Abstract: Provided is a strengthening device to increase the strength of a grout layer. In the strengthening device, clamp members are interconnected and clamped to surround a grout layer on a concrete base, on which an upper structure is installed, so as to increase the strength of the grout layer. Connection members are provided to edges of the clamp members to connect the clamp members. Fastening means is fastened between the connection members in order to enable the clamp members to clamp the grout layer. This strengthening device acts as a mold to facilitate easy construction when grout is placed, and surrounds the grout layer to increase the strength of the grout layer after grout is cured, thereby effectively preventing and minimizing failure of the grout layer caused by loads transferred from an upper structure such as a column member or a bridge bearing.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display has a plurality of pixels and includes a first substrate, a second substrate that is opposite to the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer that is interposed between the first and second substrates. A phase retardation of the liquid crystal layer ranges from about 420 nm to about 500 nm.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing data recorded on a recording medium includes a pick-up unit, a local storage, and a decoder. The pick-up unit reads main data recorded on the recording medium, and the local storage stores sub data associated with the main data. The sub data may include interactive graphic streams or text subtitle streams. The decoder decodes the main data and the sub data using a PlayList which includes a main path and a sub path. The main path contains a PlayItem for play-back of the main data, and the sub path contains at least one SubPlayItem associated with the PlayItem for play-back of the sub data in association with the play-back of the main data. The PlayList file further includes sub path type information which indicates whether the SubPlayItem included in the sub path is synchronized with the PlayItem.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a gallium nitride single crystalline substrate, including (a) growing a gallium nitride film on a flat base substrate made of a material having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than gallium nitride and cooling the gallium nitride film to bend convex upwards the base substrate and the gallium nitride film and create cracks in the gallium nitride film; (b) growing a gallium nitride single crystalline layer on the crack-created gallium nitride film located on the convex upward base substrate; and (c) cooling a resultant product having the grown gallium nitride single crystalline layer to make the convex upward resultant product flat or bend convex downwards the convex upward resultant product and at the same time to self-split the base substrate and the gallium nitride single crystalline layer from each other at the crack-created gallium nitride film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate derivative which is useful as an antiviral agent (particularly, against hepatitis B virus), pharmaceutically acceptable salts, stereoisomers, and a process for the preparation thereof.

Abstract: A strap holding structure (200) for an electronic device (100), which includes a body (20), a cover (10). The body has a knuckle (22) formed at one end thereof. The knuckle has a middle board (226) formed therein. The cover has a barrel (12) formed at one end. The strap holding structure includes a latching element (30) and a strap holder (40). The latching element is attached to the cover at one end. The strap holder has a pole (424) at a first end of the strap holder. A groove (444) is circumferentially defined in an outer wall of the strap holder and two notches (442) are axially defined in the outer wall thereof. The strap holder is engaged in the knuckle and the barrel. The latching element is received in the groove and the middle board is received in the notches.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically determining if a remote client is a human or a computer. A set of HIP design guidelines which are important to ensure the security and usability of a HIP system are described. Furthermore, one embodiment of this new HIP system and method is based on human face and facial feature detection. Because human face is the most familiar object to all human users the embodiment of the invention employing a face is possibly the most universal HIP system so far.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a storage electrode of a capacitor in a semiconductor device is resistant to inadvertent etching during its manufacturing processes. A method of forming the storage electrode of the capacitor is described. The storage electrode of the capacitor may include a first metal layer electrically connected with a source region of a transistor through a contact plug penetrating an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer may then be formed on the first metal layer. A second metal layer is formed on the polysilicon layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a liquid zoom lens. The liquid zoom lens comprises a cylindrical body including glass lenses respectively coupled at upper and lower openings to the body, an auto-focus lens part including a first liquid insulating layer and a first electrolyte layer stacked at a lower portion of the body to form an interface therebetween, and an optical zoom lens part including a second liquid insulating layer and a second electrolyte layer stacked on the first electrolyte layer to form an interface therebetween and a lens positioned in the second liquid insulating layer and fixed to the body with an outer peripheral surface of the lens closely contacting an inner peripheral surface of the body. The liquid zoom lens enables an auto-focus function and an optical zoom function to be performed simultaneously by means of a single liquid lens having a variable curvature.

