In a variable rate wireless communication system, an explicit reduced-bit rate indicator is used to communicate the data rate and configuration of the transmission to the receiver. Data throughput is increased by reducing the number of bits required to indicate data rate and channel configuration. Related allocation of total transmit power, and related receive processing are conserved. Reception is enhanced by increased probability of correct decoding. Receiver performance is enhanced by reducing the probability of false erasures and associated outerloop setpoint adjustment errors when the receiver is notified of channels with zero data rates. Power consumption is reduced by using fewer bits to communicate data rate and channel configuration information, and by more accurate setpoint adjustment.

1. Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to communications. More particularly, the disclosed embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving variable rate packets of data with signals indicative of the data rate of those packets.
2. Background
The use of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) modulation techniques is one of several techniques for facilitating communications in which a large number of system users are present. Although other techniques such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), and AM modulation schemes such as Amplitude Companded Single Sideband (ACSSB) are known, CDMA has significant advantages over these other techniques. The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access communication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, entitled xe2x80x9cSPREAD SPECTRUM MULTIPLE ACCESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING SATELLITE OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein.
CDMA systems often employ a variable rate encoding of data so that the data rate can be varied from one data frame to another. An exemplary embodiment of variable rate encoding is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,796, entitled xe2x80x9cVARIABLE RATE VOCODER,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein. The use of a variable rate communications channel reduces mutual interference by eliminating unnecessary transmissions when there is no useful data to be transmitted. Algorithms are utilized during encoding for generating a varying number of information bits in each frame in accordance with variations in data activity. For example, an encoder of a cdma2000 1xc3x97EV-DV system may produce 20 millisecond (ms) data frames containing 0, 168, 360, 744, 1512, 3048, 6120, 12264, or 20456 bits of data, for transmission on the reverse link. It is desired to transmit each data frame in a fixed amount of time by varying the transmission rate of communications.
Additional details on the formatting of the data into data frames are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,073, entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATTING OF DATA FOR TRANSMISSION,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference. The data frames may be further processed, spread spectrum modulated, and transmitted as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459, entitled xe2x80x9cSYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING WAVEFORMS IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein.
Variable rate systems can be developed which include explicit rate information. If the rate is included as part of a variable rate frame, then the rate is not recoverable until after the frame has already been properly decoded, at which point the rate has already been determined. Rather than including the rate in the variable rate frame, the rate could instead be sent in a non-variable rate portion of the frame. However, only a few bits are typically needed to represent the rate, and these bits cannot be efficiently encoded and interleaved in order to provide error protection for fading communications channels. Furthermore, the rate information is only available after some decoding delay or subject to error.
Alternatively, variable rate systems can be developed which do not include explicit rate information. One technique for the receiver to determine the rate of a received data frame where the rate information is not explicitly included in the frame is described in U.S. patent application No. 5,566,206, entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING DATA RATE OF TRANSMITTED VARIABLE RATE DATA IN A COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein. Another technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,784, entitled xe2x80x9cMULTIRATE SERIAL VITERBI DECODER FOR CODE DIVISION MULTIPLE ACCESS SYSTEM APPLICATIONS,xe2x80x9d assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference. According to these techniques, known as blind decoding, each received data frame is decoded at each of the possible rates. Error metrics, which describe the quality of the decoded symbols for each frame decoded at each rate, are provided to a processor. The error metrics may include Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) results, Yamamoto Quality Metrics, and Symbol Error Rates. These error metrics are well-known in communications systems. The processor analyzes the error metrics and determines the most probable rate at which the incoming symbols were transmitted.
Decoding each received data frame at each possible data rate will eventually generate the desired decoded data. However, the search through all possible rates is not the most efficient use of processing resources in a receiver. Also, as higher transmission rates are used, power consumption for determining the transmission rate also increases because there are more bits per frame to be processed. Furthermore, as technology evolves, variable rate systems may utilize larger sets of data rates for communicating information. The use of larger sets of rates will make the exhaustive decoding at all possible rates infeasible. The decoding delay will not be tolerable for some system applications. Consequently, there is a need for a more efficient explicit rate determination system in a high data rate variable rate communications environment.
Embodiments disclosed herein address the above-stated needs by providing an efficiency enhanced rate determination system for a high data rate variable rate communications environment. In one aspect, in a variable rate wireless communication system having at least a first channel and a second channel, a method for explicitly indicating data rate information includes generating a frame of data from data present on the at least first and second channels, determining a set of all possible data rate combinations for the at least first and second channels, determining a subset of authorized data rate combinations and a subset of unauthorized data rate combinations from the set of all possible data rate combinations, selecting a data rate combination to represent the data present on the at least first and second channels from the subset of unauthorized data rate combinations to represent a data rate combination with at least one zero data rate, and transmitting an indicator of the selected data rate combination and the frame of data.
In another aspect, in a variable rate wireless communication system having at least a first channel and a second channel, a method for explicitly indicating data rate information includes generating a frame of data from data present on the at least first and second channels, determining a set of all possible data rate combinations for the at least first and second channels, determining a subset of authorized data rate combinations and a subset of unauthorized data rate combinations from the set of all possible data rate combinations, selecting a data rate combination with a maximum data rate to represent a channel data rate combination with a zero data rate when the maximum rate is authorized on the zero rate channel, and transmitting an indicator of the selected data rate combination and the frame of data.
In another aspect, in a variable rate wireless communication system having at least a first channel and a second channel, a method for decoding received data using explicit data rate indication information includes receiving a frame of data comprising data present on the at least first and second channels and a rate combination indictor indicating a data rate for the at least first and second channels, determining a set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, determining a subset of authorized data rates and a subset of unauthorized data rates from the set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, and processing a channel having an unauthorized data rate as a zero rate channel, without declaring an erasure or adjusting the setpoint.
In yet another aspect, in a variable rate wireless communication system having at least a first channel and a second channel, a method for decoding received data using explicit data rate indication information includes receiving a frame of data comprising data present on the at least first and second channels and a rate combination indictor indicating a data rate for the at least first and second channels, determining a set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, determining a subset of authorized data rates and a subset of unauthorized data rates from the set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, processing a channel having an authorized data rate and no recovered data by measuring the signal to noise ratio and comparing the ratio to a threshold determined by the indicated rate, and processing a channel where the ratio is below the threshold as a zero rate channel, without declaring an erasure or adjusting the setpoint.
In still another aspect, a base station being configured to encode a signal for transmission includes, a transmitter, the transmitter capable of transmitting variable rate data signals between a base station and a remote terminal, and a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and configured to: generate a frame of data from data present on the at least first and second channels, determine a set of all possible data rate combinations for the at least first and second channels, determine a subset of authorized data rate combinations and a subset of unauthorized data rate combinations from the set of all possible data rate combinations, select a data rate combination to represent the data present on the at least first and second channels from the subset of unauthorized data rate combinations to represent a data rate combination with at least one zero data rate, select a data rate combination with a maximum data rate to represent a channel data rate combination with a zero data rate when the maximum rate is authorized on the zero rate channel, and transmit an indicator of the selected data rate combination and the frame of data.
In another aspect, a remote terminal configured to receive a transmitted signal includes a receiver, the receiver capable of receiving variable rate data signals from a base station, and a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and configured to: receive a frame of data comprising data present on the at least first and second channels and a rate combination indictor indicating a data rate for the at least first and second channels, determine a set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, determine a subset of authorized data rates and a subset of unauthorized data rates from the set of all possible data rates for the at least first and second channels, process a channel having an unauthorized data rate as a zero rate channel, without declaring an erasure or adjusting the setpoint, process a channel having an authorized data rate and no recovered data by measuring the signal to noise ratio and comparing the ratio to a threshold determined by the indicated rate, and process a channel where the ratio is below the threshold as a zero rate channel, without declaring an erasure or adjusting the setpoint.
In another aspect, a variable rate wireless communications system includes a base station for encoding and transmitting data with a reduced-bit rate combination indicator explicitly indicating the rate of the data, and a remote terminal for receiving and decoding data using the reduced-bit rate combination indicator without declaring erasures or adjusting the setpoint when processing a channel with a zero data rate.

