Abstract: The invention provides a vending machine for dispensing hot packaged food. The vending machine includes a storage and dispenser unit comprising plural dispensing trays arranged in an array for storing one or more packaged foods, a frame, and a carrier structure. Each individual dispensing tray includes a pivotable gate and a slideway inclined by a tilting angle from a horizontal axis. The carrier structure comprises a carrying arm having an engaging feature; and an engaging mechanism for actuating the pivotable gate. The engaging mechanism is configured to move the carrying arm towards the individual dispensing tray such that the engaging feature actuates the pivotable gate from a locked position to an unlocked position. The packaged food is prevented from sliding down when the pivotable gate is at the locked position. The packaged food is slidable relative to the individual dispensing tray when the pivotable gate is at the unlocked position.

Abstract: The invention provides a vending machine for dispensing hot packaged food. The vending machine includes a storage and dispenser unit comprising plural dispensing trays arranged in an array for storing one or more packaged foods, a frame, and a carrier structure. Each individual dispensing tray includes a pivotable gate and a slideway inclined by a tilting angle from a horizontal axis. The carrier structure comprises a carrying arm having an engaging feature; and an engaging mechanism for actuating the pivotable gate. The engaging mechanism is configured to move the carrying arm towards the individual dispensing tray such that the engaging feature actuates the pivotable gate from a locked position to an unlocked position. The packaged food is prevented from sliding down when the pivotable gate is at the locked position. The packaged food is slidable relative to the individual dispensing tray when the pivotable gate is at the unlocked position.

Abstract: An indoor power line transmission control system, includes: a transforming dimming controller (1), which is used to load, onto an electrical signal, a received dimming signal sent by a mobile terminal or input by a user in a touch-control manner, and send the electrical signal loaded with the dimming signal to a dimming driver (2); and the dimming driver, which is electrically connected with the transforming dimming controller and a dimming luminaire (3), and used to read the electrical signal loaded with the dimming signal, and adjust a gray scale of the dimming luminaire according to the read electrical signal. By replacing a normal switch with the transforming dimming controller and by using the dimming driver and transmitting the dimming signal to the dimming luminaire by means of a power line, flexibility of having no wiring, simple extension and smart dimming are realized and energy can be saved.

Abstract: A method and a display driver for compensating the perceptual bias of edge boost when driving a display panel are provided. The method can pre-process an input image to compensate for a perceptual bias of edge boost, e.g., at a contiguous group of color bands in the input image prior to sending the input image in a form of plural frames to a display panel for display. The method includes the steps of partitioning an input image into one or more grayscale regions, segmenting the grayscale regions into a plurality of color bands, detecting a subtle but perceivably significant change of color or luminance between two adjacent color bands, identifying a transition region and performing color dilution on the transition region. The display driver can include an input buffer, an image processor configured to execute the above method and an output buffer.

Abstract: An indoor power line transmission control system, includes: a transforming dimming controller (1), which is used to load, onto an electrical signal, a received dimming signal sent by a mobile terminal or input by a user in a touch-control manner, and send the electrical signal loaded with the dimming signal to a dimming driver (2); and the dimming driver, which is electrically connected with the transforming dimming controller and a dimming luminaire (3), and used to read the electrical signal loaded with the dimming signal, and adjust a gray scale of the dimming luminaire according to the read electrical signal. By replacing a normal switch with the transforming dimming controller and by using the dimming driver and transmitting the dimming signal to the dimming luminaire by means of a power line, flexibility of having no wiring, simple extension and smart dimming are realized and energy can be saved.

Abstract: A capacitive sensing method comprising: driving a first excitation signal onto a sensor electrode, and driving a second excitation signal onto the embedded electrodes. Either the first or the second excitation signal has voltage oscillations of constant first amplitude, while the other has voltage oscillations of varying second amplitude. The second amplitude varies between a high amplitude value that is larger than the first amplitude by an amplitude difference and a low amplitude value that is smaller than the first amplitude by the same amplitude difference. The method further comprises using one or more integrators to integrate an electric current due to combined voltage oscillations of the first and the second excitation signals within an integration cycle, and generate an integrated signal for detecting a capacitive change on the sensor electrode; wherein the integration cycle comprises a plurality of voltage oscillations of the first and the second excitation signals.

