A driver circuit for an integrated circuit device includes a transistor that has a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a bulk substrate terminal. The source terminal is connected to the bulk substrate terminal. A pull-up circuit is connected between a power supply node and the source terminal. The pull up circuit is configured to increase a voltage at the source terminal and the bulk substrate terminal of the transistor responsive to a control signal.

For low-power circuit applications, it may be desirable to reduce transistor off-state leakage current. One contributor to off-state leakage current is gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) current, which is caused by band-to-band tunneling in the drain region underneath the gate. When the potential difference between the gate and drain is relatively large, the energy bands may bend near the interface between the substrate and the gate dielectric to allow valence band electrons to tunnel into the conduction band. GIDL current may also affect the thickness of the gate oxide layer because the voltage required to cause this leakage current due to band-to-band tunneling decreases with decreasing gate oxide thickness. GIDL current may also be an important consideration in the design of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices as it may degrade data retention time in such devices:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device 10 that includes a control circuit 20, address buffer 30, row decoders 40, memory cell array 50, sense amplifiers 60, data control circuit 70, and column decoders 80, which are configured as shown. The control circuit 20 is used to control operations of the address buffer 30 and the row decoders 40 responsive to one or more control signals. The address buffer 30 receives an address A0-An and divides the address into a row address and a column address; which are respectively used to drive the row decoders 40 and column decoders 80. The output of the row decoders 40 is used to select particular word lines of the memory cell array 50. The output of the column decoders 80 is used to select particular bits of words stored in the memory cell array 50 via the sense amplifiers 60 and the data control circuit 70. The data control circuit 70 may, for example, output data DQ0-DQ7 corresponding to eight bits from a selected word.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional word line driver circuit that may be used to select word lines 50 of FIG. 1. The word line driver circuit includes a PXI generator circuit 100 that generates PXI signals responsive to a control signal ACTIVE and the two least significant bits of a decoded row address. The memory cell array 50 may include multiple memory cell array sub-blocks 50a, 50b, etc. Accordingly, the word line driver circuit includes corresponding PXID driver circuits 200 that generate PXID and PXIB driver signals responsive to the PXI signal for the respective memory cell array sub-blocks 50a, 50b, etc. Sub-block word line driver circuits 400 drive the sub-block word lines in the respective memory cell arrays 50a and 50b responsive to the PXID signal, PXIB signal, and main word line signal MWL. The MWL generating circuit 300 generates the MWL signal responsive to the ACTIVE signal and the six most significant bits of the decoded row address.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the PXI generator circuit 100, and the PXID driver circuit 200 of FIG. 2. The PXI generator circuit 100 includes a NAND gate 110 that is coupled to an inverter circuit. The inverter circuit includes two transistors: a PMOS transistor 120 and an NMOS transistor 130, which are configured as shown. The PMOS transistor 120 is coupled to a boosted voltage VPP, which may be greater than an external voltage used to power the memory device. The NMOS transistor 130 is coupled to a common reference voltage VSS. The PXID driver circuit 200 includes two inverter circuits connected in series. The first inverter circuit includes a PMOS transistor 210 and an NMOS transistor 220 that are configured as shown. The first inverter circuit outputs the signal PXIB. The second inverter circuit includes a PMOS transistor 230 and an NMOS transistor 240, which are configured as shown. The second inverter circuit generates the output signal PXID responsive to the signal PXIB.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the MWL signal generating circuit 300 and the sub-block word line driver circuit 400 of FIG. 2. The MWL signal generating circuit 300 includes PMOS transistors 310 and 340 that are connected in parallel between the boosted voltage VPP and an input terminal of a first inverter circuit. NMOS transistors 320 and 330 are connected in series between the input terminal of the first inverter circuit and a common reference voltage VSS. PMOS transistor 310 is responsive to the ACTIVE signal, NMOS transistor 320 is responsive to the six most significant bits of the decoded row address, and NMOS transistor 300 is responsive to the ACTIVE signal. The first inverter circuit includes a PMOS transistor 350 and an NMOS transistor 360, which are configures as shown. The output node A of the first inverter circuit is coupled to the gate terminal of the PMOS transistor 340. The output node A is also coupled to the input of a second inverter circuit that includes PMOS transistor 370 and NMOS transistor 380, which are configured as shown. The second inverter circuit outputs the signal MWL responsive to the output of the first inverter circuit.
The sub-block word line driver circuit 400 includes an inverter circuit that includes a PMOS transistor 410 and an NMOS transistor 420, which are configured as shown and generates the sub-block word line signal SWL responsive to the main word line signal MWL. An NMOS transistor 430, which is responsive to the PXIB signal, is coupled between the output terminal of the inverter circuit and the common reference voltage VSS. As shown in FIG. 4, the source terminal, for example, of the PMOS transistor 410, is coupled to the output of the PXID driver circuit 200.
Operations of the MWL generating circuit 300 and the sub-block word line driver circuit 400 of FIGS. 2 and 4 are illustrated in the timing diagram of FIG. 5. During an active mode of operation, the ACTIVE signal is driven to the VPP level while the voltage at node A of FIG. 4 is at either VPP or 0V depending on whether a particular decoded row address bit is selected. The main word line signal MWL is the logical inverse of the signal at node A. During a standby or precharge mode of operation, however, the ACTIVE signal is driven low (0V) while the main word line signal MWL is driven to the VPP level. As shown in FIG. 3, when the ACTIVE signal is low, the PXID signal is driven low, e.g., 0V. As the boosted voltage VPP may be approximately 4.0V in some applications, the voltage differential between the gate terminal and the source terminal, for example, of the PMOS transistor 410 of FIG. 4, may be approximately 4.0V. As the gate oxide of the PMOS transistor 410 may be relatively thin, the PMOS transistor 410 may be susceptible to GIDL current when the sub-block word line driver circuit 400 is in a standby or precharge mode of operation.

Driver circuits for integrated circuit devices that are operable to reduce gate induced drain leakage (GIDL) current in a transistor and methods of operating the same


A reliable technology for determining the masticatory side of the user is provided. First and second electromyographic waveforms respectively originating from left and right muscles related to masticatory actions of a user are acquired; a coefficient of correlation between pieces of information respectively extracted from the first and the second electromyographic waveforms is calculated as a first feature value; a second feature value is calculated from a power spectrum obtained by performing frequency analysis on the first electromyographic waveform; a third feature value is calculated from a power spectrum obtained by performing frequency analysis on the second electromyographic waveform; a learning model is generated by associating the first, second, and third feature values with a plurality of labels; and the masticatory side of the user is determined based on first, second, and third feature values calculated from a newly acquired electromyographic waveform and the learning model.

In masticatory activities such as eating, humans may chew food on one of the left or right side more than the other due to pain caused by cavities or the like or due to the dominant side of the jaw. The side mainly used in mastication is called the masticatory side, and on-sided mastication is called unilateral mastication. Such unilateral mastication may cause jaw distortion, which may lead to facial distortion, temporomandibular joint disorder, and even stiff shoulders and headaches. Therefore, in order for early detection of unilateral mastication, it may be useful to understand the user's masticatory habits in daily life.
A method of measuring left and right muscle activities during mastication is known as a simple method for estimating mastication habits (see NPL 1). For example, when disposable electrodes are placed on the left and right masticatory muscles (masseter or temporalis muscle) to measure the myoelectric potential, the amplitude of the myoelectric potential on the right side increases when mastication is performed on the right side, and the amplitude of the myoelectric potential on the left side increases when mastication is performed on the left side.

Learning model-generating apparatus, method, and program for assessing favored chewing side as well as determination device, method, and program for determining favored chewing side

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


An electronic device includes: a cabinet on whose end surface is formed a slot for insertion of a card; a card access unit that has a terminal that contacts an electrode of the card inserted from the slot. The card access unit is disposed in a position spaced from the slot, houses part, on a front end side of the insertion direction, of the card, and accesses the card via the terminal. The electronic further includes an electronic part disposed on a shield plate that is placed on the bottom surface, in a position overlapping with the card access unit. The shield plate serves also as a guide plate that guides the card inserted from the slot, to the card access unit in conjunction with the bottom surface of the cabinet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device in which a slot for inserting a card-shaped portable electronic part (for example, an IC card and a B-CAS card) is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a card insertion slot has been frequently provided in an electronic device as represented by, for example, a notebook personal computer (hereinafter called a notebook PC). This card insertion slot is intended for various purposes, for example, for insertion of an IC card, which is used to perform personal authentication, and for insertion of a B-CAS card (a BS-conditional access systems card), which is used to enjoy digital terrestrial broadcasting with the aid of a notebook PC.
Such a card, for example, has an electrode provided in a position near the front thereof of in an insertion direction in which the card is inserted into a slot and the card is accessed by using the electrode.
On the other hand, in the interior of an electronic device provided with a slot into which a card of such a structure is to be inserted, there is disposed a card access unit that has a terminal that comes into contact with an electrode of the card inserted from this slot, and makes access to the card inserted from the slot by housing part of this card on the front end side of the insertion direction, via the terminal in contact with the electrode of the card.
Because this card access unit houses only part of the front end side of the inserted card, the card access unit is disposed in a position spaced from the slot and a little back. For this reason, a guide member is necessary, which guides a card inserted from the slot to the card access unit. However, if this guide member is provided, the number of parts increases by just that much, and the structure becomes complex. Also, the thickness of an electronic device increases by just that much, and requirements for miniaturization, thin designs and weight savings may not be met.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-30473 discloses an information terminal on one surface of which a see-through portion is formed so that entries on the surface of an inserted card can be ascertained.
However, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-30473 does not show an arrangement effective in guiding a card inserted from a slot to a card access unit disposed in a position spaced from the slot and somewhat back.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-76883 discloses a structure which is such that a memory card unit and an FDD unit are incorporated in a common cover in a mutually superposed condition. However, also this structure is such that the memory card unit is disposed adjacent to a card insertion slot, there is not shown a structure effective in guiding a card inserted from a slot to a card access unit disposed in a position spaced from the slot and somewhat back.


