A method for positioning an IP location and a server are provided. The method comprises: obtaining location data of mobile terminals used by a plurality of users in a preset period to generate a first geographic location data set; pre-processing the first geographic location data set to obtain a second geographic location data set; obtaining a first selected location and a second selected location of each user according to the second geographic location data set; obtaining IP address data corresponding to fixed terminals used by the plurality of users to generate an IP address data set; pre-processing the IP address data set to obtain a plurality of IP sections; obtaining a plurality of first selected locations and second selected locations corresponding to the users of each IP section; and clustering the plurality of first selected locations and second selected locations to obtain the IP location of the IP section. The present disclosure achieves an IP positioning precision on a street level and has advantageous of simple arrangement and fast response speed.

Determining a geographic location of a computer according to an IP address of the computer has a wide range of applications, such as online advertisement, electronic commerce, application monitoring, network diagnosis, etc. Taking online advertisement as an example, if the websites can exactly determine a geographic location of a user according to an IP address of the user's computer, it is possible to display advertisement information near the user on the website such as cinemas near the community of the user, instead of displaying advertisement information that is not related with the user's location.
The conventional methods for positioning an IP location mainly comprise a method based on delay measurement and a method based on database. The method based on delay measurement comprises steps of: arranging a plurality of servers in different areas; measuring a network delay between each server and the IP location by these servers; and determining an actual distance between each server and the IP location according to the network delays. This method generally offers a precision ranging from 10 km to 40 km. However, as the method needs to arrange servers on a large scale, the cost of the method is comparatively high. Moreover, as a lot of network delays need to be measured, a response time ranging from dozens of seconds to a few minutes is needed for positioning the geographic location of an IP address. The method based on database stores the collected information such as IP registration information, domain name registration information and location information submitted by the user into the database and then determines the location of the IP address according to this information. This method has advantages of a short response time, as it only needs to query the database when the location of the IP address is required to be determined. However, as the precision of the collected data is low, the method may only achieve a precision above 70 km, which can only meet the precision requirements on city level.
Specifically, the method based on delay measurement comprises GeoPing, CBG, TBG, Octant, WangGeo, etc. GeoPing is the simplest method among them, which directly determines the location of the server with a shortest network delay between the server and a target IP to be the location of the IP address and has a positioning precision above 300 km. CBG estimates the corresponding distances between each server and the target IP according to the network delays between each server and the target IP, determines a possible area of the target IP according to each corresponding distance, and then uses the intersection of all the possible areas as the location of the target IP. The positioning precision of CBG is approximately 200 km. TBG and Octant further combine with the topological structure on the basis of CBG, so that the target IP is limited to a smaller area. The positioning precisions of TBG and Octant may reach 60 km and 35 km respectively. WangGeo does not only consider the network delay and the network topological structure, but also combines with the zip codes on the web page, so that the positioning precision of WangGeo can reach 7 to 10 km.
The method based on database determines the location of the IP address according to IP registration information, DNS information, location information submitted by the user, etc. For example, if a company in Beijing is found to register an IP address, then it can be determined that the IP address is in Beijing. If the corresponding domain name of this IP address is found to be "router-1.haidian.chinanet.cn", then the IP address may be determined to be in Haidian District of Beijing. Another method is based on the location information submitted by the users themselves. For example, the users may submit their IP addresses and related location information via a location sharing website.
The comparisons between conventional methods for positioning IP location are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, it can be summarized as follows.
1. The method based on delay measurement has a long response time and a high deployment cost, and the highest positioning precision can reach up to 7 to 10 kilometers;
2. The method based on database has a short response time and a low deployment cost, but also a low positioning precision;
3. In the case of the application requirement of the online advertisement whose precision should be on a street level such as within 2 kilometer, neither the above two methods can meet the requirement.
TABLE 1comparison of the conventional methodsmethod/responsearrange-productdata sourceprecisiontimementmethodGeoPingnetwork delay300 km dozens ofhundredsbasedCBGnetwork delay200 km secondsofonTBGnetwork delay60 kmto a fewserversdelayand topologyminutesarrangedmea-Octantnetwork delay35 kminsure-and topologydifferentmentWangGeonetwork delay,7-10 km areastopology andweb zip codemethodIP138,IP registra-aboveignorableignorablebasedIP.cntion, DNS, in-70 kmonformationdata-submittedbaseby the user

Method for positioning IP location and server

SHENZHEN TENCENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS COMPANY LIMITED


A system for balancing a rotatable gas turbine engine component. The system includes two balance rings that are coupled to the component by mating splines on the respective item. Each of the rings has a mass asymmetry that is indexable relative to the primary component to achieve the imbalance correction.

The present invention relates generally to a system for correcting an unbalance in rotating components that can result in an unacceptable level of vibration during operation. More specifically, in one form the present invention relates to a balancing system including two mass asymmetric rings that are coupled to the rotating component through a splined interface. Although the present invention was developed for balancing gas turbine engine components, application in other areas of technology are contemplated herein, such as high speed machine tool applications, gearboxes, actuators and motors.
It is recognized that gas turbine engines include components that rotate at high rates of speed. The dynamic unbalance of the components can lead to severe vibration that reduces the useful life of the component.
The engineers and scientists developing gas turbine engine technology recognize that one can add or remove material at select locations to achieve proper balance for the component. Many of the techniques included the addition and removal of separate balance weights from the component and the actual removal of material from the component. The prior balancing techniques that relied upon the adding of separable balance weights are often limited by issues such as: configuration management and structural integrity of the separable weights, additional part count, and lack of flexibility in adjustment. In many of the prior techniques to balance the component, the component had to be removed and sent to a machine shop for machining, which is time consuming and adds the possibility of a machining error in the process. Alternatively, the component may have been hand machined without removal from the machine. In either case, the machining of the component to perfect a balance condition can be very difficult and in many cases any error in machining is irreversible.
Although there are currently many methods to reduce unbalance conditions in rotatable components there remains a significant need for further technological solutions in this area. The present invention satisfies this need and others in a novel and unobvious way.


