A home carbonation device uses a tube to form a gas-tight seal between two separate existing soda-pop bottles. A threaded cap holds flanges on the tube tight against the opening of each bottle. The liquid to be carbonated is contained in one bottle, while the chemicals for producing carbon dioxide are placed in the second bottle. To keep the chemical reactants from reacting while the gas-tight seal is made, a tall thin cylinder in the second bottle acts as a barrier between reactants until the bottle is placed on its side, at which point the chemicals meet and react producing the carbon dioxide that passes through the tube and carbonates the liquid.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to home carbonation devices, especially those that are for simple, inexpensive, small-scale production of carbonated beverages.
2. Description of Prior Art
Current home carbonation techniques include using yeast, dry ice, compressed carbon dioxide, and chemical reactants to obtain the carbon dioxide for carbonating liquids. The current techniques have weaknesses in the area of simplicity and corresponding price, or availability of product, or introduction of undesirable byproducts.
One method for carbonating liquids involves using yeast. In this method, some yeast is added to a sweet sugar-based liquid. The yeast bacteria consume the sugars and produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct. This carbon dioxide production continues for a number of days in a warm environment after which it is to be kept refrigerated. This method is simple, inexpensive, and yeast is fairly easy to come by, but there are several drawbacks to it. First, yeast bacteria need sugar to produce carbon dioxide. This means that one cannot carbonate sugar-free beverages, or water alone. Second, the yeast is placed directly into the beverage to be carbonated. The flavor of the yeast can be unpleasant to taste. Third, yeast bacteria are biological creatures and can be unpredictable. New yeast can be healthy and produce larger amounts of carbon dioxide than old yeast would. Furthermore, yeast thrives better in warm environments, making more carbon dioxide in warm conditions and less in cold conditions. This opposes the fact that carbon dioxide dissolves more readily in cold liquid than in warm. Unexpected variations in temperature or carbon dioxide production times can lead to explosive pressures within the container being used.
Another method for carbonating liquids includes using dry ice as a source of carbon dioxide. In this method, carbon dioxide is in a solid state, and is placed into the liquid to be carbonated. The carbon dioxide sublimates from a solid to gaseous state, and carbonates the liquid. Because the freezing point of carbon dioxide is so low, it will begin the sublimation process under normal atmospheric conditions, even if it is kept in household freezers. This means that one cannot store dry ice at home, and so if it is to be used for carbonation, it will have to be purchased and used on the day of carbonation. The low temperature of dry ice also makes it a hazardous material, introducing the risk of freezing skin. Furthermore, dry ice is not readily available and must be purchased at special outlets. It is inconvenient to use dry ice, because one needs to plan ahead to purchase the dry ice before preparing the beverage. Because of this, the current household method for using dry ice often includes putting the liquid into a large bucket or barrel, and carbonating large quantities of liquid at a time. Making carbonated beverages with dry ice becomes an extensive procedure that exceeds the limits of convenience.
Another source of carbon dioxide used for household carbonation is compressed carbon dioxide. One such design is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,054 issued to Grill Mar. 14, 2000. In this patent, compressed carbon dioxide can be injected into an existing soda-pop bottle, but it involves a valve system which is relatively complicated to manufacture. Systems for injecting compressed carbon dioxide into a liquid are complex. Furthermore, as with dry ice, compressed carbon dioxide is not readily available and must be obtained or recharged at special outlets. Compressed carbon dioxide carbonation systems are relatively complicated and expensive.
Using chemical reactants that produce carbon dioxide is another way to carbonate a beverage. Of the simple devices that use chemical reactants and can be used on a small scale, some do not use common household reactants. These require obtaining the special reactants, or reactants prepared in a special way. There are some that can use common household reactants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,584 issued to Annese et al. Jul. 10, 1984 was designed primarily for home use, and used chemical reactants to produce the carbon dioxide. It uses a specially designed container and a sophisticated lid and reaction system that is not as simple or inexpensive to manufacture as it could be.
Home carbonation devices in general can struggle for market success due in part to the low cost and high availability of soda-pop. The convenience and relatively low price of soda-pop often keeps consumers purchasing soda-pop more often than they make it. Carbonating beverages at home usually holds more of a novel advantage rather than an economical or convenient advantage as a replacement source of soda-pop. Because of this, a home carbonation device should be low enough in cost to justify a novel purchase, rather than as a money-saving or time-saving investment.
Despite the many home carbonation techniques found in prior art, they have not succeeded in being simple in design, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, while utilizing a convenient source of carbon dioxide, and preventing unpleasant byproducts from entering the beverage.

Simple inexpensive home carbonation device


A medical device and method for traversing an occlusion in a vessel includes a straightening sleeve positioned at a distal aspect of a catheter, a steering sleeve having an arcuate distal end, and a guidewire disposed through the steering sleeve. The steering sleeve has a first position in which the arcuate distal end is straightened within the straightening sleeve, and a second position in which the steering sleeve extends distally past the straightening sleeve to expose the arcuate distal end. The tip of the arcuate distal end of the steering sleeve or the guidewire can be used to pierce the occlusion. An arrangement of hub assemblies with locking mechanisms and motion limiting structures facilitates adjusting and locking the relative positions of the straightening sleeve, the steering sleeve, and the guidewire. Detent mechanisms are associated with the motion limiting structures for providing controlled incremental movement of the sleeves and the guidewire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to catheters and methods of treating the stenosis of an artery. In particular, the present invention relates to catheters and methods for puncturing, crossing and debulking chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in arteries caused by the buildup of arterial plaque tissue, and to hub assemblies used with such catheters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is a condition where arterial plaque tissue grows to complete stenosis of an artery and prohibits blood flow. A CTO is formed by the agglomeration of three separate physiological materials: (i) cholesterol or fat, (ii) collagen or fibrous matter, and (iii) calcium-based deposits. A CTO is also often referred to as a functional occlusion.
There are two causal pathogenic phenomena often associated with the formation of a CTO. The first is the late development of an acute occlusion. The second is the progressive occlusion of a long-term high degree stenosis. Both involve a pre-existing plaque or thrombus to which the fat and fibrous material adhere, building up until a blockage of the blood vessel occurs.
The CTO mass or CTO body, consisting of fat, fibrous matter, and calcium deposits, begins to form with fat and fibrous material attaching first. Over time the fat or cholesterol is replaced with dense collagen and calcium deposits which represents the hardened CTO body typical of this condition. The inner portion of a CTO body is softer than the distal and proximal ends which are the hardest part of a CTO body. A reduction in vessel diameter is referred to as shrinkage or negative remolding. The distal and proximal ends of a CTO are often referred to as the fibrous caps and are considered the hardest and most dense portions of a CTO.
In attempting to repair CTOs, the ability to complete a successful recanalization of a total occlusion is limited as surgeons have had difficulty crossing the CTO with a guidewire. The inability to cross a CTO with a guidewire is the principal cause of failure of the procedure to remove such blockage, as more than 50% fail for this reason. Traditional repair of a CTO proceeds through four distinct steps. First, the CTO is perforated. It is preferred that both the proximal and distal fibrous caps are perforated. Second, the lesion which gave rise to the plaque formation and ultimate CTO is debulked. Third, the blood vessel is dilated. And finally, given the high rate of reocclusion, the repaired or recanalized vessel is assisted in remaining a passable vessel by a supporting device, such as a stent.
There is a need in the industry for improved devices and methods to assist surgeons in crossing CTOs.

Method of using a catheter for traversing total occlusions


A method for creating photographic-quality prints and prints produced by these methods are disclosed. The prints generally comprise three layers: a transparent carrier; an image, and a particle-based undercoat. The transparent carrier comprises a substrate for receiving an image. The image can be produced by inkjet, electrostatic, or other imaging methods, including reverse printing methods. The particle-based undercoat layer is applied to the image containing side of the transparent carrier. Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing said prints by methods of the present invention.