The invention provides a method of treating heart failure. The method comprises administering a positive inotropic agent and a .beta.-adrenergic receptor antagonist in a specific manner.

A variety of human diseases and conditions which are manifested by cardiac abnormalities or cardiac dysfunction can lead to heart failure. Heart failure is a pathophysiological condition in which the heart fails to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolizing tissues of the body. When the heart begins to fail, physiological mechanisms for modulating the function of the heart are utilized to increase heart rate and contractility.
The most important of the mechanisms that are responsible for modulating cardiac function are the adrenergic pathways. In a normal heart, these pathways are largely responsible for allowing cardiac pumping performance to meet the circulatory demands of increased activity by rapidly increasing or decreasing cardiac function according to circulatory demands. The cellular actions of these pathways are mediated through a family of receptors, called adrenergic receptors. There are two .beta.-adrenergic receptor subtypes, .beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2 which, when stimulated, initiate a G-protein coupled signaling cascade, resulting in immediate stimulation of pump performance. See FIG. 1.
When the heart begins to fail, adrenergic activity is stimulated by increased sympathetic nerve activity, presynaptic facilitation of norepinephrine release and eventually, decreased neuronal norepinephrine reuptake. Increased circulating epinephrine also stimulates cardiac .beta.-adrenergic receptors, particularly in the initial phase of heart failure.
In heart failure, the immediate stimulation of pump performance by .beta.-adrenergic mechanisms is subsequently aided by two additional means of stabilizing or increasing cardiac function. These are an increase in plasma volume, which in turn increases preload, and hypertrophy of the cardiac myocytes, which results in more contractile elements. The subcellular mechanisms mediating these additional cardiac functions include both the .beta.-adrenergic receptor pathways and the .alpha..sub.1 -adrenergic receptor pathway, among other myocellular pathways.
In the failing ventricular myocardium, the exposure to elevated levels of cognate agonists causes the adrenergic receptors to undergo regulatory changes. In particular, the .beta..sub.1 -adrenergic receptor exhibits down-regulation or loss of receptor protein and may also be partially uncoupled from the signaling response. .beta..sub.2 -adrenergic receptors are not down-regulated, but are weakly uncoupled from the signaling response. The .alpha..sub.1 -adrenergic receptors are slightly up-regulated and are partially uncoupled from the signaling response. These changes in adrenergic receptor expression and signaling partially withdraw the cardiac myocyte from chronic stimulation, although some adrenergic function remains. The increased agonist exposure, however, continues to chronically stimulate the remaining adrenergic signaling function, resulting in the compromise of the modulatory effects of the adrenergic system. Therefore, the prime functional capabilities of the adrenergic system, to rapidly and substantially increase or decrease cardiac function according to demand, are compromised, while the adverse effects of chronic stimulation of cardiac function remain.
Numerous compounds have been identified and used to inhibit the functions of the .beta.-adrenergic receptors, and thus, eliminate the adverse effects of chronic myocardial stimulation through the adrenergic pathways. These compounds, often called .beta.-adrenergic receptor antagonists, .beta.-adrenergic antagonists or .beta.-blockers, interact with the .beta.-adrenergic receptors and thereby inhibit or prevent cellular signaling by the endogenous agonists. One .beta.-adrenergic antagonist can differ from another in a variety of ways, including by receptor subtype specificity, effect on expression of the adrenergic receptor, and effect on adrenergic receptor signaling.
Although .beta.-adrenergic antagonists are important therapeutic tools for use in patients experiencing heart failure, these drugs often cause adverse side effects, such as bradycardia, myocardial depression, dyspnea, easy fatigability, fluid retention and worsening of heart failure. The characteristics which contribute to the undesirable side effects of .beta.-adrenergic antagonists are controversial and not well understood. See Kelly and Smith, in Heart Disease: A Textbook Of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chapter 16 at page 488 (5th ed., Braunwald ed., 1997).
Another therapy for heart failure that has been investigated is the use of positive inotropic agents. Positive inotropic agents strengthen heart muscle contractility, and they exert their effects through the second messengers of the signal transduction pathways involved in modulating contractile function (illustrated in FIG. 1). Table 1 lists the second messengers involved in mediating a positive inotropic response for various inotropic agents. As shown in Table 1, positive inotropic agents use only a limited number of second messengers to mediate their cellular effects, and some use more than one second messenger. Table 2 lists the three most commonly observed second messengers and their effects on important processes in the heart and vascular smooth muscle, including increases in the heart rate, contractility and vasodilation. As seen in Table 2, only the intracellular second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is capable of producing vasodilation and a positive inotropic effect. Cyclic AMP also produces an increase in heart rate, a very counterproductive property for a heart failure medication. In addition, all positively inotropic second messengers carry an arrhythmogenic risk that is usually dose-related.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Second messengers used by various classes of inotropic agents Class Second messengers ______________________________________ .beta.-adrenergic receptor Cyclic AMP, Ca.sup.2+ agonists (G.sub.s .fwdarw. Ca.sup.2+ channel) Ca.sup.2+ channel agonists Ca.sup.2+ .alpha..sub.1 -adrenergic receptor Inositol triphosphate/DAG agonists Phosphodiesterase Cyclic AMP inhibitors Quinolones Cyclic AMP, ?Ca.sup.2+ Calcium sensitizers Ca.sup.2+, cyclic AMP Cardiac glycosides Ca.sup.2+ Na.sup.+ -channel agonists Ca.sup.2+ ______________________________________ G.sub.s, stimulatory G protein; DAG, diacylglycerol; AMP, adenosine monophosphate.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Effect of second messengers on cardiovascular responses Second Heart Cardiac Vascular messenger rate contraction response ______________________________________ Cyclic AMP .uparw..uparw. .uparw..uparw..uparw. .uparw..uparw..uparw. Dilation IP.sub.3 /DAG .rarw..fwdarw. .uparw. .uparw..uparw. Constriction Ca.sup.2+ .rarw..fwdarw. .uparw..uparw. .uparw. Constriction ______________________________________ IP.sub.3, inositol triphosphate.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s the high degree of acceptance of the potential of positive inotropic agents by cardiologists and physicians was based on the intuitive belief that pharmacologic reversal of the intrinsic defects in myocardial contractility that characterize the failing heart could `cure` the heart failure process. Since myocardial failure is characterized by a downward/rightward shift in the length-tension relationship, and positive inotropic agents shift this relationship upwards and to the left [Katz, J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 1, 42-51 (1983)], it seemed logical that this form of therapy would help the failing heart. Unfortunately, the concept was disproved by the xamoterol and Prospective Randomized Milrinone Survival Evaluation (PROMISE) trials which, respectively, demonstrated that a .beta.-adrenergic receptor partial agonist (xamoterol) and a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (milrinone) increased mortality in subjects with heart failure. The Xamoterol in Severe Heart Failure Study Group, Lancet, 336, 1-6 (1990); Packer et al. for the PROMISE Study Group, N. Engl. J. Med., 325, 1468-1475 (1991). The PROMISE trial ended the simple paradigm that positive inotropic therapy was the answer for ambulatory heart failure. In particular, influential opinion leaders in the heart failure field argued convincingly that any agent acting through a positive inotropic mechanism is likely to adversely affect the natural history of heart failure. Packer, Lancet, 340, 92-95 (1992).
In advanced, late-stage heart failure, .beta.-adrenergic antagonists cannot be used, and often the only therapy available is intravenous positive inotropic agents. Although patients receiving intravenous inotropic agents usually feel better and improve hemodynamically for a short time, this treatment is expensive and has the potential to increase mortality. Other uses of positive inotropic therapy, including oral forms of positive inotropes, have been abandoned because of the above-mentioned increase in mortality.
It has been suggested that many of the adverse effects of positive inotropic agents could theoretically be ameliorated by simultaneous treatment with antagonists of neurohormonal activation such as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or a .beta.-adrenergic antagonist. Bristow and Lowes, Coronary Artery Disease, 5, 112-118 (1994). Actual results with ACE inhibitors have been mixed. Id. Two small, uncontrolled studies provide preliminary support for the use of a positive inotropic agent and a .beta.-adrenergic receptor antagonist. Galie et al., Cardiovasc. Drugs Ther., 7, 337-347 (1993); Gilbert et al., Clin Res., 40, 259A (1992). However, the results of these studies are limited to the specific conditions used in the studies and cannot be extrapolated. Galie et al., Cardiovasc. Drugs Ther., Vol. 7, pp. 307-347 (1993). Also, larger, controlled studies are needed before this therapy can be considered useful. Bristow and Lowes, Coronary Artery Disease, 5, 112-118 (1994).
Chronic heart failure is a progressive disease syndrome which is associated with high degrees of morbidity and mortality despite medical therapy. Although heart transplantation can improve outcomes, a limited organ donor supply confines this treatment to fewer than 5% of subjects who could benefit from it. The effects of medical therapy on chronic heart failure are largely confined to modest effects (15-20% reductions in mortality) observed with ACE inhibitors in subjects with mild or moderate heart failure. Clearly, there exists a need for more effective pharmaceutical treatments for heart failure, especially for advanced, late-stage heart failure.


