A multiplexed, absorbance-based microfabricated chip electrophoresis system, microfabricated chip, and method of use are included for the detection and identification of protein species. The microfabricated chip electrophoresis system capable of analyzing multiple samples simultaneously. The system uses a microfabricated chip having a sample chamber for first dimension separation of a sample, a first planar array of channels for second dimension separation of the sample approximately perpendicular the sample chamber, and a barrier separating the sample chamber from the first planar array of channels during the first dimension separation. In use, the sample is placed into a sample chamber, a barrier is established around the sample chamber, the sample is isoelectric focused within the sample chamber, the barrier is then removed, and the sample separated in the first array of channels by molecular weight.

The completion of Human Genome Project has opened the door to a flood of postgenomic applications that rely on genomic sequences. However DNA sequence information alone is not able to predict gene expressions, co- and post-translational modifications and phenotype or multigenic phenomena such as drug administration, cell cycle, oncogene, aging, stress and disease. The understanding of probably half a million human proteins and their relationship to physiological or disease conditions is still a long way away. Proteome is a new fundamental concept, which has recently emerged, that should play a significant role in the battle to unravel biochemical and physiological mechanism of complex multivariate diseases at the functional molecular level. Proteomics can be defined as the qualitative and quantitative comparison of proteomes under different conditions to further unravel biological processes. Proteomics is becoming an important topic in the effort to understand gene regulations and the changes in protein profiles in cellular systems either in physiological conditions or disease conditions. Although still in its infancy, proteomics already promises revolutionary changes in biological and medical sciences.
Proteome studies have developed and continue to be dependent upon the core technology of multidimensional separation techniques, such as 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and more recently, combined chromatography techniques (e.g. LC-LC). Despite the increased popularity of the latter, 2-D gel electrophoresis remains one of the most frequently chosen methods of choice due to its ability to separate complex mixtures of proteins and to follow multigenic phenomena at the level of whole cells, tissue, and even whole organisms.
2-DE is a method for the separation and identification of proteins in a sample by displacement in 2 dimensions oriented at right angles to one another. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) is used in the first dimension, which separates proteins according to their isoelectric points (pIs). The pI is the pH at which an amphoteric substance is neutral charged. When pH is higher than the pI of a substance, it will be negative charged and vise versa. When a protein is placed in a medium with a pH gradient and subjected to an electric field, it will initially move toward the electrode with the opposite charge. As it migrates, its net charge and mobility will decrease and the protein will slow down. Eventually, the protein will arrive at the point in the pH gradient equal to its pI, where it becomes neutral and stop migrating. If the protein should happen to diffuse to a region of lower (higher) pH, it will become positively (negatively) charged and be forced back toward the cathode (anode) by the electric field. In this way, proteins are focused into sharp bands in the pH gradient at their individual characteristic pI values. SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) is the method for the second dimension separation, in which protein separation is based on molecular weight. SDS binds to all proteins, and the net effect is that proteins migrate with a uniform negative charge-to-mass ratio. The pores of polyacrylamide gel sieve proteins according to size (i.e. molecular weight). Smaller proteins move faster through the gel under the electric field than larger proteins, thus achieve molecular sieving. Compared to 1-D electrophoresis based separation methods, 2-D strategy allows the sample to separate over a larger area, increasing the resolution of each component. E.g. unlike PAGE 1-D separation, which can only separate about 100 bands, 2-D gel based separations can analyze samples with much higher complexity (e.g. common 2-D runs can separate thousands of spots).
When first developed, 2-DE utilized carrier ampholyte (CA) to generate pH gradient for the first dimension IEF separation. However there are many disadvantages associated with CA-IEF. Firstly, equilibrium CA-IEF cannot be achieved because of cathodic drift, which means that pH gradient moves towards the cathode end with prolonged focusing time. Secondly, reproducibility of pH gradient is also influenced by the batch-to-batch variability of CA preparations, and by the sources where the CA is obtained. Therefore, the exchange of 2-D gel data between laboratories has been a major problem because of spatial irreproducibility between 2-D gels generated by the CA-IEF. The problems of pH gradient instability and irreproducibility were solved by the introduction of immobilize pH gradient (IPG) for IEF. Certain chemicals, co-polymerized with the acrylamide matrix, generate a much stable pH gradient. The advantages of IPG include the elimination of cathodic drift, an enhancement in reproducibility. Also, the introduction of IPG has greatly improved resolution, especially with the usage of narrow-range IPGs. This advancement makes 2-D gel electrophoresis a core technology of proteome analysis, facilitating spot identification by peptide fingerprinting, amino acid composition, analysis peptide sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis.
However, there are still many disadvantages in this 2-DE technique, which may limit its usage in proteomics researches. The disadvantages of 2D gel electrophoresis include labor-intensive (sample treatment, gel preparing, staining), time consuming (usually takes multiple days to complete one analysis), and not readily automated (need constant human attention). Low throughput is another important factor influencing the cost effectiveness of conventional approaches to proteome analysis. Despite numerous refinements in electrophoretic techniques over the past decade, the above disadvantages associated with the 2-D gel electrophoresis still exist. The process is still tedious and inefficient and the time required to prepare, load, separate and visualize complex mixtures of proteins on conventional 2-D gels is still substantial. To meet the needs of proteomic research, new technologies still need to be developed with the following features: 1) must have increased resolving power; 2) must have higher sensitivity and speed; 3) must be automated and easy to use; 4) must have the ability to perform high throughput analysis and 5) better have the potential to couple with some other techniques such as MS.
Improvements in speed, sensitivity, resolution and automation can be achieved by using capillary electrophoresis (CE), which offers many advantages over traditional gel electrophoresis for the separation of a wide variety of molecules. Multiplexed capillary electrophoresis, which utilizes parallel capillary tubes simultaneously, also provides enhanced throughput. CE on microchips is an emerging new technology that promises to lead the next revolution in chemical analysis. Over the past decade, the field of microfabrication of analytical devices has grown from an esoteric technique to a recognized technique with commercially available systems. It has the potential to simultaneously assay hundreds of samples in a short time, and also is easier to interface with MS than traditional CE. Isoelectric focusing on microfabricated devices using either natural pH gradient (Analytical Chemistry, 2000, 72, 3745-3751) or ampholyte-generated pH gradient (Electrophoresis, 2002, 23, 3638-3645) has been reported. These resemble the first dimension separation in traditional 2-D gel electrophoresis. On the other hand, efforts have been made to separate proteins based on their sizes in microfludic channels (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1999, 96, 5372-5377). However these applications are based on single-channel devices, and therefore only provide 1-D separation. Whitesides et al. have constructed a chip device by PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), on which 2D gel electrophoresis has performed (Analytical Chemistry, 2002, 74, 1772-1778). The first dimension is isoelectric focusing and the second dimension is SDS gel electrophoresis. However, this device is not automated in part because after the first dimension separation, the device has to be manually dissembled and then re-assembled to physically connect the first dimension to the second dimension channels.
These above-mentioned microchip-based studies used fluorescence detection, which required labeling of the protein with dyes, which will change the properties of the sample (e.g. pI and molecular weight). UV (ultraviolet) absorption detection is more useful because of its ease of implementation and wider applicability, especially for the deep-UV (200-220 nm) detection of organic and biologically important compounds. In a UV detection system, a section of capillary tube or microfabricated channel is irradiated with a UV light source. A photodetector detects the light that passes through the tube. When a UV absorbing sample component passes through the irradiated portion of the capillary tube, the photodetector detects less passed light (indicating absorbance). In this way an electropherogram, a plot of absorbance versus time, can be produced. Photodiode arrays (PDA) are used in many commercial CE and HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) systems for providing absorption spectra of the analytes in real time. Transmitted light from a single point in a flow stream is dispersed by a grating and recorded across a linear array. Yeung et al., in PCT Application WO 01/18528A1, disclosed a multiplexed, absorbance-based capillary electrophoresis system for analyzing multiple samples simultaneously. The use of UV absorbance eliminates the need for protein staining, which is a major contributor for the long time used in traditional 2-D gel electrophoresis.
The primary objective of this invention is to fulfill the above described needs in proteomics study with an improved multiplexed, absorbance-based system.
A further objective is an automated alternative for the 2-D gel electrophoresis, which will provide higher speed, higher sensitivity, higher resolution and higher throughput.
A still further objective is a chip-based microfludic device that at one dimension can perform isoelectric focusing, and at another dimension can perform size-based protein separation.
A still further objective is to include separation mechanisms and the type of information recorded similar to 2-D gel electrophoresis. A still further objective is to include UV absorbance detection.
One or more of these and/or other objectives will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.