The present invention relates to photographic-quality prints, including non-photographic methods for making such prints.
Photography provides an easy and reliable way to permanently capture images for a variety of uses. While photographs provide durable images, they are prone to scratches; have poor resistance to light and ultraviolet radiation (which causes photographic images to fade over time), and degrade when exposed to water. Traditional photography uses harsh and expensive chemicals, requires silver recovery, and involves a process requiring several intermediate steps of handling negatives. While photographic processes can be automated, such automatic processing machines are expensive and bulky and do not eliminate the inherent problems of chemical exposure and handling negatives. Additionally, producing large prints (larger than the traditional 3-by-5 inch or 4-by-6 inch prints) can be quite expensive.
Digital photography and imaging provide cost-effective alternatives for capturing images, but known methods of producing durable, hardcopy prints of digital images are at least as expensive as traditional photographic methods. Images may be printed on paper using inkjet or electrostatic methods. With increasing use of various printing and imaging technologies in the publishing industry as well as in the home, protecting imaged or printed documents against abrasion, water or alcohol spills, ink smear, or other image-degradation processes and effects has become an important consideration. Such protection is particularly desirable for printed or imaged documents produced with water-based or water-soluble inks, or other liquid inks. These inks are commonly used in ink-jet printing, offset printing, and the like.
Hot and cold laminates are the most common methods used to protect images. However, laminates tend to be expensive, typically costing 6 to 80 cents per square foot for materials. The labor-intensive nature of producing durable prints via lamination also increases the cost of such prints.
Laminates may be applied on one or both surfaces of the print. One-sided lamination may lead to excessive curling of the final print, whereas two-sided application can be very expensive in terms of material and labor costs and may excessively increase the thickness of the final print.
Adhesives used for cold laminates may be tacky at room temperature, leaving a sticky residue at the edges of the prints. Additionally, binders used in creating cold laminates are typically water-based, which means the print may delaminate if exposed to excessive water.
Lamination is also susceptible to trapped air pockets, which are viewed as image defects. Most importantly, care must be taken to ensure that the layers of such laminates are accurately aligned to the base media, and such alignment is especially critical for a continuous web laminate. These are just some of the deficiencies of traditional laminates.
Liquid overcoats are commonly used to protect photographic prints and are becoming more popular as protective coatings for inkjet images. Typical systems for applying these overcoats rely on roller coating or gravure type systems to dispense, gauge, and apply the coating. Smaller systems typically apply the overcoat off-line, rather than being an integral part of a single printing and coating unit. Larger systems used by the printing industry are in-line, but require extensive monitoring. Both systems require significant manual cleaning or intervention to maintain the components that contact the liquid.
These liquid overcoats tend to be slightly less expensive than laminates (6-18 cents per square foot). However, because currently available systems must be cleaned frequently and regularly monitored, these methods of using liquid overcoats are just as labor-intensive as the lamination methods, if not more labor-intensive. Additionally, many of the overcoat formulations have residual odors before and/or after application, and some people find these odors offensive or even harmful.
Ultraviolet (UV) light curable liquid overcoats are also available, such as the overcoats commonly used to protect magazine covers. In such a UV-curable system the liquid is first applied to the surface of the print and then cured to yield a solid, durable, protective coating. Because these liquids are widely used in large volumes for the magazine industry, their cost tends to be significantly lower than most other overcoat options. However, the systems used to apply such UV-curable overcoats tend to be more complicated and costly than other liquid overcoat systems, due to the multi-step application and cure process. Additionally, many of the overcoat formulations have strong odors, some of which are harmful or offensive to people.
Durable digital prints may also be created using a three-layer product made from (1) a transparent carrier as a substrate for an image; (2) an image; and (3) a white opaque laminate backing. Rather than viewing the printed surface directly, or viewing it through an applied clear protective coat, these prints are viewed through the backside of the clear substrate. The undercoat applied to the printed surface provides a white opaque background for the image. Cherian""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,132 discloses such a three-layered print involving the use of a transparent polyester substrate for receiving a toner image and a solid, opaque backing member which is adhered to the imaged surface (much like a laminated sheet). An off-line heat press is used to adhere the backing to the imaged substrate; however, the backing member must be manually positioned and aligned in the press before the adhesion step.
Another example of a three-layer digital print is disclosed in Coleman et al.""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,201, which describes a less labor-intensive method of applying the white backing. In this invention, an off-line applicator is used to carefully register a solid backing member to a carrier before gluing the two together. Malhotra et al.""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,695 also discloses, in greater detail, the transparent substrates, backings, and performance improvement additives which may be used in such methods of producing such three-layer digital images.
Electrophotography utilizes powdered thermoplastic particles, generally called xe2x80x9ctoner,xe2x80x9d to create images on media. Electrophotography typically involves the steps of: (1) forming a charged electrostatic charge pattern on an intermediary surface; (2) oppositely charging toner particles; (3) adhering the toner particles to the charged pattern on the intermediary surface; (4) transferring the toner particles from the intermediary surface to a receiving media (typically paper); and (5) fusing the toner particles to the receiving media with heat and pressure to coalesce them and adhere them to the surface. Detailed descriptions of electrophotography can be found in Schein, Electro-photography and Development Physics, 2nd Ed., 1992, Springer-Verlag.
Similar electrostatic methods are also commonly used in the commercial painting industry to powder coat products, parts, or assemblies. One powder coating method charges a powdered paint using an air gun outfitted with an electrode before spraying the charged paint onto an electrically grounded object.
Alternatively, an electrically grounded object may be immersed in a charged, fluidized bed of paint particles (typically referred to as xe2x80x9cfluidized bed powder coatingxe2x80x9d).
The present invention addresses the needs described above. Inexpensive photographic-quality prints, methods for creating such photographic-quality prints, and an apparatus for producing these prints are described.
These photographic-quality prints generally comprise three layers: a transparent carrier as a substrate for receiving an image; an image; and a particle-based undercoat. The transparent carrier may include materials which increase adhesion to inkjet dyes or pigments, increase resistance to scratches, increase resistance to fading, increase resistance to moisture, increase resistance to UV light, or provide a matte, texture, or gloss. The transparent carrier generally comprises a square or rectangular sheet, though the shape of the carrier is not limited in any way, and the size and thickness of the carrier may vary.
The image can be provided to the carrier using commonly known and available means, such as inkjet printing, electrostatic methods, and other imaging methods. In some embodiments, the image is reverse printed to the transparent carrier, forming a mirror image. A particle-based undercoat generally covers the printed surface and, once fused, protects the printed area, providing a solid-fill, reflective background.
Thus, a photographic-quality print of the present invention can be understood as an image sandwiched between two protective layersxe2x80x94a transparent carrier and a particle-based undercoat. In such an embodiment, the viewer looks at the image through the transparent carrier surface opposite the printed surface.
The particle-based undercoat is applied to the same side of the carrier as the image. Application of the particle-based undercoat, rather than a solid laminate layer, solves problems inherent in the known prior art, such as avoiding a critical need for aligning solid laminate members. Particle-based undercoats of the present invention are generally less expensive than solid laminates and also avoid problems caused by air pockets trapped under solid laminates. Methods of the present invention for applying particle-based undercoats are also less labor-intensive than known methods of protecting digital images, such as using laminates or liquid overcoats.
A particle-based undercoat such as an opaque white powdercoat, toner, pigment, or powdered plastic resin may be used. The particle-based undercoat may be applied to the transparent carrier in a single step, or the undercoat may be first provided to the carrier and then affixed to the carrier. The particle-based undercoat may be applied to form a layer of uniform or non-uniform thickness across the transparent carrier. Different shades of white, or alternate colors of undercoat, or a transparent undercoat, may be used to alter the appearance of the prints.
The particle-based undercoat may also include materials that increase the adhesion to inkjet dyes or pigments, increase adhesion to the carrier medium, increase resistance to scratches, increase resistance to fading, increase resistance to moisture, increase resistance to UV light, provide a smudge resistant finish, provide a scuff resistant finish, or have similar rheological and mechanical properties as the transparent media.
An apparatus embodying methods of the present invention is also described. The apparatus comprises an imager for providing an image to the transparent carrier and a particle-based undercoat module for applying and affixing the particle-based undercoat to the transparent carrier.