Method and apparatus for enhanced rate determination in high data rate wireless communication systems


A quasi-achromatic configuration of two nonreciprocal optical rotators coupled by linear retardation elements based on total internal Fresnel reflection, such that wavelength or temperature effects on the optical rotator elements compensate one another to give quasi-achromatic isolation and/or temperature stability when this optical configuration is incorporated into an optical isolator or circulator. A quasi-achromatic optical isolator through which a light beam within a wavelength range about a nominal wavelength may propagate is made from a sequence of elements having a first plane polarizer accepting said light beam as an input, said light beam then passing through in sequence, a first Faraday rotator, a first wavelength independent linear retardation element, a second Faraday rotator, a second wavelength independent linear retardation element, and said light beam exiting said isolator undiminished in intensity through a second plane polarizer. A quasi-achromatic optical circulator having first, second, third and fourth ports is provided such that said circulator may accept a light beam within a wavelength range about a nominal wavelength and direct it to a succeeding port. A light beam enters said circulator through a first polarizing beam splitter adjacent to said first and third ports and passes through sequentially a first Faraday rotator, a first wavelength independent linear retardation element, a second Faraday rotator, a second wavelength independent linear retardation element and a second polarizing beam splitter adjacent to said second and fourth ports of said circulator, whereby said light beam is transmitted undiminished in intensity to the next succeeding port.

This application pertains generally to the field of nonreciprocal optical devices such as optical isolators and optical circulators, which are constructed from materials that exhibit the optical Faraday effect. Optical isolators are commonly used to overcome the instability in semiconductor light sources caused by reflected light. Optical circulators may be used in two-way fiber optic communication systems and in other applications. In particular, this application pertains to quasi-achromatic isolators and circulators using total internal Fresnel reflection to simplify their construction.
Nonreciprocal optical devices such as isolators and circulators may be constructed from materials that exhibit the optical Faraday effect. This effect is a circular birefringence that arises from the presence within the material of a magnetization resulting from an externally applied magnetic field or from an internal spontaneous magnetization due to ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic ordering that may be held in a saturated state by an externally applied magnetic field. In either case, it manifests itself as an optical rotatory effect upon light propagating through the material along the direction of magnetization. It is nonreciprocal in that the sense of rotation of the axes of polarization depends on the polarity of the magnetization relative to the direction of propagation.
Optical signals transmitted through fiber optic waveguides are being used for telecommunications to an ever increasing extent. They are generated by laser diodes of various types that often operate at wavelengths in the 1.28 to 1.60 .mu. range. Some of these lasers, especially those of the so-called distributed feedback construction, are somewhat sensitive to light returning on their output fiber whether it be from reflections of their own emissions or from another source. An optical isolator, which is a nonreciprocal two port device that passes light in one direction and absorbs light in the opposite direction, is often necessary to obtain optimum operation from these laser diode sources.
The optical circulator is a more generally applicable nonreciprocal four port device. As with the isolator, light entering the first port passes out the second port, but light entering the second port is not absorbed, and instead passes out the third port. Similarly, light entering the third port passes out the fourth port, and light entering the fourth port passes out the first port. Thus, by using any two adjacent ports a circulator can function as an isolator, but it also has the potential of permitting optical fiber transmission lines to be operated in a bidirectional mode with signals at the same or different wavelengths traveling in opposite directions simultaneously.
Basic to the operation of both optical isolators and circulators is the 45.degree. Faraday rotation element which is usually composed of glass or a single crystal transparent over the desired wavelength range. Opposing parallel optical facets surround the active region which is within an externally applied axial magnetic field provided by adjacent permanent magnets or by a current carrying solenoid. The field strength required to obtain 45.degree. of rotation depends on the Verdet constant of the element material. Suitable materials include diamagnetic glasses especially those with a high lead oxide content, paramagnetic glasses or cubic crystals containing ions such as trivalent cerium or terbium, and ferrimagnetic oxide crystals such as yttrium iron garnet. The latter, commonly known as YIG, is especially useful in the 1.28 .mu. to 1.60 .mu. wavelength range where many optical fiber systems operate.
In its simplest form an optical isolator consists of an input plane polarizer, a 45.degree. Faraday element with its associated axial field magnet, and an output plane polarizer with its polarization axis rotationally orientated at 45.degree. relative to that of the input polarizer. A compact isolator of this type using a YIG crystal has been described in the literature. Input light must be plane polarized to pass through the input polarizer after which its plane of polarization is rotated 45.degree. by the Faraday element so that it can pass through the output polarizer. If the propagation direction is reversed, the Faraday element will rotate -45.degree. and the light passed through it will be absorbed in the output polarizer. A similar optical circulator, also using a YIG crystal, but with input and output polarization beam splitters instead of plane polarizers has also been described in the literature. Both devices require specific states of plane polarization at their ports to function optimally.
The degree of isolation obtainable with either of these nonreciprocal devices is limited by deviations of the Faraday element rotation from its nominal 45.degree.. The element is designed for some nominal wavelength, and in general it will have a greater rotation at shorter and a lesser rotation at longer wavelengths. Also, some Faraday elements such as YIG are temperature sensitive so the rotation will change due to temperature variations. Various techniques have been used to improve the degree of isolation by minimizing these deviations from 45.degree. rotation. In the case of YIG, gadolinium substitution for part of the yttrium lowers the temperature coefficient of the rotation, but at the expense of its magnitude. The wavelength dependence can be partially compensated by a second element having -45.degree. of reciprocal type rotation Such an element can be made from an optically active crystal. The two-element combination between crossed polarizers would be used as an isolator. For one direction of propagation the opposite rotations would always sum to zero if they had identical wavelength dependences. But for the opposite direction of propagation both elements would have -45.degree. of rotation which would sum to -90.degree. with a doubled wavelength variation. The isolator would therefore have a wavelength dependent insertion loss.
The cross-referenced application, discloses a quasi-achromatic configuration of two Faraday elements and five birefringent plates which when suitably oriented between two linearly polarizing elements would constitute an optical isolator or circulator. The nominal Faraday rotations of the two elements are 45.degree. and 90.degree. at a center design wavelength about which the devices are to operate. Changes in these rotations due to either wavelength or temperature variations compensate one another because of their coupling by the birefringent plates. In this way a higher degree of isolation is obtained over a wider optical bandwidth than would be possible in a device using a single 45.degree. Faraday element. A group of three plates is used between the two Faraday elements and two more follow them to give the required polarization transformations which must themselves be quasi-achromatic over the desired wavelength range.

Quasi-achromatic optical isolators and circulators using prisms with total internal fresnel reflection


An elevator apparatus includes an electric motor for driving the elevator apparatus, an elevator cage adapted to be lifted or lowered by the electric motor, a brake device for holding and retaining an elevator driving system, including the electric motor, and a malfunction detecting device responsive to the application of a torque to a retainer section of the brake device during the lifting or lowering of the elevator cage.

The present invention relates to an improvement of an elevator apparatus and, more particularly, to an improved elevator apparatus having an enhanced level of safety at the time when the brake device is out of normal operation.
In general, an elevator driving system is of a type wherein sheaves are rotated by an electric motor and an elevator cage and a balance weight suspended from the sheaves in the form of a well bucket are raised or lowered. In many cases, therefore, the sheaves are affected by an unbalance torque due to the difference in weight between the elevator cage and the balance weight. Therefore, a brake device, which functions to stop and retain or support the elevator cage at their stopped position, is required to have a high level of safety.
For the above-mentioned reasons, a rigid drum type electromagnetic brake, which is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 57-1180, has hitherto been employed.
Meanwhile, in an elevator equipped with a gear reducer called "geared elevator", a worm gear reducer has hitherto been employed. With this worm gear, the efficiency of torque transmission from an electric motor to sheaves is very high whereas the retrograde efficiency of torque transmission from the sheaves to an electric motor is considerably low. Accordingly, this worm gear reducer is advantageous in respect of lessening the possibility that the normal rotation of the electric motor is hindered by the unbalance torque.
On the other hand, the use of a parallel axis gear reducer has recently been proposed in place of such worm gear reducer.
In this case, however, the retrograde efficiency also is increased with the result that much more care must be taken about the safety of the brake device.
Further, for miniaturization of the brake device, change-over from the drum type electromagnetic brake device to a disk type brake device has also been proposed.
In the field of a disk type brake device, detection of the operating condition of a brake device is known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 58-109741.
Further, in the field of an elevator, it is known that an unbalance torque is detected on the basis of an amount of displacement of a retainer or support section for the electromagnetic brake device to thereby be used for control of the brake as in said Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 57-1180, or that an unbalance torque as in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 62-56277 is detected on the basis of distortion of a retainer section for the electromagnetic brake device to thereby be used for control of, for example, starting compensation for an elevator.
The safety and reliability of brake devices including the disk type brake device, etc. have already been established. In case of elevators, however, it is desirable to take perfect measures for safety.
What is the most important matter for the brake device of an elevator is as follows. Namely, during the running of an elevator, electricity is supplied to braking coils. When, however, the attractive force of the braking coils has decreased for some malfunction to amount to half of a normal attractive force, an armature of the brake is caused to contact with a lining thereof while the latter is being rotated. The wear of the lining thus is further vigorous due to the friction between the two until a braking force could not be obtained even if the supply of electricity to the coils is paused. This is a very important point which may lead to accidents resulting in injury or death, for the brake device for causing the elevator to be stopped and supported or retained at its stopped position.
In an elevator including many operating conditions, or in an elevator in which an unbalance torque always acts, it is desirable to prevent the occurrence of any accident when some malfunction occurs in the brake device including a disk brake device and the like. To this end, it is also desirable to realize such a system as would be able to prevent the occurrence of any such accident.


