An electro-optic display device having a matrix array of picture elements and a thin film structure of storage capacitors associated with each picture element, the device provided with redundancy in the storage capacitor structure by segmenting one of the capacitor plates into two plates to produce two capacitors in series. Because the segmented plates are all on one level of the thin film structure, no additional masking steps are required.

This invention relates to electro-optical display devices, such as active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) devices, and more particularly relates to such devices incorporating storage capacitors.
Reflective high density active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) on silicon are being considered for high resolution color projection systems, due to the fact that the matrix structure of row and column electrodes, switches and storage capacitors can all be integrated on the silicon substrate below the reflective pixel electrodes, thus enabling the high pixel density required for such high resolution displays.
For example, the 1280 columns and 1024 rows required for HDTV requires that more than 1.3 million pixels must fit onto an area of about 2 square cm. In order to have a sufficient optical aperture for acceptable brightness and contrast ratio, the pixels must be as large as possible. With the reflective AMLCD structure, inter-pixel spacings of around 1 micron are possible, which provides the pixel area necessary to achieve an optical aperture sufficient for acceptable performance.
A typical defect density in the sub-micron CMOS processing techniques used to fabricate such AMLCDs is around one pixel defect per square centimeter. However, in such high resolution displays, one pixel defect in the entire array is sufficient to result in rejection of the display.
The most common defects are cross-over shorts, pixel switch failure and storage capacitor shorts. For example, capacitor shorts reduce the ability of the pixel to hold its display information during the interval between addressing and readdressing, affecting, for example, grey scale rendition.
In order to overcome such defects, and thereby achieve high display quality with high manufacturing yield, redundant structures have been designed into such AMLCDs, including redundant switches and electrodes.
In such displays, a large area (almost 75% of the pixel area) and a thin dielectric layer (400 nm) are needed for the pixel storage capacitor to provide the required capacitance (10 times the capacitance of the liquid crystal material) to hold the pixel voltage over the frame period. Due to this large area and thin dielectric layer, chances of a short are somewhat higher than for the pixel switches and other circuit elements.
A redundant storage capacitor structure is described in published international patent application WO 91/02372. In that case, the pixel capacitor can be a junction or oxide type capacitor or a combination thereof. Since the combination structure is a multilevel multilayer structure, the fabrication thereof requires multiple processing steps, which increases manufacturing cost and decreases yield.

Electro-optical display having split storage capacitor structure for series capacitance

Philips Electronics North America Corporation


An adjustable length golf club including an engaging mechanism, a rotational shaft, a locking mechanism, and a lower shaft. The rotational shaft is connected with the engaging mechanism and is configured to rotate upon movement by the engaging mechanism. The locking mechanism is connected with the rotational shaft and includes a locking insert and a locking collar located on the locking insert. The locking insert being is configured to retain the locking collar during axial movement. The lower shaft has an inner surface that is in frictional contact with the locking collar. The locking insert is threadingly engaged with the locking collar and a first rotational movement in a first rotational direction by the rotational shaft causes the locking insert to move the locking collar creating a frictional locking engagement between the locking collar and the inner surface of the lower shaft.

Golf is a game in which a player, using many types of clubs, hits a ball into each hole on a golf course in the lowest possible number of strokes. A putter is typically used on a putting green to lightly stroke the ball into the hole.
Typical putter shafts are a fixed length and cannot be adjusted. A grip on a typical putter shaft is stationary with respect to the putter head and a user would need to cut the shaft to make it shorter or purchase another shaft to increase the length.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present disclosure relates to the technical field of natural language understanding, and provides a method, a terminal and a medium for generating a text based on a self-encoding neural network. The method includes: obtaining a text word vector and a classification requirement of a statement to be input; reversely inputting the text word vector into a trained self-encoding neural network model to obtain a hidden feature of an intermediate hidden layer of the self-encoding neural network model; modifying the hidden feature according to a preset classification scale and the classification requirement; defining the modified hidden feature as the intermediate hidden layer of the self-encoding neural network model, and reversely generating a word vector corresponding to an input layer of the self-encoding neural network model by the intermediate hidden layer; and generating the corresponding text, according to the generated word vector.

Automatic text generation is an important research aspect in the field of natural language processing. Realizing the automatic text generation is also an important maturity sign of artificial intelligence. The text generation applications can be divided into supervised text generation application and unsupervised text generation application. The supervised text generation application includes machine translation, intelligent question answering system, dialogue system, and text summarization. The unsupervised text generation application, such as poetry creation and musical creation, etc., is configured to learn the original data distribution, then generate the sample which is similar to the original data. Through the text generation, the human-computer interaction process would become more intelligent and natural. And the news can be written and published automatically through replacing human editors with the automatic text generation system.
However, the existing text generation model, such as the adversarial generation model, requires a large amount of data annotation resources and modeling resources.

Method and terminal for generating a text based on self-encoding neural network, and medium


A power tool guiding and shielding apparatus that is magnetically attached to a work surface. The guide holds a work piece against a guide fence and the work table, allowing the work piece to slide on the work table while being machined. The shield is attached to the guide and the guide fence, which also holds the work piece to the work table.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to a power tool shield and guiding apparatus.
2. Background Art
Stationary power tools normally have cutting and shaping blades protruding through a table top. These tools, for example, table saws, shapers, inverted routers, surface planers, and bandsaws, normally cut or shape a work piece or stock which the operator pushes directly at the protruding blade. Normally, a guide fence to one side of the table, and projecting vertically from the table, guides the work piece. In addition to being pushed toward the blade, a work piece must also be pressed downwardly and laterally to maintain engagement with both the table top and the guide fence.
Safety, of course, is the primary concern in the use of such devices. If the work piece binds against the back of the blade, for example, "kickback" may occur, hurling the work piece towards the operator. Also of great concern is the possibility of the operator directly contacting the protruding blade, with possibly disastrous consequences.
Numerous safety devices have been proposed in the prior art. Blade guards shield the operator from the blade; they frequently also are inconveniently located, inhibit visibility, and require accessory equipment to be fully effective. Hold-down devices force the stock snugly against the table, thereby purportedly preventing "kickback." Such devices may also be inconvenient, require accessory devices such as guards, and interfere with the use of push sticks and guards when cutting narrow work pieces. "Tablesaw Safety Devices," by Robinson (Fine Woodworking, March/April 1990, pp. 84-88), discusses various prior art guards and hold-down devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,712,825, to Klehm, entitled Saw Guard, discloses a cantilevered guard shielding a rotary blade. Klehm, however, lacks disclosure regarding hold-down devices and is extremely expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,596, to Olson, entitled Circular Saw Guard, likewise lacks a hold-down device, as well as lateral pressure against the fence. The guard must be removed during certain sawing operations such as dadoing, shaping, and narrow cuts. Measuring, positioning, and aligning the rip fence are difficult with this guard in position; ripping, particularly angled rip cuts, are also rendered difficult with the guard in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,534, to Altendorf, et al., entitled Movable Protective Hood for Power Tool of a Work Tool Machine discloses a guard with a vacuum hood which also lacks a hold-down device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,789, to Blessinger, entitled Saw Guard, likewise lacks hold-down devices, does not prevent "kickback," and provides neither vertical nor lateral pressure on the work piece.


An improved vortex inhibitor 20 for separating slag from molten metal during the discharge of molten metal through a nozzle 14 includes a generally uniform castable refractory body 22 having a generally hemispherical or hemi-ellipsoid shape having a plurality of generally triangular shaped projection elements 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40) defining a plurality of generally constant dimension grooves 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 extending downward from the top side 26 toward an apex 41 of the vortex inhibitor 20.