Photographic-quality prints and methods for making the same

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An oxygenate to olefins (OTO) process, comprising the steps of: (i) purifying an oxygenate feedstream comprising one or more ionic contaminants by contacting the feedstream with a membrane, resulting in the formation of a retentate and a permeate separated by the membrane, which permeate is a purified oxygenate stream which contains a lower ionic contaminant concentration than the original oxygenate feedstream; (ii) introducing the purified oxygenate stream into an oxygenate to olefins reaction zone; and (iii) contacting the purified oxygenate stream with a molecular sieve catalyst in the oxygenate to olefins reaction zone to form a product stream comprising olefins.

There is a large market for light olefin products ethylene and propylene which are, for example, used in the production of plastics. Light olefins are traditionally produced via the cracking of petroleum feedstocks, e.g. through catalytic cracking, steam cracking, or some combination of the two processes. However, as petroleum feedstocks from crude oil face increasing prices, other sources of ethylene and propylene are becoming more attractive.
It is known to produce olefins from oxygenates via an oxygenate to olefins (OTO) process. Interest in OTO processes for producing ethylene and propylene is growing in view of the increasing availability of natural gas. Methane in the natural gas can, for example, be converted to methanol or dimethyl ether (DME), both of which are suitable oxygenate feedstocks for an OTO process. Oxygenates can also be produced from biomass.
In an OTO process, an oxygenate such as methanol is provided to a reaction zone comprising a suitable conversion catalyst, and converted to ethylene and propylene. In addition to the desired ethylene and propylene, a substantial part of the methanol is converted to higher hydrocarbons including C4+ olefins.
The catalyst is usually a molecular sieve catalyst. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,327 describes a process for making olefins from methanol using a silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,851 describes a process for making ethylene and propylene from an oxygenate feed using two or more zeolite catalysts.
OTO processes can encounter problems due to the catalyst being fouled, for example due to coke deposition on the catalyst. Coke herein refers to a carbonaceous composition which next to the prevailing carbon may also contain hydrogen and other elements. Conventional catalyst regeneration techniques can be employed to remove the coke.
It has now been realised that the purity of the oxygenate feed may also affect the viability of the catalyst. In particular, the catalyst appears to be susceptible to deactivation by contaminants in the oxygenate feedstream such as metals.
US 2011/014404 describes a process for improving the quality of an oxygenate feedstream to an oxygenate to olefins conversion reactor by passing the feedstream to a feed fractionation column. This process therefore involves distilling the feedstream, in order to separate the oxygenate from undesired impurities such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved oxygenate to olefins (OTO) process.

Process for the preparation of an olefinic product comprising ethylene and/or propylene


The present application provides a light emitting device, a method for making the same and a display apparatus. The light emitting device includes: a driving backplane; at least one set of driving electrodes disposed on the driving backplane, each set of driving electrodes including a first driving electrode and a second driving electrode; an epitaxial layer located on a side of the at least one set of driving electrodes away from the driving backplane; and at least one set of metal electrodes located on a side of the epitaxial layer close to the driving backplane, each set of metal electrodes including a first metal electrode and a second metal electrode, the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode being respectively connected to a first driving electrode and a second driving electrode, and a filling material being disposed between the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode.

In preparation processes of GaN-based semiconductor devices, a substrate needs to be stripped off from a GaN layer by using laser stripping-off technology. During a laser stripping-off process, hydrogen gas is easily generated, and a rapid accumulation of hydrogen gas will produce a huge impact force, which easily makes the GaN layer broken.

Light emitting device, method for making the same and display apparatus

Chengdu Vistar Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.


A process for treating bituminous coal includes providing dried, pulverized coal, and treating the pulverized coal in a vessel with a gas stream having an oxygen content sufficient to form oxides on surface of coal particles. The treated coal is transferred into a pyrolyzing chamber and passed into contact with an oxygen deficient sweep gas, the sweep gas being at a higher temperature than the temperature of the coal so that heat is supplied to the coal. The process further includes providing additional heat to the coal indirectly by heating the chamber, wherein the heating of coal by the sweep gas and by the indirect heating from the chamber causes condensable volatile components to be released into the sweep gas. Some of the oxides are converted into paramagnetic mineral components, which are removed from coal to form a coal char having reduced ash and sulfur.

Coal in its virgin state is sometimes treated to improve its usefulness and thermal energy content. The treatment can include drying the coal and subjecting the coal to a pyrolysis process to drive off low boiling point organic compounds and heavier organic compounds. Thermal treatment of coal causes the release of certain volatile hydrocarbon compounds having value for further refinement into transportation liquid fuels and other coal derived chemicals. Subsequently, the volatile components can be removed from the sweep gases exiting the pyrolysis process. Thermal treatment of coal causes it to be transformed into coal char by virtue of the evolution of the coal volatiles and products of organic sulfur decomposition, and the magnetic susceptibilities of inorganic sulfur in the resultant char are initiated for subsequent removal of coal ash, sulfur and mercury from the coal char.
The effective removal of such volatile components as coal ash, inorganic sulfur and organic sulfur, and mercury, from coal char is problematic. It would be advantageous if bituminous coal could be treated in such a manner that would enable volatile components to be effectively removed from the coal at more desirable concentrations thereby creating a coal char product having reduced ash and sulfur. It would be further advantageous if bituminous coal could be refined in such a manner to create a second revenue stream (i.e., condensable coal liquids), which could be collected to produce syncrude. A process for beneficiating bituminous coal, including reducing sulfur and ash, evolving valuable coal liquids and fuel gas, increasing calorific value, and improving other properties of the resultant coal char product, is desirable.

Process for treating bituminous coal by removing volatile components


A transmission method for Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) is described, which can realize the multiplexing of Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) services with different Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)/Service Data Unit (SDU) error rates. The method comprises dividing a plurality of services to be transmitted into multiple service groups according to error rates, each service group including at least one service, and transmitting the plurality of services according to the service groups, wherein the respective services in each service group are transmitted in turn according to a predetermined sequence. In this manner, MBMS services having different MCS/SDU error rates can be multiplexed and transmitted to UEs in the MBSFN.

The current RAN2 has already agreed to multiplex MBMS services in the LTE system, and development has already been carried out for solutions with the same MCS/SDU error rate.
However, there is also a need to multiplex the MBMS services with different MCS/SDU error rates, that is, there are services with different MCS/SDU error rates in a network. Naturally, multiplexing of these services is different from multiplexing of services with a same MCS configuration. Therefore, there is a need to develop a multiplexing solution for MBMS services with different SDU/MCS error rates.

Method and apparatus for transmitting MBMS services


Support apparatus including a framing member for supporting at least one panel of a wall assembly and for supporting a structural member projecting outwardly from the framing member and the panel.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,400, issued Jan. 15, 1991, is directed to a clean room channel wall system. The system includes extruded framing members which are operable to join wall and other panels of the wall system and support them.
While the wall system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,400 has met with widespread commercial success, the system as disclosed has a limitation. Namely, it does not provide or allow for support of structural members, such as shelves, tabletops, seats and the like, from the "clean side" of the wall.