A method and system for dynamic rate switching via medium access channel layer signaling is disclosed, wherein data rates for high data rate channels are automatically shifted up or down based on a predetermined metric. In a preferred embodiment, data rates are automatically shifted up or down based on transmit channel gain required to maintain a required signal to noise ratio.

The present invention is related in general to communication systems, and, more particularly, to an improved method and system for dynamic rate switching via medium access channel layer signaling.
Standards bodies such as the International Standards Organization (ISO) have adopted a layered approach for the reference model of a communication subsystem. The complete communication subsystem is broken down into a number of layers, each of which performs a well-defined function in the context of the overall communication subsystem. It operates according to a defined protocol by exchanging messages, both user data and additional control information, with a corresponding peer layer in a remote system. Each layer has a well-defined interface between itself and the layer immediately above and below. Consequently, the implementation of a particular protocol layer is independent of all other layers. The function of each layer is specified formally as a protocol that defines the set of rules and conventions used by the layer to communicate with a similar peer layer in another (remote) system. Each layer provides a defined set of services to the layer immediately above. It also uses the services provided by the layer immediately below it to transport the message units associated with the protocol to the remote peer layer.
Communication systems, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, communicate messages between infrastructure equipment and subscriber or mobile units. As used herein, a forward message refers to a message generated by cellular infrastructure equipment and transmitted for reception by a mobile communication unit, and a reverse message refers to a message generated by a mobile communication unit, such as a mobile cellular phone. At the most basic level, cdma2000 provides protocols and services that correspond to the bottom two layers of the ISO/OSI Reference Model (i.e., Layer 1xe2x80x94the Physical Layer, and Layer 2 xe2x80x94the Link Layer) according to the general structure specified by the ITU for IMT-2000 systems. In cdma2000, a generalized multi-media service model is supported. This allows a combination of voice, packet data, and circuit data services to be operating concurrently (within the limitations of the air interface system capacity). Cdma2000 also includes a Quality of Service (QOS) control mechanism to balance the varying QOS requirements of multiple concurrent services.
One problem associated with the combination of voice, packet data, and circuit data services operating concurrently is the ability to maintain a high data rate connection at a required fixed error rate over a channel of varying quality. In addition, maximizing system capacity when high data rate channels are active presents another problem. Consequently, a need exists for a method and system for dynamic rate switching via medium access channel layer signaling, wherein data rates for high data rate channels are automatically shifted up or down based on a predetermined metric.

Method of dynamic rate switching via medium access channel layer signaling


A data storing device has at least first to third registers. When the first register is accessed, the second register is set into an accessible state in a preset cycle succeeding to a cycle in which the first register is accessed. The same address as that of the second register is assigned to the third register and access to the third register is inhibited in a preset cycle in which the second register is accessed. An access control circuit controls permission/inhibition of access to the second and third registers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data storing device used as an I/O (input/output) register of a single-chip microcomputer, for example, and more particularly to a data storing device having a plurality of registers allotted for one address.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in the I/O register of a single-chip microcomputer, one address is assigned to each register and only one register corresponding to a designated address can be accessed. In FIG. 1, the construction of an extracted portion of the above I/O register section and the peripheral circuit thereof is shown. A 16-bit address signal AD is input to an address decoder section 12 via an address bus 11. The address signal AD is decoded by the address decoder section 12 which in turn outputs a decoder signal ADOn (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ). 8-bit data stored in a register Rn (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ) corresponding to an address An (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ) designated by the signal ADOn is output in synchronism with the rise (or fall) of an R/W (read/write) control signal S and then transferred along a data bus 13.
However, with the above construction, when an attempt is made to increase the number of I/O registers to expand the register area, it is required to make various modifications for the address area. For example, when address areas allotted for the RAM and ROM are provided to follow an address area allotted for the I/O register, the address areas for the RAM and ROM must be modified in order to expand the register area. Otherwise, it becomes necessary to provide an additional register area in an address area arranged after the address area for the RAM or ROM.
In the former case, a large-scale modification is necessary and the specification must be greatly modified. Further, in the latter case, the modification scale can be made small, but the I/O register area is not continuous and becomes hard to deal with.

Data storing device having a plurality of registers allotted for one address


A novel peracid ester represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## is useful as a polymerization initiator for vinyl chloride monomer, a curing agent for unsaturated polyester resin or a crosslinking agent for polymers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel peracid esters usable as a radical polymerization initiator and a method of producing the same as well as hydroperoxides as a starting material for the peracid ester, and polymerization of vinyl monomer, curing of unsaturated polyester and crosslinking of polymer through the peracid ester.
2. Related Art Statement
In general, it is known to use t-alkyl peracid esters as a polymerization initiator, a curing agent or a crosslinking agent as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 51-38752 and No. 62-30064, Japanese Patent laid open No. 52-76353 and the like.
In polymer industry, however, it is desired to increase the production of polymer resins without requiring additional construction of expensive production equipments from a viewpoint of economical reasons. Further, it is demanded to develop a more active polymerization initiator for shortening the reaction time and increasing the production volume.
As a polymerization technique, it is known that the polymerization rate can be increased by using the more active polymerization initiator. The production improvement through such a technique is particularly useful in the polymerization of vinyl chloride. Because, in the polymerization of vinyl chloride, the polymerization degree is determined by the polymerization temperature but is not dependent upon the polymerization rate. Therefore, even when the polymerization rate is increased by using the highly active polymerization initiator, if the polymerization temperature is constant, the polymerization degree is unchangeable. That is, the polymerization rate can be enhanced without changing the physical properties of the polymer.
Further, the more active polymerization initiator is desirable to be used for objects other than the above production improvement. That is, such an object is concerned with the production of polyvinyl chlorides having a high polymerization degree.
In general, polyvinyl chlorides having a polymerization degree of not less than 1500 are called as a high polymerization degree product and are known to be particularly excellent in the properties such as mechanical strength, heat stability, dimensional stability, cold resistance and the like.
Furthermore, when flexible polyvinyl chlorides are produced by adding a plasticizer to the polyvinyl chloride, rubbery elasticity can be enhanced as the polymerization degree becomes high.
As shown in the following Table 1, the polymerization degree of the polyvinyl chloride is determined by the polymerization temperature, so that in order to obtain a polyvinyl chloride having a high polymerization degree, vinyl chloride should be polymerized at a relatively low temperature of not higher than 50.degree. C. From this reason, it is desired to develop a polymerization initiator having a sufficient activity even at a low temperature.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Polymerization temperature Polymerization (.degree.C.) degree ______________________________________ 60 800 57 1000 52 1300 50 1500 45 2000 40 2500 35 3000 ______________________________________
It has hitherto been known to use diisobutyryl peroxide (hereinafter abbreviated as IBPO), acetylcyclohexylsulfonyl peroxide (hereinafter abbreviated as ACSP, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 40-16795) or the like as a polymerization initiator having an activity even at the low temperature when polymerizing vinyl chloride monomer.
Furthermore, peracid esters such as cumylperoxy neodecanoate (hereinafter abbreviated as CND, Japanese Patent laid open No. 58-120611), t-octylperoxy neodecanoate (hereinafter abbreviated as OND, Japanese Patent laid open No. 58-120613) and the like have been known as a polymerization initiator.
However, there are some problems in the polymerization methods using IBPO, ACSP, CND or OND as a polymerization initiator. That is, IBPO is very unstable against water and is decomposed by contacting with water, so that the polymerization activity is not held and hence the yield of the polymer is low. On the other hand, ACSP has a problem in view of the hygiene of decomposition product and is poor in the heat stability because the resulting polymer is colored. Furthermore, CND produces a peculiar odor in the polymer because of the decomposition product. Moreover, OND hardly affects the properties of the resulting polymer, but is poor in the polymerization activity as compared with ACSP, CND and the like, so that it is small in the effect as a polymerization initiator having an activity at low temperature.
In the field of peroxides, it is well-known that the half-valued period of a certain peroxide (measure on the activity of the peroxide) is remarkably changed by applying various structure variations to the peroxide. For example, in case of an alkyl peracid ester, the activity can be changed by the structure variation of carboxylic group and alkylperoxy group.
The alkyl peracid ester obtained by the conventional technique and having an activity at a lowest temperature is a compound in which the alkylperoxy group is t-octylperoxy group. This compound has an activity at a low temperature as compared with the other peracid ester containing, for example, t-butylperoxy group, t-amylperoxy group, t-hexylperoxy group or the like when the carboxylic group is same.
A temperature requiring that a half-valued period of 1 mol/ l of t-butylperoxy neodecanoate, t-amylperoxy neodecanoate or t-hexylperoxy neodecanoate in benzene is 10 hours (hereinafter referred to as 10 hour halflife temperature) is 45.degree.-47.degree. C., while the 10 hour halflife temperature of OND is as low as 41.degree. C. As previously mentioned, however, it is further demanded to develop a polymerization initiator having an activity at a lower temperature in order to conduct low temperature polymerization for the shortening of polymerization time and the increase of production volume.