A device includes a number of grating stages having a liquid crystal layer disposed between at least two substrates, where at least one is coated with a photo-alignment layer and transparent electrodes. Each grating stage may be switchably responsive to a voltage, with grating periods of each grating stage selected such that, when the voltage is applied to a grating stage and a laser beam is passed therethrough, optical energy from the laser beam in plus and minus first orders is deflected toward sides of the grating stage and optical energy from a zero order of the laser beam is allowed to pass through the grating stage. A polarization state of the laser beam may be maintained from an input through an output. Each grating stage may include a thickness selected to achromatize the laser beam through the grating stages.

Attenuation mechanisms without a polarization change relative to the source may present benefits that are frequently lost through the use of conventional attenuation schemes. However, with the advent of multi-line lasers and supercontinuum lasers, broadband attenuation has generally become relatively difficult in cases where it is desirous to maintain laser source characteristics through attenuation. The problem may further increase in complexity if true continuous wave (CW) conditions are desirous for a system, e.g., where an attenuator does not have pulse width modulation or similar modulation mechanisms.
An existing method of broadband attenuation includes a circularly variable neutral density filter (CVND). In this case, a transparent optical substrate (e.g., germanium, silicon, some form of sapphire such as synthetic sapphire, or the like) is coated on one side with a metallic Inconel® coating such that the density varies with angle, e.g., coated with a thin film anti-reflection coating and a non-uniform coating for providing attenuation. Unfortunately, the Inconel® coating generally does not provide even attenuation over a large spectrum of interest (e.g., about 1.9 μm-5.0 μm) and the relative spectral content of the laser may change dynamically with CVND angular position. Thus, at least three problems may arise from the current state of the art of CVND technology: (1) multiple reflections; (2) spectrally-dependent attenuation; and (3) polarization-sensitive attenuation. Additionally, CVNDs may require motors with significant weight, moderate size, and very large, heavy cabling to provide power and feedback signals.
Other methods of dynamic attenuation may include the following: a half waveplate positioned between two fixed linear polarizers; one fixed and one rotating linear polarizer; digital micromirror displays (DMDs); source power modulation; angularly varied thin film interference coatings. In the case of DMDs, two methods of attenuation to a laser beam may be provided: pulse width modulation (PWM) and binary modulation. However, PWM may introduce an undesirable frequency element into a CW system, which can ruin fidelity in some cases. Similarly, source modulation through PWM is typically not an option. For binary modulation of a DMD for attenuation, pixels may be turned on and off completely such that attenuation would be provided spatially in a laser beam, but this creates undesirable spatial artifacts in the system and increases calibration complexity.
Thin film-based attenuators may be used, but many prove inflexible for system changes such as laser source changes with different polarization states. An additional disadvantage of this technology may include the heavy motors and associated control cabling often required to rotate the attenuators at a relatively high angular velocity and acceleration in high-speed applications.
Attenuators created from combinations of linear polarizers (one fixed and one rotating) may similarly place requirements on a rotating mount for providing the specified angular velocity and acceleration. Also, the insertion losses from two polarizers may be significant in such a mechanism, and there may be a demand for relatively high extinction ratio polarizers that can withstand high-energy laser irradiance. Further, for a generic laser, the polarization state may be changed using such an attenuation mechanism.
While others have appeared to develop a broadband liquid crystal polarization grating that provides achromatized operation (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,305,523; 8,358,400; 8,537,310; 8,610,853; 8,982,313; and 9,195,092 to Escuti, et al., where each of the foregoing patents is hereby incorporated by reference), these techniques generally require an intensive fabrication process and, in some instances, require adjustments to the fabrication device to complete fabrication. Also, extremely high sensitivity would be needed for the alignment of multiple grating levels in such prior art systems.
At least because the aforementioned existing techniques require sub-micron alignment, because the existing techniques lack gratings with specifically-designed thicknesses and switchability to obtain a desired overall attenuation, and because the existing techniques generally do not maintain a polarization state of a laser beam passing through the gratings, there remains a need for improved devices, systems, and methods for attenuation.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A hybrid hydraulic drive system for a vehicle comprises a prime mover, a transmission connecting the prime mover to drive wheels, a fluid energy storage accumulator, and a reversible hydraulic machine in fluid communication with the energy storage accumulator and drivingly coupled to the prime mover upstream of the transmission. The hybrid hydraulic drive system is arranged such that in a retarding mode the reversible hydraulic machine retards the drive wheels of the vehicle by pumping fluid into the accumulator. In a driving mode the reversible hydraulic machine supplies a supplementary power to the drive wheels of the vehicle using the pressurized fluid from the accumulator to assist propulsion of the vehicle. In a neutral mode the reversible hydraulic machine is disconnected from the prime mover to render the reversible hydraulic machine substantially inoperative to exert any significant driving or retarding influence on the drive wheels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hybrid hydraulic drive systems in general and, more particularly, to a hydraulic drive system of a motor vehicle generating and accumulating propulsion energy by retardation of movement, including an integrated hydraulic machine operatively coupled to a prime mover upstream of a vehicular transmission
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hybrid hydraulic (or regenerative) drive systems are known and have been applied to motor vehicles, especially trucks and buses. Such systems harness energy by retarding the vehicle under braking conditions and accumulating that energy for later use to propel the vehicle. More specifically, typical hybrid hydraulic drive systems utilize a hydraulic machine in the form of an integrated hydraulic pump/motor unit to absorb and add power to a conventional vehicle drive system. While the system is absorbing power the hydraulic pump/motor unit is used to pump hydraulic fluid from a low-pressure vessel or reservoir into a hydraulic energy storage system. This energy storage system typically consists of one or more nitrogen charged hydraulic accumulators. In many cases the functionality also exists to absorb power and reject it into the atmosphere as waste heat energy rather than capturing it. When the hybrid hydraulic system is adding power to a driveline of the vehicle drive system, the hydraulic pump/motor unit is acting as a motor, utilizing the hydraulic energy stored in the accumulator(s).
The current systems have however lacked flexibility in their operation, as they principally have been arranged to dump accumulated energy all at once, for example when a vehicle is accelerating from a standing start, while those systems that have allowed for more controlled release of stored energy, have not done so to optimum efficiency. The use of the energy in the known systems is therefore somewhat inefficient and the known systems therefore have not met with widespread use. Additionally, known systems are time consuming and labor intensive to install.
The motor/pump units in the current hybrid hydraulic drive systems are coupled to the driveline of the vehicle drive system downstream of a vehicular transmission. In other words, the driveline integrated integrated pump/motor absorbs and adds hydraulic power after the vehicular transmission. Due to the reduction gear ratio of the vehicular transmission and the inherent frictional and other power losses in the transmission, the motor/pump unit of the current hybrid hydraulic drive systems should generate substantial amount of the pressurized hydraulic fluid. Single speed driveline integrated systems are limited in their maximum power contribution by the speed of the driveline. Typically when the vehicle speed is low, the driveline speeds are low, this results in low power availability to the driveline. The only way to compensate for the lower driveline speeds is to use a larger displacement pump/motor unit. The larger pump/motor unit allows for a higher torque to be applied to the driveline. For a single speed driveline integrated design, the power availability differential can only be partially mitigated through the use of a larger pump/motor. At some point, depending on the particular application, it becomes unreasonable to increase the size of the pump/motor. Another important factor is that in most cases the higher the pump/motor displacement, the lower the maximum permissible operating speed. This lower maximum operating speed often reduces the operation range of the entire hybrid hydraulic system and thus reduces system effectiveness.
In most cases, multi-speed driveline integrated designs help to reduce the limitations indicated above. However, the additional cost, complexity and weight of such multi-speed designs detract from the feasibility of multi-speed designs. Ultimately the functionality of such multi-speed interface systems duplicates the functionality of the vehicle transmission and is therefore redundant.
Therefore, he motor/pump unit of the current driveline integrated hybrid hydraulic drive systems are relatively large in size, heavy and bulky.
Moreover, the hydraulic pump/motor units integrated into the driveline require a structure to support the weight and reaction torque of the pump/motor. In many cases the pump/motor units may interface into the driveline through a gearbox. In these cases the mounting system would need to support not only the pump/motor unit, but also the gearbox. This required structure will often present a challenge in and of itself to design, and fit into the vehicle chassis. An in depth analysis of the chassis dynamics, weight distribution, noise, harshness, vibration, and critical operational clearances would be required before any such structure could be designed.
Furthermore, in some vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive, where the power delivered to the driveline from the transmission is split via a transfer case between the front and rear axles via a differential gear set, there may also be torque management issues to address. When power is added to one side of the driveline, the possibility exists for serious torque management issues that could cause loss of vehicle control.
Accordingly, it is the intent of this invention to overcome these shortcomings of the prior art, and more specifically, to overcome specific packaging and performance limitations of a driveline mounted regenerative drive system.