A process for producing a hollow profiled component formed by joining at least two laminated component elements, includes the steps of laminating a first of the component elements with at least one indentation, arranging a preformed hollow body in the indentation, applying an adhesive agent to a surface area of the first component element next to the indentation, placing the first component element together with the hollow body on the second component element with the indentation facing the second component element and the surface area provided with the adhesive agent contacting the second component element, covering the two component elements with a non-rigid fluid-tight covering, the interior of the hollow body being sealed off from the interior of the covering and being fluidically connected with the ambient exterior environment, placing the covered component elements in a pressure chamber, and applying a vacuum to the interior of the covering.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 10 2009 040 528.3, filed Sep. 8, 2009, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a component having at least one hollow profile.
When components are produced from laminated composite fiber materials, particularly composite carbon fiber materials, individual component elements are joined under pressure, and preferably also under the effect heat. In this process, the component elements are accommodated in a non-rigid and fluid-tight covering which, itself, is subjected to a vacuum. Air bubbles, which may be present in the laminate, are removed in this manner during the joining of the component elements, and the component elements are firmly joined simultaneously by the pressure exercised from the outside.
If, between them, the component elements to be joined form a hollow profile, before the joining of the component elements, a hollow body in the form of a hose is usually placed in the indentation that later forms the interior of the hollow profile. This hose has a fluidic connection which leads out of the fluid-tight covering that is later subjected to a vacuum, and is in a fluidic connection with the outer environment. As a result, the ambient pressure acting from the outside onto the component elements is also guided into the interior of the hollow profile to be formed, so that this hollow profile does not collapse during the production process.
The hoses used heretofore as hollow bodies pose the risk that, for non-circular hollow profiles such as trapezoidal hollow profiles, the hose will be overstretched in the area of the cross-sectional corners and will burst under the effect of the pressure difference between the vacuum existing in the interior of the fluid-tight covering and the excess pressure applied from the outside.
This situation is illustrated in FIG. 3, where a first component element 201 provided with an indentation 210 and a second component element 202 are joined such that the indentation 210 forms a hollow profile together with the second component element 202. A hollow body 203 formed of a hose, usually with a circular cross-section, is placed into the interior of the indentation 210 and thus into the interior of the formed hollow profile. In the area of the lower corners of the hollow profile formed by the indentation 210, this hose usually takes up the position indicated by a broken line. When the hose is pressurized, it will take up the cross-sectional shape indicated by the continuous lines in the same lower corners. Thus, the wall of the hose 203 will be overstretched in this area by a multiple, for example, by 300%. This reduces the wall thickness and raises the danger of a bursting of the hose-type hollow body.
Furthermore, it has been shown that, despite a considerable overstretching, the hose cannot completely penetrate into the corners, so that, in the areas marked 202′ and 202″ of the second laminated component element 202 and in the areas 201′ and 201″ of the first component element 201, which are situated opposite the areas 202′ and 202″, no pressure can be exerted on the freshly laminated wall of the two component elements 201, 202. This may lead to a waving of the individual laminate layers in the respective component element 201, 202 in these areas. Therefore, the stability of the respective component element 201, 202 may possibly be weakened in these areas.
Although it is known to increase the wall thicknesses of the wall forming the hollow profile in order to prevent a collapse or to place cores with a solid cross-section (thus, not as hollow bodies) in the hollow profile, these two approaches nevertheless result in an increased weight of the finished component, which is undesirable, particularly in aircraft construction.
It is therefore an object of present invention to provide a process of the above-mentioned type which reliably prevents a collapse of a hollow profile during production, and lowers the reject rate of the manufacturing process.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a hollow body suitable for the implementing such a process, as well as a component produced according to this process.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the process according to the invention for producing a component having at least one hollow profile and consisting of at least two laminated component elements, which process has the following steps:                laminating at least a first of the two component elements while shaping out at least one indentation;        arranging a hollow body in the indentation;        applying an adhesive agent to at least one surface area of the first component element next to the indentation;        placing the first component element together with the hollow body on the second component element such that the indentation points to the second component element and the surface area provided with the adhesive agent comes in contact with the second component element;        covering the two component elements with a non-rigid fluid-tight cover, with the interior of the hollow body being sealed off with respect to the interior of the covering and being in a fluidic connection with the environment outside the covering;        placing the covered component elements in a pressure chamber and        applying a vacuum to the interior of the covering;        wherein the hollow body is constructed as a preform.
The use of a hollow body constructed as a preform, and having a cross-section that approximates the hollow profile to be formed, ensures that little or no overstretching of the wall material of the hollow body takes place due to the pressure difference between the vacuum applied within the fluid-tight covering and the excess pressure acting from the outside. As a result, the risk of the tearing of the hollow-body wall is clearly reduced in comparison with the state of the art. In addition, the hollow body constructed as a preform can penetrate farther into the corners of the cross-section than in the case of the prior art, and there can also apply a pressure acting from the inside to the wall material of the first and the second laminated component element, which is opposed by the excess pressure acting from the outside. As a result, the wall areas of the component elements are also compressed in these corners of the cross-section, so that the laminating result is improved.
The pressure chamber is preferably constructed as a pressure chamber oven and, after or during the application of the vacuum, the component elements are heated to the interior of the covering. As a result of the heating, the production will be accelerated and a higher degree of stability of the entire component will be achieved.
The hollow body is preferably fixed in the indentation. This fixing facilitates the joining of the component elements and ensures a more precise production.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the process, the hollow body is provided on its exterior side at least one location with an iron-containing metal element or a magnet, and the hollow body in the indentation is fixed by at least one magnet or metal element mounted on the exterior of the first component element or metal element. The latter cooperates with the metal elements or magnets of the hollow body. As a result, the hollow body will be fixed in a simple manner in the indentation later forming the interior of the hollow profile. After the production process, this fixation can be released by the removal of the magnet or metal element provided on the exterior, so that the hollow body can then easily be pulled out of the hollow profile.
In this case, it is particularly preferable for the hollow body to be equipped on its exterior side with an iron-containing metal band. The latter may be mounted on the hollow body, for example, on a hose having an especially shaped cross-section, already during the production of the hollow body.
The hollow body preferably has a hose-type construction. The hose-type hollow body can then be closed off in a fluid-tight manner at its ends either already during the production of the hollow body, or before placing the hollow body into the indentation during the production process of the component.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hollow body is constructed as a preform having exterior walls that are rigid or stiff at least in sections. This further development of the hollow body provides the hollow body with a defined cross-sectional contour already before the filling-in of the pressure fluid, which facilitates the correct placing of the hollow body into the indentation.
The process can be carried out particularly advantageously when the first component element forms a longitudinal frame or a section of a longitudinal frame of a fuselage construction, preferably of an aircraft, and when the second component element forms a fuselage skin or a section of a fuselage skin, preferably of an airplane. In the production of aircraft parts from composite materials, a high-strength and highly precise joining of component elements for forming components is required. Such a joint can be achieved, for example, by the process according to the invention. Also in the case of other hull constructions of, for example, static objects or other vehicles, such as land vehicles or watercraft, the process according to the invention can be used advantageously.
For carrying out a process according to the invention, the hollow body according to the invention, as the preform, has a fluid-tight construction, with at least one connection that is fluidically connected with the interior of the hollow body. Furthermore, the hollow body has exterior walls that are rigid or stiff at least in sections. As indicated above, the rigid or stiff exterior walls or exterior wall sections facilitate the correct placing of the hollow body into the indentation of the first component element, and the fluidic connection makes it possible either to pressurize the interior of the hollow body separately, or to expose it to the ambient pressure applied from the outside to the fluid-tight covering.
The cross-section of the hollow body preferably forms the basic shape of a triangle or a trapezoid with rounded corners or the shape of a closed omega provided with a base. However, arbitrary other cross-sectional shapes of the hollow body can also be implemented.
On its exterior side at least one location, the hollow body is preferably equipped with an iron-containing metal element or a magnet. This embodiment facilities the fixing of the hollow body in the indentation, already described in connection with the process according to the invention, by means of magnetic forces and the subsequent uncomplicated elimination of the forces fixing the hollow body in the formed hollow profile, so that the hollow body can be pulled out of the hollow profile without difficulty after the production has been completed.
The invention also relates to a component produced according to the process of the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Process and a hollow body for producing a component having at least one hollow profile


A special record format used for commanding light pattern shapes and addressable light pattern shape generator. The command format includes a first part which commands a specified gobo and second parts which command the characteristics of that hobo. The gobo is formed by making a default gobo based on the type and modifying that default gobo to fit the characteristics.

Commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 08/854,353, the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference, describes a stage lighting system which operates based on computer-provided commands to form special effects. One of those effects is control of the shape of a light pattern that is transmitted by the device. This control is carried out on a pixel-by-pixel basis, hence referred to in this specification as pixilated. Control is also carried out using an x-y controllable device. The preferred embodiment describes using a digital mirror device, but other x-y controllable devices such as a grating light valve, are also contemplated.
The computer controlled system includes a digital signal processor 106 which is used to create an image command. That image command controls the pixels of the x-y controllable device to shape the light that it is output from the device.
The system described in the above-referenced application allows unparalleled flexibility in selection of gobo shapes and movement. This opens an entirely new science of controlling gobos. The present inventors found that, unexpectedly, even more flexibility is obtained by a special control language for controlling those movements.


In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor, a display accessible to the at least one processor, and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to receive, at the device, input from at least one sensor. The instructions may also be executable to determine whether a threshold is met based at least in part on the input from the at least one sensor. Responsive to the threshold not being met, the instructions may be executable to provide virtual assistance audibly. Responsive to the threshold being met, the instructions may be executable to present visual virtual assistance on the display using an avatar or other character. In various examples, the device may be a headset or other augmented reality device.

As recognized herein, current augmented reality (AR) headsets can provide audible assistance as part of setting up an AR experience. However, as also recognized herein, such audible assistance might be difficult or impossible to hear in relatively loud environments, leading to user frustration as well as an inability to configure the device and/or acclimate the user to proper interfacing with the device as part of the AR experience. There are currently no adequate solutions to the foregoing computer-related, technological problem.

Techniques to switch between different types of virtual assistance based on threshold being met


A relief valve assembly to relieve overpressure of a pressurized fluid. In accordance with some embodiments, the assembly comprises a housing with an inlet and an outlet to form a conduit for a pressurized fluid. A normally closed valve member is axially displaceable within the housing to engage a valve seat to prevent a flow of the pressurized fluid along the conduit. A biasing member applies a bias force to the valve member to retain the valve member against the valve seat. A piston within the valve member contactingly engages the pressurized fluid. A mechanically collapsible member resists axial movement of the piston responsive to said contacting engagement of the pressurized fluid. The piston and collapsible member decouple the bias force supplied by the biasing spring member upon the valve member from a force upon the valve member applied by the pressurized fluid, thereby maintaining a bubble-tight seal.

