Disclosed herein is a process for producing highly purified benzenedicarboxylic acid isomers without an additional catalytic reductive purification step, which comprises (a) an oxidation step wherein xylene isomer is oxidized with molecular oxygen or molecular oxygen containing gas in the presence of a catalyst system composed of cobalt, manganese, bromine and at least one selected from nickel, chromium, zirconium and cerium in lower aliphatic carboxylic acid; and (b) an extraction/post-oxidation step wherein the oxidation product is crystallized to give cake of crude benzenedicarboxylic acid isomer, the cake is reslurried by adding lower aliphatic carboxylic acid solvent thereto followed by heating in order to extract impurities contained therein into the solvent, and the resulting slurry is oxidized with said catalyst system at a temperature of 2.degree.-80.degree. C. lower than that of said heating, each of said oxidation and extraction/post-oxidation being carried out once or twice, provided that any one or both of said steps should be carried out twice. According to the invention, the solvent employed to extract impurities is recycled from the subsequent oxidation steps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic synthesis, more particularly it relates to an improved process for producing highly purified benzenedicarboxylic acids isomers including terephthalic acid(TA), isophthalic acid(IA) and phthalic acid(PA), which are the most important monomers and semiproducts in a polymer chemistry for plastic, chemical fiber, film, varnishes and dyes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Terephthalic acid is useful as a starting material for producing polyester films and fibers and is commonly produced by the so-called SD process wherein paraxylene is oxidized with molecular oxygen in the presence of catalysts containing heavy metals in acetic acid solvent. However, since the terephthalic acid produced from the SD process contains high content (1000-3000 ppm) of 4-carboxybenzaldehyde(hereinafter referred to as "4-CBA"), it is not a suitable starting material for producing polyester films and fibers.
Therefore, a method has been adopted in which terephthalic acid is reacted with methanol to form dimethyl terephthalate which is easily purified, and after purifying thereof, the dimethyl terephthalate is reacted with glycol to produce polyester. An alternative method which is more widely used for purifying terephthalic acid comprises the steps of dissolving the terephthalic acid in water at high temperature and pressure, treating the resulting solution with hydrogen over noble metal catalysts such as palladium in order to obtain highly purified terephthalic acid which contains less than 25 ppm of 4-CBA. However, the known processes have drawbacks; the former method produces methanol during the preparation process of polyester and the latter method requires two separate plants, each for oxidizing and for purifying, since the conditions of oxidation and purification, for example solvent, catalysts and operation conditions are different from each other.
Up to now, several methods have been proposed to avoid difficulties involved in these conventional processes.
Methods for producing terephthalic acid without reductive purification step wherein paraxylene is oxidized with molecular oxygen via consecutive 4 steps in the presence of cobalt-manganese-bromine catalyst in acetic acid had been proposed. [U.S. Pat. No.4772748, JP 62-270548A and JP 63-23982B] According to these methods, the paraxylene, in the first oxidation step, is oxidized at 180.degree.-230.degree. C. for 40-150 minutes with the conversion of more than 95%; in the second oxidation step, is oxidized at a temperature of lower than that in the first reaction vessel by 2.degree.-30.degree. C. for 20-90 minutes; in the third oxidation step, is oxidized at 235.degree.-290.degree. C. for 10-60 minutes; and the final fourth oxidation step, is oxidized at 260.degree. C. Since the TA produced by this method contains 0.027% of 4-CBA, it cannot be directly used for producing polyester fibers and films. Moreover, the above method has several disadvantages: a) since the high temperature (ca. 260.degree. C.) employed for oxidizing impurities in the third and fourth oxidation steps also causes oxidation of acetic acid solvent, the method is unfavorable in view of technology and economics; b) rather long reaction time in the first oxidation step decreases the efficiency of the process; and c) the content of 4-CBA contained in the TA as an impurity is still high (0.027%).
Accordingly, the above method is disadvantageous in that the efficiency of the process is relatively low and less purified TA is produced compared with the conventional method employing the reductive purification step.
Another method is proposed wherein paraxylene is oxidized with molecular oxygen in the presence of heavy metal compounds and a bromine compound in acetic acid medium with a conversion of higher than 90%, then the resulting mixture is crushed at 140.degree.-230.degree. C. in the molecular oxygen atmosphere to reduce the average diameter of terephthalic acid particles by more than 20% (the first purification step) followed by the second step wherein the slurry obtained in the first purification step is oxidized with molecular oxygen at a temperature of at least 10.degree. C. higher than that of the previous step and between 180 and 300.degree. C. [JP 60-233032A] The method gives pure TA which can be directly employed for the polymerization.
However, the method requires a separate equipment for crashing the terephthalic acid, for example an agitator of high speed rotation. Moreover, it is difficult to produce highly pure terephthalic acid containing 4-CBA of less than 0.0025%.
Further, another method has been proposed wherein the crude product slurry produced by liquid phase catalytic oxidation of paraxylene is treated with molecular oxygen in acetic acid medium in the presence of catalyst composed of compounds of cobalt, manganese, chromium, cerium, lead or their mixtures, the mount of said catalyst being 0.01-5.0% by weight of TA to be purified. [Germany Pat. No. 1270030] The method is disadvantageous in that since the treatment is effected at a temperature as high as 250.degree. C. for 1 hour, the acetic acid as well as impurities are oxidized.
Accordingly, there has been a need to provide an improved method for producing highly purified benzenedicarboxylic acid isomers without additional catalytic purification step.

Process for producing highly purified benzenedicarboxylic acid isomers

Joint-Stock Company of Research and Design Institute of Monomers (AO NIPIM)


Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgement, HARQ-ACK, feedback. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a wireless device, WD, includes receiving, from a network node, a first Downlink Control Information, DCI, scheduling a physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH, and receiving, from the network node, a second DCI, the second DCI comprising a HARQ-ACK feedback request trigger triggering a HARQ-ACK feedback for the PDSCH scheduled by the first DCI. In another embodiment, a method implemented in a network node includes transmitting a first Downlink Control Information, DCI, scheduling the PDSCH, and transmitting a second DCI, the second DCI having a HARQ-ACK feedback request trigger triggering a HARQ-ACK feedback for the PDSCH scheduled by the first DCI.

HARQ is an error detection and correcting technique employed in certain types of wireless communications. New Radio (NR), also referred to as 5G, may provide the flexibility in HARQ feedback timing to account for dynamic Time Division Duplex (TDD) and also a possibly to combine several HARQ feedbacks for both lower overhead and higher reliability. FIG. 1 shows such an example. The slot timing (which may be denoted as K1) between downlink (DL), i.e., from the network node to the wireless device, data transmission and acknowledgement is determined based on a 3-bit field in Downlink Control Information (DCI). Radio Resource Signaling (RRC) configures the set of 8 values to be indexed by K1 (possible value range include {0, 1, . . . , 15}).
NR may provide the flexibility to include aggregate feedback corresponding to multiple HARQ processes in one Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH)/UCI transmission by means of semi-static and dynamic code block.
Semi-Static HARQ Codebook
HARQ codebook size in time (DL association set) is determined based on, for example, a configured set of HARQ-ACK timings K1, Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions, and semi-static configured TDD pattern. For each slot, a user equipment (UE) or wireless device (WD) may report a HARQ feedback bitmap of fixed size according to its Carrier Aggregation (CA) and Transport Block/Code Block Group (TB/CBG) configuration (in this example 7 bit). Non-received TB/CBG are set to NACK.
Dynamic HARQ Codebook
Dynamic HARQ codebook can provide the possibility to dynamically determine the set of HARQ processes for which the HARQ feedback should be reported. The DCI can include: a DL assignment indicator that indicates the number of HARQ process that should reported, and Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) to HARQ-ACK timing that specifies the time resource in which the network node (e.g., eNB) is expecting the feedback.
Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) Computation for Dynamic HARQ Codebook
The WD may refer to the DAI value to calculate the dynamic codebook size. For every PDSCH transmission, the DAI value in the DCI may be incremented. The DAI in the DL scheduling DCI may be stepped up by one as compared to the immediately preceding DL scheduling DCI. If this does not occur, it is an indication that PDSCH transmission(s) has been missed. The difference between the two received DAI values at the WD in current and earlier DCI indicates how many PDSCH transmissions were missed.
DAI may indicate the number of HARQ process that should reported. However, the DAI value in other standards, e.g., NR rel-15, is only 2-bits (representing 4 possible values 0, 1, 2, 3), after reaching the highest DAI value (i.e., 3), the DAI is wrap around and starts again from the smallest value, as shown, for example, FIG. 2.
One of the problems with existing solutions is that transmissions on unlicensed bands are subject to listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures. Therefore, there is uncertainty as to whether the transmission will go through or not depending on the LBT outcome.

