Provided is an electrolyte additive including a salt of an anion represented by Chemical Formula 1 below, with Cs+ or Rb+:

In accordance with the recent development of the information and communication industry, electronic devices are becoming smaller, lighter, thinner, and more portable. As a result, there is a growing demand for high energy densification of batteries used as power sources for these electronic devices. As lithium secondary batteries are best able to meet these demands, research thereon is being actively conducted.
Lithium secondary batteries include a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte providing a pathway for the movement of lithium ions between the cathode and the anode, and a separator. Electrical energy is generated by oxidation and reduction reactions when lithium ions are intercalated and de-intercalated in the cathode and anode.
Lithium secondary batteries have an average discharge voltage of about 3.6 to 3.7 V, presenting an advantage in that the discharge voltage thereof is higher than other alkaline batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries. In order to achieve such a high driving voltage, an electrolyte composition which is electrochemically stable at a charge-discharge voltage range of 0 to 4.2V is required.
At the time of initial charging of a lithium secondary battery, lithium ions generated from a cathode active material such as a lithium metal oxide, or the like, migrate to an anode active material such as a graphite-based material, or the like, and are intercalated between layers of the anode active material. Herein, since lithium is highly reactive, it reacts with an electrolyte and carbon the composing the anode active material on the surface of the anode active material (such as a graphite-based material), thereby resulting in the production of a compound such as Li2CO3, Li2O, or LiOH. These compounds form a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film on the surface of the anode active material.
The SEI film acts as an ion tunnel and allows only lithium ions to pass through. Since the SEI film has the effect of an ion tunnel, an organic solvent molecule with a high molecular weight moving together with the lithium ions in the electrolyte is inserted between the layers of the anode active material to prevent the anode structure from being destroyed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent contact between the electrolyte and the anode active material, and thus degradation of the electrolyte does not occur and the amount of lithium ions in the electrolyte is reversibly maintained, thereby enabling the charge/discharge to be maintained stably.
In the related art, it is difficult to expect to achieve an improvement in the lifetime characteristics if lithium ion secondary batteries since an uneven SEI film is formed in the case of employing an electrolyte that does not contain an electrolyte additive or an electrolyte that contains an electrolyte additive with poor characteristics. Further, even when the electrolyte includes an electrolyte additive, if the amount of the electrolyte additive is not able to be adjusted to a required amount, problems have been encountered in which the electrolyte additive causes degradation of a cathode surface or an oxidation reaction of the electrolyte during high temperature or high voltage reactions, ultimately resulting in an increase of the irreversible capacity loss of the secondary battery, with deterioration of the lifetime characteristics.

Electrolyte additive and lithium secondary battery comprising the same

Abstract: wherein A is O or S, and R1 and R2 are each independently a C1-C10 alkyl group in which all or some of the hydrogen atoms are substituted with halogen atoms.


A liquid ejection method includes outputting liquid ejection data and a first clock signal. The liquid ejection data is associated with nozzle groups having plural nozzles arranged in a predetermined order. The liquid ejection data is taken successively to a second shift register in synchronization with the first clock signal. The liquid ejection data is latched, in synchronization with the first clock signal after the predetermined number of the liquid ejection data has been taken into the second shift register. Subsequently, the latched liquid ejection data is sent to a first shift register corresponding to the respective nozzle groups, in synchronization with a second clock signal generated from the first clock signal. The method includes driving an element based on the liquid ejection data that has been taken into the first shift register.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to liquid ejection methods, computer-readable media, liquid ejection apparatuses, and liquid ejection systems.
2. Related Art
Inkjet printers are known as an example of liquid ejection apparatuses that eject droplets of a liquid. Inkjet printers carry out printing by ejecting ink from nozzles according to print data while moving a carriage, which is equipped with nozzle groups having a plurality of nozzles provided with elements for ejecting liquid, in a predetermined direction. In these inkjet printers, a drive section for receiving print data and driving the elements is provided for each nozzle group and ordinarily each of these drive sections is made of a single integrated circuit and mounted on the carriage in the same number as there are nozzle groups.
A controller that inputs the print data to the drive sections is fixed to a main unit area of the printer, and the controller and each of the drive sections are connected by a cable such as an FFC having core wires provided corresponding to the drive sections. Thus, the print data is sent to each of the drive sections as serial data.
That is to say, the print data is inputted from the controller to the drive sections via the cable, and printing is carried out by ejecting ink from the nozzles according to the print data that is inputted to the drive sections while the carriage equipped with the plurality of nozzle groups is moved in the predetermined direction.
The number of nozzle groups provided in inkjet printers has increased in recent years to support increased image quality of an image and faster printing speeds. Accordingly, the number of core wires in the cable connecting the controller and the drive sections has increased, thereby making the cable width wider which contributes to increased printer size, and increasing the burden on the carriage due to cable bending, so that it has become more difficult to move the carriage smoothly. Accordingly, thought has been given to transferring the print data that is to be inputted to the plurality of drive sections as serial multiplexed data from the controller to the drive sections using a single core wire (see JP 2001-232774A).
However, when transferring the print data which corresponds to a plurality of nozzle groups, as serial multiplexed data from the controller to the drive sections using a single core wire, there is a risk that the print data will deteriorate or that unnecessary data will be taken in due to such factors as the timing for converting the serial multiplexed data to serial data for each drive section.

Liquid ejection method, computer-readable medium, liquid ejection apparatus, and liquid ejection system


A multilayer interconnection structure that offers a fast semiconductor operation is realized by employing copper wiring, electro migration of which is prevented from occurring by providing a via plug that includes a layer of a high melting-point metal, such as tungsten.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly relates to the semiconductor device that has multilayer interconnection structure, and the manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Miniaturization of wiring design rule of semiconductor devices is progressing with rapid development of ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology. The number of elements that should be integrated is increasing, and wiring is becoming complicated by the large scale integration. Multilayer interconnection attracts attention in order to cope with this situation.
In the multilayer interconnection, however, delay due to complicated wiring is a concern, and Cu wiring is attracting attention because of a low resistance value, especially in wiring of logic LSIs.
FIG. 1 is a figure explaining wiring structure of a conventional semiconductor device.
With reference to FIG. 1, a silicon dioxide (SiO2) film 11 is formed as an inter-layer film in a device (not shown) formed on a semiconductor substrate 10. On the SiO2 film 11, Cu wiring 15 is formed as lower layer wiring through a barrier metal layer 13 that is made of a material such as tantalum nitride and tantalum.
Further, an SiO2 film 17 is formed on the SiO2 film 11, as an inter-layer film, wrapping the Cu wiring 15. A via plug 21 is formed such that the SiO2 film 17 is penetrated and the Cu wiring 15 is touched through a barrier metal layer 19 that is made of a material such as tantalum nitride and tantalum.
Further, on SiO2 film 17, Cu wiring 23 serving as upper wiring is formed contiguously with the via plug 21 that touches the Cu wiring 15 through the barrier metal layer 19 that is made of a material such as tantalum nitride and tantalum. Further, on the SiO2 film 17, an SiO2 film 25 is formed, contacting with the barrier metal layer 19.
For example, when current flows from the Cu wiring 23 to the Cu wiring 15 through the via plug 21, an electron flows from the Cu wiring 15 to the Cu wiring 23 through the via plug 21.
At this time, the copper atom in the via plug 21 tends to move toward the direction of the Cu wiring 23, like electron flow, according to an electro migration phenomenon. Consequently, a void occurs on the side of the Cu wiring 15 of the via plug 21, due to the copper atom in the via plug 21 moving.
In conventional aluminum (Al) wiring used in logic LSI wiring, tungsten (W) has been used for the via plug. Developments have been made such that the migration of aluminum is suppressed, life distribution of aluminum wiring is suppressed, and high reliability is available.
Recently, in consideration of high-speed processing, practices are shifting to use Cu wiring that has a lower electric resistance than aluminum wiring. As for the Cu wiring, dual damascene processing is being established. All elements of a lamination, wiring—via plug—wiring, are made of Cu. Since the atomic weight of Cu is larger than aluminum, Cu is more resistive against electro migration. However, local current concentration still arises to a via plug in the Cu wiring laminated structure that is miniaturized, causing a poor wiring by a void generated as explained above.
Since the lower resistance of the Cu wiring is a highly desirable matter, wiring structure that can suppress the electro migration of Cu is desired, with attention paid to structure of the via plug.

Semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof


Modular building panels having foam cores protected by metal skins are releasably interconnected in edge-to-edge relation to one another. The interconnection is accomplished by bending the metal skins that protect the top and bottom surfaces of the core into complementary shapes so that contiguous panels are snap fit together when the bent metal skins are interlocked with one another. In some embodiments, the cores are grooved and the flexibility of the interlocking members is increased by decreasing the depth of the grooves and the flexibility is decreased by increasing the depths of those grooves because decreasing the groove depth provides less support for the interlocking members and allows them to displace more during the interlocking procedure and increasing the depth increases the support and thus limits their movement. The interconnecting members are flexible and resilient so that they re-assume their initial positions of repose after being transiently displaced from such positions during the interlocking procedure. The configuration of the interlocking members aligns the skins with respect to the cores during the adhesive curing process and shields caulking compound from sunlight when the panel edges are joined to one another.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to modular cabana panels of the type having metal skins that cover the top and bottom surfaces of an expanded polystyrene core. More particularly, it relates to snap lock designs that facilitate the construction of a roof or wall with said panels.
2. Description of the prior art
Roofs or walls made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) modular panels are popular in the construction industry because they insulate well, are light in weight, and are easy to install because of their modular form.
EPS is a soft, easily damaged material. Accordingly, the top and bottom surfaces of the EPS core are usually covered by a thin skin of sheet metal; the sheet metal is bonded to the core by a suitable adhesive means. The metal sheets protect the core from abrasion and, advantageously, contiguous edges thereof may be bent into complementally interlocking forms to provide a means for interlocking abutting edges of the panels.
In many designs, the edges of the EPS core are also sculpted to provide supplemental interlocking means. In those designs, a groove may be formed in the edge of one panel and a corresponding tongue may be formed in the edge of an abutting panel. Thus, in a typical roof made of interlocked modular panels of the metal skin-covered EPS type, both the abutting foam cores and the contiguous metal skins are interlocked with one another.
All of the designs are intended to facilitate the interlocking of the panels at the time the roof is laid down, and to provide as near a seamless fit as possible to inhibit to the greatest extent possible the intrusion of moisture into the space between the panels. However, most contractors use a caulking compound to seal the seam between the panels, regardless of how tightly fit together the contiguous interlocking panels are believed to be.
Caulking compound, however, does a poor job of sealing deep, narrow cracks, and rapidly deteriorates when exposed to sunlight. In the panel installations heretofore known, the caulking compound is used to seal such cracks and is exposed to sunlight; thus, the sealing is often ineffective. Thus there is a need for a panel interlocking design that does not create narrow, deep cracks and which shields the caulking compound from sunlight.
Another problem in the industry stems from the method used to adhere the metal skins to the foam cores; after adhesive is applied to the core, means are employed to press the metal skins thereagainst while the adhesive cures. Due to the viscosity of the adhesive, there is a low coefficient of friction between the skins and the cores; thus, the skins slip easily and it is difficult to maintain the desired alignment between skin and core. Numerous anti-slipping devices have been created to deal with this problem, but the most common technique is to place a straight board on the edge of the foam and to align the metal skin against it. This involves means for holding the board as well; the technique works, but it adds expense to the panel manufacturing process.
Accordingly, there is also a need for a panel design that facilitates the step of gluing the skins to the core by eliminating the need to employ alignment tools during the adhesion process.
Despite the many attempts heretofore made, there also remains a need for an interlocking panel construction that is easy to lock and which inhibits moisture penetration. More particularly, there remains a need for an interlocking panel design that is structurally simple so that it can be mass produced at low cost yet which is durable and effective.
There is also a need for a versatile design that is easily modified to produce: 1) a very stiff, almost inflexible interconnection means so that the panels are snap fit together only when considerable force is used; 2) a very flexible interconnection means so that the panels are snap fit together when a very light force is used; and 3) an infinite number of interconnection means of varying degrees of flexibility therebetween.
The prior art, considered as a whole, neither teaches nor suggests to those of ordinary skill how the needed cabana panels could be provided.

Cabana panels having adjustable-strength interlocking means


A switching valve, in particular for controlling a fluid subject to high pressure is described. The switching valve has at least one valve unit, which includes a valve seat element and a switching element guided movably in a guide element, wherein the valve seat element and the switching element interact to provide a switching valve function. The valve seat element and the guide element are provided in a housing. The valve seat element, the guide element and the housing form a through flow channel for the fluid to be controlled. An elastically and/or plastically deformable sealing body is provided in a fully enclosed space between the inner wall of the housing and the outer walls of the valve seat element and of the guide element. The sealing body can be subject to a predetermined pressure to seal off the through flow channel from the housing and subject the valve seat element and the guide element to an inward-directed preload.

In liquid chromatography, especially in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), substances are separated by being flushed through a chromatography column at high pressure with the aid of a solvent. To produce the liquid flow required for this purpose, there is a need for pumps capable of continuously supplying what is usually a very low, constant flow rate at high pressure. In order to achieve more rapid separation or separation with better resolution in HPLC, ever higher pressures have been used in recent years.
To produce the liquid pressure, piston pumps are usually used in HPLC. These pumps generally employ passive check valves at the inlet and at the outlet, these valves usually being designed as ball valves. Check valves of this kind switch from a CLOSED state to an OPEN state and vice versa in accordance with the direction of the applied pressure difference of the fluid flow to be controlled, said difference being applied across the valve (or the switching element concerned), or in accordance with the direction of the fluid flow through the through flow channel of the valve. The valves each contain a valve seat, a switching element designed as a ball and a guide element for guiding the switching movement of the switching element. The valve seat element and the switching element must each consist of a very hard and yet tough material in order to allow a sufficiently high surface pressure in the CLOSED state for the high pressures to be controlled. The switching element designed as a ball often consists of ruby and the valve seat often consists of sapphire. However, ceramic materials, such as AlO2 or ZrO2, are also suitable for producing these elements, for example. These materials have the advantage that they are very hard and strong in compression. This is necessary because extremely high pressures occur locally in the region of the sealing surface, i.e. the contact surface between the valve seat element and the switching element, and these can amount to a multiple of the liquid pressure.
In order to increase the reliability of a check valve of this kind, two (or even more) full valves or valve units arranged in a common housing can be connected in series to form a dual check valve. For correct operation, it is therefore sufficient if one of the two valves or one of the two valve units is still intact, in particular leaktight in the CLOSED state.
For correct operation of a check valve, it is necessary to seal off the elements of a valve unit, in particular, the valve seat element and the switching element guided movably in a guide element, in such a way that no liquid can pass through the check valve or the valve unit concerned in the CLOSED state due to leaks. For this purpose, the individual components of the valve must be sealed off relative to one another and relative to the housing accommodating them. This sealing must withstand alternating loads up to the maximum pressure of the pump on a sustained basis.
Ruby, sapphire and ceramic are very strong in compression but withstand only a relatively low tensile stress. Since the valve seat element and also the guide element for the switching element generally have a (usually axial) opening for the passage of the fluid flow to be controlled and, consequently, the fluid pressure acts on the inner walls of said elements, (primarily azimuthal or tangential) tensile stresses arise during a deformation of the walls of said elements, possibly leading to fracture of the material. The pressure of the ball on the valve seat, which is formed by a switching element or ball contact surface extending obliquely to the axis of the through opening for the fluid, can also lead to fracture of the seat element due to the resulting (predominantly azimuthal) tensile stresses.
In known check valves, there are various known possibilities for sealing off the components relative to one another and relative to the housing (in other words for sealing off the through flow channel defined by the components).
In general, all the components of a valve unit, in particular the valve seat element and the guide element together with the switching element accommodated therein, are installed in a metal sleeve. Caps made of PEEK are used at the two ends of the sleeve in order to seal off the entire unit. It is also possible for two valve units to be arranged in the metal sleeve and, in this case, the use of a further, thin sealing washer made of PEEK between the two valve units of the dual check valve is known. This design is reliable up to pressures of about 1000 bar. At higher pressures, however, there is the problem that the caps are subject to excessive plastic deformation in continuous use and begin to leak over time.
Another possibility is to use thin PEEK washers or metal washers at the ends as well, as is the case with the valves illustrated in EP 1 514 027 B1. However, only sealing at the ends is possible with such washers, and this requires a complex design in the case of a dual ball valve. Moreover, high demands are made of the quality and structure of the surface. In EP 1 514 027 B1, for example, concentric grooves are proposed.
For the problem of the limited stability of the seat and the guide element due to the occurrence of tensile stresses, one known practice is to make the contact surface between the valve seat and the guide element for the ball with a controlled leakage in order to allow a pressure equalization between the inside and the outside. The sealing between the two individual valves of the dual ball valve must then be such that this region is also leaktight with respect to the sleeve.
Another known practice is to press fit the valve seat elements into a metal ring and thereby subject them to a radially inward load. The disadvantage of this variant consists in the additional production outlay associated therewith.
Finally, there is the possibility of producing the guide element for the switching element, not from ceramic, but from stainless steel, which has a higher tensile strength. However, the stability problem of the valve seat element cannot be solved in this way since stainless steel is not a suitable material for the valve seat (or for the switching element).
U.S. 2011/0094954 A1 discloses the practice of making the valve seats conical at the outer circumference and preloading them in the axial direction by means of complementary mating parts. A preload with a radially inward component is thereby also produced, and this is capable of absorbing some of the expansion of the annular seat element caused by the fluid pressure. However, this variant requires an increased production outlay and an increased number of components with complex contours, especially in the case of a dual ball valve.

