An N-I-P type photovoltaic device includes a multi-layered body of N-doped semiconductor material which has an amorphous, N doped layer in contact with the amorphous body of intrinsic semiconductor material, and a microcrystalline, N doped layer overlying the amorphous, N doped material. A tandem device comprising stacked N-I-P cells may further include a second amorphous, N doped layer interposed between the microcrystalline, N doped layer and a microcrystalline P doped layer. Photovoltaic devices thus configured manifest improved performance, particularly when configured as tandem devices.

Photovoltaic devices provide a nonpolluting, silent and reliable source of electrical power. A number of techniques have now been developed for the fabrication of thin film photovoltaic devices which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and over large areas.
Thin film photovoltaic devices, particularly those manufactured from semiconductor alloys including group IV elements, are frequently fabricated in a N-I-P configuration. In devices of this type, a body of substantially intrinsic semiconductor material is interposed between oppositely doped layers of semiconductor material. Absorption of a photon by the semiconductor material in the intrinsic layer causes the generation of an electron/hole pair, and these carriers are swept out of the intrinsic layer by a built-in field established by the presence of the P doped and N doped layer, so as to be collected by electrodes associated with the device. It is to be understood that within the context of this disclosure, the intrinsic layer of the N-I-P type device may be very slightly P type or N type; however, within the device such layers will still function as intrinsic layers and hence are referred to as substantially intrinsic. It is also to be understood that such cells are often fabricated in an inverted configuration, and remarks made regarding N-I-P cells are also applicable to P-I-N cells as well.
Since, in an N-I-P type photovoltaic device photo generation of carriers takes place within the intrinsic body, it is desirable that passage of light thereinto be as unimpeded as possible. Also, it is desirable that the electrical conductivity of the various layers of the device be as high as is practically possible, so as to minimize resistive losses. Accordingly, it is preferred that, at least the light incident layer of an N-I-P type photovoltaic device be fabricated from a high transparency, high conductivity semiconductor material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,801 discloses a highly conductive, highly transparent P doped, microcrystalline semiconductor alloy material having particular utility in N-I-P type photovoltaic devices, and the disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference. As specifically disclosed therein microcrystalline materials are a type of disordered material which are distinguishable from amorphous materials insofar as they exhibit a threshold volume fraction of crystalline inclusions at which substantial changes in key parameters, including electrical conductivity, band gap and absorption constant occur.
The concept of microcrystalline materials exhibiting a threshold volume fraction of crystalline inclusions at which substantial changes in key parameters occur can best be understood with reference to the percolation model of disordered materials. Percolation theory, as applied to microcrystalline disordered materials, analogizes properties such as the electrical conductivity manifested by microcrystalline materials, to the percolation of a fluid through a nonhomogeneous, semipermeable medium such as a gravel bed. Microcrystalline materials are formed of a random network which includes low conductivity, highly disordered regions of materials surrounding randomized, highly ordered crystalline inclusions having high electrical conductivity. Once these crystalline inclusions attain a critical volume fraction of the network (which critical volume will depend, inter alia, upon the size and/or shape and/or orientation of the inclusions), it becomes a statistical probability that said inclusions are sufficiently interconnected so as to provide a low resistance current path through the network. Therefore, at this critical or threshold volume fraction, the material exhibits a sudden increase in conductivity. This analysis (as described in general terms relative to electrical conductivity herein) is well known to those skilled in solid state theory and may be similarly applied to describe additional physical properties of microcrystalline materials such as optical gap, absorption constant, etc.
The onset of this critical threshold value for the substantial change in physical properties of microcrystalline materials will depend upon the size, shape and orientation of the particular crystalline inclusions, but is relatively constant for different types of materials. The shape of the crystalline inclusions is critical to the volume fraction necessary to reach the threshold value. There exist one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional models which predict the volume fraction of inclusions necessary to reach the threshold value, these models being dependent on the shape of the crystalline inclusions. For instance, in a one-dimensional model (which may be analogized to the flow of charge carriers through a thin wire), the volume fraction of inclusions in the amorphous network must be 100% to reach the threshold value. In the two-dimensional model (which may be viewed as substantially conically shaped inclusions extending through the thickness of the amorphous network), the volume fraction of inclusions in the amorphous network must be about 45% to reach the threshold value. Finally in the three-dimensional model (which may be viewed as substantially spherical shaped inclusions in a sea of amorphous material), the volume fraction of inclusions need only be about 16-19% to reach the threshold value. Therefore, amorphous materials may incorporate crystalline inclusions without being microcrystalline as the term is defined herein.
In many instances it has been found advantageous to fabricate photovoltaic devices comprised of a plurality of individual cells stacked in an optical and electrical series relationship so as to produce tandem photovoltaic devices. In some instances the band gaps of the materials comprising the individual cells of the tandem device are varied so as to produce a spectrum splitting device in which the uppermost cells thereof are responsive to short wavelength illumination and relatively transparent to longer wavelength illumination, while the bottom cells of the stack are tailored to absorb and respond to longer wavelength illumination. The high transparency and good electrical conductivity of microcrystalline materials makes them useful in the fabrication of tandem N-I-P type photovoltaic devices, and tandem devices incorporating microcrystalline P layers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,771, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Tandem N-I-P type devices include an internal junction between the N layer of a first cell and the P layer of a succeeding cell. This junction is not a photovoltaicly productive junction, and the inventors hereof have reasoned that device performance could be improved if the electrical conductivity and/or transparency of the N layer could be improved. A decrease in optical absorption of the N layer will permit more light to pass through to the photo generative portion of the cell, thereby improving short circuit current. The increase in conductivity will improve the fill factor of the cell by optimizing the tunnel junction between the N and P layer, and will also improve the open circuit voltage of the cell. Overall, it is expected that inclusion of a microcrystalline N layer into an N-I-P type cell, particularly one incorporated into a tandem device, will improve the overall performance of the device.
In order to verify this hypothesis, the inventors hereof prepared a series of N-I-P type photovoltaic devices, each comprised of a layer of N doped silicon alloy material supported upon a substrate electrode, a body of intrinsic silicon alloy material deposited thereatop, and a layer of microcrystalline P type silicon alloy material disposed upon the intrinsic layer. In order to approximate the effects in a tandem device, the inventors hereof deposited an additional layer of N doped material atop the light incident, P layer of the aforementioned devices. In a first experiment, the additional N layer was a layer of substantially amorphous silicon alloy material. In a second experiment, the second N layer was a microcrystalline layer fabricated under deposition conditions favoring the preparation of a slightly microcrystalline layer; and a third experiment involved the deposition of a highly microcrystalline layer of N doped material atop the P layer of the aforementioned cell. The operational parameters of each of the foregoing devices were then measured and are summarized hereinbelow in Table 1 where J.sub.sc is the short circuit current, Q.sub.550 is the quantum efficiency at 550 nm, V.sub.oc is the open circuit voltage, and FF is the fill factor.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Sample J.sub.sc Q.sub.550 V.sub.oc FF ______________________________________ 1 11.2 0.70 0.916 0.592 2 11.5 0.72 0.948 0.643 3 11.9 0.74 0.938 0.610 ______________________________________
It will be noted from the foregoing that cell performance does in fact increase as the top N layer becomes microcrystalline.
Having conducted this experiment, the inventors hereof then proceeded to fabricate a series of tandem devices from stacked N-I-P type cells. In a first device, indicated by sample no. 4 in Table 2 hereinbelow, the N layer which was in contact with the P layer was fabricated from amorphous, N doped silicon alloy material, corresponding generally to the amorphous material of sample 1 of Table 1. In a second device of this experimental series, indicated by sample no. 5 in Table 2, the corresponding N layer was fabricated from a microcrystalline material having a relatively high degree of microcrystallinity and corresponding generally to that of sample 2 of Table 1. A third device of this experimental series is indicated by sample no. 6 in Table 2 hereinbelow and includes an N layer having a high degree of microcrystallinity and corresponding generally to that of sample 3 of Table 1. The thus fabricated devices were tested and the open circuit voltage and fill factors thereof are summarized in Table 2 hereinbelow.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Sample V.sub.oc FF ______________________________________ 4 1.804 0.652 5 1.755 0.659 6 1.657 0.666 ______________________________________
As will be seen from Table 2, the results of this experimental series were surprising insofar as the open circuit voltage of the tandem photovoltaic devices actually dropped as the N layer became more microcrystalline. This result appears counterintuitive, and at odds with the data from the first experimental series as summarized in Table 1. While the inventors hereof do not wish to be bound by speculation, it is postulated that the loss of open circuit voltage is resultant from a mismatch in the band gaps of the microcrystalline N and the amorphous I layer; which, because of the relative positions of the fermi levels therein produces an overall lowered cell voltage as compared to the voltage produced when an amorphous N layer is joined to an amorphous I layer.
In any instance, it is clear from the foregoing that inclusion of a highly conductive, highly transparent, microcrystalline N layer in an N-I-P type photovoltaic device is expected to provide enhanced device output, as compared to when an amorphous layer is included. However, while such benefits have heretofore been demonstrated in single cell devices, tandem devices fabricated with microcrystalline N layers actually show a reduced output, primarily as a result of lowered device voltage. The present invention provides a particular configuration of photovoltaic device which attains the benefits resultant from the high transparency and high conductivity of a microcrystalline body of N doped material while preventing the loss of voltage as demonstrated in the second experimental series detailed hereinabove. These and other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the drawings, discussion and description which follow.