Pressurized fluid systems are provided with pressure relief capabilities to prevent injury to personnel and damage to equipment. In the event of an overpressure condition, a pressure relief valve redirects the fluid flow to a bypass path or to a shut-off path. Pressure relief valves are usually configured to be either normally open or normally closed to fluid passage. Exemplary pressure relief valve assemblies are taught by U.S. Pat. No. 7,438,087 issued to Taylor.
Some types of pressure relief valves use a spring loaded valve member that is urged against a valve seat and configured to permit the pressurized fluid to contactingly engage the normally closed valve member. The spring maintains the valve member in the closed position, while the fluid pressure opposes the spring force to urge the valve member to the open position.
If the valve is operated at a working fluid pressure that is relatively close to the pressure setpoint, which is the pressure at which the valve will open to establish a bypass path, the net force applied to the valve member by the spring may be insufficient to maintain a bubble-tight seal. The valve will thus simmer, permitting small amounts of pressurized fluid to escape through the assembly. Depending on the nature of the pressurized fluid, this can result in a number of undesired effects including environmental contamination (pollution), loss of product volume and hazards to personnel and/or downstream equipment.
One way in which prior art solutions have endeavored to reduce the effects of simmering is to remove the valve member from the inlet fluid pressure through the use of an upstream rupture disk. The rupture disk generally serves as a membrane to isolate the downstream valve from normal fluid pressure. The rupture disk is intended to retain the fluid until the overpressure condition is reached, upon which the disk ruptures and the pressurized fluid passes to the pressure relief valve member. In such case, the fluid pressure is sufficient to overcome the spring bias force on the valve member, moving the valve member to the open position for fluid passage to a bypass path.
A limitation with this approach includes the fact that any fluid pressure that may develop between the upstream and downstream devices, such as via a leak through or around the rupture disk, will generally tend to alter the differential pressure across the upstream device. In such case, the set point at which the upstream device opens will be undesirably higher than the specified level.
It is thus common to use pressure indicators to detect such buildup of pressure between the upstream and downstream devices. When an undesirably high level of intermediate pressure is detected, maintenance action is required to address the situation, which can include replacing the upstream rupture disk, involving substantial effort and downtime to access and replace the failed rupture disk.
Another limitation associated with the use of rupture disks is the fact that while rupture disks are generally intended to open in a controlled manner and remain in a single piece, the disks can separate upon rupturing and fragments can be carried by the fluid flow to the main pressure relief valve. This is undesirable as such fragments can interfere with the proper opening and subsequent closing of the main valve.
There continues to be a need for improvements in the manner in which overpressure conditions in pressurized fluid system configurations can be detected and relieved. It is to these and other improvements that various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed.


The invention relates to a monitoring system for at least one dialysis machine (e.g. a peritoneal dialysis machine), wherein the monitoring system receives data from a dialysis machine to be monitored via a first data communication network, wherein the data are selected from a group comprising machine data, error codes, operational data, environmental data, consumables data, network data, treatment data, wherein the data received are stored in a manner which is specific to the respective peritoneal dialysis machine, wherein for each machine, at least individual components of the stored data are analyzed wherein, on the basis of the analysis, an action selected from informing a patient, informing a medical professional, informing service personnel, informing a quality management representative is carried out via a second data communication network.

Many people suffer from kidney insufficiency or from chronic or acute kidney failure. Although, kidney transplantation is possible in principle, the availability of suitable donor organs is limited and a transplant cannot be carried out for all patients. Thus, methods for washing the blood, known as dialysis, have been developed in the past. The dialysis procedure is characterized in that exchange of substances is carried out by means of a membrane. In this, the fluid to be purified is on one side of the membrane and a suitable dialysate is on the other side.
Various methods have been established in the past. They include hemodialysis, in which urea, ureic acid and other substances are dialysed out of blood using a semipermeable membrane and under the influence of osmotic pressure. Other methods are hemoperfusion, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration.
Furthermore, the peritoneal dialysis method was also developed in the past. Peritoneal dialysis is also known as PD. The term "peritoneal dialysis" also encompasses various methods such as, for example, manual CAPD (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis), APD (automated PD) or CCPD (continuous cycling PD), which is carried out continuously by machine, IPD (intermittent PD), NIPD (nighttime intermittent PD), etc.
These methods are based on the fact that the peritoneum is a membrane which lines the abdominal cavity and has a good blood supply.
Because of its particular construction, the peritoneum can in fact be used as a "filter membrane." In this regard, a tube (catheter) is usually implanted in a patient's abdominal cavity. A dialysate is passed via this catheter into the abdominal cavity and left there for a certain period of time. Substances with small molecules can then pass out of the blood via the capillaries of the peritoneum into the dialysate because of the existing concentration gradient After a certain time, the dialysate has to be drained out and replaced with fresh solution.
In contrast to artificial membranes in blood dialysis, the peritoneum is also highly permeable to proteins, whereupon a significant loss of protein occurs.
However, peritoneal dialysis has been shown to be advantageous in many respects. In contrast to other dialysis procedures, peritoneal dialysis allows for lengthier maintenance of any remaining kidney function. In addition, complications are reported less frequently for peritoneal dialysis, because the circulation is stressed to a lesser extent. This is of major advantage for patients with heart problems. In principle, peritoneal dialysis can also be used by patients in their domestic environment, while hemodialysis is only available in specially equipped centres/practices/clinics.
Despite these advantages, peritoneal dialysis is not widespread. Among other things, this can be put down to the fact that reliable, trouble-free operation of the associated machines cannot be guaranteed. Among other things, this can be put down to the fact that the peritoneal dialysis machines suffer from wear and tear which depends on its use, inter alia.

Monitoring system for a dialysis machine


A tile based rendering apparatus and method is provided. The rendering method may be used to graphically represent a three dimensional (3D) model on a two dimensional (2D) display screen. Also, the rendering method may perform pre-binning with respect to objects included in a frame, and thus all geometry processing results may not be stored in an external memory and use of the external memory may be reduced.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a technology that may render objects included in a frame using a plurality of graphics operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device displaying a two-dimensional (2D) model may graphically display a three-dimensional (3D) model using 3D graphics. Accordingly, research on providing information using 3D graphics has been conducted.
In particular, even when a 3D model is represented in 3D graphics, since a display device that a user uses is a 2D screen, an operation of converting the 3D model into the 2D screen may be required. While converting, a plurality of graphics operations may be used.
In a tile-based rendering method that performs rendering based on a unit of a tile, a memory space for geometry processing may not be predicted. Also, since an amount of geometry processing results is significant, the result may be required to be stored in an internal and external memory. Also, when a size of a tile is small, an amount of geometry processing results increases, and thus the use of external memory may increase.
Accordingly, much research to reduce the use of internal and external memory spaces for rendering has been conducted.