Abstract: A PMOLED touch-sensing display panel using anodes as in-cell touch sensors is provided. The anodes and the cathodes are respectively and correspondingly configured into two or more electrically isolated areas of cathodes and anodes such that the heavy parasitic capacitance due to close proximity of the anode layer and the cathode layer is eliminated, hence providing a full dynamic range in sensing the changes in capacitance due to finger touches.

Abstract: A method and a display driver for compensating the perceptual bias of edge boost when driving a display panel are provided. The method can pre-process an input image to compensate for a perceptual bias of edge boost, e.g., at a contiguous group of color bands in the input image prior to sending the input image in a form of plural frames to a display panel for display. The method includes the steps of partitioning an input image into one or more grayscale regions, segmenting the grayscale regions into a plurality of color bands, detecting a subtle but perceivably significant change of color or luminance between two adjacent color bands, identifying a transition region and performing color dilution on the transition region. The display driver can include an input buffer, an image processor configured to execute the above method and an output buffer.

Abstract: A PMOLED touch-sensing display panel using anodes as in-cell touch sensors is provided. The anodes and the cathodes are respectively and correspondingly configured into two or more electrically isolated areas of cathodes and anodes such that the heavy parasitic capacitance due to close proximity of the anode layer and the cathode layer is eliminated, hence providing a full dynamic range in sensing the changes in capacitance due to finger touches.

Abstract: A touch-sensing-enabled display module is provided. In the module, a display panel has an electroluminescent layer, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer, sandwiched between cathode electrodes and anode electrodes. The anode electrodes transmit touch-sensing signals induced at the display panel. The MSN performs multiplexing and summing on the touch-sensing signals to produce output-channel signals for touch sensing. The multiplexing and the summing are reconfigurable such that the touch-sensing signals are dynamically selected for summing to produce one or more output-channel signals. A touch controller measures the output-channel signals to generate touch data. The module further includes a display driver for driving the cathode and anode electrodes. By using the MSN, the display panel is able to provide adaptive sensor reconfiguration.

Abstract: A touch-sensing-enabled display module is provided. In the module, a display panel has an electroluminescent layer, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer, sandwiched between cathode electrodes and anode electrodes. The anode electrodes transmit touch-sensing signals induced at the display panel. The MSN performs multiplexing and summing on the touch-sensing signals to produce output-channel signals for touch sensing. The multiplexing and the summing are reconfigurable such that the touch-sensing signals are dynamically selected for summing to produce one or more output-channel signals. A touch controller measures the output-channel signals to generate touch data. The module further includes a display driver for driving the cathode and anode electrodes. By using the MSN, the display panel is able to provide adaptive sensor reconfiguration.

Abstract: A slim and cost effective power module solution derived from the multiple-phase buck converter technology that addresses the problems of inductor thickness and excessive magnetic material use. Such power module solution utilizes a multi-phase constant current topology and a corresponding electronic controller to provide a constant current source for various OLED lighting applications. The multi-phase constant current topology comprises two or more inductor-flyback diode feedback loops. Each inductor-flyback diode feedback loop is triggered ON and OFF out-of-phase by a current controller, which senses and estimates the average current supplied to the load, and causes the adjustments to the average current supplied to the load by controlling the ON duration of the inductor-flyback diode feedback loops.

Abstract: A slim and cost effective power module solution derived from the multiple-phase buck converter technology that addresses the problems of inductor thickness and excessive magnetic material use. Such power module solution utilizes a multi-phase constant current topology and a corresponding electronic controller to provide a constant current source for various OLED lighting applications. The multi-phase constant current topology comprises two or more inductor-flyback diode feedback loops. Each inductor-flyback diode feedback loop is triggered ON and OFF out-of-phase by a current controller, which senses and estimates the average current supplied to the load, and causes the adjustments to the average current supplied to the load by controlling the ON duration of the inductor-flyback diode feedback loops.