Hybrid hydraulic drive system with engine integrated hydraulic machine


A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are provided which may allow for enhanced icon and widget manipulation and use. The mobile terminal may include a display module configured to display a first zone and a second zone. The first zone may include at least one execution zone where an application is executed. The mobile terminal may also include a user input module configured to receive a command from a user, and a controller configured to control at least one icon corresponding to an application executed in the at least one execution zone.

1. Field
This relates to a mobile terminal and a control method thereof.
2. Background
Terminals may be classified into mobile/portable terminals and stationary terminals depending on mobility, and into handheld terminals and mounted terminals again depending on mobility. Such terminals may take the form of a multimedia player provided with composite functions such as photographing of still or moving images, playback of music or moving picture files, game play, broadcast reception and the like. To support these types of expanded functions of the terminal, it may be advantageous to consider the structural improvements and/or software improvements.

Mobile terminal having a display configured to display multiple zones and control method thereof


Anti-kick apparatus for mounting on the hips of a cow, and for effectively discouraging a cow from kicking by holding the root of the tail in an upwardly disposed attitude. The tail is held by a tail holding means which is mounted to a clamping means which grips the hips of the cow.

This invention relates to apparatus for preventing a cow, and especially a milk cow, from kicking an attending person. It is known to provide a variety of cleansing treatments and medical treatments to the udder of a milk cow. It is relatively common for the cow to object to such treatments, particularly when there is any sensitivity to the udder being touched in course of the treatment. Such sensitivity may be encountered with a young animal which has not yet grown accustomed to such touching. Sensitivity may also be encountered in an animal which has an illness, or some physical damage to the udder. In some cases the udder is physically sensitive to touch, particularly where the skin has been damaged, or when the skin or the udder is diseased. In any event, it is common practice that the udder is subjected to certain physical contacts and treatments in the normal handling of the milk cow.
In those cases where the cow is not receptive to touching of the udder, the common action of the cow is to kick. Typically, the kick is upwardly toward the udder, and comprises such as a pushing or shoving motion to prevent the touching of the udder.
The animals caretaker prefers to not be kicked. The cow is much stronger than the person. The hoof is quite hard. And thus the kicking of the cow can impose injury, or at the least an inconvenience and nuisance, to the person caring for the cow.
It is known to hold a cow's tail in order to prevent a cow from switching the tail at the caretaker. A variety of references teach various equipments for attachment to the tail and for then restraining the tail by means of attachment to some other part of the cow, to the caretaker, or to some apparatus in the vicinity of the cow. It is known, for example, to tie a rope to the tail, and to then tie the rope to some joining apparatus such as a piece of the stanchion. It is also known to attach the free end of the rope to the front end of the cow. It is further known to attach the free end of the rope to some overhead device in a barn, such as a pipe or a timber.
It is known to attach to a cow an anti-kick device which pushes in on the cows groin, below the hips. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,012,165 which applies pressure on the groin and secures the tail, but does not hold the tail up. Thus the control of kicking is by means of the pressure on the groin. U.S. Pat. No. 1,100,194 mounts on the leg of the cow and physically prevents the movement of the legs. U.S. Pat. No. 1,270,814 similarly hobbles the cow. U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,906 holds the tail up to prevent kicking, and anchors it to a neck collar of the stauchion. Similarly U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,380 lifts the tail with a tail embracing member and anchors the rope at the cow's neck.
While the above art addresses the problem of discouraging a cow from kicking, it suffers from a variety of shortcomings. Devices which rely on groin pressure are deficient in that they are not effective to prevent the cow from kicking. Those devices which hobbles the cow prevent the cow from kicking to the extent they stay in place, but the cow can fall down and become severely injured, as well injuring the caretaker. Those devices which anchor the tail of the cow to some immovable object risk danger to the cow should the cow fall down, whereby the tail might sustain injury as it is restrained by the immovable anchor. There is also the deficiency in some of the above equipment in that they are cumbersome to handle and difficult to install.
It is an object of this invention to provide an anti-kick device which effectively discourages a cow from kicking without posing any risk of injury to the cow or to the caretaker.
It is an object of the invention to provide such a device which is easily transportable and is quickly attachable and functionally emplaceable on the cow.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an anti-kick device which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.

Cow anti-kick apparatus, and method of use


An apparatus has a first electrode group (1) including at least one electrode and arranged on the abdominal surface of a subject (human) with the navel of the subject serving as a reference position, a second electrode group (2) including at least one electrode and arranged on the back surface of the subject, a third electrode group (3) including at least two electrodes and arranged on the surface of the subject at an intermediate position between the first and second electrode groups (1, 2), and a controller (8) to supply a current between an electrode selected from the first electrode group (1) and an electrode selected from the second electrode group (2), measure a voltage generated between two electrodes of the third electrode group (3), and compute an abdominal fat quantity of the subject according to the measured voltage.

An impedance CT system employs the fact that media have individual electric impedance values, to find spatial distributions of media in a three-dimensional object. The impedance CT system passes a current through an object, measures a potential distribution induced at the surface of the object, and visualizes an impedance distribution inside the object according to the potential distribution. The system is applicable to measure the distributions of blood, lungs, fat, etc., in a human body as described in a bulletin Bio Medical Engineering (BME) Vol. 8, No. 8 (1994), p. 49, issued by Japanese Society for Medical and Biological Engineering.
In addition to the impedance CT system, there are other apparatuses to measure electric impedance values and find subcutaneous and visceral fat quantities. An example of such apparatuses is a body fat measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 11-113870 (referred to as "related art 1"). Another example is an internal fat measuring instrument disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 11-123182 (referred to as "related art 2"). The related art 1 attaches a plurality of electrodes to the surface of a subject (human), measures impedance values among the electrodes, and creates an impedance matrix for a cross section of the subject defined by the attached electrodes. An operation unit of the related art 1 calculates the product of the impedance matrix and a coefficient matrix prepared from information on the electrodes attached part of the subject entered through an input unit, and according to the product, provides a cross sectional body fat distribution of the subject. The related art 2 winds a belt around the body of a subject. The inside of the belt has electrode pairs each consisting of a current path forming electrode and a measuring electrode. The electrode pairs are arranged substantially at regular intervals. Two electrode pairs are chosen, and an AC current is passed between the current path forming electrodes of the chosen electrode pairs, to form a current path. The measuring electrodes measure an impedance value in the current path. The two electrode pairs are properly chosen so that adjacent electrodes may mainly measure subcutaneous fat and opposing electrodes may mainly measure visceral fat.


The present invention describes methods for quantifying and analyzing cell migration and drug screening. Such methods include a gel (or a hydrogel) comprising a polymer, and cells that forms an oxygen gradient within the gel by controlling the balance of the diffusion of oxygen through the top of the gel and by the consumption of oxygen uptake by the cells. The migration of the cells is determined while the cells are grown in the gel of the present invention.

Soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of malignant cancers derived from transformed cells of mesenchymal origin. Approximately 13,000 new cases per year are diagnosed in the US alone, with 25-50% of patients developing recurrent and metastatic disease. Current clinical data suggest that undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is one of the most aggressive sarcoma subtypes, which frequently results in lethal pulmonary metastases that are insensitive to radio/chemotherapy. It has recently become apparent that sarcoma progression and metastasis are regulated by microenvironmental factors such as extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, stiffness modulation, cell-to-cell/matrix interactions, signaling factors, tumor vasculature, and spatial gradients. Of all these factors, low intratumoral O2 (hypoxia) is most dramatically associated with pulmonary metastasis, and poor clinical outcomes.

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


A communications device and method for transmitting e-mail with image data attached as an attachment file can select whether to send the e-mail directly to the recipient or via a mail server, depending on the address of the e-mail to be transmitted. As a result, the disclosed device and method can reduce the load on the mail server and transmit large volumes of data reliably.

