In a mechanical supercharger having rotors mounted on rotor shafts, the rotor shafts are rotationally and axially supported in the supercharger housing by first and second sliding bearings. The first sliding bearing includes an inner part fixed to each of the rotor shafts and having both a cylindrical part and a radially extending, disc-like plate part. The first bearing also includes an outer part having bores closely surrounding the cylindrical parts of the inner part and axial surface facing an axial surface of the plate parts of the inner parts. A retainer engages the outer part and encloses another axial face of the inner part to form bearing spaces into which oil can be pumped for lubricating the sliding bearing. The pump can be in the form of spiral grooves in the radially extending, disc-like plate part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a mechanical supercharger for an internal combustion engine and having a sliding bearing mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional mechanical supercharger is shown in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 62-199928. This conventional mechanical supercharger is shown in FIG. 5. Therein, reference numeral 220 indicates a rotor which is fixed to a rotor shaft 221 by a fastening pin 222, and the both ends of the shaft are rotationally supported in a housing 224 via sliding bearing 223. The housing 224 includes a rotor-housing 225a, a bearing-housing 225b which supports the sliding bearings 223, and two side-housings 226a, 226b which are respectively fixed to the rotor-housing 225a and the bearing-housing 225b.
Two of the rotors 220 are positioned in the volume which is formed by the rotor-housing 225a and a bearing-housing 225b, and a bypass passage for the intake air opens in the rotor-housing 225a. The lower shaft 221 shown in FIG. 5 is a driven shaft of the mechanical supercharger, and extends through the rotor-housing 225a so as to project into the side-housing 226a.
Within the side-housing 226a is a wet type multiple plate clutch 230 which may be conventional and which transmits the rotation of a pulley 228 to the shaft 221. A shaft 229 of the pulley 228 is driven by a direct driving system of the internal combustion engine. The pulley 228 and the shaft 229 are rotationally supported in the side-housing 226a by ball bearing 233, together with a supporting plate 232 supporting multiple plates 231 of the driving side of the multiple plate clutch 230. To the shaft 221 is fixed a supporting plate 236 supporting multiple plates 235 of the driven side of the multiple plate clutch 230, and the multiple plates 235 are disposed between the multiple plates 231 of the driving side. The multiple plates 231, 235 rotate together with their respective supporting plates 232, 236 and are able to move axially thereon. The multiple plates 231, 235 are pressed into engagement for coupling the shafts 221 and 229 by the magnetic force resulting from excitation of coil 237 fixed to the side-housing 226a, and the force of this engagement is controlled by the amount of the excitation current supplied to the coil 237. Namely, the torque transmitted from the shaft 229 to the shaft 221 is controlled by the amount of excitation current supplied to the coil 237.
Oil is supplied between the multiple plates 231, 235 from a sump 238. The multiple plate clutch 230 has the property of permitting sliding between the multiple plates 231, 235 for small values of the current to the magnet 237. The oil operates as a lubricant and coolant and is stored in the sump 238 at the bottom of the side-housing 226a, and the lower parts of the supporting plates 232, 236 and multiple plates 231, 235 are submerged in the oil. Therefore the oil always exists between the multiple plates 231, 235.
An oil receiver 240 above the sliding-bearing 223 in FIG. 5 and a oil passage 241 from the oil receiver 240 to the sliding-bearings 223 are formed in the rotor-housing 225a so as to supply the oil to the sliding bearings 223 as a lubricant. The oil is supplied to the oil receiver by flying; that is, when the supporting plates 232, 236 rotate, the oil around the supporting plates 232, 236 is flung upward by centrifugal force and flows into the oil receiver 240. The oil supplied to the sliding-bearings 223 is also used for the lubrication of oil seals 242 fit to the outer faces of the shafts 221. The oil returns to the side-housing 226a through the passage 241c.
A pair of the shafts 221 project into the side-housing 226b as shown of the right side in FIG. 5, and meshing gears 245 are fixed to the ends of the shafts 221, as a result of which the two rotors 221 rotate simultaneously. In the bottom of the side-housing 226b is an oil sump 238' similar to that in the side-housing 226a. The lower part of the lower gear 245 is submerged in the oil within the sump 238'. The oil flung by the gear 245 lubricates the sliding bearings 223' and the oil seals 242'.
For the purpose of preventing a jolt in the thrust direction of the ball bearing 233, it has been proposed to use a double angular ball bearing, however the system has a mechanical loss and is noisy. The sliding bearings 223 and 223' in FIG. 5 support loads only in the radial direction. Additionally, the oil-supplied by flying is not always enough for the bearings 223 and 223'. Therefore it is possible that the bearings are damaged.

Mechanical supercharger having a thrust bearing


A method for performing data communication between two circuits. Information is serially transmitted between two circuits. A first level change in one direction of a pulse signal output from one of the circuits to the other is determined as a reference time. A first data bit is determined to be a "1" or "0" in accordance with a time period from the reference time to a second level change in the one direction following the reference time. The second level change in the one direction as the reference time relative to the next bit of data in the pulse signal is then determined, whereby data of a predetermined number of bits are continuously transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data communication method, specifically to a data communication method suitable for use in a camera.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the recent advancement of automatization of cameras, cameras provided with an auto-focus (AF) system and an auto-exposure (AE) system have increasingly been produced. Nowadays, however, higher function is demanded for a camera. For example, shortening focalizing time or increasing accuracy of focalizing are demanded. Further, various complex kinds of programmed exposure modes, such as a shutter speed priority mode for telephoto lens, an object depth priority mode for wide angle lens, etc., and display apparatuses of a larger size enabling a user to recognize at a glance various photograph information, such as number of frames of film to be photographed, programme mode, etc. are demanded. Further, in order to increase accuracy of focalizing for AF (auto-focus) devices, an increase in the number of CCD's (Charge Coupled Devices), an increase in lens information, and higher calculation processing are required. Under these circumstances, difficulties have been experienced in performing various functions of memorizing, calculating or processing data and controlling a system by means of a single microcomputer.
In order to eliminate the above problems, it will be possible to provide plural microcomputers so as to share the above functions with them. For example, it is possible to provide a main microcomputer, together with one or more of sub-microcomputers, thus entrusting the main microcomputer with a system control function for generally controlling sequential operation of a camera and also controlling a distance measurement and calculation function. In the meantime the main microcomputer may entrust the one or more of sub-microcomputers with a photometric calculation function, a data input control, a data-memorizing function, a display control function, etc. Functions of calculations, control and memorizing may be shared with the plural microcomputers so as to increase processing efficiency.
The above system however requires a large amount of data transmission between the main microcomputer and the sub-microcomputers, and hence it is necessary to allot several communication lines for data communication to the main microcomputer and each of the sub-microcomputers. Furthermore, in order to achieve accurate data transmission, it is necessary to employ a control line such as a communication request line, busy line, or the like, or it may also be necessary to employ a synchronous clock or a system clock for an asynchronous communication with a higher accuracy. Furthermore, a signal for control line communication other than serial transmission lines is required in order to perform serial data communication between the main microcomputer and sub-microcomputers, thus requiring at least three communication lines for performing data communication. Accordingly, unnecessary or excessive use of ports for information processing might occur.
When the user desires to photograph with plural light sources, it is necessary to connect the camera and flash with a cable for exclusive use of plural light sources. This results in time-consuming setting and thus inconvenience. There is another type of system, particularly intended for photographing wild birds, in which such a connection cable is obviated and infrared light is output from an external accessary for remote control, thus releasing the camera from the confines of a cable-type system. In such a type of system, however, only an operation of release is permitted, and thus it is not possible to set up photograph mode and/or exposure rectification from a position remote from the camera body, nor to permit monitoring of number of photographable frames of film and/or brightness of an object.