Tile-based rendering apparatus and method


An ozone generation system includes a plurality of modular ozone generating devices, each having an upper and lower housing. The upper housing encloses electrical components for providing high energy power to ozone generator cells of each device to produce an ozone generation output. The lower housing is formed by a multiplicity of section layers enclosing the ozone generator cells and an internal liquid coolant system. Each ozone generator cell has two plasma generation pathways. An orifice is formed in on each one ozone generator cell for maintaining a known and controllable pressure drop across each ozone generator cell. A plurality of ports formed in a center body framing element of the lower housing provides porting for the water in and out, oxygen in and ozone out. The modular devices can be combined on racks having a common manifold system for forming a rack of ozone producing devices for outputting a high yield of ozone.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a modular quad cell, electro-mechanical ozone generator device and system. More particularly, it relates to a highly-concentrated output modular ozone generator system having four generator cells in each modular ozone generator, which can be combined onto trays forming a rack of ozone generators for providing a high concentration, high output yield of liquid or air-cooled ozone for a multitude of industrial, commercial and military purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular ozone generator systems that can be combined to form blocks of generators are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,486 to Borgstrom discloses an ozone generator system in which a multitude of plate-type ozone generators are arranged adjacent to each other in a block. Each ozone generator comprises a chamber, adapted for converting oxygen to ozone by a corona discharge, and each chamber is provided with an inlet for oxygen or an oxygen-rich gas and an outlet for ozone. The ozone generators are arranged in a block module in which they are affixed by a block rack. The block rack comprises an inlet port adapted for introduction of oxygen gas, and an outlet port adapted for discharge of ozone created through conversion within the generators comprised in the block module. A multitude of first conduits, each running between said inlet port and one chamber inlet, and a multitude of second conduits, each running between said outlet port and one chamber outlet, are provided within said block rack. However, each modular ozone generator system of this prior art reference employs only a single generator cell with only a single plasma pathway within each module. Further, Borgstrom requires that the flow path of each and every one of the ozone generators in the block module be substantially the same. A micro-channel network would not require such and would therefore be an improvement over the prior art of a modular ozone generator unit and/or system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,832 also to Borgstrom discloses another modular ozone generator system and claims priority to Borgstrom's other earlier issued patent described above (the '486 patent). This second Borgstrom reference discloses an ozone generator system having a multitude of plate type ozone generators arranged adjacent to each other in a block. Each ozone generator includes a chamber, adapted for converting oxygen to ozone by a corona discharge; each chamber is provided with an inlet for oxygen or an oxygen-rich gas and an outlet for ozone. The ozone generators are arranged in a block module in which they are affixed by a block rack. The block rack includes an inlet port adapted for introduction of oxygen gas, and an outlet port adapted for discharge of ozone created through conversion within the generators of the block module. A multitude of first conduits, each running between the inlet port and one chamber inlet, and a multitude of second conduits, each running between the outlet port and one chamber outlet, are provided within the block rack. The conduits are arranged so that the flow paths and distance between the inlet and outlet ports have the same length, regardless of which generator the introduced gas passes through, thereby achieving an even gas pressure and gas flow, through parallel connection of the generators. However, as in the other Borgstrom reference each modular generator only contains a single ozone generator cell and each cell is only a single ozone generating unit (see FIG. 1 of Borgstrom '832). Further, this, nor the other Borgstrom reference above, disclose, teach or suggest the use of an internal liquid coolant micro-channel network juxtaposed to the ozone generating discharge plates. Still further, this, nor the other Borgstrom reference above disclose, teach or suggest the use of an equalizing pressure means, such as spring plates and Teflon locators, within the ozone cells to normalize and keep the pressure constant in each modular generator. And this is critically needed in any modular block ozone generation system and something that clearly needs improvement upon over the Borgstrom inventions. Finally, this Borgstrom invention requires that the electronic unit be mounted on the block rack. This is a disadvantage as locally employed electronics within each individual ozone generating cell would allow greater control and would be a clear improvement over the prior art.
US Published Application No. 2005/0161318 to Arlemark discloses a method and apparatus for improving the yield of ozone gas in a closed ozone generator unit. In this closed ozone generator unit, oxygen gas is transformed into ozone gas by means of alternating current, the oxygen gas being substantially pressurized before entry into the unit. The unit is exposed to an external pressure substantially equal to or higher than the pressure of the oxygen gas. This unit employs two ceramic plates forming a closed space containing a metal electrode, supplied with alternating current for transforming supplied oxygen gas into ozone gas. The generator unit may be submerged in water to act as a cooling liquid and as a second pole; a metal electrode within the unit acts as a first pole. In this practical design the water has a pressure equal to or higher than the pressure of the oxygen gas. This ozone generator system is considered "water cooled" but it is a "wet cooled system and does not disclose, suggest or teach the use of a liquid coolant system employing a liquid micro-channel network formed on a section layer positioned juxtaposed to the generator cell to affectively cool the ozone being produced. Further, although this reference discloses that four ozone generator assemblies are arranged in a container, this reference does not contemplate placing four individual ozone producing cells within a single modular unit, wherein each module can then be made part of a larger rack system of more than one module, to form a cube or network of modules. Therefore, this prior art reference fails in an area of great need.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,575 to Tabata et al. discloses a small-sized ozonizer capable of generating highly concentrated ozone with a high generating efficiency. The ozonizer has a low voltage electrode that includes a disc-shaped low voltage electrode main body facing a high voltage electrode and an extension at one side of the low voltage electrode main body. The extensions are laminated in layers on a base via blocks and contain a coolant inlet portion for supplying coolant to a coolant passage. Also included are a coolant outlet portion for exhausting coolant from the coolant passage and an ozone gas outlet portion for exhausting ozone gas from the ozone gas passage pass through the extensions and the blocks, respectively, in a laminating direction of the discharge cells. Like Arlemark, or any other prior art reference, Tabata et al. does not disclose, suggest or teach placing four individual ozone producing cells within a single modular unit, wherein each module can then be made part of a rack. Further, although Tabata et al. speaks to coolant passages, it fails to disclose the use of a liquid coolant plate or layer section mounted within a center body framing element that is positioned juxtaposed to the ozone generating cells of a modular ozone generation system, of which the liquid coolant plate employs a micro-channel network for passing a liquid coolant there through (i.e., liquid) to significantly reduce the temperature of the ozone being produced there within. And therefore, improvement is clearly needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,765 to Tabata et al. discloses a flat plate laminate ozone generating apparatus including a plurality of laminated plate-shaped high voltage electrodes and low voltage electrodes between which an alternating voltage is applied to produce a discharge and generate ozone gas, and in particular, to an ozonizer which is an essential portion of the flat plate laminate ozone generating apparatus and which includes the high voltage electrodes and low voltage electrodes and to which a gas containing oxygen is supplied to generate ozone gas, and also in particular, to a construction of the ozonizer which is thin, of a large capacity and in which the number of components may be reduced while also making the apparatus small in size. In one embodiment Tabata '765 discloses that the ozone generating apparatus of this invention has a plurality of ozonizers employed in a single housing so that it may be an ozone generating apparatus of further increased capacity, reduced size and may manufactured and maintained at a reduced cost. However, nowhere in this reference is it disclosed, suggested or taught that the single ozonizer can be made to be a modular unit, enclosing a multitude of ozone generating cells, which can then be combined in a tray to form a rack. Further, nowhere in this Tabata reference does it disclose, let alone teach or suggest, the use of a liquid coolant plate that employs a micro-channel network system for passing a liquid coolant there through (such as water) to significantly reduce the temperature of the ozone being produced there within. Further, in both of the above Tabata prior art references the use of conductive film on a second electrode is required. An ozone generating system not employing such films is needed and so therefore, both of these Tabata inventions clearly need to be improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,180 to Zhang et al. discloses a reactive gas generator cell that includes a high voltage assembly having a high voltage electrode plate and a low voltage assembly having a low voltage electrode plate. Each of the high and low voltage assemblies includes a cover plate and a channel plate. A welded metallic seal may join the high voltage assembly and the low voltage assembly to create a permanently sealed chamber between the assemblies. A refractory metal surface, which may be a tungsten surface, is disposed on at least one of the low voltage electrode plate and the high voltage electrode plate. A dielectric barrier is disposed between the high voltage electrode plate and the low voltage electrode plate. A discharge region for confining a reactive gas is defined, at least in part, by the refractory metal surface and a surface of the dielectric barrier. A spacer, which may be formed from a refractory material, may be positioned between the surface of the dielectric barrier and the refractory metal surface to define a predetermined gap. However, Zhang relies on the use of a conductive coating on a surface opposite of the dielectric. This needs improvement. The conductive coatings need to be removed completely.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,885 to Borgstrom discloses an apparatus and method for ozone generation and a method for generating ozone by exposing oxygen to high frequency alternating current with high voltage over a dielectric. The apparatus comprises a pressure compensation admitting unit joined together by at least two plates of a dielectric material and positioned there between a present electrode on which a high frequency alternating current with high voltage is applied, and two sealed spaces for generation of ozone on opposite sides of the unit, whereby the respective sealed space, on the opposite side of said plate of dielectric material, is delimited by an earthed and cooled electrode, through which oxygen gas or gas rich in oxygen is supplied to the space and ozone is conducted out of the same. By means of this apparatus, oxygen gas or gas rich in oxygen can be conducted under pressure into sealed chambers on opposite sides of the pressure compensation admitting unit. Although Borgstrom in this reference tries to deal with the issue of providing an equal uniform pressure distribution over the delimiting surfaces of the gas chamber, it does not deal with pressure changes in a modular ozone generator system wherein each module has more than one cell and wherein each cell is comprised of two sub-cells and further wherein a pressure change within said module is normalized across all generating cells by a center stainless steel plate member having spring members for normalizing said pressure to the required value. Such improvement is clearly needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,659 to Usui et al. discloses a flat plate laminate ozone generating device having a plurality of laminated plate-shaped high and low voltage electrodes, between which an alternating voltage is applied, to produce a discharge and thereby generate ozone gas. This prior art reference discloses the use of a cooling liquid passage. However, the liquid passage is constructed from highly insulated flow tubes formed through the high voltage electrode. This makes for a difficult device to construct and also a difficult device to repair if any of the flow tube insulation breaks down and needs to be replaced. In such scenario, the high voltage electrode has to be taken off line and removed form the ozone generating device. The placement of a liquid coolant passage through the high voltage electrode is of poor design and clearly needs improvement thereupon. A cooing system, be it an air or liquid coolant system, employed in close proximity of the high voltage electrode would be a far superior device and is one not contemplated by Usui et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,196 to Tabata et al. discloses another ozone generating apparatus, but one employed for large capacity gas generation in a more compact configuration. This is realized by stacking discharge cells inside one housing and further wherein only one oxygen source feeds each of the discharge cells. At first glance this appears to be a major improvement over the prior art of large capacity, but small configuration ozone generation devices. However, what is not contemplated, let alone disclosed, taught or suggested, is what to do with the excess heat generated by such a device. A major factor in designing and implementing large capacity, small configuration ozone generating device, is the issue of heart dissipation. Nowhere in this particular reference does it disclose how the device eliminates the incredible amount of heat that would be generated by such a purportedly large capacity device. What can therefore be gathered is that the device does not produce a significant amount of heat and therefore its statement to being large capacity is disingenuous at best. Admittedly this prior art reference contains multiple cells stacked within a small housing. However, it can not produce the large capacity output, which it purportedly produces unless it employs an integral cooling system, which it clearly does not. So, although it moves the prior art forward in designing a compact ozone generation unit, it can not be said to be a "large capacity" unit because it fails to properly provide for heat dissipation through some form of a cooling system and therefore falls way short of improving the art of large capacity, small configuration ozone generation units.
The prior art as a whole has attempted to improve upon the ozone generation art, which beckons for higher concentration ozone at high yield amounts per unit volume, in smaller configured units or modules, but which has fallen short of this important objective. The prior art has shown that reduction in the size of the ozone generation units and the use of modular units in trays and blocks is advantageous. And admittedly, some improvements have been realized. However, further improvement is clearly needed. For example, nowhere in the prior art has any ozone generator been able to produce a modular unit having four generating cells within one small modular unit, the same which could then be used in a tray that forms a rack. This is clearly needed. Further, nowhere in the prior art has any invention used a liquid cooling plate or section layer having an internal coolant micro-channel network that is positioned juxtaposed to the plasma generating plates for dealing with the high level of bi-product heat generation cause din module or compact units. Still further, nowhere in the prior art has any modular unit been programmed to be completely self-diagnostic and having an instant on feature such that ozone can be produced at the very moment of start up. Each of the prior art devices known require a start up wait period, which translates into a significant loss of time in ozone production (and therefore a loss of efficiency) when considering large commercial and industrial applications and which is totally unacceptable for military uses.
Therefore, improvement over the prior art is clearly needed and such improvement will be discussed herein below in the Summary of the Invention and the Detailed Description, considered in combination with the Figures included herewith.