The present invention relates generally to metal making apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for separating slag from molten metal as the molten metal is transferred from a receptacle. This article has a hemispherical shape and has a plurality of constant dimension grooves extending downward from its top.
In the metal making processes, the flow of molten metal through the discharge nozzle of a receptacle such as a furnace, tundish or ladle induces a swirl to the molten metal above the discharge nozzle. At a certain level, the energy of the swirl creates a vortex, whereby the slag layer lying on top of the molten metal is sucked into the nozzle and mixes with the molten metal being poured through the nozzle. Several devices are known to inhibit introduction of the slag to the discharge nozzle in order to avoid the contamination of the poured metal. Before such devices were introduced, it was necessary to terminate pouring by closing the nozzle while the molten metal was at a level above the point at which suction action of the vortex draws slag downwardly into the discharge nozzle. Such a procedure traps a large amount of molten metal in the receptacle and reduces effective yield of the melt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,734 LaBate, et al., discloses a dart incorporating a depending guide member engageable in the tap hole to direct accurate placement of the stopper body toward the tap hole. This patent discloses alternate configurations of the stopper body that are taught to cause swirling of the metal. This patent teaches that visual observation of the swirling metal and slag indicates when tapping of the furnace is to be terminated.
Many of the previously known devices for restricting slag from flowing through the discharge nozzle are in the form of plugs which lodge in the discharge nozzle to prevent further pouring through the nozzle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,169 to Hofer discloses the use of a slag dam as well as a plug which is mechanically controlled for placement during the pouring operation. However, such units are large and expensive to build, and numerous parts are subjected to the harsh environmental conditions of molten metal. Consequently, the cost of repairing or replacing the parts substantially increases the costs of metal making.
Other known devices for separation of slag and molten metal during discharge comprise bodies which are self-supporting in the molten metal layer. This is accomplished by constructing the body with a specific gravity between the specific gravity of the molten metal and the specific gravity of the slag layer. One such device with such controlled density is a spherical body which is drawn by the vortex into the nozzle and lodges in the nozzle to obstruct further flow. However, such a device is difficult if not impossible to remove, and frequently requires replacement of the nozzle sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,349 to Schwer discloses an annular disc having a specific gravity that permits it to separate slag at the interface between the slag and steel. However, this patent also contemplates that a spherical body is drawn by the suction of the vortex into the discharge nozzle opening to cut off fluid flow. The patent discloses that two discrete articles are necessary. While the ring is taught to counter the effect of the vortex formed over the discharge nozzle, the sphere merely closes off pouring when slag is about to be introduced to the discharge nozzle. Consequently, the problems previously discussed are encountered.
A self-supporting device particularly developed to inhibit the vortex formation was disclosed in the present applicant's previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,415. That patent defines a tapered, polygonal body designed to generally conform to the shape of the vortex along its length so as to extract energy from swirling movement of the molten metal. Unlike previously known plug bodies, the patented vortex inhibitor is self-orienting by its vortex conforming shape. However, to assure that the apex is downwardly positioned, the patent also discloses a weighting means embedded in the refractory body. Moreover, while the patent teaches that the shape of a polygonal cross-section may be changed to adjust the degree of plugging or the throttling effect as the body enters the discharge nozzle, it was found that changing the shape of the vortex inhibitor from the tetrahedral shape of the preferred embodiment could affect the orientation stability of the body. In particular, as the body is subjected to outside influences during placement in the molten metal bath or during movement of the receptacle from which the molten metal is being discharged, the geometrical proportion can disrupt the desired apex downward orientation. Moreover, the use of a separate weighting means, such as a core, substantially increases the complexity of producing the vortex inhibitor and has been disfavored.
Accordingly, as with most technologies, there is room for improvement in the art of vortex inhibiting articles.


A wireless communication network includes position-based capacity reservation of base stations. Using, for example, the Global Positioning System (GPS), a mobile unit may periodically determine its position and communicate its position to base stations as the mobile unit moves through the network. In addition, the capacity needs of the mobile unit's connection may be communicated expressly by the unit or deduced from the connection itself. A network management system receives the position and capacity information of the mobile unit, and then estimates a route of the mobile unit through the network. Such route may be determined either 1) explicitly, given information transmitted by the mobile unit or 2) implicitly, by tracking the direction of movement of the mobile unit through the network. Consequently, the network management system may determine the availability of capacity of base stations along the estimated route through the network. Given this information, the network management system may take one or more of the following actions. First, capacity of each base station along the route may be reserved in anticipation of the mobile unit's arrival into the base station's coverage area. Second, base stations may be selected for handoff along the route and the identity of these base stations communicated to the mobile unit. Third, an alternative route may be communicated to the mobile unit, and that alternative route may include base stations having relatively greater available capacity. Fourth, directions may be provided to the mobile unit to bring the mobile unit closer, in position, to a base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication networks, and, more particularly, to accounting for a user's bandwidth needs as a user moves through a wireless communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless telecommunication network includes a group of base stations that support multiple portable ("mobile") and fixed transceivers. For convenience, each transceiver is commonly termed a "unit." Each base station supports a number of logical connections with units within the base station's coverage area, sometimes referred to as a "cell." These logical connections may be through one or more physical connections transferring modulated and encoded data between each unit and the base station according to any number of communication techniques known in the art. Logical and physical connections are typically characterized by their available capacity for carrying data, expressed in bandwidth or data rate. For example, a logical connection of 64 kbps capacity may be implemented using two physical connections, each of 32 kbps capacity. Although a unit connection may be established with other units within the cell or wireless network, typically the unit's logical connection accesses an external network. External networks are generally land-based telecommunication systems, such as the POTS (plain old telephone service) network, dedicated data networks, and/or the Internet.
While a unit may send a request to the base station to establish a logical connection, generally the base station coordinates and controls the process of setting-up the portion of the connection between the base station and the unit. Base stations themselves may be linked to a call management system that coordinates actions of the base stations in the network. The call management system is typically responsible for establishing the portion of the connection from the base station to the external network. At a given point in time, each base station is supporting a different number of units within its coverage area, and the base stations may have different available bandwidth or services depending on their provisioning and equipment configuration.
When traveling through the wireless network, the unit shifts communication between base stations offering network access along the route taken by the unit. Shifting of communication between base stations, commonly known as "handoff," includes the process of maintaining a logical connection with one base station while negotiating a new logical connection with another base station. Generally, a unit may have several candidate base stations to select from when starting the process of setting up the new logical connection. Prior art networks generally employ a metric, such as signal-to-noise ratio and/or number of units currently served by the base station, during the negotiation process to select the base station for the new logical connection.
As popularity of wireless networks grows, such networks are increasingly pressured to offer greater capacity in logical connections to support relatively large file transfer, such as generated by Internet access, data-networking, and other types of wireless computer networking applications. However, since effects of handoff between base stations should be transparent to the logical connection, a connection with a large file transfer between a unit and one base station may have adequate capacity, but such capacity may not be available in the new connection after handoff of the connection to another base station. Without sufficient capacity, generally the data application coordinating the file transfer will "throttle-back" the connection, transferring data at a slower rate.
Recently many transceivers, such as units in a wireless network, are incorporating features that allow the transceiver to detect its position on the Earth. While many systems exist, such as LORAN and VOR in aircraft, by far the most widespread system in use is the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS employs a group of satellites in geo-synchronous orbit, each satellite transmitting it's identification (ID) signal and a timing signal locked to a standard reference. A transceiver searches the sky for ID signals from at least three satellites of the GPS system. When three or more different ID signals are acquired, the corresponding timing signals are compared. The phase differences between timing signals represent delays caused by the different distances between the transceiver and each acquired satellite. With a priori information known through identification of each satellite, triangulation may be used to determine the transceiver's position on the Earth.