Data communication method between circuits


A method for measuring the dynamic response characteristics of a shock accelerometer comprises the steps of attaching an accelerometer to be tested and a strain gage to one end of a rod supported to be axially slidable, imparting an impact to the other end of the rod, inputting the acceleration arising when the elastic wave reflect from the end surface of the rod to the accelerometer and the strain gage, subjecting the outputs of the accelerometer and the strain gage to data processing and error compensation to obtain the gain and phase characteristics of the accelerometer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring the dynamic response characteristics, including the gain characteristics and the phase characteristics, of a shock accelerometer of the type used for measurements in drop impact tests conducted on containers for transporting radioactive wastes, impact tests conducted on structures, vehicle collision tests and the like.
2. Prior Art Statement
Shock accelerometers are employed in such wide-ranging fields of industrial measurement as collision tests conducted on structures, drop impact tests, stress analysis tests and vibration analysis tests.
As a method for calibrating an shock accelerometer, there is known that set out in ISO 5347, which is a method using a combination of a vibrator and a laser interferometer. With this conventional method, however, it is difficult to carry out high-precision calibration because as the frequency of the vibrating table becomes higher, the vibration amplitude becomes smaller and the waveform deviates from sinusoidal. While high frequencies excitation is possible by using a resonant vibrating table, the excitation frequency that can be produced is determined by the particular vibrating table so that where it is desired to measure the characteristics of an accelerometer over a wide frequency range, it becomes necessary to use a large number of resonant vibrating tables with different excitation frequencies. This leads to unreliable calibration and is also uneconomical. Moreover, although the conventional calibration method is intended for use at vibration accelerations of 100 m/s.sup.2 or less, it is in fact used for calibration at higher vibration accelerations because there is no other method available. The reliability of the detected values is thus highly doubtful.
Since an accelerometer can be modeled as an oscillating system consisting of a spring and a mass, it has its own resonant frequency. Because of this, the gain (sensitivity) of an accelerometer is a function of the frequency of the input acceleration. Generally, the gain is constant in the low frequency region but increases as the frequency of the input acceleration approaches the resonant frequency. As the accelerometer can be used only in the region of constant gain, the frequency at which the gain increases by a prescribed rate is defined as the upper limit frequency at which the accelerometer can be used. The relationship between the frequency of the input acceleration and the gain will be referred to here as the gain characteristics.
In any dynamic system, of which the accelerometer is only one example, the system delay increases as the timewise variation in the input signal becomes faster, causing a phase lag between the input signal and the output signal. Therefore, similarly to the case of the gain, the frequency at which the phase lag comes to exceed the tolerable limit is defined as the upper limit frequency for the phase.
Elastic waves and plastic waves are generated in the interior of an object to which an accelerometer is attached when the object is subjected to an impact. In the measurement of shock acceleration for evaluation of breaking, the acceleration output signal is sometimes passed through an electrical filter for removing the effect of the elastic waves. Where the phase of the filter output signal has to be taken into consideration, it is indispensable to have prior knowledge of the relationship between the phase lag and the frequency of the accelerometer output signal itself, that is to say, of the phase characteristics. Also, in cases where the signal output by the accelerometer is to be used as a trigger signal and the timing thereof is subject to severe conditions, it becomes impossible to use phase compensation and other such control techniques unless the phase characteristics are known.
Thus for calibrating an shock accelerometer it is necessary to determine both the gain characteristics and the phase characteristics.

Method and apparatus for measuring dynamic response characteristics of shock accelerometer

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Ministry of International Trade and Industry


Inhibitors of SecA, and methods of making and using thereof, are described herein. The compounds described herein can be used to treat or prevent microbial infections, such as bacterial infections.

Due to the widespread emergence of drug-resistance, diseases caused by bacterial pathogens have become a major public health concern in recent years. There is an urgent need for the development of new antimicrobials, especially those that have a new target, in order to overcome drug resistance. Bacteria generally develop drug resistance in three ways: production of metabolizing enzymes for the degradation of the drugs, modification of their targets to render the drugs ineffective, and expression of high levels of efflux proteins that "pump" the drug out of cells resulting in the lowering of drug concentration inside. Therefore, the most promising approaches to finding new antimicrobials include (1) searching for new targets, (2) inhibiting or overcoming efflux, and (3) inhibiting metabolic enzymes.
SecA, an indispensable ATPase of the protein translocation machinery is present in all bacteria. SecA is responsible for the secretion of many vital proteins, important toxins and other virulence factors, and is essential for bacterial survival. SecA has no counterpart in mammalian cells, thus providing an ideal target for developing antimicrobial agents. SecA functions as a membrane protein, forming a transmembrane channel and thus provides the possibility for antimicrobial agents to reach this target without entering into the cells. In such a case, the drug efflux pump would have less negative effects on the inhibitor's ability to exert antimicrobial activity. In addition, because SecA is present in all bacteria, this is a target for the development of broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
Inhibitors of SecA can be potential antimicrobial agents. However, inhibitor development for SecA had not been an active area of research until recently, presumably due to the difficulty in working with this membrane protein and the active translocation complex. To date, inorganic azide was the only known SecA inhibitor with an IC50 at the mM range. However, azide is also an inhibitor of many other enzymes such as cytochrome c oxidase, superoxide dismutase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and ceruloplasmin. Additional SecA inhibitors with potencies in the high μM to low mM range have been reported.
There exists a need for new SecA inhibitors which have activity in the low or high nanomolar to low micromolar range.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide SecA inhibitors which have activity in the low or high nanomolar to low micromolar range and methods of making and using thereof.

SecA inhibitors and methods of making and using thereof

Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.


An isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process is disclosed which improves alkylate quality by segregating the olefin feed into intermediate feedstreams which are enriched in propene, 1-butene, and/or 2-butenes with respect to the olefin feed, and alkylating these intermediate feedstreams in separate reaction zones at reaction temperatures specific to the olefin feed to increase the ratio of trimethylpentanes to dimethylhexanes in the resulting alkylate product.