Provided is a network duplexing apparatus and method. The network duplexing apparatus includes a plurality of network interface units configured to store information of a flow flowing in the network interface units, provide the information of the flow to a master unit when the flow corresponds to an asymmetric flow, and request information of an opposite side flow of the flow from the master unit to receive the requested information, and the master unit configured to store the information of the flow provided from the network interface unit, determine whether the information of the opposite side flow of the flow is stored, and provide the information of the opposite side flow to the network interface unit when the information of the opposite side flow is stored.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate in general to network duplexing, and more specifically to a method and apparatus which enable integrated management and analysis of flow information with respect to an asymmetric flow configured in such a manner that a packet outflow passage from a network duplexing apparatus is different from a packet inflow passage to the network duplexing apparatus.
2. Related Art
When network duplexing is applied in a point of presence (PoP) of a communication company or an enterprise network, at least two inflow passages or outflow passages of traffic may be configured. In this case, traffic which occurs in each of an access path from a remote location and a node (terminal) corresponding to a management network may use different paths from each other.
In this manner, when a flow of traffic which is generated from a remote location to be transmitted toward a terminal and a flow of traffic which is generated in the terminal to be transmitted toward the remote location use different paths from each other in the network duplexing apparatus, such a flow may be defined as an asymmetric flow. On the other hand, when a flow of traffic which is generated from a remote location to be transmitted toward a terminal and a flow of traffic which is generated in the terminal to be transmitted toward the remote location use the same path in the network duplexing apparatus, such a flow may be defined as a symmetric flow.
In this case, since flows constituting the asymmetric flow are managed in mutually different network interface units, consistent management for the flows is difficult, and therefore service providing or consistent management for quality of service (QoS) in a network duplexing environment is made difficult.
Thus, when a consistent information management method for such an asymmetric flow is provided in a duplexed network having a plurality of interfaces, one step advanced response such as service providing or QoS may be possible.
When a network service provider, a manager of an enterprise network, or a Telco operator presents an ability to analyze packets which flow in all interfaces under the same condition, various functions such as scalability, auto-load balancing, additional capacity, flexible deployment, and the like may be provided.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for managing and sharing symmetric flow and asymmetric flow in duplexed network

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A method and an apparatus have been developed to deposit heteroepitaxial beta-silicon carbide films on silicon using bias-assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition (BA-HFCVD). The apparatus includes a graphite plate as the carbon source and the silicon substrate as the silicon source. Hydrogen was the only feeding gas to the system.

Silicon carbide is a promising material for high temperature, high power and radiation resistive electronic devices. This application is due to its unique properties of large band gap, high break down electric field, high electron mobility and high thermal conductivity. SiC exhibits more than 250 polytypes, in either hexagonal (.alpha.) or cubic (.beta.) form, depending on the stacking order of silicon and carbon atoms. Among these polytypes, 6H-SiC has received more attention because it is easier to prepare.
Various growth techniques, including chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and physical vapour deposition (PVD) have been reported to successfully provide oriented growth of .beta.-SiC. For example, Powell et al. (Applied Physics Letter, 56, p. 1442, 1990) have reported oriented growth of .beta.-SiC on silicon using microwave CVD with SiH.sub.4, C.sub.3 H.sub.8, and H.sub.2 as the feeding gases. However, this process requires a high substrate temperature (>1300.degree. C.) which is quite close to the melting point of silicon. This can result in film contamination and hydrogen incorporation. Besides, a deposition system of very high safety standard is required because propane is flammable and silane is pyrophoric. On the other hand, Rimai et al. (Applied Physics Letter, 59, p. 2266, 1991) reported epitaxially oriented growth of .beta.-SiC by laser ablation of a ceramic SiC target at a substrate temperature held below 1100.degree. C. While this method does not suffer from the problems of the microwave CVD method, large area .beta.-SiC film cannot be produced.
The present invention provides a method for producing large area heteroepitaxial .beta.-SiC films on silicon at a lower substrate temperature without using flammable and toxic gas sources.

Method of heteroepitaxial growth of beta silicon carbide on silicon


In a preferred embodiment, drugs having heretofore unknown pharmacological properties which are useful in the medicinal therapy of fibrotic disease for the reparation and prevention of fibrotic lesional tissues, such drugs including as the active ingredient 5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone. The pharmaceutical composition of this invention is novel as an anti-fibrotic drug, namely, as an agent for treating fibrosis. Any existing compounds have not been shown to be effective for the reparation and prevention of fibrotic lesions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical composition for the reparation of fibrotic lesional tissues and the prevention of fibrotic lesions, which composition comprises 5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone as an active anti-fibrotic ingredient.
2. Background Art
Herein, the term "anti-fibro", "anti-fibrotic" or "anti-fibrosis" refers to prevention of pathological polymerization of collagen in lung fibrosis, arteriosclerosis, prostatic hypertrophy, keloid, myocarditis, collagen disease, scar, wrinkle, etc., and reparation as well normalization of the existing pathological fibrotic tissues.
5-Methyl-1-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone itself is a known compound and its pharmacological effects are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI (Laid-Open) Nos. 87677/1974 and 1284338/1976 as an anti-inflammatory agent including antipyretic and analgesic effects. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,839,346, issued Oct. 1, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,281, issued Aug. 10, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,699, issued Aug. 16, 1977; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,509, issued Oct. 4, 1977, also describe methods of manufacture of 5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone and its use as an anti-inflammatory agent and the disclosures of those patents are incorporated herein by reference.
It has been discovered by the present inventor that the compound has an anti-fibrotic activity. Heretofore, no effective pharmacological agent or composition has been available for the prevention or removal of pathologic fibrotic lesions of the lungs, prostate glands, musculoskeletal diseases, myocardial degeneration, myocardial infarction, arteriosclerosis, and other lesional fibroses.
For example, powerful anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids (hormones relating to carbohydrate metabolism) such as hydrocortisone or prednisolone administered in very large doses have repeatedly been shown to be ineffective against fibrotic disease. These glucocorticoids do not arrest or remove such life-threatening fibrotic lesions. The glucocorticoids may be effective, however, as anti-inflammatory agents under such condition that they may temporarily ameliorate the secondary acute inflammation flare-ups which intermittently occur in tissues or organs damaged by fibrotic disease. Indeed, excessive and prolonged administration of glucocorticoids in pulmonary fibrotic disease may cause destruction of tissues, due to fibrosis or an exacerbation and acceleration of the fibrotic destruction.
Antopol (1950) was the first of many investigators who found that the anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids readily enhance fibrotic degeneration of lung tissues. Similarly, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as aspirin, salicylates, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, various phenylacetic acid derivatives, and the like have also failed to arrest formation of, or cause repair of progressive, chronic fibrotic damage to lung tissues, prostatic tissues, musculoskeletal tissues, etc.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide compositions for the reparation and prevention of fibrotic lesional tissue.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such compositions that comprise 5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone as an active anti-fibrotic ingredient.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figure.

Composition and method for reparation and prevention of fibrotic lesions


An ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatus including: a transducer including a piezoelectric element array for transmitting ultrasonic waves to and receiving echo signals from a test object; an element driving unit for scanning the piezoelectric element array at a predetermined cycle and generating the ultrasonic waves; a synthesizing unit for synthesizing an internal image of the test object based on the echo signals received by the piezoelectric element array; and a signal replacing unit for replacing the received echo signal with an echo signal in which a bottom echo of the test object is removed.

It is widely practiced to use an ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatus to evaluate a flaw state such as a void and a crack of a joint region in a structure or a component that is a test object.
An ultrasonic wave transmitted from a piezoelectric element to such a test object is reflected chiefly by a surface, a flaw, and a bottom of the object and the piezoelectric element receives echo signals from them. Assuming that a moment a surface echo has been received is a starting point and a moment a bottom echo is received is an ending point, an echo signal that is received within a range from the starting point to the ending point is treated as a flaw echo. Then, information such as a position and a size of the flaw in the test object is visualized by detecting intensity and a timing of the flaw echo (for example, see Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-121426)).
It is known that in an ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatus, spatial resolution of a detected flaw decreases with increasing depth of a test object. Therefore, conventional ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatuses have a problem that if a flaw is at or near a bottom or a corner of a test object, visibility of a visualized flaw decreases because multiple echoes interfere with a flaw echo (see FIG. 6(C)).
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provided an ultrasonic flaw detecting technique that can accurately and rapidly detect a flaw at or near a bottom or a corner of a test object.

Ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatus and ultrasonic flaw detecting method


The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure detecting apparatus that is less affected from noises and can be constructed in a large size. The pressure detecting apparatus according to the present invention utilizes electromagnetic coupling. The sensor section comprises first coils 1, second coils 2 provided on the first coils such that they are superimposed to each other, and a first cushion member 3 provided between the first coils and the second coils. A drive circuit for driving either of the first coils and the second coils and a detection circuit for detecting pressure applied against the sensor section on the basis of signals resulting from electromagnetic coupling from the other of the first coils and the second coils are connected to the sensor section. The sensor sections are disposed in a matrix state so that measurements of pressure distribution can be effected.

Till now, various apparatuses for measuring pressure applied by an object against a sensor section and an amount of displacement thereof have been developed. In JP Laid-open No. 9-113203, for example, a sensor using a differential transformer is disclosed. This sensor is designed to detect the relative amount of displacement between a core and a differential coil to thereby determine an amount of displacement of an object. Since each of the core and the differential coils has a thickness, respectively, it is difficult to comprise them in a thin sheet. Thus, it has been difficult to apply such a sensor to a pressure distribution detecting apparatus.
There are various types of pressure distribution detecting apparatuses for detecting pressure distribution by means of a thin sheet, which include the apparatus using a pressure-sensitive rubber, the apparatus using electrostatic coupling and so on. For example, a pressure detecting apparatus using a pressure-sensitive rubber is disclosed in JP Laid-open No. 57-100331. This pressure detecting apparatus is designed, e.g. for a purpose of conducting performance assessment tests on seats for automobiles use, to lay a pressure detecting apparatus made from a pressure-sensitive rubber sheet onto a seat to determine the pressure distribution. Besides, the pressure detecting apparatus utilizing electromagnetic coupling to be used for the same usage is disclosed in JP Laid-open No. 62-226030, for example. This apparatus is also designed to use a sensor formed in a sheet to determine pressure distribution.
Patent Document 1: JP Laid-open No. 9-113203
Patent Document 2: JP Laid-open No. 57-100331
Patent Document 3: JP Laid-open No. 62-226030

Pressure detecting apparatus utilizing electromagnetic coupling


A touch-screen terminal, method and system for near-field communication are provided. The touch-screen terminal includes a touch sensor, the touch sensor includes multiple driver electrodes and inductive electrodes disposed on a substrate to form capacitor structures. At least one of the driver electrodes and the inductive electrodes is used as a transmitting electrode; at least another one of the driver electrodes and the inductive electrodes is used as a receiving electrode. In the present invention, signal transmitting and receiving are achieved by multiplexing the electrodes of the touch-screen terminals, thereby enabling electric-field-based NFC. The system part for signal processing is embedded in the chip and, therefore, there is no need for an additional inductive card reader or part with the similar function. The present invention does not change the original size of the touch-screen terminal.

Near-field communication (NFC) is a contactless identification and interconnection technology which is based on the magnetic field near-field communication operating at 13.56 MHz to enable short-range wireless communication among mobile devices, consumer electronic products, PCs and smart objects, allowing users to conveniently and intuitively exchange data and access contents and services.
The market demand for NFC-integrated handheld devices such as mobile phones has become mature. The NFC-integrated mobile phones can be used for mobile payment or even used as a POS machine. NFC is based on the magnetic field communication and thus requires an inductive card reader or part with the similar function to be added to the handheld devices. However, the handheld devices such as the mobile phones undergoing such a modification usually have a bulky size. In addition, such modification imposes a limitation on the construction and part material of the handheld devices.

