Provided is a character input device that can improve user's convenience (can reduce operations to be performed by the user). In this character input device, an operation display portion displays a keyboard screen corresponding to a character type of the first character of the registered user information as an initial screen for accepting re-input, when accepting the re-input of the same user information as the registered user information.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a character input device, an image forming apparatus including the same, and a method for controlling the character input device.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a character input device capable of inputting various types of characters. Such a character input device is mounted in an image forming apparatus, for example. Note that the character input device mounted in the image forming apparatus is called an operation panel (or an operation portion).
Conventionally, a keyboard screen (a screen with software keyboard) is displayed on the operation panel for accepting a character input from a user. Thus, the user can input characters using the software keyboard. In addition, conventionally, instead of simply displaying a general keyboard screen on the operation panel, a keyboard screen for inputting alphabets is displayed as an initial screen for accepting alphabet input from the user, or a keyboard screen for inputting numerals is displayed as the initial screen for accepting numeral input from the user. In other words, conventionally, a type of keyboard screen to be displayed as the initial screen for accepting character input (a type of characters that can be input) is set in advance.
Here, there is a case where the image forming apparatus requests the user to re-input the same user information as that already registered. The user information means information defined by a character string including alphabets, numerals, and the like. For instance, as an example of the user information, there is a user name or the like. A user may register the user name as a character string consisting of only alphabets, and another user may register the user name as a character string consisting of only numerals. In such cases, when a type of the keyboard screen to be displayed as the initial screen for accepting input of the user information (a type of characters that can be input) is set in advance, the following inconvenience may occur.
For instance, it is supposed that the keyboard screen for inputting alphabets is displayed as the initial screen for accepting input of the user name. In this case, the user who has registered the user name as a character string consisting of only alphabets can re-input the user name using the keyboard screen for inputting alphabets as it is, which is displayed as the initial screen. In contrast, the user who has registered the user name as a character string consisting of only numerals cannot re-input the user name unless switching the keyboard screen for inputting alphabets to the keyboard screen for inputting numerals. In other words, for the user who has registered the user name as a character string consisting of only numerals, it is not convenient that he or she has to perform an additional operation (of switching the displayed keyboard screen) for re-inputting the user name.

Character input device, image forming apparatus including the same, and method for controlling the character input device


A Self-Describing Packet block (SDPB) is defined that allows concurrent processing of various fixed headers in a packet block defined to take advantage of multiple cores in a networking node forwarding path architecture. SPDB allows concurrent processing of various pieces of header data, metadata, and conditional commands carried in the same data packet by checking a serialization flag set upon creation of the data packet, without needing to serialize the processing or even parsing of the packet. When one or h more commands in one or more sub-blocks may be processed concurrently, the one or more commands are distributed to multiple processing resources for processing the commands in parallel. This architecture allows multiple unique functionalities each with their own separate outcome (execution of commands, doing service chaining, performing telemetry, allows virtualization and path steering) to be performed concurrently with simplified packet architecture without incurring additional encapsulation overhead.

Internet Protocol (IP) is the protocol used for today's networks. When an IP packet is received by a networking node, the IP packet is either forwarded based on the destination address (and selected header information, e.g., time to live (TTL) and Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) in IPv4 and IPv6 headers) in a broader sense or it is consumed and delivered to one of the higher layers for further processing. In either case, it is possible to have multiple headers that need to be processed. Today, processing of multiple headers is performed sequentially because of the nested encoding of headers and possible separate encryption and integrity protection schemes applied at each layer requiring unwrapping of each header one at a time. For example, the Layer2 header, Hop-by-hop-Header, Routing Header Type X, Routing Header Type Y, Destination header1, Destination header2—Transport Header—Application Data all require unwrapping of each header one at a time.
There are other decisions that need to be made during processing of an IP header, all of which require review of some aspect of the IP packet, For example: prioritizing, marking/DSCP value, updating of flow cache, and gathering operations, administration, and management (OAM) data are other header operations that do not necessarily require the headers to be unwrapped one at a time for sequential processing. In fact, some of these operations may be processed in parallel.
In other cases, multiple headers with encapsulation are required to perform a specific function like virtualization and service chaining. For example, Geneve (Generic Network Virtualization Encapsulation) is a protocol that provides a framework for tunneling for network virtualization where the tunnels are typically established to act as a backplane between the virtual switches residing in hypervisors, physical switches, and the like. The tunnels are used to encapsulate and forward frames from the attached components such as virtual machines or physical links. The Geneve packet format includes a compact tunnel header encapsulated in user datagram protocol (UDP) over either IPv4 or IPv6. A small fixed tunnel header provides control information plus a base level of functionality and interoperability. The payload includes a protocol data unit such as an Ethernet frame. On the other hand, a Network Service Header (NSH) may be imposed on packets of frames to realize Service Function Paths (SFPs). The NSH also provides a mechanism for metadata exchange along the service paths. NSH is the Service Function Chaining (SFC) encapsulation required to support the SFC architecture.
Unfortunately, if a network needs both of these features to be applied on the IP packet, it is not currently possible because of the way encapsulation is defined in these two protocols. As a result, all of the IP headers are processed sequentially, which may lead to significant processing delays within a network.
Moreover, when trying to parallelize processing of a packet it is in general very hard to determine which parts of the processing have mutual dependencies and there is nothing to indicate processing of which parts of a packet depend on another. When this cannot be determined easily, processing needs to be serialized.

Self-describing packet headers for concurrent processing


Embodiments include a method for providing a red light violator warning. The method includes detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at an intersection. Based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, the method includes broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation and determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle. Based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, the method further includes transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.

The present invention relates generally to traffic control systems and more specifically to, a red light violator warning system.
In general, traffic management systems are utilized to control the operation of traffic signals along arterial roads. The goal of the traffic management system is to maximize vehicle throughput on the arterial road while minimizing delays. Traffic signal controllers are used to control the operation of traffic signals along the arterial roads and to adjust the signal phasing and timing based on the time and day of the week.
Currently, many traffic management systems include red light violator detection systems that are configured to detect the violation of red light and to record the violations. These red light violator detection systems typically include one or more sensors that are configured to detect that a vehicle has violated a camera that captures one or more images of the violation, such as images of the driver of the vehicle and the license plate of the vehicle.
While red light violator detection systems are useful for detecting the violation of a red light and providing data to generate a citation for the offending driver, the red light violator detection systems are not configured to enhance the safety of the intersection by alerting the other drivers in the intersection that a red light violation is about to occur.


A window which is transparent to visible light and/or infrared radiation but which absorbs radio frequency energy. The window has a at least two layers of dielectric material separated by a conductor and backed with another conductor. Each layer of the window is selected to be transparent to visible light and/or infrared radiation. The window functions to absorb RF energy in a manner similar to a Jaumann absorber, with the exception that the backing conductor need not be a short circuit. The window is constructed of known window materials, such as glass and plastic, with the conductors being a gold film or indium-tin oxide.

Prior art window materials, such as glass and plastic, have high transmissivity for electromagnetic energy of a wide range of frequencies, including visible light, IR and RF energy. In some applications, for example stealthy military aircraft, a window's ability to pass radio frequency energy is a disadvantage. Not only do traditional materials fail to absorb RF energy, but they also permit reflections from behind the window to pass back through the window.
This issue has been addressed in some applications by placing a metal screen behind the window, thereby making it reflective of RF energy. The screen reflects the RF energy while allowing visible or IR energy to pass. By careful shaping of the reflective screen it is at least possible to direct the reflected RF energy in a desired direction; e.g. away from a hostile radar installation. Disadvantages of this approach include the attenuation of the visible and IR energy passing through the window/screen, and the optical distortion which can be caused by the screen material. Alternatively, a thin gold film may be applied to the window to make it reflective of RF energy while still transparent to visible/IR energy. This approach is a partial solution at best. A preferred approach would be to have a window which absorbs RF radiation while transmitting visible light and/or infrared radiation without significant distortion.
Electromagnetic wave absorbers have been the subject of years of research and development, as chronicled in "Electromagnetic Wave Absorbers and Anechoic Chambers Through the Years" by William H. Emerson, published in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Volume AP-21, No. 4, July 1973, pages 484-490. One well known type of RF energy absorber, known as the Jaumann absorber, consists of resistive sheets separated by low loss foam spacers placed in front of a conductor of infinite conductivity, as described more fully in "Tables for the Design of Jaumann Microwave Absorber" by J. R. Nortier, et al., published in Microwave Journal, September 1987, pages 219-222, incorporated by reference herein. Prior art electromagnetic wave absorbers are not useful in applications requiring windows, since the absorbers are opaque to visible and infrared energy.