Isoparaffin-olefin alkylation upgrades two relatively low value feedstreams to form an isoparaffinic gasoline. This isoparaffinic alkylate is particularly useful as a component in so-called "clean" gasolines because it contains no aromatics, sulfur, or olefins, and is compatible with octane-enhancing oxygenates such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME).
Concentrated sulfuric or hydrofluoric acids have, in the past, been the catalysts of choice for isoparaffin-olefin alkylation. Sulfuric acid alkylation produces large volumes of spent acid waste, and the disposal costs for this spent material continue to rise. Hydrofluoric acid, on the other hand, is more readily regenerable, but, in the event of an accidental release, tends to vaporize and form clouds which can migrate for some distance. Years of industry experience have proven that HF can be handled safely, provided that the proper precautions are taken. For a general discussion of sulfuric acid alkylation, see the series of three articles by L. F. Albright et al., "Alkylation of Isobutane with C.sub.4 Olefins", 27 Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 381-397, (1988). For a survey of hydrofluoric acid catalyzed alkylation, see 1 Handbook of Petroleum Refining Processes 23-28 (R. A. Meyers, ed., 1986).
With the increasing demands for octane and the increasing environmental concerns, it has been desirable to develop an alkylation process employing safer, more environmentally acceptable catalyst systems. Specifically, it is desirable to provide an industrially viable alternative to the currently used hydrofluoric and sulfuric acid alkylation processes. Consequently, substantial efforts have been made to develop a viable isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process which avoids the environmental and safety problems associated with sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid alkylation while retaining the alkylate quality and reliability characteristic of these well-known processes. Research efforts have been directed toward solid as well as liquid alkylation catalyst systems, as reflected in the following references.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,258 teaches an alkylation process using a catalyst comprising a macroreticular acid cation exchange resin and boron trifluoride. According to the patent, the life of such a catalyst can be extended by the presence in the reaction mixture of closely controlled amounts of water which can be added to the feed as water or as water-forming compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,644 discloses a method for regenerating a zeolite catalyst used in hydrocarbon conversion processes involving carbonium ion intermediates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,557 describes alkylation of isobutane with C.sub.2 -C.sub.3 olefins using certain crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite catalysts in a fixed-, moving- or fluidized bed system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,565 discloses alkylation of a paraffin with an olefin in the presence of a catalyst comprising a Group VIII noble metal present on a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite. The catalyst is pretreated with hydrogen to promote selectivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,916 describes an isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process featuring use of an ion-exchanged crystalline aluminosilicate, isoparaffin/olefin molar ratios below 3:1 and regeneration of the catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,813 discloses a process for alkylating C.sub.4 -C.sub.5 isoparaffins with C.sub.3 -C.sub.9 olefins using a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite catalyst wherein a halide adjuvant is used in the alkylation reactor. The isoparaffin and olefin are introduced into the alkylation reactor at specified concentrations and catalyst is continuously regenerated outside the alkylation reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,814 discloses another zeolite-catalyzed isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process and further provides for the addition of C.sub.5 + paraffins such as Udex raffinate or C.sub.5 + olefins to the alkylation reactor feed and the use of specific reactant proportions, halide adjuvants, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,671 discloses an alkylation reaction wherein crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites having silica to alumina mole ratios above 3 are used. The reference also discloses the use of various metals exchanged and/or impregnated on such zeolites.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,977 discloses alkylation of paraffins with ethylene using a zeolite catalyst which possesses a Group VII metal component. The catalyst is pretreated with hydrogen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,738 describes a process for alkylating an isoparaffin with an olefin using a solid, particulate catalyst capable of absorbing the olefin. The isoparaffin and the olefin are admixed to form a reactant stream in contact with catalyst particles at the upstream end of an adsorption zone. Thereafter, the reactants are passed concurrently with the catalyst so that a controlled amount of olefin is adsorbed into the catalyst before the combination of reactants and catalyst is introduced into an alkylation zone. This controlled olefin adsorption is thought to prevent polymerization of the olefin during alkylation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,161 describes a process of alkylating isoparaffins with olefins to provide alkylate using a large-pore zeolite catalyst capable of absorbing 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, for example, ZSM-4, ZSM-20, ZSM-3, ZSM-18, zeolite Beta, faujasite, mordenite, zeolite Y and the rare earth metal-containing forms thereof, and a Lewis acid such as boron trifluoride, antimony pentafluoride or aluminum trichloride. The use of a large-pore zeolite with a Lewis acid is reported to increase the activity and selectivity of the zeolite, thereby effecting alkylation with high olefin space velocity and low isoparaffin/olefin ratio. According to the patent, problems arise in the use of solid catalyst in that they appear to age rapidly and cannot perform effectively at high olefin space velocity and the patent teaches the above solution to rectify the problem utilizing a zeolite alkylation catalyst.
The article entitled "Fixed Bed Catalytic Process to Produce Synthetic Lubricants from Decene-1", IND. ENG. CHEM. PROD. RES. DEV., Vol. 22, No. 4 (1983) teaches oligomerizing olefin to produce fluids with lubricating properties using a silica-BF.sub.3 -water catalyst. The authors further teach that with this system much of the BF.sub.3 can be recycled to minimize BF.sub.3 consumption and disposal problems. The reference teaches that water is a necessary component of the system and that in its absence a BF.sub.3 -silica catalyst rapidly deactivates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,414, an olefin, such as 1-decene, is oligomerized in the presence of a three-component catalyst comprising boron trifluoride, a minute amount of water and a particulate absorbent material such as silica to a lubricating product predominating in those oligomer fractions having viscosities within the lubricating oil range such as the trimer and tetramet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,177 further relates to a method for making lubricating oil utilizing a catalyst comprising boron trifluoride, a minute amount of elemental oxygen and a particulate absorbent material such as silica.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,621 relates to oligomerization of olefins catalyzed by boron trifluoride which is controlled to yield desired trimer as a dominant lubricant product by adding small amounts of ester together with water or alcohol promoter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,105 also relates to oligomerizing an olefin in the presence of three-component catalyst used in making lubricating oils which comprises a particular silica absorbent with boron trifluoride and water absorbed on the silica.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,296 relates to a three-component catalyst used in making lubricating oils which comprises a particular silica absorbent with boron trifluoride and water absorbed on the silica.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,890 discloses a process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon with an olefin-acting compound at alkylation conditions in the presence of an alkylation catalyst comprising boron trifluoride-modified alumina. Subsequently, U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,230 discloses the importance of the presence of small amounts of water for maintaining catalyst activity. Both of these patents are limited to aromatic alkylation processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,491 relates to isoparaffin-olefin alkylation to make gasoline at temperatures between -20.degree. and 150.degree. F. utilizing a two-component catalyst comprising essentially excess BF.sub.3 with a "silica stabilized gel alumina." No activators are taught.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,251,902 and 3,893,942, as well as French Patent 1,593,716 and the article by Kirsh and Potts, DIV. OF PET. CHEM. A.C.S. 15, A109 (1970) address alkylation in the presence of zeolite-based catalyst systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,728 relates to a process for isomerizing olefinic hydrocarbon, such as 1-butene or 1-pentene by contacting the hydrocarbon with a catalyst comprising a crystalline alumina silicate combined with a substantially anhydrous boron halide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,003 relates to a process for producing an alkylation reaction product from an isoparaffinic reactant and an olefinic reactant containing 1-butene, 2-butene and isobutene which includes passing the olefinic reactant through an isomerization zone. The isomerization catalyst comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate combined with a substantially anhydrous boron halide which can be boron trifluoride. Conventional catalysts are utilized for the alkylation reaction and include sulfuric acid and hydrogen fluoride catalyst which have the disadvantages set forth above.
Catalyst complexes comprising BF.sub.3 as well as BF.sub.3 :H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 adducts have been proposed, and are discussed in greater detail below. While these catalysts effectively overcome many of the safety and environmental drawbacks of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid alkylation systems, the volume and quality of BF.sub.3 alkylates have not, in the past, proven comparable to that of sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid alkylates. Further, the BF.sub.3 -catalyzed isobutane-butene alkylation processes typically require high isoparaffin:olefin feed ratios of at least about 5:1 to produce an alkylate gasoline product of acceptable quality.
U.K. Patent 545,441, assigned to Standard Oil Development Company, teaches a BF.sub.3 :H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 catalyzed isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,345,095 to Bruner teaches a paraffin-olefin alkylation process catalyzed by a boron trifluoride-water complex, represented by the formula BF.sub.3 :nH.sub.2 O, where n is preferably from 1 to 1.5.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,296,370 and 2,296,371 to Slotterbeck disclose a BF.sub.3 :H.sub.2 O:HF catalyst system and an isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process employing the same. The catalyst system is said to avoid yield loss due to oxidation of the resulting alkylate product.
U.K. Patent 550,711 teaches a process for increasing the activity of at least partially spent BF.sub.3 :H.sub.2 O catalyst systems for reuse in an organic condensation reaction. Briefly, the process volatilizes BF.sub.3 from the liquid catalyst mass to the extent required to promote separation of a distinct hydrocarbon phase from the catalyst mass. This hydrocarbon phase is then decanted off and fresh BF.sub.3 is added to restore catalytic activity.
Canadian Patent 424,000 teaches a process for producing gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons from isobutane and a normally gaseous olefin by absorbing the olefin in phosphoric acid of at least 75 weight percent concentration with an amount of isobutane equal to at least three moles of isobutane per mole of alkyl phosphate in the presence of a catalytic mixture of phosphoric acid and boron halide at temperature between 20.degree. C. and 60.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,634 to Hoffman teaches a method of increasing the rate of ethylene alkylation by isobutane by carrying out the reaction simultaneously with the alkylation of a small amount of a higher weight olefin with isobutane in the presence of a BF.sub.3 :H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 catalyst complex at low temperature and pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,500 to Wentzheimer discloses a combined acid alkylation and thermal cracking process employing a BF.sub.3 :H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 acid catalyst in which unconverted propane and ethane from the alkylation process are converted, for example, to propylene and ethylene which are subsequently alkylated with isobutane to evolve a valuable liquid fuel.

Multiple split feed isoparaffin-olefin alkylation


Some embodiments include constructions having electrically conductive bitlines within a stack of alternating electrically conductive wordline levels and electrically insulative levels. Cavities extend into the electrically conductive wordline levels, and phase change material is within the cavities. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory. An opening is formed through a stack of alternating electrically conductive levels and electrically insulative levels. Cavities are extended into the electrically conductive levels along the opening. Phase change material is formed within the cavities, and incorporated into vertically-stacked memory cells. An electrically conductive interconnect is formed within the opening, and is electrically coupled with a plurality of the vertically-stacked memory cells.

Memory is one type of integrated circuitry, and is used in computer systems for storing data. Memory cells may be configured to retain or store memory in at least two different selectable states. In some memory cells, the different memory states may correspond to different physical states of a programmable material. For instance, phase change memory (PCM) may utilize ovonic memory materials (e.g., various chalcogenides) as programmable materials in memory cells; with the phase change materials being transformed from one phase to another through application of appropriate electrical stimulus.
The ovonic memory materials may be utilized in combination with selection devices, such as diodes or ovonic threshold switches.
A continuing goal with memory, including PCM, is to increase packing density of the memory across a semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, it is desired to develop new memory architectures, and new methods of forming memory architectures.


Focus-assisted intelligent personal assistant query response determination is provided. A query submitted by an individual to an intelligent personal assistant is obtained and a direction of focus of the individual at a time the individual submits the query to the intelligent personal assistant is identified. Image(s) of an environment in the direction of focus of the individual are obtained and, based at least in part on the direction of focus, a geographic area to which the query applies is determined. A response to the query is determined at least in part by searching user-generated content associated with the geographic area. The response is validated against the captured image(s) of the environment, and the query is responded to by providing the determined response.