In recent years, with the spread of personal computers and the rise of networks, e-mail for transmitting and receiving text data via such networks has become more common. With e-mail, it is possible to attach files of various types to the text-data body of the mail, so an Internet facsimile for transmitting and receiving image data via e-mail to which image TIFF (Tag Image File Format) files are attached has been proposed.
Similarly, with the RFC 2532 (Expanded Facsimile Using Internet Mail) issued by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), an internet facsimile full mode has been proposed that notifies a sending device by e-mail that a receiving device has properly received an e-mail sent by the sending device when the receiving device has properly received an e-mail with an image TIFF file attachment transmitted by the sending device.
With this type of Internet facsimile, ordinarily, during the time it takes the image data transmitted from the sending device to reach the receiving device, the e-mail passes through a plurality of mail servers. As a result, delay in transmission can be a factor. Also, certain mail servers limit the size of the attached file in order to reduce the processing load at the server, and when such a mail server exists in the transmission route there is always a chance that a large file attachment might not be transmitted properly.
By contrast, in the case of a mail address existing in the same local environment, such as on the same network, there is no need for the e-mail to pass through a server, thus eliminating server-generated delays and errors in transmission.
Consequently, a communications device equipped with the capability to determine quickly and easily whether or not a given e-mail with attached image file is to be routed through a mail server depending on the address would be able to reduce the processing load on the mail server.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communications device and control method for transmitting an image by electronic mail


In one embodiment, a plasma induced flow electrode structure has an electrode block, an insulating layer and an electrode layer. The electrode block has first and second surfaces and through holes penetrating between these first and second surfaces. The insulating layer is disposed on the first surface and inside the through holes. The electrode layer is disposed on the insulating layer of the first surface.

A plasma induced flow is a gas flow generated by application of high voltage of high frequency between electrodes separated by a dielectric. As a result that discharge is carried out in a state where one of the two electrodes is not insulated from outside air and the other is insulated from outside air, a gas flow (plasma induced flow) from the former to the latter occurs.
The plasma induced flow has a smaller flow amount per input power and a lower efficiency compared with a gas flow from a general air blower such as a fan and a blower, but the plasma induced flow can be made to flow only in a neighborhood of a surface of the electrode. Thus, by providing a plasma induced flow generation device in a wing of an aircraft or a blade of wind power generation to prevent a rear turbulent flow clue to flow peeling, it is possible to suppress reduction of lift and increase in an air resistance.
Meanwhile, attention is paid to plasma itself in the plasma induced flow as a new means of air purification replacing a catalyst and an adsorbent, and discharge methods by various electrode configurations such as point discharge and mesh discharge are devised. As active species occurring in discharge in the atmosphere, there can be cited negative ion and the like such as ozone, OH radical and O2−. Among the above. OH radical has a large air purification ability but also has a short life because of being active. Thus, a method is devised in which OH radical is made to be contained in a cluster of water and used for air purification.
Here, a density of the active species is preferable to be high in terms of an efficiency of processing. Meanwhile, in view of human health, it is necessary to limit the density of the active species in air. Thus, in order to achieve both efficiency of processing and human health, it is conceived to take in air to be purified by a fan or a blower and to carry out purification in a local space in which the density of the active species is high.
As a discharge structure for active species generation, a point discharge structure or a mesh discharge structure is adopted. However, it is difficult to mention these discharge structures as being able to efficiently use OH radical which only has a diffusion operating life of about several mm from a discharge point. Therefore, there is devised a device in which electrode fins that generate plasma induced flows are stacked (plasma induced flow electrode stack (hereinafter, abbreviated as "PA stack")) and air is taken in by the plasma induced flows, to improve a processing efficiency.
Though the PA stack can be formed by stacking electrodes, its shape is limited. For the purpose of air purification, an electrode configuration in which parallel slits (spaces between electrodes) are disposed in multiple stages is not necessarily optimum. It is sometimes desirable that an outer shape of the electrode configuration is circular and that the slits are concentric. However, it is not easy to make a proper structure by stacking electrodes.

Plasma induced flow electrode structure, plasma induced flow generation device, and method of manufacturing plasma induced flow electrode structure


A magnetoresistance effect devices having a magnetization free layer free to rotate in an applied magnetic field. The magnetization free layer may include first and second ferromagnetic material layers with a nonmagnetic material layer disposed between the two ferromagnetic material layers. Those ferromagnetic materials are antiferromagnetically coupled with each other at a magnetic coupling field J (xe2x88x923 [kOe]xe2x89xa6J less than 0 [kOe]) or ferromagnetically coupled with each other. Alternatively, the magnetization free film includes a first ferromagnetic material layer including a center region having a first magnetization and edge regions having a second magnetization different from the first magnetization and a second ferromagnetic material layer including a center region having a third magnetization parallel to the first magnetization and edge regions having a fourth magnetization different from the third magnetization. In another embodiment, a roughness at an interface between the first ferromagnetic material layer and the first nonmagnetic material coupling layer or an interface between the first second ferromagnetic material layer and the first nonmagnetic material coupling layer is more than 2 angstroms. Also, the magnetization free layer may be formed of ferromagnetic material portions ferromagnetically coupled to each other, or of a nonmagnetic material layer and a first ferromagnetic material layer having a non-uniform film thickness.