A method for establishing a web communication between a web browser running on a first terminal and a web browser running on a second terminal, distinct from a communication via a web browser being previously established between the first and second terminals. Following detection, by the first terminal, of a user interaction requesting establishment of a web communication with the second terminal, the first terminal creates a session identifier including at least one identifier of the first terminal, and generates a URL address including the created session identifier. The URL address makes it possible to access a web page to establish the requested web communication, via a server. The URL address is inserted into a message sent to the second terminal, which triggers opening by the browser of the first terminal of a web page downloaded from the server based on the URL address.

There are communication applications that allow users to communicate in real time by a communication network such as the Internet. Such applications require each user wanting to participate in a real-time communication to have the communication application installed on his or her terminal and such a user to have an account enabling him or her to be identified with the service provider offering the communication application. Some of these communication applications can be integrated in a web browser but they are installed separately from the web browser. For example, such communication applications are known by the names of Skype™, Facebook™, GoogleTalk™, etc.
All the abovementioned products require downloads, native applications or extension modules (plugins) external to the browser. Now, the downloading, installation and updating of plugins is complex, the source of errors and of inconvenience. Moreover, the design, the testing, the updating and the deployment of plugins is complex and costly.
With the development of the HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language 5) language, new perspectives have been opened up to the developers of applications with the possibility of rendering the interfaces (API—Application Programming Interface) with the web applications accessible in a standardized manner within the browser.
Such is the pathway followed by the IETF and the W3C with the RTCWEB/WebRTC standard which aims to provide two types of specifications:                a protocol specification, carried out at the IETF;        a Javascript API specification, carried out at the W3C.
The abovementioned two specifications aim to provide an environment whereby a Javascript application incorporated in any web page, read by any compatible browser, and allowed in an appropriate manner by its user, is capable of establishing a communication using audio, video (and auxiliary data), without the platform of the browser limiting the types of application in which this communication functionality can be used.
According to the current RTCWEB/WebRTC standard, a web browser must implement three API interfaces to be able to receive and transmit data in a streaming mode, these APIs are as follows:                MediaStream: allows the browser to access the streams of data such as those from the web cam and from the microphone of the terminal of the user;        RTCPeerConnection: handles audio or video calls, with encryption and bandwidth management mechanisms;        RTCDataChannel: handles peer-to-peer communication for genetic data.
To obtain more information concerning the RTCWEB/WebRTC specifications, the following documents can in particular be consulted:                WebRTC 1.0: Real-time Communication Between Browsers—W3C Editor's Draft 22 Mar. 2013—accessible on the Internet at the following address:
http://dev.w3.org/2011/webrtc/editor/webrtc.html#rtcpeerconnection-interface                Overview: Real Time Protocols for Browser-based Applications—draft-ietf-rtcweb-overview-06—Feb. 20, 2013—accessible on the Internet at the following address:
http://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-rtcweb-overview/
Currently, web browser publishers are offering trial versions of this new service between browsers, for example Google with the Chrome™ browser, Mozilla with the Firefox™ browser, Ericsson with the browser called Bowser™ developed for cell phones.
In the versions offered to date, which conform to the RTCWEB/WebRTC specifications, when a first user wants to establish an audio or video communication, from his or her WebRTC-compatible web browser, with a second user over the Internet, he or she begins by logging on via his or her browser to an application server providing the WebRTC communication service. After a possible authentication operation, the browser loads, via a web page, the web application (Javascript application) conforming to the RTCWEB specifications and adapted to interact with the abovementioned APIs (conforming to the WebRTC specifications) which are natively incorporated in the browser.
Next, the first user chooses, via the web page for connecting to the application server, an identifier of the second user, then enters a command—for example by a click on an action button displayed in the web page open in the browser—to trigger the audio or video call to the second user. Typically, the web page opened in the browser then displays a message indicating that the connection is currently being established.
If the second user, the recipient of the call, is also connected to the same WebRTC communication service provided by the application server, then he or she can accept the audio or video call from the first user, and the communication will then be able to established.
It thus emerges that, for a WebRTC communication to be established between two users, both users have to be connected to the application server. In order to not miss a communication request, the terminal of the called user must then permanently run a web browser thus using resources, and in particular the battery, of the terminal. This can be problematical in the case of mobile terminals.
Furthermore, the called user must be able to be identified by the application server to receive a communication request originating from the calling user. The called user must therefore have an account with the provider of the application server. To request a communication to the called user, the calling user must also know with which provider the user of the called terminal can be reached.
A WebRTC real-time communication service is to be found on the website https://appear.in. This communication service allows a user wanting to establish a WebRTC video communication to obtain a URL pointing to a video chat that can include up to 8 users connected to the chat. The user can then copy the URL obtained in a message and send it to the users with whom he or she wants to communicate. When the other users access the web page to which the URL points, they are connected with the user via the video chat. Such a service requires the user to go and visit the website of the service when he or she wants to establish a communication with other users, create a chat room to obtain the URL, copy the URL into a message and inform the recipients of the message to whom he or she wants to send it. All these steps are tedious for the user, above all if he or she wants to communicate from a mobile terminal.

Method and device for establishing WebRTC communications


A non-crystalline ether-imide type high purity bismaleimide composition represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sup.5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or a phenyl group. The non-crystalline bismaleimide (I) has a purity of 95 wt % or higher, a melting point of not higher than 130.degree. C., and exhibits excellent solubility in a solvent. It is prepared by a process comprising uniformly melting a crystalline bismaleimide (I) followed by rapid cooling to solidify or a process comprising subjecting a maleamic acid, which is obtained by addition reaction between a corresponding aromatic ether diamine and maleic anhydride in an aromatic hydrocarbon/aprotic polar solvent mixed solvent, to dehydrating cyclization in the presence of an acid catalyst while azeotropically removing by-produced water with the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, removing the remaining aromatic hydrocarbon solvent by distillation, withdrawing the produced maleimide in a molten state, and rapidly cooling to solidify.

Known processes for producing an ether-imide type bismaleimide, e.g., 2,2-bis[4-(4-maleimidophenoxy)phenyl]propane, typically include a dehydrating cyclization reaction of a corresponding maleamic acid using a dehydrating agent (e.g., acetic anhydride) in a ketone solvent (e.g., acetone) or a polar solvent (e.g., N,N-dimethylformamide) in the presence of a base (e.g., triethylamine) and a metallic compound (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,783). However, this process does not achieve sufficient progress of the cyclization reaction, only to provide a bismaleimide containing a considerable amount of uncyclized maleamic acid. Therefore, while the resulting bismaleimide is soluble in organic solvents, such as acetone, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, etc., it liberates water on curing due to the uncyclized maleamic acid and other impurities such as an addition product between the bismaleimide and acetic anhydride, and resulting cured product suffers from voids or blisters or has a reduced glass transition temperature and so deteriorated heat resistance.
R. H. Dahmas has obtained a high purity and substantially acetone-insoluble ether-imide type bismaleimide by dissolving the above-described imidation product in acetone followed by selective re-precipitation and proposed an acetone solution of a mixture of the resulting high purity acetone-insoluble ether-imide type bismaleimide, a corresponding precursor maleamic acid, and a polyamine of an amount required for neutralizing the maleamic acid as a composition suitable for a bismaleimide resin matrix composite (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,808,646, 4,816,512 and 4,924,005).
On the other hand, it is also known to prepare a bismaleimide by a process comprising addition reaction between an aromatic diamine corresponding to an ether-imide type bismaleimide and maleic anhydride in a mixed solvent of an aromatic hydrocarbon and an aprotic polar solvent at a low temperature to obtain a bismaleamic acid in accordance with a known process for producing a highly crystalline aromatic bismaleimide (e.g., N,N-(4,4'-diphenylmethane)bismaleimide) (see JP-A-60-260623 and JP-A-63-301226, the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and then subjecting the resulting bismaleamic acid to dehydrating cyclization using an acid catalyst (see JP-A-1-211563). According to this process, the cyclization reaction does not proceed sufficiently, and a considerable amount of the bismaleamic acid remains uncyclized in the resulting bismaleimide. If an ether-imide type bismaleimide is crystallized in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, the solvent will be included in the precipitated crystals. Hence, for obtaining a high purity product, recrystallization must be conducted in a low-boiling halogenated hydrocarbon solvent (see JP-A-1-238568).
A process comprising dissolving a bismaleimide obtained by drying in tetrahydrofuran or acetone and re-precipitating in water is also known (see JP-A-3-145462). High purity 2,2-bis[4-(4-maleimidophenoxy)phenyl]propane obtained by recrystallization as in the above process is highly crystalline similarly to a highly crystalline aromatic bismaleimide, such as N,N-(4,4'-diphenylmethane)bismaleimide, and therefore has low solubility in a solvent and also a high melting point.
Having excellent heat resistance, a polymaleimide resin is used as a heat resistant modifier for thermosetting resins, such as epoxy resins and vinyl compounds. Where a highly crystalline and high-melting maleimide is used in combination with these reactive liquid resins, it has poor workability in that it is apt to crystallize in the resin solution, requires a high temperature for forming the resin solution, and causes gelation or volatilization of a solvent.