Modular quad cell electro-mechanical ozone generation device


Methods and apparatus for interference cancelling data conversion. In one embodiment, an input includes an interfering signal and a signal of interest. In one embodiment, a system extends the received signal dynamic range of an analog-to-digital conversion system by partially cancelling an interfering signal with multiple analog-to-digital converters, a digital-to-analog converter, a programmable delay block, a gain block, and a difference amplifier, inverse non-linear blocks, and digital signal processing to reconstruct the received signal in the digital domain.

As is known in the art, the reception and demodulation of desired analog and digital communication signals can be limited by the presence of high levels of unintentional and sometimes, intentional interference. Modern receivers convert analog input waveforms into digital waveforms at some point of the signal processing chain to take advantage of enhanced digital processing technologies. This conversion process of digitizing the analog waveform is performed by an analog to digital converter (ADC). As is known in the art, the level of in-band interference that can be tolerated in these digital receivers is often limited by the actual or effective number of bits (ENoB) of this ADC.
A number of attempts have been made to address ADC dynamic range limitations. Predictor circuits have been developed to estimate the next analog input value, cancel the predicted value in the analog domain, and recombine the estimate and subtracted waveform in the digital domain. In other systems, known transmissions are subtracted from the receive path. Other attempts to extend a system dynamic range include developing narrower band receivers to mask interfering signals and higher dynamic range ADCs to digitize both strong interfering and weak desired signals with sufficient signal-to-noise ratio.

Methods and apparatus for interference canceling data conversion


A computer program product for use by a transaction program for managing memory access to a shared memory location for transaction data of a first thread, the shared memory location being accessible by the first thread and a second thread. A string of instructions to complete a transaction of the first thread are executed, beginning with one instruction of the string of instructions. It is determined whether the one instruction is part of an active atomic instruction group (AIG) of instructions associated with the transaction of the first thread. A cache structure and a transaction table which together provide for entries in an active mode for the AIG are located if the one instruction is part of an active AIG. The next instruction is executed under a normal execution mode in response to determining that the one instruction is not part of an active AIG.

This invention relates generally to processing within a computing environment, and more particularly to a computing system with optimized support for transactional memory.
Current multiprocessor and multithreaded computing systems allow the performance of a single software application to be scaled to many times the possible performance of a single threaded application. Current software and hardware systems provide for the parallel processing of multiple threads of execution. Software applications can use existing thread libraries, such as the POSIX® pthread library, to control the creation of multiple threads of parallel execution. The use of multiple threads works well for applications that operate on easily partitioned tasks and data; course grain locks can be used to control access to the few shared data structures to prevent rare conflicts between the data updates of multiple threads.
Many software applications contain data structures that must be shared among multiple threads and have frequent concurrent inspections and updates of the shared data structures. These applications require additional modifications in order to obtain good scaling when using large numbers of threads. Applications which use multiple threads of execution that access shared data structures concurrently require the use of specialized data locking routines in order to produce a reliable outcome that is free from deadlocks and corrupted data. The majority of existing multithreaded applications in this category use fine grained software locks to achieve good performance and correct operation. Writing high performance multithreaded programs which use fine grained software locks is extremely difficult and requires expert programming skills. The lack of these skills in the software industry may limit the production of multithreaded applications which require the use of shared data structures and therefore the usefulness of multithreaded and multiprocessor computing systems for certain application classes, including many forms of transaction processing.
Various "transactional memory" systems have been proposed and built to provide a simpler programming model for constructing multithreaded applications that need to control access to shared data structures. These systems allow software running on one thread of execution to optimistically assume that shared data structures can be updated without conflict with the accesses and updates of other threads of execution. The speculative updates to memory are kept "pending" until the transactional memory system confirms that no conflicts with storage accesses of other threads have occurred. The transactional memory system must be able to discard the pending speculative updates when conflicts between the stored accesses of multiple threads are detected.

Transactional memory system with efficient cache support

International Business Machines Corporation


A liquid crystal driver circuit is arranged to select one of a plurality of different reference voltages in response to externally input through the effect of a multiplexer circuit. The liquid crystal driver further provides a buffer circuit at an output stage of the multiplexer circuit, arranged in a manner that its impedance is high at an input and low at an output to thereby lower an output impedance of the liquid crystal driver circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal driver circuit which may apply to a liquid crystal display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The inventors of the present application know of a liquid crystal driver circuit which is arranged as an 8-level gradation digital system which operates so that one of eight reference voltages may be selected by an analog switch in accordance with three pieces of data fed from the outside of the circuit and the selected reference voltage may then be output.
A recent trend exists wherein liquid crystal display devices are being made larger and larger in size. The liquid crystal driver circuit is requested to suppress an output impedance accordingly. The known circuit is, as mentioned above, arranged so that its output impedance is defined by the analog switch. In order to lower its output impedance, hence, the larger transistor is employed for composing the analog switch.
With the foregoing method for towering the output impedance, however, as the transistor becomes larger, the overall circuit chip is increased in size. In particular, a large liquid crystal display unit needs a lot of Liquid crystal driver circuits. If the necessary driver circuits using larger transistors are integrated on one chip, the overall circuit chip size is made much larger. This presents a large obstacle to lowering the cost and the reducing power consumption.


A control system for a gas turbine engine, a method for controlling a gas turbine engine, and a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The control system may include a nozzle scheduler for determining an exhaust nozzle position goal based on a nozzle schedule of exhaust nozzle positions related to flight conditions. The control system may further include a control module for determining a control command for the gas turbine engine. The control command may include, at least, a fuel flow command and an exhaust nozzle position command and the control command may be based on, at least, the exhaust nozzle position goal and an estimated thrust value. The control system may further include an actuator for controlling the gas turbine engine based on the control command.

The present disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly, to control systems for gas turbine engines.
Modern aircrafts employing gas turbine engines require high performance engine control systems that deliver enhanced performance and reduced lifecycle cost. Control systems may be optimized by using engine control algorithms that achieve multiple economical and operational objectives. Such control systems are desired for extending engine life, reducing fuel consumption, and enhancing dynamic performance in thrust and power delivery.
For example, prior engine control systems may have aimed to optimize fuel consumption only by attempting to provide a goal thrust response while minimizing fuel consumption for the goal thrust response. However, such approaches to engine control must often manage competing operability and performance objectives by resetting engine exhaust nozzles using transient schedules that are developed off-line from extensive simulations and tests. Such control systems may not optimize all available effectors to achieve a set of performance and operability goals and constraints. Further, these control designs may not fully utilize engine characteristics and dynamic models to optimize (in real-time) engine performance while protecting engine state limits.
Modeling engine characteristics of an aircraft engine, directly or indirectly, may be useful for monitoring and controlling thrust for the engine. The thermal characteristics of the engine can be synthesized or calculated using sensed parameters. Further, thermal characteristics may be estimated by linear or non-linear models of engine components and the components' respective characteristics. Such characteristics may provide information used to determine and/or optimize thrust control commands in running real-time optimization algorithms. Such parameters may be monitored and/or controlled using a control system having a variety of hardware and/or software control elements.
Thusly, a need exists for control systems that control and optimize thrust control of an aircraft engine by real-time coordinating engine effectors that may include fuel flow, exhaust nozzles and variable geometry, thereby achieving optimal performance and operability goals and optimizing engine life, fuel consumption, and dynamic performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optimal thrust control of an aircraft engine


A method of cleaning metal filters of a solvent spun fibre production plant. The method comprises the step of (a) dissolving dope from the filters using a hot solvent for the dope, (b) washing the solvent from the filters using hot water, (c) pyrolysing remnants of dope or solvent in the filters, (d) ultrasonically washing the pyrolysed particles from the filters, (e) reheating the filters to dislodge pyrolysed particles, (f) ultrasonically rewashing the filters and (g) drying the filters.