This application claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 2001-082107 and 2001-083877, filed on Mar. 22, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetoresistance effect device including first and second ferromagnetic material layers, whose magnetization directions change under an applied magnetic field, and a non-magnetic material layer inserted between the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers.
2. Discussion of the Background
A Tunnel MagnetoResistance or a Tunnel MagnetoResistive (TMR) device basically includes a three-layered film of a first ferromagnetic material layer, a dielectric material layer formed on the first ferromagnetic material layer, and a second ferromagnetic material layer formed on the dielectric material layer. A tunnel junction is formed and tunnel current flows between the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers via the dielectric material layer by applying voltage to both the ferromagnetic material layers. The tunnel junction""s electrical resistance changes in proportion to cosine of relative angle of magnetization directions of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers. The junction resistance takes a minimum value when magnetizations of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers are substantially in parallel and a maximum value when the magnetizations of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers are substantially anti-parallel. Such a change in the resistance is referred to as a Tunnel MagnetoResistance (TMR) effect and the device utilizing the TMR effect is called a TMR device.
It is reported that the change in the resistance by the TMR effect is as large as 49.7% at room temperature (Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 283 (2000)).
A TMR device can be used as a memory cell of a memory device, such as a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) of magnetic information.
One of the first and second ferromagnetic material layers may usually have a fixed or pinned magnetization in a predetermined direction and the fixed magnetization does not rotate/invert even when a magnetic field is applied. Another one of the first and second ferromagnetic material layers has a magnetization free to rotate/invert under the applied magnetic field, referred as a magnetization free layer. When the TMR device is applied to a memory device, such as the MRAM, the ferromagnetic material layer having the magnetization free to rotate/invert may also be referred to as a memory layer, because it retains in memory written magnetic information as a state of magnetization of the magnetization free layer, while the ferromagnetic material layer having a pinned magnetization may be referred as a reference layer.
By corresponding each state of parallel and anti-parallel directions of magnetization of the reference layer and the memory layer to the binary information of xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c1,xe2x80x9d a TMR device can be used as the memory device.
Writing of the magnetic information can be achieved by providing an electrical current flow to a conductive line formed at a vicinity of the memory cell and inverting magnetization of the memory layer by a magnetic field generated by the electrical current.
The written magnetic information can be read by flowing tunnel current as a sense current to the TMR device and current detector or a voltage detector can sense the electrical resistance of the TMR device.
An integrated magnetic memory apparatus includes a number of memory cells each having the TMR device and a switching transistor, which is coupled to the respective TMR device of the same memory cell, and with a large number of memory cells aligned in a matrix. An arbitrary cell can be selected in known methods, for example, as employed in DRAM addressing. The integrated magnetic memory apparatus also includes bit lines extended in row directions and word lines extended in column directions. Each of the bit lines is coupled to a series of memory cells which are aligned in the same direction as the bit line extends. Each of the word lines is also coupled to a series of the memory cells aligned in the same direction as the word line extends. Peripheral circuits for controlling current or voltage of the bit and word lines are also provided at ends in row and column directions of the memory cell region.
A memory apparatus having the TMR devices and diodes in place of the switching transistors has also been reported (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,640,343 and 5,650,958).
It is necessary to reduce the memory cell region for a highly integrated magnetic memory apparatus. Therefore, an area of ferromagnetic material layer is necessarily reduced, however, when the area of the ferromagnetic material layer is reduced, its coercive force increases. A magnitude of a switching magnetic field that is necessary for inversion of magnetization of the memory layer increases as the coercive force increases, and accordingly, a reduction in the plan area results to an increase in the switching magnetic field. In writing magnetic information, larger current flow is needed to write information with the increased switching magnetic filed, whereby power consumption of the apparatus increases. Therefore, the reduction in the coercive force of the memory layer is important in reducing the highly integrated magnetic memory apparatus into practice.
A multi-layered memory film is proposed in order to resolve the large power consumption. The multi-layered memory film including two ferromagnetic material layers and a nonmagnetic layer formed between the two ferromagnetic material layers, in which the two ferromagnetic material layers are antiferromagnetically coupled (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-251621, U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,248).
The two ferromagnetic material layers of multi-layered film differ from each other in magnetic moment or thickness. Directions of magnetization of the ferromagnetic material layers are in opposite directions by the antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling. Therefore, the magnetizations of the two ferromagnetic material layers are cancelled and the multi-layered film as a whole can be regarded as one ferromagnetic material layer having a small amount of magnetization.
When a magnetic field directed opposite to the direction of the magnetization of the multi-layered film is applied, magnetization of the two ferromagnetic material layers invert, while maintaining the antiferromagnetic coupling. In this case, its small coercive force determines a switching magnetic field of multi-layered film and inversion of magnetization can be carried out by a small amount of switching magnetic field. While having such advantage, the multi-layered film fabricated into a very small size for a highly integrated magnetic memory apparatus exhibits an effect of enlargement of xe2x80x9cedge magnetic domainxe2x80x9d such that a change in a magnetic structure pattern during magnetization inversion becomes complicated. As a result, the coercive force and the switching magnetic field increase. The edge domain appears as a magnetic structure, when a width of a short axis of small ferromagnetic material layer becomes about several micrometers to sub micrometer, at film end portions of a magnetic material layer owing to influence of a demagnetization field (J. App. Phys. 81, 5471 (1997)).
To prevent generation of edge domains, a method of fixing magnetization of the edge domain was proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,524, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-100153).
When magnetization of an edge domain is fixed, a behavior in magnetization inversion can be controlled. However, it becomes difficult to reduce the switching magnetic field. A new composition added to fix the magnetization for preventing the edge domains is not suitable for high-density integration.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a magnetoresistance effect device having a stable magnetization structure of a magnetic layer having a magnetization free to rotate/invert achieved by a simple device structure.
A second object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a magnetic memory apparatus, a portable terminal apparatus, a magnetoresistance effect head or a magnetoresistive head, and a magnetic reproducing apparatus or a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having the stable magnetization structure of a magnetic layer having the magnetization free to rotate/invert achieved by a simple device structure.
An third object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic memory apparatus, a portable terminal apparatus, such as personal digital assistant, a magnetoresistance effect head, and a magnetic reproducing apparatus including the magnetoresistance effect device.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a first ferromagnetic material layer having a magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material coupling layer formed on the first ferromagnetic material layer, a second ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material layer and having a magnetization free to change in the applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material spacer layer formed on the second ferromagnetic material layer, and a third ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in the applied magnetic field. The first and the second ferromagnetic material layers are antiferromagnetically coupled at a magnetic coupling field J, where the magnetic coupling field J satisfies following equation, xe2x88x923 [kOe]xe2x89xa6J less than 0 [kOe].
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a first ferromagnetic material layer having a magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material coupling layer formed on the first ferromagnetic material layer, a second ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material layer and having a magnetization free to change in the applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material spacer layer formed on the second ferromagnetic material layer; and a third ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in the applied magnetic field, wherein the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers are ferromagnetically coupled.
In the first and the second aspects of the embodiments of the present invention, a magnitude J of magnetic coupling is synonymous to interlayer coupling magnetic field and the value can be calculated by Equation (1) shown below.
J=xe2x88x92Hsxc3x97Msxc3x97t/4xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where Hs designates a saturated magnetic field (in Oe) of a magnetization free layer including the first and second ferromagnetic material layers and the nonmagnetic material coupling layer, Ms designates a saturated magnetization (in Oe) of the magnetization free layer and notation t designates a thickness (in nm) of the magnetization free layer. The saturated magnetic field Hs can be obtained by hysteresis of a magnetoresistance effect device. Values by the respective factors are provided by measuring materials and compositions of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers and the nonmagnetic coupling layer from a cross-section of the device. Specification of the magnitude J of the magnetic coupling and the magnetic structure is not limited to these methods but can be specified also by other methods.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a first ferromagnetic material layer including a center region of a first magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field and edge regions of a second magnetization different from the first magnetization and being free to change in the applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material coupling layer disposed on the first ferromagnetic material layer, a second ferromagnetic material layer disposed on the first nonmagnetic material coupling layer and including a center region of a third magnetization parallel to the first magnetization and free to change in the applied magnetic field and edge regions of a fourth magnetization different from the third magnetization and being free to rotate in the applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material spacer layer formed on the second ferromagnetic material layer; and a third ferromagnetic material layer disposed on the first nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in an applied magnetic field.
In the third aspect of the present invention, the magnetic structure of the first and the third ferromagnetic material layers may be detected by MFM (magnetic force microscope) or a spin resolved SEM (scanning electron microscope) by exposing the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a first ferromagnetic material layer having a magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material coupling layer formed on the first ferromagnetic material layer, a second ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material layer and having a magnetization free to change in the applied magnetic field, a first nonmagnetic material spacer layer formed on the second ferromagnetic material layer, and a third ferromagnetic material layer formed on the first nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in the applied magnetic field. There is a roughness at an interface between the first ferromagnetic material layer and the first nonmagnetic material coupling layer or an interface between the second ferromagnetic material layer and the first nonmagnetic material coupling layer, and the roughness at the interface is more than 2 angstroms.
In the first through fourth aspects of the present invention, the third ferromagnetic material layer is a fixed magnetization layer in which the direction of magnetization substantially remains unchanged in an applied magnetic field, while the applied magnetic field can change the magnetizations of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers.
According to the first through fourth aspects of the present invention, the switching magnetic field can be reduced. When invert magnetic field is applied to the magnetization free layers (first and second ferromagnetic material layers), the magnetization directions thereof are changed by the applied magnetic field. The applied magnetic field may be applied in parallel to or inclined to the direction of an easy magnetization axis of the magnetization free layers. The magnetization directions are inverted when magnetic coupling energy between the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers is reduced, therefore the switching magnetic field for switching the magnetization of the two layers can be reduced.
Further, the magnetization structure of the first and the second ferromagnetic material layers can be substantially symmetric with respect to a magnetic axis, and the magnetization structure differs from an apparatus characterized in non-symmetry magnetic structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-273337. As a result of the symmetrical structure, a reduction in magnetoresistance accompanied by magnetization inversion is relatively small, which is desirable for the magnetoresistance effect device.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a magnetization free layer having a nonmagnetic material layer and ferromagnetic material portions, a nonmagnetic material spacer layer disposed on the magnetization free layer and a ferromagnetic material layer disposed on the nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in an applied magnetic field. The magnetization free layer has a magnetization free to change in the applied magnetic field and the ferromagnetic material portions are ferromagnetically coupled to each other.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a magnetization free layer having a plurality of ferromagnetic material portions ferromagnetically coupled to each other and having a magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field, a nonmagnetic material spacer layer disposed on the magnetization free layer; and a ferromagnetic material layer disposed on the nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in the applied magnetic field.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetoresistance effect device including a magnetization free layer having a nonmagnetic material layer and a first ferromagnetic material layer and having a magnetization free to change in an applied magnetic field, a nonmagnetic material spacer layer disposed on the magnetization free layer, and a second ferromagnetic material layer disposed on the nonmagnetic material spacer layer and having a magnetization substantially fixed in the applied magnetic field. The first ferromagnetic material layer has a non-uniform film thickness.
An integrated magnetic memory apparatus can be realized by providing a plurality of the same magnetoresistance effect devices mentioned above. The integrated magnetic memory may have a reduced switching magnetic field and may form a random accessible, non-volatile and low power consumption memory apparatus. A portable terminal apparatus, such as a portable telephone and a portable display apparatus provided with the magnetic memory apparatus is also useful. The magnetoresistance effect devices, mentioned above, can also be used in a magnetoresistance effect head. A magnetic reproducing apparatus provided with the magnetoresistance effect head is also useful.