Non-crystalline ether-imide type high purity bismaleimide composition and process for producing the same


A work surface device has an upper member with a substantially planar top surface. A support is secured to the upper member for supporting the upper member on a support member with the planar top surface in a generally horizontal orientation. The support has a fastener or clamping device at its lower end for releasable engagement with a portion of the support member. A work board of shape and dimensions generally matching the shape and dimensions of the top surface may be placed on the top surface. The work board and upper member have aligned openings in which a receptacle may be seated or through which waste may be discarded into a container beneath the work surface. In one arrangement, the clamping device is secured to the upper rim of a container with the work surface spaced above the open upper end of the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to work surfaces for use in many work and home environments.
2. Related Art
There is often a shortage of work surfaces for performing various tasks in many work or home environments. For example, in a home or restaurant kitchen, work surfaces are needed for food preparation such as cutting up vegetables, preparing fish or meat, chopping various foods, and the like. Work surfaces are also needed for gardening, flower arranging both by a commercial florist and in the home, decorating, automobile maintenance, and the like. Work surfaces and cutting board devices are known for use in various fields, but these devices often do not increase the available work surface area, since they are often placed on top of a kitchen counter or other work table.
In our prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,702, a receptacle cover device for providing a raised work surface is described. The device may be secured over a receptacle such as a trash can, and has a work surface with an opening through which waste is dropped into the receptacle. Alternatively, a container or bowl for receiving chopped food or the like may be placed in the opening.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A contactless force measurement sensor for measuring an applied force onto an object is provided. The contactless force measurement sensor includes a first facing orientation which facing orientation defines an orientation pointing towards a surface of the object, a first magnetic field generating unit being adapted for generating a magnetic field towards the facing orientation, a first magnetic field detector unit being adapted for detecting a first magnetic field which field being generated by the first magnetic field generating unit and being influenced by an applied force to be measured, wherein the first magnetic field detector unit is further adapted for outputting a first signal being representative for the detected magnetic field, and an evaluating unit being adapted for evaluating a signal strength of the first signal and determining the applied force based on the first signal.

Force measurement is important for many industrial applications, in particular for arrangements being dynamically impacted by a force. Applied forces may be pressuring forces as well as moments like torque and bending impact. An exemplary application for torque is a shaft for a vehicle being arranged between a motor and e.g. a wheel. For determining a torque in the shaft, either a particular element may need to be mounted to the shaft, or the shaft may need to be pre-processed, e.g. magnetized. Mounting elements to a shaft may influence the movement of the shaft, pre-processing may be difficult when the shaft is not accessible or cannot be dismounted for pre-processing.
In industry applications and laboratory research and development applications, strain gauge sensors are used to measure bending forces. There are only a few other alternative sensor solutions available that may provide adequate bending sensor performance and are suitable for environmental conditions typical for the automotive, industrial, and consumer market.


A method for transmitting a first physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication channel is described. One or more sectors of a service coverage area of a first communication device that are busy with a first transmission over the WLAN communication channel are identified. A second communication device is selected, using the identification of the one or more busy sectors, to receive the first PPDU during a second, directional transmission that at least partially temporally overlaps a duration of the first transmission. The first PPDU is generated for transmission to the second communication device. The first PPDU is transmitted to the second communication device as the second, directional transmission during the first transmission.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) have evolved rapidly over the past decade, and development of WLAN standards such as the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 Standard family has improved single-user peak data throughput. For example, the IEEE 802.11b Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput of 11 megabits per second (Mbps), the IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g Standards specify a single-user peak throughput of 54 Mbps, the IEEE 802.11n Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput of 600 Mbps, and the IEEE 802.11ac Standard specifies a single-user peak throughput in the gigabits per second (Gbps) range. Future standards promise to provide even greater throughput, such as throughputs in the tens of Gbps range. In some scenarios where access points are located near each other, their respective service coverage areas spatially overlap and concurrent transmissions from, or to, the access points may interfere with each other. This interference prevents a second transmission from being started by one access point once a first transmission has been started by the other access point, until the first transmission has completed.

Physical layer protocol data unit directional transmission


A gaming method operates to provide expert card-counting information to some or all participants, in exchange for a premium. The premium may be a cash payment, a reduction in the prize amount or betting odds, some combinations of the foregoing, or any other useful remuneration. The house retains its edge via the premium. The method may be implemented for play at a physical or virtual card table.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for gaming using playing cards or the like, such as for casino use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various casino games exist in which players compete against one another or the house to win a pot containing player bets. For example, many card games, such as blackjack or poker, fall into this category. Such games are usually designed such that over time, the law of averages guarantees that the house will take in more winnings than it pays out in bets. Thus, a professional player of such games, in theory, should not be able to win more than he bets over time.
However, many professional gamblers have proven that it is possible to win consistently, by developing a knowledge of the odds of various betting possibilities, along with some way of estimating more accurately than other players what the likelihood of a particular game outcome is in a given situation. Such professional players earn winnings from less knowledgeable players, and may be able to "beat the house" consistently. Hence, casino operators take measures to prevent use of methods for estimating game outcomes, such as card counting.
Card counting may be used in games of cards or the like, in which cards or game pieces are distributed to players from a finite set or deck, and set aside or recycle after game play. Several games may be played from the deck before the discarded cards are added back to the deck and the deck is reshuffled. In many such games, some information about the particular cards that have been drawn from the deck and used may be available to the players. A player trained in a card counting technique may be able to estimate the value of cards remaining in the deck by keeping track of cards that have already been dealt. As a deck is used up or recycled, a card counter may gain increasingly detailed information about cards remaining in the deck. An experienced card counter will therefore place higher bets during games in which more detailed information about remaining cards is known. While various card counting techniques exist, all of such methods involve keeping track of dealt cards to form an estimate of cards remaining in a deck.
Most people, however, are not able to make use of such advanced techniques such as card counting. Many less sophisticated players do not even understand basic principals of probability that should inform their game play. Thus, many potential players may be discouraged from playing certain casino games, for fear of losing to more knowledgeable players. It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved method of casino gaming for card games and other games of chance, that encourages more player participation, while still permitting the house to profit from hosting the game.


Disclosed is a modified endcapped polyalkylene terephthalate such as modified endcapped polybutylene terephthalate, as well as processes for making the modified endcapped polybutylene terephthalate and compositions and articles derived therefrom.

Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a well-known semi-crystalline resin that has desirable properties. Compared to amorphous resins such as ABS, polycarbonate, and polystyrene, a crystalline resin like PBT will show much better solvent resistance, higher strength, and higher stiffness due to the presence of crystalline spherulites in the resin. PBT resin is used in many applications where its solvent resistance, strength, lubricity, and rigidity are needed, commonly in durable goods that are formed by injection molding, such as in electronic and communications equipment, computers, televisions, kitchen and household appliances, industrial equipment, lighting systems, gardening and agricultural equipment, pumps, medical devices, food handling systems, handles, power and hand tools, bobbins and spindles, and automotive parts in both under-the-hood and exterior applications. PBT is very widely used to form electrical connectors. Through its many blended products, PBT can be tailored to meet a wide variety of end uses.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,129,301; 6,020,393; 4,328,059, and United States Publication No. 2005/0113534 disclose various catalysts for the polymerization of polyesters. Tetraalkyl titanates have been most commonly used as catalysts for PBT polymerization. The various titanates can include tetraisopropyl titanate, tetrabutyl titanate, and tetra(2-ethylhexyl) titanate. JP 60147430 discloses a method of producing polyester by esterifying terephthalic acid, adipic acid and 1,4-butanediol in the presence of titanium compound and a pentavalent phosphorus compound. U.S. Pat. No. 6,303,738 B1 discloses a process for producing copolyester containing adipic acid in the presence of TYZOR IAM (available from DuPont), which was prepared through the combination of TPT (tetraisopropyl titanate) and a mixture of butyl phosphate and dibutyl phosphate. International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2013/033285 relates to an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester of poly(butylene-co-adipate terephthalate) from polyethylene terephthalate, compositions and articles containing the copolyester, a process for preparing the copolyester, and an in situ phosphorus-containing titanium-based catalyst (see abstract, [0001]).
At the end of the polymerization process, the catalyst is typically not quenched (deactivated) in the resin composition. Unfortunately, an active catalyst in the resin composition can sometimes lead to undesirable reactions in subsequent processing of the polyalkylene terephthalate to make blends or compositions. On exposure to high temperature and humidity, blends and compositions containing the modified polyalkylene terephthalate can exhibit hydrolytic degradation, especially under caustic conditions. Another problem associated with some blends is transesterification, which can lead to loss of mechanical properties.
Catalyst quenchers such as phosphoric acid can be added to thermoplastic compositions to prevent such transesterification, but they can also promote degradation of polymer chains and contribute to a decrease in polymer molecular weight and greater hydrolytic instability. The use of phosphite stabilizers is less satisfactory because of the tendency for phosphites to be unstable to both hydrolysis and oxidation. Although the use of chain extenders can help to counterbalance the effect of the quencher, it is desirable to eliminate the use of either quencher or chain extender additives as a necessity.
Insufficient hydrostability of modified polyalkylene terephthalate can lead to chain cleavage, the extent of which depends on the exact conditions of exposure to water or humidity. Temperature, time of exposure, and pH are all important. Both acids and bases can catalyze ester hydrolysis. Decomposition of modified polyalkylene terephthalate can be accelerated in aqueous acid or base, or if the polymer matrix of modified polyalkylene terephthalate contains free acid or base additives. Since a reaction product of polyalkylene terephthalate hydrolysis is itself a carboxylic acid, the hydrolytic decomposition of a polyalkylene terephthalate such as PBT is autocatalytic, as depicted in Scheme 1.