Methods and apparatuses for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)


The disclosure provides a portable light. The portable light includes a housing having a front surface, a rear surface, and an internal space for receiving electronic components and a battery. The portable light also includes a chip-on-board (COB) assembly. The COB assembly includes a substrate, a matrix of individual light emitting diode (LED) chips mounted to the substrate, and an outer coating covering the matrix of LED chips. The front surface of the housing is curved in one direction and the COB assembly is correspondingly curved and mounted to the front surface, such that individual LED chips are positioned about the curve and orientated to direct light outwardly about the curve to provide a collective beam angle greater than 220 degrees. The portable light further includes a front lens cover to protect the COB assembly.

At least in Australia, there are mandated laws that require lights to be used on bicycles when riding at night. A white light must be used on the front and a red light is to be used on the back. Each of these lights must be visible from 200 metres in front and behind, respectively. The main function of a bicycle light is to enable the rider to be seen by other road users, such as other cyclists, cars and pedestrians. For certain riding, a function of the front light is also to enable the cyclist to see ahead for obstacles.
Bicycle crashes most commonly occur at intersections and are more likely when the light is poor. Intersections can make it difficult to see bicycles, where the other road user is approaching the bicycle from their side, as many lights have a limited light beam angle.
The beam angle of a light is the angle at which light from the original source spreads or is distributed. This is typically measured from directly in front of the light source and generally can vary from 4 degrees to 60 degrees. Generally speaking, the higher the brightness of the light source, the narrower the beam angle. Conversely, a wider beam angle corresponds with lower brightness.
The beam angle can be altered with the use of lenses, which sit over the light source and refract or bend the light to widen the angle. However, such systems have limitations on how wide the beam can be widened.
The recent development of chip-on-board (COB) light emitting diode (LED) assemblies has allowed for very bright lights to be made in small housings. The reason for this is that the assembly can use a large number of LED chips on a substrate using a single circuit and only two contacts, reducing the componentry required. However, whilst the brightness can be increased by using COB LED assemblies, there is still a limitation on the beam angle. It is therefore a desired object to provide an alternative portable light that may be suitable for use on a bicycle.
Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art.

Portable light with curved chip-on-board assembly


A capacitance difference detecting circuit with a control circuit, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a voltage control unit and a computing device. The control circuit generates a control signal according to a first voltage and a second voltage. The voltage control unit cooperates with the first capacitor to be detected and the second capacitor to be detected, according to the control signal, to generate the first voltage and the second voltage. The computing device computes a capacitance difference between the first capacitor to be detected and the second capacitor to be detected according to the first voltage, the second voltage and a parameter of the voltage control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitance difference detecting circuit, and particularly relates to a capacitance difference detecting circuit that needs not to measure real capacitance value of the capacitor to be detected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In modern electronic apparatuses, the capacitor type detector, which is always applied to a touch sensing device such as a touch sensing panel, is a well know technology. However, a prior art capacitor type detector may has different problems. For example, if the capacitor type detector is utilized as the touch sensing panel, the adhesion of ITO may cause non equal capacitance. Additionally, an electronic apparatus may have the problem of parasitical capacitance, background capacitance or system distribution, which may cause low yield or high cost to examine product defect. Besides, if the background capacitance is too large but the variance for detected capacitance of the capacitor type detector is too small (for example, the capacitance variation caused by finger touch), it will be hard to determine the variation of the detecting capacitance. High resolution is needed to determine capacitance variation in this case.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a prior art capacitance difference detecting circuit. In FIG. 1, the capacitance difference detecting circuit 100 utilizes a relaxation oscillator to compute capacitance value. In this case, the capacitors 101 and 103 are repeatedly charged and discharged, and a frequency of the oscillator and the value of current ID1 are utilized to compute the capacitance value of capacitors 101 and 103. The relation thereof can be shown as Equation 1, wherein FOSC indicates an oscillator frequency, Cstray indicates capacitance of the capacitor 101, and CS indicates capacitance value of the capacitor 103.FOSC∝dV·(Cstray+CS)/ID1  (1)
Since detail concept for such technology is well known by persons skilled in the art, it is omitted for brevity here. Such capacitance detecting method needs an ADC (analog to digital converter, not illustrated here since there are too many kinds of ADCs in this field) to detect. However, the detecting range of the ADC varies corresponding to different parasitical capacitance, background capacitance. Also, the dynamic range and the sensitivity of the ADC vary corresponding to different detecting ranges, such that the yield and production time are affected.
FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a prior art capacitance difference detecting circuit. In the capacitance difference detecting circuit 200 in FIG. 2, the ADC 201 serves to detect voltage. The detected voltage can be shown as Equation (2)
                              V          S                =                  VDD          ·                                    C              S                                                      C                S                            +                              C                Stray                                                                        (        2        )
Cs indicates capacitance value of the capacitor 203, Cstray indicates capacitance value of the capacitor 205. Similar with the example shown in FIG. 1, the circuit shown in FIG. 2 also needs a high resolution ADC 201. However, in the example shown in FIG. 2, most resolution bits of the ADC 201 are wasted on Cstray+Cs, such that the sensitivity and the dynamic range of detecting operation decrease. Besides, in Equation (2), the noise of the system affects Vs, and correspondingly affects the output of the ADC 201.
According to above mentioned description, the real capacitance value are detected in the prior art. Accordingly, error measurement may be caused due to parasitical capacitance, background capacitance or different kinds of noises.

Capacitance difference detecting circuit


A refrigerator cabinet includes a shell having first and second laterally spaced, upstanding side walls that are interconnected by a top wall, each of the walls includes an in-turned front edge portion defining a liner receiving cavity. The shell further includes a mullion bar, which partitions the shell into first and second liner cavities, and a base member. Both the mullion bar and base member have respective liner receiving portions. With this arrangement, first and second liners are adapted to be inserted into their respective cavities and flexed such that three sides are inserted into the liner receiving cavities, while the remaining side is positioned against a land of the mullion bar or base member. Once in place, the liners are secured through a mullion bar cover and a base member cover. This construction combines the benefits of a front-load process with that of a flex-load process, lowering assembly time without the need to reinforce the liner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to the structure and assembly of a refrigerator cabinet.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, it is known to construct a refrigerator by initially forming a shell and then inserting a liner portion therein. The prior art teaches a variety of methods for engaging the liner portion with the shell. These methods can be best described as slide-in, front-load, flex-load and combinations thereof.
In connection with a top mount refrigerator, the slide-in method initially positions the shell in a matter that provides access to a bottom portion. The liner portion is then inserted through the bottom portion and into place within the shell, thus forming a freezer compartment. Typically in top mount refrigerators, at this point, a mullion member is positioned such that the shell is partitioned into upper and lower cavities. After the mullion member is secured, a second liner is inserted through the bottom portion to form a fresh food compartment. While this method has proven effective over the years, it generally requires more production space due to the overall size of the refrigerator and the need to position the unit providing access to the bottom.
Another known manufacturing process is the front load method. Using this process, a shell is constructed having a flange extending about a periphery of the shell which forms a receiving cavity opening towards a front of the refrigerator shell. A liner, having an outwardly extending projecting edge portion leading to an in-turned rim portion, is then inserted into the shell wherein the in-turned rim portion is positioned in the receiving cavity to position the liner in place. At this point, a plurality of trim pieces are secured to the shell such that the liner is held in place for the next processing step. While also an effective method, the need for the trim pieces adds to the overall cost of production.
A variation of the front-load method, the flex-load process, eliminates the need for the additional trim pieces required to hold the liner in place. Using this process, a shell is constructed having an in-turned flange leading to a return flange which collectively define a laterally opening receiving cavity. In contrast to the front-load liner, the flex-load liner includes an outwardly projecting edge. To form the cabinet, the liner is inserted into the shell, and flexed or deformed laterally inwardly to allow the projecting edge to be positioned in the receiving cavity. A drawback with this process exists in that the liner must be tough enough to flex without tearing or developing cracks. That is, the liner must be formed such that portions of the liner which undergo stress during deformation must be strengthened. Typically, a refrigerator liner is a paper thin, thermoformed plastic tub-like member. Therefore, excessive handling or deformation during construction of the cabinet can result in cracking and subsequent failure of the liner. In most cases, the failure is not realized until after insulation is added. If insulation is added to a defective or failed liner, the liner could burst thereby requiring the shell to be discarded.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a method of constructing a refrigerator cabinet which combines the benefits of front-loading with those derived from flex-loading. More specifically, there exists a need for a liner adapted to flex into portions of the shell, while remaining edge portions of the liner are initially exposed and later covered by a trim piece.


Advanced digital motion control is a multi-axis incremental position control system which includes a digital processor and memory, servo motor actuator with tachometer feedback, velocity servo power amplifier, position feedback device, position feedback signal converter, and digital to analog converter. The processor provides digital time reference feedback control of motion profiling and positioning of the mechanical load for multi-axis simultaneously without sacrificing update feedback rate control. The read time code execution time is compact and speed efficient optimizing control of multi-axis high speed/high accuracy servo systems in a space and cost effective method.