A delta-sigma modulator includes a receiving circuit, a loop filter, a quantizer with a negative capacitor circuit and a feedback circuit. The receiving circuit is arranged for receiving an input signal and a feedback signal to generate a first signal. The loop filter is coupled to the receiving circuit, and is arranged for receiving the first signal to generate a filtered signal. The quantizer is coupled to the loop filter, and is arranged for generating a digital output signal according to the filtered signal, wherein the negative capacitor circuit is arranged at an input terminal of the quantizer. The feedback circuit is arranged for receiving the digital output signal to generate the feedback signal.

For a clock frequency larger than a value e.g., 1 GHz, in a continuous-time delta-sigma modulator, the stability issue due to parasitic capacitance from a quantizer or excess loop delay (ELD) compensation path becomes troublesome. In addition, in the high bandwidth application, an oversampling ratio (OSR) is generally not enough and non-ideal effect may occur to lower the stability, therefore, a high bit-number quantizer (e.g. 5-bit quantizer) is used to improve the performance and stability. However, using the high bit-number quantizer may induce a heavy input load (e.g. parasitic capacitance), and an extra pole may be generated due to the input load, which influences the stability of the circuit and increases design efforts.

Delta-sigma modulator and method for enhancing stability of delta-sigma modulator


A decoder receives a bitstream containing quantized coefficients representative of blocks of video representative of a plurality of pixels and decodes the bitstream using context adaptive binary arithmetic coding. The context adaptive binary arithmetic coding decodes the current syntax element using the first mode if the current syntax element is intra-coded and selecting between a first set of probable modes and a second set of probable modes, where the first set of probable modes are more likely than the second set of probable modes. The context adaptive binary arithmetic coding decodes the current syntax element using the second mode if the current syntax element is intra-coded and if selecting among one of the second set of probable modes.

Embodiments of the present invention relates to image decoding with enhanced CABAC for encoding and/or decoding.
Existing video coding standards, such as H.264/AVC, generally provide relatively high coding efficiency at the expense of increased computational complexity. As the computational complexity increases, the encoding and/or decoding speeds tend to decrease. Also, the desire for increased higher fidelity tends to increase over time which tends to require increasingly larger memory requirements and increasingly more complicated processing.
Referring to FIG. 1, many decoders (and encoders) receive (and encoders provide) encoded data for blocks of an image. Typically, the image is divided into blocks and each of the blocks is encoded in some manner, such as using a discrete cosine transform (DCT), and provided to the decoder. The decoder receives the encoded blocks and decodes each of the blocks in some manner, such as using an inverse discrete cosine transform.
Video coding standards, such as MPEG-4 part 10 (H.264), compress video data for transmission over a channel with limited frequency bandwidth and/or limited storage capacity. These video coding standards include multiple coding stages such as intra prediction, transform from spatial domain to frequency domain, quantization, entropy coding, motion estimation, and motion compensation, in order to more effectively encode and decode frames. Many of the coding and decoding stages are unduly computationally complex.
A context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) based encoding and/or decoding technique is generally context adaptive which refers to (i) adaptively coding symbols based on the values of previous symbols encoded and/or decoded in the past and (ii) context, which identifies the set of symbols encoded and/or decoded in the past used for adaptation. The past symbols may be located in spatial and/or temporal adjacent blocks. In many cases, the context is based upon symbol values of neighboring blocks.
The context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) encoding technique includes coding symbols using the following stages. In the first stage, the CABAC uses a "binarizer" to map input symbols to a string of binary symbols, or "bins". The input symbol may be a non-binary valued symbol that is binarized or otherwise converted into a string of binary (1 or 0) symbols prior to being coded into bits. The bins can be coded into bits using either a "bypass encoding engine" or a "regular encoding engine".
For the regular encoding engine in CABAC, in the second stage a probability model is selected. The probability model is used to arithmetic encode one or more bins of the binarized input symbols. This model may be selected from a list of available probability models depending on the context, which is a function of recently encoded symbols. The probability model stores the probability of a bin being "1" or "0". In the third stage, an arithmetic encoder encodes each bin according to the selected probability model. There are two sub-ranges for each bin, corresponding to a "0" and a "1". The fourth stage involves updating the probability model. The selected probability model is updated based on the actual encoded bin value (e.g., if the bin value was a "1", the frequency count of the "1"s is increased). The decoding technique for CABAC decoding reverses the process.
For the bypass encoding engine in CABAC, the second stage involves conversion of bins to bits omitting the computationally expensive context estimation and probability update stages. The bypass encoding engine assumes a fixed probability distribution for the input bins. The decoding technique for CABAC decoding reverses the process.
The CABAC encodes the symbols conceptually using two steps. In the first step, the CABAC performs a binarization of the input symbols to bins. In the second step, the CABAC performs a conversion of the bins to bits using either the bypass encoding engine or the regular encoding engine. The resulting encoded bit values are provided in the bitstream to a decoder.
The CABAC decodes the symbols conceptually using two steps. In the first step, the CABAC uses either the bypass decoding engine or the regular decoding engine to convert the input bits to bin values. In the second step, the CABAC performs de-binarization to recover the transmitted symbol value for the bin values. The recovered symbol may be non-binary in nature. The recovered symbol value is used in remaining aspects of the decoder.
As previously described, the encoding and/or decoding process of the CABAC includes at least two different modes of operation. In a first mode, the probability model is updated based upon the actual coded bin value, generally referred to as a "regular coding mode" The regular coding mode, requires several sequential serial operations together with its associated computational complexity and significant time to complete. In a second mode, the probability model is not updated based upon the actual coded bin value, generally referred to as a "bypass coding mode". In the second mode, there is no probability model (other than perhaps a fixed probability) for decoding the bins, and accordingly there is no need to update the probability model which reduces the computational complexity of the system.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Video decoder with enhanced CABAC decoding