Thus, there is a need for polyalkylene terephthalates with improved properties including hydrostability as well as polymer compositions and articles derived therefrom. There is a further need for new and improved catalysts or processes for the production of modified polyalkylene terephthalates that are effective in polymerization, but that do not adversely impact the properties of the resulting modified polyalkylene terephthalate. There is also a need to eliminate the necessity of using either quencher or chain extender additives in preparing modified polyalkylene terephthalates.

Modified endcapped poly(alkylene terephthalate) prepared by employing an in situ titanium-containing catalyst and compositions derived therefrom


A rapid testing read out integrated circuit (ROIC) includes phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switches residing on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Each PCM RF switch includes a PCM and a heating element transverse to the PCM. The ASIC is configured to provide amorphizing and crystallizing electrical pulses to a selected PCM RF switch. The ASIC is also configured to generate data for determining and characterizing OFF state conductivity skew and ON state conductivity skew of the PCM in the selected PCM RF switch after the ASIC performs a plurality of OFF/ON cycles. In one implementation, a testing method using the ASIC is disclosed.

Phase-change materials (PCM) are capable of transforming from a crystalline phase to an amorphous phase and vice versa. These two solid phases exhibit differences in electrical properties, and semiconductor devices can advantageously exploit these differences. Given the ever-increasing reliance on radio frequency (RF) communication, there is particular need for RF switching devices to exploit phase-change materials. However, the capability of phase-change materials for phase transformation depends heavily on how they are exposed to thermal energy and how they are allowed to release thermal energy. For example, in order to transform into an amorphous state, phase-change materials may need to achieve temperatures of approximately seven hundred degrees Celsius (700° C.) or more, and may need to cool down within hundreds of nanoseconds.
Repetition of such high temperatures can cause annealing and other thermophysical hysteresis effects which detrimentally change the conductivity of PCM over time. Conductivity skew (i.e. undesirable change in resistance) of PCM due to repeated OFF/ON cycling can result in a PCM RF switch having higher insertion losses in the ON state. Thus, conductivity skew of PCM is a figure of merit that can determine the marketability of the RF switch and its suitability for a given application.
Accurately quantifying conductivity skew of PCM can be problematic. Computer simulations cannot accurately predict the conductivity of PCM over an entire lifetime. It might be necessary to perform more than one million OFF/ON cycles before PCM exhibits any detectable conductivity skew. Further, it might be necessary to detect conductivity skew in thousands of PCM RF switches in order to achieve statistically significant results regarding the degree of conductivity skew for a given PCM RF switch design.
Conventional techniques of testing RF switches, for example, by connecting external probes of an automated test equipment (ATE) to one RF switch at a time, have significant time delays that render generating large sets of test data impractical. When resorting to conventional testing in the context of PCM RF switches, time delays associated with generating the required temperatures to crystallize and amorphize the PCM in each individual RF switch additionally impede generating large sets of test data. Conventional means of testing can also introduce problems associated with the impedance of cables or wirebonds, and reduce the accuracy of test data.
Thus, there is need in the art to generate large sets of data for determining and characterizing conductivity skew of PCM in PCM RF switches accurately and rapidly.

Read out integrated circuit (ROIC) for rapid testing and characterization of conductivity skew of phase-change material (PCM) in PCM radio frequency (RF) switches


A rotatable combination that includes first and second members respectively having first and second longitudinally extending pluralities of splines. The second plurality of splines extend substantially parallel to the rotational axis. The first plurality of splines includes first and second longitudinally extending sections having different orientations with the second longitudinal section defining an angle with the rotational axis. The first longitudinal section engages the second plurality of splines before the second longitudinal section during assembly of the two members. Engagement of the second longitudinal section with the second plurality of splines generates a greater resistance to longitudinal movement than engagement of the first longitudinal section with the second plurality of splines. Engagement of the second longitudinal section with the second plurality of splines rotationally couples the first and second members in a backlash-free engagement and may be advantageously employed with a constant velocity joint.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to spline arrangements and, more specifically, a spline arrangement for rotatably coupling two members.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known to use splines to rotatably couple two separate members. A well known application of such a use of splines is found in front wheel drive automobiles. The transaxle assembly of such automobiles is often connected to the driven front wheels of the vehicle using two half shafts with constant velocity ("CV") joints located at each end of the two half shafts. The CV joints typically include a shaft stub on the outer race having a male splined member that is used to couple the CV joint to either a side gear of the transaxle or a wheel hub. Both the side gear and wheel hub include a female splined opening for engaging the shaft stub of the CV joint. The two ends of the half shaft generally define male splines which are engaged with a female splined opening on the inner race of the CV joint. These splined connections transmit torque from the transaxle to the front wheels and it is undesirable for any of these splined connections to have any backlash or rotational play.
To prevent such backlash, it is common to dimension the splines so that they must be press-fit into engagement and are subject to elastic deformation by the press fit engagement. It is also common to dispose one set of the splines, typically the male splines, at a small helical angle while leaving the other set of splines parallel to the rotational axis to increase the interference between the two sets of splines when they are press fit together. While such use of "oversize" splines together with a helix angle has proven effective in rotationally coupling the CV joints in an acceptable backlash-free engagement, the press force required to engage the splines can be substantial and properly rotationally aligning the "oversize" splines when initiating their engagement can present difficulties during assembly.

Spline arrangement for rotatably coupling two members


A method and apparatus to increase fuel cell reliability and maintainability is disclosed. The apparatus includes a recuperating loop consisting of a spiral tube that surrounds a stack or a combination of several stacks. If the fuel cell stacks are externally manifolded, the recuperating loop may also surround the external manifold. The spent hot gases from the stack directly flows over the recuperating loop to transfer heat to a coolant flowing through the loop providing heat exchange by convection and radiation. The spent hot gases may be manifolded and may not flow over the recuperating loop. In this case, the heat exchange is by radiation between the hot fuel cell stack(s) and the recuperating loop.