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is available to guide individuals along a travel route while providing additional information such as points of interest. Both the guidance data and the additional information is typically stored on a remote server. This and other location based services utilize an indication of the individual's location as detected by a location device, such as one built into the individual's mobile device, and software delivers appropriate information and services to the individual. Additionally, voice-based intelligent personal assistants provide different voice-based question and answer services in which software of the individual's mobile device (as an example) receives an input voice-based query and forwards the input query or a variant thereof to a remote server to search for a response to the query. Example voice-based intelligent personal assistants include and/or are incorporated into the Siri® voice recognition software (offered by Apple Inc., Cupertino, Calif., U.S.A., of which SIRI is a registered trademark), the Google Now service (offered by Google Inc., Mountain View, Calif., U.S.A., of which GOOGLE NOW is a trademark), the Cortana® personal assistant (offered by Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., U.S.A., of which CORTANA is a registered trademark), and the Alexa Internet Service (offered by Amazon.com, Inc., Seattle, Wash., U.S.A.).
While searching of a request may be accomplished through an internet search when the request self-contains the necessary information (such as 'how many fluid ounces are in a quart?'), current intelligent personal assistants are largely unable to handle queries that rely on additional contextual information to inform a well-defined query.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A cable assembly comprising a signal conductor, a needle electrode electrically connected to the signal conductor and a safety cover having a central passage therein. The signal conductor extends through the central passage. The safety cover is moveable along the signal conductor for allowing the needle electrode to become positioned within the central passage.

Currently available subdermal needle electrodes (i.e., conventional subdermal needle electrodes) are typically provided in the form of an assembly consisting of a metal needle electrode (stainless steel, platinum, tungsten etc.), lead wire, connector fixedly joining the metal needle electrode to a first end portion of the lead wire, and an electrical plug connected to a second end portion of the lead wire. This assembly is referred to herein as a subdermal needle electrode cable assembly, which is typically offered as a single subdermal needle electrode cable assembly in a sterile-packaged or a set (e.g., pair) of subdermal needle electrode cable assemblies in a sterile package.
Subdermal needle electrodes are used in neurological and neurophysiological studies for recording a variety of types of neurological and neurophysiological signals. Examples of such signals include, but are not limited to, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, spontaneous or triggered electromyogram (EMG) signals, somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) signals, transcranial motor evoked potential (tcMEP) signals, brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAER) signals, and visual evoked potential (VEP) signals. The studies generally occur in various environments such as, for example, a hospital intensive care unit (ICU), an in-patient setting (e.g., clinic), and in an operating room (e.g., at a hospital). Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IOM) is a common type of intra-operative neurophysiological study and can include any combination of EEG, SSEP, tcMEP, EMG, BAER, or VEP signal monitoring during neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular surgery and neurovascular surgery. During such types of surgeries, neural structures are often at risk for loss of function and, thus, the benefit of monitoring such function with IOM.
Intraoperative neuromonitoring has developed rapidly over the last several years. Furthermore, it has become a standard aspect of care in the modern surgical procedures outlined above. Intraoperative neuromonitoring is required in a considerable number of surgical procedures every day in US and many other countries around the world. Most of the procedures require 20-40 subdermal needle electrodes. Thus, a very large number of subdermal needle electrodes are used daily throughout the United States as well as many other countries around the world.
In one example, subdermal needle electrodes are applied through the skin to reach the target muscle groups for EMG recording and subcutaneously in the scalp for SSEP recording. Optionally, electrodes can also be applied subcutaneously in the scalp for transcranial motor stimulation. Intraoperative neuromonitoring is an extremely important tool for providing the surgeon with constant functional assessment of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Subdermal electrode needles are not reusable and, thus, require disposal after use. Because subdermal needle electrodes need to penetrate the skin in the patients, they must be considered to carry bloodborne pathogens after use.
Currently available FDA-approved subdermal needle electrodes have a protective cover over the needle to keep the needle sterile in its package and prior to use as well as prevent needle sticks prior to its use. However, they do not have any safety features to prevent or limit the potential for needle sticks once they are removed from a patient. With the considerable number of intraoperative neuromonitoring procedures in the US and worldwide, needle stick incidents from subdermal needle electrodes by healthcare professional and surgeons are not uncommon.
To handle a total of 20-40 single electrodes or paired electrodes in a time-critical operating room, a high rate of needle stick incidents occur to neurophysiologists, neuromonitoring technicians, nurses, anesthesiologist, surgeons and room helpers. This type of surgery requires teamwork with many surgical staff members working simultaneously on the patient especially at the beginning and end of surgery. The needle electrodes must be removed from the patient before recovery from the anesthesia. This is an extremely hazardous procedure when 20-40 single or 10-20 pairs of subdermal needle electrodes are individually removed from the patient's body. The removed needle electrodes are open and exposed until their final collection and disposal. During this time, all of the surgical staff are at risk of a needle stick, which could potentially transmit hazardous bloodborne pathogens and/or infectious diseases. Examples of such hazardous bloodborne pathogens and/or infectious diseases include, but are not limited to, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).
In October of 2000, "The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act" (i.e., the ACT) was passed in the United States Senate (October 3rd) and United States House of Representatives of The United States of America (October 26th) in United States Congress. In response to this law, the US Department of Labor revised "The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard" in January of 2001. The Act presents various aspects of the requirement for use of engineering and work practice controls to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The Act presents information relating to changes in technology that eliminate or reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The Act states that numerous studies have demonstrated that the use of safer medical devices, such as needleless systems and sharps with engineered sharps injury protections, when they are part of an overall bloodborne pathogens risk-reduction program, can be extremely effective in reducing accidental sharps injuries. The Act also states that, in March of 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 62 to 88 percent of sharps injuries could potentially be prevented by the use of safer medical devices.
The traditional design of the subdermal needle electrode has existed for many years without change. More specifically, no currently-available FDA-approved subdermal needle electrode have any type of safety device that prevents or substantially limits the potential for sticks by the needle electrode after it has been removed from a patient. Therefore, a subdermal needle electrode cable assembly that overcomes drawbacks associated with currently available subdermal needle electrode cable assemblies not preventing or substantially limits the potential for needle sticks would be advantageous, desirable and useful.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Subdermal needle electrode cable assembly having movable needle safety cover integral therewith


Miniature rose plant having a high petal count and stable light yellow color of its flowers; its high-centered bud form, ease of rooting cuttings and long shelf life as a pot rose.

Genus and species: Rose hybrida.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98JACposunxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant named xe2x80x98JACposunxe2x80x99 which was originated by me by crossing an unnamed seedling with an unnamed seedling.
The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a new yellow pot rose variety having the long shelf life, high petal count and compact size of the bright, yellow miniature female combined with the high-centered bud form and ease of rooting of the pale yellow, miniature male.
The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in the new variety and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties of which I am aware:
1. Long shelf life (16-18 days);
2. Light yellow stable, flower color;
3. High petal count;
4. High centered bud form; and
5. Ease of rooting as softwood cuttings.
Asexual reproduction of this new variety by rooting cuttings, as performed at Somis, Calif., shows that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.
The female parent has bright yellow two-inch flowers and has a shelf life of about ten days. The male parent has pale yellow flowers in large clusters and has a shelf-life of about twenty-one days.
Easter Parade (unpatented) with salmon pink flowers is the most similar known variety but xe2x80x98JACposun""sxe2x80x99 flowers are of a pale yellow, it presents more clusters, and its cuttings are easier to root.

Miniature rose plant named xe2x80x98JACposunxe2x80x99


A lens is provided for a task ambient luminaire having an elongated linear lamp tube for providing light, the lens including a refractive surface configured to extend along a portion of a length of the lamp and further configured to extend across the lamp in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the lamp, a mounting flange extending from the refractive surface and being configured to slidingly engage the luminaire and to support the lens within the luminaire, where the lens is slidably movable along the length of the lamp.

Task ambient luminaires are generally understood to be lighting fixtures which provide light to both a defined target surface and to non-target specific area. Commonly, these type of luminaires are employed in an office context where light is required on a desk surface for task-specific applications and in a direction generally upward for casting light toward the ceiling and walls of the office space. Typically a task ambient luminaire used in the context includes a housing mounted on a wall or office partition above a work surface such as a desk. The housing includes one or more elongated linear lamp tubes and the required electrical components to mount and illuminate the lamp. The housing is further configured, by use of reflectors, etc., to direct light emitted from the lamp downward to the desk surface and upward to an ambient area comprising the ceiling and/or walls. Such task ambient constructions bring the light source closer to the task area and reduce or eliminate direct glare by hiding the lamp tube from view and by controlling the light with suitable lenses, refractors, reflectors, baffles, louvers and the like.
Refractor plates of specialized design are available which will reduce or eliminate both direct glare and reflected glare from a light source. Reflected glare is also known as veiling reflection and results from reflections from a task and the background of the task. For example, light-colored desk surfaces, writing paper thereon and light colored backgrounds reflect desirable light, but if the task (e.g., pencil or ink writing) also reflects light to the viewer, the contrast between the task and its immediate background is reduced. It is this reduction of contrast which makes seeing difficult.
Direct glare can be eliminated by baffles, shields, refractors and reflectors which cut off direct view of the lighting source. As for the elimination of veiling reflections, when their source is light emitted downward from a zone located above and slightly in front of the task area, refractor plates have been employed which refract or redirect the light. This refraction can be visualized in terms of the photometric curves showing relative candlepower distribution of the luminous flux. These curves take the form of a half bat wing shape, or a full bat wing shape if all of the luminous flux below and adjacent to the plane of the refractor is analyzed. The bat wing configurations represent luminous flux patterns and indicate the direction and distribution of the flux.
Typical of refractor plates which distribute luminous flux from a light source in a bat wing configuration are the plates described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,258,590 and 4,054,793. However, such reflectors are often fixed in place and offer the user little if no adjustability. Moreover, the mounting of the refractor plates in within the respective luminaires requires installation of fixation means within the luminaire such as mounting tabs on a housing portion of the luminaire and screw holes formed through luminaire reflectors. This type of fixation means complicates production and assembly of the luminaire and can degrade its performance by marring reflector surfaces etc. Addition, typical refractor plates are mounted in such a way as to interfere with the performance of the luminaire's reflectors. That is, refractor plates are often mounted beneath the respective lamp tube at some point upon the downlight luminaire reflector. In this situation, the mounting of the refractor plate impedes passage of light from the lamp tube through the luminaire housing to the task area below.
Thus, there is a need for a device which addresses the issue of veiling reflections caused by a task ambient luminaire, which is readily installed therein in such manner as to minimally interfere with desired light emanations of the luminaire lamp tube, and which is convenient to use and readily adjustable.