Touch-screen terminal and method and system for near-field communication


Fabrication of a quantum dot functional structure having ultra-fine particles homogeneously distributed in a transparent medium includes depositing such particles having a single particle diameter and uniform structure onto a substrate with the transparent medium. An apparatus for fabricating a quantum dot functional structure comprises: a generating chamber for generating high-purity ultra-fine particles by exciting a semiconductor target with pulsed laser light in low-pressure rare gas, and then allowing the semiconductor target to be detached or ejected by ablation and condensed and grown in the gas; a particle classifying chamber for classifying the ultra-fine particles; a depositing chamber for depositing the high-purity semiconductor ultra-fine particles and the transparent medium by exciting a transparent medium target with excimer laser light simultaneously or alternately when the particles are collected onto the substrate, and by collecting the substance generated through ablation onto the substrate; and a carrier gas exhaust system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for fabricating quantum dot functional structures, quantum dot functional structures, and optically functioning devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for fabricating a quantum dot functional structure, a quantum dot functional structure, and an optically functioning device, which provide the following outstanding features. The features make it possible to control the diameter of and alleviate the contamination of ultra-fine particles that are expected to provide various functions resulting from the quantum size effects. The features also make it possible to provide an improved efficiency for the optically functioning device fabricated using a quantum dot functional structure, in the transparent medium of which the ultra-fine particles are distributed homogeneously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To employ semiconductor ultra-fine particles formed of Si families of IV materials for use in an optically functioning device that can emit light in the visible spectrum, it is indispensable to provide spherical ultra-fine particles which are controlled on the order of one nanometer in diameter. Moreover, the laser ablation method is preferably applied to the fabrication of the ultra-fine particles on the order of one nanometer in diameter.
For example, FIG. 1 is a conceptual view depicting an apparatus, disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 9-275075, for applying the laser ablation method to a conventional target material to fabricate ultra-fine particles by deposition.
Referring to FIG. 1, a laser light beam is emitted from an excimer laser source 1 and travels through an optical system constituted by a slit 2, a condenser lens 3, a mirror 4, and a laser light inlet window 5 to be guided into a vacuum reaction chamber 6, where the laser light beam is focused on and thus radiates the surface of a target material 8 placed in a target holder 7, which is arranged inside the vacuum reaction chamber 6.
In addition, there is arranged a deposition substrate 9 in a direction normal to the surface of the target material 8. Substances detached or ejected from the target material 8 by laser ablation are captured or deposited on the deposition substrate 9.
An explanation will be given below in more detail to a case where semiconductor ultra-fine particles are fabricated with Si being employed as the target material in the apparatus configured as described above.
First, the vacuum reaction chamber 6 is pumped down to an ultra-high vacuum of pressure 1×10−8 Torr by means of an ultra-high vacuum exhaust system 10, which is mainly constituted by a turbo-molecular pump, and then the ultra-high vacuum exhaust system 10 is closed.
Subsequently, a helium (He) gas is introduced through a rare-gas guide line 11 into the vacuum reaction chamber 6. The vacuum reaction chamber 6 is held at a constant pressure (of 1.0 to 20.0 Torr) with the low-pressure rare gas (He), the flow of which is controlled by means of a mass-flow controller 12 and which is differentially exhausted by means of a differential exhaust system 13 mainly consisting of a dry rotary pump. In the He gas atmosphere kept at a pressure of a few Torr, the surface of the target material is radiated with a laser light beam of a high-energy density (e.g., 1.0 J/cm2 or greater) to cause the substances to be detached or ejected from the target material.
The detached substance gives kinetic energy to the surrounding gas molecules, which are in turn urged to condense and grow in the gas atmosphere into ultra-fine particles of a few to a few tens of nanometers in diameter, the ultra-fine particles being deposited on the deposition substrate 9.
Originally, since the IV-group semiconductors are an indirect bandgap material, their bandgap transitions cannot be dispensed with phonons. The materials naturally cause much heat to be generated in their recombination, thus providing significantly decreased radiative recombination probability. However, the material shaped in ultra-fine particles having a diameter of a few nanometers causes the wave number selection rule to be relaxed in bandgap transitions and the oscillator strength to be increased. This in turn increases the probability of occurrence of radiative electron-hole pair recombination, thereby making it possible to provide intense light emission.
Here, the wavelength of emitted light (i.e., the energy of emitted photons) is controlled by making use of an increase in absorption edge emission energy (corresponding to bandgap Eg) provided by the quantum confinement effect resulted from a decrease in diameter of ultra-fine particles. FIG. 2 is an explanatory graph showing the correlation between the diameter of the aforementioned ultra-fine particles and the absorption edge emission energy thereof.
That is, to emit light at a single wavelength, it is indispensable to make the diameter of the ultra-fine particles uniform. If ultra-fine particles of a diameter corresponding to the emission wavelength can be generated and deposited within as narrow a diameter distribution as possible, it is made possible to fabricate an optically functioning device for emitting light of a single color.
As described in the aforementioned prior art, it is required to generate and deposit ultra-fine particles having a particle diameter distribution controlled to provide a single diameter of a few nanometers in order to fabricate an optically functioning device for emitting light at a single wavelength using semiconductor ultra-fine particles.
The prior art makes it possible to control the mean particle diameter by selecting as appropriate the pressure of an atmospheric rare gas or the distance between the target material and the deposition substrate. However, the prior art provides a still broad particle diameter distribution. Thus, it is difficult to obtain semiconductor ultra-fine particles of a uniform diameter distribution having, for example, a geometric standard deviation σg of 1.2 or less.
That is, this means that more aggressive particle diameter control is required. In addition, nm-sized ultra-fine particles are very sensitive to the contamination of impurities or defects due to their high surface atom ratio (e.g., about 40% at a particle diameter of 5 nm).
That is, it is required to provide a clean and damage-less process as a method for generating and depositing the particles. Moreover, adhering and depositing semiconductor ultra-fine particles directly onto a deposition substrate as in the prior art would tend to result in a thin film of a porous structure formed of a deposit of ultra-fine particles.
Suppose that electrodes are connected to such a porous structure to allow it to function as an optically functioning device. In this case, it may be required to optimize the structure somehow. On the other hand, in order to derive the quantum size effect originally provided for spherical ultra-fine particles to implement a new optical function representative of light emission, further optimized shape and structure may be required such as a structure having particles distributed homogeneously in a stable transparent medium.
In addition, since nm-sized ultra-fine particles have a very sensitive surface as described above, it may become necessary to form a quantum dot functional structure having the particles being homogeneously distributed in a stable transparent medium.
In addition, in order to obtain fine particles having a specified particle diameter, a fine particle classifier may be used for classifying the diameter of fine particles using the mobility which is dependent on the particle diameter. Such a fine particle classifier has been used for performance test of high-performance air filters for collecting and separating sub-micron fine particles with high efficiency, and for generating standard fine particles and measuring the particle diameter upon monitoring of cleaned atmosphere. The mobility employed for classifying the diameter of particles includes mainly the electrical mobility of charged particles in an electro-static field and the dynamic mobility caused by gravitational force. In addition, the aforementioned fine particle classifier has two main structures: a double cylinder and a disk type structure.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of a prior-art differential electrical mobility classifier, introduced in Japanese Journal of Aerosol Research Vol. 2, No. 2, p 106 (1987) or in Japanese Journal of Powder Engineering Society Vol. 21, No. 12, p753 (1984). This differential electrical mobility classifier has a double cylindrical structure comprising an outer cylinder (of radius R1) 19 and an inner cylinder (of radius R2) 20 disposed inside the outer cylinder 19 concentrically with the outer cylinder 19. Referring to FIG. 3, charged fine particles 21 are transported by a carrier gas 22 to flow into the double cylinder classifier from the upper end portion thereof to be mixed with clean air or a sheath gas 23 flowing therein. The mixture gas of the charged fine particles 21 and the sheath gas 23 flows as a laminar flow over a length of L through the double cylinder portion. An electrostatic field is applied to this double cylinder portion with a direct current power supply 24 in a direction perpendicular to the flow of said mixture gas. This causes the charged fine particles 21 to draw an orbit in accordance with the electrical mobility of each particle. Since said electrical mobility is dependent on the diameter of fine particles, only those fine particles having a specific diameter arrive at a lower slit 25 and then are classified to be taken out of a carrier gas exhaust vent 26. The fine particles of other diameters are exhausted from a sheath gas exhaust vent 27 in conjunction with the sheath gas 23 or caused to move to and adhere to an inner collector electrode 28.
On the other hand, as a prior art fine particle classifier, a dynamic mobility classifier having a disk structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 9-269288. FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of the dynamic mobility classifier of the aforementioned disk type.
This disk-type dynamic mobility classifier comprises a disk-shaped upper disk 31, a disk-shaped lower disk 32 disposed opposite to and spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the upper disk 31, and a particle collector portion 33 attached to the lower disk 32 and disposed opposite to the upper disk 31. There is formed a cylindrical central suction duct 34, having an opening at one end thereof, on the central portion of the upper disk 31. There are formed a plurality of holes or slits 35 for introducing a carrier gas in the vicinity of the rim portion of the disk in the outward radial direction from the central suction duct 34. The lower disk 32 is provided with substantially the same diameter as that of the upper disk 31 and disposed generally in concentric relationship therewith. There are formed a plurality of holes or slits 36 for emitting a carrier gas on a portion apart by a predetermined distance in the outward radial direction from the center of the lower disk 32. The slits 35 provided on the upper disk 31 and the slits 36 provided on the lower disk 32 are a plurality of slits formed in an annular shape along a predetermined circumference, spaced apart at certain intervals. The distance radially outward from the center of the disk to the position of the slits 36 provided on the lower disk 32 is designed to be less than the distance radially outward from the center of the disk to the slits 35 provided on the upper disk 31. Between the upper disk 31 and the lower disk 32, there is defined a space or a classifying region 37. On the central portion of the particle collector portion 33, there is formed a cylindrical withdrawal duct 38 having an opening at one end thereof. The particle collector portion 33 is adapted to discharge classified fine particles from the withdrawal duct 38 in conjunction with the carrier gas.
Referring to FIG. 4, the classifying region 37 is formed in a space defined between the upper disk 31 and the lower disk 32, arranged to be concentric and parallel to each other. A sheath gas or an air flow 39 is introduced into the classifying region 37 from the periphery of the upper and lower disks 31, 32, being supplied from the outer rim inwardly in the radial direction. The air flow 39 takes place as a centripetal laminar flow through the classifying region 37 and is exhausted from the central suction duct 34 (indicated by arrow A1 in FIG. 4). Fine particles 40 are transported with a carrier gas 41 to be guided from the slits 35 provided on the upper disk 31 into the classifying region 37. The fine particles 40, which have been guided from the slits 35 provided on the upper disk 31 into the classifying region 37, are moved with the air flow 39 toward the center axis as well as drop from the upper disk 31 toward the lower disk 32 due to the gravitational field. Since the drop speed is dependent on the diameter of the fine particles 40, only those fine particles having a certain diameter are allowed to reach the slits 36 arranged on the lower disk 32, thus being classified and taken out of the withdrawal duct 38 (indicated by arrow A2 in FIG. 4). The particles having other diameters are exhausted from the central suction duct 34 in conjunction with the air flow or moved to the lower disk 32 to adhere to the surface thereof.
In the field of such fine particle classification technology, known is that the physical properties of ultra-fine particles having diameters from a few to a few tens of nanometers vary depending on the particle diameter. For example, the energy gap of semiconductor ultra-fine particles increases as the particle diameter decreases. Attempts have been made to create new devices by making use of the physical properties of the aforementioned semiconductor ultra-fine particles. As a substance for forming the aforementioned new device, Si has received attention. In this context, attempts have been made to create ultra-fine particles of Si having diameters from a few to a few tens of nanometers by making use of the pulse laser ablation in a rare gas. To create a new device employing the Si ultra-fine particles, it is necessary to classify the Si ultra-fine particles having various diameters on the order of a few to a few tens of nanometers and thus extract those Si ultra-fine particles having a narrow particle diameter distribution enough to regard the particles as having a single diameter. In addition, the mean particle diameter of the Si ultra-fine particles to be classified can be preferably varied.
On the other hand, the prior art disk type dynamic mobility classifier shown in FIG. 4 is adapted to classify fine particles having generally sub-micron diameters, employing the gravitational field for classifying the particle diameter. Since the gravitational field is constant, it is necessary to vary the flow rate of the air flow 39 in order to vary the mean particle diameter of the ultra-fine particles being classified. A variation in mean particle diameter of nm-sized ultra-fine particles requires a fine variation in flow rate of the aforementioned air flow 39. It is extremely difficult to control this fine variation in flow rate and to stabilize the flow rate.
Furthermore, in order to classify ultra-fine particles having sub-micron or less diameters without increasing the size of the aforementioned disk type dynamic mobility classifier (i.e., without increasing the projective distance of the annually formed slits 35, 36), it is necessary to apply a force greater in magnitude than the gravitational force to the ultra-fine particles in a direction perpendicular to a sheath gas flow or the air flow 39 (in the direction from the upper disk 31 to the lower disk 32) in the classifying region 37.
In addition, as a method for improving the classification resolution of the ultra-fine particles, such a technique is available that increases the classifying region from one stage to multiple stages to increase the number of times of classification. Referring to the double cylinder classifier shown in FIG. 3, for example, the double cylinder classifier described in the Japanese Journal of Powder Engineering Society Vol.21, No.12, p753 (1984) has the dimensions of the classifying region of L=400 mm, R2=15 mm, and R1=25 mm. In this context, suppose a cylindrical classifying region is further added to the outer periphery of the aforementioned double cylinder classifier to provide multiple stages of the classifying region. In this case, the overall dimensions of the classifier would be significantly increased. Therefore, it is necessary to employ a structure other than that of the double cylinder type to make the overall dimensions of the classifier small.