This invention relates to a fuel cell system which uses the waste heat from hot exhaust coming out of fuel cell stacks to increase the overall fuel cell efficiency. More particularly, the present invention focuses on a method and apparatus to simplify the heat exchange to recuperate the high temperature gas at the outlet of a fuel cell without the complexity of an external recuperator or heat exchanger. The current invention may also eliminate a recuperator from a fuel cell system while maintaining the heat recuperation efficiency to increase the system reliability and maintainability. In effect, the current invention replaces complicated and costly heat exchanger or multiple heat exchangers and associated complex piping and ducting.
Fuel cells electrochemically react fuels with oxidants to generate electricity. The key components in a fuel cell include a cathode material, an electrolyte material, and an anode material. The electrolyte is a non-porous material sandwiched between the cathode and anode materials. The fuel and oxidant fluids are typically gases and are continuously passed through separate passageways. A fuel gas can be hydrogen, a short chain hydrocarbon, or a gas containing desired chemical species in some form. An oxidant may be an oxygen containing gas, or quite commonly air. Reactant gases, fuels and oxidants, are typically pre-heated before being fed to electrolyte. Electrochemical conversion occurs at or near the three-phase boundaries of each electrode (cathode and anode) and the electrolyte. The fuel is electrochemically reacted with the oxidant to produce a DC electrical output. The anode or fuel electrode enhances the rate at which electrochemical reactions occur on the fuel side. The cathode or oxidant electrode functions similarly on the oxidant side.
One of the common constructions of fuel cells is a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that uses solid electrolytes for power generation. Solid electrolytes are either ion conducting ceramic or polymer membranes. In the former instance, the electrolyte is typically made of a ceramic, such as dense yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic, that is a nonconductor of electrons, which ensures that the electrons must pass through the external circuit to do useful work. With such an electrolyte, the anode is oftentimes made of nickel/YSZ cermet and the cathode is oftentimes made of doped lanthanum manganite.
SOFCs of various construction geometries have been designed. These include the tubular, segmented cells in series, and planar geometries. These various constructions are described in xe2x80x9cCeramic Fuel Cellsxe2x80x9d by N. Q. Minh, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 76, p. 563, 1993.
Sometimes, a planar construction resembles a cross-flow heat exchanger in a cubic configuration. The planar cross flow fuel cell is built from alternating flat single cell membranes (which are trilayer anode/electrolyte/cathode structures) and bipolar plates (which conduct current from cell to cell and provide channels for gas flow into a cubic structure or stack). The bipolar plates are oftentimes made of suitable metallic materials. The cross-flow stack is manifolded externally on four faces for fuel and oxidant gas management.
A radial or co-flow design is another popular design in fuel cell construction. An annular or circular shaped anode and cathode sandwich an electrolyte therebetween. Annular or circular shaped separator plates sandwich the combination of anode, cathode, and electrolyte. A fuel manifold and an oxidant manifold respectively direct fuel and oxidant to a central portion of the stack so that the fuel and oxidant can flow radially outward from the manifolds.
Regardless of the particular fuel cell configuration, the electrochemical reaction between the fuel and oxidant produces electric energy, spent fuel and oxidant exhaust. Quite often, the exhaust gas from a fuel cell is the original reactant gas which has been depleted of the particular migrating species in ionic form as a result of the electrochemical reaction. This conversion of fuel and oxidant to electricity in a fuel cell also produces heat, particularly at high current/power densities, which is removed to maintain the fuel cell at an efficient operating temperature.
Conventional thermal management in a fuel cell forces a cooling medium, either a liquid or gaseous coolant stream, through the fuel cell assembly. Coolants, such as water or air, are used for fuel cell heat exchange depending on the operating temperature of the fuel cell. The coolant enters a fuel cell at a temperature near the operating temperature of the fuel cell. When the coolant passes through the fuel cell, the waste energy from the electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell is carried away by the heat capacity of the coolant. The volume flow of the coolant is closely related to the temperature rise of the cooling medium that is determined by the constraints associated with thermal stress of the components in the fuel cell such as ceramic cells in an SOFC. The heat exchange system typically incorporates mechanical components to facilitate the heat transfer to the cooling medium. Flow channels are routinely employed to keep coolant, fuel and oxidant in their separate passage. In many cases, the cooling medium is also a reactant, e.g., air in an SOFC. The effectiveness of heat exchange is, thus, dependent on the available heat transfer surfaces and efficiency of radiation and convection.
To achieve higher voltages for specific applications, the individual electrochemical cells are connected together in series to form a stack. To achieve higher currents, individual cells are connected in parallel. Electrical connection between cells is achieved by the use of an electrical interconnect between the cathode and anode of adjacent cells. The electrical interconnect oftentimes also provides for passageways which allow oxidant fluid to flow past the cathode and fuel fluid to flow past the anode, while keeping these fluids separated. Also typically included in the stack are ducts or manifolding to conduct the fuel and oxidant into and out of the stack.
In a traditional fuel cell system design, hot exhaust gas from the fuel cell is fed to the heat exchanger, and preheated reactant gas is received from the heat exchanger through insulated piping. For high temperature fuel cells such as SOFCs and molten carbonate fuel cells, costly alloy materials are often used for such piping. The heat exchanger and piping also require considerable installation and maintenance expense, particularly in a multi-stack fuel cell. An effective heat exchange system in a multi-stack fuel cell requires some piping surfaces at each individual stack to maintain an optimal operating temperature for each and overall fuel stack efficiency. One of the problems encountered by a fuel cell design in this aspect can be illustrated by the following example:
When a circulating coolant is used to circulate through the passageways in the fuel assembly, a pump may be required to circulate the coolant. Furthermore, connecting tubes, an expansion tank, radiator, thermal and/or other controls may be necessary to properly complete the heat exchange system. In addition to the added expense and the complexity of integrating the circulating coolant system with the multi-stack fuel assembly, other issues are the need of electricity to operate the pump, the pump is subject to mechanical failure, coolant may become contaminated or ionized resulting in electric short circuits or shunts in the fuel assembly, and the coolant may leak into the fuel cell reaction areas and/or freeze-up. This is a major challenge to a fuel cell thermal designer from the standpoint of weight, cost, structure integrity, maintenance and reliability.
Many have attempted to provide a simpler solution to the heat exchange requirement in a fuel cell assembly. Of particular interest are the following references:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,699 focuses on an active cooling method to maintain fuel cell temperature by electrically monitoring the current when it is increased. This allows the control system to react when fuel cell temperatures rise, and by how much before the temperature rises. However, the patent does not cover preheating or thermal integration, and is certainly not related to the overall system efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,622 claims a gas permeable membrane to transfer heat from the fuel cell exhaust to a cooling medium, which is not a reactant of the fuel cell, predominantly by radiation to a separate medium, or by a direct contact with the stack. The use of a gas permeable membrane and a non-reactant heat transfer medium adds complexity to the heat exchange system. A related patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,817, further claims radiative heat transfer from a hot stack (not its exhaust) to a closed loop heat exchanger containing a separate cooling medium that is not a reactant for the fuel cell nor is a product. The cold and hot streams flow in two separate passages (FIG. 5). This decouples flows between the heat exchange fluid or medium and the reactants and products. The oxidant of the fuel is not preheated by the heat exchanger. Energy is needed to circulate the coolants and a separate heating mechanism must be provided to preheat the oxidant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,664 provides for reactant preheat by means of a thermally integrated heat exchange system. The patent claims the use of heat from multiple fuel cell stacks. The heat is exchanged in a double thermal enclosure with incoming air and optionally provides the heat for endothermic reformer which is also enclosed in the thermal enclosure. The heating loops are embedded in the enclosure walls, and heat transfer is mainly by radiation. The heating passages are embedded in the enclosure wall and located between two insulation layers. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,817, previously described, the patent requires one hot and one cold flow passage to complete the heat exchange process. The patent further specifies the use of a screw culvert heat exchanger (FIGS. 2 and 3) and plate passages (FIGS. 6 and 7). The claimed system may be thermally efficient, however, the mechanical structures needed for implementation add complexity, cost and weight to the fuel cells.
Other patents simplify the structural requirements for efficient exhaust heat re-uses by mixing fuel cell air and fuel exhaust with fresh colder air and fuel respectively, then recycle back into the cell (U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,462). No heat exchanger is needed for the claimed process. The system mixes heat as well as flow from two separate sources making the flow management quite complex. In yet another simplification attempt, a heat-pipe concept is used for heat exchange where heat transfer takes place through evaporation of an enclosed liquid (U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,779). The presence of a liquid coolant that facilitates heat transfer, again, adds a different complexity to the mechanical structure of a fuel cell.
A different approach to recycle exhaust heat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,092 by coupling a hydrogen storage tank and a heat exchanger which transfers heat from the stack by convection and radiation in an enclosure. The hot air in the enclosure is forced into the storage tank by the aid of fans. Storage tank, fan and hydrogen are required for the complete system.
A Japanese Patent (JP 60035469), again, uses a separate fluid medium to transfer heat. This medium is not a reactant, as many previously discussed patents. The coolant loop is between some of the cells in a fuel cell stack. Also, the coolant is manifolded to individual cells. The design of such a system is complex and costly.
From the preceding, it becomes apparent that there is a need for a cost effective solution to recuperate waste heat from fuel cell stacks to thermally enhance the performance of fuel cell stacks while improving reliability and maintenance of the fuel cell without the added cost, structure and design complexity. A simple method and apparatus that eliminates the use of separate fluid for heat transfer and employs different heat transfer mechanisms as appropriate is needed to broaden the use of fuel cell stacks in various applications. A method to recuperate the exhaust heat from fuel cell stack without the use of a heat exchanger system or additional fluid is needed. An apparatus, which is flexible to work with single or multiple fuel cell stacks using the same design principle for various fuel cell geometry or arrangement while adaptive to the different structural requirement, is also needed for a fuel cell application.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method to exchange heat from the hot exhaust of fuel cell stacks and use it to preheat the incoming cooler air. The apparatus and method disclosed in the present invention overcomes many of the problems discussed in the prior art.
In one aspect of the present invention, a very simple heat exchanger is used for heat transfer between incoming air, which may be used as a fuel cell reactant, and exhaust heat through a combination of radiation and convection. The apparatus operates in a single passage spiral loop. The heated gases are freely blown over the heating loop. The spiral loop operates outside the fuel cell stack to provide an effective means of heat transfer with structural and design simplicity. Fins and dimples can be further added to the spiral loop to enhance the heat exchange mechanism. The simple design allows the spiral loop to be used in conjunction with a single fuel cell stack or multiple fuel cell stacks.
In another aspect of the present invention, the hot gases may be manifolded and directed out of the fuel cell stack(s) without flowing over the spiral loop. In this case, the heat exchange is by radiation between the hot fuel cell stack(s) and the cold oxidant flowing in the spiral loop.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of increasing fuel cell reliability and maintainability is disclosed by integrating the recuperating loop into the fuel cell stack(s), simplifying heat exchange by reducing or eliminating the need for external recuperation, surrounding a stack or combination of stacks with a cylindrical spiral tube, directly flowing hot gas over the spiral tube, providing heating to the cathode flow in the tube, and feeding the pre-heated flow to the inlet of the fuel cell stack as a reactant of the fuel cell assembly. In this embodiment, the design complexity associated with a recuperator or heat exchanger at the outlet from the stack is avoided. The requirement for an external cooling medium, which is often a non-reactant fluid, pump, and re-circulation loop for heat exchange, and the maintenance and reliability associated with these components, have been eliminated. Thus, the reliability of the fuel cell assembly may be increased due to the structural and design simplicity.
In another aspect of the present invention, a spiral loop apparatus for the heat exchange at fuel cell stacks is comprised of a tube in rectangular or circular shape, a tube support such as an anchored or creep structure or simple tube supports at the inlet and/or outlet of fuel cell stack(s), and surface augmentation such as dimpling and/or fins if necessary. For high-temperature fuel cells, the tube may be made of any high temperature metal or thermally conductive composites being placed at an appropriate distance from the fuel cell stacks to best facilitate the heat transfer through radiation and convection. The loop structure is an integrated part of the fuel cell structure and the fluid flow in the tube is one of the reactants of the fuel cell electrochemical combustion ingredients.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a single heat exchange loop is provided as an integral component of the fuel cell stacks. The loop is integrated with the structure of the fuel cell. The spiral loop is used to carry away the fuel cell waste heat which flows in the form of hot gases, with the coolant being a reactant of the fuel cell flowing directly to the inlet of the fuel cell. The loop is designed so that it can work with a fuel stack, either with or without manifolds. In the case of having the loop wrapping around a manifold, the loop is designed to be around the fuel cell stacks, not penetrating or embedded in the fuel cell stacks. The waste heat directly heats the tube wall which, in turn, heats the cooling fluid inside the tube. The heated fluid in the tube feeds into the fuel cell inlet as the preheated oxidant of the fuel cell stacks, eliminating the need of a separate heater structure to preheat the fuel cell reactants and the reliability thereof. Since the tube goes around the stack, not penetrating or embedding in the fuel cell, there is no sealing requirement or structural integration issues in the design aspect of the fuel cell.