The present invention relates to a medication delivery device for expelling set doses of medicament, the medication delivery device comprising a position determining assembly for detecting absolute positions of a rotatably mounted member arranged within the device, the position determining assembly comprising a plurality of transmitter electrodes arranged on a first exterior surface part of the rotatably mounted member, a plurality of receiver electrodes arranged on a second exterior surface part of the rotatably mounted member. A number of transmitter electrodes form pairs of interconnected electrodes with a number of receiver electrodes. A reading assembly fixedly arranged relative to for example the housing of the medication delivery device is also provided. The reading assembly comprises a plurality of transmitters arranged to electrically couple to one or more receiver electrodes, the reading assembly further comprising a plurality of receivers arranged to electrically couple to one or more transmitter electrodes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,754 discloses a system for measuring the relative movement between two elements, such as the scale and slide of a hand-held measuring instrument. The system includes the provision of a number of groups of supply electrodes on the slide, each of the electrodes in each group being supplied from a respective one of a multiple number of output signals from a signal generator so that all of the supply electrodes are furnished with voltages according to a cyclic pattern, the slide also having at least one receiving electrode which feeds a signal processing unit. The scale is provided with an electronic pattern comprising internally galvanically connected parts, one being a detecting part, located close to the area where the supply electrodes of the slide are moved, the other of the two parts being a transferring part which is located close to the area where the receiving electrode of the slide is moved. The movement of the slide along the scale generates a signal from the receiving electrode which is derived from the signals from at least two adjacent supply electrodes and the position of the slide is determined by a signal processing unit which identifies the amplitude ratio of the received signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,813 discloses an inductive absolute position sensor applying at least one magnetic field generator that generates a first changing magnetic flux in a first flux region. A plurality of coupling loops have a first plurality of coupling loop portions spaced at an interval related to a first wavelength along a measuring axis and a second plurality of coupling loop portions spaced at an interval related to a second wavelength along a measuring axis. One of the first plurality of coupling loop portions and the second plurality of coupling loop portions are inductively coupled to a first changing magnetic flux from a transmitter winding in a first flux region to generate a second changing magnetic flux outside the first flux region in the other of the first plurality of coupling loop portions and the second plurality of coupling loop portions. A magnetic flux sensor is positioned outside the first flux region and is responsive to the second changing magnetic flux to generate a position-dependent output signal. The output signal varies at the first or second wavelength of the corresponding other of the first plurality of coupling loop portions and the second plurality of coupling loop portions that generates the second changing magnetic flux.
The arrangements suggested in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,754 and 6,329,813 are adapted for determining linear translations between two objects.
US 2004/0207385 relates to a device for detecting the position of a rotor relative to a stator, wherein at least one electrode is arranged on the rotor and at least one electrode is arranged on the stator, such that the electrodes at least partially overlap in at least one rotational position of the rotor relative to the stator. US 2004/0207385 further relates to a method for measuring the rotational position of a rotor comprising at least one rotor electrode relative to a stator comprising at least one stator electrode, wherein the rotational position is detected using a capacitive coupling between the rotor electrode and the stator electrode.
US 2004/0207385 relates to the determining of angular positions between two objects such as between a rotatably mounted rotor and a stationary stator. It is a disadvantage of the arrangement suggested in US 2004/0207385 that the emitters and receivers are position in a manner where they take up an unnecessary amount of space. For compact systems the solution suggested by US 2004/0207385 is not applicable.
Furthermore, the arrangement suggested in US 2004/0207385 is not adapted for contact free and absolute position determination. As depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9 of US 2004/0207385 and the corresponding text in paragraphs 0053 and 0054 additional components such as force sensors or electrical resistors are required if absolute measurements are to be performed. Thus, it is a disadvantage of the arrangement suggested in 2004/0207385 that absolute measurements cannot be performed without the adding of contact requiring elements, such as force sensors and electrical resistors—the latter being implemented as a voltage divider.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a space saving assembly for measuring an absolute position, such as an absolute angular position, of a rotatably mounted member, such as a dose indicator barrel, in a medication delivery device.

Contact free absolute position determination of a moving element in a medication delivery device


A method for providing a diamond film on a scribing wheel useful for scribing glassy materials in order to increase its wear resistance. The method comprises sequential steps which include pre-treating the surface of the scribing wheel and thereafter depositing the diamond film on the pretreated scribing wheel by a chemical vapor deposition process.

This invention is generally directed to a method for providing a strongly adherent and durable polycrystalline diamond film on scribing wheels by chemical vapor deposition which includes pretreating the wheels.
Due to the need to produce various size and shapes of glass in different applications, glass cutting is an essential operation in glass manufacturing and processing. Because of the brittle nature of glass, the method and the tool used for glass cutting are quite different from those used for cutting other more plastic materials such as metal, metal alloys or metal composites. In cutting the latter, actual pealing or removal of materials during cutting is involved. Metal cutting tools have sharp cutting edges at the corners or tips of the tool bodies which remove or peal a portion of the metal surface. These types of tools, however, are not suitable to cut glass or other similar glassy materials like ceramics or silicon because those glass materials are brittle and susceptible to chipping and breaking if cutting is attempted with conventional, metal cutting tools.
The standard way of glass cutting is by scribing a line over the surface of glass and subsequently bending along the line to separate the object. The tools for scribing the line can be of any sharp pointed hard objects or, more commonly, a scribing wheels. When the sharp edge of the scribing wheel is pressed and rolled over the glass, it creates high compressive stress on the surface resulting in subsurface tensile cracking or tearing of the glass. A narrow crevice is formed underneath the score line as shown in FIG. 1. When a bending moment is applied to both sides of the crevice, a strong tension stress is developed at near the bottom of the crevice causing it to cleave and propagate downward and eventually separate the piece. In this case, little or no material is removed from glass during cutting, and because of the continuous change in the contact surface of the tool, its temperature remains relatively low (less than 150.degree. C.).
Glass scribing wheels presently employed in the glass manufacturing industry are made of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbides (Co--WC). These wheels have reasonable hardness and wear resistance, but their useful lifetime is limited to a few hours of cutting. With use, severe wear occurs at the scribing edge around the circumference of the wheel so that it is necessary to frequently replace the wheel which results in substantial downtime and reduction in productivity.
Diamond is known to exhibit many excellent mechanical properties including superb hardness, low friction coefficient, high wear resistance, and high thermal conductivity which are ideal for making cutting tools. In fact, small diamond stones have been used for various cutting tools. However, the volume of consumption and associated costs of using pure natural diamond are prohibitive for industrial uses. Due to the recent advance in diamond synthesis, tools for cutting metals have been fabricated using such synthetic diamond. For example, metal cutting tools have been fabricated from sintered synthetic diamond powder, or by providing a diamond coating on the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,476 to Okuzumi, et al. discloses prefabricating thick diamond films and then bonding them onto the surface of a machining tool. The prefabrication of the diamond film and the fact that after applying the film to the tool it needs to be reground to proper tool shape make the process expensive. A more desirable way to apply a diamond coating to tools is by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques and diamond films have been applied to the surface of a drill, insert, or end mill used in the cutting using this technique.
In order to improve the adhesion between a diamond coating and the substrate, various techniques have been proposed. These include plasma ion etching, diamond powder scratching, and strong acid etching. The latter is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,296 to Kikuchi, et al. It discloses a method for improving the bond strength between a CVD applied diamond coating and a tungsten carbide-based material cutting tool for metals by subjecting the tungsten carbide tool to an aqueous solution of a strong acid such as nitric acid prior to providing the diamond coating. The acid removes cobalt present in the tungsten carbide as a binder from the surface region. The first two methods are unsuitable for use with Co--WC because they indiscriminately remove the tungsten carbide as well as the cobalt. The strong acid etching process is undesirable because it can cause excessive removal of the cobalt and damage the integrity of the bulk or the tool material in the surface region.
The method of the present invention provides a method of selectively and controllably removing undesirable materials, like oxides or cobalt, which may be present on the surface of the wheel and enhances the diamond nucleation of the CVD applied diamond film. Both of these aspects of the invention process contribute to the excellent diamond film adhesion and wear resistance of the present invention diamond coated scribing wheel.