Switching valve to control a fluid subject to high pressure


A multi-enabled clock gating circuit reduces clock enable setup time. In one example, the multi-enabled clock gating circuit comprises an OAI logic gate and a clock enable control circuit. The OAI logic gate is configured to generate a gated clock signal by inverting an input clock signal responsive to one of a timing-sensitive clock enable signal and a timing-insensitive clock enable signal being active. The clock enable control circuit is configured to prevent the OAI logic gate from receiving the timing-insensitive clock enable signal responsive to the timing-sensitive clock enable signal being active. In one or more embodiments, a multi-enabled clock gating circuit having reduced clock enable setup time may be included in an integrated circuit for implementing clock gating during different operating modes of the integrated circuit.

Clock-gating is a widely adopted technique for deactivating particular resources within an integrated circuit (IC). A clock gating circuit deactivates an IC resource by gating a clock signal provided to the resource. In response to an active clock enable signal, the clock gating circuit passes the clock signal to a target resource. Conversely, the clock gating circuit inhibits or blocks the clock signal from reaching the target resource when the clock enable signal is inactive.
In some cases, a clock gating circuit receives more than one clock enable signal. Each clock enable signal facilitates clock gating during a particular application. For example, one clock enable signal gates functional clocking of an IC resource during normal operation of the IC and a different clock enable signal gates test clocking of the IC resource during testing of the IC. Conventional multi-enabled clock gating circuits include a clock enable selection mechanism such as a multiplexer or other combinatorial logic. The clock enable selection mechanism selects one of a plurality of clock enable signals for activating clock gating during a particular application.
However, conventional multi-enabled clock gating circuits, particularly the clock enable selection mechanisms thereof, add delay to the clock enable signal paths. Conventional clock enable selection mechanisms subject clock enable signals to additional signal propagation delay not experienced by the internal clock signal to be gated. That is, the clock enable signals are processed by the clock enable selection mechanism before gating the internal clock signal. Unlike the clock enable signals, the clock signal to be gated does not propagate through the clock enable selection mechanism, and thus, is not subjected to the corresponding additional delay.
The additional delay incurred by the clock enable signals increases the setup time associated with the signals. That is, the clock enable signals should arrive at the clock gating circuit sufficiently in advance of the clock signal to be gated. Otherwise, the gated clock signal will be skewed. Circuits downstream from the clock gating circuit may function unpredictably in response to a skewed clock signal. Clock-gating induced skew can be reduced by increasing setup time associated with the clock enable signals. However, increased setup time adversely affects IC performance, i.e., the maximum attainable operating frequency of the IC is decreased. This is of particular concern for clock enable signals that gate functional clocking of an IC resource during normal operation of the IC.

Method and apparatus for reducing clock enable setup time in a multi-enabled clock gating circuit


A mixture of flat soft magnetic powder and an organic binding agent is rolled by mutually confronting of rolls so as to produce a composite magnetic sheet excellent in electromagnetic wave absorption characteristic. A plurality of the composite magnetic sheets are stacked by forming groove surfaces on each of said plurality of sheets and rolled to a desired thickness. By sandwiching a conductive mesh metal layer between two of said composite magnetic sheets and joining them by applying rolling pressure thereto, a mechanically strong electromagnetic interference suppressing sheet can be easily obtained. In order to reduce reflection and transmittance of electromagnetic waves of the composite magnetic sheet, embossing is applied to obverse and reverse surfaces of the composite magnetic sheet.

An electromagnetic interference suppressing body is used for suppressing electromagnetic interference caused by interference of undesired electromagnetic waves.
Conventionally, for blocking invasion of the external undesired electromagnetic waves into an electronic device, shielding of the electronic device by a conductor has been carried out. However, since the blocking of the electromagnetic waves by the conductor aims to reflect the electromagnetic waves, radiant waves from a certain component within the electronic device may be reflected to adversely affect other components in the same electronic device as secondary noise. Particularly, following reduction in size and increase in working frequency of electronic devices in recent years, problems of the interference due to the external electromagnetic waves and the secondary noise due to the internal electromagnetic waves are serious.
JP-A-7-212079 discloses a composite magnetic body which can suppress interference of undesired electromagnetic waves utilizing absorption of highfrequency waves due to a complex permeability of a soft magnetic body of a certain kind. This composite magnetic body is constituted of a composite magnetic sheet formed by mixing soft magnetic powder into an organic binding agent.
The sheet of the composite magnetic body may be used as it is. On the other hand, by forming a structure stacked with a conductive sheet, the coming electromagnetic waves are absorbed by the composite magnetic sheet and the electromagnetic waves passing through the composite magnetic sheet are reflected by the conductive sheet into the composite magnetic sheet, so as to suppress the interference of the undesired electromagnetic waves.
Such an electromagnetic interference suppressing body is disposed, for example, on the surface of an electronic device or around an electronic component in the electronic device which is liable to be adversely affected by external electromagnetic waves. Alternatively, it maybe used for positioning it between two printed circuit boards each having mounted thereon with electronic components confronting each other with a space therebetween.
Incidentally, the foregoing composite magnetic sheet has been produced by hot pressing a kneaded slurry material in the form of soft magnetic powder and an organic binding agent suspended and dispersed in an organic solvent.
A drawback with this method is that when the composite magnetic sheets are produced by the hot pressing, entrainment of the air into the composite magnetic sheets occurs, whereby the yield of acceptable composite magnetic sheets is adversely affected.
Further, since the method of hot pressing is a batch process, it is unsuitable for the mass production.
On the other hand, an absorption capacity of undesired electromagnetic waves of the composite magnetic body is determined by a thickness thereof assuming that a material to be used is the same.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide method which for the mass production of composite magnetic sheets of a required thickness.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a composite magnetic sheet of high-quality with less entrained air.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a composite magnetic sheet which, in view of the shape thereof, reduces reflected components and transmitting components and improves the absorption rate of electromagnetic waves.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing an electromagnetic interference suppressing sheet having a stacked structure of composite magnetic sheets and a conductor layer resistant to mechanical exfoliation.

Method of manufacturing composite magnetic sheet


Embodiments of the inventive technology relate generally to item support apparatus. Although a focus of the inventive technology may, in some embodiments, be on support of musical related items such as musical instruments, keyboards, and sound speakers, the scope of the inventive technology and its applicability is not necessarily limited as such. In various embodiments, certain inventive technology provides enhanced functionality (e.g., stand adjustability), robust and simplified design (e.g., as may be found in a retention augmented item stand), enhanced performance (as may be found in a telescoping tube lock apparatus), and an ability to more easily control the elevation and lowering of heavy, stand supported items such as speakers.

The desire to reliably support items has been well known for years. Particular attention has focused on the support of musical instruments, and other musical items, because of their delicate nature and vulnerability to damage, among other reasons. However, despite this attention, there still are deficiencies in existing, conventionally used designs. Such deficiencies may include, but are certainly not limited to, inefficiencies accompanying the loss of musician preferred settings (e.g., a preferred height) upon apparatus breakdown (e.g., the breakdown of a keyboard stand after a show), limited adjustability of apparatus (e.g., the limited adjustability of conventional keyboard stands), "untidy", cluttered power cables organization (or lack thereof), unnecessarily high risk of item damage during use thereof (e.g., keyboard slippage off a support), unnecessary complexity of design (e.g., as seen in conventional guitar stands featuring retainers on a support yoke), stands (e.g., microphone stands) of sub-optimal strength, unable to support a downward weight applied by, e.g., a gesturing singer, and a complete absence of any apparatus that assist in and seek to facilitate the awkward and difficult raising or lowering of stand supported speakers. Indeed, embodiments of the inventive technology seek to resolve, or at least mitigate, one or more of these problems.


