indicates an underlayer clad film, 22b indicates an upper layer clad film and 23 indicates a substrate. The cross-sectional shape of a core is usually a rectangle, preferably a square. The reason is as follows. The causes of optical attenuation in a waveguide are coupling loss at a light input/output end and transmission loss in the waveguide itself. Loss of the waveguide itself is caused by loss of a film itself, surface roughness of side walls of a core after etching, structural design of the waveguide or the like, and does not relate to cross-sectional shape of the core. On the other hand, loss at a coupling portion closely relates to the cross-sectional shape of the core. When propagation mode of light in an input/output device such as an input fiber (hereinafter"propagation mode of light" is simply referred to as"mode") significantly overlaps a mode of waveguide, loss is reduced, but when they scarcely overlap, loss is increased. Since the mode in an input/output device is usually a circular shape, the waveguide is designed to have a mode of circular shape. When the shape of the waveguide is square, the mode becomes a circular shape and the coupling loss is reduced.
For these reasons, core shape of commonly-used glass waveguide is mostly rectangle.
On the other hand, in an array waveguide grating optical coupler/splitter (AWG) employing a silica glass waveguide, study has been made to form a part of a waveguide into trapezoid instead of rectangle (refer to Patent Document 2). Optical loss in an AWG is a sum of coupling loss of input/output device and AWG device, loss is of AWG itself, and radiation loss in a connecting portion of slab waveguide and array waveguide constituting AWG.
The loss in the connecting portion of slab waveguide portion and array waveguide portion occupies most of the loss in an AWG.
When light is incident from a slab waveguide portion into an array waveguide portion, since effective refractive index drastically changes at the connecting portion, a part of propagation light leaks out into a clad. This causes to increase radiation loss. In order to ease drastic change of effective refractive index, it is considered to be preferable to make a core shape in the vicinity of the connecting portion with the array waveguide into a trapezoid.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2001-102661
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2003-4958


Distortion data discretely stored in a distortion data memory 8 are read out by a selector 9 and fed to a signal processor 5. For each coordinate position, the signal processor 5 calculates an approximation formula representing an image height-distortion curve based on the distortion data fed thereto, and performs distortion correction based on the approximation formula.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distortion correction device that corrects an image signal obtained by image sensing for distortion produced by the lens used for the image sensing, and to an image sensing device provided with such a distortion correction device
2. Description of Related Art
When an image is sensed with a solid-state image sensing device such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS sensor through an optical lens, the aberrations produced by the optical lens cause the imaging positions on the solid-state image sensor to be displaced. Thus, if the image is reproduced for display directly from the image signal outputted from the solid-state image sensing device, the displayed image appears deformed. This deformation appearing in the displayed image is called distortion. Different types of distortion appear depending on the design of the optical lens and on the arrangement of the optical lens and the solid-state image sensing device relative to each other. One typical type of distortion is "pincushion-shaped distortion" in which the imaging positions are stretched compared with the ideal imaging positions as shown in FIG. 17A, and another is "barrel-shaped distortion" in which the imaging positions are shrunk compared with the ideal imaging positions as shown in FIG. 17B. In FIGS. 17A and 17B, dotted lines indicate the ideal image positions.
The value of distortion that appears as shown FIG. 17A or 17B varies non-linearly with respect to the image height, i.e., the distance from the optical axis of the optical lens to a given imaging position (corresponding to a given pixel position on the solid-state image sensing device). In one conventionally proposed image sensing device, the values of distortion corresponding to different pixel positions are stored in a data table, which is later referred to so that the distortion of the image is corrected for based on the values, stored in the data table, of distortion corresponding to different pixel positions. Disadvantageously, however, this image sensing device requires a large-capacity memory for the storage of distortion values corresponding to different pixel positions.
To overcome this disadvantage, in another conventionally proposed image sensing device, distortion (the distortion factor) D is approximated as proportional to the square of the image height, and a calculation circuit is provided that corrects for optical distortion based on distortion factors thus approximated. This eliminates the need for a memory for storing correction values corresponding to different pixel positions (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-153065). In another conventionally proposed image sensing device, distortion values of an image is corrected with respect to an arbitrary image height so that distortion is corrected less in the negative direction. This, compared with when distortion is corrected with respect to the center of the image corresponding to the optical axis, permits the image to fill a wider area on the image sensing surface (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-165024). In still another conventionally proposed image sensing device, through calculation performed based on a quadratic approximation polynomial by an approximation polynomial calculator, pixel positions before distortion correction corresponding to pixel positions after distortion correction are calculated, and interpolation calculation is performed differently for the brightness and color-difference signals corresponding to the thus calculated pixel positions before distortion correction (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-250239).
With the image sensing device proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-153065 mentioned above, simply providing the calculation circuit makes it possible to correct for distortion based on distortion values without using a memory for storing correction values corresponding to different pixel positions. This, however, cannot deal with all types of distortion, because not all distortion is proportional to the square of the image height. With the image sensing device proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H6-165024 mentioned above, distortion is evaluated with respect to a circle rather than the center corresponding to the optical axis, and this permits the image sensing surface of the image sensing device to be used as efficiently as possible. Here, however, the approximation formula is determined according to the zoom position, and either the approximation formula itself or the correction values corresponding to different pixel positions as calculated based on it are stored in a memory. Thus, when correction values corresponding to different pixel positions are stored, a large-capacity memory is needed.
With the image sensing device proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H 11-250239 mentioned above, for signals after distortion correction using the approximation formula, brightness signals, to which the sensitivity of the human eye is high, are calculated by an interpolation formula that requires much calculation, and color-difference signals, to which the sensitivity of the human eye is low, are calculated by an interpolation formula that requires less calculation. Thus, even when a lens that produces large distortion is used, calculation can be performed quickly. However, for the approximation formula used for distortion correction of coordinate positions, the coefficients for the approximation formula as determined according to the focal length are stored. Thus, when the actual focal length differs from the set focal length, the coefficients for the approximation formula cannot be calculated.

Distortion correction device and image sensing device provided therewith


An air propulsion device for laterally stabilizing a motorcycle in an upright position when stopped. The device includes a substantially rectangular shaped plate having a top, bottom, first and second opposing sides. A pair of brackets are mounted to the first and second sides of the plate for attaching the device to the motorcycle. An air-flow generator unit is integrally attached to the top of the plate for generating and controlling pneumatic pressure within the air propulsion device, and has a first and second hose attached thereto. A skirting is integrally attached to the bottom of the plate for inflating and deflating.

The invention relates to stabilizing mechanisms for two wheeled vehicles, and more particularly, to an air propulsion device for laterally stabilizing a motorcycle in an upright position when stopped.
Traditionally, motorcycles have been laterally stabilized by a kick-stand for parking or storage, and by the rider's feet when momentarily stopping at a traffic light or stop sign. In the case of riders with shorter legs, using their feet to stabilize the motorcycle while stopped briefly may be a difficult task. Motorcycles today tend to be well over 300 pounds and a short legged rider may not be able to stabilize a heavy motorcycle with one foot on the ground while leaning considerably to one side. Alternatively, riders with shorter legs can dangle their legs off the sides of the motorcycle and hope to keep it stable and in the upright position by purely balancing on the two tires.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,126 to Yaple discloses a hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically, or engine operated motorcycle stand that makes contact with the ground and raises the rear end of the motorcycle off the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,259 to Hall discloses a lateral stabilizer for two-wheeled vehicles that includes a pair of outrigger wheels on either side of the rear wheel that are vertically movable as to make contact with the ground when stabilization is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,265 to Yaple discloses an automatically actuated motorcycle center lift stand that extends and retracts between a ground contact position and a raised position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,732 to Coester discloses a pneumatic propulsion system for freight and/or passenger vehicles.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.


A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display includes: providing a pixel electrode on an insulation substrate; providing a sacrificial layer on the pixel electrode; providing a common electrode on the sacrificial layer; providing a photoresist layer on the common electrode; exposing a portion of the photoresist layer, common electrode and the sacrificial layer with light; developing the portion of the photoresist layer exposed with the light; etching a layer between the photoresist layer and the sacrificial layer using the developed photoresist layer as a mask to expose the portion of the sacrificial layer exposed with the light; removing the portion of the sacrificial layer exposed with the light; providing a roof layer on the insulation substrate and etching the roof layer to form a liquid crystal injection hole therein; and removing the sacrificial layer exposed through the liquid crystal injection hole to form a microcavity.

