Abstract: Example embodiments may be directed to CMOS image sensors and image sensing methods selecting a path for photocurrent according to the quantity or amount of incident light. The CMOS image sensor may include a pixel array comprised of a plurality of pixel pairs. A pixel pair may include a first pixel, including a first photo diode, a first pair of transistors, and a first floating diffusion node having a first capacitance. The pixel pair may further include a second pixel, including a second photo diode, a second pair of transistors, and a second floating diffusion node having a second capacitance. A first one of the first pair of transistors may be connected between the first photo diode and the first floating diffusion node. A second one of the first pair of transistors may be connected between the first photo diode and the second floating diffusion node. A first one of the second pair of transistors may be connected between the second photo diode and the second floating diffusion node.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing ultra-fine talc powder materials includes the steps of (a) adding a predetermined amount of pre-treatment agent with a predetermined amount of talc powders to prevent the talc powders from agglomerating with each other; (b) performing activating treatment to the pre-treated talc powders to form activated talc powders for enhancing a compatibility of the talc powders with a predetermined plastic materials; (c) mixing the activated talc powders with a predetermined proportion of fluidized plastic materials to form a fluidized plastic-powders mixture, wherein the fluidized plastic-powder mixture is condensed to form solid plastic-powders mixture; and (d) hot-cutting the solid plastic-powders mixture until the solid plastic-powders mixture forms the ultra-fine talc powders materials as raw materials for manufacturing plastic products.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for fabricating semiconductor devices incorporating a composite trench isolation structure comprising a first oxide pattern, a SOG pattern and a second oxide pattern wherein the oxide patterns enclose the SOG pattern. The methods include the deposition of a first oxide layer and a SOG layer to fill recessed trench regions formed in the substrate. The first oxide layer and the SOG layer are then subjected to a planarization sequence including a CMP process followed by an etchback process to form a composite structure having a substantially flat upper surface that exposes both the oxide and the SOG material. The second oxide layer is then applied and subjected to a similar CMP/etchback sequence to obtain a composite structure having an upper surface that is recessed relative to a plane defined by the surfaces of adjacent active regions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a liquid crystal layer having a twist angle of ±10 degree. An upper polarizer is disposed over an upper substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, and includes an absorption axis forming at an angle of 47±10 degree in a clockwise direction with respect to a major axis. An upper ?/2 retardation film is disposed between the upper substrate and the upper polarizer, and includes ?nd1 of 260±10 nm and a slow axis forming at an angle of 166±10 degree in the clockwise direction with respect to the absorption axis. An upper ?/4 retardation film is disposed between the upper substrate and the upper ?/2 retardation film, and includes ?nd2 of 140±10 nm and a slow axis forming at an angle of 111±10 degree in the clockwise direction with respect to the absorption axis. Therefore, the optical condition of the optical film assembly is optimized to improve an image display quality.

Abstract: A method for announcing the replacement time of an air filter in an HVAC system of a vehicle includes the steps of inputting factors used for judging whether the air filter should be replaced; determining whether inside air or outside air is supplied; calculating a total amount of dust by calculating a dust concentration reduction per unit volume by considering a total amount of introduced air and an initial inside dust concentration if inside air is supplied, or calculating a total amount of dust using an amounts of air at a current operation level if outside air is supplied; determining whether the total amount of dust exceeds a reference amount of dust; and activating an indicator, such as an alarm or a warning light, if the total amount of dust exceeds the reference amount of dust.

Abstract: A wireless packet data system efficiently manages a location of a packet call in a radio environment. A mobile station transmits a location registration message to a target BSC when moving to the target BSC adjacent to a source BSC. Upon receipt of the location registration message, the target BSC transmits a location update message for updating a location of the mobile station to a centralized database. Upon receipt of the location update message, the centralized database updates dormant state information for the mobile station to connect the target BSC to the source BSC. The centralized database transmits a location update result message indicating complete update of the dormant state information to the target BSC.

Abstract: There is provided a lamp fixing holder. A lamp fixing holder for fixes a lamp to a receiving container. The lamp provides a liquid crystal display panel with light. The lamp includes a first portion of a face and a second portion of the face. The light emitted from the first portion of the face advances toward the liquid crystal display panel. The lamp fixing holder comprises a lamp fixing body and a fixing member. The lamp fixing body holds a third portion of the face of the lamp. The second portion includes the third portion. The fixing member fixes the lamp fixing body to the receiving container. The lamp fixing holder according to the present invention fixes the lamp so that the lamp does not sway, while minimizing an amount of light that is shielded by the lamp fixing holder.

Abstract: A dish washing machine in which the size of a control panel can be increased and a user can conveniently manipulate the control panel and easily check operation state thereof. The dish washing machine includes a housing having an opening formed in a front side thereof, a door hinged to the front side of the housing to open and close the opening, and a control panel installed to the upper side of the door. The control panel is obliquely installed to the upper side of the door at a predetermined angle. Moreover, the control panel is installed to swing with respect to the door and to maintain a predetermined oblique angle regardless of the opening and closing of the door so that the user can conveniently check and manipulate the control panel.