Method of producing CVD diamond coated scribing wheels


In a TFT substrate partially constituting a liquid crystal panel, gate bus lines and data bus lines are provided in orthogonal directions to each other, and a switching element (TFT) is provided in the vicinity of each of intersecting points of these bus lines. Further, Cs bus lines forming auxiliary capacitances (Cs) together with picture element electrodes each of which is provided for each picture element are provided in the direction parallel to the data bus lines. The gate bus lines, the data bus lines, and the Cs bus lines are provided at equal wiring intervals, respectively, and picture element regions each having the shape of a square are delimited by the Cs bus lines as boundaries.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an active matrix type liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display device adapted to improve an aperture ratio.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display devices have the advantages in that they are thin and light and that they can be driven at low voltages and have low power consumption. Accordingly, liquid crystal display devices are used in various kinds of electronic devices such as televisions, desktop personal computers (PCs), notebook PCs, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and the like. In particular, active matrix liquid crystal display devices, in which a thin film transistor (TFT) as a switching element is provided for each picture element, exhibit excellent display characteristics, which are comparable to those of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, because of high driving capabilities thereof, and therefore they have been widely used even in fields where CRT displays have been used heretofore, such as televisions and desktop PCs.
A typical liquid crystal display device has a structure in which liquid crystals are contained between two transparent substrates made of glass plates. On one substrate, a TFT, a picture element electrode, and the like, are formed for each picture element. On the other substrate, color filters, a common electrode (counter electrode), and the like, which face the picture element electrodes, are formed. In the description below, for convenience, the substrate on which the TFTs, the picture element electrodes, and the like, are formed is referred to as a "TFT substrate," and the substrate on which the color filters, the common electrode, and the like, are formed is referred to as a "counter substrate." Further, the structure including the TFT substrate, the counter substrate, and the liquid crystals contained therebetween is referred to as a "liquid crystal panel."
FIG. 1 schematically shows, in the form of a plan view, the constitution of a TFT substrate in a prior art active matrix liquid crystal panel.
As shown in the drawing, a plurality of gate bus lines 11 extending horizontally (laterally), a plurality of data bus lines 12 extending vertically (longitudinally), and a plurality of auxiliary capacitance (Cs) bus lines 13 extending parallel to the gate bus lines 11, are formed on the TFT substrate 10. The gate bus lines 11 and the Cs bus lines 13 are provided with the respective equal pitches (wiring intervals), and the data bus lines 12 are also provided with equal pitches (note, approximately ⅓ of the pitches of the gate bus lines 11 and the Cs bus lines 13). Thus, each region surrounded by two adjacent gate bus lines 11 and two adjacent data bus lines 12 constitutes a unit picture element. In the region of this unit picture element, a picture element electrode 14 (indicated by a dashed line) is formed. Different regions (picture element electrodes 14) of unit picture elements are provided for the colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), respectively. Three laterally adjacent R, G, and B sub-pixels constitute one picture element (pixel). Each of R, G, and B picture elements (sub-pixels) has a rectangular shape with an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1. It is noted that reference numeral 15 (portion surrounded by a dotted line) denotes two thin film transistors (TFTs) connected in series, reference numeral 16 denotes a contact hole for connecting the drain region of the TFTs 15 to the data bus line 12, reference numerals 17 and 18 denote contact holes for connecting the source region of the TFTs 15 to the picture element electrode 14, and reference numeral 19 denotes a semiconductor region forming an auxiliary capacitance Cs together with the Cs bus line 13 for each picture element.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the constitution of the prior art liquid crystal panel (TFT substrate 10), each of the R, G, and B picture elements (sub-pixels) constituting one picture element (pixel) has a rectangular shape with an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1. Accordingly, in order to reduce the area of a portion of the relevant picture element which does not effectively contribute to display, to a minimum (i.e., reduce a decrease in the aperture ratio to a minimum), it has been necessary to minimize the wiring length of the Cs bus line 13 crossing the relevant picture element region. For this purpose, the Cs bus lines 13 have needed to be provided parallel to the gate bus lines 11. In such a layout, the picture element regions (picture element electrodes 14) are necessarily defined by the data bus lines 12 as boundaries. Taking into consideration the overlaps with the picture element electrodes 14 and the distances between adjacent picture element electrodes 14, the wiring width of the data bus line 12 cannot be made too narrow. Namely, since the wiring width of the data bus line 12 needs to be appropriately made wide, it has caused a decrease in the aperture ratio.
Moreover, as the trend toward higher definition grows, a reduction in the time for writing into picture elements has posed a problem. For example, in the case where the frame frequency is 60 Hz (the number of frames scanned for one second is 60), the scanning time for one frame is approximately 16.7 ms (= 1/60 s). In the case where the pixel format is VGA (Video Graphics Array: 640×480 picture elements), the time assigned for one horizontal line is approximately 32 μs. If the number of picture elements further increases (SVGA (Super VGA: 800×600 picture elements), XGA (eXtended GA: 1024×768 picture elements), or the like), the time assigned for one horizontal line is further reduced, and the time for writing into picture elements needs to be reduced correspondingly. In order to reduce this write time, for example, it can be considered that the transistor size of each picture element is increased. However, where the transistor size is increased, the area of a portion of the relevant picture element which does not effectively contribute to display increases. Accordingly, the aperture ratio decreases, and there occurs a problem in that display becomes dim.
Moreover, in a field sequential color system in which data is divided by time division for each of the colors of R, G, and B, or the like and written into picture elements and in which R, G, and B light sources or the like are time-sequentially turned on synchronously with the writing, there has occurred a problem in that the time assigned for one horizontal line is further reduced. For example, in a general active matrix LCD, in order to prevent flickers, a write operation is performed at approximately 60 Hz ( 1/60 s per one frame). In the case where field sequential drive is performed by constituting a color image for one frame using three fields of the three primary colors of RGB, a period for one field is 1/180 s (= 1/60 s×⅓), and the time assigned for one horizontal line needs to be reduced by a factor of approximately ⅓. Namely, there has been a disadvantage in that the time allowable for writing is limited.
Furthermore, in the field sequential color system, after data (e.g., R data for one field) is written into all of the picture elements constituting one frame, the color of a light source needs to be switched (e.g., a light source of G or B needs to be turned on). Accordingly, the total time required for writing data of all the colors (R, G, and B) into all the picture elements becomes longer by an amount corresponding to the above-described switching. In particular, there has been a disadvantage in that the time for writing into all the picture elements increases as the number of picture elements increases.
Moreover, in an impulse drive system in which a light source is turned on in a pulsating manner (turned on only for a partial time of one-frame time) in order to improve the image quality of a moving video picture, the total time required for writing into all the picture elements also needs to be reduced. However, similar to the case of the above-described field sequential drive, there has been a disadvantage in that the time for writing into all the picture elements increases as the number of picture elements increases.
As the art relating to the above-described prior art, for example, as described in Japanese unexamined Patent Publication (JPP) 10-232408, there is a liquid crystal panel in which picture element electrodes and TFTs are formed to correspond to the intersections of control bus lines and data bus lines, in which capacitor bus lines forming auxiliary capacitances together with the picture element electrodes are formed, and which has auxiliary capacitance patterns branching from the capacitor bus lines and extending along the data bus lines. In this liquid crystal panel, where a short circuit between a data bus line and an auxiliary capacitance pattern is found out, the defective portion can be easily recovered. Further, as the art relating to the aforementioned field sequential drive, for example, as described in JPP 2002-311411, there is a technology in which a high-definition liquid crystal panel is realized using an amorphous silicon-type liquid crystal element and in which uniform back lighting is realized by adopting a point light source type as a back light necessary for the liquid crystal panel.
As described above, in the prior art, each of R, G, and B picture elements (sub-pixels) constituting one picture element (pixel) has a rectangular shape with an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1. This requires that the Cs bus lines 13 be provided parallel to the gate bus lines 11, and that the wiring width of the data bus line 12 be made wide accordingly. Consequently, there has been a problem in that the aperture ratio decreases. Further, with the development of the trend toward higher definition, there has been a problem in that a sufficient write time cannot be ensured for liquid crystal panels of drive systems in which the time allowable for writing into picture elements is limited, and for liquid crystal panels having a large number of picture elements.

Liquid crystal panel and display device with data bus lines and auxiliary capacitance bus lines both extending in the same direction


Use of busulfan amide as stabilized standards in immunoassays for quantifying the amount of busulfan in samples of human biological fluids, methods for carrying out said immunoassay and kits for use in said immunoassay.