This invention relates to filters for use in chemical processes and in particular to the methods of cleaning filters used for filtering dope in a solvent spun fibre manufacturing process, and to apparatus for cleaning such filters.
In the manufacture of solvent spun fibres such as, for example, Tencel (Trade Mark of Courtaulds Fibres Limited) cellulose fibre, a dope comprising woodpulp dissolved in an aqueous solution of amine oxide, is pumped under pressure through a series of filters to a plurality of spinnerette heads. The jets of each spinnerette head are typically 80 microns or less. Therefore the filtration of the dope is extremely important in order to avoid blockages of any of the spinnerette jets.
Modern plants, such as that installed by Courtaulds Fibers Inc at Mobile, Ala., USA are designed to produce many hundreds of tonnes of fibre on a continuous basis. The flow of dope to the spinnerette jets cannot be disrupted or varied at all without disastrous consequences. It is therefore extremely important that meticulously clean filter are used and that the process for cleaning the filters is as thorough as possible.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of cleaning filters of a solvent-spun fibre manufacturing plant thoroughly and apparatus for carrying out the method.


A thin film transistor substrate includes a thin film transistor of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having a channel region of the first conductivity type placed between the source/drain regions, a gate electrode formed to an opposite face to the semiconductor layer with an gate insulating film interposed therebetween, an opening in the gate electrode corresponding to both edges in a channel width direction of the channel region. In the channel region corresponding to the opening, a highly concentrated impurity region having a higher impurity concentration of the first conductivity type than the channel corresponding to the gate electrode is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In a display device using liquid crystal or organic EL, a large number of pixels are arranged in matrix. A Thin Film Transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) is used as a switching device for each of the pixels. The TFT is connected with a pixel electrode, a scan signal line and an image signal line for driving the liquid crystal.
A conventional TFT has mainly been using amorphous silicon (hereinafter referred to as a-Si) film as a material for semiconductor layer. However in recent years, TFTs using poly crystalline silicon (hereinafter referred to as p-Si) film as a material for semiconductor layer are planed to be in practice. This is because that the TFT using p-Si as semiconductor layer has high mobility and favorable semiconductor characteristic. Accordingly not only for a switching device, but such TFT can be used as a drive circuit device for driving the switching device. By forming a drive circuit over an array substrate, there are favorable advantages such that an IC (Integrated Circuit) for driving is not required to be installed. Thus it is expected to reduce the cost, improve functionalities and achieve advanced integration.
For a liquid crystal display, an array substrate 110 is formed by forming TFTs, signal lines and pixel electrodes in a desired position and configuration over an insulating substrate as shown in FIG. 9.
A display region 111 and a frame region 112 surrounding the display region 111 are provided on the array substrate 110. In the display region 111, a plurality of gate lines (scanning signal lines) 113 and a plurality of source lines (display signal lines) 114 are formed. The plurality of gate lines 113 are provided in parallel. Likewise, the plurality of source lines 114 are provided in parallel. The gate lines 113 and the source lines 114 are formed to cross each other. The gate lines 113 and the source lines 114 are orthogonal to each other. Further, a region surrounded by adjacent gate lines 113 and the source lines 114 is a pixel 117. Accordingly the pixels 117 are arranged in matrix in the array substrate 110.
Further, in the frame region 112 of the array substrate 110, a scanning signal drive circuit 115 and a display signal drive circuit 116 are formed. The gate lines 113 extend from the display region 111 to the frame region 112. Further, the gate lines 113 are connected with the scanning signal drive circuit 115 at the edge of the array substrate 110. Likewise, the source lines 114 extend from the display region 111 to the frame region 112. Further, the source lines 114 are connected with the display signal drive circuit 116 at the edge of the array substrate 110. An external line 118 is connected near the scanning signal drive circuit 115 via the terminal connecting portion. Further, an external line 119 is connected near the display signal drive circuit 116 via the terminal portion. The external lines 118 and 119 constitute wiring board such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit).
Various signals are externally supplied through the external lines 118 and 119 to the scanning signal drive circuit 115 and the display signal drive circuit 116, respectively. In accordance with an external control signal, the scanning signal drive circuit 115 supplies a gate signal (scanning signal) to the gate line 113. In response to the gate signal, the gate lines 113 are selected one by one. The display signal drive circuit 116 supplies a display signal (an applied voltage) to the source line 114 based on an external control signal and display data. Thus, an applied voltage corresponding to the display data can be supplied to each pixel 117.
At least one TFT 120 is formed in the pixel 117. The TFT 120 is placed near the crossing point of the source line 114 and gate line 113. The TFT 120 provides an applied voltage to a pixel electrode, for example. Specifically, in response to the gate signal from the gate line 113, the TFT 120, a switching device, is turned on. Thus, the applied voltage is supplied to the pixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the TFT 120 from the source line 114. Further, an electric field depending on the applied voltage is generated between the pixel and opposing electrodes. Incidentally, an alignment layer (not shown) is formed over the surface of the array substrate 110.
Further, an opposing substrate is placed opposed to the array substrate 110. The opposing substrate may be a color filter substrate, which is placed on the viewing side. A color filter, a black matrix (BM), an opposing electrode, an alignment layer and so on are formed over the opposing substrate. For IPS (In-Plane Switching) or the like, the opposing electrode may be placed on the array substrate 110 side. Furthermore, a liquid crystal layer is held between the array substrate 110 and the opposing substrate. Specifically, liquid crystal is filled between the array substrate 110 and the opposing substrate. Moreover, a polarizing plate and a retardation film or the like are provided to the outside surface of the array substrate 110 and the opposing substrate. Further a backlight unit or the like is provided to a non-visible side of the liquid crystal display panel.
Liquid crystal is driven by the electric field between the pixel and opposing electrodes. Specifically, an alignment direction of the liquid crystal between the substrates varies. That is, the light passed through the polarization plate to become a linear polarization changes its polarization state by the liquid crystal layer. To be more specific, in the transparent region, the light from the backlight becomes a linear polarization by the polarization plate provided to the TFT array substrate side. Then the polarization state of the linearly polarized light changes by passing through the liquid crystal layer.
The amount of light passing through the polarizing plate on the opposing substrate varies according to the polarization state. Specifically, among the transmitted light transmitting the liquid crystal display panel from the backlight unit, the amount of light passing through the polarizing plate on the visible side changes. The alignment direction of the liquid crystal varies according to the applied voltage. Accordingly by controlling the applied voltage, the amount of light passing through the polarizing plate on the visible side can be changed. That is, by varying the applied voltage for each pixel, a desired image can be displayed.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are a plane view and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a general top gate type p-Si TFT, respectively. FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-B of FIG. 10A. Note that the cross-sectional view of the line C-D of FIG. 10A is same as FIG. 1C.
A TFT 121 is comprised of a semiconductor layer 13 formed on an insulating protective layer 12, over an insulating substrate 11, a gate insulating film 15 formed over the semiconductor layer 13, and a gate electrode 16 formed over the gate insulating film 15. For a bottom-gate a-Si TFT, the positions of the gate electrode 16 and the semiconductor layer 13 are interchanged each other.
In FIG. 10B, the cross-section surface of the semiconductor layer 13 is in trapezoid shape in which the width gets narrowed from the bottom to the top, with its side being tapered shape (a tapered portion 14). The reason for this is described hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 10B, the gate insulating film 15 is formed to cover the semiconductor layer 13. If the cross-sectional shape of the semiconductor layer 13 is rectangle, the gate insulating film 15 has a bad coverage at the side of the semiconductor layer 13, overhanging to form a shade. After that, to dry etch the gate electrode layer to form the gate electrode 16, the gate electrode material deposited under the shade remains as an etching residue. The etching residue causes a problem of shorting-out with adjacent line. Further, if the gate electrode layer is wet etched, there is a problem in that the gate electrode material covering the shade is also etched and the gate electrode 16 is disconnected. To solve such problem, the side of the semiconductor layer 13 is formed in tapered shape.
By forming the side of the semiconductor layer 13 in tapered shape, problems relating to the etching residue and disconnection of the gate electrode 16 can be resolved. However there is another problem generated. That is, by a thin portion (the tapered portion 14) in the film thickness of the semiconductor layer 13, the TFT 121 is turned on at a lower gate voltage than the channel region 132, the main portion of the semiconductor layer 13. Therefore in subthreshold characteristic (Id-Vg characteristic) shown in FIG. 11, there is a problem that a hump is likely to be generated. This makes it difficult to control a threshold voltage (Vth), thereby causing to destabilize the device characteristic of the TFT 121.
To solve such problems, techniques are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-77665, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-258262, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-332254 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-326763. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-77665, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-258262, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-332254, impurity such as Ar is doped in the tapered portion 14 or the tapered portion 14 is oxidized in order to improve the electric characteristic of the TFT 121. By substantially increasing the electric resistance of the tapered portion 14, the TFT is prevented from turning on in a comparatively low gate voltage. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-326763, openings are created in a part of the gate electrode 16 over the tapered portion 14 of the semiconductor layer 13, and an impurity is prevented from introducing in the tapered portion 14. That is, the gate electrode 16 does not exist above the tapered portion 14 and no impurity exist in the tapered region 14. Consequently the tapered portion 14 is unlikely to be influenced by the potential of the gate electrode 16.
However the inventors have found that there is a following problem in the conventional techniques. In the techniques disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-77665, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-258262 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-332254, to introduce an impurity in the tapered portion 14 or to oxidize, a new process must be added. Further in the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-326763, if a fixed potential exists in the insulating film or the interface of the insulating film near the tapered portion 14, an inversion layer is likely to be formed due to the fixed potential. Specifically, the technique has improvement effects however there still is a possibility of a problem for generating the hump in the subthreshold characteristic shown in FIG. 11.