Position-based capacity reservation in a mobile wireless system


A fuel cell system that employs an injector/ejector for providing fresh hydrogen and anode recirculation gas to the anode side of a fuel cell stack. The injector/ejector is operated with a variable frequency so that the injector open time at low stack current densities is long enough to allow a pressure drop to be provided in the anode flow channels to push out water that may have accumulated therein. In one embodiment, the injector/ejector control provides a minimum pulse width per cycle and a maximum frequency so that as the stack current density decreases below a certain value the frequency decreases from the maximum frequency to maintain the pulse width constant at the minimum pulse width.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for efficiently providing anode recirculation to a fuel cell stack and, more particularly, to a system and method for efficiently providing anode recirculation gas to the anode side of the fuel cell stack using an injector/ejector.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hydrogen is a very attractive fuel because it is clean and can be used to efficiently produce electricity in a fuel cell. A hydrogen fuel cell is an electro-chemical device that includes an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte therebetween. The anode receives hydrogen gas and the cathode receives oxygen or air. The hydrogen gas is dissociated in the anode to generate free protons and electrons. The protons pass through the electrolyte to the cathode. The protons react with the oxygen and the electrons in the cathode to generate water. The electrons from the anode cannot pass through the electrolyte, and thus are directed through a load to perform work before being sent to the cathode.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are a popular fuel cell for vehicles. The PEMFC generally includes a solid polymer electrolyte proton conducting membrane, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. The anode and cathode typically include finely divided catalytic particles, usually platinum (Pt), supported on carbon particles and mixed with an ionomer. The catalytic mixture is deposited on opposing sides of the membrane. The combination of the anode catalytic mixture, the cathode catalytic mixture and the membrane define a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). MEAs are relatively expensive to manufacture and require certain conditions for effective operation.
Several fuel cells are typically combined in a fuel cell stack to generate the desired power. For example, a typical fuel cell stack for a vehicle may have two hundred or more stacked fuel cells. The fuel cell stack receives a cathode input reactant gas, typically a flow of air forced through the stack by a compressor. Not all of the oxygen is consumed by the stack and some of the air is output as a cathode exhaust gas that may include water as a stack by-product. The fuel cell stack also receives an anode hydrogen reactant gas that flows into the anode side of the stack. The stack also includes flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
The fuel cell stack includes a series of bipolar plates positioned between the several MEAs in the stack, where the bipolar plates and the MEAs are positioned between two end plates. The bipolar plates include an anode side and a cathode side for adjacent fuel cells in the stack. Anode gas flow channels are provided on the anode side of the bipolar plates that allow the anode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. Cathode gas flow channels are provided on the cathode side of the bipolar plates that allow the cathode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. One end plate includes anode gas flow channels, and the other end plate includes cathode gas flow channels. The bipolar plates and end plates are made of a conductive material, such as stainless steel or a conductive composite. The end plates conduct the electricity generated by the fuel cells out of the stack. The bipolar plates also include flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
Some fuel cell systems employ anode recirculation where the anode exhaust gas is sent back to the anode input so that the unused hydrogen in the exhaust can be reused. Typically a pump is required in the anode recirculation loop so that the proper pressure and ratio of recirculation gas to fresh hydrogen is provided to the anode input of the stack to provide efficient stack operation. An improper anode flow and pressure to the fuel cell stack could result in a low anode flow rate that may allow water to accumulate in the anode flow channels. Accumulation of water in the anode flow channels may cause anode flow to be diverted to other channels where those channels feeding certain fuel cells in the stack are starved of hydrogen, and may experience a voltage collapse. In one embodiment, it is necessary to provide about half as much recirculation gas as fresh hydrogen being provided to the anode side of the stack. If enough recirculation gas is not provided, then the flow rate may not be high enough to drive out excess water in the anode flow channels. The lower the current density of the stack, the lower the anode flow rate, and thus the more likely the stack will be flooded with water.
An improper anode flow and pressure to the fuel cell stack could also result in a low anode flow rate that may not provide hydrogen gas to each fuel cell in the stack. As mentioned, a typical fuel cell stack may have two hundred or more fuel cells. Tolerances in material properties might cause a higher pressure drop for some of the fuel cells, thus reducing the amount of gas supplied to an individual fuel cell. If enough recirculation gas is not provided, then the flow rate may not be high enough to supply sufficient hydrogen gas to the fuel cells with a higher individual pressure drop.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/024548 to Pechtold et al. discloses an injector/ejector for a fuel cell system that injects a combination of anode fuel and anode exhaust into the anode side of a fuel cell stack. The injector/ejector is designed to eliminate the need for a recirculation pump in an anode recirculation system. However, improvements can be made for using an injector/ejector for providing the proper ratio of fresh hydrogen and anode recirculation gas to the anode side of the fuel cell stack for efficient stack operation.
An injector is a pulse device that when the injector is open, the flow of gas is substantially constant, and when the injector is closed, no flow is provided. Typical control of an injector uses a variable duty cycle and a fixed frequency. The duty cycle is the proportion of time the injector is open during one frequency cycle. A typical frequency for injector control in a fuel cell system may be as high as 60 Hz or as low as 15 Hz. A higher frequency is sometimes preferred for a more stable stack pressure control.
Controlling the injector with a fixed frequency causes the injector to be open for only a very short period of time when the fuel cell system is operating at low power. For example, the duty cycle can be as low as 1% at system idle. In this case, the injector is open for less than 1 ms when the injector is operated at a frequency of 15 Hz. Although this is long enough to supply the proper amount of hydrogen for the fuel cell reaction, it may be too short to build up a pressure drop across the anode side of the fuel cell stack to achieve a high enough gas velocity throughout the fuel cell stack. A certain pressure drop is required for uniform flow distribution and a high gas velocity will improve water management.


The present invention relates to the use of gasdermin, in particular of gasdermin A, gasdermin B, gasdermin C, gasdermin D, DFNA5 or DFNB59 (or pejvakin), and more particularly pejvakin for modulating cellular redox homeostasis. A particularly preferred use of gasdermin, in particular of gasdermin A, gasdermin B, gasdermin C, gasdermin D, DFNA5 or DFNB59 (or pejvakin), and more particularly pejvakin in the context of the present invention is as an antioxidant. The present invention also concerns a virally-mediated gene therapy for restoring genetically-impaired auditory and vestibular functions in subjects suffering from an Usher syndrome. More precisely, this gene therapy takes advantage of an AAV2/8 vector expressing at least one USH1 gene product, preferably SANS.

As yet described above, hearing impairment—herein defined as referring to any hearing defect that can either be congenital or not—is a major concern and a serious burden for Public health.
The early-onset forms of severe deafness are mostly genetic in origin and are frequently due to sensory hair cells defect.
In particular, Usher syndrome (USH) is an autosomal recessive disease that affects both the inner ear and the retina. It is the most frequent cause of hereditary deaf-blindness, affecting 1 child in 25,000.
The following three USH clinical subtypes have been defined:                USH type I (USH1), the most severe, involves severe to profound congenital sensorineural deafness, constant vestibular dysfunction and retinitis pigmentosa with prepubertal onset;        USH2 differing from USH1 mainly in the deafness being less severe, the absence of vestibular dysfunction and the onset of retinitis pigmentosa after puberty; and        USH3 differing from USH1 and USH2 in the progressiveness of hearing loss and the occasional presence of vestibular dysfunction.
USH1 is genetically heterogeneous. Seven loci responsible for this disease have been defined and called USH1A-G, with four of the corresponding genes having been identified: USH1B, C, D and F. USH1B encodes the actin-based motor protein myosin Vila. USH1C encodes harmonin which is a PDZ domain-containing protein. Mutations in the genes encoding two cadherin-related proteins, cadherin 23 and procadherin 15, have been shown to cause USH1D and USH1F, respectively.
Studies of USH1G-affected families allowed to identify SANS, the human orthologue of the gene defective in Jackson shaker (js) mutant mice, as the causative gene (Mustapha et al., 2002; Weil et al., 2003).
Current clinical approaches to remedy hearing impairment, in particular USH, include hearing aids for mild to moderate impairments and cochlear implants for severe to profound impairments. These existing solutions are however not curative treatments and are not adapted to noisy environments.
There is thus a need in the art for therapeutic approaches to cure genetic forms of human deafness with or without balance defects, in particular USH, yet in particular USH1G.
In this aim, the present inventors studied Ush1g knock-out mice (Ush1g−/− model as described in Caberlotto et al., 2011). This study allowed them to provide a virally-mediated gene therapy for restoring genetically-impaired auditory and vestibular functions. More precisely, their results show that it is possible to efficiently target hair cells and to restore the normal morphology of both cochlear and vestibular hair bundles, which is shown to be critical for auditory and balance functions.
These findings have major therapeutic implications, as described below.

Prevention and/or treatment of hearing loss or impairment

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)


An apparatus comprises: a unit that analyzes syntax of a bitstream corresponding to moving image data for which a minimum size of a unit according to decoding processing is defined and syntax of an accompanying bitstream that accompanies the bitstream; a unit that transforms high-level syntax obtained as a result of the analysis into new high-level syntax including a resolution that is lower than a resolution that the high-level syntax includes; a unit that transforms information which is obtained as a result of the analysis and is associated with a minimum size unit in the bitstream into information associated with a corresponding unit in the accompanying bitstream; and a unit that synthesizes, in accordance with syntax, the new high-level syntax and information after the transformation, and that generates a new bitstream.

A moving image coding scheme that uses intra-prediction (intra-frame prediction), inter-prediction (inter-frame prediction), residual difference transformation, and entropy encoding has been proposed (for example, refer to NPTL1). Also, a magnification method for an encoding apparatus/decoding apparatus called a scalable encoding scheme has been proposed (for example, refer to NPTL1).
In recent years, high-resolution video such as 4K video and 8K video has come to be distributed. 4K video is being distributed at 15 Mbps to 35 Mbps in video distribution services. Meanwhile, 8K video broadcasting services are envisioned to be at 90 Mbps to 110 Mbps. With HD video (2K video) thus far, it has been possible to realize a practical quality at about 3 Mbps to 6 Mbps by HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding).
When such video is envisioned to be streamed and stored, ten times or more the capacity is required for 4K/8K video over 2K video. In particular, since there is a storage cost in individually storing 4K video and 8K video, there is great benefit in reducing capacity by scalable encoding techniques such is described in NPTL1.

Bitstream transformation apparatus, bitstream transformation method, distribution system, moving image encoding apparatus, moving image encoding method and computer-readable storage medium


Pharmacuetical compositions for administering a combination of controlled release potassium chloride and immediately-released magnesium salt are disclosed.

