All The Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:
a display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a horizontal scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction;
a voltage controller, coupled to said display panel, which outputs a driving voltage to each of the plurality of pixels;
said voltage controller outputting to the plurality of pixels in said display panel a different polarity of the driving voltage for every predefined line number in the vertical scanning direction; and

a brightness controller, operatively coupled to said display panel, which corrects a brightness for each of the plurality of pixels dependent on the pixel’s position in the vertical scanning direction in said display panel, based on a driving voltage;
said brightness controller correcting the brightness of each of the plurality of pixels depending on the position of the pixel in the predefined line number.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said brightness controller further comprises a correction unit which corrects for the brightness for each of the plurality of pixels.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, if the amplitude of the driving voltage is of the same value that is outputted to each of the plurality of pixels, said brightness controller executes a correction in which the brightness of each of the plurality of pixels becomes substantially uniform.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said voltage controller outputs The driving voltage of the different polarity for every two lines based upon the predefined line number; and
said brightness controller, for each of the plurality of pixels, corrects the brightness of the pixel depending on whether the pixel is located at an odd line number or an even line number in said display panel.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said voltage controller is a source driver for outputting the driving voltage of an amplitude depending on data to be displayed for each of the plurality of pixels, said apparatus further comprising:
a gate driver, coupled to said display panel and said brightness controller, which corrects the brightness, based on an indication by said brightness controller, by outputting a selection signal for applying the driving voltage outputted by the source driver to the plurality of pixels.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the brightness controller further comprises:
a voltage supply which supplies said gate driver with a plurality of voltages which are different from each other;
wherein said gate driver uses the plurality of voltages supplied by said voltage supply to output the selection signal having a waveform which is different depending on the position in the vertical scanning direction.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said brightness controller outputs the selection signal which is different depending on the position in the vertical scanning direction, by outputting a dock signal whose cycle interval is periodically changed.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a horizontal scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction;
a data controller, operatively coupled to said display panel, which generates conversion data depending on a position of the pixel in the vertical scanning direction in said display panel by converting display data for each of the plurality of pixels; and
a voltage controller, operatively coupled to said display panel and said data controller, which supplies each of the plurality of pixels with a driving voltage of an amplitude associated with the conversion data;
said voltage controller outputting to the plurality of pixels in said display panel a different polarity of the driving voltage for every predefined line number in the vertical scanning direction.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said data controller further comprises: a data converter which generates conversion data depending on a position of the pixel in the vertical scanning direction for each of the plurality of pixels.
10. A method comprising the steps of:
controlling a display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a horizontal scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction;
outputting to each of the plurality of pixels, a driving voltage for driving the pixel, the driving voltage being of a different polarity for every predefined line numbr in the vertical scanning direction; and
correcting a brightness of the pixel, for each of the plurality of pixels, depending on a position of the pixel in the vertical scanning direction in the display panel, based on the driving voltage.
11. A method comprising the steps of:
controlling a display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a horizontal scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction;
generating conversion data by converting data to be displayed for each of the plurality of pixels, in a manner which is different depending on a position of the pixel in the vertical scanning direction in the display panel; and
supplying a driving voltage to each of the plurality of pixels of an amplitude associated with the conversion data, the driving voltage being of a different polarity for every predefined line number in the vertical scanning direction.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A semiconductor device comprising a bond pad structure, which bond pad structure comprises a bond pad disposed above at least one layered structure, but preferably a stack of layered structures, wherein the layered structure comprises a metal layer and a layer of a dielectric material, characterized in that via lines are present in the layer of dielectric material, which via lines are arranged in such a way that the metal layers and the via lines form isolated areas filled with the dielectric material.
2. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the via lines are lines of tungsten.
3. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein a stack of layered structures is present.
4. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metal layer in each layered structure is a metal plate.
5. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the top and bottom metal layers of the stack are metal plates, and the intermediate metal layer or layers are parallel metal lines.
6. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the metal lines are patterned in the form of a grid.
7. A semiconductor device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the via lines are patterned in the form of a grid.