Method and apparatus for fabricating quantum dot functional structure, quantum dot functional structure, and optically functioning device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Japan as represented by Director General of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry


A monitor circuit has a first detection module for detecting an input signal and for generating a first examining signal according to the input signal, a second detection module electrically connected to the first detection module for generating an output signal according to the first examining signal, and a control unit electrically connected to the first and the second detection modules selectively for controlling the second detection module to generate the output signal according to the first examining signal, for controlling the first detection module to monitor the output and to generate a second examining signal, or for comparing the first examining signal with the second examining signal so as to determine if the monitor circuit is functioning normally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitor circuit, and more particularly, to a method for examining if the monitor circuit is functioning normally and related monitor circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For the last decade, central processing units (CPUs) have gained impressive progress and are capable of operating at high speeds. Operating a high-speed CPU generates great heat. Such heat usually impacts the efficiency of the CPU. Therefore, how to monitor the heat generated by an operating CPU effectively and how to reduce the temperature around the CPU are becoming popular issues in the information industry.
In general, a PC health monitor circuit is used for monitoring a CPU or even a variety of environment factors, such as temperature, voltage and fan speed, inside a computer system, and for controlling the operation of the electronic components including the CPU of the computer system according to the monitored environment factors.
That a monitor circuit is capable of monitoring and controlling the operation of a computer system, as described above, is under an assumption that the monitor circuit is always functioning normally. Occasionally, if the monitor circuit is in reality damaged and is still monitoring the computer system, the computer system is probably wrongly controlled by the monitor circuit and is susceptible to being damaged.

Error-examining method for monitor circuit


Two or more rising pulse waves having different rates of voltage increase are applied to a measuring end of a cable and reflected waves from a fault point on the cable are detected to measure a turnaround propagation time between the measuring end and the fault point. Additionally, ratios of the rates of voltage increase of one pulse wave and the other pulse waves are calculated. A discharge delay time at the fault point is calculated from time differences of the measured turnaround propagation time and the ratios of the voltage increasing speeds and the discharge delay time is subtracted from the measured turnaround propagation time to calculate a real turnaround propagation time.

The present invention relates to a fault location method of detecting a fault point on a cable in which a ground fault occurs by means of a pulse reflection method.
When a ground fault or the like occurs on a cable, a fault section is disconnected by a protection relay apparatus and after the fault point has been detected exactly, fault recovery work is performed at the fault location. A pulse reflection method is known as one of methods of detecting the fault point location. In the pulse reflection method, an electrical pulse, for the purpose of measuring a distance to a fault point location, is applied to the cable from a measuring end of the cable and a reflected wave generated by an electric discharge at the fault point is received back at the measuring end, so that a distance from the measuring end to the fault point can be calculated.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the well known and widely used pulse reflection method.
FIG. 4, a square transmission pulse 1 applied to the measuring end of the cable reaches the fault point after a time .tau.. In this case, a time until a reflected wave 2 is observed after the transmission wave has been observed is 2.tau..
When a cable propagation velocity of an electrical pulse is S, and a distance from the measuring end to the fault point is L, the following equation is given: EQU 2.tau.=2L/S (1)
A distance L to the fault point can be calculated by using the equation (1).
FIG. 5 shows a waveform of the propagation wave 1 which propagates in the cable.
As shown in FIG. 5, the propagation wave 1 propagating in the cable has a smooth, gradually rising portion and a smooth gradually falling portion.
A break hole, in the form of a pinhole, is typically formed in an insulating layer of the cable at the fault point so that a portion between a conductor and a shield layer is air-insulated by the break hole. Accordingly, when the electrical pulse, having a predetermined voltage, is applied from the measuring end of the cable to generate the electric discharge at the fault point and the reflected wave from the fault point is received, a phenomenon as shown in FIG. 6 occurs.
FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relation of the propagation wave 1 which has reached the fault point and an electric discharge starting voltage Vb at the fault point. In the graph of FIG. 6, the abscissa represents a time and the ordinate represents a voltage.
As shown in FIG. 6, after the propagation wave 1 has reached the fault point, its voltage is increased at a constant rate and reaches the electric discharge starting voltage Vb after a time .DELTA.T has elapsed. When the propagation wave 1 reaches the discharge starting voltage Vb, the air insulation in the break hole is broken and the electric discharge starts, so that the reflected wave is generated. Accordingly, when an actually measured value of the time until the reflected wave is received after the electrical pulse has been applied at the measuring point is t and a real turnaround propagation time of the electrical pulse is 2.tau., the actually measured value t is expressed as follows: EQU t=2.tau.+.DELTA.T (2)
As represented by the equation (2), the actually measured value t includes a discharge delay time .DELTA.T produced as an error in accordance with an actual voltage increasing speed of the propagation wave 1. For example, the propagation velocity of the electrical pulse in the cable is about 160 to 200 m per .mu. second. Accordingly, when the discharge delay time .DELTA.T is assumed to be 0.5 .mu. second, the detection error is about 80 to 100 m. Thus, the conventional pulse reflection method must be used for detection of the fault point on condition that the detection error to this extent is contained in the measured value.
However, if the fault point is detected correctly, the fault recovery work can be made rapidly. Particularly, in an underground cable which can not be inspected directly with the naked eye, the detection of the fault point with higher accuracy is desired.

Cable fault location method with discharge delay compensation using multiple pulses with different rates of voltage increase


The toilet flush water saver is an attachment for the water inlet valve assembly of the toilet tank of a flush type toilet. The water saver is inserted in place of the tube that is normally routed from the water inlet valve assembly to the overflow pipe. A back pressure diverter tee conduit routes a portion of the refill water from the water inlet valve assembly into the overflow pipe and routes the remainder of the refill water into the toilet tank. A water saver tube is also directed at the flapper valve or ball valve to aid gravity in closing the flapper valve to seal the flush valve.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices use to regulate the amount of water used by a toilet during the flushing operation. The new device provides a simple means to divert water from the overflow pipe into the toilet tank and to assure closure of the tank ball
2. Description of Related Art
There are currently in use various techniques to reduce the amount of water used by a toilet when flushed. The most basic device to reduce water usage is to make the toilet tank smaller. For already existing toilets this is often done by placing an object in the toilet tank of a desired volume such that the amount of water the toilet tank will hold is reduced.
Toilet tank ball valves in current use have not substantially changed in fifty (50) years. The refill port supplies 50% to 70% more water than necessary to fill the toilet bowl trap to proper levels.
Other simple methods to reduce water usage include placing a restriction type device in the overflow tube such that the amount of water leaving the toilet tank is metered. These simple systems often don't provide for entry of enough water into the toilet bowl to provide a proper flush or a proper level in the toilet bowl water trap.
Other more elaborate devices involving water containers in the toilet tank and in the water flow into the tank have been devised. Also multiple action toilet trip levers or multiple flush valve combinations have been disclosed. However, all such solutions tend to be overly complicated for the intended purpose of reducing water usage of the toilet.
The present invention provides a simple method to divert water from the overflow pipe into the toilet tank automatically, thereby conserving 50% to 70% of the water necessary to fill the toilet bowl to the proper level after flushing thus reducing the water going into the drain. This can conserve 1 to 3 quarts of water per flush. The water saver also directs refill water onto the flapper valve or tank ball to ensure the flush valve is closed properly to prevent excessive amounts of water use particularly in the case where a flapper valve might become stuck in the open position. This virtually eliminates continues flushing and vast amounts of wasted water, plus bowl overflow and possible residence flooding. The amount of diverted water can be regulated by the proper selection of water saver components including the diameter of tubes and the use of flow restricters depending on the type of toilet. The toilet water saver has no working parts and depends on the existing water supply system to operate, requiring little service or maintenance.


Provided are a hyperbranched polymer represented by Formula 1 below, an organic light-emitting diode including an organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer, and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting diode:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hyperbranched polymer, an organic light-emitting diode including an organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer, and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting diode. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hyperbranched polymer which has excellent hole injection capability and/or electron blocking capability and adhesive property with an electrode and which can be dissolved in an organic solvent, an organic light-emitting diode including an organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer, and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting diode. With the hyperbranched polymer, an organic light-emitting diode having good electrical properties can be produced. An organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer can be formed by a simple wet process, such as spin coating, under a moisture-free inert gas atmosphere. Thus, it is possible to reduce the time and cost of manufacturing an organic light-emitting diode and to improve the stability of diode manufacture by preventing diode deterioration due to moisture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting diodes include a pair of electrodes and an organic layer interposed between the electrodes. The organic light-emitting diodes are self-emission devices based on the principle that when current is applied to the electrodes, electrons and holes from the electrodes are combined in the organic layer to emit light. The organic light-emitting diodes have advantages such as lightness, simple constitutional elements, easy fabrication process, superior image quality, and wide viewing angle. In addition, the organic light-emitting diodes can achieve high color purity, can perfectly create dynamic images, and have electrical properties suitable for portable electronic equipment due to low power consumption and low driving voltage.
Generally, organic light-emitting diodes are structured such that an anode is disposed on a substrate, an organic layer, such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer, is disposed on the anode, and a cathode is disposed on the organic layer.
For example, a hole injection layer forming material may be PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)) (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,575).
PEDOT:PSS can be deposited using a wet process such as spin coating, but is a water-soluble material and thus is very vulnerable to moisture. Thus, when a hole injection layer is formed of PEDOT:PSS, impurities such as moisture may be easily contained in the hole injection layer. Since moisture etc. can adversely affect the efficiency and lifetime of an organic light-emitting diode, there is room for improvement in a hole injection layer material.