1. (a) Field
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display having a liquid crystal layer in a microcavity, and a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display.
2. (b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display, which is one of the most widely used type of flat panel display device, typically includes two display panels where field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode are provided, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two display panels.
The liquid crystal display generates an electric field in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the field generating electrodes to determine orientations of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer and control polarization of incident light, thereby displaying an image.
A liquid crystal display having an embedded microcavity ("EM") structure (e.g., nanocrystal structure) is a display device manufactured by providing a sacrificial layer with a photoresist, removing the sacrificial layer after coating a support member thereon, and filling a liquid crystal in an empty space provided by removing the sacrificial layer.
In such a liquid crystal display, when developing the sacrificial layer or performing a heat treatment for an overlying layer, a characteristic thereof may be changed such that the sacrificial layer may partially remain in the space to be filled by the liquid crystal when removing the sacrificial layer. Also, the common electrode may have a curved structure according to the sacrificial layer such that the common electrode may be disposed substantially close to the underlying pixel electrode.

Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof


A silver halide color photosensitive material comprises a support provided thereon with a photosensitive silver halide, a developing agent, a coupler, and a binder. After exposure, the photosensitive material is placed, onto a processing material comprising a support provided with a processing layer thereon which contains a base and/or a precursor of a base, with water being present between the photosensitive material and the processing material in an amount of 1/10through 1 times that required to maximally swell the layers of the materials. The resultant assembly is heated to form an image on the photosensitive material. The photosensitive material includes an emulsion in which tabular silver halide grains having an aspect ratio of 2 to 30 account for 50% to 100% of the total projected area of all silver halide grains and in which 50% to 100% of all silver halide grains in number include 10 or more dislocation lines per grain. A method of forming images using this photosensitive material is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel silver halide color photosensitive material and a method for forming color images through use of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the development of photosensitive materials using silver halide has markedly advanced, high-quality color images are now obtained easily. In ordinary color photography, photography is done using a color negative, and image information recorded on a color negative which has undergone development is printed optically onto photographic color printing paper to obtain color prints. This process has become highly developed in recent years, resulting in the popularization of color laboratories, or large-scale facilities for producing large numbers of color prints highly efficiently, and so-called minilaboratories, or simple, compact printer-processors installed in shops, thus making it possible for anyone to readily enjoy color photography.
The principle of currently popular color photography employs the subtractive color process for reproducing colors. An ordinary color negative comprises a transparent support provided with light-sensitive layers thereon, each of which comprises a silver halide emulsion and a so-called color coupler, the silver halide emulsions being light-sensitive elements which have individual sensitivity in blue, green, and red regions, and the color couplers functioning to form dyes of yellow, magenta, and cyan, each having the relationship of a complementary color for respective light-sensitivities. A color negative is exposed imagewise in photography and is then developed in a color developer, which comprises aromatic primary amine serving as a developing agent. In this step, exposed silver halide grains are developed or reduced with the developing agent, and the oxidized product of the developing agent (the oxidized product is formed concurrently with reduction) and the above-described color coupler undergo a coupling reaction to form dyes of individual colors. Metallic silver (developed silver) formed through development and unreacted silver halide are removed by bleach-fixing, thereby to obtain dyeimages. Color-photographic printing paper, i.e., a color photosensitive material comprising a reflective support provided with light-sensitive layers thereon, each of which has a combination of a photosensitive wavelength region and a color to be developed as does a color negative, is exposed to light which has passed through a developed color negative, followed by color development and bleach-fixing similar to those employed for a color negative. Thus, color prints are obtained, each of which comprises a dye image which reproduces an original scene.
Requests are growing for the simplification of these currently popular color image formation systems. First of all, in conducting the above-described color development and bleach-fixing, the compositions and temperature of relevant baths must be accurately controlled, requiring special knowledge and skills in operation. Second, these processing solutions contain environmentally regulated substances, such as color developing agents and the iron chelate compound serving as a bleaching agent, and thus developing equipment must be designed to regulate these waste substances. Third, the time required for development processing has been shortened through recent technological advances, but still is not short enough to meet requests for the rapid reproduction of recorded images.
Under the circumstances, to lighten the environmental load and to simplify the color image formation process, requests are increasing for a color image formation system which does not use currently used color developing and bleaching agents.
In light of the aforementioned problems, various improved techniques have been proposed. Page 180 of the IS & T 48th Annual Conference Proceedings, for example, discloses a system in which dyes generated through a development reaction are transferred to a mordant layer, and the mordant layer is then separated, thereby removing developed silver and unreacted silver halide, making the bleach-fix bathing conventionally required for photographic processing unnecessary. The proposed technique still requires development processing in a processing bath which contains a color developing agent, however. Thus, the above-mentioned environmental problems, cannot be said to have been solved yet.
As a system that does not require a processing solution that includes a color developing agent, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., provides the Pictography system. In this system, a small amount of water is supplied to a light-sensitive member which contains a small amount of base precursors. The light-sensitive member is placed onto an image-receiving member, and the resulting assembly is heated to initiate a development reaction. This system is environmentally advantageous because it does not use the aforementioned processing bath. In this system, however, the thus-formed dyes are fixed in a dye-fixing layer to form dye images to be viewed. Therefore, it is desired to develop a system capable of applying this technique to recording materials for photograph-taking use. To be used as the material for photograph-taking-use, the silver halide emulsion used must have high sensitivity, excellent granularity, and excellent pressure resistance.
A technique for improving the sensitivity and granularity of the silver halide emulsion uses tabular grains. Techniques for using tabular grains in heat development system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,499, Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 2-48101, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 61-77048, 62-78555, and 62-79447.
Studies conducted by the present inventors, however, have revealed that, compared to the case with liquid development, pressure fogging is a far worse problem in heat development which uses a silver halide emulsion comprising tabular silver halide grains in accordance with the above-mentioned technique.
Pressure fogging is caused, for example, by a grain of sand getting into a camera and coming in contact with the emulsion side of film. When pressure is applied to the portion of contact during film travel, the portion of the film to which pressure is applied becomes fogged. This fogging appears as a problem in the form of a scratch in an image area, making the reduction of pressure fogging highly desirable.

Silver halide color photosensitive material and method for forming color images


A method for processing an emergency message in a communication network includes: transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), an emergency message to an access network entity of a network slice of the communication network, wherein the emergency message comprises an emergency identifier (E_ID); detecting by the access network entity of the network slice of the communication network, based on the E_ID, that the emergency message is related to an emergency; forwarding the emergency message to an emergency network slice of the communication network based on the emergency detection; and establishing, by the emergency network slice, a communication link between the UE and a public safety answering point (PSAP) for processing the emergency message.

Operators worldwide are currently preparing for the transition to 5G networks. To support the wide range of services planned for 5G, a new core network known as Next-Generation Core or NG Core is planned. Its structure is described, for example, in the technical specification TS 23.501 (V1.5.0) of 3GPP. It specifies requirements for designing and operating a 5G service-oriented core network.
The service-oriented 5G core network is based on the premise that 5G shall support very different services with very different performance requirements. Three different service categories for 5G are identified: 1) Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), 2) Massive machine-type communication (mMTC, also known as IoT, Internet of Things) and 3) Ultra-Low Latency (UR-LLC) communication.
This includes use cases or application scenarios such as industrial control, augmented reality (AR) or augmented reality/virtual reality (VR) and networked cars. The goal is to use end-to-end network slices to map and support these diverse services and technologies on a physical network infrastructure. In this way, operators can operate new services in foreign network sectors and insert their networks into new industrial value chains.
Emergency calls are usually made via a local instance of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system that routes these emergency calls to the assigned Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). One problem in the case of roaming is that the emergency call always has to be handled by the local network.