Prior methods of motion control were based on fixed "servo curve tables". The "servo curve table" does provide a quick "lookup" algorithm that allows the single microprocessor code timing to complete 8 axis of real time position feedback comparison with the table elements in less than a millisecond. The lookup table consists of 127 error distance ranges for acceleration control and 127 error distance ranges for deceleration control. Each error distance range table element contains an associated velocity reference value. The change in error distance controls the change in velocity thus controlling the acceleration and deceleration rate.
The error distance values are in units of encoder feedback counts which can be translated to linear or rotary units such as inches or degrees. The reference command velocity is in digital units that is converted to an analog signal by a digital to analog converter. This analog signal is input to a suitable power amplifier that supplies power amplification and closed loop velocity and current control of the servo actuator.
Motion control of high performance servo axis using this method has many disadvantages that are improved upon with advanced digital motion control.
The programmability of multiple acceleration and deceleration rates are required because of sensitive force-mass applications such as picking, transporting, rotating and placing various size surface mount components with servo drive actuators. The memory space requirements to store all "servo curve table" rate requirements for up to eight different axis is limited or impossible with a single microprocessor controller.
There is no digital reference time control of the motion profile, thus performance accuracy and repeatability is limited by the quality of the analog velocity loop, variations in electrical tolerances and mechanical system tolerances. Applied to a system this affects machine cycle rate, motion force accuracy, jerk force variability, position overshoot, and position settling time.


A technique for analyzing data in order to detect issues within a cloud-based service is disclosed. Host computing devices in a data center launch virtual machines, where at least some virtual machines run a pipelined stack for a streaming service. Virtual machines in the host computing devices generate event data including timestamps. Metadata generated by the pipelined stack during each streaming session is analyzed to identify deadzones in the corresponding host computing device, and the event data is processed to identify potential root causes of the corresponding deadzones. The event data can be generated by the virtual machine hosting the streaming service or by different virtual machines on the same host computing device. A distribution of events of each event type relative to the identified deadzones is determined and an operation of the host computing device can be adjusted based on the distribution.

Many service providers allow millions of users to connect client devices to hosted cloud-based services. Examples of cloud-based services include video streaming services and, more recently, game streaming services. Unlike conventional video game applications where the application is executed locally by a console system or computing device, the game application in the cloud-based game streaming service is hosted on server computers and the frames of video content generated by the game application are transmitted to the client device via a network.
Streaming services are typically implemented using a number of virtual machines (VMs) running on one or more hosts in one or more data centers. Each VM can implement one or more stages of a software stack (i.e., a pipeline), where each stage performs some processing on a data stream. For example, in a game streaming service like GeForce Now® (GFN), the pipeline can include stages for capturing a rendering output (i.e., a frame) of a game hosted by a VM, encoding the frame into a bit stream, adding forward error correction to the bit stream, and the like. The bit stream is transmitted to a client device connected to the service over a network.
Each VM is running on a physical machine referred to as a host. Each host can run multiple VMs substantially in parallel, either on multiple cores/processor contexts or in a time division duplex manner. For example, each host refers to a computing device (e.g., a server) that includes 16 CPU cores, 32 GB of random access memory (RAM), and two graphics processing units (GPUs). In one case, the host can run two VMs in parallel, with each VM having access to one GPU and 8 CPU cores, plus approximately 16 GB of memory. In another case, four or more VMs can be executed by the host, with each VM having access to one or more CPU cores and a portion of the GPU resources, which are scheduled according to time slices and/or a priority associated with each VM.
When a host machine is multiplexed in this manner, the physical resources can become very limited. The complexity of managing performance in a heavily virtualized environment comes with inherent performance issues. For example, one VM can generate a large memory access request that ties up the memory resource in the host for a significant amount of time (e.g., 10s or 100s of ms) as page faults can trigger load requests to be sent to a persistent storage medium such as a hard disk drive array or a storage area network (SAN) hosted elsewhere in the data center. In some cases, the hardware resources used by one VM can cause delays in the execution of a different VM of the host as the VM waits for the resources of the host to become available. In the case of a service with real-time requirements, such delays can cause noticeable issues at the client side such as frames failing to arrive at the desired frame rate, and there is a need for addressing these issues and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

Measuring and detecting idle processing periods and identifying root causes thereof in cloud-based, streaming applications


A method for qualifying an automated process for inspecting and sorting particles through the production and use of seed particles is disclosed. In one embodiment, seed particles are produced by forming a conformal surface layer on a plurality of particles, thereby imparting them with at least one property whose value or range of values is the same as or about the same as a value or range of values of a corresponding property of undesirable particles. By introducing a predetermined quantity of seed particles, their detection and removal by the automated sorting system can be used to periodically calibrate and qualify the sorting system without interrupting the manufacturing operations or introducing actual undesirable particles into the process stream. The production and use of seed particles to qualify an automated sorting system is particularly well-suited for use with Ti sponge sorting operations.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a process for sorting particles. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for qualifying an automated system for inspecting and sorting particles by introducing a predetermined number of seed particles into the process stream. This invention also relates to the production and qualification of seed particles having at least one property whose value or range of values is the same as or about the same as a value or range of values of a corresponding property of known undesirable particles.
II. Background of the Related Art
Conventional mining and/or metal processing operations can involve an intermediate stage wherein fragments or particles of the desired ore or metal are transported along a moving surface for visual inspection and the removal of undesired impurities. Removal of impurity fragments or particles is important for applications in which tight elemental concentration tolerances are necessary to ensure that the material properties of the finished product are suitable for their intended use. In many cases, such impurities will have an appearance that is clearly distinct from standard ore or metal particles having the targeted composition, thereby enabling their visual identification and removal by human operators.
Titanium (Ti) is an example of a material which, for applications involving highly stressed components, requires visual inspection and sorting during production. Commercial processes, which are used to extract Ti from TiO2 and/or TiCl4, produce a sponge-like material known as Ti sponge which is then consolidated into the desired shape by remelting. Under certain conditions, the production of Ti sponge results in the formation of sponge particles which have been "burned" and subsequently converted to titanium oxide or titanium nitride. The incorporation of nitrided Ti sponge particles during remelting is undesirable because if they survive the melting phase their presence in the finished metal, alloy or manufactured product can lead to the formation of hard alpha material or low density inclusions. These inclusions, if undetected by various quality checks, can impact the effectiveness of the manufactured article. Nitrided or oxidized Ti sponge particles have an appearance which is distinctly different from that of normal Ti sponge, being a darker shade of color which is readily discernible to the naked eye. This distinction permits the identification of the undesired particles and their removal from the process stream by a human operator.
Current industry standards generally require that the Ti sponge used to fabricate certain end use components be subject to 100% visual inspection. However, the use of individual operators to inspect and sort the process stream can be a time consuming, labor-intensive and costly process since the moving surface typically must move slowly to facilitate inspection and removal of undesired particles by human operators.
Recent approaches to modernizing sorting processes have involved the implementation of automated sorting systems which are capable of automatically inspecting and sorting particles in a process stream. An example of such a system is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,445 to Gigliotti, et al. (hereinafter "Gigliotti") which is directed to an apparatus for color-based sorting of titanium sponge particles. In one embodiment, Gigliotti discloses the use of an imaging device to capture a color image of the product as it is transported on a moving surface. The image is converted to a color signal and is sent to a central processing unit where the signal is transformed to a color value. This color value is then compared to a look-up table which defines acceptable threshold levels. If the color value is identified as being outside an acceptable range, then the system identifies particles having this color value as undesirable product and signals for their removal from the process stream. The rejected particles may be removed by correlating their movement along the moving surface with image acquisition such that the location of the rejected particles can be precisely identified and their removal effectuated by physical means.
An analogous automated system which is capable of sorting scrap metal particles based upon their color has been disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,256 to Kumar, et al. ("Kumar"). Yet another approach to automated inspection is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,225 to Mohr, et al. ("Mohr") which describes the use of radiographic inspection methods to examine particles in a process stream. Mohr discloses the use of a dual radiation source to alternatively irradiate particles in the process stream with neutrons and X-rays or gamma rays and a dual modality gas ionization detector to detect the radiation after it has passed through the particles. The detected radiation is processed and displayed on a monitor, enabling objects formed with different attenuating materials to be distinguished. The Gigliotti, Kumar, and Mohr patents are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth in this specification.
Despite the cost savings and improved sorting capabilities attainable through the use of automated inspecting and sorting systems, there has been considerable resistance to their widespread adoption primarily due to uncertainties associated with the accuracy, reliability and qualification of these systems. For example, the performance of automated inspecting and sorting systems may deviate from the norm due to issues such as nonuniform illumination of the particles, errors occurring during image acquisition and/or mechanical problems during sample transport.
In addition, repeated verification and calibration of automated sorting systems is typically necessary to ensure that the sorting process is functioning properly. These processes can result in significant down time since they typically require that the process flow be stopped so that calibration procedures may be performed without inadvertently allowing undesirable particles to pass through the system and be introduced into the manufactured article. There is therefore a continuing need for the development of automated inspecting and sorting systems which have improved consistency and reliability, operate at reduced cost and can be accurately verified and calibrated with minimal interruption of the process flow.