The invention provides systems and methods for the delivery of carbon to photoautotrophs. The invention utilizes low energy regeneration of adsorbent for CO2 capture and provides for effective CO2 loading into liquids useful for photoautotroph growth and/or production of photosynthetic products, such as biofuels, via photoautotrophic culture media. The inventive system comprises a fluid/membrane/fluid contactor that provides selective transfer of molecular CO2 via a dense (non-porous) membrane from a carbonate-based CO2 snipping solution to a culture medium where the CO2 is consumed by a photoautotroph for the production of biofuels, biofuel precursors or other commercial products.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fields of chemistry and biology. More specifically, the invention relates to capture of CO2 from a gas phase and subsequent delivery of the carbon to a medium promoting the growth of photoautotrophic organisms and the production of biofuels therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Global warming is largely attributed to an increase in atmospheric CO2, which results from the combustion of fossil fuels. In order to combat this phenomena, a great deal effort focuses on removal of CO2 from the atmosphere, industrial sources and gas processing sources via various capture methodologies.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0138265 [leading to U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,909] discloses methods and systems for extracting, capturing, reducing, storing, sequestering, or disposing of carbon dioxide (CO2), particularly from the air. US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0087165 to Wright et al. (leading to U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,806 and in the family of PCT Application No. PCT/US2007/080229) discloses the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using a humidity swing or electro dialysis method, and the subsequent delivery of CO2 to a greenhouse or algal culture using a porous membrane. US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0232861 to Wright et al. discloses the extraction of CO2 from a fluid stream and the delivery of CO2 to controlled environments using a porous membrane, where the CO2 is utilized by a secondary process. US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0120288 discloses the removal of carbon dioxide, from ambient air various sorbent technologies. In addition, there are numerous publications and patents describing capture and sourcing of CO2 from anthropogenic streams (e.g., flue gas from coal fired power plants).
In adsorption-based CO2 capture, the regeneration of the loaded adsorbent poses several potential hurdles. Of primary concern is the amount of energy required, i.e. steam generation, and chemical stability of the sorbent within the stripping environment, especially for amine-functionalized sorbents in a steam stripping environment. In addition the delivery of CO2 to algal photobioreactors must also overcome several technical challenges including the need to deliver pure CO2 to the reactor and minimize the headspace volume that nitrogen and other inert gases occupy in the photobioreactor, the solubility limit of CO2 in the aqueous phase if delivery through the water stream is preferred, the energy penalties incurred with transport of large volumes of gas to many modular reactors if gas phase delivery is selected and the need to avoid alteration of the ionic content of the photoautotrophic culture medium, which could compromise the health and productivity of the photoautotrophs. None of the cited references addresses these concerns. However, in the present invention we present a process invention for integrated sorbent regeneration and CO2 delivery that addresses these technical concerns.


The present invention relates to novel dimethicone copolyol ester compounds bearing a fluoro group attached through a hydrophobic ester linkage to silicon. This invention also relates a series of such products having differing amounts of water-soluble groups, silicone soluble groups and fatty soluble groups. By careful selection of the compounds so constructed, very efficient mild conditioning agents may be achieved.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel fluoro dimethicone copolyol ester compounds in which the fluoro group is attached to the silicon atom through a fatty group by means of an ester linkage, and a water-soluble group is connected to a different silicon atom. This invention also relates a series of such products having differing amounts of water-soluble groups, silicone soluble groups fatty soluble groups and fluoro-soluble groups. By careful selection of the compounds so constructed, very efficient mild conditioning agents may be achieved.
2. Description of the Arts
There have been several fluoro silicone compounds disclosed in the art. They include U.S. Pat. No.5,446,114 to O""Lenick issued August 1995. This patent teaches that xe2x80x9cthe compounds of the invention are prepared by reacting a silanic hydrogen containing silicone polymer with a vinyl containing fluoro compound and an allyl alcohol alkoxylate.xe2x80x9d This results in a molecule with two functional groups water soluble groups and fluoro groups, both independently linked to a different silicon atom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,038 to O""Lenick issued December 1995 teaches that xe2x80x9ccompounds of the invention are prepared by reacting a silanic hydrogen containing silicone polymer with a vinyl containing fluoro compound alpha olefinxe2x80x9d. This results in a molecule with two functional groups alkyl groups and fluoro groups, both independently linked to a different silicon atom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,517 to O""Lenick issued July 2000, teaches xe2x80x9cthe invention relates to a series of novel silicone fluorinated dimethicone copolyol phosphates. The compounds of the invention are prepared by reacting a fluoro dimethicone copolyol disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,144 with a suitable phosphating agent.xe2x80x9d This invention introduces a phosphate group onto the hydroxyl functional group of the compounds of U.S. 5,446,144. This results in a molecule with two functional groups alkyl groups and fluoro groups, both independently linked to a different silicon atom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,397 to O""Lenick, issued Dec. 28, 1999, xe2x80x9cdiscloses novel fluoro esters made by reacting (a) a carboxy silicone, and (b) the hydroxyl group of fluoro alcohol.xe2x80x9d The compounds of the ""397 invention contain short linking groups derived from anhydrides and link the fluoro group through the water soluble group to one silicon atom.
We have surprisingly found that products made by the reaction of silicone methyl ester having 11 carbon atoms directly with the fluoro group, having the water soluble group on another silicon atom results in a fluoro-fatty silicone dimethicone copolyol. The compounds give unique emulsification properties with fluoro and fatty compounds or both, and have an outstanding gloss when applied to the skin.
We have also surprisingly found that by having a bulky alkyl group linked to silicone, unique skin feel and conditioning properties result. The compounds of the prior art have the ester moiety linked through a water-soluble polyoxyalkylene group, resulting in a surface-active agent with different properties than the compounds of the present invention. The compounds linked through the polyoxyalkylene group are less efficient emulsifiers and do not provide the same degree of conditioning to the skin.
The present invention is directed toward the providing a series of novel silicone compounds that have a C-11 alkyl group linked through an ester linkage to a fluoro group and a silicon atom on opposite ends of the molecule. One side of the C11 is linked through a carbon silicon bond and on the other end of the C11 group is linked a fluoro group. A water-soluble hydroxyl groups are likewise linked directly to another silicon group.
The compounds of the present invention have the formula:
wherein;
a is an integer ranging from 0 to 2000;
b is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
c is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
d is an integer ranging from 0 to 20;
n is an integer ranging from 10 to 20;
x is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
y is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
z is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
R1 is
CF3xe2x80x94(CF2)mxe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94;
m is an integer ranging from 3 to 18.
It is the object of the present invention is the provision of a series of novel silicone compounds that have specific hydrophilic ester groups linked through an 11-carbon linkage directly to silicon in a dimethicone backbone
The compounds of the present invention conform to the formula;
wherein;
a is an integer ranging from 0 to 2000;
b is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
c is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
d is an integer ranging from 0 to 20;
n is an integer ranging from 10 to 20;
x is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
y is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
z is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
R1 is
CF3xe2x80x94(CF2)mxe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94;
m is an integer ranging from 3 to 18.
The products are made by reacting the following compounds with fluoro alcohols to give the compounds of the present invention.
wherein;
a is an integer ranging from 0 to 2000;
b is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
c is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
d is an integer ranging from 0 to 20;
n is an integer ranging from 10 to 20;
x is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
y is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
z is an integer ranging 0 to 20.
The methyl ester is prepared by the hydrosilylation reaction of a silicone polymer and specific alpha vinyl compounds.
wherein;
a is an integer ranging from 0 to 2000;
b is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
c is an integer ranging from 1 to 20;
d is an integer ranging from 0 to 20;
n is an integer ranging from 10 to 20;
x is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
y is an integer ranging 0 to 20;
z is an integer ranging 0 to 20.
The preparation of the intermediate is critical to the synthesis of the compounds of the present invention. If one tries to hydrosilylate a carboxylic acid directly, the reaction fails. The carboxylic acid group reacts with the Sixe2x80x94H and the desired product is not achieved. The hydrosilylation using the methyl ester however is essentially quantitative and proceeds to give the desired product.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set d is 0.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set d is an integer ranging from 1 to 20.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set b in an integer ranging from 1 to 5.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set b is an integer ranging from 6 to 20.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set c is an integer ranging from 1 to 5.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set c in an integer ranging from 6 to 20.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set a is an integer ranging from 1 to 5.
In a preferred embodiment of the silicone polymer set a in an integer ranging from 6 to 20.

Fluoro alkyl dimethicone copolyol esters


Methods and apparatus well suited to decentralized traffic scheduling in wireless peer to peer network are described. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection makes a transmitter yielding or receiver yielding decision for a traffic slot. Quality of service information is disseminated as part of the scheduling control signaling. A scheduling control signal, e.g., a traffic transmission request signal or a traffic transmission request response signal, includes a pilot portion and a quality of service information portion. The pilot facilitates the recovery of the quality of service information by a plurality of different devices which may have different channel conditions with respect to the transmitter of the scheduling control signal. The different devices may benefit from utilizing the recovered quality of service information in making a yielding decision regarding traffic signaling in a traffic segment.