Abstract: The invention is related to a data processing method comprising: selecting from at least one codebook a codebook and at least one weight in the codebook fulfilling a predetermined performance criterion, wherein one of the at least one codebook is of the form: [ ? 1 0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 0.5 ? ? j ? ? 0 0.5 ? ? j ? ? 3 0.5 ? ? j ? 2 ? ? 3 ? ? ? ? 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 ? ? j ? ? ? 0.5 ? ? j ? 4 ? ? 3 0.5 ? ? j ? 5 ? ? 3 ] ; and informing the selected at least one codebook and weight to a transmitter for being used in transmission.

Abstract: A dish washing machine capable of smoothly discharging dirt contained in wash water out of a sump so as to prevent the emission of bad smells from the dirt and prevent the propagation of bacteria. The dish washing machine includes a sump to receive and pump wash water, a sump housing forming an external appearance of the sump, a drainage pump coupled with the sump housing to discharge wash water and dirt, and a drainage channel disposed in the sump housing to guide wash water and dirt to the drainage pump.

Abstract: Provided are a phase-change memory device and method that maintains a resistance of a phase-change material in a set state within a constant resistance range; In the method, data is provided to a first phase-change memory cell and then it is first determined whether data stored in the first phase-change memory cell and the data provided to the first phase-change memory cell are identical.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric film, a piezoelectric film element, a liquid discharge head using the piezoelectric film element, and a liquid discharge apparatus. A piezoelectric film element that can be suitably used for a discharge pressure-generating element of a liquid discharge head is obtained by using an epitaxial oxide film composed of a perovskite composite oxide constituted according to a general formula ABO3 as a piezoelectric film. The epitaxial oxide film has at least an A domain and a B domain having a crystal orientation deviation with respect to each other. The crystal orientation deviation between the A domain and the B domain is less than 2°.

Abstract: Disclosed are an electric energy storage device having a good cycle characteristic and a temperature characteristic and a method of charging and discharging the electric energy storage device. The electric energy storage device including a capacitor and a secondary battery combined in series is provided. When the capacitor of the electric energy storage device is an electric double layer capacitor, the capacitor is used to the voltage of OV or less to increase an available energy usage. When this energy storage device is used as a power in a place where a rapid keeping and repairing is difficult such as out in the fields including in the mountain, at the sea, on the road, the cost for keeping and repairing can be largely reduced.

Abstract: A planar type fuel cell is provided. The planar type fuel cell has a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and an anode, and a cathode, and a plate attached to the cathode of the membrane electrode assembly to supply water to the cathode by condensing water vapor generated from the cathode.

Abstract: A dish washing machine capable of improving spatial utilization of a washing tub through the enlargement of the washing tub. The dish washing machine includes a washing tub, a sump mounted in the washing tub to receive and pump wash water, a sump housing forming an external appearance of the sump, a washing impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing, a drainage channel disposed at an inner edge of the sump housing, a pump motor surrounded by the drainage pump to drive the washing impeller, and a pump motor receiving part to receive the pump motor. The pump motor receiving part protrudes above the drainage channel.

Abstract: A plasma display apparatus and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, and a driver for applying a plurality of sustain signals to the second electrode while applying two consecutive sustain signals to the first electrode in a sustain period. A method of driving a plasma display apparatus includes applying a first sustain signal to a first electrode in a sustain period, after applying the first sustain signal to the first electrode, applying a plurality of sustain signals to a second electrode, and after applying the plurality of sustain signals to the second electrode, applying a second sustain signal consecutive to the first sustain signal to the first electrode.

Abstract: A shopping cart user authentication system and control-method, by which authentication for use of the shopping cart is performed by using a user authentication card, are provided. The control-method includes: if a user authentication card is recognized, accessing an authentication server and requesting authentication of the user authentication card, and releasing a cart connection link so that the shopping cart can be used if authentication is successful; and if the cart connection link is connected to another shopping cart connection link, requesting that the authentication server release user authentication and return the user authentication card to complete returning of the shopping cart.

Abstract: Provided are a photomask and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The photomask includes a photomask substrate including a chip region and a scribe lane region, with an overlay mark formed in the scribe lane region. The overlay mark includes one or more sub-overlay marks. Each of the sub-overlay marks includes a plurality of unit regions sequentially connected to each other and having different widths, where the width of a given unit region is constant.

Abstract: A gate driving unit connected to odd-numbered gate lines and a gate driving unit connected to even-numbered gate lines are sequentially operated, and a common voltage signal is inverted when the operation states of the two gate driving units are changed, thereby minimizing a number of changes in the voltage level of the common voltage signal supplied to a display panel during one frame, reducing power consumption of the display device, and allowing pixels of the display panel to perform line inversion.

Abstract: A method of reading code symbols using a digital image capture and processing system employing a micro-computing platform supporting an event-driven multi-tier software architecture. The system comprises: an image formation and detection subsystem; an illumination subsystem; an illumination control subsystem; a digital image processing subsystem; and an input/output subsystem; and a system control subsystem. In the illustrative embodiment, micro-computing platform implements the digital image processing subsystem, the input/output subsystem and the system control subsystem. The micro-computing platform includes a microprocessor, a memory architecture, and a multi-tier modular software architecture responsive to the generation of a triggering event within the system. Triggering events can be generated by an automatic object detector or a manually actuated trigger switch.