System and method for inspecting and sorting particles and process for qualifying the same with seed particles


A gas turbine engine comprises a fan rotor, a lower speed compressor rotor and a higher speed compressor rotor, and a lower speed turbine rotor and a higher speed turbine rotor. The lower speed turbine rotor rotates the lower speed compressor rotor, and rotates a gear reduction to, in turn, rotate the fan rotor. The higher speed turbine rotor rotates the higher speed compressor rotor. An electrical generator is driven to rotate with one of the lower speed turbine rotor and the fan rotor.

This application relates to a geared turbofan with a generator driven with a low pressure compressor.
Gas turbine engines are known and, typically, include a fan delivering air into a bypass duct as propulsion air, and further delivering air into a core engine. Air entering the core passes into a compressor section where it is compressed and delivered into a combustor. The air is mixed with fuel in the combustor and ignited. Products of this combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors driving them to rotate.
Historically, there has been a low speed spool and a higher speed spool. The low speed spool drove a first stage compressor along with the fan rotor. The speed of rotation of the fan was limited by various considerations and, thus, in this direct drive engine, the speed of the entire low speed spool had to be limited.
Generators are associated with gas turbine engines to generate electricity from the rotation of the spools. Generators may be associated with a high speed spool. It has also been proposed to utilize a generator driven by the low speed spool. However, since the speed of the low speed spool has been limited, the amount of power available from the generator driven by the low speed spool as a function of size and weight has been similarly limited.
More recently, it has been proposed to include a gear reduction between the fan and the first stage compressor.

Geared turbofan with high speed generator


A nonvolatile memory device for reducing programming current and improving reliability comprises a memory cell array, a write circuit, and a verification circuit. The memory cell array comprises memory cells arranged at crossing points of a bit-line and word-line matrix of the memory cell array. The write circuit provides multiple variable pulses to each word-line for programming. The multiple variable pulses have predetermined amplitude for keeping gate injection current roughly maximum while lowering conduction current during programming operation. The verification circuit senses variation of the conduction current during the programming operation, and disables the programming operation if the sensed conduction current during the programming operation reaches a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of performing channel hot electron injection (CHEI) programming and related device, and more particularly to a method of performing CHEI programming that reduces programming current and improves reliability, program efficiency, and related device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Non-volatile memory is a type of memory that retains information even when no power is supplied to memory blocks thereof. Some examples include magnetic devices, optical discs, flash memory, and other semiconductor-based memory topologies. Some forms of non-volatile memory have bits defined in fabrication, some may be programmed only once (one time programmable ROM, OTP ROM), and other types may be programmed and reprogrammed many times over. As semiconductor memory technologies have matured, memory cell programming and reading times have decreased (making memory cells faster), require less current/power to operate, and have improved reliability. Further, program bias voltage decreases in mature technology.
Memory cells are typically programmed through CHEI. CHEI occurs when channel carriers traveling from source to drain of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor are heated due to drain-source voltage applied across the drain and the source. The hot electrons at the end of the channel have high energy, and are injected into a floating gate of the MOS transistor approximately in a direction perpendicular to the floating gate. However, a corner effect causes multiple issues when using CHEI to program, including longer programming time, wider distribution, higher power consumption, and lower reliability due to hole damage. To compensate for the corner effect, circuit design becomes more complex and requires larger area.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a diagram illustrating a memory cell 10 comprising a memory transistor 100 and a select transistor 110 according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, a control line voltage ZCL is connected to the gate of the memory transistor 100, and a bit line voltage BL is connected to the drain of the memory transistor 100. Moreover, a word line voltage ZWL is connected to the gate of the select transistor 110 and a source line voltage SL is connected to the source of the select transistor 110. The source line and the n well NW are at a common voltage level (VSL=VNW).
Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, which are a diagram illustrating gate current versus gate voltage for a fixed control line voltage ZCL, and a diagram illustrating threshold voltage and CHEI current versus time for the fixed control line voltage, respectively. At an initial programming voltage Vt_ers corresponding to the memory transistor 100 being in an erased state, gate current obtained by applying the control line voltage ZCL is higher near the initial programming voltage Vt_ers, and lower the further away the control line voltage ZCL is from the initial programming voltage Vt_ers. However, during programming, threshold voltage Vt of the memory transistor 100 may shift. Thus, when the control line voltage ZCL applied during programming is fixed, a channel hot electron injection (CHEI) current profile obtained over time approximates that shown in FIG. 3 (convolution of the two areas shown in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 3, CHEI current is initially high and threshold voltage Vt of the memory transistor 100 increases rapidly. However, as the threshold voltage Vt increases, the CHEI current tapers off, and increase of the threshold voltage Vt slows down. This behavior leads to slow, inefficient programming of the memory transistor 100.

Channel hot electron injection programming method and related device


An electronic apparatus for shape refinement of a three-dimensional (3D) shape model is provided. The electronic apparatus generates a back-projected image for an object portion based on an initial 3D shape model of the object portion and a texture map of the object portion. The electronic apparatus computes an optical flow map between the back-projected image and a two-dimensional (2D) color image of the object portion. The electronic apparatus determines a plurality of 3D correspondence points for a corresponding plurality of vertices of the initial 3D shape model, based on the optical flow map and a depth image of the object portion. The electronic apparatus estimates a final 3D shape model that corresponds to a shape-refined 3D model of the object portion based on the initial 3D shape model and the plurality of 3D correspondence points for the corresponding plurality of vertices of the initial 3D shape model.

Advancements in the field of three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics and 3D modeling have paved way for development and visualization of realistic 3D models of different types of objects, e.g., human face in a 3D environment, such as a computer-generated imagery (CGI) environment. Typically, a 3D model of an object of interest may be rendered from a 3D mesh that uses polygonal surfaces to define a shape and geometry of the object of interest. In order to generate a realistic 3D model of the object of interest, the shape of the 3D model may need to be refined to match the actual shape of the object of interest.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.

Shape refinement of three dimensional shape model


A method of driving an electro-optical device includes dividing a vertical scanning period into first and second sub-fields of individual colors; stopping irradiation of light in the first sub-field; almost simultaneously selecting one scanning line and one or more adjacent scanning lines in a predetermined order; supplying to pixels data signals designating a gray-scale level of the color corresponding to one field, as data signals corresponding to the pixels located at the one scanning line among the selected scanning lines during each selection of the scanning lines; in the second sub-field, controlling the light so as to irradiate light of a corresponding color; selecting scanning lines other than the one scanning line; and supplying to pixels data signals designating a gray-scale level of the color corresponding to the one field, as data signals corresponding to the pixels of the selected scanning line during each selection of the scanning lines.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device driven by a so-called field sequential method, to a method of driving the electro-optical device, and to an electronic apparatus.
2. Related Art
In general, as shown in FIG. 7, one vertical scanning period (one frame) for forming one color image is composed of three continuous fields for displaying images of three primary colors including red (R), green (G), and blue (B) by a field sequential method. Further, each field has a scanning period to sequentially select pixel rows and a retrace period after the corresponding scanning period. Furthermore, for a scanning period of an R field, each of pixel rows is sequentially selected so as to write image data of an R component in each pixel, and red light is emitted in a subsequent retrace period. Further, for a scanning period of a G field, each of the pixel rows is sequentially selected so as to write image data of a G component in each pixel, and green light is emitted for a subsequent retrace period. Furthermore, for a scanning period of a B field, each of the pixel rows is sequentially selected so as to write image data of a B component in each pixel, and blue light is emitted for a subsequent retrace period. Thereby, images of primary colors of R, G, and B are sequentially displayed, which overlap each other to be displayed as a full color image. In such a field sequential method, a color filter does not need to be provided in a display element, so that bright display can be performed and each display element does not need to be separated into three segments of RGB, thereby facilitating implementation of high definition.
However, in the field sequential method, a light-emitting time or a luminance of light needs to increase in order to perform brighter display. In order to increase the light-emitting time, the retrace period can be increased. However, when the retrace period increases, a frame period increases (that is, a frame frequency decreases), so that display flicking starts to be visible. Alternatively, when the luminance of the light increases, a light source having high performance is required, which causes cost and consumed power to increase.
Accordingly, there has been suggested a technique of segmenting areas for a plurality of pixel rows and providing a light source for each segmented area and carrying out sequential light irradiation from a segmented area where image data writing has been already completed (for example, see JP-A-2002-221702 (FIG. 2)).
However, according to the above-mentioned technology, since the light source is provided for each segmented area, when a luminance difference between the light sources is generated, a boundary between the segmented areas becomes visible and the light source must be separately controlled for each segmented area. As a result, the control becomes complicated.