Cancer is a term used to describe a group of malignancies that all share the common trait of developing when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Most cancers form as tumors, but can also manifest in the blood and circulate through other tissues where they grow. Cancer malignancies are most commonly treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. The type of treatment used to treat a specific cancer depends upon several factors including the type of cancer malignancy and the stage during which it was diagnosed.
Busulfan is a common cytotoxic agent that is used for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia and high-dose pre-transplant conditioning. This chemotherapeutic agent has the formula:
This compound has been associated with debilitating side effects such as mucositis, hepatic veno-occlusive disease and myelosuppression. By monitoring the levels of busulfan in the body and adjusting the dose, these side effects can be better controlled and limited in patients.
Routine therapeutic drug management of busulfan requires the use of simple automated tests such as immunoassays which are adaptable to general laboratory equipment. In general these immunoassay are performed on fluid samples taken from a patient who is being treated with the busulfan so as to monitor his therapy. In so doing the health facilities, such as hospitals, laboratories and doctors offices use immunoassays by means of kits for performing such immunoassays. In order to carry out these assays, kits containing reagents, standards and instructions for carrying out the immunoassay are provided by their manufacturer. In this way the immunoassay can be performed at these health facilities. These kits usually contain the necessary reagents in separate containers for carrying out the busulfan immunoassay on the patient samples.
In order to quantify the amount of busulfan in a patient sample, a set of standards, each standard containing a known amount or concentration of busulfan, are placed in the assay kit or in a separate calibration kit to correlate the results of the immunoassay on the patient sample with the results achieved through subjecting the standards containing known amounts or known concentrations of busulfan to the same immunoassay to which the sample was subjected. In these kits the set of standards contains a sufficient number of standards of different concentration of busulfan, so that when all of the standards are subjected to the immunoassay, the results achieved with respect to the all of the standards can be plotted against the different concentrations to provide a curve or a straight line.
In this manner by means of this immunoassay, the results with respect to the patient's sample can be compared and correlated through this plot to the results achieved by means of these standards with known concentrations of the busulfan. Locating on this plot, where the results obtained with the patent sample fall, will determine the amount of busulfan in the patient samples.
A major flaw in these kits or in the calibration kits for determining busulfan in a patient's sample is that the busulfan in the standard is unstable and after a prolonged period of time decomposes. Busulfan is a bifunctional alkylating agent that has two labile methanesulfonate groups that are attached at the opposite ends of a saturated four carbon chain. These two groups are readily hydrolyzed in aqueous media especially in the presence of nucleophiles. Studies have shown that busulfan decomposes significantly at 37° C. with a half life of 14 hours. At room temperature for 5 days, more than 60% of busulfan is decomposed.
In developing calibrators or controls of busulfan for use as standards in a quantitative assay, special care has to be taken so that the busulfan does not decompose and give inaccurate results. In practice calibrator matrix material is spiked at various levels with busulfan and the material is then aliquoted into smaller vials and frozen at −20° C. When an assay needs to be run, one of the aliquots is thawed and used in the assay that day. It cannot be keep at room temperature for more than a few hours and even at 4° C. the calibrator decomposes within a day. This adds a complexity and expense to laboratories in addition to causing doubt on the results due to the decomposion of the material used as a calibrator. The instability of busulfan calibrators and controls can often lead to erroneous results. Therefore having a stabilized material for use as a standard would allow for a great ease of use and more confidence in the results.

Stabilized standards for busulfan immunoassay


A system for processing exception event request to identify defective product includes one or more processors configured to receive, from a customer device, an exception event request associated with a product included in an order, the received exception event request comprising a product identifier. Access database to identify a number of exception event requests associated with the product identifier stored in the database. Determine when the number of exception event requests associated with the product identifier exceeds a predetermined threshold number of exception event requests for the product identifier. In response to determining that the number of exception event requests associated with the product identifier exceeds the predetermined threshold number of exception event requests, identify the product as a defective product.

Users (e.g., online customers) often use websites (e.g., e-commerce websites) or mobile applications to order products (e.g., purchase food, groceries, etc.). When products available on the e-commerce websites are not satisfactory to the needs or requirements of the customer (e.g., defects in electronic devices, rotten or expired fresh food products, broken products, dented products), the customer may wish to exchange the product or return the product and get a refund for the product. By way of example, such situations would result in a generation of refund or exchange events. A refund or exchange event is an event where the customer would either request a refund or may request an exchange of the product from the e-commerce website. Products that are being exchanged or returned may be sold by certain vendors that have manufactured the product with defects within it. Such products with manufacturing defects may result in a high number (e.g., thousands if not millions) of refund or exchange requests from customers for those products. Receiving and processing of such a high number of refund or exchange requests because of manufacturing defects may result in higher overhead costs for the e-commerce websites. Further, processing of such a high volume of refund or exchange requests from customers may cause bottlenecks in network utilization, as servers may be overloaded by the unexpected volume of requests received. This may result in network delays, and thus may cause inefficient utilization of network resources. Even further, this may result in a dissatisfied customer as explained below.
Current solutions do not identify defects in products offered on e-commerce websites. Not being able to detect defects in products, results in customers exchanging or returning the defective products. This leads to customers not being able to receive their products on time or not being able to receive their products at all. Thus, customer orders may not be fulfilled, which may lead to dissatisfied customers. This, in turn, may cause a negative customer service experience and could potentially lead to customers stopping use of the e-commerce websites, resulting in loss of revenue.
Another issue, not addressed by current solutions, is that of correcting the defects identified in defective products. Current solutions in the marketplace do not remove a product identified as defective from e-commerce websites, which results in additional customers purchasing defective products and further providing exchange or return requests for those defective products. Accordingly, current solutions are inefficient and result in inefficient utilization of network resources and cause a negative customer experience. Thus, there is a need to identify products that are defective and correct the defects in those products.

Systems and methods for processing exception event request to identify defective product


An embodiment of the present invention provides a TFT array substrate including: a base substrate (1) and thin film transistors. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode (2), a semiconductor layer (5), a semiconductor protective layer, a source electrode (8) and a drain electrode (9). The semiconductor protective layer is disposed adjacent to the semiconductor layer (5) and includes a composite lamination structure, which includes a protective layer formed of an insulating material capable of preventing de-oxygen of the semiconductor layer (5) and an insulating layer formed of an insulating material to be etched more easily.

Along with the development of the display manufacturing technologies, thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs) have been prevailing in the recent flat display market due to characteristics, such as compactness, low power consumption, and non radiation, and the like.
A prior art process for producing a TFT array substrate commonly comprises: depositing a gate metal film, a gate insulating film, a metal oxide film (semiconductor film), a source-drain metal film, a passivation layer film as well as a transparent conductive film onto a substrate, and forming successively, through several photolithography processes, the patterns of a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a passivation layer as well as a transparent pixel electrode. Usually, one photolithography process successively comprises film formation, exposure, development, etching and removing etc.; the etching process comprises dry etching and wet etching. Wet etching has the drawbacks of poor anisotropy, severe undercutting, poor control on patterns, failure for fine characteristic dimensions, production of considerable chemical liquid waste, and the like; in contrast, due to the advantages, such as good anisotropy, good controllability, flexibility, repeatability, processing safety, easy automation, no chemical liquid waste, no contamination introduced during process, and high brilliancy, and the like, dry etching is widely used in the photolithography process for a TFT array substrate.
In the above processes for making a TFT array substrate, the formation of the semiconductor layer and the source electrode as well as the drain electrode is conducted through successive processes, that is, the semiconductor layer film is firstly deposited and then the source-drain metal film are deposited. In order to prevent the damages to the semiconductor film in depositing the source-drain metal film, typically one etching stop layer is deposited onto the semiconductor film, and next the source-drain metal film is deposited. After the patterning process, the etching stop layer retains within the channel between the source electrode and the drain electrode over the semiconductor layer. One surface of the semiconductor layer contacts the etching stop layer, and the other surface contacts the gate insulating layer. The etching stop layer and the gate insulating layer are usually formed of an insulating material, such as SiNx, Al2O3, SiOx, etc. If the semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide material and the etching stop layer and the gate insulating layer are formed of SiNx, SiNx contained in the etching stop layer and the gate insulating layer will seize the oxyanion in the metal oxide of the semiconductor layer, causing de-oxygen of the metal oxide of the semiconductor layer and thus unstable behavior of the TFT array substrate.
In order to enhance the stability of the TFT array substrate, the etching stop layer and the gate insulating layer may also be formed of Al2O3 or SiOx. However, in the case of dry etching, if the patterns of the etching stop layer and the gate insulating layer are formed of Al2O3 or SiOx, the etching rate will be low, which is adverse to large scale production.