Contoured lens for task ambient luminaires


A method of changing an anti-lock brake system (ABS) control mode includes: determining, by a controller, whether a first stage of an electronic stability control (ESC) of the vehicle is in an off state and a launch control of the vehicle is in an on state, and determining, by the controller, whether a driver intends to slow down an operation of the ABS installed in the vehicle; and when it is determined that the driver intends to slow down the operation of the ABS, comparing, by the controller, revolutions per minute (RPM) of an engine of the vehicle, a vehicle acceleration speed, a vehicle speed, and a steering angle with predetermined threshold values, respectively, and when each of the comparison results is satisfied, changing, by the controller, an ABS general control mode to an ABS sport control mode which slows down the operation of the ABS.

In a case of a hydraulic brake, when a brake pedal is operated, braking hydraulic pressure is applied from a master cylinder, so that braking of a vehicle is performed.
In this case, when braking force larger than static friction force between a road and a tire is applied to the tire, a slip phenomenon, that is, a phenomenon in which the tire slips on the road, is generated. In order to prevent the slip phenomenon and secure stable braking force, an anti-lock brake system (ABS) was developed, and the ABS may detect a slip phenomenon, adjust braking hydraulic pressure according to the detection, and enable a vehicle to stop with the shortest distance.
The ABS may include an electronic control unit (ECU) for controlling electric elements, a plurality of solenoid valves for controlling braking hydraulic pressure transferred to each hydraulic brake, an accumulator, and a hydraulic control device, such as a hydraulic pump. In common, a slip valve is calculated based on a wheel speed detected by a sensor and a speed of a vehicle body estimated from the wheel speed, and when the calculated slip value reaches a predetermined slip valve, the ABS operates.
In relation to this, a method of controlling an ABS for a vehicle according to a related art includes: calculating the amount of slip of a vehicle, calculating the amount of threshold slip for operating an ABS, determining whether the amount of slip is larger than the amount of threshold slip, and controlling the ABS to operate when the case where it is determined that the amount of slip is larger than the amount of threshold slip is continuously generated by the predetermined number of times or more.
However, the related art controls the operation of the ABS only based on the amount of slip, so that the related art has a problem in that the related art cannot determine whether to brake considering a driving state, such as a case where a vehicle travels at a high speed or driving is performed in a circuit.

Method of changing ABS control mode by using analysis of driving pattern


A zone reflection type microwave oscillator using a dielectric resonator wherein a comparatively simple DC cutting circuit is formed which is capable of preventing the DC bias current from leaking into the terminal resistor without the use of any chip capacitor so as to improve the stability of the oscillation output and reduce the price.

The present invention generally relates to a zone reflection type microwave oscillator using a dielectric resonator, and more particularly, to a construction of a DC cutting circuit to be in for the microwave oscillator.
Generally, referring to FIG. 3 which is a circuit diagram showing the essential portions of a conventional microwave oscillator of this type, a microstrip line 1 is connected between a transistor Tr of a bipolar type and a terminal resistor R. A dielectric resonator 2 is magnetically coupled with the strip line 1 to constitute a resonance circuit.
As a bipolar transistor Tr is used as a current driving type of negative resistance element in the microwave oscillator, it is necessary for a bias current to flow into the base of the bipolar transistor Tr. In order to prevent the bias current from flowing toward the terminal resistor R side, a chip capacitor C is connected between the microstrip line 1 and the terminal resistor R.
However, in the conventional microwave oscillator of the above-described construction, there is a problem in that the oscillation becomes unstable because of variations of the chip capacitor C itself, and the amount of the solder applied during the mounting operation of the chip capacitor C onto the basic plate.
Also, there is another problem in that the price of the microwave oscillator itself becomes higher, because a chip capacitor C as described hereinabove is expensive.

Zone reflection type microwave oscillator

c/o Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 26-10, Tenjin, 2-chome


Techniques for improving performance of accelerated processing devices (“APDs”) when exceptions occur are provided. In APDs, the very large number of parallel processing execution units, and the complexity of the hardware used to execute a large number of work-items in parallel, means that APDs typically stall when an exception occurs (unlike in central processing units (“CPUs”), which are able to execute speculatively and out-of-order). However, the techniques provided herein allow at least some execution to occur past exceptions. Execution past an exception generating instruction occurs by executing instructions that would not lead to a corruption while skipping those that would lead to a corruption. After the exception has been satisfied, execution occurs in a replay mode in which the potentially exception-generating instruction is executed and in which instructions that did not execute in the exception-wait mode are executed. A mask and counter are used to control execution in replay mode.

Graphics processing units ("GPUs") are massively parallel computing devices that are useful for a wide variety of tasks. Programs executing on GPUs may include instructions that may result in a delay. One example is a memory instruction, which loads or stores data and refers to a virtual memory address. The time needed for translation of the address could potentially result in a delay. Another example of an exception is an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") exception, such as a divide-by-zero exception, and a floating point underflow or overflow exception.


A semiconductor integrated circuit according to one aspect of the present invention may includes a plurality of driving circuits to drive a respective plurality of word lines with either a first voltage supplied from a first power supply or a second voltage supplied from a second power supply in accordance with a control signal, and a plurality of gate transistors in each of which a gate is connected to one of the plurality of word lines, and a connection state between a storage node and a bit line is changed based on the voltage provided to the word line connected to the gate. In the semiconductor integrated circuit, a gate oxide film of each of the plurality of gate transistors is thinner than a gate oxide film of each of transistors constituting the plurality of driving circuits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits and, more specifically, to a semiconductor integrated circuit provided with memory cells of a DRAM.
2. Description of Related Art
A DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) has recently become popular for use as a storage device in a semiconductor integrated circuit. In the DRAM, data is recorded in storage nodes by storing electrical charge in a capacitor in each of the memory cells, and data is exchanged between bit lines and the storage nodes via a gate transistor. For performing data exchange as such without fail even if the data stored in the storage nodes has a voltage almost the same as a power supply voltage VDD in the DRAM, a step-up voltage VPP higher than the power supply voltage VDD is applied to the gate in order to bring the gate transistor to a selected state.
For such an operation, the gate transistor of the DRAM is required to have voltage resistance of a level enough to withstand an application of the step-up voltage VPP. With a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor, the voltage resistance can be increased with a thicker gate oxide film. When the transistor does not have the voltage resistance high enough for an applied voltage, the element suffers age deterioration faster than usual, or element is damaged. In consideration thereof, the gate oxide film of the gate transistor generally has the same thickness as that of a transistor of a driving circuit supplying the step-up voltage VPP to the gate of the gate transistor.
On the other hand, a power supply voltage VDD is applied to the transistor constituting a control circuit, and such a transistor is not thus required to have the voltage resistance as high as the transistor of the driving circuit and the gate transistor. Accordingly, any transistor constituting a circuit operating with the power supply voltage VDD, e.g., control circuit, can have a gate oxide film thinner than those of the transistor of the driving circuit and the gate transistor. With a thinner gate oxide film as such, the circuit operation can become faster, and the transistor can be more miniaturized.
As such, with a semiconductor integrated circuit, the thickness of the gate oxide film (or the level of the voltage resistance) of the transistor is changed in accordance with an applied voltage, thereby being able to reduce the circuit size while assuring the level of the voltage resistance of the transistor. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-15704 describes such a previous technology of using a plurality of transistors having different thickness in accordance with an applied voltage.
The present inventors have found a problem as follows. The transistor has two different types of voltage resistance, one is not to immediately damage elements after voltage application, and the other is not to cause age deterioration to elements due to continuous voltage application. As such, as for transistors to which a high voltage is applied, when any transistor for use in a portion to be subjected to short-term application of high voltage is so designed as to be resistant to continuous application of high voltage, the resulting transistor shows considerably small performance deterioration in view of the product life. With such a voltage-resistant design, however, the gate oxide film in the transistor will be excessively increased in thickness, thereby causing a problem of increasing the circuit size due to the increase in element size.