Emergency network slice and method for processing an emergency communication in a packet switched communication network


A transflective type LCD device includes a substrate, gate and data lines perpendicularly arranged to each other to define unit pixel regions each including transmitting and reflective parts, a plurality of thin film transistors formed adjacent to crossing portions of the gate and data lines, a passivation layer formed on the substrate including the thin film transistors, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the passivation layer in each unit pixel region, a plurality of first reflective plates electrically connected with the pixel electrodes and formed in the reflective parts, and second reflective plates formed on a predetermined portions of the substrate corresponding to the boundaries between the transmitting parts and the reflective parts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to a transflective type LCD device which can maximize the light-use efficiency in a transmitting part of a pixel region, and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Among various ultra-thin flat display devices with a thickness of several centimeters, an LCD device is used for various products, including notebook computers, monitors, spacecraft, and aircraft. An LCD device includes first and second substrates, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a gate line, a data line, a thin film transistor, and a pixel electrode. The second substrate includes a light-shielding layer that prevents the light from leaking, a color filter layer formed on the light-shielding layer, and a common electrode formed on the color filter layer.
The LCD device may be classified into a transmitting type, a reflective type, and a transflective type. A transmitting type LCD device uses a backlight unit as a light source. However, the transmitting type LCD device consumes a large amount of power due to the use of the backlight unit. A reflective type LCD device uses the ambient light as a light source instead of a backlight unit. However, the reflective type LCD device cannot be used in dark surroundings. On the other hand, a transflective type LCD device has properties of both the transmitting type and the reflective type LCD and overcomes problems related to the high power consumption of the transmitting type LCD device and the environmental restrictions on use of the reflective type LCD device. Accordingly, a transflective type LCD overcomes these defects of the transmitting and reflective type LCD devices by including both transmitting and reflective parts in one unit pixel.
The transflective type LCD device includes a pixel electrode and a reflective plate to improve the brightness. The pixel electrode enables the light incident on the liquid crystal layer from the backlight unit to pass through the first substrate. Also, the reflective plate reflects the ambient light incident to the second substrate from the bright surroundings.
Hereinafter, a related art transflective type LCD device will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1A is a plan view of a first substrate according to a related art LCD device, and FIG. 1B is a cross section view along I-I′ of FIG. 1A.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a first substrate includes a gate line 10, a data line 20, and a thin film transistor 40. At this time, the gate and data lines 10 and 20 are perpendicular to each other to define a pixel region. Also, the thin film transistor 40 is formed adjacent to each crossing portion of the gate and data lines 10 and 20.
On the thin film transistor 40, there is a passivation layer 70 that includes a contact hole 26 provided in a predetermined portion corresponding to each pixel region. Through the contact hole 26, a pixel electrode 30 is connected to a drain electrode 24 of the thin film transistor 40. Then, a reflective plate 35 is formed on a predetermined portion of the pixel electrode 30. While the pixel electrode 30 is formed of a transparent conductive material, the reflective plate 35 is formed of a metal material having good reflectivity. The reflective plate 35 is formed only in a reflective part, shown in FIG. 1B.
The thin film transistor 40 includes a gate electrode 12 that is connected to the gate line 10, a gate insulating layer 60 that is formed on an entire surface of the first substrate including the gate electrode 12 and the gate line 10, a semiconductor layer 19 that is formed on the gate insulating layer 60 above the gate electrode 12, a source electrode 22 that is connected to the data line 20 being positioned above one end of the semiconductor layer 19, and a drain electrode 24 that is electrically connected with the pixel electrode 30 through the contact hole 26, being positioned above the other end of the semiconductor layer 19.
The above-mentioned transflective type LCD device includes a wavelength plate 53 and a polarizing plate 56 that control light incidence and emission. The wavelength plate 53 and the polarizing plate 56 are formed on the outer surface of each of the first substrate and the second substrate (not shown) to control the incidence and emission of the ambient light. The wavelength plate 53 corresponds to a quarter wave plate (QWP) having a phase difference of λ/4. Accordingly, the wavelength plate 53 changes the polarization state of light by either changing linearly polarized light to elliptically polarized light, or by changing elliptically polarized light to linearly polarized light. The polarizing plate 56 is adhered to the outer surface of the wavelength plate 53. The polarizing plate 56 transmits only the light that is parallel to a light-transmittance axis. Accordingly, ambient light becomes linearly polarized after passing through the polarizing plate 56.
A backlight 80 is positioned beneath the polarizing plate 56. When the light emitted from the backlight 80 is incident on the first substrate by a light-guiding plate 85, the light being incident on the reflective part is completely blocked by the wavelength plate 53 of the first substrate after being reflected on the reflective plate 35. Thus, the reflected light may not be redirected to the transmitting part.
If the area of the reflective plate in the pixel region increases, the reflective brightness can be improved in a reflective mode in which the backlight is turned OFF. However, due to the small aperture ratio of the transmitting part for transmitting the light emitted from the backlight, the transmitting brightness is degraded in the transmitting mode. On the other hand, if the area of the reflective plate in the pixel region decreases, the transmitting brightness is enhanced in the transmitting mode due to the large aperture ratio of the transmitting part for transmitting the light emitted from the backlight. However, the reflective brightness is degraded in a reflective mode in which the backlight is turned OFF.
Accordingly, there is a trade-off between the operation between the reflective mode and the transmitting mode in a transflective type LCD device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transflective type liquid crystal display device and a method for fabricating the same


The present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory card which enables continuation of processing, even when processing execution is interrupted due to interruption of voltage supply. The semiconductor memory card according to the present invention is a semiconductor memory card which can execute a program, which includes: an FeRAM which stores information; a register which stores information regarding the program being executed; a voltage detection unit which detects change in supply voltage to the semiconductor memory card; a save unit which associates register information stored in the register with additional information for specifying the program, and saves the register information and the additional information to the FeRAM in the case where the detection unit detects a predetermined status of voltage decrease; and a return unit which returns the register information to the register in the case where the detection unit detects a predetermined status of voltage increase and when the additional information stored in the FeRAM satisfies a predetermined condition.

In recent years, magnetic cards such as credit cards have been shifted to semiconductor memory cards. The reason is semiconductor memory cards have not only a larger memory capacity than magnetic cards, but also have enhanced security functions in order to prevent leakage of stored information, such as personal information. An IC card is an example of a semiconductor memory card with a function to protect the stored data.
IC cards can be classified into a contact type and a contactless type depending on communication configuration between the IC card and the reader/writer. A contactless IC card is an IC card which sends and receives data using low-intensity radio waves transmitted from the reader/writer. The contactless IC card is hereinafter simply referred to as "IC card".
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of hardware configuration of a typical IC card. The IC card shown in FIG. 1 includes a ROM 201 which stores a program, a Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FeRAM) 202 which is a non-volatile memory for storing temporary data which are used when executing a program, and data written from outside, an antenna 203 which is an interface (I/F) for external communications, and a CPU 200 for controlling various command processing and the like based on the program stored in the ROM 201.
The CPU 200 further includes an Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) 204 which is a circuit for arithmetic processing, and a register 205 which is a memory element that holds calculated values and execution statuses.
Conventionally, an IC card has only been required to perform a single simple service processing, such as electronic money and the like. However, with the recent introduction of advanced authentication technologies, such as biometric authentication, more complex processing needs to be performed. In the case where a complex processing is performed, more time is necessary to continue communication with a reader/writer than the case where simple processing is performed.
It is also noted that recent IC cards can execute plural application programs (hereinafter simply referred to as "programs") each corresponding to plural services, because processing of plural services is required. IC cards can use services provided by a server through communication with a reader/writer connected to the server which is a host computer that provides the services.
Here, it is a characteristic of a contactless IC card that the electric voltage is provided from electric waves transmitted from the reader/writer. This causes voltage supply interruption, and the processing is reset when the IC card moves away from the reader/writer.
Thus, in order to continue processing in an environment where the voltage supply is unstable, a method to resume processing after voltage supply resumes by configuring all registers and RAMs with non-volatile memory FeRAM has been introduced.