Present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for generating non-linearly spaced graduations for a symbolic linear scale are disclosed. Symbology data representative of a scale having non-linear graduations is generated as a function of a graduation reference assigned to each graduation, navigation reference data provided from an appropriate source, and a constant. Navigation reference data comprises pitch attitude data and/or aircraft heading data, from which a symbolic pitch attitude scale and/or heading scale is generated. Current attitude and/or heading may be used as a central reference from which spacing is measured, and the value of the constant is dependent on the size of the scale occupied on the screen of a display unit. Each symbolic linear scale may be merged with data representative of the scene outside the aircraft and presented on the screen along with a flight path predictor mapped to the non-linear scale.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to the field of aircraft display units that provide flight information to the pilot or flight crew of an aircraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
The generation of a three-dimensional image of terrain in a synthetic vision system may be accomplished using OpenGL, a standard specification defining a software interface to graphics hardware. A series of processing steps known generally as an "OpenGL Pipeline" are employed to render three-dimensional image data for presentation on the two-dimensional screen of a display unit. One of the processing steps known generally as "OpenGL Transformation" receives vertex data such as three-dimensional terrain data and transforms such data into two-dimensional screen coordinates (or window coordinates) data.
OpenGL Transformation is a series of processing steps known to those skilled in the art, and only a brief summary of these steps is provided. Coordinates of an object may be derived from vertex data, where object coordinates are measured in reference to object space. When the object coordinates are multiplied by a matrix known generally as GL_MODELVIEW, eye coordinates of the object are yielded, where eye coordinates are measured in reference to eye space. When the eye coordinates are multiplied by a matrix known generally as GL_PROJECTION which integrates, clipping and normalized device coordinates ("NDC") transformations, the eye coordinates of the object will become mapped to NDC. Then, by means of a viewport transformation, the coordinates of the NDC are scaled and translated in order to fit into the screen.
The GL_PROJECTION matrix includes a defined frustum for the purpose of performing the clipping transformation. In a perspective projection, a pyramid frustum originating from the origin of the eye coordinate system is generally employed, where the pyramid frustum has been truncated by a near plane (or projection plane). Objects and partial objects falling inside the truncated frustum will be projected onto the near plane, and those falling outside of the frustum will be clipped out.
A notable feature of the projection is that identical objects located at different positions within the frustum and at the same distance from the origin of the eye coordinate system may appear differently on the near plane as a result of the projection. An object located near the periphery of the frustum will appear to be stretched and distorted on the near plane from that of an identical object located near the center of the frustum. For example, a sphere located near the periphery of the frustum will appear to be stretched and distorted when compared with the projection an identical sphere located near the center of the frustum and at the same distance from the origin. Without correction, this stretching and distortion survives NDC and viewport transformations.
When applied to the generation of a three-dimensional terrain image, terrain located at the same distance from the aircraft position will appear to stretch outwardly from the center of the image when presented on the two-dimensional screen, where the center of the image is based on the center of frustum. If symbology representative of attitude (e.g., pitch scale or pitch tape) provides for a linear scale with equally-spaced graduations, a non-conformality may result between the symbology and the image of terrain when the former is presented against the background of the latter.

System, module, and method for generating non-linearly spaced graduations for a symbolic linear scale


A fuzzy-logic controlled automatic transmission of a motor vehicle comprises a series of detectors for detecting parameters indicative of running conditions which the motor vehicle is involved in and generating a series of detector signals indicative of the parameters detected, a fuzzy-logic controller which contains a series of rules of thumb, each being expressed by a series of membership functions of the detector signals and recommending an action which the automatic transmission should take. In the fuzzy-logic controller, the series of rules of thumb are tested one after another based on the detector signals to determine the degrees to which the series of rules of thumb are satisfied, and a position which the automatic transmission should take is determined in response to the degrees determined. An output signal is generated by the fuzzy-logic controller which is indicative of the position determined. A modifier is provided which changes or modifies at least one of the series of membership functions of at least one of the series of rules of thumb when the history of at least one of the series of detector signals shows a predetermined state.

The present invention relates to a control apparatus for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, and a method of controlling an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle.
Recently, there is a growing demand on more precision and finer control of the shift characteristic of an automatic transmission.
There is known a control apparatus for an automatic transmission which employs a microcomputer based controller. The controller stores data in the form of maps relating to various kinds of shift patterns including a power pattern where an acceleration performance is emphasized and an economy pattern where a fuel economy is emphasized. Sensor output signals from a throttle sensor and a vehicle speed sensor are supplied to the controller. Based on the sensor signals, the controller performs a select operation among the above-mentioned maps and then a table look-up operation of the map selected to retrieve transmission ratio data arranged in the map versus throttle opening degree and vehicle speed to obtain a transmission ratio fit to a set of a throttle opening degree and a vehicle speed indicated by the sensor signals. The controller generates a shift signal indicative of the transmission ratio obtained. In this manner, a fine selection among transmission ratios is made to determine a transmission ratio most suitable for a running state which an automobile is involved in, since there are provided various shift patterns as mentioned above.
With the known control system, the plurality of maps are provided and selected in accordance with various running states which the automobile may be involved in, and there occur events where a shift between transmission ratios is made in accordance with an inappropriate shift schedule which is not fit to the running state of the vehicle. This is where an improvement is to be made. If all shift points fit for all available running states of the vehicle were to be set, the number of maps would be considerably increased. Therefore, it is the common practice to limit the number of shift patterns, each fit to one of representative running conditions.
Applicant of the present application has proposed in a copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/175,350 filed on Mar. 30, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,815, a fuzzy-logic controlled automatic transmission. According to this previously proposed control, a fuzzy-logic is used in order to determine a transmission ratio suitable for vehicle running conditions. In the fuzzy-logic controller, a series of membership functions are referred to based on a series of signals representive of the running conditions. The membership functions are fixed once they are set, so that it is impossible to provide a shift characteristic with a sufficient flexibility to cope with different driver's driving behaviours and different environments which the motor vehicle may be involved in.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve a control apparatus for an automatic transmission such that a shift characteristic in the automatic transmission is flexible enough to cope with different driver's driving behaviours and different environments which the motor vehicle may be involved in.


An electrical connector and connection system are disclosed having an array of conductive coaxial pairs. Each pair consists of a cylindrical electrical conductor surrounded by a tubular electrically conductive shield with a dielectric insulator disposed there-between. A rigid connector housing contains the coaxial pairs in a fixed spaced parallel relationship. The housing has first and second interfaces relatively disposed at a right angle, and the conductors and shields each have connector pins extending from said interfaces for connection to a printed circuit board or a connector base. The coaxial pairs follow parallel curvilinear paths between the interfaces having two consecutive bends of forty-five angular degrees.

In modern communication systems, where data rates are approaching dozens of gigabits per second, the interface connector becomes critical to the overall interface performance. The electrical field distortion and radiation loss of existing interface connectors often dramatically degrade channel performance, especially in high speed platforms. In some cases, the entire interface cannot meet required specifications even after applying advanced signaling techniques such as de-emphasis in the transmitter buffer and equalization in the receiver buffer. There exists a call for a coaxial connector configured for implementation in high-speed existing platforms which does not have or create such drawbacks and inefficiencies.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to these illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly.


An electronic device for reading at least two acquisition channels, the device including a preamplifier with an inverter for each acquisition channel, and a polarization device shared by at least two of the preamplifiers.