Electro-optical device, method of driving electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


A method of making a wood particle board containing sticking type resin coated wood particles wherein the top of a layup of the coated wood particles is smoothed to provide a smooth a top surface on the layup and a release agent is applied on the top surface and the so coated layup is consolidated into a board in a consolidating press under heat and pressure with the coated top surface in direct contact with a press platen.

The invention relates to the production wood based composite panels made by pressing (also called "cooking") wood particles (also called lignocellulose material, including flakes wafers or strands blended with the adhesive and formed into a mat (layup). The adhesive is activated by heat and pressure to consolidate the layup. The wood mat is pressed between the steel (ordinary or stainless) platens or belts for a given amount of time, then pushed out as the finished product or a substrate for further lamination to its surface. As one of the preferred adhesives, a sticking type resin i.e. a resin that sticks to the press platen during consolidation e.g. an isocyanate resin such as a polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pmdi) which will strongly adhere itself to the metal surface of the aforementioned can a superior product at a lower cost than other non-sticking resins such as phenolic resins. Sticking type resins may only be used commercially with some form of protection to prevent or significantly reduce such sticking to a commercially acceptable level. Currently used or proposed solutions either isolate the sticking type resin from the press platens before pressing by a barrier, for example interposing a release agent between the press platen and the layup being consolidated, or neutralised by a reactive chemical capable of successful competition with metal for the active binding sites of the adhesive (see for example US application 2016215144, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,486,523 and 6,649,098).
In practise the when a release agent is used to overcome this well-known problem it must be used in significant quantities which ads significantly to the cost of production and in most cases causes significant corrosive damage to the carbon steel press platen which add significantly more to the cost of production.
During the wood flake mat (layup) is transported to and evacuated from the press by the means of a caul screen sitting below its bottom surface. This presents a problem specific to the top face release from the top steel platen since the release spray to protect the metal surface from the adhesive-laden mat has to be applied directly on the top surface of the uneven flake mat. This requires a substantial amount of release in order to cover all surfaces of wood strands which might be shadowed or even hidden from direct impact of the release liquid spray due to strands curling or matting. Only by drastically increasing the spray application rate, coverage of the contact surfaces is complete, which results in a substantial additional cost to the sticking adhesive e.g. pmdi-based OSB production. The release of the bottom surface is much facilitated by one's ability to spray the caul screen before wood mat is laid on it. This problem is exacerbated in batch production in a conventionally designed stack (multi-opening) presses
This sticking problem has been addressed by others suggesting other ways of minimising sticking see for example see for example US Patent Application 2015/00542205 published Feb. 26, 2015 Costa et al. and 2017/0151758 published Jun. 1, 2017 Lollar et al.


An apparatus for fusing cells which includes a multichamber syringe having a first chamber containing a suspension of cells, a second chamber containing a suspension of cells, and a third chamber containing at least 40% by volume polyethylene glycol (PEG). The exit passageways of the chambers being braided such that the downstream ends thereof are beveled and face one another at the same level. The relative cross sections of the chambers being of a diameter such that a desired ratio of the suspensions and solution form in midair a mixture of 15% to 25% PEG by volume. The apparatus also includes a non-linear tube in fluid communication with the syringe for receiving the mixture therefrom and a device for causing a reciprocating passage of the mixture through the non-linear tube.

The present invention relates to method and apparatus for fusing cells to produce a variety of cell hybrids, and more particularly to such method and apparatus for use in hybridoma production with a high fusion-and-survival efficiency.
The conventional procedure for producing monoclonal antibodies, i.e., hybridomas, involves several steps. One critical step consists of fusing centrifuge-pelleted myeloma cells with selected cells (e.g., spleen cells) taken from a donor (e.g., immunized mouse). The two cell populations (suspensions) are gradually mixed together and fused using polyethylene glycol (PEG) of molecular weight 1500 Daltons in dropwise fashion at 50% by volume concentration in buffered solution. This adding and mixing continues for about one minute, and is then terminated by adding tissue culture media to stop the PEG-induced toxicity to the cells. The cells are then spun down, the toxic medium (PEG) is removed, and fresh non-toxic medium is added. The cells are then resuspended, and the yield of fused cells is determined by examination under a microscope. The cells are then plated in ninety-six well plates, with the aim of achieving one fused cell per well. A discriminatory medium is applied to the well plates. In this medium the myeloma X spleen fused cell hybrids will thrive, while other cells will either die or not grow during a short period.
Using this standard methodology, generally only 2-3% of the initial cell population are rendered fused, and only a few of these hybrid cells will survive and yield a monoclonal culture. Thus the "fusion-and-survival" efficiency is generally less than 3% and can be as low as 0.001%.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for fusing cells to produce a variety of cell hybrids.
Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus for hybridoma production.
A further object is to provide such a method and apparatus which has a fusion-and-survival efficiency of at least 40%.

Multichamber syringe device for fusing cells


A medical device including a handle body having a proximal end and a distal end, a spool on the handle body and to move between the distal end and the proximal end of the handle body, a catheter extending from the distal end of the handle body, an actuator attached to the spool and extending through the catheter, such that the actuator is removably connected to one or more dispensable devices at a distal end of the catheter, a spool controller to prevent connection with another of the dispensable devices to the actuator after a predetermined number of dispensable devices have been dispensed by the medical device.

Conventional endoscope devices for dispensing one or more devices in a patient are sometimes provided as single-use devices. These single-use devices are intended to carry a predetermined number of dispensable devices, e.g., tissue clips, and may not be designed as a reloadable/reusable system. Sterilization of these endoscope devices can be difficult, and failure to properly sterilize these devices can be harmful to patients by, e.g., spreading disease. Further, multiple uses of these single-use devices may increase a patient risk of disease or infection and/or may increase a risk of device failure.
The present disclosure may solve one or more of these problems or other problems in the art. The scope of the disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims and not the ability to solve a specific problem.

Endoscopic medical device and method of use


A method for manufacturing an image sensor includes the steps of: providing a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; mounting a frame layer to the upper surface of the substrate to form a cavity together with the substrate; mounting a photosensitive chip to the upper surface of the substrate and within the cavity; providing a plurality of wires to electrically connect the photosensitive chip to the substrate; supplying an adhesive layer to the upper surface of the substrate and within the cavity; mounting a transparent layer to the frame layer to cover the photosensitive chip; and illuminating an electrostatic-charge eliminating light source on the transparent layer to let particles within the cavity fall down to the adhesive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an image sensor, and in particular to a method capable of manufacturing an image sensor having fewer particles on a photosensitive chip or a transparent layer and having improved quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general sensor is used to sense signals, which may be optical or audio signals. The sensor of the invention is used to receive image signals or optical signals. After receiving the image signals, the sensor converts the image signals into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to a printed circuit board via a substrate.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional image sensor includes a substrate 10, a frame layer 18, a photosensitive chip 26, a plurality of wires 28, and a transparent layer 34. The substrate 10 has an upper surface 12 on which first connection points 15 are formed, and a lower surface 14 on which second connection points 16 are formed. The frame layer 18 has a first surface 20 and a second surface 22 adhered to the upper surface 12 of the substrate 10 to form a cavity 24 together with the substrate 10. The photosensitive chip 26 is arranged within the cavity 24 and is mounted to the upper surface 12 of the substrate 10. Each wire 28 has a first terminal 30 and a second terminal 32. The first terminals 30 are electrically connected to the photosensitive chip 26, and the second terminals 32 are electrically connected to the first connection points 15 of the substrate 10. The transparent layer 34 is adhered to the first surface 20 of the frame layer 18.
In the image sensor, however, even if the transparent layer 34 and the photosensitive chip 26 are cleaned before the packaging process, some particles may be attracted to the transparent layer 34 and the photosensitive chip 26 owing to electrostatic charges, and the image sensor quality may be influenced accordingly.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for packaging an image sensor capable of eliminating electrostatic charges within the image sensor and preventing particles from being attracted to the photosensitive chip.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an image sensor capable of adhering particles to an adhesive layer without influencing the image sensor quality.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the invention provides a method for manufacturing an image sensor including the steps of: providing a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; mounting a frame layer to the upper surface of the substrate to form a cavity together with the substrate; mounting a photosensitive chip to the upper surface of the substrate and within the cavity; providing a plurality of wires to electrically connect the photosensitive chip to the substrate; supplying an adhesive layer to the upper surface of the substrate and within the cavity; mounting a transparent layer to the frame layer to cover the photosensitive chip; and illuminating an electrostatic-charge eliminating light source on the transparent layer to let particles within the cavity fall down to the adhesive layer.
Consequently, the particles may fall down to the adhesive layer, and it is possible to prevent the particles from being attracted to the photosensitive chip or the transparent layer and to prevent the particles from influencing the image sensor quality.