Semiconductor memory card enabling continuation of processing when processing execution is interrupted due to interruption of voltage supply


A method of printing documents from a user workstation includes activating a printer driver for submitting a digital document file to a printer, specifying print process settings in the printer driver, and commanding the driver to submit the document file and the settings to the printer. Values of settings are either individually or collectively specified, and a collective specification is a selection of a user-selectable prestored set of settings, called a “template”. Each time a value of at least one of a predetermined set of settings is individually specified and confirmed by a user, a new template is automatically defined and made selectable in the printer driver. A new template can be renamed by the user for easy recognition. Also, a template can easily be deleted, such that the number of templates can be kept practical. The same template management method can be used for other document-related processes, such as faxing and scanning.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a method of printing documents from a user workstation, and also relates to a printer driver, a computer program implementing the method of the invention and a computer-readable medium carrying computer code for performing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing documents from a user workstation is a multi-step process that includes, activating a printer driver for submitting a digital document file to a printer, specifying print process settings in the printer driver, and commanding the driver to submit the document file and the settings to the printer. In the printing process, values of settings are either individually or collectively specified, and a collective specification is a selection of a user-selectable pre-stored set of settings, which is referred to as a "template".
A related art method of this type of printing process is typified by a publication in Research Disclosure of September 2001, p. 1506, ref. no. 449055: "Proposal To Configure A Printer Driver For Customized Formatting/Finishing Of Print Jobs." According to this publication, a printer driver window includes multiple predefinable buttons, each associated with a set of settings values. By clicking such a predefined button, the user applies all associated settings values at once. Individual resetting may then still change these values. Buttons may be predefined by a user or be downloaded from a central server.
Although such pre-programmed buttons (or "templates"), add to the convenience of a user by providing fast and consistent programming of print settings for a small number of standard print formats, every new format a user wants to use must be programmed and stored in advance. In practice, however, a user frequently introduces a new format during the process of printing and forgets to save it in advance. When the print command has been given, the printer driver disappears and if the user wants to apply the new settings again, she has to reprogram the driver again.

Printer driver with automatic template generation


In an information processing system operable in response to a branch condition signal which is representative of branch conditions and which is divisible into first and second groups produced a first and second output groups, a preliminary branch selection circuit selects either one of the first and the second output groups in response to a predetermined signal as a selected output group. A specific one of the branch conditions is selected from the selected output group by a first selection switch in response to a branch condition selecting signal produced from a microinstruction read out of a control memory. A specific branch condition is used to carry out a branch operation. The predetermined signal may be produced by an internal hardware of the information system, a specific microinstruction, specific program instructions, or a combination of a specific program instruction and a specific microinstruction.

This invention relates to an information processing system which is capable of processing each instruction by the use of a microprogram and which is capable of judging a branch condition in the microprogram.
In a conventional information processing system of the type described, each program instruction or macroinstruction in a program is very often processed by the use of a plurality of microinstructions which are memorized in a control memory having a plurality of addresses. It is well known that branch microinstructions are included in such microinstructions so as to determine branch conditions. For this purpose, each of the branch microinstructions includes a branch condition selection area or field composed of a predetermined number of bits which will be called branch condition bits. Such branch condition bits are used as a zero detection signal representative of zero detection of a calculation result, a sign bit signal, a carry signal, an overflow signal, a wide variety of flags, and a mode signal indicative of various modes. Under the circumstances, the branch condition selection area in each branch microinstruction should have a bit number determined by the number of the branch conditions. Accordingly, the bit number of the branch condition selection area increases with an increase of the number of the branch conditions. This results in an increase of a memory capacity of the control memory. Thus, an amount of hardware must be inevitably increased with an increase of the branch conditions.

Information processing system capable of handling an increased number of branch conditions without an increase of memory capacity of a control memory


Embodiments relate generally to a traction surface and methods for forming the traction surface. The traction surface may comprise a compound material comprising glass fibers oriented orthogonal to the surface of the compound material extending from the compound material, wherein when the traction surface contacts an icy surface, the glass fibers are operable to penetrate a liquid-like top layer of the icy surface to provide grip with an ice layer below the liquid-like top layer. The method for forming the traction surface may comprise integrating glass fibers into a compound material; orienting the glass fibers within the compound material such that the glass fibers are oriented approximately orthogonal to the surface of the compound material; splitting the compound material to expose the glass fibers, wherein the glass fibers extend from the surface of the compound material; and forming the split compound material into a traction surface.

In work areas where there is potential for ice forming on the ground surfaces, workers may wear slip resistant footwear to help prevent slipping on the icy surfaces. These work areas may include outdoor and indoor areas. Additionally, other devices or protective equipment may be used in the areas where ice may be likely to form, and these devices may comprise slip resistant elements, or elements providing traction.


A filter device for filtering electrical currents or electromagnetic interference, particularly common-mode interference. The filter device has a soft-magnetic core with a passage, a printed circuit board with a plurality of electronic components, and a holding section. The holding section of the printed circuit board can be put through the core passage wherein the passage is designed such that the holding section and the electronic components arranged on the holding section can be put through the passage.

The following is known from the prior art: until now, so-called common-mode chokes which consist of two coils wound in opposition to one another and having a soft-magnetic core have been used in particular in supply lines in order to reduce electromagnetic interference. These chokes are generally introduced into the signal path to be filtered by means of soldering or welding.
One disadvantage with this consists in that a design of the circuit arrangement which has been selected once can no longer be optionally populated with such a filter, i.e. it is generally necessary to dispense with the filter in order to change the design of the circuit arrangement. If the circuit arrangements are supplier parts, the customer, as the consumer, cannot decide depending on requirements, whether the circuit arrangement is intended to be populated with a filter or not and is tied to the original design.
O-shaped cores which are pushed over sheet-metal lines, for example, are known. Nonetheless, these need to be sequentially processed and require a large number of individual process steps such as soldering or welding during production. If an effective pi filter which contains a combination of two capacitors and a coil is intended to be formed with such an arrangement, the manufacturing complexity is increased additionally by the application of the individual capacitors, with which contact needs to be made separately by means of welding, soldering, clamping or the like.
Against this background, the object of the invention consists in providing a filter device which can be introduced into electronic control devices using simple means and avoids the abovementioned disadvantages.


An electronic component according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a resonator, a mounting substrate, and an electric connection member. The resonator has a terminal. The mounting substrate has a first principal surface, a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface, and an electrode provided in a hole intersecting with the second principal surface. The electric connection member electrically connects the electrode of the mounting substrate to the terminal of the resonator. One end of the electrode of the mounting substrate is provided along the second principal surface. The electric connection member is provided on the one end of the electrode of the mounting substrate. The resonator is provided on the electric connection member so that the terminal of the resonator is in contact with the electric connection member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component and, more particularly, to an electronic component incorporating a resonator.
2. Related Background of the Invention
Mobile communication devices typified by cell phones are in remarkably widespread use in these days and are rapidly being downsized. In conjunction therewith, components used in the mobile communication devices are demanded to be more downsized and sophisticated.
A branching filter (electronic component) is used for branching or generation of a transmitted signal and a received signal in such mobile communication devices. An example of the branching filter is one comprised of a band-pass filter, a band-stop filter, or a combination of these, and another example of the branching filter for achieving further downsizing and sophistication is one comprised of two filters (resonators) having mutually different band center frequencies.
FIG. 8 shows a functional configuration of a branching filter using two filters with different band center frequencies. In the branching filter (electronic component) 10 shown in FIG. 8, a phase matching circuit 13 is connected to a second filter 12, and matching between impedance characteristics of two filters 11, 12 is made by change of phase. The first filter 11 and the phase matching circuit 13 are connected to a branch point A at an extension from a common terminal C. Input/output terminals S1, S2 for branched signals are connected to the first filter 11 and to the second filter 12, respectively.
FIG. 9 shows a structure of a conventional branching filter for implementing the functional configuration shown in FIG. 8. The branching filter 100 shown in FIG. 9 consists of five layers. This branching filter is comprised of a first filter 11, a second filter 12, a mounting substrate 14, a frame 15, and a shield lid 16. The first filter 11 and the second filter 12 are mounted on the mounting substrate 14. The frame 15 is attached to the mounting substrate board 14 so as to surround the filters 11, 12. The shield lid 16 is fixed to the frame 15 to seal the filters 11, 12 in.
The mounting substrate 14 has a first principal surface 14a and a second principal surface 14b. A common terminal C, input/output terminals S1, S2 (the input/output terminal S1 of which is not shown), and a ground terminal (not shown) are formed on the first principal surface 14a. The filters 11, 12 are mounted on the second principal surface 14b. Two ground layers 17a, 17b are formed in the mounting substrate 14 so as to sandwich a phase matching circuit 13 in the stack direction. Furthermore, a via electrode 18 is formed in the mounting substrate 14. The via electrode 18 is constructed of an electric conductor placed inside a through hole opening at one end in the first principal surface 14a and also opening at the other end in the second principal surface 14b. The via electrode 18 is connected to the common terminal C on the first principal surface 14a and is connected through a bonding pad to the first filter 11 by a bonding wire 19 on the second principal surface 14b. Furthermore, one end of the aforementioned phase matching circuit 13 is connected to a halfway position of the via electrode 18, i.e., a branch point A, and the other end to the second filter 12.
The connection of the filters in the branching filter having the phase matching circuit is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-237739.