8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a metal layer;
(b) forming a dielectric layer;
(c) patterning via lines or via grids in the dielectric layer;
(d) filling the patterned via lines or via grids with a conductive material, such as a metal, and preferably tungsten or copper; and
(e) applying a metal bond pad on top of the dielectric layer and the filled via lines or via grids.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, following step (d), steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) are repeated at least one time.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, following step (d), lines of metal are formed, followed by steps (b), (c) and (d).
11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the via lines or lines of metal are applied in the form of a grid.

1. A computer-implemented method of assisting users in purchasing gifts associated with gift-giving events, the method comprising:
maintaining an electronic wish list of a first user in computer storage, the electronic wish list including items selected from an electronic catalog by the first user and being accessible to other users;
inferring information regarding an annual gift-giving event associated with the first user based on gift transaction data that identifies at least one gift purchased from the electronic catalog for the first user by another user, wherein inferring the information regarding the annual gift-giving event comprises analyzing the gift transaction data to assess whether the gift was purchased in connection with an annually-occurring event;
identifying a second user who is affiliated with the first user; and
automatically sending to the second user, based on the inferred information, a message regarding the annual gift-giving event associated with the first user together with a link to the electronic wish list of the first user, to thereby facilitate purchasing of a gift associated with the annual gift-giving event;
said method performed in its entirety by a computer system.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring information regarding the annual gift-giving event comprises automatically predicting a timing of the annual gift-giving event.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein automatically predicting the timing of the annual gift-giving event comprises using a purchase date of the gift purchased for the first user as an indication of the timing of the annual gift-giving event.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring information regarding the annual gift-giving event comprises inferring a type of the gift-giving event at least partly by analyzing gift message text entered by a purchaser of the gift for the first user.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a second user who is affiliated with the first user comprises automatically treating the second user as being affiliated with the first user as the result of at least one of (a) a gift purchase made by the second user for the first user, and (b) a gift purchase made by the first user for the second user.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a second user who is affiliated with the first user comprises automatically treating the second user as being affiliated with the first user as the result of at least one of (a) transmission of an electronic card by the first user to the second user; and (b) transmission of an electronic card by the second user to the first user.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a list of recommended gifts for the first user based on stored information reflective of preferences of the first user, and providing said list to the second user as part of, or in association with, said message, said list of recommended items being separate from said wish list.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message and link are sent to the second user by electronic mail.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises a plurality of computers.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises inferring information regarding the annual gift-giving event based collectively on gift purchases made for the first user by each of a plurality of additional users.
11. A computer-implemented method of assisting users in purchasing gifts associated with gift-giving events, the method comprising:
maintaining an electronic wish list of a first user in computer storage, the electronic wish list including items selected from an electronic catalog by the first user and being accessible to other users;
identifying a second user who is affiliated with the first user;
automatically sending to the second user a message regarding a gift-giving event associated with the first user together with a link to the electronic wish list of the first user, to thereby facilitate purchasing of a gift associated with the gift giving event; and
prior to sending said message, inferring a type of the gift-giving event at least partly by determining a type of gift wrap selected by a purchaser of a gift for the first user;
said method performed in its entirety by a computer system.
12. A computer storage system which stores executable instructions that direct a computer system to perform a method that comprises:
maintaining an electronic wish list of a first user in computer storage, the electronic wish list including items selected from an electronic catalog by the first user and being accessible to other users;
inferring information regarding an annual gift-giving event associated with the first user based on gift transaction data that identifies at least one gift purchased from the electronic catalog for the first user by another user, wherein inferring the information regarding the annual gift-giving event comprises analyzing the gift transaction data to assess whether the gift was purchased in connection with an annually-occurring event;
identifying a second user who is affiliated with the first user; and
automatically sending to the second user, based on the inferred information, a message regarding the annual gift-giving event associated with the first user together with a link to the electronic wish list of the first user, to thereby facilitate purchasing of a gift associated with the annual gift-giving event.