It is well known that mineral deficiencies such as hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia can occur for a variety of dietary or physiological reasons and often result from long term therapy with drugs such as thiazides and loop diuretics. Hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia can cause variety of unpleasant or dangerous symptoms including cardiac arrhythymias, weakness, fatigue and muscle cramps.
While the need for potassium and magnesium supplementation is well recognized, no combination supplements known to date have been completely successful. Potassium is known to cause irritation and/or ulceration in the gastric tract when taken orally, so combinations of salts such as the granulation described in UK Patent 1,356,096, which provides both potassium and magnesium in immediate release form, are likely to promote gastric upset.
Other known formulations wherein the release of both the potassium and magnesium are controlled, e.g. those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,370 and UK patent 1,356,097, tend to promote the same gastric problems, but for the opposite reason. That is, wax-matrix formulations such as disclosed in the cited patents may not disintegrate rapidly or completely, causing high local concentrations of potassium injurious to the gastric tract. These wax-matrix tablets, as well as other controlled release formulations such as that described in German patent 2,132,923, wherein enteric coated capsules are disclosed, (which capsules in effect become immediate release formulations when the coating and capsule dissolve, thereby presenting the problems associated with non-controlled release potassium salts) further present the possibility of reduced bioavailability of magnesium. Magnesium is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in the region of the upper small bowel by means of an active process closely related to the transport system for calcium. Therefore, the use of magnesium in a controlled-release or enteric-release form would be inappropriate due to the reduced biavailability. Moreover, unlike potassium, the controlled release of magnesium is unnecessary since magnesium salts are not associated with gastrointestinal irritation and ulceration.
Furthermore, the above cited patents may not provide therapeutic doses of both potassium and magnesium. The dosages in the formulation in the cited patents range from a low of 0.25 to a high of 15 meq. for magnesium and from a low of 0.4 to a high of 10 meq. for potassium. However, the recommended daily dietary allowance for magnesium in adults is 25 to 33.4 meq (milliequivalent). The daily dose of magnesium required to prevent depletion in patients receiving diuretics has not yet been established, while a daily dose of 20 meq of potassium is typically used for the prevention of hypokalmia.


The present disclosure provides systems and methods to stepwise increasing the IT security of elements of a technological system. In an exemplary aspect, the method comprises gathering data on technological systems and a plurality of elements comprising the technological system by intercepting traffic between the plurality of elements using data exchange protocols, identifying vulnerable elements of the technological system by one or more of: detecting suspicious actions on the vulnerable elements and statistical data relating to the elements, analyzing the vulnerable elements to generate a classification of severity of vulnerabilities of the vulnerable elements, identifying most vulnerable portions of the vulnerable elements as compared to other elements in the vulnerable elements, operating the most vulnerable portions of the vulnerable elements in a protected environment.

One of the current problems of industrial security is the problem of safe functioning of technological processes (TP). The principal threats to the functioning of TP may include unintentional mistakes or malicious actions in the operational control, wear and failure of equipment and subunits, computer attacks on control systems and the IT system, and others.
Automated control systems (ACS) at the enterprises control the technological systems and also need to be given an adequate level of security. The elements of technological systems, as well as the operating systems and firmware controlling those elements, often become obsolete. Nor is their frequent updating possible, since this leads to interruptions in the technological processes. Furthermore, new versions of the programs may also contain errors having a negative impact on the functional stability of the elements of the technological systems. Furthermore, existing obsolete ACSs, designed to stand in isolation, are often connected to computer networks and do not have the means for ensuring IT security in event of malicious action from the outside.
Furthermore, the existing solutions for control of technological systems were developed without heed for the present-day essential security requirements, which poses the problem of increasing their level of protection. Unfortunately, the existing solutions are usually rather complicated with a large volume of legacy code, which significantly complicates their reworking, making it exceedingly resource-hungry and risky, both from a business standpoint and a technical standpoint.
It should be noted that the personnel working at the enterprises also often lack sufficient skills in IT security, they do not employ strong passwords, they connect their personal data storage media and mobile devices to the computers and servers, use social networks and personal email, and open attachment files from letters and messages, which may result in an infecting of those computers with malicious software, incidents involving computer security, and so forth.
A solution is needed which increases the IT security of technological systems.

System and method of stepwise increasing the IT security of elements of a technological system


Magnetic shielding for a superconducting magnet coil, arranged in the inside of a cryostat and having a vertical z-axis for generating a static magnetic field of a homogeneity of <10.sup.-7 in the measuring volume of an NMR spectrometer, wherein the shielding comprises spatial shielding at a distance from the cryostat in the form of a ferromagnetic shielding plate arranged above the cryostat, is characterized in that the shielding plate comprises either areas outside of the z-axis having a final curvature in the downward direction or plane surfaces which are inclined with respect to the horizontal line at an angle 10.degree.<theta<60.degree., truncated conical or truncated pyramid shaped surfaces. In this manner, the magnetic flux in a room located above the spectrometer is minimized and the expenditure for material and assembly for the shielding elements is considerably reduced.

The invention concerns magnetic shielding for a superconducting magnet coil arranged in the inside of a cryostat and having a vertical z-axis for generating a static magnetic field of a homogeneity of <10.sup.-7 in the test volume of a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, wherein the shielding comprises spatial shielding at a distance from the cryostat in the form of a ferromagnetic shielding plate which is disposed above the cryostat.
Magnetic shielding of this type is known from DE 44 15 847 C.
The problems inherent in magnetic spatial shielding in the field of analytic NMR are described in detail in the above-mentioned document DE 44 15 847 C1. From U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,302 cited therein, "stave-like" magnetic shielding of a high field NMR magnet is known, in which the shielding elements surround the cryostat of the apparatus in the form of strip-like segments of a spherical shell at a distance symmetrically with respect to the central measuring volume.
The axial end areas are not shielded in this case. Consequently, the produced magnetic stray field can be shielded to the side, however, it emerges towards the top in an almost unhindered manner, such that, in a space located above the NMR spectrometer, it can fully develop its disturbing effect on sensitive devices.
The company leaflet "Introducing new technology for very high field NMR-spectrometers" from the Houston Advanced Research Center, 4800 research forest drive, The Woodlands, Tex. 77381, USA from the year 1993, discloses an integrated iron shielding of an NMR spectrometer, which is cooled down to the temperature of liquid helium.
In the field of NMR tomography, e.g. the article "A Cylindrically Symmetric Magnetic Shield for a Large-Bore 3.0 Tesla Magnet" by Ewing et al., MRM 29, Pages 398-401, 1993, discloses shielding chambers which are closed on all sides or are symmetrical. In such closed and symmetrical tomography shieldings, the NMR magnet coil is in the centre of symmetry of the whole arrangement.
Also from the field of NMR tomography, magnetic spatial shielding has become known through EP 0 182 284 B1 in which the thickness of the shielding can be varied and thus locally optimized. From the drawings shown in the document, it can be gathered that the shielding chamber consists of walls which are parallel to the axis, i.e. either of two side walls or a pipe which is arranged around the magnet and comprises either a circular cross-section or an n-fold, polygonal cross-section, or of a box-shaped configuration which has rectangular openings in the axial direction and has a square or coffin-like shape.
EP 0 196 511 B1 describes ferromagnetic shielding for NMR magnets, wherein the axial opening of an iron shielding cylinder, which directly surrounds the superconducting magnet, is calculated such that the field distortion in the test volume is as small as possible. In this manner, "retrofitting" of originally not shielded systems is to be realized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,017 again shows a shielding arrangement for an NMR tomography magnet, wherein in this case "wings" are provided which protrude in the axial or radial direction from the magnet and are designed to capture part of the magnetic stray field.
Also from the field of NMR tomography there is finally known through DE 31 23 493 A1 ferromagnetic shielding which surrounds the magnet system in a relatively compact manner, in which variants with magnet coils having a vertical z-axis and shielding means having a horizontal or slightly curved "lid" are provided. Improved field homogeneity in the upper area of the test volume is regarded as an advantage of the curved "lid" wherein, however, in this type of tomography arrangement, the achievable magnetic field homogeneity in the measuring volume is by far worse than the homogeneity required for an NMR spectrometer. Furthermore, this does not concern spatial shielding at a distance from the magnet system but compact shielding which surrounds a normally conducting magnet coil system so that the problems with the use of a cryostat for superconducting magnet coils do not occur in this case either.
In contrast thereto, the initially cited DE 44 15 847 C1 describes magnetic spatial shielding for a superconducting NMR analytic magnet, wherein the ferromagnetic shielding is spaced away from the cryostat and contains at least two horizontally arranged plates, one of which is arranged below and the other above the cryostat. Moreover, vertical ferromagnetic side elements are provided which magnetically connect the upper and the lower plate. In this manner, shielding is effected which is considerably improved with respect to all other shielding devices for NMR analytic magnets hitherto known, wherein no major problems with respect to the action of forces nor significant disturbances of the homogeneity of the generated static magnetic field occur.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is still the fact that a considerable part of the magnetic stray field can leave the NMR spectrometer and enter into spaces located above the spectrometer. Even the application of a canopy-like surrounding "apron", provided in DE 44 15 847 C1, still allows that a very large amount of magnetic flux enters towards the top through the shielding. Furthermore, there is also the disadvantage that the known device requires a considerable amount of ferromagnetic shielding material which can cause, on the one hand, weight problems and problems with the statics of the building and, on the other hand, requires great expenditure in connection with the assembly.
Thus, it is the object of the present invention to improve magnetic spatial shielding having the initially mentioned features in such a manner that the magnetic flux in a room located above the spectrometer is minimized, if possible, completely eliminated and that the expenditure in connection with material and assembly for the shielding elements is considerably reduced.