Electronic component having a connection member connecting a resonator terminal and a mounting substrate electrode


The present invention relates to a conjugated diene based polymer comprising a monomer unit derived from at least one conjugated diene selected from 1,3-butadiene and isoprene and a monomer unit derived from a compound represented by Formula (1):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer composition excellent in fuel cost-saving properties and a conjugated diene based polymer for producing the polymer composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a rubber composition for automobile tires, a rubber composition containing a conjugated diene based polymer such as polybutadiene or a styrene-butadiene copolymer, and a reinforcing agent has been conventionally used.
For example, Patent Document 1 suggests a styrene-butadiene copolymer containing many vinyl bonds, and a polymer composition using the copolymer.    [Patent Document 1] JP 01-29802 B1

Conjugated diene based polymer, and polymer composition containing the polymer

Abstract: wherein n represents an integer of 0 to 5; R11, R12 and R13 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.


The present invention relates to a multi-purpose drilling tool with a boring head, a drill twist connected thereto and a downstream clamping shank, a cutting element (1) being provided on the working side of the boring head. The cutting element (1) has a face (9, 24) with a rake angle (γ) having a value of γ≧0° b, the cutting element (1) having a flank (10, 13) with a lip clearance angle (α) having a value of 5°≦α≦15° and, in particular, α≈10°.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-purpose drilling tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Publication DE 31 23 048 A1 makes known a universal drill that includes a boring head with a hard-metal plate, a shank attached thereto, and a clamping shank. The universal drill is designed for machining hard and slightly hard materials; percussive motion must not take place during drilling. The disadvantage of this type of drill is that, although it is suited for machining concrete, masonry and similar hard materials, the fact that it is limited to rotary operation means the rapid progress typically made in machining these types of materials does not occur, with the result that the acceptance of a drill of this type among professional users is low.
Furthermore, publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,775 makes known a drill with a drill bit insert that is also designed exclusively for a rotary application.


An apparatus for adjusting a beam path for tracking an object includes an illumination unit to generate an illumination light beam, an optical unit with a beam expander optical unit and a beam deflection unit, the beam expander optical unit being configured to divergently expand the illumination light beam and the beam deflection unit being configured to deflect the illumination light beam spatially about two different axes of rotation, a detector unit to capture a light beam reflected by the object in response to an illumination by the illumination light beam and to generate a measurement signal, an evaluation and control unit to evaluate the measurement signal and configured to determine a manipulated variable for setting an effective focal length of the beam expander optical unit and/or for setting a spatial alignment of the beam deflection unit based on the information item in respect of the illumination of the object.

Very large coordinate measuring machines and/or laser trackers or laser tracers are customarily used in the field of measuring very large components, such as component parts of wind turbines, for example. However, the production of such apparatuses with the desired high accuracy even in the case of large measurement paths and different ambient conditions is complicated and leads to high costs.
Measuring methods are known, in which a measuring head of a sensor optically scans a large component and the measuring head is positioned and aligned in a measurement volume with a distance measuring apparatus and an additional angle measuring apparatus.
By way of example, DE 10 2018 222 629 A1 describes an apparatus for determining at least one spatial position and orientation of at least one object using at least one LIDAR unit.
US 2014/0043622 A1 describes a system for measuring the position of an object in a measurement volume, comprising an optical angle measuring apparatus, which is arranged with a static optical unit and which is configured to measure the azimuth and elevation angle of the object in the measurement volume. In addition to the optical angle measuring apparatus, provision is made of a distance measuring apparatus configured to measure the distance to the object in the measurement volume.
EP 3 036 845 A1 and DE 10 2013 014 045 A1 describe an effector system comprising at least one transmission/capturing apparatus, comprising a detection apparatus for capturing a target object, at least a first closed-loop control system for driving a first servo-system for aligning a beam path between the transmission/capturing apparatus and target object, a second closed-loop control system for driving a second servo-system for aligning the beam path, and a third closed-loop control system for driving a third servo-system for aligning the transmission/capturing apparatus, the third closed-loop control system comprising an additional capturing apparatus and the third servo-system being driveable on the basis of the data of the additional capturing apparatus.
Further methods, such as the triangulation method, for example, operate with a collimated beam. By way of example, EP 2 756 262 B1 describes a method with a collimated beam, the measuring accuracy being based on the exact knowledge of the position of the beam adjusting unit.
However, such known methods and apparatuses are complex and require at least two measurement systems: one for measuring the spatial position and one for measuring the angle.
Furthermore, large measurement uncertainties may arise as a result of using different measurement systems for determining the spatial position and for measuring the angle.

Method for adjusting a beam path for tracking an object

Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH


A system for the delivery of a substantially uniform mono-layer of toner to an electrostatic latent image in an imaging member (such as a rotating cylinder) insures proper handling of the toner, and utilizes first and second rollers which function as a polarity filter for toner, allowing only particular charged toner to be transferred from a toner reservoir to the imaging member. The twin roller delivery system comprises first and second rollers mounted for rotation about substantially parallel substantially horizontal axes, so that the peripheral surface of the first roller receives the toner from the substantially open top reservoir, and the second roller receives toner from the first roller and transfers it to the imaging member. The first and second rollers are charged to different electrical potentials, e.g. both being positive with the second roller at a potential that is about 400 volts below the first. The rollers are rotated in opposite directions about the axes of rotation. Toner scraping is provided at specific points along the first and second rollers so that any residual toner falls into the toner reservoir, and a suction system is provided adjacent the second roller both before and after its peripheral surface transfers toner to the imaging member, to remove stray toner without disturbing the substantially uniform mono-layer of toner.