A monitoring device includes: a PUF-information acquiring unit acquiring PUF-information; a first PUF-information change value calculating unit calculating a degree of change from PUF-information acquired at a previous time to PUF-information acquired at a current time as a first PUF-information change value; a second PUF-information change value calculating unit calculating a degree of change from initial PUF-information to the PUF-information acquired at the current time as a second PUF-information change value; an unauthorized use determining unit comparing the first PUF-information change value with a first threshold and determining that there is unauthorized use of the predetermined monitoring target device when the first PUF-information change value is greater than the first threshold; and a deterioration determining unit comparing the second PUF-information change value with a second threshold and determining that the predetermined monitoring target device has deteriorated when the second PUF-information change value is greater than the second threshold.

For example, a device such as a gas turbine that requires control (a control target device) is controlled by a control device. There are cases in which a malicious person may exchange a part or the whole of a control device or unauthorizedly update connection destination information relating to a control device through an unauthorized access from outside such that switching of the control device controlling the control target device is performed. In such cases, there is a likelihood that the control target device will perform an abnormal operation due to unauthorized control of a control device to which switching has been performed, and a significant accident may occur. In addition, there is a likelihood that technologies may be leaked, and alteration and the like of a program and data may be performed through unauthorized control.
Accordingly, there is a need to detect and prevent unauthorized switching of the control device. In conventional technology, various technologies for detecting and preventing unauthorized switching are known. For example, in Patent Literature 1, a technology for detecting and preventing unauthorized switching using a physical quantity such as manufacturing variation, a difference between physical characteristics, and the like in electronic devices (semiconductor chips or the like) called a physically unclonable function (PUF) is disclosed. More specifically, in Patent Literature 1, a technology for detecting and preventing unauthorized switching of an electronic device by performing collation using PUFs as unique values of electronic devices is proposed.

Monitoring device, monitoring method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium


A seismic adapter for attachment to a steel web joist. The joist includes a pair of angled elements which extend parallel to one another with a cord space therebetween. The adapter includes an anchor plate juxtaposed with the upper surface of the element pair and an engagement plate engaging the parallel edges of the legs of the element pair. A threaded stud attaches to the anchor plate and extends through the engagement plate. The extension of the stud provides for the attachment to a hanger adapter brought together by a nut on the stud. The engagement plate includes a flat anchor portion and upstanding engagement portions having distal edges with interlocking engagement profiles including a tongue and outwardly extending shoulders to receive the parallel edges of the angle element pair.

The field of the present invention is building construction hardware for mounting components such as utilities.
Building construction frequently uses steel web joists. Such devices employ two beams. The beams are mutually parallel and spaced apart to create a large moment of inertia for the joist. Cord elements extend at angles between the two so the beams will act as one in bending. Each beam includes a set of two elongate angle elements which are also mutually parallel. The cord elements extend for anchoring to between the elongate angle elements which form a cord space to receive the elements. Each angle element includes two legs extending at a right angle to one another, a first leg which is parallel with the first leg of the other angle element to define the cord space and a second leg extending in the opposite direction from the second leg of the other angle element to generally define a plane. The two first legs extend to define parallel edges.
Seismic adapters have been associated with such steel web joists by positioning two flat washers about one of the sets of angle elements. One washer lies in the plane of the second legs such that it extends across the cord space in juxtaposition with the second legs. A second washer is arranged to abut against the parallel edges of the first legs, also extending across the cord space. A threaded stud extends between the washers with a nut or bolt head retaining the first washer in juxtaposition with the second legs. The threaded stud extends beyond the second washer to accommodate attachment hardware. The entire assembly is then clamped to the joist by threading a nut up snug against the attachment hardware and, in turn, the second washer. Although this system is structurally sound, there is some prospect of limited lateral movement of the attachment.
The present invention is directed to a seismic suspension system. The system comprises a steel web joist including a beam with two angle elements. Each angle element includes a first leg and a second leg, the first legs being parallel with a cord space therebetween and the second legs extending in opposite directions. An anchor plate having a hole therethrough is positionable across the cord space into juxtaposition with the second legs of the beam. An engagement plate having a hole therethrough abuts up against the parallel edges of the first legs of the beam. A threaded stud extends from the anchor plate to and beyond a hole in the engagement plate. The engagement plate is able to interlock with the first legs.
In a first separate aspect of the present invention, the engagement plate includes a flat anchor portion and upstanding engagement portions to either side of the flat anchor portion. The engagement portions have distal edges with an engagement profile for interlocking engagement with the beam. This greatly restricts or eliminates any lateral movement of the adapter.
In a second separate aspect of the present invention, the engagement plate includes distal edges with tongues extendible to between the parallel legs of the steel web joist beam for interlocking engagement. The tongues may be tapered to accommodate variations in the cord space. Shoulders to either side of each tongue may abut against the edges of the legs.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved selsmic suspension system. Other and further objects and advantages will appear hereafter.


Apparatus and methods facilitating a distributed approach to measuring the RF propagation characteristics of an indoor area or region are described. Such measurements are particularly useful during the installation and management of indoor wireless data communication networks, such as Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). A plurality of sounder units may be geographically distributed at arbitrary points in a two-dimensional area surrounding the indoor area or region whose RF propagation characteristics are to be measured. These sounder units are linked to a central controller, which functions to control all of the sounder units as well as to maintain a user interface that provides a user with a display of the measured propagation characteristics of the region. Each sounder unit is capable of independently injecting RF stimulus signals with some desired radiation pattern into the region being measured, as well as recording received signals from which the RF propagation characteristics may be calculated. The central controller co-ordinates the set of sounder units to ensure that they act as a logical whole, and also enables propagation measurements to be made over long periods of time in order to capture time-varying characteristics of the indoor environment.