The object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having the individualized appearance as well as the improved visibility, which the mark should inherently provide, by imparting the luster (brilliance) to the mark, without lowering the durability of the mark, even if the mark is printed with the ink composition which the luster material is blended into. The golf ball of the present invention includes a mark made from an ink composition, wherein the ink composition has a pigment, and a luster material having a core layer with a smooth surface and a metal covering the core layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf ball having a mark thereon, more particularly to a technique which improves the visibility, the durability and the appearance of the mark.
2. Description of the Related Art
A golf ball generally has printed marks such as letters, numbers and drawings to represent a brand name, a play number and the like on a surface of the golf ball body. In recent years, golfers tend to prefer the mark having luxurious and unique appearance. In order to satisfy the preference, there are provided golf balls where the mark having the luster is formed by blending the metal powder and the like into the ink composition for printing the mark.
For example, Japanese patent publication No. H11-114093A discloses a golf ball where the mark is printed with the ink composition comprising a pigment and a metal powder.
Japanese patent publication No. H11-319147A discloses a golf having the mark of the predetermined drawings. The mark is printed with the ink composition comprising the luster-developing component.
Japanese patent publication No. 2003-210617A discloses a golf ball where the mark is printed with the ink composition comprising a metal powder having a resin coating on the surface thereof and a pigment as an essential component.


A semiconductor layout structure includes multiple active blocks which are disposed on a substrate, parallel with one another and extending along a first direction, multiple first shallow trench isolations which are disposed on a substrate, parallel with one another and respectively disposed on the multiple active blocks, and multiple second shallow trench isolations which are disposed on a substrate, cutting through multiple active blocks and extending along a second direction. The first direction has an angle about 1 degree to about 53 degrees to the second direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor layout structure. In particular, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor layout structure with two sets of shallow trench isolations which are neither parallel with nor perpendicular to each other, in order to substantially increase the area of the active area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the semiconductor layout structure, an active region accommodates the gate, the source and the drain, which is the core region in a semiconductor element. Besides, because the gate, the source and the drain respectively need a contact plug to electrically connect other circuits upwardly penetrating the interlayer dielectric layer, the size of the contact area of the source, the drain and the gate would directly affect the process window of following etching processes to establish the contact plugs aligning with the gate, the source and the drain, as well as affect the contact resistance of the contact plugs. However, there is no semiconductor layout structure to solve such problems in the current field.
So a novel semiconductor layout structure is still needed to increase the area of the active region in working order, to substantially increase the area of the gate, the source and the drain, to facilitate to increase the etching process window, as well as to effectively reduce the contact resistance of the contact plugs.

Hwa-Ya Technology Park Kueishan, Taoyuan


Methods are disclosed for measuring an analyte concentration in a fluidic sample. Such methods allow one to correct and/or compensate for confounding variables such as hematocrit, salt concentration and/or temperature before providing an analyte concentration. The measurement methods use response information from a test sequence having at least one DC block, where DC block includes at least one excitation pulse and at least one recovery pulse, and where a closed circuit condition of an electrode system is maintained during the at least one recovery pulse. Information encoded in the excitation and recovery pulses are used to build within- and across-pulse descriptors to correct/compensate for hematocrit, salt concentration and/or temperature effects on the analyte concentration. Methods of transforming current response data also are disclosed. Further disclosed are devices, apparatuses and systems incorporating the various measurement methods.

Significant benefits can be realized from electrochemically measuring analytes in fluidic samples (i.e., biological or environmental). For example, individuals with diabetes can benefit from measuring glucose. Those potentially at-risk for heart disease can benefit from measuring cholesterols and triglycerides among other analytes. These are but a few examples of the benefits of measuring analytes in biological samples. Advancements in the medical sciences are identifying a growing number of analytes that can be electrochemically analyzed by, for example, determining analyte concentrations in a fluidic sample.
The accuracy of current methods of electrochemically measuring analytes such as glucose can be negatively affected by a number of confounding variables including variations in reagent thickness, wetting of the reagent, rate of sample diffusion, hematocrit (Hct), temperature, salt and other confounding variables. These confounding variables can cause an increase or decrease in an observed magnitude of, for example, a current that is proportional to glucose, thereby causing a deviation from the "true" glucose concentration.
Current methods and systems provide some advantages with respect to convenience; however, there remains a need for new methods of electrochemically measuring an analyte in a fluid sample even in the presence of confounding variables.

Descriptor-based methods of electrochemically measuring an analyte as well as devices, apparatuses and systems incorporating the same


The present invention relates to a balloon-equipped intubation assembly and to a method of inserting the same into the air passages of a subject. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, an intubation assembly is provided which comprises an endotracheal tube that is equipped, at its proximal end, with a removable balloon adapter. The balloon adapter and its characteristic movements during "blind" intubation are used to monitor the progress of the insertion and ensure its proper positioning within the trachea of the subject.

The endotracheal tube, used to ensure adequate oxygenation (i.e., ventilation) of a conscious or unconscious patient, is a mainstay of internal medicine. Various improvements of the basic endotracheal tube have been described in the literature, including the addition of an inflatable cuff that encircles the distal end of the tube to assist in holding the tube in place within the trachea of the patient. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,043 granted to McGinnis, which also describes means for inflating the cuff externally and a separate inflatable member that allows the medical practitioner to gauge the pressure of the internal cuff to avoid pressure necrosis of the involved tissues of the trachea.) Other improvements of the endotracheal tube have been described. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,605 granted to Harautuneian and Penny; U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,407 granted to Elam; and, more recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,924 granted to Hammerschmidt and Zumbruch).
The intubation or insertion of an endotracheal tube into a patient to supplement, assist, or dislace a patient's normal breathing is a common medical procedure that is performed in many settings, including an accident scene, in a rescue vehicle or ambulance, in an emergency room, or a regular operating room. Thus, it is not that unusual for the site in which the procedure is being attempted to be bustling with medical and rescue personnel, along with the noise caused by their vehicles or equipment, not to mention the general pandemonium caused by the people, themselves, shouting and yelling instructions to one another.
It is under such circumstances that the medical practitioner frequently has to perform the intubation procedure. Typically, the endotracheal tube is inserted intraorally, if the patient is unconscious. (If the patient is conscious or has an intact gag reflex, then the tube is inserted intranasally to provide more comfort for the patient). To verify proper insertion, the medical practitioner will typically do one of two things: first, he or she may place the proximal end of the tube to his or her ear to listen for the sounds made by the patient's breathing; or, second, he or she may place the end of the tube close to the bottom portion of his or her forearm or wrist in an attempt to feel the movement of air.
All the while, there is the possibility that the patient may cough, sneeze, excrete or, otherwise, expel aerosols, saliva, mucus, and other bodily excretions, especially through the tube and, hence, into the medical practitioner's ear or against his or her exposed skin. What is more, the patient may be suffering from a communicable disorder borne by some microbial, fungal, or viral disease-causing agent. Thus, there is clearly a need for a means by which the medical practitioner can perform and verify a successful intubation without reliance on his or her auditory or hearing acuity or skin sensitivity.
Yet, while the intubation procedure may be extremely difficult in an emergency setting, this common procedure can be quite tricky even in the relative "quiet" of an operating room in the absence of sophisticated fiber viewing optics (e.g., a laryngoscope) that allow the medical practitioner to determine by internal visualization the proper passage into which the endotracheal tube is to be inserted. Such a "blind" insertion (i.e., without the optics) has in the past been aided by use of one of two devices. The first is a whistling device that produces a sound that is created by the rapid passage of air through the device. Unfortunately, such a device is of no help if the patient is in acute respiratory distress (in which case the patient is hardly breathing, if at all), cardiac arrest, or if the patient's breathing is otherwise very shallow or intermittent.
A second device consists of a color change monitor that attaches to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube after intubation. If the distal end of the endotracheal tube is positioned in the trachea, carbon dioxide gas which is exhaled by the patient causes the color monitor to exhibit a color reading that is consistent with proper levels of carbon dioxide gas production. If, instead, the endotracheal tube is located in the esophagus, the color reading will reflect inadequate levels of carbon dioxide, and the medical practitioner will then attempt to re-intubate the patient. While providing a visual signal, the color change monitor requires a minimum of six full breaths for an accurate color change to develop (up to 20-25 seconds after the endotracheal tube as hopefully been positioned properly and the air cuff, if equipped, inflated). Besides requiring a relatively extended period for providing a color reading, which approaches the ACLS allowable anoxic intubation time of 30 seconds, the above-mentioned color change monitor requires careful comparison of the various colors that are produced by the device against standard color charts. Morevover, the color change monitor is relatively expensive, adding about $40 to the cost of the procedure.
Hence, there remains a need for providing a simple, quick, and effective means of facilitating the insertion of an endotracheal tube and of verifying proper placement in the trachea of the patient.