Thin film transistor substrate and method for manufacturing the same


Pharmaceutical formulations of antisense peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers and methods of use for treatment of apicomplexan infections are disclosed. The invention is particularly directed to treatment of Toxoplasma gondii infections.

1. Field of the Invention
Toxoplasma gondii (hereinafter "T. gondii") is an apicomplexan parasite that chronically infects approximately one-third of the world's population. Disease caused by T. gondii, called toxoplasmosis, occurs in some infected persons. For example, when a pregnant woman acquires this infection for the first time during gestation, T. gondii can be transmitted congenitally to her fetus, causing death or severe ocular impairment and brain damage in the fetus. For most such persons infects the retina and/or brain. Recrudescence of the persistent encysted bradyzoites can then cause disease lifelong. Infection in immune compromised persons also may cause severe, life threatening toxoplasmosis. This is a significant medical problem for persons with organ and stem cell transplantation, cancers, immunosuppressive medications and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
The first line treatment of this disease is the combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. While highly effective against tachyzoites, these drugs may cause hematological side effects, other toxicities, and hypersensitivity. Further, no current drugs are effective in eliminating T. gondii bradyzoites in cysts. To cure T. gondii infections definitively, anti-toxoplasma medicines must cross the placenta, enter the retina, traverse the blood brain barrier as well as cyst walls and bradyzoite membranes. They also must cross the host cell membrane, the parasitophorous vacuole, and tachyzoite membranes. Improved drugs with significantly less toxicity, greater efficacy against tachyzoites and encysted bradyzoites, and access to infected tissues are urgently needed.
The general field of the invention is the production and use of pharmaceutical formulations comprised of oligonucleotide analogs, complex phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers, and complex phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers chemically coupled to specifically selected peptide sequences in order to prevent, inhibit, abrogate, mitigate, cure, or otherwise lessen the incidence or severity of disease. In one aspect, the field of the invention is the production and use of pharmaceutical formulations comprised of oligonucleotide analogs, complex phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers, and complex phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers chemically coupled to specifically selected peptide sequences in order to prevent, inhibit, abrogate, mitigate, cure, or otherwise lessen the incidence or severity of infection caused by apicomplexan parasites.
2. Description of Related Art
Antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino olgomers (hereinafter "PMO") have been well studied as promising tools with potential to block ribonucleic acid transcription (Summerton, J; Weller, D (1997); Antisense & Nucleic Acid Drug Development 7 (3): 187-95), and as such have potential value as therapeutics whose purpose is to control protein expression. PMO designed as antibacterial agents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,153 to Iversen et al) and antiviral agents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,105 to Stein et al) have been disclosed. The ability of PMO to pass through cellular membrane structures so as to be available to interact with RNA targets is limited (Summerton, J. E.; (2007) Curr. Top. Med. Chem.; 7, 651-660). It has been shown that certain oligopeptides, in particular cationic oligopeptides, preferably arginine-rich oligopeptides, facilitate transport across membranes (Tzan, et al., (1993); American Journal of Physiology 265, No. 6, Part 1, pp. C1637-C1647). In addition, certain bioactive molecules, such as drugs, can be transported across membranes after chemical conjugation to some cationic oligopeptides (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,961 to Rothbard et al). It was disclosed that the cellular uptake of PMO chemically joined to selected cationic peptides is enhanced relative to the PMO alone (Moulton H, et al. (2004) Bioconjugate Chem 15:290-299). PMO conjugated to peptide (hereinafter "PPMO") having enhanced transport across cell membranes and enhanced antisense binding activity has been disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,418 to Iversen et al). U.S. Pat. No. 8,067,571 to Weller et al disclosed PPMO with enhanced transport across cell membranes along with enhanced antibacterial activity and antisense binding activity. PPMO demonstrating enhanced transport across cell membranes along with enhanced antiviral activity and antisense binding activity was disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 8,084,433 to Iversen et al). PMO or PPMO with oligonucleotide analog structures specifically engineered to interrupt RNA activity of apicomplexan parasites have not been reported. PMO or PPMO with oligonucleotides analog structures specifically engineered to identify, recognize, define, or validate molecular structures within or expressed by T. gondii have not been reported.
All citations are specifically incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Conjugate constructs, delivery, and use for treatment of disease


The present invention relates to a ferrocene-based fire extinguishing composition. The ferrocene-based fire extinguishing composition comprises ferrocene, a ferrocene derivative, or a combination thereof at a content of 25 mass % or more; when in use, a pyrotechnic agent is used as a heat source and a power source, the pyrotechnic agent is ignited, and the high temperature generated by the combustion of the pyrotechnic agent is utilized to make a fire extinguishing composition produce a large amount of fire extinguishing substance, which is sprayed out together with the pyrotechnic agent, so as to achieve the purpose of extinguishing a fire. Compared with a conventional fire extinguishing composition, a more efficient and safer fire extinguishing composition is provided.

Since Canada Montreal Protocol (1987) presented a specific objective to replace halon fire extinguishing agent, countries around the world are committed to the research of new fire extinguishing technology. The direction of people's efforts is to acquire a fire extinguishing technology that has a high fire extinguishing efficiency and is free of contamination to the environment.
As being environment friendly, gas extinguishing systems, dry powder extinguishing systems and water-based extinguishing systems have been widely used as alternatives for halon fire extinguishing agent. Extinguishing systems of inert gases such as carbon dioxide, IG541, etc. physically extinguish fire due to suffocation by lowering the oxygen concentration of firing area. This fire extinguishing mode easily poses a threat to the personal safety. The dry powder tire extinguishing system ejects powder under a pressurized gas so that the powder contacts with the flame and extinguishes the flame due to physical and chemical inhibition action. Water spraying fire extinguishing system plays a triple role, cooling, suffocation and isolating thermal radiation by water mist, to control fires, suppress fires and extinguish fires.
However, all of these fire extinguishing systems require high pressure storage in addition to large volume, so there is a risk of physical explosion during storage. A document "Security Analysis of Gas Fire Extinguishing System" (Fire Protection Science and Technology 2002 21 (5)) gives analysis of risks existing in the gas fire extinguishing system and lists security accidents triggered by the use of the stored pressure gas extinguishing system.
Data shows that foreign research institutions have conducted much research to look for fire extinguishing substances. The next generation of fire extinguishing technology project team (NGP) of the Building and Fire Research Centre of National Institute of Standards and Technology of America has done much experimental research work in finding novel fire extinguishing substances in replacement for halon. In the study, they found that ferrocene was a fire extinguishing substance with very strong fire extinguishing capability. Ferrocene was heated with high temperature nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or CF3H as a carrier gas and was sublimated to gas. Fire extinguishing test was carried out by applying the carrier gas together with the ferrocene vapor on a flame. It was found that addition of ferrocene can significantly reduce the extinguishing concentration of the carrier gas, thus proving that ferrocene has a very strong flame suppressing capability (Halon Options Technical Working Conference 2-4 May 2000, Flame Inhibition by ferrocene, alone and with CO2 and CF3H; Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Volume 28, 2000/pp 965-2972, Flame inhibition by ferrocene and blends of inert and catalytic agents; Flame inhibition by ferrocene, Carbon Dioxide, and Trifluotomethane Blends Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects).
Henan Polytechnic University has also conducted research on ferrocene flame suppression and published relevant articles, such as Study of Characteristics of Heat Release Rate of Pool Fire under Action of Ferrocene, Journal of Henan Polytechnic University, 2008, Vol. 27, No. 6, Study of Characteristics of the Extinguishment of Alcohol Fire, Journal of China University of Mining Technology; 2008, Vol. 37, No. 2, Analysis of Effectiveness of Gas-phase Ferrocene in Suppressing Pool Fire, Journal of Safety and Environment, 2008, Vol. 8, No. 2, Experimental Research of Gas-phase Ferrocene in Suppressing Alcohol Pool Fire, Thermal Science and Technology, 2007, Vol. 6, No. 3, Development of a Ferrocene Fire extinguishing Experimental Platform and Experimental Study on Fire extinguishing Effectiveness, Fire Science, 2007, Vol. 16, No. 2. Further, a patent CN101327364A discloses a ferrocene fire extinguishing experiment system.
However, these studies on the extinguishing performance of ferrocene were only built on the basis of laboratory research but not put into practical application. Though a patent CN 1238226A discloses a novel aerosol fire extinguishing agent in which ferrocene is employed in the formulation of the aerosol fire extinguishing agent, ferrocene is used as a catalyst, and its flame-inhibition property is not used.
Existing aerosol fire extinguishing agents mainly include S-type and K-type fire extinguishing agents. In view of a comprehensive analysis of their performance characteristics, aerosol fire extinguishing agents mainly have the following shortcomings: owing to the occurrence of redox reaction of the fire extinguishing agent, a large quantity of gas and active particles are generated, and thereby aerosol fire extinguishing agents achieve the purpose of fire extinguishing by means of the combination of chemical and physical methods through the chain scission reaction of the active particles and coverage and suffocation by the large quantity of gas. The aerosol fire extinguishing agent undergoes combustion reaction and releases a large quantity of heat whiling releasing aerosol. Thus, it is necessary to add a cooling system to effectively decrease the temperature of the device and the aerosol and to avoid secondary fires. As a result, the device structure is complex and bulky, and the process is complicated and has a high cost. Moreover, lots of active particles lose activity due to the presence of the cooling system, resulting in greatly reduced extinguishing performance.