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have recently gained in popularity and importance. These networks are a special case of standard computer Local Area Networks (LANs), wherein the wires or optical fibers interconnecting computers have been partially or completely replaced by radio frequency (RF) data links operating at very high frequencies. WLANs may also be viewed as a special case of commonly encountered cellular telephone networks, where the relatively large distances (tens of miles) covered by cellular telephones have been significantly reduced (to hundreds of feet, in an indoor environment within buildings) in exchange for much higher data transmission rates. WLANs offer the possibility of interconnecting intra-building information technology devices such as computers, Personal Digital Assistants, printers, etc. at relatively high speeds without wires, and hence yield significant reductions in installation cost together with significant improvements in user convenience.
The design and installation of RF data links must factor in the propagation characteristics of the region covered by the data links. RF propagation characteristics of interest in indoor digital wireless communication systems include the following:                (a) Attenuation (loss) as a function of distance, including shadowing caused by reflecting or absorbing bodies in the environment; and        (b) Multipath (echoes) caused by reflection or diffraction from one or more scatterers in the environment, which can result in inter-symbol interference or variations in signal strength (fading).        WLANs are significantly affected by the propagation characteristics of the indoor environment in which they are used. This results from:        (a) Increased data rates. WLANs typically operate at data rates of 1 Mb/s or more for a given channel; modern WLAN technologies transfer data at speeds of up to 54 Mb/s. This means that the symbol periods used must be quite short, and consequently they are affected by inter-symbol interference resulting from multipath. In addition, the higher data rates require wider channels, which are more susceptible to effects such as frequency fading.        (b) Reduced transmit power limits. WLAN equipment is constrained to use unlicensed frequency bands with strict limits on radiated power, and as a result cannot overcome attenuation problems with increased transmit power.        (c) Strict cost and size constraints. As WLAN systems are intended to support mobile and portable applications in a home or business environment, it is not possible to deal with attenuation and multipath problems by utilizing large antenna arrays or complex networks of repeaters.
The increased usage and reliance upon WLANs has in turn required a much greater emphasis to be placed on measuring the propagation characteristics of RF energy in an indoor environment. Heretofore, most RF propagation studies and analyses have focused on propagation characteristics in an outdoor (urban or regional) environment, in response to the needs of broadcasting, cellular telephony, and other fixed and mobile wireless systems. The indoor environment in which WLANs are placed, however, exhibits different propagation characteristics and requires measurements to be made in different ways than the outdoor environment.
The indoor RF propagation environment poses a number of challenges. Firstly, the environment is quite complex, containing a large number of scatterers as well as a high density of absorbing elements with diverse physical characteristics. Secondly, the environment typically changes frequently, as objects are moved about. Finally, the relatively large density of transmitters and receivers present in a WLAN environment results in a large number of interactions.
Several approaches have been implemented to date to enable these issues to be dealt with when implementing indoor data networks. These are:                (a) Computer modeling of the propagation characteristics of the indoor space based on an exact representation of the dimensions and physical characteristics of the contents. This entails locating all of the objects present in a floor or building (walls, ceilings, furniture, etc.), creating a computer model of the entire space, and then using the model to predict the propagation characteristics of interest to WLAN designers. While this yields accurate results, it is complex, time-consuming and expensive.        (b) Extrapolation based on previous propagation studies. A large number of studies have been made of the propagation characteristics of various kinds of buildings, as well as of the physical characteristics of various types of building materials. It is possible to combine the results of these studies to produce a composite model or a set of composite models that can be applied to the building of interest. However, this approach can produce very inaccurate and unpredictable results because the geometry and contents of buildings vary widely, and RF propagation is greatly affected by small differences in layout and composition.        (c) Empirical deduction based on signal strengths. This consists of setting up an RF signal source at some location in a building and then measuring signal strengths at various points within the floor or building, and deducing the propagation characteristics based on the various measurements. However, this method is labor intensive, error prone, and frequently unrepeatable.        (d) Direct measurement of the propagation characteristics. An apparatus known as a channel sounder can be employed to directly measure the propagation characteristics of an RF channel. Channel sounders have been commonly employed in measuring the characteristics of point-to-point wireless links, but have also been utilized in the propagation studies previously referred to in order to measure the characteristics of buildings and materials. However, no means has been disclosed in the prior art of using this approach to perform propagation measurements of building spaces in two (or three) dimensions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved RF propagation measurement system for indoor environments. It is a further object of the invention to provide a propagation measurement system that enables measurements to be made over two-dimensional areas or regions. It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a propagation measurement system that allows the time-variant RF propagation characteristics of an indoor environment to be measured.

Method and apparatus for multi-dimensional channel sounding and radio frequency propagation measurements


A device that holds a mouse pad and provides a second elevation or surface above the pad for another object such as a book or work papers in order to make better use of space on a desk. The device is preferably made of a single segment of material folded in three places to form and separate the two elevations and provide a lip for the upper elevation which is sloped so that the object on that elevation can be more easily seen. The device has a hole for a cable from the mouse on the mouse pad to pass through to the computer and may have a recess dimensioned for the mouse pad. Alternatively, an adhesive may be provided so that the mouse pad does not slip from the lower elevation. Small friction pads are placed on the underside of the lower level to prevent the device from slipping from the desk surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for holding objects for the convenience of a user. More particularly, the present invention is a device for holding a computer pad, of the type used with a computer "mouse," on a lower level and holding another object simultaneously on a different level.
2. Discussion of Background
Personal computers have proliferated to the point where they can be found on nearly every desk in businesses. In some businesses, they are indispensable. However, and notwithstanding improvements in reducing the size of personal computers, they still take up space on a desk.
In addition to the space occupied by the computer--and the usual things found on desks--, space is required for a computer "mouse," a device for inputting various signals such as the desired location of a cursor in word processing programs, by movement of the mouse on a horizontal surface. The mouse comprises a palm-sized casing and a cable extending from the back of the mouse to the computer. The mouse partially encloses a ball used for making a correspondence between where on a computer monitor screen and user wishes to make his input and the location of the mouse. A portion of the ball is visible and extends slightly from the bottom of the casing so that the ball can engage the surface. The ball rotates freely and is rotated as desired by moving the mouse, ball side down, on a surface with sufficient friction to cause the ball to rotate within the casing. When a desk surface is too smooth to provide the needed friction, a mouse is placed on a "mouse pad" for moving. A mouse pad, or computer pad, is a square or rectangular piece of textured surface that prevents the ball from sliding on a too slippery desk surface by providing the needed friction.
Thus, the computer, the mouse pad, and all of the other items compete for the desk surface space available. There is a need for making better use of desk space.


A semiconductor package is disclosed including a leadframe, memory die and controller die, one or more of which are customized to facilitate electrical connection of the memory and controller die bond pads to the contact pads of the host device via the leadframe. By customizing one or more of the leadframe, memory die and controller die, an interposer layer normally required to connect the die in the semiconductor package with a host device may be omitted.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of fabricating a semiconductor package, and a semiconductor package formed thereby.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the size of electronic devices continues to decrease, the associated semiconductor packages that operate them are being designed with smaller form factors, lower power requirements and higher functionality. Currently, sub-micron features in semiconductor fabrication are placing higher demands on package technology including higher lead counts, reduced lead pitch, minimum footprint area and significant overall volume reduction.
One branch of semiconductor packaging involves the use of a leadframe, which is a thin layer of metal on which one or more semiconductor die may be mounted. The leadframe includes electrical leads for communicating electrical signals from the one or more semiconductors to a printed circuit board or other external electrical devices. Common leadframe-based packages include plastic small outlined packages (PSOP), thin small outlined packages (TSOP), and shrink small outline packages (SSOP).
FIG. 1 shows a leadframe 20, and FIG. 2 shows the leadframe 20 after attachment of one or more memory die 22 and controller die 24. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, leadframe 20 includes leads 30 which are used to carry signals to and from the memory and controller die 22, 24. As seen in FIG. 2, the memory die 22 includes die bond pads 32, and the controller die 24 includes die bond pads 34. The leads 30 include internal ends 30a which may be connected to the die bond pads of the die 22 and 24 via wire bonds 38. The leads 30 may further include external ends (not shown), opposite internal ends 30a, which surface mount to pinout locations on a printed circuit board (PCB) or other host device to which the leadframe package is affixed.
In the package design, it is necessary to connect specific memory die bond pads 32 and specific controller die bond pads 34 to specific pinout locations via leads 30 of leadframe 20. Given conventional leadframes, an interposer 40 has been required to accomplish these connections. In particular, the configuration of the die bond pads 32 and 34 are set by the die manufacturers, without regard to the connections that will be required to electrically connect the die to the host PCB. Given the fact that electrical connections are not part of the die pad location design, when the electrical connections are made, some leads 30 are required to crossover other leads 30. As the leadframe 20 is only a single layer of metal, these crossovers would result in impermissible electrical shorts.
Thus, an interposer 40 is conventionally provided which has at least two layers. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first electrical connection, e.g., 42, is able to cross under a second electrical connection, e.g., 44, by a via 46 in the electrical connection 42 which routes the connection down to a second layer of the interposer 40, under connection 44, and then back up to the top layer of interposer 40 by a second via 48. This method may be used throughout the interposer to easily route connections from the die 22, 24 to the external leads and pinout locations.
One drawback to the use of an interposer is that its use on the leadframe adds time and expense to the fabrication process. It would be advantageous to provide a leadframe-based package where the semiconductor die are routed to the external leads of the leadframe without use of the interposer layer.