European patent specification 494454 discloses an apparatus and method for applying non-magnetic and non-conductive toner to an imaging member containing an electrostatic pattern, for ultimately imaging substrates, such as a moving paper web. The system as disclosed therein (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) utilizes a fluidized bed of toner, a roller system for transferring the toner to an imaging member (the rollers having various electrical potentials), and a mechanism for replenishing the toner in the fluidized bed. While the system described therein is highly useful, there are some circumstances when a simpler system is desired for application of the charged toner to the imaging member, such as in a Moore Business Forms, Inc. (of Lake Forest, Ill.) Midax 300 printing engine, and there are systems in which it is desirable to insure that a uniform mono-layer of toner is undisturbed until the layer is delivered to the imaging member, and any unused toner is returned directly to the toner reservoir. The present invention provides a system for accomplishing these purposes.
According to the present invention in a single component non-magnetic toner applicator system charged toner is delivered to an electrostatic latent image on an imaging member (such as an imaging roller) by a dual conductive roller system. Utilizing electric fields and electrostatic adhesion forces in succession, toner is transported from the reservoir of charged toner to a latent image. The roller system, shields, and vacuum (suction) system according to the invention are configured in such a way that a uniform mono-layer of toner is undisturbed until the layer is delivered to a point in opposition to the latent image on the imaging member, where it subsequently develops the image, and the untransferred residual toner is returned directly to the toner reservoir for reuse. The twin rollers act as a polarity filter for the toner only allowing particularly charged (positively charged in the description provided in the application, but the invention also being applicable to negatively charged systems) to be transferred between the rollers, thus eliminating the adverse affects of having negative toner strain throughout the imaging system. The dual roller system according to the invention also allows great flexibility in delivering the images in a wide variety of positions including the seven o'clock position, the six o'clock position, and essentially any position between about two and ten o'clock, providing a wide variety of possible configurations for a multitude of applications in electrophotography and electrography.
According to one aspect of the present invention a system for the delivery of a substantially uniform mono-layer of toner to an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member is provided comprising the following components: A toner reservoir containing a fluidized bed of charged toner and having a substantially open top. An imaging member. A (e.g. twin) roller delivery system for delivery of a substantially uniform mono-layer of toner to an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member, comprising first and second rollers mounted for rotation about substantially parallel substantially horizontal axes, each roller having a peripheral surface. The first roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner from the substantially open top of the reservoir, and the second roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner from the first roller (e.g. directly from the peripheral surface thereof), and so that the second roller peripheral surface transfers toner directly to the imaging member. Means for charging the first and second rollers to different electrical potentials. Means for rotating the first and second rollers (e.g. in opposite directions of rotation) about the axes. Means for scraping toner from the first roller peripheral surface between the second roller and the reservoir at a portion of the first roller peripheral surface past the second roller in the direction of rotation of the first roller, so that the toner falls into the toner reservoir and does not escape into the surrounding environment. And means for scraping toner from the second roller peripheral surface after transfer of toner therefrom (e.g. to the second roller) so that toner falls into the toner reservoir and does not escape into the surrounding environment.
The toner scraping means may comprise any suitable conventional scraping devices, such as conventional scraper blades (rigid or flexible), or scraper blades associated with gas blasts and/or suction sources, and/or mounted within particular configured shields and housings so as to positively redirect the toner to the toner reservoir.
The means for charging the first and second rollers may be any conventional electrical potential sources. They may charge the rollers so that they are both at positive potentials, typically with the second roller at an electrical potential lower than the first. For example, the charging means may maintain the second roller at a potential that is about 300-500 volts (e.g. about 400 volts) below the first roller. For example, the first roller could be charged to a potential between about 400-500 volts (positive), with the second roller between about 100-700 volts (positive).
Suction means are preferably also provided adjacent the second roller both before and after the second roller peripheral surface transfers toner to the imaging member in the direction of rotation thereof, so as to remove stray toner without disturbing the substantially uniform mono-layer of toner. The suction means may comprise any conventional vacuum source with any desired channels configured to withdraw the stray toner from unwanted positions to a disposal site.
The means for rotating the rollers may comprise any conventional power source including electrical motors, fluid driven motors, belts and pulleys, chains and sprockets, gears or the like. The second roller preferably transfers toner to the imaging member at approximately a seven o'clock position, or at a six o'clock position. Desirably the first roller axis of rotation is both horizontally and vertically spaced from the second roller axis of rotation.
The first and second rollers are preferably positioned and charged by the charging means so that the rollers function as a polarity filter for toner, allowing only particularly charged toner to be transferred from the toner reservoir to the imaging member. The first and second rollers are typically positioned so that there is a gap between them that is of substantial uniform with, e.g. between about 100-250 microns.
According to another aspect of the present invention a system is provided comprising the following components: A toner reservoir containing a bed of charged toner and having a substantially open top. An imaging member. A (e.g. twin) roller delivery system for delivery of a substantially uniform mono-layer of toner to an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member, comprising first and second rollers mounted for rotation about substantially parallel substantially horizontal axes, each roller having a peripheral surface. The first roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner from the substantially open top of the reservoir, and the second roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner from the first roller (e.g. directly from the peripheral surface thereof), and so that the second roller peripheral surface transfers toner directly to the imaging member. Means for charging the first and second rollers to different electrical potentials. Means for rotating the first and second rollers about their axes of rotation. And suction means provided adjacent the second roller both before and after the second roller peripheral surface transfers toner to the imaging member in the direction of rotation thereof, so as to remove stray toner without disturbing the substantially uniform mono-layer of toner. The details of the components preferably are such as described above.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a system is provided comprising the following components: A toner reservoir containing a fluidized bed of charged toner and having a substantially open top. An imaging member. A twin roller delivery system for delivery of a substantially uniform mono-layer of toner to an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member, consisting of first and second rollers mounted for rotation about substantially parallel substantially horizontal axes, each roller having a peripheral surface. The first roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner from the substantially open top of the reservoir, and the second roller positioned so that the peripheral surface thereof receives toner directly from the first roller peripheral surface, and so that the second roller peripheral surface transfers toner directly to the imaging member. Means for charging the first and second rollers to different electrical potentials. Means for rotating the first and second rollers in opposite directions of rotation about the axes. And wherein the first and second rollers are positioned and charged by the charging means so that the rollers function as a polarity filter for toner, allowing only particularly charged toner to be transferred from the toner reservoir to the imaging member. Preferably, the first and second rollers are positioned so that the axes thereof are both horizontally and vertically offset from each other and so that there is a gap therebetween that has a substantially uniform width between about 100-250 microns. The other details of the system preferably are as described above.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective system for the delivery of a uniform mono-layer toner to an electrostatic latent image on an imaging member. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.


A temporary plug apparatus for use to seal a port in an upper manifold or lower manifold corresponding to a damaged filter grid in a pool filter system is provided. The plug apparatus includes a main body having a central body, an upper tubular member designed to insert into one of a plurality of ports in the upper manifold and a lower tubular member designed to insert into one of a plurality of ports in the lower manifold, and an elastic band coupled to the main body and designed to wrap around the upper manifold or lower manifold of the pool filter system to ensure the upper tubular member or lower tubular member of the main body is secured to the one of the plurality of ports in the upper or lower manifold.

The embodiments herein relate generally to pool filter systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention are directed to a temporary plug apparatus designed to seal any port in the upper or lower manifold corresponding to a damaged filter grid in a pool filter system.
A swimming pool commonly uses a filter system to prevent dirt and debris from entering the basin with water. One common type of pool filter system used in a wide range of applications includes a top or bottom style Diatomaceous Earth (DE) pool and spa filter assembly. In this filter assembly, a filter container houses filter grids that are operably connected to an upper manifold or lower manifold. Each manifold in the upper manifold and lower manifold comprises a plurality of ports that correspond to the filter grids in the container. An intake connects the water in the basin of the swimming pool to the filter container and is operably connected to at least one pump.
During the operation of the pool filter system, the pump sends water from the swimming pool to the filter container via the intake. The captured water passes through the filter grids in the container to collect any dirt, debris and the like in the water. The resulting filtered pool water flows through the corresponding ports in the upper manifold or lower manifold and is sent back into the basin of the swimming pool.
During the normal course of operation of the filter system, the filter grids in the container are subject to wear and/or damage. This is problematic since a damaged filter grid is no longer effective in capturing dirt or debris in the passing pool water. In this scenario, the debris and dirt in the captured pool water passes through the damaged filter grid, flows through the port in the upper or lower manifold corresponding to the damaged filter grid, and is sent back to the basin of the swimming pool.
In certain circumstances, there is a delay in replacing the one or more damaged filter grids in the pool filter system for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, the time to order, ship and/or obtain a replacement filter grid, the unavailability of pool maintenance personnel, and the like.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a temporary plug apparatus that seals any port in an upper manifold or lower manifold of a pool filter system corresponding to a damaged filter grid. This allows the pool filter system to continue operation until the damaged filter grid can be replaced while preventing debris, dirt and/or other items present within the filter container from flowing back into the swimming pool basin.

Temporary plug apparatus for a port of a manifold of a pool filter system


Systems and methods are provided to manage a replication service of a block storage volume to increase dependability and/or decrease data loss. Each snapshot of a block storage volume can include a point-in-time representation of the volume. Each snapshot may include multiple objects that correspond to one or more blocks of the volume. One or more objects of a snapshot may reference a parent snapshot instead of a block of the volume. Each object of a snapshot may be replicated a number of times based on the number of references by other snapshots. The number of replicas may be based on the number of snapshots referencing the object or the number of unique clients referencing the object. The replication service can manage the replicas of the object and increase or decrease the number of replicas as needed.

Cloud computing, in general, is an approach to providing access to information technology resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. In cloud computing, elasticity refers to network-delivered computing resources that can be scaled up and down by a network service provider to adapt to changing requirements of users. For example, the elasticity of these resources can be in terms of processing power, storage, bandwidth, and so forth. Elastic computing resources may be delivered automatically and on-demand, dynamically adapting to the changes in resource requirements on or within a given user's system. For example, a client can use a network service to host a large online streaming service, set up with elastic resources so that the number of web servers streaming content to users may scale up to meet bandwidth requirements during peak viewing hours, and then scale back down when system usage is lighter.
A client typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to the elastic resources accessed through network service, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software that provides access to these resources. This provides a number of benefits, including allowing users to quickly reconfigure their available computing resources in response to changing demands of their enterprise and enabling the network service provider to automatically scale provided computing service resources based on usage, traffic, or other operational requirements. This dynamic nature of network service computing services, in contrast to a relatively static infrastructure of on-premises computing environments, requires a system architecture that can reliably re-allocate its hardware according to the changing needs of its client base and demands on the network-based computing services.
Cloud computing environments may provide a number of functionalities similar to on-premises environments. For example, cloud computing environments may enable a client to create a volume representing a block storage device, which can be used in a manner similar or identical to a physical hard disk. A cloud computing environment may also provide functionality to save a state of such a volume, such as by taking a "snapshot" of the volume. Each snapshot may correspond to a data set that reflects a point-in-time representation of blocks of the block storage volume. Snapshots may beneficially be used to backup data of the volume. To protect against data loss, snapshots themselves may be replicated, such that loss of a single replica does not result in loss of the snapshot. However, storage of snapshots may require significant storage resources, which resource use is compounded when snapshots are replicated.