A system includes determination of a first tree comprising a first hierarchy of nodes and a second tree comprising a second hierarchy of nodes, determination of first subtrees of the first tree which are identical to first subtrees of the second tree, generation of a first mapping between nodes of the first subtrees of the first tree and nodes of the first subtrees of the second tree, generation of a first feature vector for each of second subtrees of the first tree, insertion of the first feature vectors into an index structure, generation of a second feature vector for each of second subtrees of the second tree, and generation of a second mapping between nodes of second subtrees of the first tree and nodes of the second subtrees of the second tree based on the second feature vectors and the index structure.

Many business operations feature hierarchical data. For example, business users need to manage human resource (HR) hierarchies, which model the relationship between employees. When hierarchical data changes or versions of a data item are independently modified, it is useful to compute the differences between the old and new hierarchical data in order to reconcile or display the changes. The changes are often expressed as a so-called edit script: a compact sequence of operations that transforms one tree of hierarchical data into another. A sequence of edit scripts may therefore represent the version history of given hierarchical data.

Determination of differences in hierarchical data


A reducer of an electric power steering apparatus is disclosed. It reduces rattle noise generated by a backlash due to friction and wear of a worm and a worm wheel or an impact transmitted from a road surface through a wheel and a steering shaft and enhances a steering feeling of a driver by improving the catching phenomenon and rotational resistance generated between a worm shaft and a worm shaft bearing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus that reduces rattle noise generated by a backlash due to friction and wear of a worm and a worm wheel or an impact transmitted from a road surface through a wheel and a steering shaft and enhances a steering feeling of a driver by improving the catching phenomenon and rotational resistance generated between a worm shaft and a worm shaft bearing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional electric power steering apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the electric power steering apparatus 100 includes a steering wheel 101 disposed in front of a driver's seat, a steering shaft 106 connected to the steering wheel 106, a steering column 130 configured to fix the steering shaft 106 to the chassis of a vehicle, a rack/pinion mechanism 110 including a rack gear and a pinion gear and configured to convert a rotational movement of the steering shaft 106 to a linear movement, and a rack bar 112 whose opposite ends are equipped with a tie rod 122 and a knuckle arm 124 respectively.
The steering column 130 is rotated in conjunction with the steering wheel 102 as the steering shaft 106 is connected to the steering wheel 102, and an end of the steering column 130 is connected to a pinion shaft 108 by means of a pair of universal joints 104. The pinion shaft 108 is connected to the rack bar 112 through the rack/pinion mechanism 110, and opposite ends of the rack bar 112 are connected to wheels of the vehicle through the tie rods 122 and the knuckle arms 124.
An auxiliary power mechanism 140 includes a torque sensor 142 configured to detect a torque applied to the steering wheel 102 by the driver and to output an electrical signal proportional to the detected torque, an electronic control unit configured to generate a control signal based on the electrical signal transmitted from the torque sensor 142, a motor 146 configured to generate auxiliary power based on the control signal transmitted from the electronic control unit 144, and a reducer 150 including a worm 152 and a worm wheel 156 and configured to transmit the auxiliary power generated by the motor 146 to the steering shaft 106.
Thus, the electric power steering apparatus is adapted to transmit the torque generated by rotation of the steering wheel 102 to the rack bar 112 via the rack/pinion mechanism 110 and transmit the auxiliary power generated by the motor 146 to the rack bar 112 according to the generated torque.
That is, the torque generated by rotation of the steering wheel 102 and the auxiliary power generated by the motor 146 together move the rack bar 112 axially.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a reducer of the conventional electric power steering apparatus. In the reducer of FIG. 2, a worm shaft 254 has a worm 152 and worm shaft bearings 257 are installed at opposite ends of the worm shaft 254 to support the worm shaft 254, and a plug bolt 210 is coupled to a damping coupler 240 and the worm shaft bearing 257 between them to prevent the worm shaft bearing 257 from moving in the axial direction of the worm shaft 254 and is fixed by a plug nut 220.
The worm shaft 254 is connected to the motor 146 by means of the damping coupler 240 to be rotated by driving the motor 146.
The worm wheel 156 is provided on the outer surface of the worm 152 formed on the worm shaft 154 to be enmeshed with the worm 152. The worm wheel 156 is mounted to the steering shaft 106 by which a rotational force of the steering wheel (102 of FIG. 1) manipulated by the driver is transmitted to transmit a rotational force of the worm shaft 254 generated by driving the motor 146 to the steering shaft 106.
The worm 152 and the worm wheel 156 are installed within the gear housing 260 and a motor 146 for providing a driving force to the worm shaft 254 is installed on one side of the gear housing 260, and the gear housing 260 and the motor 146 are coupled to each other by a bolt 250 using a motor cover 230.
In the above-described reducer of an electric power steering apparatus, the steering operation state of a vehicle can be stably maintained by controlling driving of a motor using an electronic control unit of a vehicle according to a vehicle operation condition and by adding a rotational force of a worm shaft generated by the motor to a rotational force of a steering wheel manipulated by the driver to transmit the resulting rotational force to a steering shaft.
However, in the reducer of the conventional electric power steering apparatus, a manufacturing error and an assembling error are accumulated at a coupling portion of a worm shaft and a motor shaft, causing a catching feeling to a bearing and increasing a rotational resistance of the worm shaft. Further, as a worm and a worm wheel are used, a gap is generated due to wear and rattle noise is generated by a backlash. Moreover, an uncomfortable feeling is caused to the driver during manipulation of the steering wheel due to rattle noise influenced by an impact transmitted from a road surface to wheels and a steering shaft.

Reducer of electric power steering apparatus


A compact, portable satellite dish antenna system comprises a dish-shaped member having an inner surface that includes a central circular flat area and a plurality of annular parabolically-shaped segments concentric with the central circular flat area for providing a plurality of focal points over the inner surface of the dish-shaped member to thereby improve the signal gathering characteristics of the dish antenna system.

This invention relates generally to satellite dish antennas and more particularly to an improved portable satellite dish antenna for receiving Ku-band, or direct broadcast, satellite signals carrying audio, video, or computer data information. Prior art satellite dish antennas for receiving C-band satellite television signals are typically at least eight feet in diameter and are therefore large, bulky, expensive, and generally unattractive structures that are permanently mounted using base posts set in the ground. Even prior art Ku-band satellite dish antennas involve bulky support arrangements that significantly reduce their portability. In addition, the signal reception characteristics of these known Ku-band satellite dish antennas suffer due to their susceptibility to noise resulting from a uniform parabolic dish shape.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a compact, portable satellite dish antenna that can be easily assembled and disassembled for location either outdoors or indoors adjacent the user's television receiver or computer and that exhibits improved reception of Ku-band signals. This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention by providing a satellite dish antenna having an inner or working surface formed to have a central flat area and a series of annular, separate parabolically-shaped segments that are concentric with the central flat area. A fork-like feed mount and a three-point dish support structure that includes an elevation adjustment facilitate easy assembly and disassembly of the present satellite dish antenna to enhance its portability.


A reusable hanging device includes: an adhesion layer, a plate layer, and a hook body. Wherein, the adhesion layer is a low stickiness soft plastic made of a thermoplastic elastomer composite material, and it is vacuum-absorbed onto a smooth surface of a wall or a smooth surface of a wall having tiny bumps, by means of the super strong friction force produced on the smooth surface of a wall by the atmospheric pressure. The plate layer is made of hard material, formed integrally on a surface of the adhesion layer. And the hook body is also made of hard material, formed integrally on a surface of the plated layer. In application, the adhesion layer is absorbed onto a smooth surface of a wall by vacuum, the super strong friction force thus produced enables the hook body to hang object of 0˜112.6 kgf.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hanging device, and in particular to a reusable hanging device, that can be hung and attached to a proper position and then detached, and subsequently attached to another position as required for unlimited times; while providing sufficient adhesion force, to be able to hang heavy object.
The Prior Arts
In our daily life, it is often required to use hanging hook to hang clothing, stationery items, key rings, backpacks, and decoration objects, etc. for storage purpose. Usually, the hanging hook is fixed to a predetermined position on a wall. The hanging hook includes fixing elements, such as screws or nails, to fix the hanging hook on the wall. The shortcomings of this type of fixing is that, the presence of screw or nail could adversely affect its outer appearance; while the screw or nail fixed into the wall could create holes, cracks, or even causing damages.
Moreover, a double-side gluing piece can be used to attach and fix a hanging hook onto the wall. Though it is convenient to operate, yet in case it is required to move to another hanging position, it has to be detached from the wall, to cause damage to surface of the wall, or some of the glue may remain on the surface of the wall. Besides, the adhesion force for this type of hanging hook is not sufficient, so that it is not capable of hanging heavy object.
The conventional hanging hook can be made in the following ways: formed by a thin plate; formed not by double-ejection molding or insertion molding; formed by elastomer not capable of supporting heavy load and without adding adhesive; or formed by a structure of which the thickness is insufficient. Therefore, the hanging hook thus produced has the problems that the adhesion force it provides is insufficient, thus it is liable to detach from the wall, and is not capable of hanging heavy objects.
Therefore, presently, the design and performance of hanging device is not quite satisfactory, and it leaves much room for improvement.