In wireless communications networks lacking centralized control efficient scheduling of traffic air link resources can be a difficult task. An approach of allocating each connection the same weighting or the same amount of air link traffic resources although simple in design tends to be wasteful. At different times, a particular communications device corresponding to a connection may have different quality of service needs, e.g., due to: the type of data to be communicated, latency considerations, backlog, current channel conditions, congestion, application being executed, etc. Different types of devices may also have different quality of quality of service needs, e.g., corresponding to device capabilities. The same device may also have different quality of service needs at different times based on the capabilities of the other device with which it has a current connection. Thus at different times the importance of a particular device being allowed to use a traffic segment may be expected to vary.
If distributed scheduling techniques are employed for traffic scheduling it can be beneficial for the individual devices making the scheduling decisions to be situationally aware of the current needs of other devices competing to use the same resources. In view of the above there is a need for novel methods and apparatus which support the exchange of quality of service information between communications devices situated in a vicinity which are competing to use the same air link traffic resources. Since utilization of air link resources for control signaling tends to make those air link resources unavailable for traffic signaling, it would be advantageous if such methods and apparatus efficiently structured the control signaling to tend to minimize overhead.

Methods and apparatus for supporting distributed scheduling using quality of service information in a peer to peer network


Methods and systems for building a simulation for verifying a design block, including efficient coordination of the control and validation of the operation of a first and second bus of the design block, with the first bus being an interface bus of a processor. An interface description is determined for a bus functional model of the interface bus of the processor. The interface description includes a synchronization bus for coordinating the bus functional model and a hardware description language (HDL) testbench. A hardware specification is generated that couples the first bus of the design block with the interface description, and couples the HDL testbench with the second bus of the design block and with the synchronization bus of the interface description. The simulation for verifying the design block is automatically generated from the bus functional model and the hardware specification.

The design of processor-based systems may include designing a design block that communicates with a processor via an interface bus of the processor. An example design block is a bridge between the protocol of the processor's interface bus and another communication protocol, such as Ethernet. An example processor is the IBM Power PC processor which is included in the Virtex-II Pro and Virtex-4 families of programmable logic devices (PLD) available from Xilinx, Incorporated. Another example processor is the Microblaze processor that may be implemented in the programmable logic and routing resources of a PLD. The IBM Power PC processor of Xilinx PLDs has the interface buses of IBM CoreConnect, including the Processor Local Bus, the On-Chip Peripheral Bus, and the Device Control Register bus. The Microblaze processor has the On-Chip Peripheral Bus for an interface bus.
The development of a design block for a processor-based system may include testing the design block using simulation of an example processor-based system. However, a simulation that includes a simulation of a processor may have a slow simulation speed due to the complexity of simulating the processor. In addition, the testing of a design block may require issuing particular transactions on the interface bus, and the processor may provide indirect control of the transactions issued on the interface bus, which may make the testing of a design block time-consuming and expensive. The testing of a design block may require issuing certain transactions on the interface bus that a specific normally functioning processor cannot issue, such as certain transactions with aborts, retries, and/or errors including bus parity errors.
A bus functional model may be a simplification of a processor that allows a direct specification of the transactions issued on the interface bus by the bus functional model. The bus functional model may also provide explicit control of exceptional conditions, such as aborts, retries, and errors. A simulation of a processor-based system using a bus functional model instead of a processor may have improved simulation speed. The bus functional model may also check every protocol rule of the interface bus and flag any violations of these protocol rules.
For a design block that is coupled to an interface bus of a processor and a second bus, a bus functional model could be used to control the interface bus, except that testing of the design block may require coordinated control and validation of both buses. For example, a defect in the design block may not cause improper operation on the processor's interface bus because the improper operation may only be evident on the second bus. Coordination of control and validation for a design block having a processor's interface bus and another bus may be time-consuming and expensive.
The present invention may address one or more of the above issues.

Building a simulation of design block using a bus functional model and an HDL testbench


A directional coupler is formed with adjacent edges of its microstrips following curved paths having reversals in curvature such as a series of sine waves or half circles.

As described in an article by Alan Podell, entitled "A High Directivity Microstrip Coupler Technique" that appeared in the May, 1970, issue of IEEE G-MTT, and in an article by M. D. Tremblay entitled "Design of High Directivity Microstrip Quarter Wavelength Directional Coupler with Small Coupling Coefficients", that appeared in the Aug. 6, 1973 issue of Bell Laboratories, directive microstrip couplers may be comprised of a substrate of insulating material having a first conductive area, which serves as a ground plane, on one side and second and third patterned conductive areas on the other. The outside edges of the second and third areas are straight parallel lines, and the adjacent edges are spaced parallel "wiggly" paths in the form of sawteeth. A terminal is located at the end of the second and third areas.
In operation of the coupler, microwave energy coupled to a terminal at one end of the second area travels to the terminal at the other end of that area with part of the energy coupled to an output terminal at one end of the third area. The remaining terminal of the third area is connected to ground via a resistive characteristic impedance. Microwave energy propagates along the microstrip areas in two modes, an even mode that travels equally distributed along the inner and outer edges, and an odd mode that propagates primarily along the adjacent edges that are in the form of sawteeth. The odd mode travels faster than the even mode, but both arrive at the output terminal at the same time because of the length of the sawtooth paths is greater than the length of the straight line paths.
One disadvantage of the directional microwave coupler just described is that the large current density at the discontinuity points or corners of each saw tooth causes relatively large resistive losses. Another disadvantage is that RF energy is radiated at these same points, particularly at high microwave or millimeter wave frequencies.

The United States of America as represented by the Secreatry of the Army


Systems and methods for monitoring the cleaning conditions of a facility include the use of a cleaning apparatus with a tracking device. The tracking device is adapted to detect an operating parameter of the cleaning apparatus. In embodiments, the operating parameter includes at least one of the location of the cleaning apparatus within a facility over time, the movement of the cleaning apparatus, and the dynamic coefficient of friction encountered by a cleaning head of the cleaning apparatus as it traverses a surface being cleaned in the facility.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015, costs for slip-and-fall accidents to Medicare alone totaled over $31 billion. This total does not include legal or non-Medicare related costs. The total expense resulting from slip-and-fall injuries in the United States is estimated to be approximately $100 million per day. According to the CDC, in 2008 more than 8.5 million Americans sustained injuries from an unintentional slip or fall—the leading cause of all nonfatal injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Common causes of slip-and-fall accidents include improper maintenance of walking and common areas, lack of cleanliness on floors leading to slippery surfaces when wet, and failure to clean floors after water or food spillage.
Slip and fall injuries are frequently associated with wet floors. Customers typically encounter such wet floors in the restroom of a facility, and employees frequently encounter such wet surfaces in a work area, such as a kitchen of a restaurant, for example. These injuries can result in numerous general liability and/or workers compensation claims.
Conventional techniques for evaluating floor conditions are complicated and expensive and are prone to human error. The cost and the effort involved in evaluating floor conditions makes the occurrence of such readings less frequent. This results in fewer safety readings being taken and a lack of alerts when dangerous floor conditions exist.
Most facilities depend on staff and janitorial contractors to self-report when they perform cleaning operations, typically via a hand-written log posted in an area designated for routine cleaning (e.g., a bathroom). This system is prone to human error and uncertain accuracy. It also requires manual effort to first enter the information and then to key it into an electronic format for management reporting. If a scheduled cleaning is not performed, it may be unlikely that a manager will discover such fact until much later, if at all.
There is a continued need in the art to provide additional solutions to help promote the cleanliness of facilities used by the public and to reduce the occurrence of slip-and-fall injuries. For example, there is a continued need for techniques for improving the ability to monitor the cleaning practices within a facility.
It will be appreciated that this background description has been created by the inventor to aid the reader, and is not to be taken as an indication that any of the indicated problems were themselves appreciated in the art. While the described principles can, in some respects and embodiments, alleviate the problems inherent in other systems, it will be appreciated that the scope of the protected innovation is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability of any disclosed feature to solve any specific problem noted herein.

System and method for monitoring cleaning conditions of facility using cleaning apparatus with tracking feature


A press system including a first die and a second die. The press system further includes a mandrel extending along a longitudinal mandrel axis through the first die. A rod portion of the mandrel to receive a magnetic recording disk to be pressed. The press system further includes a foil holder coupled to the first die. The foil holder to clamp a first portion of an embossing foil to the first die and allow the clamped foil portion to move in a radial direction relative to the foil holder.