Variable replication levels for an object of a snapshot of a block storage volume


A strap tightening up device includes a U-shaped body, a pin fixed in the body, a clamping element including a cam portion rotatably engaging with the pin, a spring for biasing the clamping element to rotate in one direction, a resilient plate disposed between the cam portion and the body and stretched to closely contact the cam portion. The strap is solidly clamped between the cam portion and the body when the clamping element rotates in the one direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device, and more particularly to a tightening up device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical tightening up device is shown in FIG. 4 and is provided for tightening up a strap, a cable or the like and comprises a U-shaped body 40 including an opening 41 formed in the bottom portion thereof, a strap or a cable 60 to be tightened being inserted through the opening 41 of the body 40, a clamping element 50 having a cam portion 51 pivotally supported in the body 40 at a pin element 42, a plurality of teeth or projections 511 formed on the outer peripheral portion for engagement with the strop 60, and a spring 421 engaged on the pin element 42 for biasing the clamping element 50. In operation, one end of the strap 60 which passes through the opening 41 is pulled away from the tightening up device, at this moment, the clamping element 50 is caused to rotate in the direction as indicated by the arrow by the engagement between the projections 511 and the strap 60, the strap 60 can be solidly clamped between the body 40 and the cam portion 51 of the clamping element 50. However, obviously, the strap 60 will be easily damaged by the projections 511 when the strap 60 moves relative to the projections 511 of the cam portion 51.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional tightening up device.

No. 12, Alley 111, Lane 437, Chen Hsing Rd.


A system, composition, and a method for planarizing or polishing a composite substrate are provided. The planarizing or polishing system comprises (i) a polishing composition comprising (a) about 0.5 wt. % or more of fluoride 5 ions, (b) about 1 wt. % or more of an amine, (c) about 0.1 wt. % or more of a base, and (d) water, and (ii) an abrasive. The present invention also provides a method of planarizing or polishing a composite substrate comprising contacting the substrate with a system comprising (i) a polishing composition comprising (a) about 0.5 wt. % or more of fluoride ions, (b) about 1 wt. % or more of an amine, (c) about 0.1 wt. % or more of a base, and (d) water, and (ii) an abrasive.

As the size of integrated circuits is reduced and the number of integrated circuits on a chip increases, the components that make up the circuits must be positioned closer together in order to comply with the limited space available on a typical chip. Current research, therefore, is directed towards achieving a greater density of active components per unit area of a semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, effective isolation between circuits is becoming more important for ensuring optimum semiconductor performance. Conventional isolation of circuit components in modem integrated circuit technology takes the form of shallow trenches, which are etched into the semiconductor substrate and filled with an insulating material, such as silicon dioxide. These areas are generally referred to in the art as shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. STI regions serve to isolate the active regions of the integrated circuit.
A problem associated with STI processing is planarization of the semiconductor substrate following trench formation (i.e., after the trench is etched and then filled with an insulation material). In particular, after trenches are filled with insulation material, it is necessary to selectively remove protrusions of the insulation material from the "mesa" regions between each trench of the semiconductor substrate. This requires the selective removal of the oxide insulating material over the barrier film (typically a nitride material) that tops the mesa regions. The complete removal of oxides from the mesa regions must be accomplished with minimal thinning of the underlying barrier film, in order to ensure uniform thickness of the barrier film across the semiconductor substrate. Planarity of the semiconductor substrate is, in fact, crucial for maximal semiconductor performance. A highly planar surface topography reduces the potential for current leakage (i.e., short-circuiting) between active regions of the integrated circuit. In addition, a high degree of planarity reduces the potential for depth of focus lithography problems during subsequent interconnect processing steps. Accordingly, excellent planarization or polishing processes following trench formation are critical for ensuring optimum semiconductor performance.
Attempts to solve the problem of providing a highly planarized integrated circuit structure, after having formed oxide-filled STI regions in the substrate, have resulted in a number of planarization schemes. Conventional planarization schemes include, for example, 'integration schemes' which combine conventional chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) slurries with dummy structures, oxide reverse masks and etches, dual nitrides, hard masks, and/or resist blocks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,173 (Yano et al.), for example, is directed to a method of forming a trench isolation structure involving a two-step process of planarizing by CMP using a slurry and, then, wet-etching with an HF solution. Most conventional schemes, however, are time-consuming and expensive, and can be inefficient during one or more processing steps.
A need remains, therefore, for polishing systems, compositions, and/or methods that, when used alone or in combination with conventional planarization or integration schemes, will exhibit minimal barrier film thinning and will result in maximal barrier film planarity (i.e., thickness uniformity) across a composite substrate, particularly after the substrate has undergone shallow trench isolation processing. The present invention seeks to provide such a polishing system, composition, and method. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.

System for the preferential removal of silicon oxide


In a method for manufacturing an FET having a gate insulation film with an SiO2 equivalent thickness of 2 nm or more and capable of suppressing the leak current to 1/100 or less compared with existent SiO2 films, an SiO2 film of 0.5 nm or more is formed at a boundary between an Si substrate (polycrystalline silicon gate) and a high dielectric insulation film, and the temperature for forming the SiO2 film is made higher than the source-drain activating heat treatment temperature in the subsequent steps. As such, a shifting threshold voltage by the generation of static charges or lowering of a drain current caused by degradation of mobility can be prevented so as to reduce electric power consumption and increase current in a field effect transistor of a smaller size.

MOS transistors as a basic constituent circuit for large scale integrated circuits (LSI) have been highly integrated in accordance with a scaling rule. However, it is considered that the gate insulation film using silicon dioxide (SiO2) is limited to a film thickness of 2.0 nm or less at the cost of increasing the consumption power and lowering reliability of the insulation film due to increase a direct tunnel leakage current. Further, since a diffusion barrier to impurities is weakened in such thin SiO2, it brings about leakage of impurities from a gate electrode. Further, a stringent production control is necessary for mass production of thin SiO2 films at a good uniformity.
In view of the above, for attaining further refinement and higher operation speed of the device simultaneously and breaking through the limit for the scaling, development for "High Dielectric Constant (high-K) Material" capable of obtaining a field effect performance equal to or superior to SiO2 even when it is formed with a thickness larger than SiO2 has been conducted actively. Potential candidate materials include IV group oxides such as zirconia (ZrO2), hafnia (HfO2), III group oxides such as alumina (Al2O3) and yttria (Y2O3) and silicates as solid solutions of such metal oxides and SiO2. The group IV oxides and group III oxides are materials utilized as the gate insulation film in the early stage of Si semiconductors. However, after the technique for forming the gate insulation film with SiO2 has been established, SiO2 has been used exclusively in view of its excellent characteristics. For example, a field effect transistor (FET) using ZrO2 for the gate insulation film is described in IEDM' 99 Tech. Digest, pp. 145, 1999. A field effect transistor using HfO2 for the gate insulation film is described in 2000 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, and a field effect transistor using alumina for the gate insulation film is described in IEDM' 00 Tech. Digest pp. 145, 2000. A method for manufacturing a metal silicate is described in JP-A-135774/1999.
Existing FET forming processes include, after forming the gate insulation film, a step of depositing a gate comprising, for example, polycrystalline silicon, a step of injecting impurities to the polycrystalline silicon gate, a step of fabricating the gate, a step of injecting impurities to a source-drain region, and a heating step of activating the impurities. Particularly, for the heating step (activating the impurities), a temperature of 900° C. or higher is desirable for controlling to a predetermined impurity profile. Accordingly, it is necessary for the gate insulation film comprising the high dielectric material to maintain interface characteristics at high quality even by the FET forming process including the heating step.
However, in a case of forming FET, for example, by applying Al2O3 to a gate insulation film, the following problems exist as described in IEDM' 00 Tech. Digest, pp 145. Since negative fixed charges are present in the insulation film, a flat band voltage of an N channel type MISFET shifts by 0.3 V or more toward a positive voltage and a threshold voltage of FET also changes. Further, since the mobility of electrons is small which is about ¼ compared with a universal curve of an SiO2 film (general curve giving effective field effect dependence of mobility), the source—drain current upon operating FET can not be increased as expected. One of the reasons that the mobility of electrons is small is attributable to scattering of electrons in the channel because of the presence of negative fixed charges in the insulation film. Accordingly, for applying Al2O3 to the gate insulation film, it is necessary to remove the negative fixed charges in the insulation film.
The equivalent SiO2 thickness (EOT) of a high dielectric gate insulation film is defined as below. When the thickness of an SiO2 gate insulation film obtained by fixing a refractive index to 1.46 is tox measured by an ellipsometer using a light at frequency of 784 nm, the SiO2 equivalent film thickness (EOT) of the high dielectric gate insulation film having an identical electrical capacitance with that of an MOS capacitor formed by using the SiO2 gate insulation film.
This invention intends to develop a high dielectric insulation film at high quality with less SiO2 equivalent film thickness, less leakage current when compared by an identical equivalent film thickness, stable also to thermal load in the FET forming process and excellent in the boundary characteristics.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