Integrated recuperation loop in fuel cell stack


According to an aspect of the invention, medical devices are provided, which include a nanoparticle-derived inorganic layer disposed over a least a portion of structure that includes a substrate, and optionally, a therapeutic-agent-containing layer disposed over at least a portion of the substrate. In some embodiments, the inorganic layer is a nanoporous inorganic layer. Other aspects of the invention comprise methods for forming such medical device.

The in-situ delivery of therapeutic agents within the body of a patient is common in the practice of modern medicine. In-situ delivery of therapeutic agents is often implemented using medical devices that may be temporarily or permanently placed at a target site within the body. These medical devices can be maintained, as required, at their target sites for short or prolonged periods of time, in order to deliver therapeutic agents to the target site.
For example, in recent years, drug eluting coronary stents, which are commercially available from Boston Scientific Corp. (TAXUS), Johnson & Johnson (CYPHER) and others, have been widely used for maintaining vessel patency after balloon angioplasty. These products are based on metallic expandable stents with biostable polymer coatings that release antirestenotic drugs at a controlled rate and total dose.
Polymeric coatings for drug release from implantable or insertable devices such as stents may be less desirable with regard to long term vascular compatibility.
iMEDD, Inc. has created silicon membranes with parallel channels ranging from 4 to 50 nm. Diffusion rates of various solutes through such membranes have been measured and conform to zero-order kinetics in some instances. According to iMedd, the membranes can be engineered to control rates of diffusion by adjusting channel width in relation to the size of solutes. When the proper balance is struck, zero-order diffusion kinetics is possible. iMedd has produced a drug delivery device which consists of a drug-filled enclosure which is then fitted with a nanoporous membrane as the only connection between the internal reservoir of the device and the external medium.

Medical devices having coatings for controlled therapeutic agent delivery


Systems, devices and methods are provided to improve performance of integrated circuits by providing a low-k insulator. One aspect is an integrated circuit insulator structure that includes a vapor-deposited dielectric material. The dielectric material has a predetermined microstructure formed using a glancing angle deposition (GLAD) process. The microstructure includes columnar structures that provide a porous dielectric material. One aspect is a method of forming a low-k insulator structure. In one embodiment, a predetermined vapor flux incidence angle θ is set with respect to a normal vector for a substrate surface so as to promote a dielectric microstructure with individual columnar structures. Vapor deposition and substrate motion are coordinated so as to form columnar structures in a predetermined shape. Other aspects are provided herein.

The semiconductor industry continuously strives to reduce the size and cost of integrated circuits. It is common in the semiconductor art to use layers of metal, polysilicon, or another conductor to conduct current between various semiconductor structures with an integrated circuit, and to external terminals for the integrated circuit, by means of conductive vias. One method for measuring the performance of an integrated circuit uses the maximum clock speed at which the circuit operates reliably, which depends on how fast transistors can be switched and how fast signals can propagate.
One particular problem confronting the semiconductor industry is that, as integrated circuit scaling continues, the performance improvement is limited by the signal delay time attributable to interconnects in the integrated circuit. That is, the capacitance at metal interconnects increases as the density of the integrated circuit increases. According to one definition, integrated circuit interconnects are three-dimensional metal lines with submicrometer cross sections surrounded by insulating material. One definition of an interconnect delay is the product of the interconnect resistance (R) and the parasitic capacitance (C) for the interconnect metal to the adjacent layers. Because of the progressive scaling, the parasitic capacitance (C) has significantly increased due to closer routing of wires, and the interconnect resistance (R) has significantly increased due to a continuous reduction of the wire section.
The following approximations for various generations of integrated circuit technology illustrates this problem. For example, the delay in 0.7 μm technology is about 500 ps, in which about 200 ps seconds are attributable to gate delays and about 300 ps are attributable to interconnect delays. The delay in 0.18 μm technology is about 230 ps, in which about 30 ps are attributable to gate delays and about 200 ps are attributable to interconnect delays. As integrated circuit scaling continues, it is desirable to lower the interconnect RC time constant by using metals with a high conductivity. One high conductivity metal used to lower the RC constant is copper. The use of copper in 0.18 μm technology improves the interconnect delays to about 170 ps. However, even though the delay attributable to the gates continues to decrease as scaling continues beyond the 0.18 μm technology, the overall delay increases significantly because the interconnect delay is significantly increased. It has been estimated that as much as 90 percent of the signal delay time in future integrated circuit designs may be attributable to the interconnects and only 10 percent of the signal delay may be attributable to transistor device delays. As such, it is desirable to lower the interconnect RC time constant by using materials with a low dielectric constant (k).
One direction for developing low-k dielectrics incorporates air into dielectrics to make them porous. The dielectric constant of the resulting porous material is a combination of the dielectric constant of air (k≈1) and the dielectric constant of the dielectric material. As such, it is possible to lower the dielectric constant of a low-k dense material by making the dielectric material porous. However, some methods for providing porous dielectric materials involve rather complex processing steps that are difficult to consistently perform, which increases the time and cost of processing.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a system and method that improves integrated circuit performance by reducing the interconnect RC time constant. There is a need in the art to provide a low-k dielectric insulator for the interconnects that is easily and consistently prepared in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Films deposited at glancing incidence for multilevel metallization


A line scan wafer inspection system includes a confocal slit aperture filter to remove sidelobes and enhance resolution in the scanning direction. A position detector associated with the slit aperture filter monitors and corrects illumination line image positions relative to the slit aperture to keep image position variations within tolerable limits. Each detector measures a line position and then uses the line position signal to adjust optical, mechanical, and electronic components in the collection path in a feedback loop. The feedback loop may be employed in a runtime calibration process or during inspection to enhance stability.

In confocal microscopy, a pinhole filter in the confocal plane of the lens eliminates unfocussed light. However, because confocal pinhole filters clip illumination lines projected to the sensor; any shift of that line relative to the pinhole filter will result in a change of the image intensity.
While improving resolution, confocal pinhole filters also increase tool sensitivity to focus and boresight variation due to thermal drifts, vibrations and mechanical repeatability of components. Increased sensitivity affects stability of the tool and eliminating all of the increased sensitivity factors is impractical due to tool complexity.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if an apparatus existed that is suitable for wafer inspection with confocal slit aperture filters and increase stability.