The present invention includes a footbed for an elliptical exercise machine designed to pivot during the elliptical range of rotation thereby allowing the user""s foot to dictate the angle of the footbed throughout that entire path of rotation. The footbed assembly includes, generally, a platform, two posts, footpad, saddle, and pads. The platform or plate mount is mounted to the elongated rails of the elliptical machine with the posts extending vertically therefrom. The footpad includes wings extending from on each side. The wings are bent upwardly such that they extend above the surface of the footpad. The upward point of the wings are pivotally secured to the posts such that the pivot point is a distance above the plane of the footpad.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to exercise devices and to elliptical exercise devices specifically.
2. Background of the Invention
The footbed of an elliptical exercise machine is the assembly on which the user""s foot rests which moves in an elliptical orbit throughout the full motion of the device. The user""s foot/ankle follows the footbed throughout this range of motion. The elliptical range of motion is derived conventionally from securing the footbed to a set of rails which roll back along a frame on one end and are connected to a bicycle crank on the other which rotates in a circular geometry. With the footbed secured to the rail along its length, an elliptical range of motion is derived from the fact that one end of the rail is rotating in a circular geometry (moving vertically as well as horizontally) and the other is rolling horizontally. As a result, the pitch or angle of the footbed will dictate the pitch/angle of the user""s foot/ankle throughout the entire range of motion. In other words, a footbed which is level will remain level throughout this motion while a footbed that is fixed at an angle will remain at that angle throughout the entire elliptical path of rotation.
The theory behind an elliptical exercise machine is to derive a range of motion which simulates the natural stride of human biokinetic motion while causing minimal impact to the user. Impact/shock is a result of repetitive striking of the ground by the exerciser""s foot coupled with the force derived from the exerciser""s body weight. Repetitive impact commonly causes injury, wear, or at least fatigue to the feet, ankles, and legs. With an elliptical exercise machine, since the footbed is fixed to the rail, the foot of the user (an thereby the weight) is constantly supported by the rail. Therefore, the belief is that there is little or no repetitive shock/impact to the user.
One problem that exists with conventional footbed systems in elliptical exercise machines is that since the footbed is fixed to the rail, it will remain in that fixed position throughout the path of rotation of the rail. A footbed which is level will remain level through this motion, while a footbed that is set at an angle will remain at that angle throughout the entire elliptical path of rotation. Since the footbed is fixed, it does not effectively simulate the natural flexation of the foot/ankle during the exerciser""s normal stride. The result is that this unnatural stride may cause the user to terminate the use of the machine prior to achieving a maximum workout or avoid the machine altogether. A need, therefore, exists for a device which allows the foot/ankle of the user to change position during the path of rotation in a manner which approximates a natural stride of the user.
The present invention includes a footbed for an elliptical exercise machine designed to pivot during the elliptical range of rotation thereby allowing the user""s foot to dictate the angle of the footbed throughout that entire path of rotation. Simulation of the natural stride of the user is thus obtained thereby creating a more comfortable piece of exercise equipment for the user and allowing the user to obtain a maximum exercise benefit from its use. The footbed assembly includes, generally, a platform, two posts, footpad, saddle, and pads. The platform or plate mount is mounted to the elongated rails of the elliptical machine with the posts extending vertically therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the footpad includes wings extending from on each side. The wings are bent upwardly such that they extend above the surface of the footpad. The upward point of the wings are pivotally secured to the posts such that the pivot point is a distance above the plane of the footpad.
The saddle is secured, preferably welded to the underside of the footpad and is of an elongated xe2x80x9cWxe2x80x9d shape. In the preferred embodiment, two pads are secured to the inside of the xe2x80x9cWxe2x80x9d such that they surround (or sandwich) a shaft extending between the posts beneath the plane of the footpad. The pads thereby provide resistance and spring to the footpad and act to bias the footpad to a home or relaxed position. The pads in this way provide the user a feel of greater control of the footpad during operation. Since the wings of the footpad are secured to the posts at a pivot point above the plane of the footpad, the footpad is free to pivot subject to the restriction of the pads.
An object of invention is therefore to create a footpad for an elliptical exercise machine which is free to pivot and thereby follow the natural foot/ankle position of the user which simulates the user""s natural stride. Other objects will become apparent from the drawings and the detailed description.


The gas-venting groove or grooves are formed, while leaving a part of the thread ridge up to a certain height, as the vertical degassing paths in the thread ridge carved on the outer surface of the round neck wall and the entire neck is whitened by the thermal crystallization. This thermal crystallization is conducted under the condition that the neck is prevented from undesired deformation caused by uneven resin flow state. Thus, the object of this invention is to provide a highly safe neck that can be used widely in the field of heat-resistant containers, pressure-tight containers, and heat-resistant and pressure-tight containers.

Japanese patent application No. P1998-58527 includes a description on a biaxially drawn, blow-molded bottle made of a polyethylene terephthalate resin (hereinafter referred to as PET bottle) and used for the beverage products, such as tea and fruit juices, and the like, which require a filling operation at a high temperature or a thermal treatment process. The so-called heat-resistant neck has high thermal deformation resistance strengthened by the thermal crystallization treatment, and is used as the neck of the PET bottle which is to be filled with tea, fruit juice, liquid seasoning and the like at a high temperature, or is subjected to a thermal treatment process.
FIG. 10 shows a typical PET bottle to be filled with tea, fruit juice, and the like. FIGS. 11 and 12 show a typical heat-resistant neck 20. The entire neck is in the whitened state as a result of the thermal crystallization treatment. Under the thread ridge 22 there is a bead ring 24, which is jointly used with a pilfer-proof cap to prevent the bottle from being opened by improper handling or by malfunction. The heat-resistant neck has also a neck ring 25. The mesh hatching over the heat-resistant neck 20 in FIGS. 11 and 12 shows the neck in the whitened state caused by the thermal crystallization. (This hatching is omitted in FIGS. 10.)
Meanwhile, Japanese patent application No. P1995-267235 has a description on the PET bottle to be used for carbonated beverages. FIG. 7 is an entire view of a typical PET bottle to be used for carbonated beverages. FIGS. 8 and 9 show a typical example of the so-called pressure-tight neck 10 of the PET bottle shown in FIG. 7.
The pressure-tight neck 10 of the PET bottle shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 is not thermally crystallized, and therefore, is in a clear state. The bottle comprises body 17 in a cylindrical shape and bottom 18 in the so-called petaloid shape, in which multiple legs 18a are projected downward to improve the pressure-resisting property of the bottle. The pressure-tight neck 10 is provided with an intermittent thread ridge 12, which has missing portions in between the segments of the thread ridge. These missing portions 12a are used as the gas venting grooves to allow the inner pressure of carbon dioxide gas to escape through the grooves when the bottle is uncapped.
In recent years, utilization of PET bottles has been expanding in various applications, and there is a need for a neck having both the heat-resisting property and the gas-venting property, rather than the neck having either property.
For instance, a PET bottle having the heat-resistant neck is used for filling the contents at a high temperature or is treated at a high temperature for pasteurization. Then, when the bottle is left to cool to room temperature, the bottle inside is under a reduced pressure. Sometimes the round wall of the bottle caves in, and the bottle deforms. (In many cases, the bottle is provided with deformable vacuum-absorbing panels in the portions of body walls to absorb the reduced pressure. See the vacuum-absorbing panel 27a in the body wall 27 in FIG. 10.) In the heat-resistant neck 20, there has been no mechanism corresponding to the gas-venting groove, such as the missing portions 12a in the intermittent thread ridge 12 of the pressure-tight neck 10. As a result, outside air bursts into the bottle at the moment when the bottle is uncapped, and the contents spout out under the effect of the force with which the bottle recovers from the reduced pressure condition. The spillover may happen to spoil the clothes.
Even with uncarbonated contents, such as fruit juices, there are still cases where the contents fall into a pressurized condition because of gas evolution due to a change over time. In such a case, there is a fear that the contents may spout out when the cap is removed from the heat-resistant neck 20.
The pressure-tight PET bottles for carbonated beverages, such as shown in FIG. 7 are finding more and more applications that require a pasteurization process using hot shower at a high temperature, which process is conducted after the bottles have been filled with beverages. Therefore, there is a need for the neck having a heat-resistant property and also a mechanism corresponding to the gas-venting groove found in the pressure-tight neck, to deal with the above-described problem of the contents that spill over or spout out of the bottle. In the case of the pressure-tight neck 10 having the missing portions 12a in the thread ridge, the problems caused by the missing portions 12a include undesired deformation due to thermal crystallization. As the neck is deformed, the screw engagement with the cap gets out of order, and the sealing property of the bottle decreases greatly.
The above problems are attributable to the differences in the resin flow and in the cooling/solidifying behavior observed between the intermittent thread ridge 12 and the missing portions 12a during the injection molding process. It is considered that due to these differences, surface sinks inevitably occur on the top surface of the neck 10 at places corresponding to the positions of the missing portions 12a. In addition, the neck would have a shape distorted from the circular shape.
As another problem, there occur similar surface sinks also on the top surface of the neck at the place corresponding to the vicinity of the starting and ending points of the intermittent thread ridge 12.
The thickness of the round wall 11 of the pressure-tight neck 10 is also a factor affecting the extent of undesired deformation, such as the above-described surface sinks. This deformation can be inhibited by increasing the thickness. However, from the aspects of productivity, cost reduction, and resources saving of the PET bottles, it is still difficult in reality to inhibit this undesired deformation within a practical range of the thickness.
This invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The technical object of this invention is to provide a neck having a gas-venting structure and a structure capable of controlling surface sinks and deformation caused by thermal crystallization. Thus, the object of this invention is to provide a highly safe neck that can be used widely in the field of heat-resistant containers, pressure-tight containers, and heat-resistant and pressure-tight containers.


The present invention relates to an improved displacement device (1) for controlled dispensing of a dose of a liquid contained in a cartridge (40), the displacement device (1) comprises a housing (5) incorporating: a mechanism (6) for accommodating the cartridge (40), a manually activatable displaceable elongated dose dispensing device (20), the elongated dose dispensing device (20) having a first end part (22) extending to the exterior of the housing (5), an elongated piston rod (30) connected with a displaceable piston (32), the piston (32) being adapted to press out the liquid contained in the cartridge (40), and the piston rod (30) having a plurality of transversely extending teeth (25) arranged along its length, a toothed displacing mechanism (14), and a user-operated dose setting mechanism (8,10,12), the user-operated dose setting mechanism (8,10,12) and the toothed displacing mechanism (14) are operatively connected to cause movement of the toothed displacing mechanism (14) in response to the operation of the dose setting mechanism (8,10,12), pinion mechanism (35) having a shaft (37), being rotatably secured to the elongated dose dispensing device (20), the pinion mechanism (35) being arranged to engage the teeth of the toothed displacing mechanism (14) and the teeth (25) of the piston rod (30).

