Abstract: An ink level detecting device also functions as a cover opening sensor, and an ink-jet image forming apparatus having the ink level detecting device functions in the same way. The ink level detecting device detects an ink level in an ink container mounted on an ink container mounting unit, and includes a first electrode disposed on an inner surface of a cover which covers the ink container mounting unit and a second electrode disposed on the ink container. The ink level detecting device detects an opening of the cover as well as an ink level variation by sensing a variation in a capacitance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A varistor comprises a main body having first and second external terminals formed on the outer surface thereof, a first withdrawn terminal plate joined to the first external terminal, and a second withdrawn terminal plate joined to the second external terminal, wherein the melting point of a second bonding material for allowing the second withdrawn terminal plate and the second external terminal to be joined to each other is lower than that of a first bonding material for allowing the first withdrawn terminal plate and the first external terminal to be joined to each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display including: a first common electrode line and a second common electrode line located near an edge of a panel and at least partly surrounding a plurality of pixels on the panel; a first common line positioned at an ith horizontal row of the pixels and coupled to the first common electrode line; and a second common line positioned at an i+1th horizontal row of the pixels and coupled to the second common electrode line; wherein each of the pixels includes a common electrode coupled to the first common line or the second common line.

Abstract: Provided is a dielectric/barrier rib composition for a plasma display panel, comprising a compound 1 of the formula or at least one compound belonging to a polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (compound 2) having R6SiO1.5 as a repeating unit, or comprising inorganic/organic hybrid materials having compounds 1 and 2 as a monomer, wherein X is an integer inclusive 0, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C12 hydrocarbon group containing one or more alkyl, alkoxy, ketone, acryl, methacryl, allyl, aromatic, halogen, amino, mercapto, ether, ester, sulfone, nitro, hydroxyl, cyclobutene, carbonyl, carboxyl, alkyd, urethane, vinyl, nitrile, hydrogen, or epoxy functional group, and A is oxygen or NH. The inorganic/organic hybrid materials can be a material composed of an extended matrix, containing silicon and oxygen or nitrogen atoms, and having at least one silicon fraction directly bonded to a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atom.

Abstract: A method of forming a floating gate of a non-volatile memory device can include etching a mask pattern formed between field isolation regions in a field isolation pattern on a substrate to recess a surface of the mask pattern below an upper surface of adjacent field isolation regions to form an opening having a width defined by a side wall of the adjacent field isolation regions above the surface. Then the adjacent field isolation regions is etched to increase the width of the opening.

Abstract: Disclosed relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring fluorescence polarization FP in a lab-on-a-chip and, more concretely, to a method and an apparatus that measure quantitatively interactions between biomolecules and fluorescently labeled biomaterials and enzyme activities using the measurement of fluorescence polarization FP. The method and the apparatus of the invention provide rapid assays with minute amounts of samples using an automated device compared to conventional methods. Accordingly, the method and the apparatus of the invention can be usefully applied to the measurement of interactions between biomolecules and to the protease assays using a protein substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a gray level in a display device performs a random error diffusion operation on the video data using a first random coefficient value and a random dithering operation on the error-diffused video data using a second random coefficient value.

Abstract: A print head includes a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged linearly, and a second nozzle group and a third nozzle group which include a plurality of second nozzles and a plurality of third nozzles arranged linearly, and are disposed in parallel with each other and spaced from the first nozzle group by a first interval and a second interval at opposite sides of the first nozzle group, respectively.

Abstract: An array substrate includes a substrate, a gate line on the substrate, a data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate and data lines, a pixel electrode in the pixel region, and a common electrode including first, second, third, fourth and fifth portions, wherein the first and second portions are disposed at both sides of the data line, each of the third and fourth portions is connected to the first and second portions, and the fifth portion is connected to the second portion and is extended into a next pixel region adjacent to the pixel region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery pack constructed such that a battery case, in which an electrode assembly is mounted, is made of a laminate sheet having high strength, side sealing parts of the battery case are formed in a specific shape, and a protection circuit module (PCM) is located in the inner space of at least one of the side sealing parts. The side sealing parts in themselves are used as a structure to decide the external shape of the battery pack, and, at the same time, are used as spaces for mounting the PCM therein. Consequently, it is possible to construct the battery pack without using additional pack sheathing members, to simplify the assembly process of the battery pack, and to manufacture the battery pack in a thinner and more compact structure with the reduced manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the PCM is located at either side of the battery cell while the PCM is spaced apart from electrode terminals.