A method (20) and apparatus (100) for sterilizing packaging (102) is disclosed herein. The method (20) applies a solution of hydrogen peroxide onto the packaging (102) and an alkaline solution to react with the hydrogen peroxide to generate hydroxyl radicals to kill microorganism. The use of an alkaline solution allows the sterilization process to proceed at a lower temperature and a faster rate. A solution of sodium hydroxide is the preferred alkaline solution. The temperature of the process is preferably below 100° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for sterilizing or disinfecting containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sterilizing containers at relatively low temperatures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sterilization of food and medicinal packaging is necessary to kill microorganisms that may be present on the packaging. The failure to properly sterilize food packaging could lead to contamination of the food within the packaging, which could lead to sickness and sometimes death to a consumer of the food. The food industry has developed various methods to sterilize food packaging to create aseptic packaging.
Traditional aseptic packaging is typically sterilized using hydrogen peroxide. As set forth in Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations ("CFR"), Section 178.1005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has determined that a hydrogen peroxide solution containing not more than 35% hydrogen peroxide may be safely used to sterilize polymeric food-contact surfaces. Sterilization using hydrogen peroxide typically requires high temperatures or ultraviolet light to generate hydroxyl radicals from the hydrogen peroxide, which in turn inactivate the microorganisms on the packaging material. The temperature needed to generate free radicals from the hydrogen peroxide is usually in excess of 65° C. and is frequently in the range of 120-135° C.
Most food packaging is composed of a polymer material such as plastic bottles. The FDA has provided a list of polymer materials that may be utilized with hydrogen peroxide. The list, set forth in 37 CFR 178.1005(e), includes ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ionomeric resins, isobutylene polymers, olefin polymers, polycarbonate resins, polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"), poly-1-butene resins and butane/ethylene copolymers, polystyrene and rubber modified polystyrene polymers and vinylidene chloride/methyl acrylate copolymers. Sterilization of plastic bottles is difficult at elevated temperatures since the bottles become quite fluid and deform during the sterilization process. In addition, an extended drying process is required to evaporate the residue of peroxide (35%) which boils at 108° C. Further, some plastic materials like PET bind or absorb peroxide making it very difficult to achieve the residue limit of 0.5 parts per million ("ppm") for food packaging required by the FDA as set forth in 37 CFR 178.1005(d).
One method of sterilization is disclosed in Sizer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,542 for a Method And Apparatus For Sterilizing Cartons, which discloses using ultraviolet light to sterilize food cartons.
Another method is disclosed in Sizer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,232 for a Method Of Disinfecting The Food Contact Surfaces Of Food Packaging Machines And Disinfecting Solution Therefor, which discloses using a solution of 0.1% to about 1% by weight of hydrogen peroxide and from about 0.001% to about 0.1% by weight of sodium acid pyrophosphate applied at a temperature of about 70° C. for at least fifteen minutes.
Another method is disclosed in Frisk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,607 for a Bottle Sterilization Method And Apparatus, which discloses using ultraviolet radiation from an excimer lamp to generate ozone from oxygen to sterilize plastic bottles.
Another method is disclosed in Lentsch et al., New Zealand Patent Number 282691 for a Method For Sanitizing And Destaining Food Ware And Utensils Using A Composition Comprising Peroxycarboxylic Acid, Carboxylic Acid, Peroxide And A Carrier, discloses a sanitizing concentrate composition of 1-20 weight % peroxycarboxylic acid, 10-50 weight % carboxylic acid, 3-35 weight % hydrogen peroxide and the balance a carrier.
Yet another method is disclosed in Wang, European Patent Number 0411970 for Sterilization Of Containers By Means Of Hydrogen Peroxide, Peracids, And U.V. Radiation, which discloses using between 15 to 25% concentration of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid at a temperature of 20-30° C. with U.V. light at a wavelength of less than 300 nanometers for 8-12 seconds to effectuate a greater than 6.0 log reduction in the number of B. subtilis spores.
Yet another method is disclosed in Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,454 for Antimicrobial Compositions And Method Containing Hydrogen Peroxide And Octyl Amine Oxide, which discloses using a composition of an amine oxide hydrogen peroxide to sanitize food contact surfaces.
Another method is disclosed in Taggart, U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,591 for an Apparatus And Method For Providing Container Filling In An Aseptic Processing Apparatus, which discloses spraying atomized hydrogen peroxide onto bottles within a sterilization chamber that has sterile air present at a temperature of 135° C .
Another method is disclosed in Taggart, U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,188 for a Method And Apparatus For Aseptic Packaging, which discloses spraying hot hydrogen peroxide onto bottles, allowing approximately 24 seconds for activation and removal of the hydrogen peroxide, and then filling the bottle with a low acid beverage.
Hall, II et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,652 for a Anticorrosive Microbicide discloses a two part component containing a first part of hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid and acetic acid, and a second part of VICTAWET®, which is a sodium hydroxide reaction product of an aliphatic alcohol (2-ethyl hexyl) and phosphorous pentoxide. The VICTAWET® reduces the corrosiveness of the peroxide/peracetic biocide.
Nystrom et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,111 for a Process For Sanitizing Post-Consumer Paper Fibers Using Heat And Hydrogen Peroxide discloses sanitizing waste paper hydrogen peroxide and using sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of a fiber stream during the sanitizing process.
Japanese Patent Publication Number 02-154763 for a Method For Removing Hydrogen Peroxide discloses removing excess hydrogen peroxide from soft contact lenses subjected to a hydrogen peroxide sterilization treatment by using a removing agent essentially consisting of sodium thiosulfate, sodium pyruvate, peroxidase and a metallic catalyst, with the soft contact lenses also subjected to ultrasonic waves.
Japanese Patent Publication Number 07-291236 for a Method Of Sterilizing Food Container discloses using hot water with a germicide forced into an interior of a food container, with the germicide being hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, mixture of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid or sodium hypochlorite.
Although the prior art has disclosed many different methods for sterilizing containers, especially food containers, there is still a need for using hydrogen peroxide at low temperatures in an expedited manner in order to reduce costs, increase container filling productivity and most importantly adequately sterilize the containers.

Method and apparatus for sterilizing containers


A heat exchanger, such as a radiator, may transfer heat from a liquid and employ a first header tank, a second header tank, a plurality of tubes fluidly joining the first and second header tanks, and a baffle within one of the first or second header tanks. The baffle may be located in a header tank positioned substantially parallel or perpendicular to a surface upon which a vehicle employing the hear exchanger rests. The baffle may be a wall defining only one slot, a wall defining only one slot that is open through one side of the wall, a wall that defines a plurality of slots, or a wall that defines a plurality of holes. The heat exchanger may further employ fluidly isolated first and second tube and fin sections each defining a self-contained flow path for cooling different liquids. The baffle may slow coolant flow in a flow path.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. With reference to FIG. 1, current vehicles may employ one or more heat exchangers 2, 4, such as radiator 2 and condenser 4, to cool liquids that are continuously circulated through heat generating devices on the vehicle. Regarding a radiator 2, liquid coolant may first be passed through an internal combustion engine before the coolant is circulated through radiator 2 to be cooled. Similarly, a vehicle air-conditioning system may compress a refrigerant that is then cooled by being passed through condenser 4. Airflow 6 and a fan 8 may assist in delivering air through each of radiator 2 and condenser 4. A shroud 10 may further assist in directing airflow. However, such an arrangement may be subject to improvement. For instance, when heated liquids are introduced into a heat exchanger, thermal strain may develop at specific locations of the heat exchanger. Area 12 depicts an area of radiator 2 that is blocked by airflow 6 and thus may experience thermal strain. Thermal strain occurs during expansion and contraction created during heating and cooling of the material that forms the rigid and connected coolant channels of heat exchanger 2. The rate at which heating and cooling occurs depends upon the temperature, flow rate and quantity of heat of incoming liquid supplied into and through material of heat exchanger 2 relative to the temperature and rate of change of the temperature of material of the heat exchanger at the location at which the incoming liquid is received.
FIG. 2 depicts a cross-flow heat exchanger 16 that exhibits thermal strain within a material of heat exchanger 16. More specifically, a liquid 18 flows into inlet 14 and horizontally across a bottom portion 20 of heat exchanger 16 before flowing into a top portion 22 of heat exchanger 16 and out outlet 17. Liquid 18 flow transitions from flowing horizontally across bottom portion 20 to top portion 22 at header tank 26. Because liquid 18 cools while passing across and through a bottom portion 20 and also while passing across a top portion 22, thermal strain may occur at the juncture or adjacent portions of bottom portion 20 and top portion 22. As an example, at area 28 is a location that experiences simultaneous contact with the highest temperature of liquid 18 and the lowest temperature of liquid 24. FIG. 2 also graphically presents a representative heat differential within heat exchanger 16. With mean temperature increasing from left to right on temperature distribution graph 30, one may see that the mean temperature 32 of liquid 18 in bottom portion 20 is higher than the mean temperature 34 of liquid 24 in top portion 22. Thus, across a juncture of lower portion 20 and upper portion 22, such as at area 28, greatest expansion and contraction of the material of heat exchanger 16 may occur. Such a heat differential may cause cracks and hasten leaks from heat exchanger 16. What is needed then is a structure and method for controlling thermal strain on a heat exchanger.