An animal harness device includes a base tether for engaging onto an animal, a carrying strap has two end portions coupled to the end portions of the base tether, a slidable ring member engaged onto the carrying strap and movable along the carrying strap, two connecting members attached to the end portions of the base tether and each connecting member include an outer slot and an inclined slot offset from each other and inclined relative to each other, a neck band is coupled to the inclined slots of the connecting members and adjustable relative to the base tether, a body band is coupled to the outer slots of the connecting members, and a leash cord has a connector detachably engaged with the slidable ring member for walking the animal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animal harness device, and more particularly to an animal harness device including an improved structure or configuration for solidly and stably and snugly attaching or mounting or securing or engaging onto an animal and for preventing the animal harness device from slipping or moving relative to the animal and for preventing the animal from feeling uncomfortable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical animal harness devices have been developed and provided for attaching or mounting or securing or engaging onto one or more animals and for allowing the animals to be solidly and stably pulled or carried with the user, and normally comprise a neck band and/or a body or chest band for attaching or engaging onto the neck portion and/or the body or chest portion of the animals.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,260 to Morrison, U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,923 to Fouche, U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,527 to Price, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,615 to Albright disclose several of the typical animal harness devices or pet leash apparatuses each also comprising a neck band and/or a body or chest band for attaching or engaging onto the neck portion and/or the body or chest portion of the animals.
However, the leash members or strap elements or cord or tether members of the typical animal harness devices or pet leash apparatuses may not be solidly and stably attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the pets or animals and may slip or move relative to the animals such that the animals may feel uncomfortable while wearing the typical animal harness devices or pet leash apparatuses.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional animal harness devices or pet leash apparatuses.


A vessel for removing radionuclides from a liquid. The vessel comprises a shielded housing comprising an outer shell and an inner shell disposed within the outer shell. The housing defines an ion exchange chamber between the inner and outer shells. The vessel also comprises an inlet fluidly coupled with the ion exchange chamber, the inlet being configured for fluid communication with a source of the liquid, and an outlet fluidly coupled with the ion exchange chamber, the outlet being configured for fluid communication with a destination of the liquid. The vessel further comprises a first fluid passage extending between an exterior of the vessel and the inner shell and a second fluid passage extending between the exterior of the vessel and the inner shell.

As is well known, radioactive materials are used extensively in industrial, medical, agricultural, and environmental activities, among others. For example, radioactive waste is generated at nuclear facilities, and there are a number of liquid processes and waste streams at nuclear facilities that require treatment for removal of radioactive contaminants. Management of this waste typically includes treatment, temporary storage, and transportation of the waste to a permanent disposal site.
For example, the Savannah River Site (SRS) and the Hanford Site are nuclear reservations owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and located in the states of South Carolina and Washington, respectively. The liquid waste operations contracts at these sites are respectively held by Savannah River Remediation (SRR) and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), which are teams of companies led by the URS Corporation. A major focus of these contracts is cleanup activities related to work done in the past at these sites.
In particular, large, highly toxic quantities of high-level radioactive waste are located on the SRS and Hanford sites. At SRS, almost 40 million gallons of this waste, containing hundreds of millions of curies, is found in the form of sludge, salt, and liquid. Predominant radionuclides are plutonium, strontium-90, and cesium-137. Strontium and cesium account for more than 95% of the radioactivity. Large amounts of transuranic (TRU) waste are also stored on site. At Hanford, almost 60 million gallons of similar waste exists.
The current plan to deal with this waste is to first pretreat the waste via regenerable ion exchange at Hanford and liquid-liquid solvent extraction and non-regenerable ion exchange at SRS to remove various radionuclides. As is known, regenerable ion exchange and solvent extraction are effective for transferring the radioactive content of a large volume of liquid into a small volume of eluate and strip effluent, respectively, and non-regenerable ion exchange is effective for transferring the radioactive content of a large volume of liquid into a small volume of solid. Although ion exchange processes may be implemented in a variety of ways, the most common uses of ion exchange media are as packed beds in vessels. More particularly, an ion exchange medium is typically contained inside a stainless steel pressure vessel, with an engineered inlet, outlet, and flow distribution system to allow liquid to percolate uniformly through the bed of the medium at a specified flow rate. Many types of ion exchange media are available for this purpose, including inorganic and synthetic organic medias.
Secondary waste from the ion exchange or solvent extraction processes at Hanford at SRS is eventually mixed with precipitated solids and immobilized through a process called vitrification. Glass forming materials will be added to the waste at high temperature to form molten glass. The molten material will then be poured into stainless steel containers, where the glass will harden as it cools. The waste will still be radioactive, but no longer mobile (and thus not able to easily spread into the environment). At SRS, a vitrification facility called the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) has been operating for the past 15 years, with an operating expense of approximately one million dollars a day. During this time period, the waste volume and sludge volumes in the tanks have actually increased because of an insufficient capacity to treat liquid waste. At Hanford, a vitrification facility called the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) has been under construction for the past eleven years but is not expected to begin operations until at least 2019 or beyond. Unfortunately, Hanford has multiple leaking tanks that require processing prior to the operation of the vitrification process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vessel for removing radionuclides from a liquid


A closed tunnel system for distilling fresh water from ocean salt water is provided with an elongated evaporation plate adapted to hold ocean water for evaporation therefrom. During the distillation process, a vacuum is drawn in the tunnel, and sunlight is focused onto the evaporation plate with a concave lens-structure roof. External concave mirrors automatically track the sun and focus additional sunlight onto the lens-structure roof. An agitator-wiper unit agitates the ocean water on the evaporation plate to maintain a homogeneous liquid mixture, and to present additional water surface area for evaporation of fresh water. The fresh water vapor then condenses under pressure in heat exchangers that simultaneously pre-heat the ocean water prior to entry onto the evaporation plate.

None.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally apparatus for the extraction of fresh water from ocean salt water.
More particularly, the invention relates to a distillation tunnel system that utilizes a combination of vacuum pressure, solar energy, mechanical spreading and agitation apparatus, an evaporation plate, and heat exchangers for the efficient distillation of fresh water from salt water.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is well established that there is a need for desalination of ocean water to produce fresh water. Such desalination is particularly desirable in geographic locations where the supply of fresh water is limited or dwindling, but where ocean water is readily available. Efficient desalination will provide for a continuing supply of potable water in such locations. The use of solar energy to power the distillation process is particularly suitable in geographic regions such as desert climates where large areas of land are readily available for use in the collection of solar energy.
There are numerous known techniques and many known apparatus utilizing these techniques for the desalination of salt water. Briefly, these desalination techniques include various forms of evaporation, distillation, reverse osmosis, freeze crystallization, ionic separation, and electrodialysis. The variety of proposed arrangements for these various techniques is evidence alone to the many difficulties associated with achieving efficient desalination, and a survey of the prior art and/or technical literature identifies the extensive problems associated with prior desalination apparatus. However, the primary difficulties that must be overcome for the efficient production of fresh water include the efficient use of power in a reliable, large-scale desalination process, and removal of the large quantity of particulate waste that remains after desalination.
Thus, there is an ever present need for improved apparatus adapted for desalination of salt water. In particular, there is a need for improved apparatus capable of achieving high rates of fresh water production, with improved efficiency to reduce the energy requirements associated therewith, and that is capable of disposing of the waste resulting therefrom.
The general aim of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for the distillation and extraction of fresh water from ocean salt water by evaporation of fresh-water vapor and condensation into liquid.
A detailed objective is to achieve the foregoing by providing a closed tunnel system that includes an evaporation plate adapted to hold ocean water for evaporation of fresh water vapor therefrom, and a lens-structure roof adapted to focus sunlight onto the evaporation plate for warming the ocean water, and in which a vacuum is drawn to reduce the vaporization pressure therein.
Another detailed objective of the invention is to provide concave mirrors adapted to automatically track the sun and focus additional sunlight onto the lens-structure roof to assist in warming the ocean water and evaporation of fresh water vapor therefrom.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide heat exchangers operative to simultaneously condense the fresh water vapor into liquid water, and pre-heat the ocean water prior to entry onto the evaporation plate.
The invention also resides in a novel agitator-wiper unit and arrangement that is adapted for spreading and agitating the ocean water on the evaporation plate to further enhance the evaporation rate of fresh-water vapor, and for removing salt and other particulate from the evaporation plate in conjunction with a conveyor system during cleaning and maintenance operations.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Tunnel for distillation of fresh water from ocean salt water

4820 Cabello Ct. Permanent Resident A 28 501 309


A glasses case having a reducible size is described, having an inner frame including a filiform element made of resiliently flexible material. The element has a closed profile and is folded to assume a first, saddle-shaped configuration in which two portions of the element are formed that extend laterally from opposite sides with respect to a top zone of the element, and a case body, which holds the frame in the operative configuration, the body is connected to the frame along its profile and extends to delimit the inner volume of the case. The case has a second, non-operative configuration having a smaller size by a first relative torsional fold of the frame portions, thus forming a substantially eight-shaped configuration, followed by a second fold that brings the frame portions together such that they lie one on top of the other until a flattened shape of the case is obtained.