Col-based semiconductor package including electrical connections through a single layer leadframe


Provided is a DC power relay. The DC power relay includes a pair of fixed contacts disposed parallel to each other, a movable contact vertically movable with respect to the pair of fixed contacts, the movable contact being in connect with or being separated from the pair of fixed contacts, a pair of permanent magnets for guide an arc generated when the movable contact is in contact with or is separated from the pair of fixed contacts to the outside, and a damping magnet reducing a force generated in a direction in which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contacts when the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contacts.

The present disclosure relates to a DC power relay used for connecting or disconnecting a DC high voltage.
Hybrid vehicles are vehicles in which at least two power sources are used as a driving source. In general, hybrid vehicles are vehicles which utilize an existing internal combustion engine and a motor driven by a battery at the same time. Here, the batteries are recharged using energy generated by the driving of an internal combustion engine or energy lost when being braked. Thus, since the recharged batteries are used for driving vehicles, hybrid vehicles have high-efficiency characteristics when compared to those of existing vehicles which use an internal combustion engine alone.
Such a hybrid vehicle uses an existing engine and a battery as a power source. Particularly, when the hybrid vehicle is initially driven, the hybrid vehicle is accelerated by electricity energy using the battery power source. Then, the battery is repeatedly charged/discharged using the engine and brake according to a running speed. To improve performance of the hybrid vehicle, batteries having higher capacity are required. For this, easiest is to increase a voltage.
Thus, an available voltage of an existing battery, i.e., about 12 V is boosted to about 200 V to about 400V. There is high probability of an additional increase of the battery voltage from now on. As the available voltage of the battery is increased, high insulation performance is required. For this, high-voltage relays for stably turning on/off a power source of a high-voltage battery are being applied to hybrid vehicles.
Such a high-voltage DC relay may break DC current of a high-voltage battery when a contingency arises or according to a control signal of a vehicle controller. Here, an arc may occur when the DC current is connected or disconnected. The arc may have a bad influence on other adjacent instruments or reduce insulation performance. Thus, to adequately control this, a permanent magnet is used. When the permanent magnet is disposed adjacent to a contact of the high-voltage DC relay which generates an arc, the arc may be controlled using a force decided according to intensity and direction of a magnetic flux occurring by the permanent magnet, a current flow direction, and an extension length of the arc. As a result, the arc may be cooled and dissipated. Thus, the DC power relay using the permanent magnet is being applied to electric vehicles such as present hybrid vehicles.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of a DC power current. Referring to FIG. 1, the DC power relay includes first and second fixed contacts 10 and 11 disposed parallel to each other and a movable contact 12 vertically movably disposed under the fixed contacts 10 and 11. When the movable contact 12 is moved upward to contact the fixed contacts 10 and 11, the DC power relay is turned on. On the other hand, when the movable contact 12 is moved downward and then separated from the fixed contacts 10 and 11, the DC power relay is turned off.
Even as the movable contact 12 is moved downward and thus separated from the fixed contacts 10 and 11, an arc may be generated between the fixed contacts 10 and 11 and the movable contact 12.
Here, if a separate control is not performed, the generated arc may be generated along a straight line between the fixed contacts 10 and 11 and the movable contact 12. As a result, the insulation performance may be reduced, and also, life cycles of adjacent components may be reduced.
To prevent this, first and second permanent magnets 14 and 15 are disposed adjacent to the fixed contact 10 and 11. The permanent magnets 14 and 15 are disposed in a direction perpendicular to that of current flowing through arc plasma to apply a magnetic driving force to the generated arc plasma.
The applied magnetic driving force may separate the arc from the contacts to move the arc in arrow directions, i.e., to the outside. Thus, a distance between the arcs may be increased, and also a length of the arc itself may be extended.
The arc having the extended length may be cooled by gas (air), and thus be changed from a plasma state into an insulated state. This may brake current as well as minimize insulation breaking possibility due to the contact between the arcs.
However, when the movable contact 12 contacts the fixed contacts 10 and 12, and thus the DC power relay is turned on, a downward magnetic driving force is applied to the movable contact 12 on the basis of the Fleming's left-hand law.
Thus, while the DC power relay is turned on, the movable contact 12 may be undesirably separated from the fixed contacts 10 and 11.


A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier circuit comprising an RF gain stage formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip comprising at least one field effect transistor configured for amplifying an RF signal to provide an amplified RF signal to an antenna at a given RF power level; a compensation circuit formed on the IC chip for generating a first voltage VS.sub.+ and a second voltage VS.sub.- at respective first and second output terminals, the voltage difference therebetween corresponding to a level of temperature or process fluctuation from a given level associated with the RF gain stage; and a control circuit comprising an operational amplifier coupled to the output terminals of the compensation circuit for receiving the first and second voltages VS.sub.+, VS.sub.- and outputting a control signal to the gate of the at least one FET of the RF gain stage to compensate the RF gain stage for the fluctuation, whereby a substantially constant power output to the antenna is maintained.

Power amplifier circuits are used for amplifying radio frequency (RF) signals for transmission by a communication device. In operation, a power amplifier circuit receives an RF signal in the transmit path of the communication device, amplifies the RF signal, and provides the amplified signal to an antenna. To meet system requirements, the RF antenna power output must be maintained substantially constant. For example, existing standards for mobile cellular telephones specify 600 mW RF power output at the antenna.
Gallium arsenide (GaAs) MESFET (metal epitaxial semiconductor field effect transistor) devices are typically used in the amplification stage of power amplifier design. Such devices provide good performance across a wide frequency range, including the range from 1800 to 2000 MHZ. MESFET devices operated in depletion mode typically require a gate to source voltage (V.sub.gs) less than zero volts to turn off the transistors. A bias voltage is supplied to the MESFET to establish the V.sub.gs.
The threshold or pinch off voltage (V.sub.th) of a depletion mode MESFET has a negative temperature coefficient. That is, the threshold voltage becomes more negative with increasing temperature. When such a device is operating near pinch off, an increasingly more negative gate voltage will maintain a constant drain current as temperature increases. Constant drain current with respect to temperature results in lower RF gain of the amplification stage and lower power output, with increasing temperature. This is due to the MESFET transconductance, which has a negative temperature coefficient, and output conductance, which has a positive temperature coefficient. As a result, RF GaAs MESFET devices require a bias current which increases with increasing temperature to maintain constant gain and output power.
Conventional communications devices have used a closed loop feedback system for maintaining constant output power. In such a system, output power is detected at the antenna and a signal indicative of the output power is conveyed to a control circuit, such as a microprocessor, in the communication device. The controller than adjusts the bias current as required to maintain constant output power. Such conventional designs, however, significantly limit the performance of the power amplifier. For instance, a directional coupler is required for detecting output power at the antenna. The directional coupler causes excess power loss at the antenna. At maximum transmit power, the power loss could be as high as 1 dB or 25 percent. In addition, the circuit elements employed for detecting output power and adjusting bias current are not able to develop the negative (below 2 volts) gate to source voltage for biasing the depletion mode MESFET.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,004 entitled VOLTAGE BIAS AND TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION CIRCUIT FOR RADIO FREQUENCY POWER AMPLIFIER issued to Reif et al. on Mar. 3, 1998 attempts to overcome the aforementioned problems and discloses a power amplifier and bias circuit where the power amplifier includes a depletion mode MESFET for power amplification. The MESFET is biased via the bias circuit which includes a level shifter for providing the necessary gate to source voltage to the MESFET. The bias circuit output voltage varies over temperature to track the temperature variation of the MESFET in order to maintain a substantially constant RF output power.
Other implementations of temperature compensation circuits for power amplifiers typically utilize a gallium arsenide based differential input amplifier followed by a voltage level shifting buffer biased via current sources. However, current biasing causes the differential amplifier and level shifting circuitry to be less sensitive to bias voltage and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, temperature compensating control circuits currently in existence have a limited voltage control range, while temperature compensation occurs over a similarly limited temperature range. That is, current control circuits are operable to adjust only a certain amount of compensation to the power amplifier over a temperature range before requiring a complete termination of shut off or the power amplifier. Accordingly, a device that is both temperature and process sensitive and which performs level shifting and temperature compensation over a greater range of values is highly desired.