Hyperbranched polymer, organic light-emitting diode including organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer, and method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting diode

Abstract: For a detailed description about Formula 1, the Detailed Description of the Invention may be referred to. The hyperbranched polymer is excellent in view of hole injection capability and/or electron blocking capability and adhesion with an electrode, and thus, the organic light-emitting diode including the organic layer including the hyperbranched polymer can have good electrical properties.


A method and system of using one or more railcar linear electric generators to decelerate a vehicle such as a train consist. In one embodiment, the one of more electric generators are configured to capture deceleration energy and supply the energy to one or more power grid connections. The one of more railcar electric generators may also operate as motors to assist propelling a train consist. Optional energy storage may also be included.

1. Field
The present invention relates to applications of linear motors, and in particular to capturing energy from a rail car using a linear motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
To maintain a safe downhill speed, railroad freight trains dissipate significant amounts of energy as brake wear and heat. Freight trains are typically over 100 cars long with four locomotives and weigh over 15 million pounds. Thus a need exists to harness this dissipated energy.

System and method for capturing energy from a railcar


A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load may have a closed-loop gate drive circuit for controlling a semiconductor switch of a controllably conductive device. The controllably conductive device may be coupled in series between the source and the load. The gate drive circuit may generate a target signal in response to a control circuit. The gate drive circuit may shape the target signal over a period of time and may increase the target signal to a predetermined level after the period of time. The gate drive circuit may receive a feedback signal that indicates a magnitude of a load current conducted through the semiconductor switch. The gate drive circuit may generate a gate control signal in response to the target signal and the feedback signal, and render the semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive in response to the gate control signal.

Prior art load control devices, such as dimmer switches, may be coupled in series electrical connection between an alternating-current (AC) power source and a lighting load for controlling the amount of power delivered from the AC power source to the lighting load. A standard dimmer switch may typically comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch, e.g., a thyristor (e.g., such as a triac) or two field-effect transistors (FETs) in anti-series connection. The bidirectional semiconductor switch may be coupled in series between the AC power source and the load and is controlled to be conductive and non-conductive for portions of a half cycle of the AC power source to thus control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load. Generally, dimmer switches may use either a forward phase-control dimming technique or a reverse phase-control dimming technique in order to control when the bidirectional semiconductor switch is rendered conductive and non-conductive to thus control the power delivered to the load.
There is a need for load control devices that meet the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance requirements during turn-on and turn-off events across a variety of electrical loads. The inconsistency of EMC performance across a variety of electrical loads can cause some load control devices to create audible buzzing noises or damage their internal components during turn-on or turn-off events. Such EMC inconsistencies limit the compatible range of electrical loads for a load control device.
There is also a need for load control devices that are compatible with a broader range of internal components. For example, when an internal component, such as a semiconductor switch of an existing load control device has been changed or second sourced, the load control device may become inoperable or require a redesign due to the change is operating characteristics of the internal component. This is not only burdensome, but also costly.
Further, there are a need for overcurrent protection design in a load control device that allows for greater tolerance of natural overcurrent conditions but also prevents high current runaway. Existing overcurrent protection schemes in load control devices are rigid and do not allow for broad load compatibility. For example, some existing overcurrent protection schemes may trigger when a current limit is exceeded, regardless of any determined characteristics of the semiconductor switch or load.

Load control device having a closed-loop gate drive circuit including overcurrent protection


A trailer towing device including an axial tow bar that has a front end, a rear end and top portion with a plurality of apertures. A socket hitch is coupled to the front end of the tow bar, and has a tow ball gripping catch for securing the socket hitch to a tow ball of a vehicle bumper. An cross member is attached to the rear end of the tow bar. A traverse axle is in contact with the inner surface and within the channel of the cross member. The traverse axle has a pair of axle adaptors fixedly attached to the top thereof. The traverse axle supports the tires. A reinforcing plate is attached to the upper surface of the cross member, and has a junction box and a hitch ball head post. Lastly, a pair of gusset bars, with one end of each gusset bar fixedly attached to the tow bar, while another end of each gusset bar is fixedly attached to the cross member. The pair of gusset bars provide axial rigidity between the tow bar and the cross member, when the traverse axle is within the cross member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trailer towing device and more particularly pertains to providing a device capable of reducing the trailer tongue weight that is applied to a vehicle bumper when a trailer hitch is coupled to the bumper for towing by the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a towing trailer is known in the prior art. More specifically, towing trailers heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of transporting objects in a trailer hitched to a towing vehicle are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,041 to Keith discloses a method and apparatus for connecting a trailer and a rigid draw bar and at least one centrally positioned axle to a tow vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,327 to Gieske discloses a collapsible manually towed or bicycle trailered sailboard dolly. U.S. Pat. Des. No. 322,948 to DeMichele and Patout discloses a wheel lifting towing dolly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,209 to DeMichele and Patout discloses a wheel lift towing dolly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,221 to Krisa discloses a vehicle lifting and towing attachment. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,328 to Walsh, III discloses a vehicle hoisting tow trailer.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe trailer towing device that allows the swing of a trailer, normally transmitted to the towing vehicle, to be transmitted through the device operating as an intermediate trailer.
In this respect, the trailer towing device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a device capable of reducing the trailer tongue weight that is applied to a vehicle bumper when a trailer hitch is coupled to the bumper for towing by the vehicle.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved trailer towing device which can be used for providing a device capable of reducing the trailer tongue weight that is applied to a vehicle bumper when a trailer hitch is coupled to the bumper for towing by the vehicle. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A light emitting device includes: a light emitting element;                a first lead including a recess in one end portion, the recess including a first bottom surface with the light emitting element bonded thereto, at least one of a through hole and a notch, and a light shielding portion capable of suppressing leakage of emitted light from the light emitting element from the one of the through hole and the notch; a second lead opposed to the first lead; and a molded body filling the one of the through hole and the notch, covering the light emitting element, embedding at least part of the first lead and at least part of the second lead, and made of a translucent resin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a light emitting device.
2. Background Art
Light emitting devices intended for lighting apparatuses including vehicle-mounted interior and exterior lamps and traffic signals are required to have higher brightness and higher light flux. In a light emitting device having a structure in which a light emitting element is bonded to the bottom surface of a recess provided in the lead, light emitted laterally from the light emitting element can be reflected upward by the beveled inner sidewall of the recess, which facilitates increasing its optical output.
Furthermore, the recess of the lead with the light emitting element bonded thereto is sealed with resin, such as silicone, to protect the inside. Silicone or other resin typically has a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the metal lead and the light emitting element.
When the light emitting device is mounted on a substrate, stress occurs at temperature rise and fall in the solder dip process and solder reflow process due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient. For instance, in the cooling process, stress occurring due to contraction of the resin having large thermal expansion coefficient is applied to leads, chips, bonding wires and the like. This may cause peeling of the resin at the interface therewith, which may lead to degradation in optical and electrical characteristics and device failure.
JP-A-6-140550 (Kokai)(1994) discloses an example technique for avoiding cracks in a resin sealed package. In this example technique, cut-raised parts are formed in a tab. The resulting cut-out holes and cut-raised pieces are enclosed in a sealing resin, and their anchoring effect serves to avoid cracks.
However, application of this structure to a light emitting device makes it difficult to effectively extract light passing through the cut-out holes and interferes with increasing the brightness and light flux.

Light emitting device with a recess lead portion


Disclosed is a built-in refrigerator provided in a sink and effectively discharging heat from a condenser and a compressor. The built-in refrigerator includes a cabinet provided in the sink and a component chamber at a rear bottom thereof and a dust guard provided at a front bottom of the cabinet; a compressor provided in the component chamber; a condenser provided under a bottom surface of the cabinet; a ventilating passage communicating the component chamber with a bottom of the cabinet and outside of the dust guard for discharging heat generated from the condenser and the compressor to outside; and a cooling fan provided in the component chamber for cooling the compressor and the condenser.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a ventilating system of a built-in type refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a refrigerator is an apparatus for taking storage of foods freshly for a long-term period, and is divided into a cabinet with a freezer or a refrigerator chamber for taking storage of foods in frozen or cold storage states, and a refrigerating cycle for cooling the freezer or the refrigerator chamber. The refrigerating cycle is formed of a process of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation, and repeats the process to refrigerate the freezer or the refrigerator chamber.
Refrigerant compressed in the process of the compression by a compressor discharges heat and is changed to refrigerant having low enthalpy in a condenser, and enters into an evaporator after adiabatic expansion by an expansion valve. The refrigerant being entered into an evaporation valve absorbs heat in a refrigerator chamber through the isothermal expansion process and uses the heat as latent heat.
Furthermore, the condenser discharges heat by exchanging heat with outside air of refrigerator, and the evaporator absorbs heat by exchanging heat with the freezer or the refrigerator chamber in the refrigerator.
A conventional refrigerator is provided at one sidewall of a kitchen or a living room and it is protruded by its size to badly affect on beauty on appearance, and there is also caused a drawback in that practical space use is lowered.
To this end, in these days, there is being requested the development of a built-in refrigerator which one part of a body thereof enters into the wall in or can be provided at the sink. When a refrigerator is provided in a sink, there is a limitation of space needed for inflowing open air to cool the condenser and the compressor. Hence, there is focused a ventilation technology for effectively ventilating the heat generated from the condenser and the compressor.