The present invention relates to displacement devices for controlled dispensing of a dose of a liquid contained in a cartridge, in particular for use for the infusion of medicine, such as insulin for diabetes patients, and comprising a housing incorporating a means for accommodating said cartridge, a manually activatable displaceable elongated dose dispensing means having a first end part extending to the exterior of the housing, an elongated piston rod connected with a displaceable piston, said piston being adapted to press out the liquid contained in said cartridge.
Such devices are well-known in the art, see eg. FR 2 572 288. Some of the known devices are cumbersome in use, and do not provide means allowing the user to readily verify that a preset dose is in fact dispensed. Other known devices do not permit resetting of the dose when this has been set, rendering the devices impracticable in use.

Device for controlled dispensing of a dose of a liquid contained in a cartridge


Portable work stations which permit a one-step, touch-free finishing of all surfaces of doors, shutters, window sashes, cabinet doors, garage doors, spindles, and other workpieces. There are also provided trim measuring and cutting, and hinge mortising and prep racks, a leg assembly, a drying rack, and a trim board work station. All of these devices are provided by kits of components.

During the course of their work, professional painters typically paint or otherwise finish doors, spindles, and cabinet doors, of the type commonly found in houses and other buildings, either installed in the frame or leaning against the wall or other structure. Finishing a door in the vertical position, especially when using an airless or other type paint sprayer, can result in runs or sags in the finish due to gravity, overspraying onto adjacent surfaces, and an improper viewing angle for the painter.
Furthermore, because a typical construction site can range from very cluttered and dirty to well-maintained, but is rarely pristine, a door resting on or near the floor may have dirt or debris from the floor blown onto it by the sprayer as the finish is applied. If the door being finished is leaning against another structure, the finish must be applied to first one side, allowed to dry, turned, and the finish applied to the other side, a very time consuming process.
The prior, but not necessarily relevant, art is exemplified by Wood U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,648, Ray U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,011, and Speed et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,204.
It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of the current devices and techniques, and to provide a unique painter's portable jig, leg assembly, drying rack, a kit of components thereof, and other portable work stations.
The term "workpiece structure" as used herein means a workpiece itself, or workpieces themselves, or a structure for holding said workpiece or workpieces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Materials for photoelectric conversion devices, consisting of polyacene derivatives represented by general formula (I) below; and photoelectric conversion devices made by using the materials. The materials for photoelectric conversion devices have excellent workability and productivity, exhibit low toxicity, are easily flexibilized, and have high photoelectric conversion efficiencies.

Recently, global warming caused by burning fossil fuel and increase in energy demand associated with population growth have been serious problems influencing existence of human being. Needless to say, sunlight has fostered terrestrial environment and supplied energy to all the living things including human being since ancient times. Thus, recently it has been considered to utilize sunlight as an energy source that is infinitely available and clean without emission of any harmful substances. In particular, attention has been paid to photoelectric devices converting light energy to electric energy, so-called solar cells, as a powerful technology.
As materials for generating electromotive force in solar cells, there have been used silicon in a single crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous form and inorganic semiconductors composed of compounds such as CuInSe, GaAs and CdS. Solar cells using these inorganic semiconductors attain relatively high energy conversion efficiencies, 10% to 20%, and therefore they are widely utilized as remote power supplies and auxiliary power supplies in portable small-sized electronic apparatuses. In light of the purpose mentioned in the beginning, namely, for preventing damage to the global environment by reducing consumption of fossil fuel, however, solar cells using inorganic semiconductors cannot be regarded to be sufficiently effective at the present stage. This is because such solar cells using inorganic semiconductors are produced by a plasma-assisted CVD method or a high-temperature crystal growth process, which means that a large quantity of energy is required to produce the devices. Further, such devices contain Cd, As, Se or the like, which possibly have harmful effects on the environment, causing possibility of environmental damages on disposal of the devices.
There have been proposed organic solar cells in which organic semiconductors are used as photovoltaic materials capable of improving the above issue. Organic semiconductors have excellent characteristics: a wide variety of materials are available; toxicity is low; production cost cutting is possible due to high workability and productivity; and they can be readily flexibilized due to the flexing nature; and others. For this reason, organic solar cells have been actively studied toward commercialization.
Organic solar cells are largely classified into semiconductor type and dye-sensitized type. The semiconductor type is classified into two classes, Schottky barrier type and pn junction type, according to the mechanism in dissociation of photo-generated charged pairs. Schottky barrier solar cells utilize internal electric field due to Schottky barrier induced in a junction plane between an organic semiconductor and a metal (see Non-patent Document 1). While such Schottky barrier solar cells can attain relatively high open-circuit voltage (Voc), they have a drawback that the photoelectric conversion efficiencies tend to decrease with an increase in irradiation light intensity. Further, production of Schottky barrier solar cells is generally rather difficult since thin films are required to be formed by various kinds of vapor deposition methods.
The pn junction solar cell, which utilizes internal electric field generated in a junction plane between a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor, include organic/organic pn junction type, in which organic materials are used for the both semiconductors, organic/inorganic pn junction type, in which an inorganic material is used for either of the semiconductors, and others. The conversion efficiencies of such pn junction solar cells are relatively high but not sufficient (see Non-patent Document 2). In many cases, it is also required to form films by vapor deposition methods as in the case of Schottky barrier solar cells, which impedes improvement of productivity.
On the other hand, in 1991, Gratzel et al. in Switzerland reported a dye-sensitized solar cell using a thin film of porous titanium dioxide with large surface area containing ruthenium bipyridinecarboxylic acid dye adsorbed on a surface thereof as an electrode, and this report attracted great attention (see Non-patent Document 3). However, a problem was pointed out for the use of an electrolytic solution and iodine, and commercialization has been hard to progress. Solidification of the electrolytic solution component could evidently make a significant advance toward commercialization. Although various methods have been tried for the solidification, the photoelectric conversion efficiencies of such systems are still lower than those of wet-type solar cells using electrolytic solutions. For example, conductive polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and the like, have been examined, but the conversion efficiency is low in any case (see Non-patent Document 4). For such a solidification method of replacing the electrolytic solution component by a p-type semiconductor layer working as a hole-transporting layer, there may be pointed out structural similarity to a pn junction solar cell except that the n-type semiconductor electrode is a porous material and that an organic dye layer is provided.
Furthermore, it is known that organic semiconducting compounds considered to be valuable for solar cells exhibit different properties, for example, photoelectric characteristics (electromotive characteristics), depending on crystal forms, and that only specific crystal forms exhibit excellent photoelectric characteristics. To selectively generate a crystal form in a film forming step by a vapor deposition method, improvement has been attempted by controlling the substrate temperature, but it is difficult to obtain a semiconductor layer in the desired crystal form having good photoelectric characteristics.    Non-patent Document 1: R. O. Loutfy et al., J. Chem. Phys. (1979), Vol. 71, p. 1211    Non-patent Document 2: C. W. Tang, Appl. Phys. Lett. 48 (2), 13 Jan. 1986, p. 183    Non-patent Document 3: B. Oregan, M. Gratzel, Nature, vol. 353, p. 737 (1991)    Non-patent Document 4: K. Murakoshi, R. Kogure, Y. Wada, and S. Yanagida, Chemistry Letters, 1997, p. 471

Abstract: In the formula, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, A1, A2, A3, and A4 are independent from each other, either the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms, or the like. n is an integer of 1 or more.


A method involves: performing a first process on a unit of data, where the first process belongs to a class of processes; storing information that identifies a result of performing the first process on the unit of data; and, based on the information, determining whether to subsequently perform a process belonging to the class of processes on the unit of data. For example, the first process can be a compression process used to compress a file before the file is transferred across a network. The information can identify a compression ratio obtained by performing the first process on the file and can be used to determine whether the same compression process (or any compression process in a class of compression processes) should be used to compress the file the next time that the file is to be transferred.

There are many situations in which it may be useful to perform an action of a file. For example, compressing a data file can reduce the size of a file, making it easier or less costly to transfer the file from one location to another. In general, there are a variety of actions that can be performed on a file. For a given file, some of these actions will be useful, and others will not. For example, one type of compression will reduce the size of a particular file, but another type of compression may not appreciably reduce the size of that file.
One problem that arises with some of the actions is that it may not be possible to determine whether those actions will be useful without actually performing the actions. For example, a user may not be able to efficiently determine whether compressing a file will be useful without actually attempting to compress the file (e.g., while analysis of the file may reveal whether compression is likely to be useful, this analysis may take much longer than simply compressing the file). It is therefore often more clear whether a given action is useful for a given file after the action has been performed on the file. For example, after a file is compressed, the file's size before compression can be compared to the file's size after compression to determine whether the compression was useful. In situations such as these, it is desirable to be able to more easily determine whether performing a process on a file will be useful.