Abstract: A battery module charging and discharging control method comprising: determining the charging priority of battery modules in a battery system; raising the charging priority of the battery modules that are more difficult to unload, load, and/or replace; lowering the charging priority of the battery modules that are easier to unload, load, and/or replace; causing the battery modules with higher charging priority to take precedence over the battery modules with lower charging priority during the charging control of the battery modules; determining the discharging priority of the battery modules; raising the discharging priority of the battery modules that are easier to unload, load, and/or replace; and lowering the discharging priority of the battery modules that are more difficult to unload, load, and/or replace; causing the battery modules with higher discharging priority to take precedence over the battery modules with lower discharging priority during the discharging control of the battery modules.

Abstract: A capacitive sensing method comprising: driving a first excitation signal onto a sensor electrode, and driving a second excitation signal onto the embedded electrodes. Either the first or the second excitation signal has voltage oscillations of constant first amplitude, while the other has voltage oscillations of varying second amplitude. The second amplitude varies between a high amplitude value that is larger than the first amplitude by an amplitude difference and a low amplitude value that is smaller than the first amplitude by the same amplitude difference. The method further comprises using one or more integrators to integrate an electric current due to combined voltage oscillations of the first and the second excitation signals within an integration cycle, and generate an integrated signal for detecting a capacitive change on the sensor electrode; wherein the integration cycle comprises a plurality of voltage oscillations of the first and the second excitation signals.

Abstract: An automated system for delivery of seeds or other therapeutic or diagnostic capsules to internal organs of the patient's body for radiation brachytherapy includes a needling mechanism, a 2DOF robot, an ultrasound probe driver, a 5DOF passive platform, and an easy lock cart. The needling mechanism implants radioisotope seeds by its cannula and stylet driven by two moving stages pushed by DC motors with ball screw transmission. Force sensors are included for detecting insertion forces and bending force. In another embodiment, the needle is rotated for insertion into the patient and can also be used for tissue removal for biopsy. The two embodiments are usable together or separately.

Abstract: An anorectal probe assembly comprising an anorectal probe, a sonar penetration balloon mounted to said probe, said balloon arranged to receive water to inflate within the rectal cavity a sigmoidscope having a bore into which the probe and balloon have sliding engagement and an adaptor having an anus penetration portion for insertion into the anus and an external portion mounted to the penetration portion wherein the adaptor includes a conduit extending from the penetration portion to the external portion such that on penetration of the anus, the conduit provides fluid communication between the rectal cavity and the external portion, said conduit further connectable to a vacuum source.

Abstract: A holding structure holds a biopsy needle and a HIFU transducer to allow smooth and accurate delivery of the HIFU beam at the interface of the liver, where bleeding will occur. This manipulator structure performs the biopsy and HIFU through the percutaneous approach. In addition, the procedure is imaged by an imaging ultrasound probe. The imaging ultrasound probe can track the needle entry site even when needle has been removed. The HIFU transducer fires a short pulse of HIFU in the needle tract to cause coagulation and stop bleeding.

Abstract: An automated system for delivery of seeds or other therapeutic or diagnostic capsules to internal organs of the patient's body for radiation brachytherapy includes a needling mechanism, a 2DOF robot, an ultrasound probe driver, a 5DOF passive platform, and an easy lock cart. The needling mechanism implants radioisotope seeds by its cannula and stylet driven by two moving stages pushed by DC motors with ball screw transmission. Force sensors are included for detecting insertion forces and bending force. In another embodiment, the needle is rotated for insertion into the patient and can also be used for tissue removal for biopsy. The two embodiments are usable together or separately.

Abstract: Novel glycerol cyclic pyruvate derivates were prepared and demonstrated to inhibit the binding of an immobilized D-proline derivative to serum amyloid P component (SAP) have been prepared. As such, the compounds of the invention are useful for treating amyloidosis and diseases associated with amyloidosis, for example Alzheimer&supl;s disease and maturity onset diabetes mellitus.