Abstract: A slide-type input device, a portable device provided with the input device and a method and medium of using the input device, which more freely move a pointer displayed on a screen, and more conveniently and exactly select a specific object, is provided. The slide-type input device includes a slide button movable in a specific direction, a motion control hole providing a movement area of the slide button, a location-detection module detecting location-change information according to the movement of the slide button, and a controller controlling a pointer displayed on the screen based on the location-change information of the slide button, wherein the slide button is moved in the specific direction by an external force applied by a user, and is then returned to an original location by an elastic force when the external force of the user is removed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a multi-air conditioner and a group-unit control method thereof, wherein a plurality of indoor units can be controlled on a group basis. The method comprises the step of grouping the indoor units into a plurality of groups, the step of if an air conditioning operation condition of a specific one of the indoor units is changed, sending, by the specific indoor unit, the changed operation condition to all the other indoor units according to a predefined communication protocol, and the step of by each of the indoor units, receiving an air conditioning operation condition sent from a different one of the indoor units in the same group and performing an air conditioning operation based on the received operation condition. According to the invention, the plurality of indoor units can be more efficiently controlled on a group basis through inter-indoor unit data communication. Further, the group-unit control is not restricted by whether a controller is used or not.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a component package. The method includes the steps of providing the die pad or heat sink, forming an isolation layer on the rear surface of the die pad or heat sink and encapsulating the die pad with encapsulating material in a mold cavity after forming the isolation layer on the rear of the die pad or heat sink.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a digital signature scheme based on braid group conjugacy problem and a verifying method thereof, wherein a signatory S selects three braids x?LBm(l), x??Bn(l), a?Bn(l), and considers braid pair (x?,x) as a public key of S, braid a as a private key of S; Signatory S uses hash function h for a message M needing signature to get y=h(M)?Bn(l); generating a braid b?RBn?1?m(l) randomly, then signing M with a and b to obtain Sign(M)=a?1byb?1a; a signature verifying party V obtains the public key of S, calculating the message M by employing hash function h, obtaining the y=h(M); judging whether sign(M) and y, sign(M)x? and xy are conjugate or not, if yes, sign(M) is a legal signature of message M; the present invention reduces the number of braids involved and the number for conjugacy decision without reducing security, thereby improving the operation efficiency of signature.

Abstract: A semi-drying method of a washing machine, and a ventilating structure and a control apparatus for the same. In the semi-drying method, the dehydration and disentanglement of cloth are repeated plural times, and a washing tub is rotated at a designated dehydration speed for a time longer than that of the conventional dehydrating operation so as to minimize the jamming of the cloth into water pores of the washing tub, thereby increasing the dehydration degree of the cloth compared to the conventional dehydrating operation, removing offensive odors from the cloth, preventing damage to the cloth, allowing a user to select the duration of a semi-drying operation and to see the state of the semi-drying operation, and ventilating the washing tub during the semi-drying operation to improve the dehydration degree of the cloth.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a device information storage unit, a determiner and a controller. The device information storage unit is included in a replaceable device of the image forming apparatus and stores device-related information. The determiner determines whether the replaceable deice is a licensed or recycled product by analyzing the information stored in the device information storage unit, and outputs the determination result. The controller controls an operation of the image forming apparatus in response to the determination result output from the determiner. Since an operation of the image forming apparatus can be controlled according to characteristics of the replaceable device installed in the image forming apparatus, printing quality can be prevented from being deteriorated, durability of the image forming apparatus can be lengthened, and a user can safely use the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides catalysts, reactors, and methods of steam reforming over a catalyst. Surprisingly superior results and properties obtained in methods and catalysts of the present invention are also described. For example, a coated catalyst was demonstrated to be highly stable under steam reforming conditions (high temperature and high pressure of steam). Methods of making steam reforming catalysts are also described.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having recess gates includes forming an etch stop film on a semiconductor substrate; forming an etch stop film pattern selectively exposing the semiconductor substrate by patterning the etch stop film; forming a semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask film pattern exposing regions, for forming trenches for recess gates, on the semiconductor substrate; removing the semiconductor layer using the hard mask film pattern as a mask until the etch stop film pattern is exposed; forming the trenches for recess gates by removing the etch stop film pattern from the semiconductor substrate; and forming gate stacks, each of which is formed in the corresponding one of the trenches for recess gates.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for recommending personalized content in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service environment. The content recommending method includes: acquiring a user's viewing history information regarding broadcasting content; analyzing the user's preference for each content item based on the user's viewing history information; creating a list of recommended content items based on the analysis of the user's preference; and providing the list of recommended content items to the user's terminal. Accordingly, it is possible to recommend personalized content according to users' preference.

Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a light source module, a local dimming control part and a light source driving part. The light source module includes a plurality of light-emitting blocks. Each of the light-emitting blocks includes a first color light source, a second color light source and a third color light source, respectively. The local dimming control part drives the light-emitting blocks by blocks. The local dimming control part sets a reference duty signal for first, second and third color driving signals in accordance with a driving mode of the light source module. The light source driving part generates the first color driving signal, the second color driving signal and the third color driving signal by using the reference duty ratio set in accordance with the driving mode and a driving current having a same peak current level in accordance with the driving mode.