13. A method of assisting users in purchasing gifts associated with recurring gift-giving events, the method comprising:
maintaining an electronic wish list of a first user, the electronic wish list including items selected from an electronic catalog by the first user and being accessible to other users;
detecting, and recording transaction information regarding, a purchase by a second user of a gift for the first user;
inferring information regarding an annual gift-giving event of the first user at least partly by analyzing the recorded transaction information to assess whether the gift was purchased in connection with a recurring gift-giving event; and
subsequently, using the inferred information to automatically generate a reminder message for transmission to the second user, said reminder message identifying said purchase and including a link to the electronic wish list;
said method performed by a computer system.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein inferring the information regarding the annual gift-giving event comprises detecting, via an automated analysis of gift message text entered by the second user when making the purchase of the gift for the first user, that the purchase corresponds to a recurring gift-giving event.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the purchase of the gift is a purchase made from the electronic wish list of the first user.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the reminder message to the second user less than 50 days before a one-year anniversary of said purchase of the gift.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting said reminder message to the second user by electronic mail.
18. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting said reminder message to the second user via a customized web page.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically generating recommendations of gifts for the first user based on stored information reflective of preferences of the first user, and providing said recommendations to the second user with, or in association with, said reminder message, said recommendations being distinct from said wish list.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein the method comprises inferring a type of the annual gift-giving event based at least partly on a type of gift wrap selected by the second user for said gift.
21. The method of claim 13, wherein analyzing the recorded transaction information comprises searching gift message text for (1) words that evidence an annually occurring gift giving event, and (2) words that evidence a non-annually-occurring gift giving event.
22. A non-transitory computer storage system which stores executable instructions that direct a computing system to perform a method that comprises:
maintaining an electronic wish list of a first user, the electronic wish list including items selected from an electronic catalog by the first user and being accessible to other users;
detecting, and recording transaction information regarding, a purchase by a second user of a gift for the first user;
inferring information regarding an annual gift-giving event of the first user at least partly by analyzing the recorded transaction information to assess whether the gift was purchased in connection with a recurring gift-giving event; and
subsequently, using the inferred information to automatically generate a reminder message for transmission to the second user, said reminder message identifying said purchase and including a link to the electronic wish list.
23. A system, comprising:
a computer data repository that stores representations of electronic wish lists of users;
a detection system that automatically detects affiliations between users, and infers information regarding recurring gift giving events of users, based at least partly on gift purchasing activities of the users, said detection system operative to infer information about the recurring gift giving events in part by analyzing gift transaction data to assess whether particular gift purchases were made in connection with recurring gift-giving events; and
a notification system that uses data regarding the detected affiliations, and the inferred information regarding the recurring gift giving events, to generate notification messages regarding upcoming recurring gift giving events of particular users, and which sends said notification messages to users who are affiliated with said particular users, at least some of the notification messages including links to the electronic wish lists of the respective users whose recurring gift giving events are upcoming.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the detection system analyzes gift message text entered by gift purchasers to assess whether corresponding purchases correspond to recurring gift giving events.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification system is capable of generating, for transmission to a first user, a notification message that (1) identifies a gift purchase previously made by the first user for a second user, and (2) includes a link to a wish list of the second user.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein the notification system is additionally capable of including gift recommendations, or a link to gift recommendation, in said notification message, said gift recommendations based on information reflective of item preferences of the second user.
27. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification system is capable of generating a notification message that notifies a first user of an inferred recurring gift giving event of a second user, said inferred recurring gift giving event based at least partly on a prior gift purchase made by the first user for the second user.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the notification message includes at least one of: (1) a link to a wish list of the second user; (2) auto-generated personalized recommendations of gifts for the second user; (3) a link for viewing auto-generated personalized recommendations of gifts for the second user.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A cationic polymer represented by the following general formula (A):
19
wherein X1, X2 and X3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryloxy group, each of which may contain a saturated or unsaturated cyclic structure; further, at least one of X1, X2 and X represents the alkoxy group or the aryloxy group; Y represents a bivalent linking group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent and may have therein a linking heteroatom; B represents at least one recurring unit which can be copolymerized with A; m and n represent the mole ratios of the A component and the B component, respectively, where 0.2m1.0, and 0n0.8 (mn1.0); R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, each of which may have a substituent and may be linked to form a saturated or unsaturated cyclic structure; Z represents O or NH; Y2 represents a bivalent linking group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may have therein a linking heteroatom; and X represents an anion.