An imprint apparatus includes: a support member which supports the mold; a substrate stage which supports the substrate; a detector which detects a force applied to the mold; a mechanism which forms a space for removing the mold supported by the support member, between the support member and the substrate stage, and a controller. The controller determines a release force required to detach the mold from the cured resin, based on a detection result from the detector, compares the determined release force with a first threshold value, and causes the mechanism to form the space if the determined release force is larger than the first threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus for transferring a mold pattern as an original onto a substrate such as a wafer, and an article manufacturing method using the imprint apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The imprint technique is already known as a technique replacing a method of forming fine patterns on semiconductor devices by using ultraviolet, X-ray, or electron-beam photolithography. In the imprint technique, a mold having a fine pattern is pressed (imprinted) against a substrate such as a wafer coated with a resin material (a wafer on which the resin material is dispensed) by, for example, electron-beam exposure, thereby transferring the pattern onto the resin. Imprinting has several types of methods. As one method, the photo-curing method is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-533393. In the photo-curing method, while a transparent mold is pressed against a resin with which a substrate is coated, the resin is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light, and the mold is detached (released) from the cured resin. The imprint technique using this photo-curing method is suitable for the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits because temperature control is relatively easy to perform and an alignment mark on the substrate can be observed through the transparent mold. Also, when overlaying different patterns, it is possible to apply the step-and-repeat method by which a mold matching the chip size of a device to be manufactured is formed and the patterns are sequentially transferred onto shots on a substrate.
In the imprint technique, mold release by which the mold is detached from the cured resin is generally regarded as a problem. If the mold is forcedly detached from the resin while the releasability is low, the mold may be damaged, and this sometimes decreases the durability of the imprint apparatus. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-246729 discloses a method of detecting the release force, determining the presence/absence of abnormality by comparing the detected release force with a threshold value, and, if abnormality is found, improving the releasability by, for example, heating a mold.

Imprint apparatus and article manufacturing method


A switch includes a shuttle having an elongated length resiliently supported at opposing ends thereof and configured to move along a motion axis in response to an applied voltage. A shuttle switch portion includes a plurality of shuttle contact fingers extending transversely from opposing sides of the shuttle. A common contact at a common terminal side of the shuttle includes a plurality of contact fingers respectively interdigitated with the shuttle contact fingers. First and second terminal contacts are adjacent a switched terminal side of the shuttle, and include first terminal contact fingers and second terminal contact fingers respectively interdigitated with shuttle contact fingers. The shuttle switch portion is configured to selectively connect the common contact to the first terminal contact or the second terminal contact.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate to micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and methods for forming the same, and more specifically to bi-directional switches for RF signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Switched filter architectures are common in many communication systems to discern desired signals in various bands of interest. These switched filter architectures have switch requirements such as low loss and high isolation over a wide range of frequencies (e.g. 1 MHz to 6.0 GHz). Miniaturized switches such as monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and MEMS switches are commonly used in broadband communications systems due to stringent constraints imposed on the components of such systems (such as size, power and weight (SWaP)).
Three-dimensional microstructures can be formed by utilizing sequential build processes. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,012,489 and 7,898,356 describe methods for fabricating coaxial waveguide microstructures. These processes provide an alternative to traditional thin film technology, but also present new design challenges pertaining to their effective utilization for advantageous implementation of various devices such as miniaturized switches.

Microelectromechanical switches for steering of RF signals


The present invention provides a construction of an orthogonal code that includes an encoding matrix CK having N rows and N−P+1 columns, wherein N=P·2K, K is a positive integer and P is an odd positive integer, wherein the encoding matrix CK having N rows and N−P+1 columns includes selecting a code word length, N, and factoring N to determine K and P, and wherein exactly one of the columns of the encoding matrix comprises N elements having the same real non-zero value; each of the other columns of the encoding matrix comprises exactly (N−L) elements having zero value and exactly L elements having real, non-zero, alternating positive and negative values of same magnitude wherein L∈{2K, 2K−1, . . . , 22, 21}, and wherein, for each column, elements of each of an adjacent pair of the L elements are separated by (N−L)/L elements having zero value; and no column is equal to another column.

Design of signals with a limited dynamic range and amenable to linear (or more generally low complexity) equalization is an area of active research.
Low complexity equalization is often used to achieve high data rates with good performance; for example in communications systems applying OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) such as downlink communication of LTE (long term evolution) and communications compliant with IEEE802.11a/n/g/ac/ax.
A limited signal dynamic range, as measured for example by the Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) or Cubic Metric (CM), is beneficial for power efficiency and extended coverage. For example, uplink communications of LTE utilizes DFT-s-OFDM (discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM), also known as SC-FDMA (Single Carrier frequency division multiple access), to generate signals with lower PAPR/CM than OFDM, while still achieving good performance with low complexity frequency domain equalization.
Recent technologies, such as NR (new radio) and VLC (visible light communications), introduce challenges in the generation of signals that offer the benefits of multicarrier technologies in terms of high data rates and multi-user multiplexing, as well as the benefits of single carrier modulations in terms of limited dynamic range. Known approaches (such as DFT-s-OFDM) are not flexible enough and/or have serious drawbacks which limit their applicability, e.g. to NR and VLC.
For example, DFT-s-OFDM is not flexible enough to design a 1-symbol short NR-PUCCH (new radio physical uplink control channel) for coverage extension, which may result in ad-hoc designs as exemplified in R1-1707169, "NR short PUCCH structure for more than 2-bit UCI" by ZTE, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #89, Hangzhou, China, May 15-19, 2017.
In another example, the PAPR that can be obtained by application of DFT-s-OFDM in VLC is not as low as the PAPR of DFT-s-OFDM as employed in RF (radio frequency) communications systems, due to the restriction that VLC waveforms must be real-valued (see e.g. Chaopei Wu, Hua Zhang, Wei Xu; "On visible light communication using LED array with DFT-spread OFDM", IEEE ICC 2014 Optical Networks and Systems, pp. 3325-3330).
Therefore, there is a need for alternative approaches to signal design. Preferably, such approaches provide for generation of signal waveforms that have low PAPR/CM and are well suited for high data rate systems. Also preferably, such approaches are flexible and/or generally applicable.

Construction and application of an orthogonal code


A linkage for opening and closing a lid through actuation of an electric motor 12 includes a base bracket 21 extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and a driving lever 14 having one end pivotally connected to the bracket 21 and the other end connected to the lid. The driving lever is driven via a pinion 22 by a sector gear 31 driven by the electric motor. The sector gear is attached to the bracket 21. The electric motor is fixed to a motor bracket 11 and attached via the motor bracket 11 to the bracket. Loosening a member supporting a lateral end portion of the motor bracket 11 and a bolt 41 fixing the bracket 11 to the bracket 21 allows the pinion and the sector gear to be axially disengaged from each other.

A storage space into which a front roof, a middle roof, and other components forming a retractable roof are retracted in a rear portion of a vehicle is usually covered with a lid. Thus, a series of operations of opening the lid during an opening/closing operation of each roof and closing the lid after the opening/closing operation of the roof need to be performed in accordance with the movement of the roof or any other component.
A lid kinematic device driven by an electric motor may fall into an inoperable state due to a malfunction in a drive train (an electrical system). In particular, if the roof is in an open state, and cannot be closed, a serious problem occurs. In this case, disengaging a pinion driven by the electric motor from a gear driving a linkage and connected to (meshing with) the pinion allows the lid kinematic device to be manually operated unless the linkage itself is abnormal.

Emergency mechanism for lid kinematic device


A server system includes a number of servers and a server holder. Each server includes two opposite sidewalls with each having a sliding rail formed thereon. The server holder includes two opposite lateral plates and a number of supporting structures. Each lateral plate defines a plurality of rows of receiving holes. Each supporting structure is received in one receiving hole, and includes a supporting block and a torsion spring positioned on the supporting bock. The supporting block is pivotably connected to one of the lateral plates, defines a sliding slot, and includes a resisting surface facing towards interior of the server holder. The sliding rail is slidable along the sliding slot. The torsion spring is configured for providing an elastic force to push the supporting block to keep the resisting surface resisting against one sidewall.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electronic device holders and, particularly, to a server holder and a server system including the server holder.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of information technology, data centers with a large number of servers are widely used. In order to save space, these servers are typically received in server holders, each server holder can receive a number of servers. Typically, the server holder includes a bottom plate, a top plate opposite to the bottom plate, and two opposite lateral plates connecting between the bottom plate and the top plate. Each lateral plate has a number of supporting structures for supporting the servers. However, the servers would easily slide relative to the supporting structure because of shake etc. As a result, the servers cannot be fixed in the server holder firmly.
What is needed is an electronic device which can ameliorate the above-mentioned limitations.

Server holder and server system including same

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.