Method for manufacturing an image sensor


A spatial splitting-based optical Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Interferometer includes a spatial splitter for spatially splitting an input beam into two interferometer beams and a spatial combiner for spatially combining the two interferometer beams. A MEMS moveable mirror is provided to produce an optical path difference between the first interferometer beam and the second interferometer beam.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates optical MEMS interferometers.
2. Description of Related Art
Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, with its various actuation techniques, enables the realization of new functions and features of photonic devices. For example, by using MEMS actuation to control a movable mirror of an interferometer, displacements in the interferometer optical path length can be introduced, and consequently, a differential phase between the interfering beams can be obtained. The resulting differential phase can be used to measure the spectral response of the interferometer beam (e.g., using Fourier Transform Spectroscopy), sub-surface images of tissues (using Optical Coherence Tomography), the velocity of the moving mirror (e.g., using the Doppler Effect), or simply as an optical phase delay element.
MEMS interferometers are key elements in many sensor applications, such as optical spectrometers. MEMS interferometers have recently been developed using technologies such as surface micromachining, LIGA and Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) on Silicon on Insulator (SOI) wafers.
Most micromachined interferometers are based on a conventional beam splitting technique using reflection and transmission by a dielectric interface (beam splitter). The interferometer typically further includes fixed and movable metallic mirrors. When using DRIE on SOI wafers technology, MEMS micro-mirrors are formed by selective metallization of silicon side walls using a shadow mask sputtering technology. This metallization technique represents one of the main problems of micromachined interferometers, as it is required to leave a relatively large distance between the mirror and beam splitter. This distance results from a requirement of metallization of the mirror, while keeping the beam splitter dielectric surface protected from metal. Such a long optical propagation distance degrades interferometer performance, especially with limited SOI device height. In addition, absorption losses may be introduced in the near infrared and visible wavelength ranges due to propagation within the medium of the beam splitter.
Another problem encountered in micromachined interferometers is dispersion. As described above, in a MEMS based interferometer, the beam splitter may be a silicon wall or simply the air/silicon (or any other material) interface. In such structures, the optical beams traverse a silicon part in one arm, while the second arm is free from silicon (e.g., propagation in air only). As silicon (or any other equivalent material for the beam splitter) has a refractive index that varies with wavelength, a phase error may be introduced in the interferometer (a phase shift that is dependent on the wavelength). This problem may be addressed by adding compensating interfaces. However, adding such compensating dielectric interfaces may lead to more Fresnel loss if these interfaces are not anti-reflection coated. Anti-reflection coating is not an easy process in optical MEMS monolithic systems, such as those fabricated using DRIE of SOI wafers. Moreover, AR coating is not typically wideband enough for applications like FTIR Spectroscopy. Having many interfaces also leads to more scattering loss due to surface roughness of etched surfaces using DRIE. Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient micromachined interferometer.

Spatial splitting-based optical MEMS interferometers


Shot for shotgun cartridges is made form finely divided particles of dense metal such as a mixture of tungsten and molybdenum, bound by a matrix which may comprise ethylene propylene copolymer, or a blend of a terpolymer of ethylene, acrylic ester and maleic anhydride or an ionomer either alone or blended with such terpolymer or with a stock polymer material or a blend of polymers. Shot may be produced from such material by forming it into a strip, web or strand which is passed between aligned rollers with cooperating hemispherical indentations and thereafter punching the resulting shot from the resulting thin web.

Field of the Invention
THIS INVENTION relates to shot pellets and the like.
A Many thousands of tonnes of lead shotgun pellets are scattered on the surface of the earth and embedded in trees each year in the act of vermin, game and clay target shooting for both pleasure and vermin control purposes It is now recognized that where this falls on wetlands it may be accidentally ingested by wildfowl together with their normal grit diet deliberately consumed as an essential part of their gizzard digestive process. The outcome is that the lead is ground up by the gizzard resulting in poisoning, debilitation and death. A further problem now recognized is that lead shot deposited on land where crops are grown can be dissolved and enter into the structure of the crop which is designed for human consumption.
A similar problem of wildfowl poisoning caused by the lead weights used by fishermen has been resolved by the adoption of alternative heavy materials for the weights. Attempts to apply a similar solution to the lead shot used in shotgun cartridges have proved much more difficult because of the stringent requirements imposed by the need for effective ballistics, safe performance and the economics related to the precious nature of many heavy metals. A shotgun shot must have the correct physical properties that allow it to provide correct ballistics and yet allow it to pass safely through a shotgun barrel at very high pressure without risking safety related to the proof of the gun.
One key property of lead that makes it so successful as a shot material is its high density, 11.35 tonnes per m.sup.3, because the energy associated with the shot at the moment it strikes the target relates to its mass and its velocity as E=1/2 mv.sup.2. A second property of lead is its softness allowing it to pass through a gun barrel safely and without causing damage to the barrel structure despite high pressure and velocity. A third property is the ability of lead spheres to flatten slightly and retain the flattened shape thereby showing no elastic tendency. This enables the energy contained within the mass of the sphere to be transferred to the target with maximum lethal effect.
Lead has a modest position in the list of abundances of the metallic elements at 10 parts per million and poses no problem of dwindling resource.
Iron has been proposed as an alternative and has found some use but its density is only 7.86 tonnes per m.sup.3 which means it only carries 69.25% of the striking energy provided by lead shot of the same size. Iron shot also offers problems because of its hardness and rigidity, which causes damage to the steel gun barrel bores of the modern shotgun, and has a tendency to create abnormally high and dangerous pressures. Iron based shot has a tendency to corrode so that the individual shot spheres bind together producing a dangerous solid slug which can destroy the gun barrel. Iron based shot can become embedded in growing timber and poses a dangerous threat to timber processing machinery and the elasticity of iron and steel results in shot that ricochets dangerously and does not transmit its energy to the target in an effective and lethal manner resulting in wounding of live targets.
Bismuth has also been proposed as an alternative and has found some use. The density is 9.747 tonnes per m.sup.3 and is approaching lead but its abundance is only 0.004 parts per million and it is a secondary metallurgical material being a by-product of the refining of other metals. The price is high and the source precarious which means any attempt to adopt it generally would result in prohibitive price escalation. Bismuth is a very brittle metal and can only be made more usable if it is alloyed with expensive tin or toxic lead. There are also unresolved questions about its toxicity when ingested by animals and humans.
It has been proposed to use tungsten, tungsten alloys or mixes of tungsten and other metals such as molybdenum as fillers in plastics matrices of various kinds as a basis for an alternative shot material, for example as exemplified in GB-A-2200976 and W094/24511. However, it has been found that known substitute shot materials are inferior to lead as a shot material in various respects. Indeed, some previous attempts to produce substitutes for lead shotgun shot have proved disastrous because the shot has either tended to shatter or has tended to stick together and has caused damage to gun barrels because the formulations used have included-polymers that cannot form a proper matrix and because the mixture used was abrasive.
Experiments conducted by the applicants suggest that, apart from density, the deformability of the shot material is also important. That is to say, that experiments suggest that both (a) resilience, i.e. recoverable deformability and (b) the ability to deform permanently (at least in the short term) on striking the target, are important. Thus, shot which is substantially rigid tends to lack "stopping power" for shooting game, in that such shot tends to pass through the game with significantly less transfer of energy to the game than would corresponding lead shot and thus tends to wound, rather than kill, the game. On the other hand, shot which is too readily deformable, and, in particular, which too readily undergoes a permanent deformation, produces too open a pattern at typical target distances. The applicants hypothesize that this is due to such shot becoming flattened by the acceleration imparted to it when the gun is fired, so that the individual shot are no longer spherical and are deflected slightly, and randomly, by aerodynamic forces. Furthermore, shot which is too readily flattened on striking a target again tends to wound, rather than kill, game because penetration is insufficient since, presumably, too much energy has been lost by excessive flattening of the shot and/or such energy has been spread over a larger frontal area of the target.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved alternative shot material without the disadvantages of toxicity, elasticity, brittleness and high price whilst possessing the qualities of high density, softness and an ability to transmit to target the striking energy resulting in effective lethality.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided shot for shotgun cartridges comprising finely divided metallic particles in a polymer matrix comprising:
(a) polypropylene or polypropylene copolymer and PA1 (b) a terpolymer of acrylic ester, ethylene and maleic anhydride.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided shot for shotgun cartridges comprising finely divided metallic particles in a polymer matrix comprising ethylene propylene copolymer.
Said polymer mix may also include polyisobutylene.
Preferably said polymer matrix comprises a major proportion of polypropylene.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a mouldable thermoplastic composition, suitable for making shot for shotgun cartridges, the composition comprising finely divided metallic particles in a polymer matrix comprising a blend of polymers.
Preferably, the metallic particles comprise materials selected from the group comprising iron, tungsten, molybdenum, alloys of tungsten or molybdenum with other metals or mixtures of such materials.
The metallic particles may comprise a mixture of tungsten or a tungsten alloy with molybdenum or a molybdenum alloy.
The blend of polymers preferably comprises a blend of a polyolefinic polymer, a styrene based polymer and a polymer containing maleic anhydride.
The polyolefinic polymer may be one selected from the group comprising LDPE (low density polyethylene), LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene), EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer), EEA (ethylene ethyl acrylate copolymer), ionomers (copolymers of alkenes and alkacrylic acids with metal ion crosslinks), polybutene, poly (4methylpent-1-ene), PP (polypropylene) homopolymer, or PP (polypropylene) copolymer, or mixtures thereof, said polyolefinic polymer comprising from 50% to 90% by weight of the composition.
The styrene-based polymer may be selected from the group comprising polystyrene, HIPS (high impact polystyrene), SAN (styrene acrylonitrile polymer), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene terpolymer) or a polystyrene/polyphenylene oxide blend, such as the blend of poly-2, 6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide and polystyrene or a polystyrene-related material, sold by General Electric under the Trade Mark NORYL.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing shot for shotgun cartridges including mixing finely divided metal particles with a molten thermoplastics polymer, forming the resultant mixture into a plastics strip, web or strand, passing said strip, web or strand between two aligned rollers with cooperating hemispherical indentations to produce, on the exit side of said roller, a strip comprising a series of substantially spherical bodies connected and separated by a relatively thin web of the plastics material, subsequently placing said web between a first tool provided with apertures of a size to receive said spherical bodies and a second tool, such that said web overlies said first tool and said spherical bodies are seated in said apertures in the first tool, and pushing the spherical bodies through said recesses by means of said second tool, thereby punching the spherical bodies from the web with a minimum of equatorial "flash" or other discontinuities. Thus the action of said further rollers is to separate said spherical bodies from said web around peripheral lines of separation close to the peripheries of said spherical bodies. Said first and second tool may also comprise cooperating rollers, which may receive said strip from the first-mentioned rollers and may be driven in synchronism therewith.
The finely divided metallic particles may comprise tungsten, a mixture of molybdenum and tungsten, or a tungsten alloy such as ferro-tungsten, which has been found to have favorable properties, although it is of lower density than tungsten.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing shot for shotgun cartridges including mixing finely divided metallic particles in a polymer matrix comprising a blend of propylene or propylene polymers, to form a composition as described above forming the resultant mixture into a formable plastic web, passing said web between aligned rollers and thereby producing, directly or indirectly, substantially spherical bodies with equatorial flash therearound, and thereafter tumbling said bodies in a heated drum to remove such flash from the bodies.
The invention proposes a form of composite shot in which powdered metal, for example a mixture of powdered molybdenum and tungsten, is bound into a solid pellet by the use of polymeric materials. Preferably the material is present in just sufficient quantity to fill, or almost fill, the voids between the particles of the powdered metal such that the mix is close to the condition of close packing of spheres which means that about two thirds of the volume is metal powder. This, at 70% by volume in a binder matrix of unit density, molybdenum alone would give a pellet of density about 7.51 tonnes per m.sup.3. If only 23% of the metal in the mix is replaced by powdered tungsten then a pellet of density 8.42 tonnes per m.sup.3 is created which would have 13.63% more striking energy than an iron pellet and yet would be compliant because of the nature of the polymeric binder.
Alternatively, a powdered tungsten alloy, such as ferro-tungsten, may be used as the metal filler.
It is further proposed to include in the polymer/metal mix minor amounts of a lubricant substance such as molybdenum sulphide or graphite which would further improve the performance and minimize the wear of the gun barrels. Waxes and oils may be included in the mix to aid blending and flow in manufacture.
The preferred polymeric binder or matrix comprises (a) polypropylene or polypropylene copolymer (that is to say a copolymer of propylene and ethylene in which the ethylene content is relatively small, for example around 4%) and (b) a terpolymer of acrylic ester ethylene and maleic anhydrides. The component (b) may be the material supplied by Elf Atochem under the name "Lotarder".
A less preferred polymeric binder comprises a blend of ethylene propylene copolymer and polyisobutylene.
Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example.