In the standard internal arrangement of a microelectronic acquisition channel reader device, a preamplifier is located at the input to each acquisition channel associated with a sensor that emits an electrical signal. Preamplification enables the power of the electrical signals emitted by the sensors to be increased. As is shown in FIG. 1, a device LECT for reading N acquisition channels C1, C2,  . . . CN that are dedicated to reading N sensors CAP1, CAP2, . . . CAPN is conventionally equipped with N preamplifiers AMP1, AMP2, . . . AMPN, which are all identical from one channel to the next. The input stage for each preamplifier is generally followed by a cascode stage CASC for increasing the open loop gain and increase the dynamic output.
A classic preamplifier comprises one active element, which is generally cascoded. FIG. 2 shows an example of a preamplifier comprising an active element M1 the current of which is polarized by a current source delivering a current Ipol, followed by a cascade stage M2 the voltage of which is polarized by a polarization voltage Vpol, the entire assembly being powered between a first voltage VSS and a second voltage VDD. The signal to be preamplified is applied to active element M1 at an input E0 and exits this element at an output S0 having been amplified.
However, a preamplifier based on a CMOS inverter offers certain benefits over a conventional preamplifier according to the preceding description, in particular its double transconductance capability for the same polarization current, which is advantageous in terms of noise: if the inverter is used, the equivalent input noise is reduced for the same polarization current.
Accordingly, CMOS inverter assemblies are used widely in logic circuits and for analogue applications. The main obstacle to using a CMOS inverter for analogue applications is the control of the polarization current, because unlike logic applications, in which the static polarization current is zero and the transistors are not activated except when a logic state changes, it is necessary to impress a readily controllable polarization current in order to set the transconductance of the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor in accordance with the speed and noise characteristics desired.
In analogue applications of such kind, this problem is solved by using a polarization device comprising a voltage regulator with an identical impressed current inverter for reference. Such a polarization device POL is described in a publication by Eric Vittoz: "CMOS et BiCMOS VLSI Design'91" and is represented in FIG. 3. The signal from a sensor CAP that is to be preamplified is applied to a CMOS-type inverter INV at an input E1, and the amplified signal exits at output S1. A voltage regulator REG of which the amplifier stage is installed in parallel with inverter INV is connected to a reference inverter INV_REF that is identical to inverter INV. A current source supplies the impressed current Ipol that flows through this reference inverter INV_REF. Reference inverter INV_REF and voltage regulator REG are powered between a first voltage VDD and a second voltage VSS. As a known current Ipol is passed through reference inverter INV_REF, a reference voltage Vref is obtained at a point B, which is the junction point between reference inverter INV_REF and reference input of voltage regulator REG. If a regulated voltage equal to Vref is applied to inverter INV at a point A, which is the junction point between inverter INV and voltage regulator INV, a current equal to Ipol may be impressed across inverter INV. Moreover, voltage regulator REG serves to ensure low impedance at point A in order to obtain good rejection of variations in supply voltage VDD. Such regulation thus offers one solution for providing effective, stable control of the static polarization current of inverter INV.
The drawback of this solution is related to the unavoidable noise created by the integrated voltage regulator REG as opposed to an external voltage source. In fact, it might be possible to reduce the noise from an external voltage source with the aid of filters with high-value external capacitances, but this is not possible for the noise from an integrated circuit. One obvious solution for reducing the regulation noise is to increase the power that is dissipated into the amplifier element of voltage regulator REG, because if the polarization currents of the noisy active elements are increased, the equivalent input noise thereof is reduced.
The situation thus becomes paradoxical: in order to take advantage of a potential reduction in input noise offered by inverter INV for the same polarization current compared with a conventional preamplifier such as the one shown in FIG. 2, more power must be dissipated into voltage regulator REG.
The noise contributions of the structure that comprises inverter INV and voltage regulator REG, and the noise contributions of a conventional preamplifier constructed with an active element will be compared later in this document. FIG. 4 shows a simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 3 for determining the noise contribution of voltage regulator REG. The intrinsic noise of voltage regulator REG is represented by an equivalent noise source Vb, from which it emanates: VddINV=Vb+Vref.
It should be noted that the noise contributed by reference inverter INV_REF is negligible since it is a simple matter to filter this noise either internally or using an external capacitance. The noise contribution of the reference inverter INV_REF is thus considered to be zero for the remainder of this description.
FIG. 5 shows a small-signal equivalent circuit of the assembly of FIG. 4. The capacitance of sensor CAP of which the signal is preamplified by inverter INV is notated Ce, the capacitances of the N-MOS and P-MOS transistors are notated C1 and C2 respectively, the transconductances of the N-MOS and P-MOS transistors are notated gmINV and the load is notated ZL. id1 and id2 are the illustrations of the noises introduced by the N-MOS and the P-MOS in the form of current sources.
The noise introduced by voltage regulator REG that is referred to the input of inverter INV depends on the impedance of sensor CAP. In the case of a capacitive high impedance internal current source-type sensor CAP, for example a particle (photon, charged particle) detector, the contribution in terms of noise spectral density (in V2/Hz) from voltage regulator REG is:
      V    s    =            V      b                  Z      L                  g      MINV                                    C          e                +                  C          1                -                  C          2                                      C          e                +                  C          1                +                  C          2
The equivalent input noise is:
      V    e    =                    V        s                    2                                                            Z          L                                  g          mINV                      =                            V          b                2                                                              C              e                        +                          C              1                        -                          C              2                                                          C              e                        +                          C              1                        +                          C              2                                                        (                      since                                                                          voltage                                                                          gain                                                                          is                                                                          2                                                                                Z              L                                                  g              mINV                                )                .
Using realistic assumptions such as: Ce>>C1, C2, one arrives at:
      V    e    =            V      b      2        4
On the other hand, the noise attributable to inverter INV is
      V    INV    =            2                                      kTy              g      mINV      (where gmINV is the transconductance of each transconductance of inverter INV) because the spectral density of the noise current of each transistor of inverter INV is Id2=4 kTygmINV.
On the other hand the noise referred to input that is attributable to a conventional preamplifier consisting of an active element ELT passed through by that same polarization current as inverter INV is:
      V    ELT    =            4                                      kTy              g      mINV
Therefore, in order to retain an advantage over a conventional preamplifier, the following condition must be satisfied:
                              V          b          2                4            +                        2                                                              kTy                          g          mINV                      ≤                  4                                                  kTy                    g        mINV              ,            or                                                        V          b          2                4              ≤                            2                                                              kTy                          g          mINV                    .                                Thus        ,            V      b      2        =                  4                                                  kTy                    g        mREG            since gmREG is the transconductance of the active elements that constitute the amplifying element of voltage regulator REG.
Therefore, in order to retain an advantage over a conventional preamplifier, the condition that must be satisfied is:gmINV≦2·gMreg.
The current in the amplifier element of the regulator must therefore be at least equal to that of the inverter in order to satisfy this condition in the typical situation in which said amplifier is based on a differential pair.
It follows that in order to ensure a noise performance at least equal to that obtained with a conventional preamplifier that uses an active element, the use of an inverter assembly with integrated regulation results in a doubling of the dissipated current, that is to say the dissipated power. This represents not an improvement but a worsening of energy efficiency, and the signal-to-noise ratio obtained for a given power is less than that obtained using a conventional preamplifier.

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


A collision detecting device includes a damper which is a hollow member with a fluid sealed into the interior thereof, and is formed, on its side abutted against an object to which it is to be mounted, in a concave shape conforming to the shape of a corner of the object, and is formed, on its side opposite to the concave shape, in a convex shape conforming to the shape of the corner of the object; and a detecting section for detecting an internal pressure of the damper.

The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus, a collision detecting device, and a damper. Particularly, the present invention is concerned with an X-ray imaging apparatus provided with a device for detecting collision of an X-ray receiver with an obstacle, as well as such a collision detecting device and a damper for damping collision with an obstacle.
In an X-ray imaging apparatus wherein an X-ray irradiator and an X-ray receiver are attached respectively to both ends of a C-shaped arm so as to be opposed to each other, and an object is disposed between the X-ray irradiator and the X-ray receiver to perform fluoroscopic radiography, a sensor is disposed in the X-ray receiver to detect approaching or collision of the X-ray receiver with respect to the object (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
[Patent Literature 1] Specification and drawings (Columns 3 to 8 and FIGS. 2 and 3) of U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,044
In the above X-ray imaging apparatus, the sensor is made up of plural electrodes and detection is performed while switching combinations of those plural electrodes from one to another by means of a multiplexer. Consequently, the construction of the detecting device is complicated.

X-ray imaging apparatus, collision detecting device, and damper

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


This invention relates to a granular material processing machine characterized by the presence of a reviving main shaft in the center of a container, and the installation of multiple sub-shafts supported around the said main shaft at certain intervals, wherein multiple ring-shaped parts are fitted to said sub-shafts so that there will be sufficient space among the sub-shafts, and said ring-shaped parts are made to come into contact with the inner walls of the container.