Abstract: An optical sensor providing enhanced reliability in sensing peripheral light and reduced power consumption, and a liquid crystal display device incorporating this optical sensor. In the optical sensor, a first transistor is electrically coupled between a first power supply and a second transistor, which is electrically coupled between the first transistor and a second power supply having a voltage less than that of the first power supply. The first transistor is either turned-on or turned-off according to a control signal. The second transistor controls an amount of an electric current flowing from the first transistor to the second power supply corresponding to an intensity of peripheral light. A sensing section is constructed with a first capacitor electrically coupled to the second transistor in parallel. A gate electrode of the second transistor is electrically coupled to the second power supply.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery pack, which comprises a connecting member including an insulation frame mounted to the upper end of a battery cell and a pair of connection protrusions formed at the upper end surface of the frame, the connection protrusions being in contact with electrode terminals of the battery cell, a protection circuit module (PCM) mounted to the connecting member, the PCM including connection grooves, into which the connection protrusions are inserted such that the PCM can be coupled to the connecting member, and which are connected to a protection circuit, and a cap housing coupled to the connecting member or the battery cell while the PCM is surrounded by the cap housing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a no-welding type battery pack using one or more forced-inserting type rivets. A cap assembly includes a base plate mounted to an open upper end of a battery case, a protection circuit module (PCM) mounted on the base plate, and a top cap coupled to the upper end of the battery case while the top cap covers the PCM. The top cap is made of an insulative material. The electrical connection and the mechanical coupling between the PCM and the base plate are accomplished by one or more forced-inserting type rivets. The cap assembly is included the battery pack. The no-welding type battery pack using the one or more forced-inserting type rivets is manufactured without welding or soldering requiring an excessive amount of time and skilled technique during the electrical connection between the battery cell and the PCM. As a result, the assembly process of the battery pack is simplified, and therefore, the manufacturing time of the battery pack is reduced.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a floating gate of a flash memory cell are provided in which a first polysilicon layer is formed between first and second isolation layers. An upper region of the first polysilicon layer is then oxidized. The oxidized upper region of the first polysilicon layer is subsequently removed. A second polysilicon layer is formed on the first polysilicon layer. The second polysilicon layer and the first polysilicon layer are patterned to form the floating gate.

Abstract: Disclosed relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring fluorescence polarization FP in a lab-on-a-chip and, more concretely, to a method and an apparatus that measure quantitatively interactions between biomolecules and fluorescently labeled biomaterials and enzyme activities using the measurement of fluorescence polarization FP. The method and the apparatus of the invention provide rapid assays with minute amounts of samples using an automated device compared to conventional methods. Accordingly, the method and the apparatus of the invention can be usefully applied to the measurement of interactions between biomolecules and to the protease assays using a protein substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a print head forming an image by spraying ink from a nozzle towards a paper, a transfer unit for transferring the paper towards the print head, a discharge/heater roller being in contact with a side of the paper opposite to a side on which an image is formed by the print head for drying ink and discharging the paper, and one or more supporting rolls located above the discharge/heater roller and discharging paper together with the discharge/heater roller. The discharge/heater roller includes a heat-conductive cylindrical portion, a roller rubber covering the cylindrical portion and generating a friction force during discharging paper, and a heat-generator disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical portion in an axial direction. The discharge/heater roller is disposed close to the print head, and the supporting roll includes a star wheel for minimizing a spread of ink on the image on the paper.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of testing a printhead nozzle includes a power supply unit to supply a power to the printhead, a capacitor to stabilize a voltage of the power supply unit so that the power supply unit supplies a constant power to the printhead, a voltage sensing unit to sense a voltage of the capacitor, a nozzle testing unit to test the nozzle using the sensed voltage to detect an abnormal condition of the nozzle, and a control unit to control driving of the power supply unit and the nozzle.

Abstract: An ink level detecting device also functions as a cover opening sensor, and an ink-jet image forming apparatus having the ink level detecting device functions in the same way. The ink level detecting device detects an ink level in an ink container mounted on an ink container mounting unit, and includes a first electrode disposed on an inner surface of a cover which covers the ink container mounting unit and a second electrode disposed on the ink container. The ink level detecting device detects an opening of the cover as well as an ink level variation by sensing a variation in a capacitance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of preventing a malfunction of a printhead. The method can include sensing a trend of a change of an operation state output singal representing operation state of a heater driver control unit; checking whether the sensed trend is equal to a predetermined trend of a change, which can be an estimated change in case there is an error in controlling heating of a substrate; and solving the error if the sensed trend is equal to the predetermined trend. In the apparatus and method of preventing malfunction in a printhead, heating control signals to control the heating of the nozzles in the printhead are sensed and the sensing result is analyzed to determine whether there is an error. Accordingly, when an error is detected, the printhead is controlled such that a substrate thereof does not overheat and the printhead does not break down.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of detecting an abnormal condition of a printhead includes a voltage stabilizing unit to stabilize a voltage of a power supplied to the printhead, a voltage measuring unit to measure the stabilized voltage, and an abnormal condition detecting unit to compare the measured voltage in a predetermined time and a critical voltage to detect an abnormal condition of the printhead.