Ferromagnetic spatial shielding for the superconducting high field magnet of an NMR spectrometer


In radio transmission systems with point-to-point and point-to-multipoint topology a master station and one or several terminal stations are defined as well as a downstream channel from the master station to the terminal stations and an upstream channel from the terminal stations to the master station. In such systems, in order to send traffic to several terminal stations, the downstream channel is used by the master station in time division multiplexing.

In point-to-multipoint systems, whatever physical medium is used, a master station and one or several terminal stations, also called terminals, are defined. While a particular embodiment of the present invention, applied to point-to-multipoint radio system, will be shown and described, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto since other embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the ambit of the invention.
The transmissions from the master station to one or more terminal stations are made on one logical channel, also called "downstream channel", typically with time division multiplexing approach.
The transmissions from the terminal stations to the master are made on another logical channel, also called "upstream channel". The upstream is divided from the downstream channel by time division duplexing or by frequency division duplexing, that is the transmissions in upstream direction could be made either in different frequency channels, or in the same frequency channel but in different time-intervals.
In other physical media alternative duplexing mechanisms could be used.
With the term "phy mode" we mean the combination of modulation and FEC (Forwarding Error Check). Each phy mode is characterized by a different throughput and a different robustness.
Different systems are known and in particular:    1. traditional systems, in which the master and the terminal stations could transmit using only one phy mode, even if the master may not use the same as the terminal stations, and    2. new system generations which can support adaptive phy modes.
With the term "adaptive phy modes" we mean that the transmission stations, master or terminals, can use, in the reception or in the transmission of data, a certain number of phy modes, in different time intervals and in the same frequency channel.
The transmitted power level cannot be the same for all the terminal stations, but it is function of the distance from the master station, of climate conditions, and of phy modes. In traditional systems, which do not support adaptive phy modes, an automatic power level control, also called "ATPC", regulates the transmission level of the terminal stations. In the known art, with the ATPC techniques in traditional systems, the master station passes, in the downstream channel, the information in order to regulate the transmitted power level of each terminal station. In this way the mean power level of the signals transmitted by the terminal stations and received by the above-mentioned master station is kept near a predefined level.
A minimum received level, also called "threshold level", and a typical received level, near which the master receives the signals, somewhat higher than the threshold level, also called "working point", are defined.
Once the working level is set, taking implementation issues into account, the master station automatically instructs the terminal stations, by means of signaling messages, so that the terminal stations transmit the correct power level in order to be received by the master near the working point.
The above-mentioned working points and threshold levels are reference points, computed from implementation issues and from system dimensioning.
Air fading is time variable. In traditional systems the received power level is kept near the working point. When the terminal station has not the sufficient power to counteract for example rain fading, the received power level at the master decreases.
In non adaptive phy modes systems the master station and the terminal stations transmit and receive using a phy mode, defined in advance at the implementation of the system. Accordingly the setting of the transmission power level of the terminal stations regards only the phy mode used for the transmission by the transmitting station. For example consider a terminal station transmitting a phy mode 16QAM without FEC. Typically, in normal working condition, the signal transmitted by this terminal station is received by the master station near the working point. In this condition the master station tells to the terminal station that the transmitted power level is correct. Let's presume now that the fading increases, for example due to rain. The signal is received by the master station with a power level lower and lower as the rain fading increases. In this transition period, the terminal station transmits always at the same power level. When the signal received at the master station reaches a threshold, lower than the working point, the master station tells the terminal station to increase the transmitted power level in order to counteract the fading. With this procedure the received power level remains close to working point. In the same way the decreased attenuation is counteracted. If the received signal passes a threshold above the working point, the master station tells the terminal station to reduce the transmitted power level. When the received power level is back to the working point, with proper signaling messages, the master station tells the terminal station to keep the transmitted power level constant.
The ATPC techniques for traditional systems are well known for reducing power consumption and improving the reliability of wireless transmission devices (for example see JP 9214269 and JP 2000101456 in the name of Fujitsu LTD). The constraints to be defined in the project stage are, beside the working point, the maximum and minimum levels that regulate the messaging signals in order to increase or decrease the transmitted power level of the terminal stations. The above-mentioned maximum and minimum thresholds have to be chosen in the proper way; not too far from the working point, in order to quickly counteract the signal fading; not too close to the working point, in order to avoid uncontrollable cycles due to message propagation and response time.
In some systems the thresholds are not defined, and the control is made by periodical messages, always present even with small fading. In all cases, ideally, the algorithm controls the transmitted power level in order to keep the average received signal constant and close to the working point of the used phy mode. Even if we make explicit reference to the average received power, the peak received power, the signal to noise ratio or the signal to noise plus interference ratio are equivalent here and in the following and might be used together with or instead of the mentioned average received power in any of the following instances. For the sake of simplicity this remark will not be repeated each time but the invention intends to cover implementations with any of those parameters monitored or also with any combination of those parameters.
In adaptive phy mode systems, the phy mode is not defined by default, but the master station and the terminal stations can switch from one phy mode to another while the system is working. The management and control messages between the master station and the terminal stations are transmitted using the pre-defined most robust phy mode. The data are transmitted using one of the phy modes, decided time by time by the master station. Depending on some parameters, such as distance, climate condition and interference, the master station can tell the terminal station to switch from a phy mode to another one supported by both the master and the terminal station.
In the European patent application No. 1830201.8 in the name of Siemens Information and Communication Networks S.p.A., a technique is disclosed for applying power control to adaptive phy mode systems. The patent describes an algorithm, which jointly controls the power and the phy mode: the algorithm works on received power for controlling both the transmitted power and the phy mode changes; this control is implemented via messages sent from the master station to the terminal station. The algorithm can optionally take advantage if the master has the knowledge of unused available transmit power in the terminal. Said algorithm maximizes performance always allowing the use of the most efficient phy mode, which can be used given the channel conditions; it also keeps the received power within a limited range close to a predefined point called "working point". The transitions between phy modes define an hysteresis by setting different thresholds for transition from phy mode A to phy mode B and viceversa.

Optimal two-leg histeresys for power control and phy mode switching control in adaptive phy mode systems

Abstract: In some cases, the modulation type and the forward error correction, jointly called phy mode, depend on the addressed terminal. These systems are called adaptive phy mode systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to adaptive phy mode systems, and it defines a power control technique for the terminal stations that also commands the phy mode switching and optimizes the system in terms of coverage, capacity and interference. In particular the terminal stations transmit with the several phy modes so that the signals are received at the master station making a performance related parameter equal. Then a hysteresis based on two different parameters (received power and available unused transmit power) is defined which regulates the phy mode switching.


The present invention provides an improved scale conditioning composition and method that results in improved dissolution and disruption of tube scale, hardened sludge and other deposits composed primarily of highly densified magnetite such as those found in heat exchange vessels. After treatment with the advanced scale conditioning composition, these magnetite rich deposits are more easily removed using known and commercially available high pressure hydro-mechanical cleaning techniques. The present invention further provides effective cleaning in a short period of time and at relatively low temperatures, while reducing the amount of waste produced and reducing the resulting corrosion of carbon and low alloy steel components within the steam generator during the cleaning process.