Improvements in an ocean wave energy conversion unit that converts kinetic energy from oceanic waves into useable form of energy that will benefit society called and Aqua-tamer. The unit is designed to be modular in nature where the units can be deployed to function individually or assembled into groups where units will rely on each other and function together as a whole. Each individual unit has an electrical output. As a group (Colony) during deep sea surface applications, the electrical output of each Aqua-Tamer unit will be consolidated and used to operate a water-electrolysis operation that produces Oxygen Gas (O2) and Hydrogen Gas (H2). This production of O2 and H2, instead of electrical output, is designed to eliminate the requirements of an Ocean-wide electrical grid system and still facilitate an economic logistically efficient) method of energy transportation (energy in a gas state.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention related to improvements in power generation. More particularly, the present Aqua-tamer converts kinetic energy from oceanic waves into a useable form of energy that will benefit society.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A number of patents and/or publication have been made to address clean power generation and more specifically power generation from harnessing wave and/or tide motion. Exemplary examples of patents and or publications that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
To best explain the mechanical function of this electricity generating unit, let us first define and describe the function of the common gasoline powered (Otto or Diesel cycle), rear wheel drive, automobile. The automobile is essentially an energy converter that converts chemical potential energy in the form of hydrocarbons (gasoline) into kinetic energy that the operator utilizes for transportation. The engine converts chemical potential into pressure through combustion and eventually into shaft horsepower. This power output is then transmitted through a drive-train and eventually to the wheels that convert rotational movement into translational. So, essentially, we as automobile operators use gasoline and our energy converter (the automobile) to make use of the gasoline has to provide for our transportation purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,980,832 that issued on Jul. 19, 2011 to Ned M. Ahdoot and patent publication 2001/0304145 that published on Dec. 15, 2011 to Netanel Raisch both disclose devices that convert wave energy. Both of these devices have the majority of the device sitting above the waves and float above the surface. These patents are not anchored to a base with a self-contained enclosed generating system.
U.S. Publication 2010/0025999 that was published on Feb. 4, 2010 for Chong Hun Kim et al that published on Aug. 18, 2011 for Arturo Lama both disclosed wave electric power generation. Both of these publications use the force of an incoming wave to generate electricity. They do not rely on buoyancy to generate electricity and therefore can mostly be used near a shoreline as opposed to the open ocean.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,035,234 issued on Oct. 11, 2011 to Manuel Constanzo Mesa discloses a system to obtain energy from water waves. The system involves an array or matrix of individual floats that individually move up and down as a wave propagates through the matrix of floats. This patent does not utilize a single buoyancy member that floats with a wave. It also requires a significant amount of ocean surface area and utilizes a complex structure with multiple redundant sets of moving parts.
What is needed is simple single structure with a base that is secured to the ocean floor. The structure has vertical linear members where a buoyant floatation electricity generating mechanism is mounted to allow the device to both ride with the waves and tide to convert kinetic energy from oceanic waves. The disclosed device provides a solution to this problem.


A projector comprises a light source, an optical system for illumination, a reflective light modulating device having a plurality of reflective elements arranged in matrix form to be illuminated by the light emitted from the optical system for illumination, and an optical system for projection. The optical system for projection includes a reflective surface configured to bend a projection chief ray reflected at the center of the reflective light modulating device among projection chief rays in the optical system for projection. The reflective surface has a predetermined angle to the ray which is emitted from the optical system for illumination and which strikes the center of the reflective light modulating device, and includes a P shaft parallel to one of an X axis and a Y axis along which the plurality of reflective elements is arranged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projector which projects an image to a screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projectors are utilized as means for a plurality of people to simultaneously share video information at, for example, small planning sessions, meetings, large conferences and seminars. That is, the projector is portable and enables all participants to simultaneously view the same material and understand its content. Thus, the projector serves in achieving efficient meetings and sessions or convincing presentations.
Since projectors have not heretofore been light enough to carry with ease, they have only been moved between rooms in the same building and have lacked portability. However, electronic devices have recently been reduced in size and weight along with, for example, development in integrated technology of the electronic devices, so that portable projectors are also being realized owing to the size reduction.
For example, US 2002/0024637 A1 proposes a projector in which a digital micromirror device (DMD: a registered trademark of Texas Instruments, Inc., of the United States) is used as a light modulating device.
Herein, the DMD is a device in which a reflective surface is configured by a plurality of square micromirrors arranged in a matrix. Each micromirror has a diagonal pivot shaft, that is a pivot shaft with an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to an arranging direction of the mirror, and is configured to change its direction depending on whether it is turned on or off. In other words, if illumination light and reflected light are arranged to enter/exit along a plane which is perpendicular to the pivot shaft of the micromirror, the reflected light is emitted in a different direction depending on whether the mirror is turned off (off position) or on (on position). Thus, a projection lens is disposed, for example, in a direction in which the reflected light is projected when the mirror is turned on such that the reflected light can be projected on a screen. Therefore, each of the micromirrors of such a DMD is adapted to correspond to a pixel, and each micromirror is turned on/off in accordance with a value of each pixel of an input image, thereby making it possible to configure a projector which projects an image corresponding to the input image.
The projector disclosed in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above has the following configuration. Light emitted from a light source is led to an optical system for illumination via an integrator rod. The light emitted from the optical system for illumination has its light path bent by a total internal reflection (TIR) prism, and enters, as the illumination light, the DMD disposed on a DMD substrate. The reflected light (ON light) reflected by the DMD passes through the TIR prism and is projected to the screen by an optical system for projection.
It is to be noted that because the pivot shaft of each mirror of the DMD has an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to the arranging direction of the mirror as described above, the illumination light of the DMD needs to enter from a direction having an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to the arranging direction of the mirror of the DMD. Therefore, in the projector disclosed in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above, the DMD is mounted on the DMD substrate at an inclination of 45 degrees. The reason that the optical system for illumination which emits the illumination light are not inclined but the DMD is inclined as described above is to enable the projector to be stored in a small thin case. However, if the DMD is disposed with an inclination of 45 degrees as described above, the image projected to the screen is inclined at 45 degrees. Thus, in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above, a projection unit storing such a configuration is mounted on a projector base so that it can pivot 45 degrees on a rotation hinge around a shaft vertical to the DMD. In other words, during projection, the projection unit is inclined at 45 degrees so that an erect projection image is projected on the screen.
Furthermore, US 2002/0180939 A1 discloses a projector having the following configuration of an optical system. That is, light emitted from a light source is condensed to an integrator rod via a color wheel. The light emitted from the integrator rod is led to a TIR prism by a plurality of mirrors, and is totally reflected by the TIR prism to illuminate the DMD. Thus, the DMD is illuminated from a required direction with a required incidence angle. The illumination light thus illuminating is then reflected by the DMD to perform light modulation. The light which has passed through the TIR prism after the light modulation is projected to a screen by an optical system for projection.
Thus, the optical system for illumination uses a plurality of mirrors so that normal projection can be performed without disposing the DMD with inclination.


A synchronous buck regulator controller is provided. The regulator controller includes switch control circuitry, an unloading event detection circuit, an inductor current detection circuit, and a synchronous switch control logic circuit. In operation, the regulator controller controls a main switch and a synchronous switch to control the buck regulation. The unloading event detection circuit is arranged to detect an unloading event, and to assert an unloading event signal if such an event is detected. The inductor current detection circuit is arranged to assert an inductor current detection signal if the inductor current is close to zero. The synchronous switch control logic circuit is arranged to block the synchronous switch from turning on if the unloading event signal is asserted and the inductor current detection signal is not asserted. However, if the inductor current detection signal is subsequently asserted while the unloading event signal is still asserted, the synchronous switch control logic circuit stops blocking the synchronous switch from turning on.

A switching regulator may be configured to provide an output voltage (Vout) in response to an input voltage (Vin). Typically, a switching regulator includes an inductor that is coupled to a switch. In operation, the inductor current is a triangle wave current based on the opening and closing of the switch, and an output capacitor provides Vout from the inductor current. Also, the switch is controlled by a control signal, where the duty cycle or the frequency of the control signal is typically modulated based on negative feedback.
Additionally, a diode-rectified switching regulator employs a diode to rectify the inductor current. A synchronous switching regulator employs a synchronous switch rather than a diode. In a synchronous switching regulator, the inductor current can be positive or negative. Additionally, other topologies may be employed, such as a SEPIC topology or a CUK topology.

Apparatus and method for faster unloading of transient response in a synchronous buck switching regulator