System and method for determining whether performing a particular process on a file will be useful


A combination pouch and underwear pant is worn by a man for facilitating sexual activity such as lap dancing. The pouch is worn over the sex organs of a man under the underwear pant, which is adapted by an elastic waistband for compressively pinning the pouch in place. The pouch is made of a flexible and elastic material. A top edge of the pouch provides access to an interior of the pouch of a hand and wrist of the wearer so as to facilitate insertion of the wearer's sex organs into the pouch through an aperture, which encircles penis and scrotum. The aperture elastically compresses between a top surface at the base of the penis of the wearer and a bottom surface at the base of the scrotum of the wearer. With the pouch in place, the wearer is able to facilitate the capture of body fluids without fear of the pouch moving away from its preferred position relative to the torso of the wearer.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to protective or prophylactic devices for use during sexual activities, and more particularly to a plastic pouch and under-pant combination used for fully clothed sexual activity when penetration is not intended.
2. Description of Related Art:
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Hessel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,946, teaches a thin-walled, condom-like tubular protection device for protecting against the transfer of infectious matter during sexual intercourse. The condom-like device has an open end and a collar-shaped outwardly extending portion with an apparatus for radially stretching the collar. The device also has an inner diameter which is sufficiently large to permit movement of a penis with respect to the protective device during coitus.
Steer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,725, teaches an improved male incontinence device which has a condom located within a hollow tubular applicator open at both ends, which has an adhesive for securing the device to the penis.
Van der Valk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,449, teaches a device for use with a male condom that has a substantially rigid ring with a substantially axial width and a radial thickness. The internal diameter of the device is sized to fit loosely around the base of a penis, adjusting the fit of an ordinary condom and facilitating coitus.
Loeb, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,007, teaches a pubic shield which has a resilient tubular element and which is secured to the user with a bio-adhesive. The shield is designed for use with a condom.
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,716, discloses a disposable sanitary sheath for wearing around the penis of the user. The sheath contains a moisture absorbent pad and is surrounded with an outer moisture resistant layer.
Pien, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,911, discloses a universal contraceptive device having a condom support device of annular configuration and including an inwardly opening groove formed on the periphery thereof. A securing device secures the support device in place on a person's body, and the support device holds a condom which fits loosely around an erect male organ.
The prior art teaches various condom or other sheathing devices to fit over a man's penis to protect the user from disease transmission and to contain body fluids. However, the prior art does not teach a pouch and underpant combination designed specifically for providing frictional stimulation to the penis during fully clothed sexual activity. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.


The desk system of the present invention includes a core having a raceway, a first work top, which extends outwardly from one side of the core so as to define a first work station, and a second work top, which extends outwardly from an opposite side of the core so as to define a second work station positioned opposite the first work station. A supporting panel is mounted on the core between the first and second work stations. The supporting panel has a pair of sides, each of which includes a mounting mechanism for mounting a plurality of accessories therefrom in a cantilevered fashion substantially above the raceway. One side of the supporting panel faces the first work station such that accessories mounted therefrom extend towards the first work station, while the other side of the supporting panel faces the second work station such that accessories mounted therefrom extend toward the second work station. In this manner, the supporting panel constitutes a mounting structure common to both of the work stations.

With the advent of microprocessor-based data distribution systems, the use of electronic voice and computerized information systems has proliferated, especially in the business sector. For instance, in the money commodity dealing field, it is common to provide trading rooms with a plurality of work stations, each station typically including a variety of data and communication equipment such as computer keyboard or keyboards, computer display screens in the form of cathode ray tubes, a telephone turret with a specified number of direct lines and telephone line monitoring units and other peripheral devices. In order to ensure optimum interaction between traders during trading periods to make maximum unitization of space, the work stations are oftentimes ganged together to form a cluster of work stations. Such clusters can be formed by arranging several double work stations (i.e., two work stations arranged in back-to-back or tandem fashion) side-by-side, the resulting cluster comprising two rows of back-to-back work stations.
In providing work stations in trading rooms, there are special considerations that need to be addressed. One consideration relates to the provision of clear sight lines over the work stations for various purposes including efficient communication between traders in the trading room. Another consideration relates to the provision of work stations adapted for quick and efficient assembly, disassembly and reconfiguration due to the advent of the 24 hour global trading practices and the consequences resulting therefrom (e.g., the need to complete services, removal, upgrade and/or reconfiguration of work stations within the limited time period of off hours, such as evening, weekends and holidays). In addition, because of the proliferation of the local area network and desk top computer technology, there are numerous user-preferred combinations of computer-related equipment varying from work station to work station. As a result, the work stations need to be adapted for adjustability and retrofittability in accordance with user preference.
Computer work stations have been developed in the past (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 251,666; Des. 275,284; 4,316,082; 4,345,803 and 4,449,762). While some of these work stations have a modular construction (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,112 and 4,458,961) and others are adapted to be ganged together (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 251,592), they are not specifically designed to be arranged in back-to-back or side-by-side fashion due to their absence of a common, unobstructed raceway core and/or double faced center spline slat wall partition. Thus, these work stations are not especially suitable for the formation of clusters which comprise two rows of work stations arranged back-to-back. As a result, such clusters have in the past been formed by arranging conventional desks in back-to-back fashion (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,886,766 and 2,694,614).
One problem encountered when gaging together the conventional desks or computer work stations described above involves providing adequate room for and access to the necessary telephone, data and electrical service lines and accessory equipment. Without adequate room for technicians to gain access to such service lines and accessory equipment, field installation and maintenance can be made difficult.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,619,486 and 4,883,330 disclose a spine assembly adapted to support a pair of desk tops in back-to-back fashion. A plurality of spine assemblies may be joined end-to-end to create an interconnected network of desk assemblies. While each spine assembly is adapted to house utility and communication lines, no provision is made to mount electronic equipment, such as computer control processing units and monitors, from or in the spine assembly.
Frame-type desk systems have also been developed (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,402). Such a desk system includes a frame assembly to support its utilitarian components. More particularly, the frame assembly, which is typically constructed of steel tubes or aluminum extrusions, is provided with a rear perimeter frame for supporting a slat wall extrusion, which has a plurality of continuous grooves extending horizontally between ends thereof for supporting a plurality of monitors in cantilevered fashion, and a front perimeter frame for supporting a raceway fascia. The front and rear frames are connected to each other via a pair of upper transverse extrusions and a pair of lower transverse extrusions, which extend along the floor supporting the desk system. For supporting a work top, an angular tube frame extends outwardly from the top of the front frame over a knee well adapted to receive the user's legs.
Because of its frame construction, the desk system suffers from several problems. For instance, it is typically required that the frame assembly be pre-assembled before the shipping thereof to an installation site in order to reduce the overall installation time. As a result, problems concerning the shipping and handling of the pre-assembled frame assembly are created due to the large size of the pre-assembled frame assembly. Further, because each desk system is supported by its own frame assembly, there are structures which become redundant when a plurality of frame-type desk systems are used in a back-to-back work station configuration and which thereby take up valuable space.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,423 to Paul M. LaCour, the inventor herein, discloses a modular desk system comprising two work tops arranged to provide a pair of back-to-back work stations. The desk system is specifically designed so that it can be ganged in end-to-end fashion with other similar desk systems to form a cluster of work stations. The work tops of each desk system are cantilevered from a core, which is common to both of the work stations and which has a substantially unobstructed, interior raceway for data, communication and electrical service lines and accessory equipment. The top of the core is substantially open (i.e., uncovered) so that a monitor and telephone equipment turrets can be lowered below the work top elevation and into the core without obstructing ancillary support structure. While the core has the capability of housing telephone and computer equipment contained within the turret, such equipment has a predetermined, substantially fixed position within the turret, thereby inhibiting their repositioning and/or adjustment in the field in response to changing needs and requirements of the user.
The desk system disclosed in the LaCour '423 Patent has been a commercial success since its introduction to the marketplace. While it continues to have utility in installations where user needs and requirements are unlikely to change significantly during the lifetime of the desk system, there is now a need for a desk system possessing the benefits and advantages of the one disclosed in the LaCour '423 Patent, as well as the potential for greater field adjustability and retrofittability (i.e., greater "flexibility").


An ultrawideband transverse electromagnetic mode horn antenna for use at high voltages, comprises a pulse generator (1) and two transmission horns (12, 18) containing different dielectric media. The interface (30) between the dielectric media is configured so that a signal from the generator is incident on the interface at an angle substantially equal to the Brewster angle, thereby maintaining a good impedance match across the interface. A further advantage of the arrangement is that the TEM wavefront is preserved through the antenna section allowing operation at fast pulse risetime (less than 200 ps) for short duration (several ns) at high voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ultrawideband antenna incorporating a pulse generator for use in transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM), particularly for use at high voltages.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
There is a desire to develop antenna capable of operating with pulses of increasingly high voltage, short duration and rapid pulse risetime and repetition rate, for example for application in wide bandwidth high definition radar systems. The transmission line geometry of such an antenna required to ensure good transmission of pulse energy is a principal area of concern, having associated problems which are exacerbated under higher voltage and rapid pulse risetime conditions.
In these antennae, the dielectric medium which contains the generator and the dielectric medium from which the signal is radiated away from the antenna are likely to be different, the former for example a dielectric polymer or transformer oil and the latter for example air or other suitable gas. Problems are encountered where the pulse signal output from the generator makes the transition between the dielectric media. To minimize degradation of the signal by reflection at an interface it is desirable to minimize impedance variation across it. The two media will possess different dielectric properties however, so that a transmission line having a continuous geometry at the interface will necessarily produce impedance discontinuities, so that reflection will occur. Impedance matching for a normally incident signal can be achieved by incorporating geometric discontinuities at the interface but this can also be expected to produce degradation of pulse quality. A further important consideration in determining geometry arises from the need to maintain an insulating condition in the transmission line to avoid breakdown. Voltage holdoff may reach 30 kV/cm in air at atmospheric pressure which will determine the minimum plate separation for an air filled transmission line at a given voltage. These factors place limits on the voltage or necessitate use of a pulse having a longer risetime.