Intubation assembly and method of inserting same having a balloon to indicate the position of tube inside of the patient


An antenna device that includes an antenna having a single feed and a shunt circuit. The shunt circuit includes a first shunt matching circuit causing impedance, viewed from a main path connecting the antenna and a radio frequency circuit, to be substantially infinite with respect to all frequency ranges handled by the antenna, and a second shunt matching circuit providing a predetermined impedance characteristic with respect to a first subset of the frequency ranges handled by the antenna. Each of the first and second shunt matching circuits are selectively connected to the main path, and a selection controller of the antenna device controls selection of which of the first and second shunt matching circuits are connected to the main path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device and a radio communication apparatus that are capable of performing radio communication in multiple frequency ranges.
2. Description of the Related Art
The so-called "cellular system" uses frequency ranges of 800 MHz to 2 GHz for radio communication. In the cellular system, frequency ranges (hereinafter may be referred to as "bands") to be used are specified for each country or region. Thus, the radio communication apparatus designed for use in various countries and regions has to be equipped with antenna devices that are capable of handling all bands specified for each country or region.
One example of such antennas that are capable of handling multiple bands is a two-branch antenna. The two-branch antenna is constituted by one RF (radio frequency) port and two elements for a low frequency range (hereinafter may be referred to as a "low band") and a high frequency range (hereinafter may be referred to as a "high band"). An antenna device having the two-branch antenna achieves impedance matching for two bands, i.e., the low band and the high band, by using the two-branch antenna and an LC resonant circuit.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2000-216716 and 2008-11329 describe technologies in which multiple antennas are assigned to respective multiple bands. That is, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2000-216716 and 2008-11329 describe technologies about the so-called "antenna switching diversity" for which multiple antennae are provided and are used through switching. Thus, with the technologies, appropriate switching between the multiple antennas assigned to the respective bands allows the antenna device to handle all bands.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-59121, 2007-235635, and 2007-143031 describe technologies for varying impedance by changing the antenna length or by using constants connected to multiple paths. As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-59121, 2007-235635, and 2007-143031, when the antenna length is varied or impedance is varied using the constants connected to the paths, the antenna device can handle multiple bands by using a single antenna.

Antenna device and radio communication apparatus


The present invention provides a low-cost electrolytic capacitor wherein the deformation of the casing due to the thermal expansion during reflowing is prevented. An electrolytic capacitor of a surface mounting type having a capacitor element that consists of a dielectric film and an electrode foil, a metal casing that holds the capacitor element, and an electrolyte solution in which the capacitor element held in the casing is immersed, wherein the casing is equipped with a gas absorbing member that absorbs the gas generated in the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrolytic capacitor of a surface mounting type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, an electrolytic capacitor having a capacitor element, a casing made of a metal such as aluminum that holds the capacitor element, and an electrolyte solution in which the capacitor element held in the casing has been widely used.
Although electrolytic capacitors include an SMD (surface mounted device) mounted on a substrate by reflowing, and an IMD (insert-molded device) mounted on a substrate by printing, the present invention relates to an SMD-type electrolytic capacitor.
In the SMD-type electrolytic capacitor, a paste-like solder known as "cream solder" is previously printed on a substrate so as to enable surface mounting, an SMD is mounted on the surface of the substrate using an injecting molding machine known as a chip mounter, and thereafter, the substrate is heated to about 250° C. in a high-temperature furnace to melt the solder, and the SMD is adhered on the substrate.
In such an electrolytic capacitor, although the casing must be sealed so that the electrolyte solution and water vapor do not leak out of the casing, there may be a case wherein the internal pressure of the casing is elevated by the gas generated by heating during reflowing to expand the casing and to deform the SMD, and defect wherein the electrolytic capacitor cannot be properly mounted occurs.
Recently, on the other hand, the regulations on environmental contaminants have become increasingly strict, and as part of it, the movement to regulate six chemical substances, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalence chromium covering electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS Directive) is spreading across the world. The RoHS Directive prohibits the use of the six substances in the products marketed in EU member nations from July 2006, and the industry is required to respond to the RoHS regulations.
Lead, which is specified in the RoHS regulations as a hazardous substance, is contained in lead solder widely used for a long time in the reflow step for an electrolytic capacitor, and since the possibility of the elution of lead from lead-containing waste due to acid rain or the like has been pointed out, switching to unleaded solder has been desired. However, since the melting temperature of most unleaded solders presently considered is higher than before, there is no choice other than raising the reflow temperature. Therefore, the quantity of gas generated in the casing due to the rise of heating temperature during the reflow of an electrolytic capacitor tends to increase than before. Heretofore, for these problems, although the approach to seal the generated gas in the casing has been tried, there is limitation in such countermeasures.
Therefore, as an electrolytic capacitor having a structure that lets off the air out of the casing, but does not let off the electrolyte solution and water vapor in the casing, there has been disclosed an electrolytic capacitor wherein a capacitor element is held in a casing consisting of a composite resin of a phenol resin and alumina, and equipped with a gas transmitting section having fine pores each having a diameter of 0.01 to 2 μm (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-286170, pp. 2-3, FIGS. 1 and 2).
However, since the electrolytic capacitor disclosed in the above reference must use a casing equipped with a gas transmitting section of a special structure, there is a problem of higher costs. In addition, there is possibility of causing environmental contamination by the gas released from the gas transmitting section.


A package includes a stack of hinged trays for holding media discs, having a flexible hinge member affixed to the hinge edges of the trays, mounted in a protective container having a base, a spine and a cover. The bottom tray in the stack is mounted in the base for pivotal movement about the tray edge opposite the hinge edge, whereby, as trays are pivoted about the flexible hinge member from the stack onto a second stack, the hinge edge of the bottom tray pivots away from the base when the second stack contains at least one more tray than the original stack. Pivotal mounting is achieved by providing a slot on the bottom tray which engages slot receiving means mounted on the base.

Trays are often used as storage means for media discs, such as compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs) and similarly shaped disc-like information storage media. As used herein, the term "media disc" refers to a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or other disc-shaped media item that is used to store analog or digital information. A useful configuration for packaging multiple media discs is a stacked array of trays. In a stacked array, the hinge edges of the trays are aligned with each other in the stack and a flexible hinge member is affixed to the hinge edges to hinge the trays to each other. Frequently, the stack of trays is mounted onto an interior panel of a jacket with the underside of the bottom tray affixed to the panel, while the jacket is folded around the stack of trays to close the package. When the trays are pivoted from the single stack configuration about the flexible hinge member to form a second stack, as the second stack becomes taller than the first stack, so long as the attachment of the bottom tray to the panel remains intact, stresses are created on the flexible hinge member which cause it to separate from the hinge edges of the trays. At the same time, stresses are placed upon the means, such as adhesives, attaching the underside of the bottom tray to the panel, causing the jacket to pull away from the bottom tray. Whether the resulting damage is to the flexible hinge member or to the cover, both of which are undesirable, the integrity of the overall package is destroyed with possible damage to the media discs stored within the stacked trays.
Packages which include a hinged stack of disc-holding trays are disclosed in International Publication No. WO 03/050812, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. It would be advantageous to design a package which is not susceptible to the type of damage discussed hereinabove, will prevent damage to and pilferage of the media discs, and into/from which the media discs can readily be inserted and removed.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an economical, simple and effective package for storing a hinged, stacked array of trays for holding media discs which will not be damaged by pivoting of the trays from a single stack to form a second stack.


Systems and methods include instantiating an application on first and second display devices. The application includes objects and an integrated wiki module. The integrated wiki module includes object wiki pages associated with the objects. The first display device is controlled to display a control module when an object is displayed thereon and to display an object wiki page in response to receiving a selection of the control module. The object wiki page includes content associated with the object. Instructions are received to change the content included in the object wiki page. The second display device is controlled to display the control module when the object is displayed on the second display device and to display the object wiki page including the changed content in response to receiving a selection of the control module after receiving the instructions to change the content.