A disk drive system typically has one or more magnetic recording media (a.k.a., disks) and control mechanisms for storing data within approximately circular tracks on the disk. The magnetic recording media is composed of a substrate and one or more layers deposited on the substrate. A substrate may be produced from a blank sheet of, for example, metal-based material such as aluminum or aluminum magnesium. The sheet may be punched to generate a disk-shaped substrate having an inner diameter (ID) and an outer diameter (OD). The disk-shaped substrate may be further processed (e.g., polished, textured, layer deposition, etc.) to produce the magnetic recording disk.
Advancing the art of magnetic hard disk drives involves increasing the recording density of a disk drive system. Recording density is a measure of the amount of data that may be stored in a given area of disk. One method for increasing recording densities is to pattern the surface of the disk to form discrete tracks, referred to as discrete track recording (DTR). The recessed zones separate the raised zones to inhibit or prevent the unintended storage of data in the raised zones.
One method of producing DTR magnetic recording media includes using a press to imprint embossable films residing on one or both sides of the recording disk substrate. The press utilizes a die for each side of the media to be imprinted. The die may include an embossing foil, or stamper, that is pressed into the embossable film of the media to form the imprinted pattern in the film. The pattern is subsequently transferred to the substrate and/or one or more layers residing above the substrate.
A press for magnetic recording disks may utilize a mandrel, or shaft, having a diameter that is sized to engage the ID of the disk. The dies have a cylindrical opening sized to receive the mandrel. The embossing foil is disposed around the mandrel and, thus, has an annular, or disk, shape with an inner diameter (i.e., a hole, or cavity, at their centers). Alignment of the embossing foil to the recording media is very important to achieve proper function in the recording media and such alignment is very challenging, particularly for double-side recording media where alignment of a mandrel holding a disk to an embossing foil on a first (bottom) die may induce alignment error relative to another embossing foil on a second (top) die. A press which maintains proper centering of a disk to both the top and bottom die as the press is operated from an open to a closed position is therefore advantageous.
Throughput of presses for magnetic recording disks may also be limited by the need to accurately imprint sub-micron (e.g., nanometer) features with high precision. For example, it is difficult to drive a press rapidly from an open state, where the dies are displaced far enough from one another that a disk may be loaded or unloaded from the press, to closed state, where nanometer features are formed (all the while maintaining the centering of the disk). A press which improves the rate at which it transitions from the open to closed state is therefore also advantageous.
A single-sided press for magnetic recording disks may also have an embossing foil affixed to a die. It can be challenging to prevent a foil-to-die coupling mechanism present on a first die of a double-sided press from adversely impacting the coupling mechanism on an opposing die as the press is closed. Furthermore, both single and double-side press systems are susceptible to the embossing foil bowing uncontrollably from center to edge (e.g., under the foil's own weight) while the press is in an open state, or buckling while the press is in a closed state (e.g., from radial expansion of the foil), either of which may produce a waviness in the imprinted features. A foil-to-die coupling mechanism which can overcome these difficulties is advantageous.

Press system with embossing foil free to expand for nano-imprinting of recording media


The present invention relates to a microorganism variant having the ability to produce hydrocarbons, including alkane, and a method of producing hydrocarbons, including alkane, using the same, and more particularly, to a microorganism variant obtained by introducing a gene encoding an enzyme converting fatty acyl-acp to free fatty acid, a gene encoding an enzyme converting free fatty acid to fatty acyl-CoA, a gene encoding an enzyme converting fatty acyl-CoA to fatty aldehyde and a gene encoding an enzyme converting fatty aldehyde to alkane into a microorganism improved so as to be suitable for the production of hydrocarbons, including alkane, and a method of producing hydrocarbons, including alkane, using the same. The microorganism variant of the present invention has high potential to be used to improve strains by additional metabolic flux engineering, and thus is useful for the industrial production of hydrocarbons, including alkane.

In recent years, due to high oil prices and environmental issues, the microbial production of biofuels has attracted a great deal of attention. Also, as biofuels have been considered as alternative fuels to fossil fuels, their market size has increased rapidly. Particularly, alkane has properties suitable for use as fuel, including high energy density, controllable volatility, a sufficient octane number and a low impurity content, and has advantages over ethanol in that it has higher energy efficiency and is more readily miscible with gasoline. In addition, alkane can be used in existing oil pipelines or automobile engines. Thus, if alkane which is the most suitable alternative fuel is produced in large amounts using microorganisms, the import of crude gas can be reduced and the emission of greenhouse gas can be reduced, resulting in environmental effects.
Currently, commercially available gasoline is a linear hydrocarbon compound having 6-10 carbon atoms in one molecule and containing a direct carbon-carbon bond and a straight-chain structure coexisting with a branched-chain structure.
In addition, it contains energy of about 40 MJ per kg, is likely to evaporate at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and has easy and significant inflammability. The most key factor of gasoline is octane number. Some hydrocarbons having a highly branched structure are smoothly burned in the automobile engine, whereas hydrocarbons having an unbranched carbon chain are likely to explode in the cylinder to cause the piston to move intensively. This undesirable explosion causes knocking phenomena in automobiles. As a measure for quantifying this knocking property, the octane number of isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) which is a high-quality fuel having a highly branched structure is set at 100, and the octane number of heptane which is a low-quality automobile fuel is set at 0. Under this system, a regular grade gasoline has an octane number of about 87. For this reason, it will be important to produce large amounts of highly branched hydrocarbons, which are the key materials in gasoline, such as isooctane.
Usually, the ratio of gasoline in crude oil is only 25%, and this portion is most frequently used as fuel. Thus, in order to increase the production of gasoline in petrochemical plants, a C12-C18 fraction having a high boiling point is subjected to a cracking process to produce a fraction having a small carbon number and a low boiling point. From this viewpoint, when a fraction of a relatively large carbon number corresponding to kerosene or diesel range fuel is reformed by thermal and catalytic cracking into gasoline in an oil refinery. Studies on the microbial production of hydrocarbons started to increase gradually from studies on the isolation of hydrocarbon-like substances from the cells of marine bacteria and algae due to the development of gas-liquid chromatography. Studies on the microbial production of hydrocarbons can be largely divided into two categories: a method related to intracellular hydrocarbons of microorganism, and a method related to extracellular hydrocarbons of microorganism. With respect to intracellular production, there is a wide variety of systematic groups of microorganisms, which usually show a value of about 0.005-2.69% on a dry mass basis. Strains capable of producing hydrocarbons by this method include cyanobacteria, anaerobic phototrophic bacteria, gram-negative anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria, gram-negative facultatively anaerobic bacteria, yeasts, fungi and the like. Each of the strains can produce hydrocarbons of various profiles and shows a unique fraction and predominance. In studies on extracellular production, strains having the ability to produce hydrocarbons include Desulfovibrio and Clostridium, and strains having the ability to produce isoprene which is a volatile non-methane hydrocarbon include Actinomycetes, and strains having the ability to produce ethylene include Aspergillus clavatus.
Thus, there have been studies on the optimization of culture conditions in industrially applicable strains capable of producing hydrocarbons, studies on key materials such as hydrocarbon-related genes and enzymes, and studies on metabolic fluxes. However, studies on the analysis of genes and enzymes and the application of metabolic engineering are still insufficient. Thus, a more fundamental approach is required to screen industrially applicable strains, analyze genes associated with the production of target hydrocarbons and isolate metabolic flux-related enzymes from these strains to optimize hydrocarbon production processes, thereby increasing the productivity of hydrocarbons.
Accordingly, the present inventors have made extensive efforts to develop a novel method for microbial production of hydrocarbons, including alkane, and as a result, have constructed a microorganism variant improved so as to suitable for the production of hydrocarbons, including alkane, by constructing a new metabolic pathway that converts fatty acid as a substrate to alkane, and have found that the microorganism variant is useful for the production of alkanes, including octane, nonane and nonene, which are gasoline-range alkanes, as well as pentadecane and heptadecane, thereby completing the present invention.