Ultrawideband transverse electromagnetic mode horn transmitter and antenna

The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland


A grinder includes a body, an upper sleeve-shaped member pivoting on the body and dividing an inside of the body into inner and outer rooms, a cover pivoting on the sleeve-shaped member, a connecting rod joined to a middle of the cover and extending through the inner room, an inner toothed ring joined to a lower end of the connecting rod, an intermediate toothed ring secured to a lower end of the sleeve-shaped member, and an outer toothed ring secured in a lower end of the body; the intermediate toothed ring has grinding teeth on inner and outer sides; the inner toothed ring and the inner grinding teeth of the intermediate toothed ring constitute an inner grinding mechanism for grinding seasoning pellets held in the inner room of the body; the outer grinding teeth of the intermediate toothed ring and the outer toothed ring constitute an outer grinding mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grinder, more particularly one, which includes a body divided into inner and outer holding rooms, an inner grinding mechanism to grind a kind of seasoning pellets held in the inner holding room, and an outer grinding mechanism to grind another kind of seasoning pellets held in the outer holding room, thus occupying less space than two separate single-purpose grinders.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There are a wide variety of seasonings available for making foods have unique flavor and more delicious in cooking and dinning. Black pepper, white pepper, and rock salt are among the most popular seasonings.
Such seasonings are usually preserved in pellets, and have to be ground into small particles for use by means of a grinder. Referring to FIG. 6, a common grinder includes a hollow body 91, a grinding mechanism 92 arranged in a lower portion of the hollow body 91, and a rotating member 93 pivoting on a top of the hollow body 91 for operating the grinding mechanism 92. The grinding mechanism 92 includes an outer toothed ring 922 secured in the hollow body 91, an inner toothed ring 921 arranged within the outer toothed ring 922, a connecting rod 923, which is joined to the rotating member 93, and the inner toothed ring 921 at two ends thereof. Therefore, the inner toothed ring 921 will rotate relative to the outer toothed ring 922 to grind seasoning pellets held in the hollow body 91 when the user rotates the rotating member 93. Furthermore, the connecting rod 923 has an upper threaded portion 9231, which is passed through the rotating member 93, and passed into and threaded engaged with a screw hole 941 of an adjustment knob 94 positioned on a top of the rotating member 93; thus, the adjustment knob 94 can be turned relative to the connecting rod 923 to adjust the size of an aperture between the inner and the outer toothed rings 921 and 922 in order for allowing the grinding mechanism 92 to grind the seasoning pellets into particles of an appropriate fineness.
However, the user is only allowed to use such a grinder to hold and grind one kind of seasoning pellets, and in turn he/she has to use several grinders to hold different kinds of seasoning pellets that are used a lot in cooking and dinning; the plural grinders will occupy relatively much space on the dinning table. Therefore, the grinders aren't convenient to use.


A method for obtaining a quantity of resource elements in a communication process, comprising: determines a downlink control information format of downlink control information, obtains, based on the downlink control information format, a quantity of resource elements occupied by a demodulation reference signal (DMRS); and determines a size of transport block (TBS) based on the quantity of resource elements occupied by the DMRS.

When a base station performs data communication with user equipment (user equipment, UE), the base station may schedule data for the UE. For example, the base station may allocate a time domain resource and a frequency domain resource to the UE via signaling. The time domain resource and the frequency domain resource may be collectively referred to as a time-frequency resource.
When scheduling data for the UE, in addition to allocating a time-frequency resource, the base station further needs to determine a size of a data block transmitted on the time-frequency resource. The size of the data block may also be referred to as a size of transport block (transmission block size, TBS). The TBS indicates a size of bit information carried on a time-frequency resource scheduled by the base station.
Usually, to determine a TBS, a quantity of REs occupied by a demodulation reference signal (demodulation reference signal, DMRS) needs to be determined first. Therefore, how to determine the quantity of REs occupied by the DMRS is a technical problem to be resolved.

Method for obtaining quantity of resource elements in communication process and related apparatus


A drive mechanism for relatively rotatable components such as a salad spinner comprising a bowl, a colander adapted to rest within the bowl, a lid for the bowl and colander, and a drive mechanism associated with the lid and operatively connected to the colander for rotating the colander relative to the bowl. The drive mechanism includes a handle and a drive gear associated with the handle rotatably attaching the turret to the lid, a pinion gear in driving engagement with the turret, and a clutch interposed between the pinion gear and the turret. The pinion gear meshes with the drive gear whereby movement of the handle in one direction engages the clutch to transmit movement to the turret for spinning of the colander in one direction. Movement of the handle in the opposite direction disengages the clutch. The clutch comprises a clutch housing and a clutch assembly receivable within the clutch housing. The clutch assembly includes a central hub, a plurality of drive pins, flexible arms connecting the drive pins to the central hub, and tensioning petals attached to the central hub for engagement with the turret. Recesses defined by the clutch housing receive the drive pins and these recesses slope inwardly toward the central hub. An engagement surface defined by the turret is received within the clutch housing and the petals operate to move the pins inwardly along the recesses and into driving engagement with the engagement surface when the handle is moved in one direction and outwardly along the recesses and out of driving engagement when the handle is moved in the opposite direction.

This invention relates to a drive mechanism adaptable for use with various products such as a salad spinner useful in the making of salads. The concepts of the invention include as one feature an improved clutch means for a drive mechanism useful for a salad spinner and other products.
The invention will be described with reference to salad spinners which have typically consisted of an outer bowl with solid walls, and an inner perforated bowl adapted to nest within the outer bowl. Salad ingredients are located in the inner bowl, and a cover is provided for covering the salad. A drive means is provided for spinning the inner bowl relative to the outer bowl whereby water on the lettuce and/or other vegetables can be passed through the perforated bowl and collected in the outer bowl. A handle for operating the drive means is often associated with a lid placed over the bowls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,025 discloses a salad spinner apparatus of the type including an outer bowl with solid walls, and an inner perforated bowl nested within the outer bowl. A lid is provided for covering the outer bowl and the lid includes drive means for spinning the inner bowl relative to the outer bowl.
The drive means specifically comprises clutch means for spinning the inner bowl in one direction, a handle positioned adjacent the periphery of the lid, and a drive arm extending from the handle to a pivotal connection adjacent the opposite side of the lid. The driving force is applied to a turret with drive elements at its outer periphery. When the lid is put into place, these drive elements are automatically placed in position for driving engagement with the inner perforated bowl. Accordingly, once the lid is in place, operation of the handle imparts driving movement to the inner bowl to achieve the spinning operation. Because of the clutch drive, the spinning movement may be repeated as often as desired.
The perforated inner bowl can be used as a colander while the outer bowl can be used as a serving bowl for the salad or for other similar purposes.


At least one embodiment is directed to a method for automatically activating ambient sound pass-through in an earphone in response to a detected keyword in the ambient sound field of the earphone user, the steps of the method comprising at least receiving at least one ambient sound microphone (ASM) signal; receiving at least one audio content (AC) signal; and comparing the ASM signal to a keyword and if the ASM signal matches a keyword then an AC gain is created.

Sound isolating (SI) earphones and headsets are becoming increasingly popular for music listening and voice communication. SI earphones enable the user to hear and experience an incoming audio content signal (be it speech from a phone call or music audio from a music player) clearly in loud ambient noise environments, by attenuating the level of ambient sound in the user ear-canal.
The disadvantage of such SI earphones/headsets is that the user is acoustically detached from their local sound environment, and communication with people in their immediate environment is therefore impaired. If a second individual in the SI earphone user's ambient environment wishes to talk with the SI earphone wearer, the second individual must often shout loudly in close proximity to the SI earphone wearer, or otherwise attract the attention of said SI earphone wearer e.g. by being in visual range. Such a process can be time-consuming, dangerous or difficult in critical situations. A need therefore exists for a "hands-free" mode of operation to enable an SI earphone wearer to detect when a second individual in their environment wishes to communicate with them.
WO2007085307 describes a system for directing ambient sound through an earphone via non-electronic means via a channel, and using a switch to select whether the channel is open or closed.
Application US 2011/0206217 A1 describes a system to electronically direct ambient sound to a loudspeaker in an earphone, and to disable this ambient sound pass-through during a phone call.
US 2008/0260180 A1 describes an earphone with an ear-canal microphone and ambient sound microphone to detect user voice activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,672,845 B2 describes a method and system to monitor speech and detect keywords or phrases in the speech, such as for example, monitored calls in a call center or speakers/presenters using teleprompters.
But the above art does not describe a method to automatically pass-through ambient sound to an SI earphone wearer when a key word is spoken to the SI earphone wearer.