Over time, the evolution of glasses cases has also led to the design and distribution of cases characterised by significant dimensions also in "non-operative" configurations, that is, with shafts, which are folded in on the case when it is closed. It is typical for glasses with a wraparound style, characterised by an accentuated curve (that is, with a reduced radius of curvature) on the front case, which necessarily maintain a significant transversal dimension even in the closed configuration with the shafts folded.
For these types of glasses, there is accordingly the need to have boxes with an appropriate capacity, which is therefore reflected in considerable sizes of similar cases. Cases with these dimensions thus do not prove to be particularly comfortable to bring along or to store, for example, in the pocket of a piece of clothing.

SAFILO SOCIETA AZIONARIA FABBRICA ITALIANA LAVORAZIONE OCCHIALI S.P.A.


An electro-optical device includes an electro-optical panel and a retaining member. The retaining member includes a first retaining portion that extends along a first side of the electro-optical panel and a second retaining portion that extends along a second side, the first side intersects a direction in which cooling air flows, the first retaining portion is formed to be flush with a panel face of at least one of a light incident side and a light emitting side of the electro-optical panel, and the second retaining portion is formed to protrude from at least one of the panel faces.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the technical fields of an electro-optical device such as, for example, a liquid crystal device and an electronic apparatus such as, for example, a liquid crystal projector that includes the electro-optical device.
2. Related Art
Such a type of electro-optical device has an electro-optical panel such as, for example, a liquid crystal panel housed in a box-like frame or case, and is used as a light valve such as, for example, a liquid crystal projector (for example, refer to JP-A-2004-212956, JP-A-2002-72353, and JP-A-2005-156675). For example, in a liquid crystal projector, in order to prevent a significant rise in temperature due to the powerful projected light being incident from a light source or the like, the electro-optical device is cooled by cooling air. In JP-A-2004-212956, for example, a technique of suppressing a rise in the temperature of an electro-optical device by providing a cooling air introduction unit that includes a taper unit in a case is disclosed. In JP-A-2002-72353, for example, a coupling frame that guides the cooling air is disclosed.
However, with the techniques disclosed in JP-A-2004-212956 and JP-A-2002-72353, there is a technical problem that there is a concern that the cooling efficiency of the electro-optical device may be insufficiently improved.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus


Methods and systems for providing easy access to information and sharing are provided. Embodiments of the present invention enable a host to grant access to published content to one or more users in a manner in which the user(s) can scan small portions of information to decide which information is desired. The embodiments described herein enable, for example, a user to see a library of content that is larger than the storage capacity of the computing unit used by the user. The sharing of information is also secured through the use of auto-lock keys and the creation of abstract identities for the host and each user.

This is directed to methods and the use of systems to share information. In particular, the present invention is directed to providing users with easy access to information, and for enabling users with the capability to share information and services.
In this information age, a great number of individuals use multiple devices such as computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, etc. to prepare, review, revise, access and share information. For example, an individual may have multiple work computers, such as a desktop and a laptop, multiple home computers, a smart phone such as Apple's iPhone, and/or other devices. In addition, that same individual may socialize or work with various people. In some instances, people simply want to be able to share the digital photos, music, etc. with friends and family. In other instances, people want to share files with others who have to review and/or revise documents and files created by or edited by that individual.
There are many ways in which individuals try to deal with the issue of a single document or file existing on one or more computer-type devices. For example, the simplest solution may be to copy the file onto a portable storage device such as a flash drive, and only work on the version of the file on the flash drive. In this manner, the individual can use the file on virtually any computer at work, home, etc. This "solution" is not, however, without problems.
One potential problem may be related to performance, because flash drives are limited to the speed of the flash drive interface, which may be, for example, a USB interface. In addition, it may be difficult to back up the file without losing track of which version was backed up, and where the backup is located. In addition, it is usually impractical to attempt to circulate a document or file for review and comment in a business setting using a flash drive as this is much slower than modern computer networks. Such review would then be limited to occurring one person at a time, which would likely not fit within the time constraints of many projects.
Another common attempt to deal with this issue is to place the file on a server that can be accessed from multiple locations. This "solution" can be flexible, easy to set up and can operate without latency, as well as be integrated with the platform. On the other hand, however, such a "solution" can be difficult to use, where other users may have difficulty in locating the right file, as well as the issues of dealing with the potential of multiple identities, even for a single person. For example, an individual may have one identification based on the person's first name and a second identification based on a nickname. The normal system would treat those two as two separate users even though they are, in fact, the same individual. In addition, connectivity can be tricky, particularly when the individual may be using remote access (such as when the server may be located at work and the user is at home). One or more users may have difficulty accessing the file.
Instead of using a file server as a central location to store the file, different users simply e-mail the file back and forth. E-mail distribution is, in general, free (provided the users already have e-mail access). In addition, e-mail may be the easiest system to use because users simply have to have the knowledge necessary to attach a file to an e-mail. E-mail access is essentially universal, and the e-mails containing the file(s) can be forwarded. E-mail distribution of files, however, suffers from generally poor security. In addition, e-mail users are susceptible to SPAM and phishing (where someone tries to convince a user that their e-mail is from a legitimate source when it is not).
Distribution of files via e-mail also is likely to pose various additional problems. For example, in many instances the size of attachments is often limited by the internet service provider to a specific size, such as 10 MB. In addition, there can be problems in the file becoming "stale" related to the latencies between when a file is sent and when it is received, or looked at. These problems become even more acute when the overall size increases, such as in a situation where there are many users, lots of files, or very big files.
A more recent "solution" for these issues is the use of a website on the internet as a storage location. This type of solution addresses the problems of scalability related to the e-mail solution. In addition, there are usually no size or file-type limitations, and web sites for storing files typically provide better than average security to the users. The files can easily be forwarded to other users (or at least notice that a file is available), while providing a broad range of accessibility to those files.
A user utilizing the web for file distribution, however, is likely to be fraught with their own sets of problems and/or difficulties. The web is essentially a stand-alone system which is not integrated well with various platforms. In addition, the multiple identity problem seen when using the sever solution is also likely to occur with the web solution. The web solution can also be prohibitively expensive while providing inconsistent features and experience for the users. Finally, and potentially most significant, are the privacy and confidentiality concerns related to storing files on the web.
None of these "solutions" adequately addresses the problems related to sharing large volumes of multiple files. For example, a user who subscribes to Apple's "MobileMe" service is allocated a certain amount of storage space on a server on the internet. The user then has the ability to upload the files that user wants to share with others. Even though the uploading and management of that service space is relatively easy using Apple's Macintosh computers, the amount of space is limited and therefore requires an additional level of management. Moreover, there is no easy way for authorized individuals to know when changes to the files stored on the server have occurred.
One of the central problems that may be related to any of these "solutions" is security. Once files are being shared, regardless of the method of sharing, security becomes a greater issue. The issue is not simply locking down the files so that they are only accessed by select individuals. The issue is broader in that the security should not become an impediment to accomplishing the task that the shared files are merely a piece of. In this manner, the security system needs to be easy to use, if not transparent, for authorized users. The security system should be flexible and be able to work with existing systems and be able to use (but not limited to) common conventions, such as name and password or personal identity certificates (as outlined in the X509 specification), and the use of access control lists (ACLs).
An additional issue that occurs when dealing with the multi-user environment is related to higher level data and information than is typically shared and/or revised by the users. For example, none of the solutions discussed above can be used to view and manipulate information such as metadata and/or application settings that might be needed to accompany the files being shared. Thus, context is lost and in many instances, the context can be critical. Without the proper settings, different users may view a file in a completely different light.
The present invention solves these problems and others, and is related to commonly-assigned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/242,899, filed concurrently herewith, and commonly-assigned co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/242,903, filed concurrently herewith, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Access control to content published by a host


The present invention relates to artificial nucleotide sequences, including specific mutations therein.