The Kent Cartridge Manufacturing Company Limited


In a method for enhancing the performance of tags for use in an electronic article surveillance system of the type comprising a transmitter-receiver arrangement disposed aside an area to be controlled for transmitting a first high-frequency signal into the area, a transmitter disposed aside the area and generating a second frequency signal of substantially lower frequency than the first frequency for establishing in the area an electrostatic field, a tag for attachment to an article to be subject to surveillance, the tag being responsive to the incidence thereon of energy of both the first and second frequencies to transmit a composite thereof and receiver apparatus disposed aside the area for receipt and detection of such composite signal and for generation of an output signal indicative of such detection, the method involving the steps of: configuring the tag with an antenna for receiving the first and second transmitted signals and for transmitting the composite signal; and a nonlinear circuit for connection electrically with the antenna and responsive to energy derived from the second transmitted signal received by the antenna to exhibit electrical reactance change with change of voltage of the energy; and applying an electrical bias of steady-state nature to the tag dependently on consideration of characteristics of the nonlinear circuit to enhance the electrical reactance change thereof responsively to the energy derived form the second transmitted signal received by the antenna. The considered characteristics of the nonlinear circuit are selected to be a dC/dV slope factor, a 1/c.sup.2 factor and a DC-impedance factor. The nonlinear circuit is selected to be a diode.

The electronic article surveillance (EAS) industry has looked at large to tag devices of a type involving a dipole antenna housed with a diode in a protective envelope of insulative material. In some instances, EAS systems have provided for the transmission of a high frequency signal, such as a 915 megahertz carrier, and of a lower frequency signal, such as modulated 100 kilohertz. Widespread understanding, as evidenced in Pinneo et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,254, is that such device defines a so-called "receptor-reradiator", returning to the receiver of the EAS system, the 915 MHz carrier with content related to the lower frequency and its modulation characteristic. Upon detection in the receiver of received signals inclusive of the modulation characteristic in given repetitive succession, an alarm indication is provided.
Generally, detection takes place in a controlled zone, i.e., an exit area of a retail establishment, and output alarm indication is that of a tag device being carried therethrough without authorization (undeactivated).
The art has come to realize substantial analytical evaluation of the activity at hand in EAS dipole and diode tag devices. Thus, in Woolsey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,640, there is a recognition of the need to establish circuit parameters which maximize the reception of the various signals transmitted, the need for establishing an inductive tag device character at the high frequency, where length parameters otherwise dictate, and the need of having a resonant circuit in the tag device at the high frequency.
In addressing such discerned needs, Woolsey et al. looked to the addition of inductance at 915 MHz selectively, as by a serpentine inductive path providing same within the length constraint at hand. Woolsey et al. thus looked not to the simple dipole/diode combination but to a discernment of specific diversely characterized tag device areas. They provided a generally rectangular tag configuration, devoting area to a circuit element which is inductive at the high frequency and is capacitive up to the lower frequency and other area to another circuit element, which is inductive at the high frequency, the circuit elements being physically disparate in geometry and arranged in electrical series circuit with the diode. There was a particular recognition that the sum of the various reactances of the circuit elements and that of the diode should give rise to situations wherein the diode is at the center of a resonant circuit, wherein the net sum of the various reactances at hand across the tag should then be zero and wherein the circuit elements should be addressed generally to different purposes, e.g., that one thereof should be such as to maximize second lower frequency energy receipt and hence voltage applied to the diode.
A further advance in the type of tag device under discussion is seen in Siikarla et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,207 to which incorporating reference is hereby made. In its preferred form, the Siikarla et al. tag device is of generally rectangular configuration and comprises a first circuit element extending longitudinally of the device and of first transverse dimension, a second circuit element extending longitudinally of the device at least in part jointly with the first circuit element and of second transverse dimension substantially exceeding the first transverse dimension and effecting predominant different receipt by the first and second circuit elements of the high and low frequency transmitted signals and a further circuit element exhibiting voltage dependent capacitive reactance connected in electrical series circuit with the first and second circuit elements.
The third circuit element, which is typically a diode, has applied thereto the voltage generated in the tag device in response to the low frequency signal, which is cyclic. In practice under the '207 patent, one correlates the tag capability for the generation of voltage at the low frequency with capacitance change of the third circuit element, and vice versa, to enhance the magnitude of the phase reversals across the third circuit element, which generate the sidebands of the reradiated signal.
In the '640 patent, the principle underlying the reradiator element is that of an un-symmetrical dipole, which is folded back to conserve length. In the '207 patent tag device, the narrow sections form part of the radiating RF element of a symmetrical dipole. Again, as in the '640 patent, part of the pattern is folded back to conserve space.
In a copending and commonly-assigned application, Ser. No. 562,749 entitled "Electronic Article Surveillance System and Tag", there is provided a tag which incorporates a reradiator which is configured as a monopole. A monopole antenna typically requires only half as much length as a dipole and encompasses a ground plane to that effect. In customary monopole configurations, the ground plane is required to be perpendicular to the reradiator element of the monopole and of considerable size. This is because monopole radiator elements are of length normally near one-quarter wavelength and operate at or close to their natural resonance. Per the invention of the referenced copending application, however, the reradiator element has considerable inductive reactance and a large ground plane is neither required nor desirable. The resonant matching condition thus is controlled by impedances of the components of the monopole, such as its diode and a spiral reradiator element.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention of the referenced application, a tag uses a reradiator element which comprises a spirally wound inductor, which can be both very short and narrow without much loss of efficiency. The ground plane used is a reasonably narrow and short strip of conductive material and placed in line with the spiral element. By choosing a diode with suitable impedance characteristics, the limited size of the in-line ground plane can be made an integral part of the overall impedance matching system.
A significant and valuable feature of the invention of the referenced application is that all of the components are short, to conserve length, and narrow, to conserve width. Thus, a very compact tag design is achieved in accordance with that invention with performance comparable with existing larger tags.