A three-unit zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, a negative first lens unit G1, a positive second lens unit G2 and a third lens unit G3, wherein during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end the distance between the first lens unit G1 and the second lens unit G2 decreases and the distance between the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3 changes. The first lens unit G1 is composed of one negative lens component including, in order from the object side, a negative lens having a concave surface directed toward the image side and a positive lens having a convex surface directed toward the object side. The second lens unit G2 includes at least one negative lens and a plurality of positive lenses, wherein at least three lenses among these lenses are cemented to adjacent lenses, the total number of lens components included in the second lens unit G2 is two or less. The third lens unit is composed of one lens component composed of two or less lenses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a small-size zoom lens and an image pickup apparatus such as a compact digital camera equipped with such a zoom lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in image pickup apparatuses such as a digital cameras and a video cameras, a high image quality, a high zooming ratio and thinning of a barrel frame have been sought.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-308953 discloses a three-unit zoom lens composed of a first lens unit having a negative refracting power, a second lens unit having a positive refracting power and a third lens unit. In this three-unit zoom lens, the first lens unit is composed of a cemented lens component composed, in order from the object side, of a biconcave negative lens and a positive lens, and the second lens unit is composed of two lenses, and the third lens unit is composed of one lens. This configuration is advantageous in making the size of the zoom lens small.

Three-unit zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same


A vehicle body assembly including a portion that is subject to deformation during vehicle impact events includes a body component, and at least one deformation control plate carried by the vehicle body assembly to engage the body component and inhibit deformation of the body component beyond a threshold amount. The deformation control plate is arranged to engage with the frame component only when the frame component is deformed beyond a first amount. Further deformation of the frame component bends or otherwise deforms the deformation control plate which provides a force resisting further deformation of the frame component and also dissipates the kinetic impact energy away from the deforming area of the frame component.

Motor vehicle body assemblies are constructed and arranged to support and retain vehicle components and define a passenger cabin in which the driver and one or more passengers may sit in use of the vehicle. The shape and size of vehicle bodies depends upon several factors such as the desired exterior and interior size and aesthetics, aerodynamics, the location and size of included components, and the like.
Portions of the vehicle body assembly, may become deformed in certain vehicle impact events. Among these impact events are tests conducted by governmental, insurance and other agencies to determine the effect of certain impact events on different vehicles. These impact event tests may include full frontal vehicle collisions, offset frontal vehicle collisions, side impact collisions, rear collisions, and others. Some agencies use the data collected by these tests to issue ratings of vehicle body performance and structural integrity, and these ratings purport to be an indicator of the protection afforded to passengers of the vehicle in incidents similar to the tested conditions.

Vehicle body deformation control assembly


A computerized method for natural gas distribution compliance management is provided. The method includes maintaining a database identifying a plurality of compliance events and a plurality of resources. A computer system is provided including a main computer and a remote computer adapted to communicate with the main computer. The main computer retains at least a portion of a main program and the database. The remote computer retains a remote program operative to display and modify a remote portion of the compliance events and a remote portion of the resources of the database. The database is periodically scanned to identify at least one of the compliance events requiring a response and to identify at least one of the resources to respond to the compliance event requiring the response. Compliance events are matched and scheduled with the resource to respond to the compliance event.

In the field of public utilities, and more specifically in the field of natural gas delivery, distribution systems require considerable repair and monitoring to preserve and maintain distribution assets. Additionally, publicly regulated natural gas distribution and delivery systems must comply with regulatory requirements in many aspects of natural gas distribution operations.
For example, when a leak is detected in a publicly regulated gas distribution system, regulations may require that the leak be repaired within a predetermined time-period. Furthermore, the repair procedure must be accomplished according to guidelines set by the regulating authority. Such repair procedures may include follow-up monitoring of the leak over a fixed time interval to verify that the repair has been successful.
Regulatory agencies also require that gas distribution operators provide documentation establishing that these repair procedures conform to the regulatory guidelines. Supporting documentation that the proper procedures were followed is generally provided during routine audits or may be requested by the regulatory authority on-demand and without advanced notice. For this reason, compliance with the myriad of regulatory requirements for natural gas distribution operation is a difficult and time-consuming task.
Commonly, distribution system management has been accomplished using standardized paper forms promulgated by the regulatory authority. Paper systems, however, are inefficient since they are difficult to store, retrieve and require considerable time to aggregate for regulatory reporting purposes. Previous attempts to streamline the compliance process have included computerization of natural gas distribution line leaks, surveys and monitors.
For example, under these prior systems when a leak was detected or reported in a gas distribution line, a computer entry was made to schedule a leak repair within the time period required by the regulating authority. A report detailing the required repair criteria was then timely generated by the computer system and furnished to a technician who would make the repair.
Based on a computer entry documenting the completion of the repair, the computer system would automatically schedule, according to regulatory requirements, follow-up monitoring to verify that the repair was, in fact, successful at stopping the leak. The computer system was also utilized to schedule natural gas distribution line surveys, again according to regulatory requirements. Survey reports were timely generated by the computer system and furnished to the technician who would physically inspect the pipeline for irregularities or leaks. The data compiled by these prior systems could subsequently be aggregated for reporting to the appropriate regulatory authority.
A need continues to exist for an improved compliance management system and method for accurately and efficiently managing compliance of a natural gas distribution system. It is to such an improved compliance management system and method that the present invention is directed.


The invention relates to a metering pump assembly for admixing a fluid reduction agent into an exhaust gas flow with a metering pump for delivering the reduction agent and with a premixing device, in which in a mixing region, the reduction agent delivered by the metering pump is mixed with a pressurized gas, wherein the metering pump assembly comprises a pump head with a central plate in which at least the metering pump and the premixing device are arranged.

The invention relates to a metering pump assembly for admixing a fluid reduction agent in an exhaust gas flow.
With auto-igniting internal combustion engines, nitrous oxides arise on operation with excess oxygen, which is the case the majority of operating conditions, and specifically with direct injection into the main combustion space, as is typical with diesel motors. It is known to supply a reduction catalyser to the exhaust gas flow, in order to reduce these nitrous oxide emissions. Usually, an aqueous urea solution as a reduction agent is supplied to the exhaust gas in a finely distributed manner before entry into the catalyser. Thereby, the supplied urea quantity is to be matched as exactly as possible to the combustion process, in order to ensure an as complete as possible reduction within the catalyser, and on the other hand to avoid an excess of urea.
A special metering pump for metering and supplying the reduction agent to the exhaust gas flow is known from EP 1 435 458 A1. With this metering pump, the supplied reduction agent is mixed or subjected to pressurized air in the metering pump assembly before the supply to the exhaust gas flow. The known metering pump assembly, to the outside comprises four connections, specifically for a suction conduit, for a return conduit, for a pressurized air supply as well as for the conduit to an injection nozzle in the exhaust gas system. All essential components for operation of the metering pump and of the premixing device for mixing the reduction agent with pressurized air are integrated into the metering pump assembly.