1. Field of the Invention
Artificial and synthetic DNA sequences have gained extensive use with development of the field of synthetic biology in the past decade. The present invention relates to use of artificial nucleotide sequences in the field of bioluminescence, which is emission of light by living organisms. Bioluminescence of bacterial organisms is mediated by the bacterial LUX operon. The LUX operon encodes for the bacterial luciferase, the light emitting enzyme, as well as enzymes responsible for synthesis of luciferins, substrates required for the light emission reaction. The operon contains genes named C-D-A-B-E(-G), where Lux A and Lux B code for the components of the luciferase and Lux C, D and E code for a fatty acid reductase complex producing an aldehyde necessary for the reaction. LuxG codes for an enzyme thought to participate in the turnover of the second luciferin, the flavin mononucleotide.
2. Description of Related Art
In biotechnology, genes of the LUX operon have a wide range of applications. For instance, the LUX operon is utilized as a reporter in a variety of bacterial and plant biosensors. Bacterial cells of naturally non-glowing species such as E. coli have been engineered to contain the LUX operon inducible by pre-determined classes of chemicals. These cells start glowing in the presence of these specific compounds, reporting on the composition or toxicity of the sample. Plants engineered with a fully functional LUX operon have been contemplated for use as phytosensors, monitoring the conditions of the plant and the environment. Furthermore, ornamental plants have been engineered to contain a LUX operon to produce novel and unique types of glowing ornamental plants. The U.S. ornamentals market was sized at approximately $21B in the early 2000's, and the entire worldwide market for ornamental plants has been estimated to be over $100B.
The ornamental plant market is driven by innovation, where outdated varieties are inevitably replaced by new types of plants and flowers. New colors of roses and carnations, and new shapes and colors of petunias, find their way to the marketplace every year. Generation of new and esthetically pleasing varieties is known to be the key force driving the floriculture industry and stimulating its growth.
However, one of the major limitations of the applicability of LUX operon-based technologies, particularly in plants, is low levels of light emission in plants expressing LUX genes. Therefore means to engineer the LUX operon to enhance and augment plant light emission are needed.
The present invention addresses this problem, and provides several means of enhancing light emission, instrumental in producing new, exciting varieties of highly autoluminescent ornamental plants, as well as additional plant products, such as more effective autoluminescent plant phytosensors.

Artificial and mutated nucleotide sequences


Systems, methods, and computer program products for provisioning a temporary disposable number are described. A user can be provided with a pool of available temporary disposable numbers that have a limited shelf life. The user can select one of the available temporary disposable numbers while submitting a permanent phone number associated with a communications device (e.g., mobile phone, home phone, business phone, etc.). Prior to activating the selected temporary disposable number, the temporary disposable number is linked to the permanent phone number. After activation, when an incoming call to the temporary disposable number is received, the permanent phone number is identified to be associated with the temporary disposable number being called. The incoming call is then forwarded to the communications device on which the permanent phone number is established.

For security reasons, a caller may wish other parties to call but does not wish to divulge a permanent phone number to the calling party. One example is when selling an item, such as a car or a home. A seller may want to have interested parties contact the seller by calling them. However, for security and privacy reasons, the seller may not want to provide his or her home phone number. Other circumstances where a user may not want to divulge his or her permanent phone number include private sales of goods, invitations to group activities, requests to search for a lost article, or one-time business transactions with unknown parties.

System and method for provisioning temporary telephone numbers


System and method for maintenance support for electronically actuated and/or monitored appliances implemented within an electronically networked automation system, having a central monitoring unit processing present operating parameters for appliances for establishing the servicing state of the appliances using comparison operating parameters, where an external SSIS server logically combines the servicing request established by the monitoring unit with appliance-specific servicing performance information stored in a database and forwards these data to electronic mobile terminals of the servicing personnel in order to perform the servicing.

The field of use for the present disclosure extends primarily to automation systems in which the system-internal communication between the appliances usually takes place using field bus protocols, such as PROFIBUS. Appliances which communicate with one another and/or with a central control entity within the framework of such an automation system may be in the form of actuators, analysis appliances, drives, motor protection units, switchgear, sensors (particularly for pressure, temperature and flow measurements). Every appliance of the type of interest here is equipped with an electronics units which can perform various types of functions, such as operator control functions, startup functions, diagnosis functions, servicing functions, authorization functions, alarm processing functions and service-life monitoring functions.
The trend in the art is increasingly to integrate ever higher levels of intelligence into the automation system, particularly into the individual appliances, in order to modernize work processes, improve processing product quality and maximize availability. In particular, intelligent diagnosis functions make it possible to monitor the state of wear of dynamic seals, the reaction time of a control element after a setpoint value has been prescribed, pressure monitoring operations in line sections and the like in order to perform servicing and maintenance measures efficiently over the course of regular need-controlled servicing intervals.
US 2007/35398 A1 reveals a technical solution for such state monitoring of appliances in an automation system. This software-based technical solution gathers status information from appliances in an automation system and outputs them via a web page. A user interface can be used to display this web page, together with associated data records. This information can be used to establish a need for servicing.
A drawback of this technical solution is that the method only signals a need for servicing or maintenance for an appliance, but does not provide any significant assistance for the servicing or maintenance which then inevitably needs to be performed. For this, the servicing personnel needs to resort conventionally to a library of manuals for the relevant appliance in order to obtain more detailed information about the setup and operation and also servicing specifications of the appliance. Often, such manuals are not available directly in-situ but rather are located centrally with an external servicing service. To date, this problem has been solved by virtue of an expert in a central external servicing service supplying information which is required for servicing or maintenance to the servicing personnel in-situ by telephone. This communication path between the expert and the servicing personnel in-situ can result in time delays on account of interrupted information channels or even misunderstandings through the wrong questions being asked or the wrong responses being given.


A system comprises: a three-dimensional flash memory comprising a plurality of cells; and a controller coupled to the three-dimensional flash memory, configured to: select a block of cells in the three-dimensional flash memory; perform a matrix multiplication on the matrix stored in the block of cells, including performing a vector multiplication in a single sensing step; and output a matrix multiplication result. A matrix is stored in the block of cells.

The growing disparity of speed between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory outside the CPU chip (also referred to as the "memory wall") has been proven to be a more and more significant issue in today's big data era. High bandwidth and power efficient memory is desired to break performance bottleneck.
There are currently three primary memory types that power artificial intelligence (AI) systems and applications. However, all these memory solutions have some issues with capacity, power, and/or cost. One type of memory is the on chip memory (usually static random-access memory (SRAM)), which offers highest bandwidth and power efficiency. Its capacity, however, is limited as the area of logic chip is costly. Another type of memory is the double data rate (DDR) interfaced dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) using traditional chip-on-PCB manufacturing, which has higher capacity compared to on chip memory, but bandwidth limited by off chip connection. A third type of memory is the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) using the through-silicon via (TSV) technique to integrate components, which has higher bandwidth, higher density, and more power efficiency compared to DDR DRAM, but is far more expensive.
Furthermore, AI systems and applications often require manipulation of large matrices, such as matrix multiplication operations. Such operations on traditional memory chips usually involve multiple steps and are inefficient.
Higher density, more power efficient, and lower cost memory system solutions, in particular, solutions aimed at more efficient computation of matrix operations, are needed to accompany today's AI systems.

Control of NAND flash memory for al applications


The invention provides a method for hand-over of a terminal from a first base station to a second base station, radio network element, terminal, base station and a communication system. The method for hand-over of a terminal from a first base station to a second base station, wherein said first base station is EV-DO enabled in an access network and said second base station is not EV-DO enabled, said method comprising: transmitting an EV-DO pilot signal from said second base station to said terminal; sending a route update message including an EV-DO pilot strength from said terminal if said EV-DO pilot strength is above a predetermined threshold; calculating a CDMA pilot strength based on said EV-DO pilot strength; and performing the hand-over of said terminal to said second base station when CDMA pilot strength is above the hand-over threshold.