Temperature and process compensating circuit and controller for an RF power amplifier


A two-piece pay-out tube is secured through an outlet opening of a cable box such that cable being fed from the box can be threaded through the assembled pay-out tube. One piece of the pay-out tube includes an elongated tube having an inner flange. This tube is designed to be inserted into the opening within the cable box from inside the box such that the inner flange abuts against the inside wall of the cable box. A second piece, referred to as a locking collar, is designed to be snapped into engagement with the inner flange from outside of the box. In particular, the locking collar includes a plurality of locking tabs that project from the outside of the box, through the opening within the box, and into engagement with the inner flange resulting in a locking relationship between the inner flange and its associated elongated tube and the locking collar.

It has been known to wind cable in a figure eight pattern in such a fashion that results in a radial opening being formed through the wall of the cable winding once the winding has been completely formed. Because of the particular figure eight winding procedure, the end of the cable disposed interiorly of the winding can be directed from inside of the winding through the radial opening formed in the winding without the cable becoming twisted and difficult to handle.
Typically, such figure eight windings are housed and transported within a cardboard container having an opening formed in one wall of the container. As pointed out above, in removing cable from the cardboard box, the inner end of the cable is directed outwardly through the radial opening and through the opening within the wall of the cardboard container.
To facilitate the feeding of cable from such a cardboard container, it is preferable to mount what is referred to as a pay-out tube within the opening of the cardboard container wall. In particular, the pay-out tube is usually inserted into the formed radial opening within the winding itself. This prevents the formed radial opening from collapsing during transport or the unwinding process. Besides being inserted into the formed radial opening within the winding, the pay-out tube is also coupled to the outlet opening formed in the cardboard container wall structure. Thus, the inside terminal end of the cable can be threaded through the pay-out tube inserted within the radial opening and out an outlet end of the pay-out tube that is disposed about the outlet opening formed in the cardboard container.
As noted above, pay-out tubes are known and are used extensively in the cable industry. For a basic understanding of the state-of-the art with respect to pay-out tubes one is referred to the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,022,399; 4,057,203; 4,274,607; 5,042,739; 5,064,136; 5,150 852; 5,115,995; 5,152,476; and 4,373,687.
There are drawbacks and disadvantages with known pay-out tube designs. First, many pay-out tubes by virtue of their design, are difficult to install and are particularly difficult to couple to the outlet opening of the cardboard box. Moreover, conventional pay-out tubes are not designed to retain and hold the terminal end of the cable extending through the pay-out tube and from the cable box. Essentially, with prior art pay-out tube designs, the exterior terminal end of the cable simply dangles free and is not at all controlled. It is not unusual for the exterior terminal end of the cable to be inadvertently pulled back within the cable box and this results in the end user having to locate the inner terminal end and to thread the same back through the pay-out tube before the cable can be unwound and used.
Therefore, there is and continues to be a need for a cable container pay-out tube that is easy to install and particularly easy to attach or couple to the outlet opening of the cable box.


A method of treating a patient infected with a lipid encapsulated virus by administering to the patient about 1000 mg to about 5000 mg per day of a nutritional supplement having from about 40 to about 80 wt. % L-lysine, from about 20 to about 50 wt. % butylated hydroxytoluene and from about 1 to about 10 wt. % Echinacea. Administration of the nutritional supplement inhibits ulcer formation resulting from lipid encapsulated virus infections such as herpes simplex I and II infections.

Herpes simplex type I and type II viruses are two examples of the class of infective viruses known as lipid encapsulated viruses. This class of viruses includes a lipid envelope surrounding the protein coat (capsid) which protects the genetic material of the virus. Most lipid encapsulated viruses are dependent on the lipid envelope for the infectivity, as the lipid envelope facilitates penetration of host cell membranes. In addition to the above-identified herpes simplex type I and II viruses, examples of lipid encapsulated proteins include herpes zoster, cytomegalovirus, HIV, pseudorabies, west nile virus, hepatitis B and C, SARS and some strains of influenza, including avian flu. Accordingly, it is known to administer to infected patients substances which disrupt or interfere with virus lipid envelopes. There has not been demonstrated, however, a treatment effective in eliminating the virus completely from the host.

Composition and method of treating lipid encapsulated virus infections


A low voltage detector (100) includes a power supply voltage monitor circuit (110) that produces a voltage VSP related to a first a power supply voltage, and a voltage generator (105), which includes a plurality of self-cascode MOSFET (SCM) structures (101-103) in a cascade configuration, that generates a reference voltage Vxm. A voltage comparator (140) outputs an output signal in response to a differential between Vxm and VSP, wherein Vxm and VSP have proportional to absolute temperature behavior (PTAT) over temperature with respect to a second power supply voltage. The output signal changes state when the first power supply voltage equals a trip point of the comparator. Each SCM structure is sized to provide a rate of change with temperature of the PTAT behavior of Vxm that matches a rate of change with temperature of the PTAT behavior of VSP.

1. Field
This invention relates generally to voltage detector circuits, and more specifically to a low power consumption, low voltage detector circuit.
2. Related Art
Electronic devices frequently employ a voltage detector to indicate if a particular voltage is outside a specified range. For example, a battery operated device often includes a voltage detector to provide a low voltage indication when the voltage supplied by a battery decreases below a predetermined level. The low voltage indication can notify a user of the device that the battery should be replaced or recharged. Usually, a reliable low-power, low voltage detector consumes hundreds of microamperes because it requires one or more voltage dividers and a bandgap reference voltage to operate properly.
There are current-based, low voltage detectors, but they require nonstandard CMOS devices such as bipolar transistors and non-volatile memory (NVM) cells.
Some known low voltage detectors use ladder resistors to generate voltage taps needed to detect a trip point. The ladder resistors are usually large so that known low voltage detectors consume low power. Large ladder resistors may cause such known low voltage detectors to occupy a disadvantageously large area.
With some known low voltage detectors, the trip-point depends on a threshold voltage Vth of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The threshold voltage of a MOSFET depends upon process, and the threshold voltage changes greatly with temperature. When a low voltage detector uses a reference voltage that depends upon the threshold voltage, a part-to-part variation of the low voltage detector is disadvantageously great. Therefore, such a low voltage detector is either disadvantageously affected by temperature changes, or it requires additional circuitry that provides temperature compensation but which consumes additional power. Moreover, such a low voltage detector may need trimming to counterbalance the part-to-part variation.
Using the Advanced Compact Model (ACM) for a MOSFET, the inversion level of the MOSFET is determined by an inversion factor if, which is defined as if=I/Is, where I is a drain current of the MOSFET, and Is is a normalization current. The normalization current Is is equal to ISQS, where ISQ is a sheet specific current that is defined by certain process parameters and S is an aspect ratio of the MOSFET. The aspect ratio S of the MOSFET is a ratio of channel width W to channel length L. Furthermore,ISQ=nμC′ox(ΦT2/2)
where μ is a mobility of the carriers in the channel, n is a slope factor, C′ox is an oxide capacitance per unit area of the gate of the MOSFET, and ΦT is a thermal voltage.
The thermal voltage ΦT is a function of temperature and increases directly proportionately with increasing temperature. The thermal voltage is ΦT=kT/q, where T is the temperature measured in kelvins (abbreviated "K", and sometimes informally referred to as "degrees Kelvin"), and q is the magnitude of the electrical charge of an electron (1.6022×10−19 coulombs). The Boltzmann's constant, k, can be expressed as 1.3807×10−23 joules per kelvin. The thermal voltage ΦT is approximately 25.85 millivolts at room temperature (approximately 300K). At room temperature, the thermal voltage ΦT changes at a rate of approximately 0.086 millivolts per degree Celsius.
In ACM, the relationship between current and voltage are given by:
                    V        P            -              V        S                    Φ      T        =                    1        +                  i          f                      -    2    +          ln                    (                                            1              +                              i                f                                              -          1                )
and
      V    P    ≅                    V        GB            -              V                  T                                                              0                      n
where VP is a pinch-off voltage, VS is a voltage at a source terminal, VGB is a gate-to-bulk voltage, and VT0 is a zero bias threshold voltage.
Weak inversion, moderate inversion and strong inversion describe different operational modes of a MOSFET. Weak inversion occurs when a drain current of a MOSFET transistor is dominated by a diffusion current, moderate inversion is when the drain current has both diffusion current and drift current components, and strong inversion is when the drain current is dominated by the drift current. In a MOSFET, inversion occurs when a thinner channel is formed in the transistor in the substrate region under the gate. When there is no channel, the transistor is at cut-off. As a rule of thumb, a MOSFET that has an inversion factor of less than "1" is said to be in weak inversion; a MOSFET that has an inversion factor of about "1" to "100" is said to be in moderate inversion; and a MOSFET that has an inversion factor of greater than "100" is said to be in strong inversion.