The present disclosure relates to user interfaces, product interaction, and collaboration and, more specifically, to a system and method for providing product interaction and collaboration.
Existing computing systems may provide a user with a tutorial or help feature. This tutorial feature may be a module that allows the user to view content that is stored locally or remotely. The content may be electronic versions of documents that are in one or more electronic file formats. The user may use these documents to understand how to use an application or an object of the application.
The concept of a wiki is known. A wiki is a set of computer-readable instructions executed by a computer, such as a server, that may allow users to freely add, modify, or delete content in collaboration with others. Wikis are typically accessed through one or more web browsers. Text is usually written using a simplified markup language or a rich-text editor. While a wiki is a type of content management system, it may differ from a blog or most other such systems in that the content may be created without any defined owner or leader, and wikis have little implicit structure, allowing structure to emerge according to the needs of the users. Known wikis may support hyperlinks and may include a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks between internal pages on the fly. A wiki is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself.

Providing product with integrated wiki module


A microporous layer for use in a fuel cell includes a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive. A method for producing a membrane electrode assembly includes preparing a microporous layer ink, applying the microporous layer ink to a first side of a gas diffusion substrate, sintering the gas diffusion substrate to form a gas diffusion layer having a first side with a microporous layer, and thermally bonding the first side of the gas diffusion layer to an electrode layer. The microporous layer ink includes a suspension medium, a first carbon black having carboxyl groups at a concentration less than 0.1 mmol per gram of carbon, a hydrophobic additive and a hydrophilic additive.

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) generally includes an anode, a cathode and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) between the anode and cathode. In one example, hydrogen gas is fed to the anode and air or pure oxygen is fed to the cathode. However, it is recognized that other types of fuels and oxidants can be used. At the anode, an anode catalyst causes the hydrogen molecules to split into protons (H+) and electrons (e−). The protons pass through the PEM to the cathode while the electrons travel through an external circuit to the cathode, resulting in production of electricity. At the cathode, a cathode catalyst causes the oxygen molecules to react with the protons and electrons from the anode to form water.
For the fuel cell to perform properly, the amount of water present near the cathode must be managed. On one hand, too much water present near the cathode will cause "flooding", thereby disrupting delivery of reactants (air or oxygen) to the cathode and potentially preventing fuel cell reactions. On the other hand, the loss of too much water vapor from the fuel cell can cause the PEM to dry, increasing resistance across the membrane. Eventually, the membrane will crack and form one or more paths where hydrogen and oxygen can combine directly, generating heat that can damage the fuel cell. Some fuel cells are capable of operating at both high and low temperatures. Depending on the operating temperature, water management needs can be very different. For instance, flooding is generally a larger concern at low operating temperatures, while loss of water vapor is generally a larger concern at high operating temperatures.

Microporous layer with hydrophilic additives


Metering of a physical characteristic is described, in which a stochastic approach is taken. A random signal is generated on the basis of a metering signal, with a view to maximising a statistical distance between the two. The random signal and the metering signal are mixed together to obscure characteristics of the metering signal which could otherwise divulge private information to third parties.

Smart metering offers an opportunity to collect and store information (such as power consumption) from a utility grid at household level with increased granularity. Although current policy regulations are restrictive from the point of view of the collected data reuse, the storage of this data opens up a possibility for its misuse. If the collected and stored data become available to parties other than the intended user (in this case a utility company), such as law enforcement agencies, marketing agencies and malicious individuals, this could represent a privacy and/or security risk for consumers.
The term "smart grid" is a recently coined term which represents a large number of different technologies aiming at improving existing electrical power distribution networks. Existing power distribution networks tend to be of an aging character, and one of the general goals of smart grid technology is to bring intelligence into networks to improve efficiency and robustness such that they will be more capable of responding to new higher consumption demands.
One way to adjust to new demands is to employ communication and control networks which will enable a frequent scanning of the power network state and carrying out appropriate actions to provide its stability and functionality.
Power data is being collected with increased granularity. Storage of this detailed data in the smart grid introduces concerns about consumers' privacy. These concerns may be justified by the use of non-intrusive appliance load monitors (NALM), which analyse power signals to track appliance usage patterns. Research suggests that information gathered from the power signals accompanied with other available information can be used to build profiles of house occupants. This could represent a serious privacy threat both for individuals, and for companies and government organisations.
One way of addressing privacy requirements is to develop regulatory data privacy frameworks and policies, based on standard privacy principles such as notice, choice and consent. Anonymity services can also help protect privacy. For example, metering data can be aggregated and encrypted. Alternatively, the data can be separated into low frequency attributable data (for example, data used for billing) and high frequency anonymous technical data (for example, data used for demand-side management).

Privacy protection for smart metering data


A lubrication system of a vehicle engine wherein a cylinder head has a head side oil passage disposed at one end thereof along the axis of a crankshaft. A lower case of a crankcase is provided with a supply source side oil passage communicating with an oil supply source and extending parallel to the axis of the crankshaft and a branched oil passage guiding oil to the head side oil passage which branches from the supply source side oil passage and extends upwardly. An upper case side oil passage extending vertically to communicate with a head side oil passage is provided at one end of an upper case along the axis of the crankshaft. A communication passage communicating the upper end of a branched oil passage is provided in a lower case in a position inwardly from the upper case side oil passage along the axis of the crankshaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubrication system of a small vehicle engine wherein a crankcase having an upper case coupled to a cylinder barrel forming a cylinder bore and a lower case separably coupled thereto rotatably supports a crankshaft having an axis in the vehicle width direction, a cylinder head has at one end along the axis of the crankshaft a head side oil passage, and the lower case is provided with a supply source side oil passage communicating with an oil supply source and extended in parallel with the axis of the crankshaft and a branched oil passage guiding oil to the head side oil passage and branched from the supply source side oil passage to be erected upwardly.
2. Description of Background Art
There has been known in JP-A No. 2004-100630 a lubrication system wherein an oil passage communicating an oil filter and an oil cooler disposed on the front surface of a crankcase when an engine is mounted on a motorcycle is provided in a lower case of the crankcase along the axis of a crankshaft, and a branched oil passage branched from the oil passage guides oil to a cylinder head side.
The cylinder head is provided with a head side oil passage positioned at one end along the axis of the crankshaft. In the lubrication system disclosed in JP-A No. 2004-100630, the branched oil passage branched from the oil passage provided in the lower case is connected to the head side oil passage by an oil passage construction arranged in one plane orthogonal to the axis of the crankshaft on one end side along the axis of the crankshaft. To secure a space arranging the branched oil passage, the width of the lower case in the direction along the axis of the crankshaft needs to be set to be relatively large. The degree of freedom in arrangement of the body frame and the exhaust system mounted on a small vehicle is reduced and the bank angle is difficult to secure.

Lubrication system of small vehicle engine


A method for operating a gas turbine engine includes coupling an anti-resonant frequency system to a combustor including a premixer assembly and a plurality of damper tubes, and adjusting the anti-resonant frequency system until the anti-resonant frequency of the damper tubes is approximately equal to the combustor resonant frequency.

This application relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to gas turbine combustors.
Air pollution concerns worldwide have led to stricter emissions standards both domestically and internationally. Pollutant emissions from industrial gas turbines are subject to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards that regulate the emission of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO). In general, engine emissions fall into two classes: those formed because of high flame temperatures (NOx), and those formed because of low flame temperatures which do not allow completion of the fuel-air reaction (HC & CO).
At least some known gas turbine combustors include a plurality of mixers, which mix high velocity air with liquid or gaseous fuels prior to the mixture being ignited. Such mixers usually include a single fuel injector located at a center of a swirler which swirls incoming air to facilitate enhancing flame stabilization and mixing. Both the fuel injector and mixer are coupled to a combustor dome.
At least some known gas turbine engine combustors operate with a fuel to air ratio in the mixer that is fuel-rich, wherein additional air is added through discrete dilution holes prior to the combustion gases exiting the combustor. However, poor mixing and hot spots may occur both at the dome, where the injected fuel must vaporize and mix prior to burning, and in the vicinity of the dilution holes, wherein additional air is added to the rich dome mixture. Other known gas turbine engines use dry-low-emissions (DLE) combustors that create fuel-lean mixtures in the mixer. Because the fuel-air mixture throughout the combustor is lean, DLE combustors typically do not have dilution holes.
In operation, combustion acoustics may limit the operational range of lean premixed gas turbine combustors. To facilitate reducing combustion acoustics, at least some known gas turbine engines utilize mismatched flame temperatures. However, mismatching the flame temperatures may result in increasing NOx emissions. Other known gas turbine engines use a variety of passive means to facilitate reducing the amplitude of the combustion acoustics. For example, at least one known gas turbine engine uses a plurality of quarter-wave acoustic damper tubes to reduce combustor acoustics. Quarter-wave damper tubes operate over a relatively narrow band of frequencies, and are fabricated in a plurality of lengths. To determine the optimum length of a damper tube, a time consuming process may be required. The process includes coupling a damper tube having a predetermined length to the gas turbine, and measuring the resultant combustor acoustics. The process must generally be repeated until the optimal damper tube length has been identified.

Method and apparatus to decrease combustor acoustics