The invention relates to an advanced formulation scale conditioning process and composition for enhancing the removal of films, scales, and sludge deposits from industrial process vessels, such as shell and tube heat exchangers, boilers, and steam generators.
Metal surfaces exposed to water or aqueous solutions over long periods of time in closed heat transfer systems develop scales and/or become covered by sludge and other deposits, regardless of the system water purity levels. For example, in commercial electric power generating plants, after on-line operation at temperatures of 200xc2x0 C. or more, large shell and tube heat exchangers, such as those known as nuclear steam generators, develop adherent scales and/or sludge deposits on the secondary side surfaces of tubes, tube sheets, tube support plates, and other internal structural parts. These troublesome scales and deposits form even in those instances in which the purity of the water may be controlled to levels at or below parts per million. Over a period of time, the accumulation of these scales and sludge will have an adverse effect on the operational performance of the steam generators.
Various off-line cleaning methods have been developed to remove the scales and sludge built up on the internal surfaces of heat exchangers used to generate steam. Commercially successful methods include: pressure pulsing with shock waves; water slapping; chemical cleaning at elevated temperatures, using a variety of chelants at concentrations ranging between approximately 5 and 25%; use of scale conditioning agents at elevated pH (around 10.5); and flushing with high pressure water. Both pressure pulse and chemical methods for cleaning the interior of heat exchanger vessels such as the secondary sides of nuclear steam generators are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,899,697 (Franklin, et al.), 4,921,662 (Franklin, et al.), 5,006,304 Franklin, et al.), 5,092,280 (Franklin, et al.), and 5,092,355 (Cadwell, et al.) all disclose pressure pulse cleaning methods and devices to loosen and remove sludge and debris from heat exchanger surfaces within the secondary side of nuclear steam generators by means of shock waves introduced in water. U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,329 (Franklin, et al.) discloses an improved cleaning method for the secondary side of nuclear steam generators by means of vertically flushing the secondary side of nuclear steam generators during pressure pulse or other shock wave type cleaning operations.
The scale conditioning agent formulations disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,764,717 (Rootham) and 5,841,826 (Rootham et al.) were designed to minimize interaction with magnetite, the principal component of most scale and hardened sludge deposits. The advanced formulation scale conditioning agents of the present invention, however, have the ability both to interact with magnetite causing controlled dissolution and to assist in removing copper and silicate enriched hydrothermal minerals. Highly densified magnetite generally resists penetration by prior art scale conditioning agents comprising combinations of strongly basic amines and intercalation agents. The improved scale conditioning agents of the present invention, however, by overcoming overcoming these limitations, are especially useful in removing scales and other deposits which are composed principally of homogenous and highly densified magnetite.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective method for the partial dissolution, softening, and disruption of tube scale, hardened sludge and other deposits composed primarily of highly densified magnetite that are present within heat exchange vessels, in particular the interior of the secondary side of a nuclear steam generator. After treatment with the advanced scale conditioning agent these deposits are more easily removed using commercially available high pressure hydro-mechanical cleaning techniques such as CECIL(trademark), pressure pulse cleaning (PPC), and upper bundle hydraulic cleaning (UBHC). The method according to the present invention is effective in cleaning in a short period of time and at low temperatures, generating a minimum amount of liquid radioactive waste, and minimizing corrosion of carbon and low alloy steel components within the steam generator during the cleaning process.
Generally speaking, the invention is an improved method for chemically removing and disrupting scale, sludge, corrosion products and other deposits from the interior of a heat exchanger vessel such as the interior of a nuclear steam generator that eliminates, or at least ameliorates shortcomings associated with the prior art. The method of the invention generally comprises the steps of introducing a dilute aqueous solution of additives into the interior of a heat exchanger vessel (for example, the secondary side of a nuclear steam generator). The solution introduced into the heat exchanger reacts with the deposits to partially dissolve the densified magnetite in a controlled manner and modify the structure of the remaining deposits such that they are more easily removed using known hydro-mechanical cleaning techniques. The present invention achieves the partial dissolution of the magnetite and modification of the deposit structure without causing excessive corrosion of carbon and low alloy steel structural components within the steam generator and without using a corrosion inhibitor. Upon completion of the scale conditioning process (the dissolution, softening and disruption of the existing scale and deposits), the cleaning solution is drained from the steam generator. If application of the conditioning solution is performed in conjunction with the application of PPC, a post-conditioning rinse of at least de-ionized water, or a mixture of de-ionized water, hydrazine and optionally, ammonia or one or more amines is preferred to remove cleaning solution residuals. If, however, a hydro-mechanical cleaning process is to be applied to the steam generator after completion of the exposure to the dilute conditioning solution, no such post-conditioning rinse step is required.
In prior art chemical cleaning processes, it was typically necessary to introduce and remove chemical cleaning agents and rinsing solutions a number of times before the sludge and deposits have been effectively removed. In such prior art processes, it was also typically necessary to heat the system during the cleaning process to achieve satisfactory results. Also, in the prior art many of the cleaning agents employed were corrosive and both promoted new and unwanted corrosion of carbon and low alloy steels and/or required an additional neutralization or rinsing step. In some prior art methods, using corrosion inhibitors could decrease this corrosion. However, the inclusion of corrosion inhibitors imposes additional limits, or constraints, on the application temperature of the cleaning process, since these corrosion inhibitors have diminished effectiveness and/or can undergo thermal decomposition as the temperature of the cleaning operation exceeds 120xc2x0 C. In addition, the waste disposal concerns, including the potential generation of hazardous and/or mixed wastes associated with the prior art processes are eliminated in the new method.
In the method of the invention the dilute aqueous solution of a chemical cleaning agent is formed from a chelant or mixture of chelants which may be ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA), or biodegradable chelants such as lauryl substituted EDTA and/or polyaspartic acid plus imminodisuccinate, or the like; a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid or one of the isomeric forms of ascorbic acid, citric acid, hydrazine, catalyzed hydrazine, carbohydazide, or the like; a pH adjusting compound containing most preferably 1 to 10 carbon atoms, such as a lower alkyl amine or an alkanolamine, or the like; and a low foaming non-ionic surfactant such as Triton X-100, or the like.
The nitrogen containing alkyl amine or alkanolamine is at least one of the group comprising dimethylamine, ethylamine, 1,2-diaminoethane and diaminopropane, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, 2-methyl-2-amono-1-propanol, 5-aminopentanol, and methoxypropylamine or similar compounds.
In the preferred method, the concentration of the cleaning agent within the aqueous solution is preferably maintained at less than about 1 weight percent, more preferably at less than 0.5 weight percent, and most preferably at between about 0.05 and 0.25 weight percent, based on the total solution. Although these concentrations have been found to be generally sufficient to partially remove and disrupt the scale, sludge, and other deposits effectively, other concentrations may be useful in particular applications. The preferred temperature of application for the cleaning process is less than 80xc2x0 C., more preferably in the range of approximately 30-60xc2x0 C., and most preferably approximately 30xc2x0 C. The preferred pH range for application of the cleaning process is between pH 4 and pH 8.5, and preferably between pH 4.5 and pH 6.


A patient cooling system comprises an inflatable patient mattress having an airflow system and integral manifold incorporated therein and a patient enclosure or tent coupled to the inflatable patient mattress and supported by a framework of inflatable tubes drawing air off of the same air supply used to supply the mattress and to thermally control the area in the tent. The framework of inflatable tubes is divided into left and right sections, which are further subdivided into lower body and upper body sections. An inflatable connector with a stem and protuberance is provided to secure the framework in a closed position. The patient-supporting mattress comprises a plurality of inflatable compartments extending transversely across the width of the mattress that can be alternately pressurized for pressure relief therapy. Air is recirculated from the area in the tent and the integral manifold through the airflow system and into a thermal control unit. The tent is adapted to prevent collapse on top of the patient when the inflatable tubes are deflated by having a predetermined outward bias.

International patent applications published under WO 97/42919 and WO 00/27323, which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, describe systems for rapidly cooling a patient to a temperature a few degrees below normal blood temperature, e.g. in the range of about 32 to 34 degrees Celsius. This clinical procedure has been used with some success in reducing brain damage to cardiac or stroke patients.


Disclosed herein is a lighting lamp having a light-emitting tube in which lutetium (Lu), lithium (Li) and a halogen are sealed together with mercury and a rare gas. The lighting lamp satisfies the following conditions (1) and (2):. (1) the proportion Li/Lu (the ratio in terms of the number of atoms of lithium to lutetium) is 0.5 to 1.5; and PA1 (2) the sealed amount of the halogen is the total of a stoichiometric amount of halogen in which the halogen form halides with lutetium and lithium to be sealed and an excess amount of 0.5.times.10.sup.-6 to 4.times.10.sup.-6 molecular mole/cc based on the internal volume of the light-emitting tube.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lighting lamp excellent in color rendering properties in a red region, and specifically to a lighting lamp suitable for use in a light source for the projection of an image formed on a color liquid crystal panel, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Short-arc metal halide lamps in which a rare earth metal and a halogen are sealed are used as light sources for studio-lighting and the like because they are high in luminous efficiency in a wavelength region of visible rays and excellent in color rendering properties owing to their possession of spectral characteristics similar to those of sunlight.
However, light sources for the projection of images formed on color liquid crystal panels require spectral characteristics different from those of sunlight and fit for the sensitivity characteristics of color filters thereof. Therefore, conventional short-arc metal halide lamps have been accompanied by a problem that the radiant intensity in a red region is relatively low and the color rendering properties of color liquid crystal displays are hence deteriorated.
In order to enhance the radiant intensity in the red region on the other hand, it is effective to seal lithium within a light-emitting tube.
However, the sealing of lithium involves the following problem. Since lithium is high in reactivity with the glass material making up the light-emitting tube, devitrification of the light-emitting tube, occurs during its operation, so that the luminous flux radiated is reduced as a whole and the radiant intensity of red light is rapidly decreased. Therefore, such sealing fails to provide a sufficient service life.
With the foregoing in view, the present inventor has carried out an extensive investigation. As a result, it has been found that when lutetium (Lu) is sealed within a light-emitting tube, lithium (Li) is additionally sealed in a specific proportion to the lutetium and a halogen is further sealed in a specific range in excess of the lutetium and the lithium, the devitrification of the light-emitting tube can be avoided to diminish the attenuation of luminous flux and spectral characteristics high in radiant intensity of red light are obtained.

Compact discharge lamp for use in optical projection systems


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a top surface, on which has been formed a color filter and a micro-lens, and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, forming a redistribution line on the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming on the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate a passivation layer covering the redistribution line. After the redistribution line and passivation layer are formed, an oxide layer between the redistribution line and the passivation is formed at a temperature that avoids thermal damage to the color filter and the micro-lens.