Numerous types of machines have been intended for use in the pulverizing and dispersion of granular material. Japanese Publication of Unexamined Patent Application KOKAI Number SHO58-17851 describes one capable of pulverizing granular material to sub-micron size.
This apparatus is equipped with a housing containing a cylindrical inner surface, the inside of which housing contains a shaft driven by a motor, a set of driving plates fixed to the shaft, a shaft with the flexibility of a cable fixed to the two driving plates and parallel to the above-mentioned shaft, and a rotor assembly consisting of three rollers which revolve freely in relation to the above driving plates.
When the motor causes the shaft to revolve mainly by the centrifugal force generated by the revolution of the rotor assembly in conjunction with the shaft, the flexible shaft will bend, and each roller will be pressed against the inner surface of the housing while revolving in the opposite direction from that of the shaft. This mechanism effects processes such as pulverization by grinding the granular materials between the rollers and the inner surface of the housing.
In the rollers of the above-mentioned apparatus spiral grooves are cut, and these spiral grooves convey processing materials from the top of the driving plates downward. However, when the apparatus is used to pulverize particles, as shown in FIG. 8, a large particle may become caught between one of the convex portions (102) of the outer surface of the roller (101) and the inner surface (103) of the housing. In such a case, compressive and shearing forces are not applied to the particles which are located between the other convex portions (102) and the inner surface (103) of the housing. In addition, force is not applied to the particles located in the spiral grooves (104). As a result, the outer surface (102) of the roller (101) does not function effectively.
Even if the outer surface (102) of the roller (101) is finished sufficiently flat so that it comes into close contact with the inner surface (103) of the housing, extended periods of normal use or short period of use with highly abrasive granular material will cause the convex portion (102) of the aforementioned roller (101) to wear out and its shape to change. As a result, the whole surface will not function effectively.
Moreover, in the above apparatus, since the method of mounting roller (101) to the flexible shaft is very complicated, highly skilled labor has been required to replace it. Cleaning the apparatus by disassembling it has been also difficult, and replacing roller (101) is a specialized task. Manufacturing roller (101) has also been very labor-intensive, so the apparatus has been very expensive.


Sheet materials according to the present invention comprise a sheet material substrate, such as for example a film or paper sheet, with a polymer base coating overlying and adhered to a surface of the sheet material substrate. The base coating comprises a radiation cured crosslinked polymer derived from at least one vapor deposited acrylate prepolymer composition having a molecular weight in the range of from about 150 to 600. A metal layer is deposited on and overlies a surface of the base coating, and a polymer top coating overlies and is adhered to a surface of the metal layer. The top coating comprises a radiation cured crosslinked polymer derived from a vapor deposited acrylate prepolymer composition having a molecular weight in the range of from about 150 to 600 and a ratio of its molecular weight to its number of acrylate groups (MW/Ac) in the range of from about 150 to 600. According to one embodiment of the invention, metallized paper sheet materials are produced with superior appearance and performance characteristics which can be tailored to specific end use applications. For example, the metallized paper can be produced with a very shiny, high gloss surface appearance, and/or a high quality metallized layer free of defects or pinholes, and/or an outer surface which is highly receptive to printing.

Metallized paper is used for decorative paper such as for gift wrappings, and for product identification purposes such as for beer labels, canned food labels and the like. Metallized paper is found to be desirable for such uses because of its glossy aluminized appearance and its related ability to attract the attention of a consumer. Metallized paper is usually printed with some sort of product identifier or some type of decorative figure and is made in varying degrees of gloss level and with various different performance characteristics. For example, gift wrap paper must be easily printable, it must be able to be folded without losing the metal coating, and it must usually have a high reflective finish. Beer labels, on the other hand, must be caustic removable to facilitate their removal during glass reclamation, it must hold up well in a wet environment, and it must also be quite abrasion resistant.
Most metallized paper is made by applying prepolymer and aluminum layers on clay-coated Kraft paper which is approximately 30 to 150 microns thick. The process usually involves applying one or two layers of solvent based prepolymer material and drying them in an oven to remove the solvent after each layer. This method provides a relatively smooth base coating on which an aluminum layer is deposited. The method of first coating the Kraft paper with prepolymer before depositing the aluminum layer is needed because the clay-coated paper is typically not smooth enough to achieve a shiny metallized finish without the smoothing prepolymer layers. After the prepolymer layers are cured, the aluminum is then applied in a vacuum metallizer. A solvent-based prepolymer top coating is applied to the aluminum layer and the solvent is evaporated in an oven. This solvent-based coating process involves at least three or four different steps, increasing the process cost and opportunity for manufacturing losses. Additionally, a very high gloss level cannot be obtained via the solvent-based coating process because of the handling and the solvent evaporation that creates a high density of pinholes in the coating surface, thereby providing a metallized paper having only a medium gloss level. Finally, the use of a solvent-based process is neither environmentally desirable, due to the release of volatile solvent vapors into the atmosphere, nor energy efficient, due to the use of an oven to evaporate the solvent after each layer.
An alternative process to metallize paper on a much more limited basis involves applying an initial smoothing prepolymer layer by using a gravure coating method and curing the layers with a high voltage (150-300 KV) electron beam. The substrate paper is then metallized with a layer of aluminum. A top coat of prepolymer material is applied to the aluminum layer using the gravure method and is cured again using a high voltage electron beam. High voltage electron beams are used because the electron beams are generated inside of a sealed system and they must have enough accelerating voltage to enable them to penetrate through a foil window, through an air layer, and through the coating process. The prepolymer materials that are used in such alternative process are acrylate blends of monomers and oligomers.
The gravure coated acrylate/high voltage electron beam process is more environmentally desirable and energy efficient than the solvent-based coating. Additionally, the gravure process results in a metallized paper coating having improved surface gloss over the solvent-based coating level. The coating is quite sensitive to the wetting of the substrate and the inclusion of bubbles in the coating, ultimately resulting in the formation of pinholes in the surface of the coating. Although the pinhole density associated with the gravure coated process is less than that of the solvent-based process, the ability to obtain a high gloss surface finish is still adversely affected.
The gravure coating process also requires three different process steps and the use of a high voltage electron beam to cure the polymer layer. The use of such high-voltage electron beam not only penetrates the coating layer but penetrates the paper and embrittles it, increasing the probability that the substrate will tear when folded. This curing system is also inefficient because it deposits most of the electron beam energy in the substrate and not in the coating.
It is, therefore, desirable that a metallized paper product and, method for producing the same, be developed that displays a high gloss level without pinholes by using a process having a minimum number of steps. It is desirable that the metallized paper experience no embrittling during the curing process. It is desirable that the coating have excellent adhesion to the paper, have excellent inter-layer adhesion between the prepolymer layers and excellent adhesion between the polymer layer and the metal layer. It is desirable that the method of making the metallized paper be capable of being tailored to particular application requirements for the metallized paper, e.g., to accommodate the creation of a multilayer coating tailored to achieve certain objectives. It is also desirable that the metallized paper be manufactured in a manner that is economically efficient and from materials that are readily available.

Acrylate polymer coated sheet materials and method of production thereof


A cable comprises strength members twisted along helicoidal lines of mutual contact, an outer coating covering the strength members and providing helicoidal reception spaces, each of which is delimited by the outer coating, two adjacent strength members and their line of contact. The optical fibres extend in the helicoidal spaces and the length of the fibres is greater than that of the lines of contact defining their reception spaces in order to provide an overlength and to allow variations in length in the strength members.

It is possible to classify current optical fibre cable constructions into two broad categories with reference to the nature of the phenomena induced in the cables. There are so-called "constrained" constructions in which the fibre is embedded in a plastic material whose behaviour has an effect on the transmission medium. There are also "free fibre" constructions which are more frequently found, and which have an alveolar support having well determined characteristics.
In the "constrained" constructions, there are principally two types of cable. The first type comprises an assembly, in layers or groups, of fibres which are reinforced by way of extrusion of one or more sheaths. The second type uses tapes of fibres having maximum compactness, which are assembled into a matrix which is then twisted.
Broadly speaking, three types of "free fibre" construction have been developed. All three types utilise alveolar carries made of plastic material for receiving the fibres and an antitraction/compression/crushing mechanical reinforcement provided by carriers made of metal or synthetic material which are semi-rigid or flexible, or by a combination thereof. These three types will be briefly described below. For more detailed information, see the journal "Commutation et Transmission", 1982,

Optical fibre cable and method of making same