Microorganism variants having hydrocarbon producing ability and method for producing hydrocarbon using the same

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A method for use in monitoring a synchronous machine includes coupling a power conversion assembly to an electric power source and to a synchronous machine. The synchronous machine includes a plurality of winding inter-turn portions. The method also includes energizing the synchronous machine via the power conversion assembly. The method further includes recording at least one first operational measurement of the power conversion assembly and the synchronous machine. The method also includes calculating a first impedance downstream of the power conversion assembly based on the first operational measurement. The method further includes recording at least one second operational measurement of the power conversion assembly and the synchronous machine. The method also includes calculating a second impedance downstream of the power conversion assembly based on the second operational measurement. The method further includes estimating a short circuit associated with adjacent winding inter-turn portions based on the first and second operational measurements.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to synchronous machines and, more specifically, to systems and methods for use in monitoring the physical condition of a synchronous machine.
At least some known synchronous machines are used with combustion machines, such as combustion engines, including gas turbine engines. At least some known synchronous machines are rotatably coupled to a gas turbine engine via a generator drive shaft such that the synchronous machine is operated as a generator during electric power generation operation of the gas turbine engine. Many known synchronous machines are also operated as a starting motor to accelerate the generator drive shaft and the associated gas turbine engine to a predetermined speed during start-up operations.
Known synchronous machines include a stationary stator and a rotatable rotor that are oriented such that the stator circumscribes the rotor. At least some know rotors include a plurality of windings that extend axially along the length of the rotor. Each winding includes two inter-turn portions that each wrap around the two far ends of the rotor. The windings are separated from each other to reduce the probability of a short circuit of two adjacent inter-turns that may develop over a period of time as rotational forces are exerted on worn windings. However, despite such orientation, some known rotors may still develop an inter-turn short over time.
Inter-turn shorts create a decreased number of ampere-turns that result in an unequal flux distribution within the synchronous machine. Such a decrease in ampere-turns requires the field current transmitted through the rotor windings be increased to maintain a predetermined torque and/or load on the synchronous machine. The increased current in the windings increases the temperatures of the rotor windings, and the temperatures may approach predetermined operating parameters. Also, the portion of the rotor pole that includes the shorts may not receive as much field current as the portion of the rotor that does not have any shorts. Such an imbalance in field current may result in the portion with the shorts having a lower temperature than the portion of the rotor pole without the shorts. Moreover, the portion of the rotor with the higher temperature tends to elongate axially more than the portion with the lower temperatures and may induce axial bowing forces into the pole. The induced bowing forces may bend the rotor sufficiently to induce torque pulsations that result in rotor pole vibration. Moreover, rotor bowing may cause rotor bearing temperatures to increase.
Typically, inter-turn shorts on the rotor pole are a slow-developing incipient fault and may not be detected until the fault becomes severe. Detecting and/or predicting an inter-turn short or any other slow-developing fault in a synchronous machine is very difficult without monitoring the flux density inside the synchronous machine when it is operating. The use of external measurement means, including flux probes, requires additional and expensive measurement hardware and software. Other external measurement means, such as boroscopic inspections, can only be performed when the machine is removed from service, thereby increasing potential losses of electric power generation revenue and increasing costs of shutdown maintenance operations.

System and method for use in monitoring synchronous machines


A driving signal is supplied to the gate of an IGBT through a first switching element. The gate of the IGBT is grounded via a resistor and a second switching element. An output (short circuit detection signal) of an AND gate, to which the driving signal and an output signal of the IGBT are supplied, is supplied to the first switching element via a first delay circuit and supplied to the second switching element via a second delay circuit. The second delay time is larger than the first delay time. In the normal operation, the driving signal is set to an "L" level to instantaneously turn off the IGBT. The output of the AND gate is kept at the "H" level for the turn-off time and is returned to the "L" level after the turn-off operation is completed. The first switching element is turned off when the first delay time has passed after the level of the driving signal is changed. At this time, the IGBT is already turned off. When the short circuit is detected, the output of the AND gate is not returned to the "L"level if it is once set to the "H" level so that the first switching element will be turned off to isolate the IGBT. Then, the second switching element is turned on when the second delay time has passed after the detection of the short circuit, permitting charges stored in the IGBT to be discharged to turn off the IGBT.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for protecting a power semiconductor device such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) against a short circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the protection of a power semiconductor device such as an IGBT from a short circuit is made as follows. First, a short-circuit current is detected and a detection signal thereof is transmitted to a control circuit via an insulated signal coupling means such as a photocoupler. The control circuit drives a driving circuit to supply a turn-off signal to the power semiconductor device, thus protecting the power semiconductor device from the short circuit.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional protective device against short circuit using a current detector 2 as a means for detecting a short-circuit current. When the current detector 2 detects the short-circuit current, a detection signal thereof is supplied to a control circuit 6 via an insulated signal coupling circuit 4 such as a photocoupler. The control circuit 6 causes a driving circuit 8 to output a turn-off signal so as to turn off an N-channel IGBT 9.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional protective device against short circuit using a resistor 3 having a large power capacity instead of the current detector 2 as a means for detecting a short-circuit current. The resistor 3 detects a short-circuit current based on a potential difference between the voltages at both ends thereof and the detection signal is supplied to the control circuit 6 via the insulated signal coupling circuit 4. The control circuit 6 causes the driving circuit 8 to output a turn-off signal so as to 10 turn off the IGBT 9.
In the above conventional cases, it is necessary to use the current detector 2 for detecting a short-circuit current or the resistor 3 having a large power capacity and it is necessary to provide a relatively large space to dispose them, thereby increasing the size of the device. Further, use of the current detector 2 or resistor 3 increases the cost of the device.
Further, since the detection signal of the short-circuit current is supplied to the control circuit 6 via the insulated signal coupling circuit 4, it takes a relatively long delay time from the time of generation (detection) of the short circuit until a turn-off signal is actually transmitted to the IGBT 9, and there occurs a possibility that energy of an amount larger than the breakdown amount of the IGBT 9 by the short-circuit current is applied to the IGBT 9 in the above delay time to break down the IGBT 9.
Further, the short-circuit current is several times to several tens of times larger than a current flowing in the normal operation. Therefore, di/dt of the short-circuit current at the time of turn-off is several times to several tens of times larger than di/dt of the current at the time of turn-off in the normal operation. As a result, an excessively high voltage called a spike voltage occurs at the output terminal of the IGBT 9, causing a possibility that the IGBT 9 may be broken down.
As described above, the conventional protective device for protecting the power semiconductor device against short circuit has the following defects.
(1) It is necessary to provide a large space in order to dispose a short-circuit current detection means.
(2) Use of the short-circuit current detection means increases the cost.
(3) Since a short-circuit detection signal is fed back to the driving circuit via the insulated signal coupling means, delay time occurs in the operation to delay generation of a turn-off signal used for protecting the power semiconductor device, thereby permitting a short-circuit current to flow in the power semiconductor device for a long period of time and breaking down the semiconductor device.
(4) A high voltage is output at the output terminal of the semiconductor device by di/dt of the short-circuit current when the semiconductor device is turned off after the detection of the short-circuit current, thereby breaking down the semiconductor device.

Device for protecting power semiconductor device against short circuit


The image forming method of the present invention includes imparting ink to form an image on a recording medium, drying the image, and curing the image after the drying process,    wherein the recording medium has one or a plurality of pigment layers on at least one surface of a support with cellulose pulp as a main component, and a transference amount of pure water into the recording medium is specific value, and    the ink composition includes a pigment, water, and a water soluble polymerizable compound where the content ratio is equal to or more than 15 mass % and less than 40 mass %, and the content of a water soluble organic solvent is less than 3 mass %.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method which uses an ink jet method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ink jet techniques are an image recording method where there are expectation for use in the fields such as office printers, home printers and the like and in the commercial field since desired image forming on various recording media is possible.
As ink which is used in ink jet recording, other than solvent based ink, from the point of view of considering the global environment or working environment, a water based ink has gained attention. Out of these, a technique is being examined where a highly scratch resistance image is formed by including a polymerizable monomer component in a water based pigment ink and curing.
As one such image forming technique, for example, an ink jet recording method is disclosed where ultraviolet rays (UV) are irradiated for a predetermined time period after ink is landed on a base material, using an ultraviolet curable ink which contains coloring material, ultraviolet polymerizable material, and a photoinitiator in an aqueous medium (for example, refer to JP2004-209976A).
On the other hand, as the method of including a polymerizable monomer component and curing, there is a technique where the monomer component is thermally polymerized. For example, an ink jet recording method is disclosed where heating is performed after printing using ink on a recording medium where a pigment layer is coated onto a support with cellulose pulp as a main component (for example, refer to JP2008-100511A and JP2011-42150A).