The present inventive concept relates to devices employing semiconductors such as images sensors including photodiodes. In particular, the inventive concept relates to a method of forming redistribution lines in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices.
Redistribution lines of a semiconductor device are conductive lines that distribute various signals throughout the device. The redistribution lines are prone to such problems as oxidation and electrochemical migration of constituent elements that make up the lines, which in turn decreases the reliability of the devices in which they are incorporated.

Methods of forming redistribution lines and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same


A surface drainage device, in particular a sink tank is provided for connection to a drainage device or similar water-conducting element. At least one wall section of the surface drainage device is provided for connection to the water-conducting element and includes at least one flat section that is made of an elastomeric material, so that it can be adapted for the connection by a simple tool.

The invention relates to a surface drainage device.
In line drainage systems water derived from the surface is generally conducted into an inlet chamber, sink trap or similar container from which it is then transferred into a channel system. If there is no gradient in the surrounding terrain, the depths of the consecutive channels in the system are chosen to be such that their bottom levels form a stepwise gradient. Depending on the site at which the channels are coupled to the inlet chambers, they therefore differ in height, in particular with respect to the internal profile.
To enable channels of different heights to be coupled to an inlet chamber, various constructions are known. In particular, attempts have already been made to couple trains of channels by means of insertion parts that have different heights, or can be coupled at different heights, as is known, for example, from German published patent applications DE 24 47 871 A1, DE 26 15 800 A1 and DE 44 25 940 A1 and German utility model DE 295 03 911 U1. The known systems, however, are of very elaborate construction, which affects both their manufacture and also the effort of installing them, in particular when it comes to adjusting them with respect to the various channel heights.


The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a vehicle locating system for locating at least a first parked vehicle situated where it potentially is difficult to find. The system determines an estimated geographical vehicle position of the at least first parked vehicle. The system furthermore determines—based on digital map data—that the estimated vehicle position is comprised in, or is in in the vicinity of, a multilevel parking area. Moreover, the system transmits a level request message to a user device associated with the at least first parked vehicle. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle locating system in accordance with the foregoing, and a computer program product comprising a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the steps of the vehicle locating system discussed above, stored on a computer-readable medium or a carrier wave.

In recent years, an increasing activity of shopping over the Internet has, among other reasons, led to a desire for alternative, refined package delivery points for consumers. Instead of having to pay a visit to a post office, or stay at home in order to receive a package delivery, a recipient of a package may be given the opportunity to have said package delivered to, for instance, a self-service package delivery service such as e.g., a pick-up locker. In order to retrieve the package, the locker may be opened with a pick-up code unique to the recipient.
For even greater convenience, the recipient of a package may nowadays even be able to choose to have said package delivered directly to his or her parked, unattended vehicle. Giving the delivery service temporary access to the vehicle—for instance via diagnostic technology—to deposit e.g., a package, the vehicle may act as a "smart locker" for package drop-off
WO 2015/124472, for instance, relates to addressing and identifying vehicles adapted for receipt of a delivered service while being unattended. Disclosed therein is a solution according to which it is determined whether at least a first nearby vehicle is in the vicinity of a service provider adapted to carry out a delivered service to the nearby vehicle, and which at least first nearby vehicle then is requested to announce itself. Accordingly, the approach disclosed enables the service provider to more easily find one or more vehicles about to receive a delivery of a delivered service from the service provider. However, although the solution suggested by WO 2015/124472 provides an improved manner of identifying and locating such a vehicle, finding the vehicle may nevertheless be difficult should the vehicle have parked in a multilevel parking area where distinguishing between different parking levels may pose a challenge.

Method and system for locating a parked vehicle


A method for tag logic score boarding in a graphics pipeline of a graphics processor. The method includes receiving a graphics primitive for rasterization in a raster stage of a graphics processor and rasterizing the graphics primitive to generate a plurality of pixels of pixels related to the graphics primitive. The method further includes accounting for an initiation of parameter evaluation for each of the plurality of pixels as the pixels are transmitted to a subsequent stage of the graphics pipeline and accounting for a completion of parameter evaluation for each of the plurality of pixels as the pixels complete processing in the subsequent stage of the graphics pipeline. Respective tag memory is allocated to track the initiation of parameter evaluation and the completion of parameter evaluation for each of the plurality of pixels.

Recent advances in computer performance have enabled graphic systems to provide more realistic graphical images using personal computers, home video game computers, handheld devices, and the like. In such graphic systems, a number of procedures are executed to "render" or draw graphic primitives to the screen of the system. A "graphic primitive" is a basic component of a graphic picture, such as a point, line, polygon, or the like. Rendered images are formed with combinations of these graphic primitives. Many procedures may be utilized to perform 3-D graphics rendering.
Specialized graphics processing units (e.g., GPUs, etc.) have been developed to optimize the computations required in executing the graphics rendering procedures. The GPUs are configured for high-speed operation and typically incorporate one or more rendering pipelines. Each pipeline includes a number of hardware-based functional units that are optimized for high-speed execution of graphics instructions/data, where the instructions/data are fed into the front end of the pipeline and the computed results emerge at the back end of the pipeline. The hardware-based functional units, cache memories, firmware, and the like, of the GPU are optimized to operate on the low-level graphics primitives and produce real-time rendered 3-D images.
The real-time rendered 3-D images are generated using rasterization technology. Rasterization technology is widely used in computer graphics systems, and generally refers to the mechanism by which the grid of multiple pixels comprising an image are influenced by the graphics primitives. For each primitive, a typical rasterization system steps from pixel to pixel and determines whether or not to "render" (write a given pixel into a frame buffer or pixel map) as per the contribution of the primitive. This, in turn, determines how to write the data to the display buffer representing each pixel.
Various traversal algorithms and various rasterization methods have been developed for computing all of the pixels covered by the primitive(s) comprising a given 3-D scene. For example, some solutions involve generating the pixels in a unidirectional manner. Such traditional unidirectional solutions involve generating the pixels row-by-row in a constant direction (e.g. left to right). The coverage for each pixel is evaluated to determine if the pixel is inside the primitive being rasterized. This requires that the sequence shift across the primitive to a starting location on a first side of the primitive upon finishing at a location on an opposite side of the primitive.
Other traditional methods involve stepping pixels in a local region following a space filling curve such as a Hilbert curve. The coverage for each pixel is evaluated to determine if the pixel is inside the primitive being rasterized. This technique does not have the large shifts (which can cause inefficiency in the system) of the unidirectional solutions, but is typically more complicated to design. than the unidirectional solution.
Once the primitives are rasterized into their constituent pixels, these pixels are then processed in pipeline stages subsequent to the rasterization stage where the rendering operations are performed. Typically, these rendering operations involve reading the results of prior rendering for a given pixel from the frame buffer, modifying the results based on the current operation, and writing the new values back to the frame buffer. For example, to determine if a particular pixel is visible, the distance from the pixel to the camera is often used. The distance for the current pixel is compared to the closest previous pixel from the frame buffer, and if the current pixel is visible, then the distance for the current pixel is written to the frame buffer for comparison with future pixels. Similarly, rendering operations that assign a color to a pixel often blend the color with the color that resulted from previous rendering operations. Operations in which a frame buffer value is read for a particular pixel, modified, and written back are generally referred to as R-M-W operations. Generally, rendering operations assign a color to each of the pixels of a display in accordance with the degree of coverage of the primitives comprising a scene. The per pixel color is also determined in accordance with texture map information that is assigned to the primitives, lighting information, and the like.
In many systems, the capability of performing R-M-W operations presents a hazard that must be overcome in the system design. In particular, many systems process multiple primitives concurrently. However, most graphics systems present the appearance that primitives are rendered in the order in which they are provided to the GPU. If two sequential primitives utilized R-M-W operations, then the GPU must give the appearance that the value that is written by the first primitive is the value read by the second primitive for any particular pixel. The hazard for the system is how to concurrently process primitives yet maintain the appearance of sequential processing as required by many graphics programming models (e.g. OpenGL or DirectX).
A variety of techniques exist to mitigate the R-M-W hazard depending on the application. A system may maintain a transaction log of the color updates required for a pixel. At the end of rendering a scene, the sorted transaction log may be used to create the final pixel color. Another common solution is referred to as a "scoreboard". A scoreboard is an array of memory that is used to indicate all of the screen locations where rendering of R-M-W operations may be occurring at any given time. When a primitive is rasterized, each pixel is checked against the scoreboard and is only rendered if no other pixel is currently rendering the same location. When rendering for a pixel begins, the scoreboard is marked for the pixel location. Upon completion of rendering, the scoreboard for a location is cleared. In this way, the system can render concurrently pixels in primitives which do not overlap pixels from other primitives, and will render serially any pixels in primitives which do overlap.
A problem exists however with the ability of prior art 3-D rendering architectures to scale to handle the increasingly complex 3-D scenes of today's applications. Computer screens now commonly have screen resolutions of 1920×1200 pixels or larger. In systems which utilize the scoreboard technique to manage the R-M-W hazard, the screen resolution is often so large that a scoreboard which covers the entire screen is prohibitively expensive. As a result, a traditional graphics system may utilize a smaller scoreboard that is mapped to multiple regions on the screen. This mapping process incurs a performance penalty, since primitives that happen to overlap regions that are mapped to the same portion of the scoreboard will be blocked from executing concurrently. Making the scoreboard larger negatively impacts fabrication yield as well as power consumption. Making the scoreboard smaller negatively impacts performance.
Thus, a need exists for a rasterization process that can scale as graphics application needs require and provide added performance without incurring penalties such as increased power consumption and/or reduced fabrication yield.