CDMA 20001x is a version of CDMA 2000, which utilizes both circuit networks and packet networks and provides voice service and low-rate data services with a maximum transmission data rate of 307.2 Kbps. CDMA 2000 1xEV-DO is a data-optimized evolution of the CDMA2000 1x standard with High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) technology, which is dedicated for a packet network to transmit only data and provides bi-directional high-rate data services with a maximum transmission rate of 2.4 Mbps. Its evolution of EV-DO RevA has the maximum forward link data rate of 3.07 Mbps and maximum reverse link data rate of 1.8 Mbps. Moreover, EV-DO RevA has the capability to support VoIP service. By time-dividing radio channel into separate pilot, MAC and data channels, EV-DO, which uses a 1.25 MHz data channel, improves spectrum efficiency and eliminates the interference increase that voice traffic would cause data speed to drop.
Hereinafter, the CDMA 2000 1x system is simply referred to as "1x system" or "CDMA system" and the CDMA 2000 1xEV-DO RevA system is simply referred to as "EV-DO system" for the convenience of explanation.
Currently, the EV-DO network has generally been used together with the conventional 1x network. More specifically, the EV-DO network may only cover some cities, or hot spots, whereas the conventional 1x network covers almost everywhere to form a seamless radio data network. Thus, the handoff from VoIP in EV-DO system to 1x circuit voice becomes very important for keeping the voice call continuity.
The existing hand-over from 1xEV-DO to 1x system is related to Circuit Services Notification Application (CSNA). CSNA has been introduced in the EV-DO system to address operation of an Access Terminal/Mobile Station (AT/MS) that otherwise would have to periodically retune to the 1x system to check for pages while it is monitoring the EV-DO system. For CSNA, the AT (a device providing data connectivity to a user, which is equivalent to a mobile station in 1x systems.) and the AN (Access Network, a logical entity in the Radio Access Network (RAN) used for radio communications with AT.) implement a filtering mechanism to allow notifications associated with certain services to be tunneled between 1x and EV-DO systems.
The handoff procedure from 1xEV-DO to 1x system defined in 3GPP2 A.S0008-B as follows:                (1) AN receives a Route Update Message (RUM) for reporting the current link status including the pilot strength, pilot phase of each pilot in active set and neighbor set from an AT/MS, and finds the current pilot strength (Ec/Io) for the EV-DO cell is lower than a predetermined threshold and cannot maintain the VoIP service quality.        (2) AN sends the 1X overhead messages to AT/MS through CSNA protocol.        (3) AN sends the 1X service redirection message to AT/MS through CSNA protocol. This will indicate the AT/MS to begin the procedure to move the call from VoIP of 1xEV-DO to circuit voice of 1X.        (4) AT/MS send the 1X origination to AN through CSNA.        (5) AN sends the handoff direction message to MS/AT.        (6) MS/AT tunes to 1X channel to continue the call.
Whereas 1x pilot is transmitted continuously, the EV-DO pilot burst has 96 chips duration with only one pilot burst for each half slot. Consequently, the RUM sent by the AT in EV-DO system only includes EV-DO pilots in current system. Thus, the pilot measurement for the 1X system is not performed and the AN cannot know clearly what is the CDMA candidate in fact.
Compared to a current handoff procedure, the VoIP to 1X circuit voice handoff has no pre-provisioning candidates to perform its blind handoff. Therefore, the AN has to determine the active set of 1X system based on the 1X sector information provided by the CSNA protocol during the handoff procedure. The AN will get the 1X neighbor list and sort the list based on the number of occurrence in the overhead messages. Then the 6 pilots of the font candidates of the list becomes the active set of the 1X system.
Since the generated handoff candidates are based on the possibilities of occurrence in the overhead message, and not on the real measurement, the successful handoff cannot be assured. Actually this process cannot tell which CDMA cells have the best coverage for the AT, and it is possible that a CDMA cell has the good coverage but is missed because only 6 pilots are allowed in the active set. Thus the call drop may happen during the handoff.
In addition, another issue for the current system is the "Near-Far Interference" between the border of EV-DO system and 1x system. The EV-DO system is time divided system in the forward link. And the pilot channel transmission is synchronized for the whole system, thus a pilot signal from the neighbor EV-DO cell is the main interference for the EV-DO system. When a cell is a border cell of the EV-DO system, the pilot strength thereof may be near 0 dB since there is no interference of neighbor cell. Therefore the AT in the border EV-DO cell can maintain the link further than in the normal EV-DO cell. Thus there is the possibility that the AT eventually is very near to the CDMA cell when it tries to maintain the long EV-DO traffic link. Then the transmitter of the AT may cause an interference with the reverse link of the CDMA cell, which is called the "Near-Far Interference between EV-DO and CDMA". It potentially may decrease the CDMA cell's capacity. Of cause, the interference effects are a function of the spectral location of CDMA and EV-DO carriers, for example, the worst interference impact comes from the EV-DO channel spectrally adjacent to a CDMA channel.

Method for hand-over of terminal, network element, base station, and communication system


Agents for treating keratin-containing fibers, in particular human hair, and methods for the use of such agents are provided. The agent includes at least one copolymer (a) and at least one copolymer (b). The copolymer (a) includes at least one structural unit of a formula (I) and at least one structural unit of a formula (II). Copolymer (b) includes at least one structure unit of formula (AI) and at least one structural unit of formula (A2). The agent is contained in a cosmetically acceptable carrier.

Keratin-containing fibers are in principle taken to mean all kinds of animal hair, for example wool, horsehair, angora hair, furs, feathers and products or textiles manufactured therefrom. Preferably, however, the keratinic fibers are human hair.
An attractive hairstyle is today generally regarded as an indispensable part of a well-groomed appearance. Current fashion trends often mean that, with many hair types, hairstyles which are considered stylish can only be achieved or maintained for an extended period of up to several days by using setting active substances. Hair treatment agents which bring about permanent or temporary shaping of the hair accordingly play an important role. Temporary shaping, which is intended to provide a good hold without impairing the healthy appearance of the hair, such as for example the gloss thereof, may be achieved for example by hairsprays, hair waxes, hair gels, hair mousses, setting lotions etc.
Appropriate agents for temporary shaping conventionally contain synthetic polymers as the shaping component. Preparations which contain a dissolved or dispersed polymer may be applied to the hair by means of propellant gases or by a pump mechanism. Hair gels and hair waxes in particular are, however, not generally applied directly onto the hair, but are rather distributed in the hair by means of a comb or the hands.
The most important characteristic of an agent for temporarily deforming keratinic fibers, hereinafter also designated "styling agent", is to provide the strongest possible hold for treated fibers in the shape created. If the keratinic fibers are human hair, this is also referred to as strong styling hold or a high level of styling agent hold. Styling hold is substantially determined by the nature and quantity of the synthetic polymer used, but the further components of the styling agent may also have an influence.
In addition to a high degree of hold, styling agents must meet a whole series of further requirements. These may be broadly divided into properties on the hair, properties of the respective formulation, for example properties of the mousse, the gel or the sprayed aerosol, and properties which affect the handling of the styling agent, wherein properties on the hair are of particular importance. Particular mention should be made of moisture resistance, low tackiness and a well-balanced conditioning effect. Moreover, a styling agent should as far as possible be universally applicable to all hair types.
To meet the various requirements, a plurality of synthetic polymers have already been developed which are used in styling agents. The polymers can be subdivided into cationic, anionic, nonionic and amphoteric film-forming and/or setting polymers. When applied to the hair, the polymers ideally result in a polymer film, which on the one hand imparts a strong hold to the hairstyle, but on the other hand is sufficiently flexible not to break when stressed. If the polymer film is too brittle, "film flakes" form, i.e. residues which detach on movement of the hair and create the impression that the user of the corresponding styling agent has dandruff.
Developing styling agents which combine all the desired properties has always been and remains problematic. This is true in particular of the combination of strong hold on the one hand and simple, uniform application to the keratin-containing fibers on the other hand.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an agent for temporarily deforming and/or conditioning keratinic fibers, which agent is distinguished by a high level of hold or by an elevated conditioning effect and in particular excellent handling characteristics during application to the keratin-containing fibers.
It has surprisingly been found that this can be achieved by a combination of specific polymers. In addition to these excellent properties it has moreover proved possible, in the context of specific embodiments, to provide compositions which do not exhibit turbidity. Freedom from turbidity is particularly relevant in the context of providing aerosol compositions, since solid suspended particles may lead to clogging of the discharge nozzle of the aerosol packaging. In general, turbid, low-viscosity compositions exhibit the additional risk of sedimentation, which has a disadvantageous effect on the storage stability of the composition.

Product for keratin-containing fibers, containing at least a specific copolymer of the N-vinylpyrrolidone and at least a polymer with structural units derived from maleic acid ester