Electronic article surveillance tag and method for implementing same


A solder alloy substantially consists of tin, silver, indium, bismuth, and antimony. With respect to the total amount of the solder alloy, the content ratio of the silver is 2.8 mass % or more and 4 mass % or less; the content ratio of the indium is 6.2 mass % or more and 9.0 mass % or less; the content ratio of the bismuth is 0.7 mass % or more and 5.0 mass % or less; the content ratio of the antimony is 0.3 mass % or more and 5.0 mass % or less; and the content ratio of the tin is the remaining ratio and the value of A is 4.36 or less wherein A=0.87×[In content ratio (mass %)]−0.41×[Ag content ratio (mass %)]−0.82×[Sb content ratio (mass %)].

In metal connection in electrical and electronic devices or the like, solder connection using a solder paste has been generally used and in such a solder paste, a solder alloy containing lead has been conventionally used.
However, in view of environmental load, the use of lead has been recently required to be suppressed and thus, the development of a solder alloy without containing lead (lead-free solder alloy) has been promoted.
As such a lead-free solder alloy, for example, a tin-copper alloy, a tin-silver-copper alloy, a tin-silver-indium-bismuth alloy, a tin-bismuth alloy, and a tin-zinc alloy have been well known and among all, a tin-silver-copper alloy, a tin-silver-indium-bismuth alloy, and the like have been widely used.
As such a lead-free solder alloy, to be more specific, an Sn solder alloy containing Ag at a ratio of 0.5 to 5 weight %, In at a ratio of 0.5 to 20 weight %, Bi at a ratio of 0.1 to 3 weight %, furthermore, at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Sb, Zn, Ni, Ga, Ge, and Cu at a ratio of 3 weight % or less, and Sn as a remaining content has been proposed (ref: Patent Document 1).
In addition to the description above, as such a lead-free solder alloy, for example, a solder material containing Ag at a ratio of 1.0 to 4.0 weight %, In at a ratio of 4.0 to 6.0 weight %, Bi at a ratio of 0.1 to 1.0 weight %, furthermore, at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, and Sb at a ratio of 1 weight % or less, and Sn as a remaining content has been proposed (ref: Patent Document 2).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Solder alloy, solder paste, and electronic circuit board


A method, apparatus and system of map based neighborhood search and community contribution are disclosed. In one embodiment, a neighborhood communication system is described. This embodiment includes a privacy server to apply an address verification algorithm associated with each user of the online community to verify that each user lives at a residence associated with a claimable residential address of an online community formed through a social community module of the privacy server using a processor and a memory. The privacy server automatically determines a set of access privileges in the online community associated with each user of the online community by constraining access in the online community based on a neighborhood boundary determined using an algorithm of the privacy server. The privacy server may constrain the particular user to communicate through the online community only with a set of neighbors having verified addresses using the privacy server.

A neighborhood may be a geographically localized community in a larger city, town, and/or suburb. Residents of the neighborhood may refer to each other as neighbors, although this term may also be used across much larger distances in rural areas. In theory, the neighborhood may be small enough that the neighbors may be able to know each other by walking and/or driving a short distance (e.g., 5 miles) around their place of residence and/or their place of work. However, in practice, the neighbors may not know one another very well (e.g., because of busy schedules, fenced communities, lack of effort, a lack of time, etc.).
The neighborhood may be given a designated status through a neighborhood association, a neighborhood watch group, a political group, a homeowners association, and/or a tenant association. These groups may help in matters such as lawn care and fence height, and they may provide such services as block parties, neighborhood parks, children activities, special interest groups, and/or community security. However, getting messages out to residents of the neighborhood may require expensive direct mail, and/or time consuming door to door meetings with residents of the neighborhood.
A neighborhood watch (e.g., a crime watch, a block watch, a neighborhood crime watch, etc.) may be an organization of active residents devoted to crime and/or vandalism prevention in the neighborhood. Members of the neighborhood watch may stay alert of unusual activity, behaviors, and/or crime in the neighborhood. However, most residents may not be active participants of the neighborhood association (e.g., because of a lack of time), and may be unaware of safety, security, and/or prevention issues in their immediate area.
For example, in many American communities, while a few active residents know a lot of their neighbors, there are far more residents who do not even know what professions, interests, and reputations are of their immediate next-door neighbors. As a result, friendships among neighbors don't form as often, neighbors have more difficult time asking other neighbors for help, safety in the neighborhood suffers, quality of life is impacted, and a sense of community is diminishing.

Map based neighborhood search and community contribution


Disclosed approaches involve at least one processor executing a program and a debug interface circuit coupled to the processor. The debug interface circuit is configured to transmit first trace data from the first processor. A debug access port is coupled to the debug interface circuit. A fault detection circuit is coupled to the debug access port and is configured to receive the first trace data via the debug access port and compare the first trace data to second data. The fault detection circuit generates an error signal to the first processor in response to a discrepancy between the first trace data and the second data.

The "functional safety" of a system relates to the system operating as expected in response to the inputs to the system. Functional safety can be important for avoiding damage to health or physical injury to people. Safety functions for monitoring equipment under control (EUC) can be implemented by electro-mechanical relays, non-programmable solid-state electronics, programmable electronics or any combination of the foregoing. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) set forth standard IEC 61508 to define appropriate means for achieving functional safety.
In order to ensure functional safety, system designers take measures to protect the integrity of the safety functions themselves. Examples of approaches to protecting the safety functions include error detection and correction in SRAMs and executing the same program code in lockstep by redundant processors.
Some processor architectures may not be amenable to using lockstep execution for a safety function. For example, some processors execute instructions out-of-order and some superscalar processors include multiple execution units such as an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), an integer multiplier, integer shifter, a floating point unit (FPU), etc. Some processors may have many instances of each of the different execution units. Implementing redundant processors that execute in lockstep for complicated processors architectures can be unfeasible due to the required replication of every execution unit and voting circuits.

Detection of runtime failures in a system on chip using debug circuitry


Polyvinyl alcohol copolymers are used as binder in an aqueous ceramic particle slurry for injection molding green ceramic bodies. The slurry is dried to form a coated powder which is then heated and injection molded into a desired shape. The molded shape is then fired to remove the binder and produce a dense ceramic part. The dense parts do not show any knit lines from the injection molding step.

Ceramic articles for various uses have been fabricated by many techniques. In the manufacture of many ceramic articles, a "green" body is formed of ceramic powder, binder, and possibly other ingredients. The green body is then typically fired to remove the binder and sinter the ceramic powder to form the ceramic article. The shape of the sintered article generally corresponds to the shape of the green body. Various methods have been used to make green bodies of a desired shape. One of those methods is injection molding.
In injection molding, a mixture containing ceramic powder, a binder and possibly other ingredients is injected into a mold corresponding to the desired green body shape. Typically, the mixture is heated to lower its viscosity before molding. The mixture is allowed to harden in the mold, and the mold is then removed to recover the green body. The green body is then fired to remove the binder and sinter the ceramic powder.
Several methods have been used to form the mixture to be injected. In some processes, the ceramic powder and the binder are directly mixed together by kneading. Kneading methods generally suffer from poor dispersion of the binder and ceramic resulting in defects in the final structure. The binder systems used in the kneading technique generally require long binder burnout times. Most systems using kneading also have problems with defects such as knit lines due to relatively high molding pressures. While some attempts have been made to address the binder burnout issue by using exotic additives (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,812), these solutions add extra cost and do not address other problems associated with methods using kneading.
The other principle approach to forming the mixture for injection involves the formation of a dispersion of ceramic powder in a dispersion medium which also contains the binder. In most dispersions, the dispersion medium is a solvent for the binder whereby the binder is dissolved and distributed among the ceramic particles. Once the dispersion is formed, some or all of the dispersion medium is removed by drying. In some cases, the dispersion is dried to form a free flowing powder. The dispersion method has worked best with systems using organic solvents. Unfortunately, organic solvents present environmental problems in the drying stage. Water soluble binders systems used previously have not exhibited good flow characteristics on injection. Thus, the problems of defects, knit lines, etc. still exist for these systems.
Thus, there remains a need for an effective injection molding system for making ceramic bodies.

Injection molding of ceramic articles using aqueous based thermoplastic resin