2. An inkjet recording sheet, which having, on a substrate, a colorant-accepting layer including cationic polymer modified inorganic pigment particles obtained by bonding inorganic pigment particles to a cationic polymer having, at its terminal, a group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles.
3. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the cationic polymer having, at its terminal, the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles has the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles at only the single terminal.
4. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles is an alkoxysilyl group.
5. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the cationic polymer having, at its terminal, the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles is represented by the following general formula (1):
20
wherein X1, X2 and X3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group or an aryloxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, each of which may contain a saturated or unsaturated cyclic structure; at least one of X1, X2 and X3 represents the alkoxy group or the aryloxy group; Y represents a bivalent linking group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent and may have a linking heteroatom therein; A represents at least one recurring unit having a cation; B represents at least one recurring unit which can be copolymerized with A; and m and n represent the mole ratios of the A component and the B component, respectively, where 0.2m1.0, and 0n0.8 (mn1.0).
6. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 5, wherein the recurring unit A in the general formula (1) is at least one selected from the following recurring units (I) to (IV):
(I) a recurring unit represented by the following general
21
wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, each of which may have a substituent and may be linked to form a saturated or unsaturated cyclic structure; Z represents O or NH; Y2 represents a bivalent linking group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may have therein a linking heteroatom; and X represents an anion,
(II) a recurring unit represented by the following general formula (3):
22
wherein R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R2, R3, R4 and X are as defined in the general formula (2),
(III) at least one recurring unit selected from units represents by the following general formulae (4) and (5):
23
wherein R2, R3 and X are as defined in the general formula (2), and
(IV) at least one recurring unit selected from recurring units represented by the following general formulae (6) and (7):
24
wherein n is 0 or 1; and R2, R3, R4 and X are as defined in the general formula (2).
7. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the mass ratio (x:y) of the inorganic pigment particles (x) to the cationic polymer (y) having, at its terminal, the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles, ranges from 1:0.001 to 1:0.2.
8. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 5, wherein the mass ratio (x:y) of the inorganic pigment particles (x) to the cationic polymer (y) having, at its terminal, the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles, ranges from 1:0.001 to 1:0.2.
9. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 6, wherein the mass ratio (x:y) of the inorganic pigment particles (x) to the cationic polymer (y) having, at its terminal, the group that can be bonded to the inorganic pigment particles ranges from 1:0.001 to 1:0.2.
10. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the kind of the inorganic pigment particles is one or more selected from kinds of silica particles, colloidal silica, alumina particles and pseudo-boehmite.
11. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 5, wherein the kind of the inorganic pigment particles is one or more selected from kinds of silica particles, colloidal silica, alumina particles and pseudo-boehmite.
12. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further contains a water-soluble resin.
13. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 5, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further contains a water-soluble resin.
14. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 12, wherein the water-soluble resin is one or more selected from polyvinyl alcohol resins, cellulose resins, resins having an ether bond, resins having a carbamoyl group, resins having a carboxyl group, and gelatins.
15. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 13, wherein the water-soluble resin is one or more selected from polyvinyl alcohol resins, cellulose resins, resins having an ether bond, resins having a carbamoyl group, resins having a carboxyl group, and gelatins.
16. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 12, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further contains a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the water-soluble resin.
17. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 13, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further contains a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the water-soluble resin.
18. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 2, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further contains a mordant.
19. The inkjet recording sheet according to claim 5, wherein the colorant-accepting layer further comprises a mordant.
20. An inkjet recording sheet according to claim 18, wherein the colorant-accepting layer is a layer obtained by crosslinking and curing a coating layer obtained by coating with a coating solution containing at least particles and a water-soluble resin, and the crosslinking and curing are performed by adding the crosslinking agent to the coating solution andor a basic solution having a pH of 8 or more, and applying the basic solution to the coating layer (1) at the same time of forming the coating layer by coating with the coating solution or (2) in the middle of drying the coating layer formed by coating with the coating solution before the coating layer undergoes falling drying rate.