Tag logic scoreboarding in a graphics pipeline


A nucleic acid detection cassette includes a cassette body, a nucleic acid detection region disposed in the cassette body, a first channel disposed in the cassette body, a second channel disposed in the cassette body. The nucleic acid detection region, in which a nucleic acid probe is immobilized, has a reagent inflow port, to which the first channel is connected, and a reagent outflow port, to which the second channel is connected. The nucleic acid detection cassette further includes a reagent injection portion which injects a reagent into the first channel, and a nucleic acid pretreatment region which is disposed in the first channel and which performs pretreatment for the detection of a nucleic acid. The first channel, the second channel, the nucleic acid detection region, the nucleic acid pretreatment region, and the reagent injection portion are sealed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nucleic acid detection cassette which completely automatically performs the detection of a nucleic acid and its pretreatment step for a purpose of detecting a target nucleic acid, and a nucleic acid detection device by use of this nucleic acid detection cassette.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with development of genetic engineering, it becomes possible to diagnose or prevent a disease by a gene in a medical field. This is called genetic diagnosis. A human genetic defect or change as a cause for the disease can be detected to diagnose or predict the disease before it is developed or in a remarkably initial stage of the disease. With deciphering of a human genome, an investigation on a genotype and a plague has been proceeded, and diagnoses (tailor-made diagnoses) have been actualized in accordance with individuals' genotypes. Therefore, it is very important to easily detect the gene and determine the genotype.
Heretofore, to detect a nucleic acid, there have been used various devices such as a nucleic acid extraction device, a nucleic acid amplification device, a hybridization device, a nucleic acid detection device, and a data analysis device. Moreover, manpower has been required in preparation of samples and movement of the samples between the devices which are operations other than operations realized by these devices.
A PCR method is mainly used in amplifying the nucleic acid. This method has a very high amplification factor. Therefore, there is a problem that when even a remarkably slight amount of another nucleic acid is mixed into the sample before amplified, even the nucleic acid is amplified into a large amount, and erroneous detection is caused. It is known that nucleic acid molecules are stabilized even in dried states, the molecules are adsorbed by various substances, and the molecules sometimes float in the air. Therefore, to prevent the erroneous detection, a severe administrative system is required in which the amplified sample is not brought into a place where the nucleic acid is extracted.
In recent years, there is developed a device which automatically performs steps of hybridization reaction to data analysis. Recently, there is also developed a fully automatic nucleic acid detection device which automatically performs the extraction of the nucleic acid to the data analysis. However, in the existing fully automatic nucleic acid detection device, any secure measure is not taken against mixture of a nucleic acid molecule which is not an object of the detection. Moreover, since the device is often large scaled, it is aimed at an investigation application. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 3-7571 discloses a nucleic acid detection device which amplifies and detects the nucleic acid and which can handle automatic processing.
Important problems in the development of the fully automatic nucleic acid analysis device are the mixture of the nucleic acid molecule which is not the object of the detection from the outside and leaking of the nucleic acid sample to the outside.

Nucleic acid detection cassette and nucleic acid detection device


A high resistivity cable for transmitting optical information. The cable includes a resilient buffer tube holding an optical conductor for transmitting the optical information. A high dielectric gel is packed inside of the tube to fill the space not occupied by the conductor. The cable also includes a flexible high dielectric braid surrounding the tube throughout its length for increasing the tensile strength of the cable. The interstices of the braid are filled with a high dielectric gel to prevent moisture from entering the braid. The cable also includes an electrically insulative resilient outer jacket. A method of manufacturing the cable is also disclosed.

Operators of electric utility mobile work platforms of the cherry picker type or "man baskets" are often required to be on the platform while it is positioned adjacent to high voltage electrical transmission lines to perform installation, repair or maintenance tasks. Such operation requires the platform and its supporting boom be essentially electrically isolated from ground to minimize leakage currents which otherwise could establish a hazardous electrical voltage on the platform in the event the boom, operator or "man baskets" contacted or came into close proximity to a transmission line.
A typical system for controlling operation of the boom includes hydraulic cylinders mounted on the base unit to position the boom. Control of the cylinders is typically effected using manually operated control valves mounted on the platform basket connected to the actuator cylinders by means of flexible hoses extending between the basket and the base unit. This system requires several expensive and bulky hoses to be connected to the basket. These hoses must be kept free of conductive deposits and moisture to maintain the high value of outer surface resistivity necessary to prevent establishing a hazardous electrical voltage on the platform if the boom or basket were to contact high voltage wiring.
The use of a hydraulic system controlled from the "man basket" has many disadvantages in utility service. The system is bulky, costly and requires considerable maintenance to avoid leakage of hydraulic fluid and the resultant possibility of conductive deposits on connecting hoses. Additionally, hydraulic systems may not provide adequate control or instrumentation capability for more demanding applications.
Electrical control of mobile platforms, although offering advantages of lower cost, greater control flexibility and less bulk, is undesirable if conventional electric cables are used. They are not adequately isolated from ground and have increased risk of hazardous leakage current to ground in the event of contact with the high voltage transmission lines.
Optical conductors can transmit control and instrumentation information but such conductors are fragile and may require additional provisions to increase their tensile strength and environmental resistance to be suitable for industrial use, particularly in mobile applications. Typically, this can be accomplished by placing the optical conductor in a buffer tube. For further information concerning the structure and operation of cables, including optical conductors, reference may be made to commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,127 and 4,552,432.


The invention intends to precisely measure the distance to an object. A CCD opens an electronic shutter for a proper period of time under control of a timing generator to receive a laser beam reflected by an object, converts the amount of light entering the CCD during that period of time, after passing a corresponding beam splitter, into an electric signal (voltage), and then outputs the electric signal to a distance calculating circuit. The distance calculating circuit calculates the distance from a laser telemeter to the object using a dark voltage V.sub.D, a reflection voltage V.sub.R and a total voltage V.sub.A inputted from the CCD.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distance measuring apparatus and method, as well as an offerable medium for providing program code to implement the apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a distance measuring apparatus and method for measuring the distance to an object based on a reflected beam from the object.
2. Description of the Related Art
A distance measuring method is known with which the distance to an object is measured by irradiating a laser beam to the object and measuring a time from the emission of the laser beam to the arrival of a reflected beam. There is also known another distance measuring method of measuring the amount of a laser beam reflected by an object and determining the distance to the object, as disclosed in PCT International Publications WO97/0111, WO97/0112 and WO97/0113, for example.
With the above latter related art, however, it is difficult to achieve precise measurement of the distance because the reflectivity of the object for the laser beam is not taken into consideration.
The above former related art has a problem as follows. When measuring the distance to an object having a predetermined size, the laser beam requires to be scanned over the whole of the object. Accordingly, the time at which the distance is measured differs for each point on the object, and therefore the distance to a moving object cannot be precisely measured.


A brake device for a work vehicle includes a brake unit including a brake disc plate and a piston having a slide portion slidably supported by an axle housing and a pressure portion for pressing the brake disc plate. A slack adjuster mechanism is disposed on the axially opposite side of the brake disc plate with respect to the piston while being disposed further on an inner peripheral side than the slide portion of the piston. The slack adjuster mechanism maintains a clearance between the piston and the brake disc plate at a predetermined clearance by mechanically adjusting a non-actuated position of the piston.

In work vehicles such as backhoe loaders, power is transmitted from an engine to a differential through a transmission, and is further transmitted from axles to wheels through final reducers. Further, brake devices are mounted between the differential and the final reducers in order to brake rotation of the axles.
Brake devices of this type are disposed inside an axle housing and a gear housing, and employ a wet multi-plate hydraulic braking type. Specifically, the housing accommodates brake units, each of which is formed by a plurality of brake disc plates and a piston to be actuated by means of hydraulic pressure. Further, the piston is actuated by means of brake hydraulic pressure to be supplied thereto from the outside, and the plural brake disc plates are pressed to each other. Accordingly, a rotary member such as an axle is configured to be braked.
Some of such brake devices are provided with a slack adjuster mechanism in order to prevent the stroke of the piston from being changed from its initial state even when the brake disc plates are abraded.
For example, in a device described in Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2001-193773, an adjustment screw making contact with a piston is provided while being operable from the outside of a cylinder. A return position of the piston is adjusted by the adjustment screw. The aforementioned slack adjuster mechanism described in the above mentioned publication is of a mechanical type including the adjustment screw. However, a mechanism has been also provided that is configured to execute automatic adjustment by means of hydraulic pressure.