Ferrocene-based fire extinguishing composition

Xi'An J&R Fire Fighting Equipment Co., Ltd.


.alpha.-Heterocyclic ethanolamino alkylindole derivatives and compositions made therefrom are potent .beta.-agonists having utility as growth promotion agents for animals, bronchodilators, antidepressants and antiobesity agents.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,455 to Atkinson et al. there are disclosed certain aralkyl amino ethanol heterocylic compounds wherein the amino substituent is a phenyl alkyl group optionally substituted with various groups.
In E.P.O. 0,244,728 to Bayer there are disclosed amino alkyl pyridines wherein the amino substituents may be alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or heterocycle.

Novel .beta.-adrenergic agonists and pharmaceutical compositions thereof


Provided is a valve timing control apparatus that allows relaxation of manufacturing precision of a driving-side rotary member and a driven-side rotary member and that achieves space saving at the same time. An urging member includes at least one trough-folded portion and at least one crest-folded portion, one end side contact portion formed between one terminal end of the urging member and the trough-folded portion and coming into contact with a sealing element, and other end side contact portion formed between the other terminal end of the urging member and the crest-folded portion and coming into contact with a partitioning portion. In association with urging of the urging member, the distance between the one end side contact portion and the other end side contact portion along the urging direction is decreased and the angles of the trough-folded portion and the crest-folded portion are decreased.

With this type of valve timing control apparatus, in order to prevent leakage of work fluid between an advance angle chamber and a retard angle chamber, an urging member is disposed at a position of the partitioning portion that faces the driving-side rotary member or the driven-side rotary member or at a position of the driving-side rotary member or the driven-side rotary member that faces the partitioning portion. In this, according to the convention, the valve timing control apparatus would be formed compact for the sake of saving the space for the urging member.
Conventionally, as an urging member that allows space saving, PTL 1 discloses an arrangement wherein the partitioning portion is comprised of a vane disposed in a vane groove of the driven-side rotary member and the urging member is comprised of an arch-shaped plate spring, with an intermediate portion of the urging member being placed in contact with the driven-side rotary member, the opposed end portions of the urging member being placed in contact with the vane.
Further, PTL 2 discloses an arrangement wherein the partitioning portion is comprised of a projecting portion projecting from the driving-side rotary member and the driven-side rotary member and the urging member is comprised of an arch-shaped plate spring, with an intermediate portion of the urging member being placed in contact with the partitioning portion, the opposed end portions of the urging member being placed in contact with a sealing element.


A system includes a radiation sensor configured to direct a field of view toward at least one conduit along a fluid flow path into a heat exchanger. The radiation sensor is configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of the at least one conduit. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the radiation sensor. The controller is configured to determine the temperature based on the signal, to compare the temperature to a threshold range, and to adjust a fluid flow through the fluid flow path or the at least one conduit if the temperature deviates from the threshold range.

The disclosed subject matter relates to a thermal control system for fault detection and mitigation within a power generation system.
Certain power generation systems include a gas turbine engine configured to combust a mixture of fuel and compressed air to produce hot combustion gases. The combustion gases may flow through a turbine to generate power for a load, such as an electric generator. To enhance efficiency, certain power generation systems employ a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to capture energy from the hot combustion gases exhausted from the turbine. In general, HRSGs convey a fluid, such as water, through multiple conduits in a direction crosswise (e.g., substantially perpendicular) to the flow of exhaust gas. As the exhaust gas flows across the conduits, heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the water, thereby producing steam. The steam is then directed through a steam turbine to generate rotational motion, thereby driving a load, such as an electric generator. Certain HRSGs include conduits having fins configured to increase heat transfer between the exhaust gas and the water flow through the conduits. Unfortunately, separation of the fins from the conduits may decrease HRSG efficiency. In addition, if a portion of the exhaust flow is warmer than desired, certain conduits may experience excessive steam pressure, thereby resulting in premature wear of certain HRSG components.
Furthermore, certain power generation systems include a switchgear configured to regulate operation of various electrical systems, such as electrical output from the generators and/or an electrical starter motor for the gas turbine engine. Due to the high voltage and amperage passing through the switchgear, the switchgear is typically scanned with an infrared camera prior to activation of the power generation system. For example, a technician may open each electrical enclosure of the switchgear, and then direct the infrared camera toward an interior of each enclosure to ensure that the temperature is within a desired limit. Because an excessive temperature may be indicative of an electrical short or a loose connection within the switchgear, corrective action may be taken if an excessive temperature is detected. Unfortunately, the process of manually scanning the switchgear is expensive and time-consuming, thereby increasing the operational costs of the power generation system.
In addition, certain power generation systems include a generator step-up transformer (GSU) to increase the generator voltage to a desired level for power transmission. The GSU is electrically coupled to the generator via an electrical connection, such as an isolated phase bus. In general, the isolated phase bus includes three electrical conduits configured to individually transfer each phase of the three-phase power output by the generator to the GSU. Each electrical conduit of the isolated phase bus typically includes an electrical conductor assembly disposed within an enclosure. The electrical conductor assembly is electrically isolated from the enclosure by a series of insulators which also serve to support the electrical conductor assembly within the enclosure. The electrical conductor assembly includes a series of conductors coupled to one another by fasteners, for example. As will be appreciated, the electrical conductors may separate from one another over time, thereby generating heat at the junction between conductors. Consequently, the power transfer efficiency of the isolated phase bus may be substantially reduced, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the power generation system.

Thermal control system for fault detection and mitigation within a power generation system


The presently disclosed subject matter generally relates to environmentally friendly asphalt binder additive.

Asphalt sealants are commonly employed to address cracks in asphalt. Asphalt sealants typically comprising asphalt binder, but such use may be unsustainable due to fluctuations in availability. Crumb rubber, which is readily available and more environmentally friendly, has been incorporated with asphalt binder to form a modified asphalt sealant, and has been shown to improve asphalt binder performance and durability.
The application of crumb rubber from scrap tire in asphalt industry has been shown to extend service life, reduce noise levels, improve, thermal properties and skid resistance, as well as provide a safe method for recycling scrap tire, however, challenges associated with the workability of crumb rubber, e.g. segregation, have limited its application. Segregation is the result of a high settling rate of crumb rubber in modified asphalt. Rubber particle size, the density differences between rubber and asphalt binder, and swelling of rubber particles all contribute to segregation. The polymeric structure of rubber mostly comprises vulcanized rubber, wherein rubber molecules are crosslinked via sulfur bonds; vulcanized rubber has particular challenges regarding inadequate dispersion and incompatibility with asphalt binders. Physical techniques to modify rubber surface, including plasma polymerization, plasma chlorination, ultraviolet radiation, ozone treatment, and corona discharge have been used to try to address the crosslinking of rubber. Chemical treatments, which can help avoid the excessive disintegration of rubber structure common to physical techniques, have included derivatization with acrylic acid or bis (2-hydroxy ethylene) terephthalamide. However, use of crumb rubber has specific challenges, including, but not limited to: reduced workability associated with large size of swollen rubber particles; lack of compatibility with asphalt matrix which promotes segregation; and difficulty in pumping.
Accordingly there is a need for a composition that includes asphalt binder and crumb rubber that does not suffer from these limitations.

Environmentally friendly asphalt binder additive

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University