A pressure device for exerting pressure on an opening device fitted to a package of a food product pourable into a tube of packaging material, the device having a first pressure member movable between a first work position, in which it presses a first area of the opening device against the package, and a first rest position, in which it is detached from the opening device; and a second pressure member movable between a second work position, in which it presses a second area of the opening device against the package, and a second rest position, in which it is detached from the opening device; the first and second area being crosswise to each other.

As is known, many food products, such as fruit juice, pasteurized or UHT (ultra-high-temperature treated) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material.
A typical example of this type of package is the parallelepiped-shaped package for liquid or pourable food products known as TETRA BRIK ASEPTIC (registered trademark), which is made by folding and sealing laminated strip packaging material.
The packaging material has a multilayer structure substantially comprising a base layer for stiffness and strength, which may comprise a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, or of mineral-filled polypropylene material; and a number of layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene film, covering both sides of the base layer.
In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of gas- and light-barrier material, e.g. aluminium foil or ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH), which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material forming the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product.
As is known, packages of this sort are produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material; the web of packaging material is sterilized on the packaging machine, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterilization is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, e.g. evaporated by heating; and the web of packaging material so sterilized is maintained in a closed, sterile environment, and is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a vertical tube.
The tube is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, and is sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced cross sections to form pillow packs, which are then folded mechanically to form respective finished, e.g. substantially parallelepiped-shaped, packages.
Alternatively, the packaging material may be cut into blanks, which are formed into packages on forming spindles, and the packages are filled with the food product and sealed. One example of this type of package is the so-called "gable-top" package known by the trade name TETRA REX (registered trademark).
Once formed, the above packages may undergo further processing, such as applying a reclosable opening device to protect the food product inside the package from contact with external agents, and to enable the product to be poured out.
At present, the most commonly marketed opening devices comprise an annular frame defining a pour opening and fitted about a removable or pierceable portion of a top wall of the package; and a cap hinged or screwed to the frame, and which is removable to open the package.
The removable portion of the package may be defined by a sealing sheet glued or heat-sealed to the outside of the package to close a through hole in the package. One example of this solution is described and illustrated in Patent Application EP-A-9433549. Alternatively, the removable portion of the package may be defined by a so-called "prelaminated" hole, i.e. a hole formed in the base layer of the packaging material before covering the base layer with other layers defining the packaging material, e.g. the layers of thermoplastic material and/or the layer of barrier material, which close the hole hermetically.
In the case of aseptic packaging machines, the opening devices are normally fitted directly to the packages, after they are formed, downstream from the packaging machine.
More specifically, the opening devices are fed successively through a gluing unit and a unit for applying them to the respective packages.
In the gluing unit, the opening devices are coated with adhesive, usually hot-melt glue.
Next, the opening devices are fed successively through a pressure unit, in which they are held by pressure on the respective packages long enough for the adhesive to cool and for each opening device to adhere to the package.
A need is felt for maximum flexibility as regards the shape and spatial orientation of the area of each opening device to which pressure is applied.
This is particularly so in the case of opening devices with a frame straddling an edge between a first and second wall, e.g. the top wall and a top end portion of a lateral wall, of the package, and comprising a first and second portion at an angle to each other and glued to the first and second wall respectively by respective fastening portions inclined with respect to each other.

Pressure device for exerting pressure on an opening device fitted to a package of a food product pourable into a tube of packaging material


An electronic apparatus of the present invention has a display panel incorporating therein a display screen and a back cover that covers the display panel. The display panel is fixed to the back cover via a fixing part. The back cover has a positioning pin standing on the same central axis as a mounting hole formed in the display panel. The fixing part has a positioning hole that engages the positioning pin and a screw hole on the same central axis as the positioning hole. A screw is screwed into the screw hole of the fixing part through the mounting hole of the display panel.

Typically, electronic apparatus such as notebook or laptop computers have a first unit having a keyboard that is coupled by hinges to a second unit having a display screen, such that the two units can be opened and closed relative to each other. When the apparatus is used, the second unit is opened, and when it is not used, the second unit is closed such that the display screen lies on the keyboard. This type of apparatus is well known as a notebook personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC).
Another type of portable computer includes a display screen, wherein the display screen is configured to recognize a stylus or pen-like device that is placed close to or in contact with the screen to enable user input. This type of apparatus is well known as a tablet personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a tablet PC).
Recently, convertible tablet/notebook computers have become available with the first unit and the second unit coupled through a two-axis coupling device which allows rotation of the second unit in two directions relative to the first unit. This configuration allows the computer to be used either as a notebook PC with the display screen projecting upward from the keyboard, or as a tablet PC with the display screen resting facing up on the keyboard (refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-312876).
Such electronic apparatus are usually provided with a display panel having a large display screen. The display panel is generally fixed to the apparatus in the following manner. A mounting hole is formed in the display panel whereas a boss having a screw hole in the center is formed on the back cover. The display panel is then fixed by inserting a screw through the mounting hole into the screw hole formed on the boss.
A fixing member or supporting member of elastic material which is used for fixing a display panel is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publications No. 2000-47754 and No. 2002-328622. The elastic material is used to protect the display panel from being damaged by a strong force.
Display panels made by different manufactures have the respective mounting holes in different positions. If only one type of back cover is used and needs to accept two or more types of display panels made by different manufactures, the back cover must have two or more bosses with a screw hole for the mounting holes of these different types of display panels. The bosses are formed in the different positions of the back cover.
However, if the back cover has this structure, a boss formed for one type of display panel interferes with other type of display panel made by other manufacturer. Due to such interference, this other type of display panel cannot be fixed to the back cover.
Even if only a particular display panel made by a particular manufacturer is adopted and a boss is formed on the back cover so as to correspond to a mounting hole of the display panel, the boss interferes with components to be positioned and fixed other than the display panel.
These situations can be avoided by forming a boss on the back cover in the position that does not correspond to the position of a mounting hole of the display panel, and by using a fixing part to connect the boss and the mounting hole that are positioned apart.
However, as pointed out by Japanese Patent Application Publications No. 2000-47754 and No. 2002-328622, if the fixing part is used for fixing, there arises a problem that blurred images are displayed due to a dimensional deviation, which needs to be addressed.

Electronic apparatus and display panel fixed structure