The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dialysis agent A, which is able to set the total acetate ion content in the dialysate to a low value, excellent in storage stability of glucose, able to reduce the acetic acid odor, and able to suppress the corrosion of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine, as well as to provide a two pack type dialysis agent utilizing the dialysis agent A.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dialysis agent A used as a two pack type dialysis agent containing acetic acid and acetate salt. More specifically, the present invention relates to a dialysis agent A used to prepare a bicarbonate dialysate together with a dialysis agent B containing sodium hydrogen carbonate, that can adjust the total acetate ion concentration in the dialysate to less than 6 mEq/L and is excellent in the storage stability of glucose and the like, as well as able to reduce the acetic acid odor and suppress the corrosion of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a two pack type dialysis agent containing the dialysis agent A.
(2) Description of Related Art
Dialysis therapy has been established as a treatment for patients with renal insufficiency, and performed for the purpose of controlling the concentration of blood electrolyte components, removal of uremic substances, correction of acid-base balance, or the like. Although a plurality of components are included in the dialysis solution used in the dialysis treatment, the components satisfying the objectives of treatment and with less burden on the living body should be combined at appropriate concentrations.
In recent years, a bicarbonate dialysate using sodium hydrogen carbonate for the correction of acid-base balance has become the mainstream in the hemodialysis solution, and it is also essential to combine an acid to make the dialysate neutral. Further, when these are distributed in the same container in which they coexist, such components generate carbon dioxide gas in the container, so that they become very unstable, because of which two agents separated into agent A and agent B as a dialysis agent used for the preparation of the dialysate are generally mixed at the time of use.
Usually, the agent A contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, pH adjusting agent (acid and buffer components as optional components), and glucose, and the agent B contains sodium hydrogen carbonate. Moreover, in order to prevent the precipitation of insoluble salts, it is said that the formulation of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride into the agent B is contraindicated.
Conventionally, these agents A and B have been used as a liquid filled in a polyethylene container, but transportation costs and poor workability in hospitals (weight, storage space, and disposal method of polyethylene container) have become a problem. As a result, today, a dialysis agent in powder form to be mixed with water before use has been put into practical use.
Although the dialysis agent in powder form was originally comprised of three agents including an agent A-1 containing a pH adjusting agent and an electrolyte, an A-2 agent consisting of only glucose, and an agent B consisting of sodium hydrogen carbonate, but currently the agent A-1 and the agent A-2 are combined to form a two pack type consisting of the agent A and the agent B, said two pack type being the mainstream.
Today, the bicarbonate dialysis agent is formulated so as to have the following composition and concentration when clinically used as a dialysate.
TABLE 1Na+:130 to 150mEq/LK+:0 to 3.0mEq/LCa2+:2.0 to 4.0mEq/LMg2+:0 to 2.0mEq/LCl−:90 to 120mEq/LHCO3−:20 to 40mEq/LAcetic acid:0 to 12mEq/LCitric acid:0 to 3mEq/LGlucose:0 to 250mg/dL
The dialysate at the time of dialysis treatment is used by diluting and mixing a liquid type agent A, or the agent A obtained by dissolving a powder type agent A, or the agent A obtained by dissolving a powder type agent A-1 or A-2, with a liquid type agent B, or the agent B obtained by dissolving a powder type agent B. However, as mentioned above, carbon dioxide gas is generated as a result of coexistence of an acid and sodium hydrogen carbonate over time and the pH rises at the same time, so that an insoluble calcium carbonate and the like may be generated. By this phenomenon, there has been raised such a problem that calcium concentration effective in the treatment is reduced and crystals are adhered to the tube or hose of the dialysis device.
On the other hand, acetic acid has been used for a long time as a pH adjusting agent, but, in recent years, peripheral vasodilator action and cardiac inhibitory effect, induction of inflammatory cytokines, and burden on the patient with acetate intolerance, due to acetic acid have been questioned. That is, because acetic acid is metabolized in a short time, it is not accumulated in the living body, but it has a cardiac inhibitory effect, a peripheral vasodilator action, and, as a result, an action of reducing blood pressure. Because dialysis treatment is also a treatment for the removal of moisture in the body, a reduction in blood pressure due to moisture removal during dialysis and after dialysis would inevitably occur. The symptomatic treatment such as control of moisture removal and administration of vasopressors is often used in combination to prevent the reduction in blood pressure. The presence or absence of symptoms caused by these effects are different for each patient, and thus it is thought that such symptoms may also be attributed to the concentration of acetic acid contained in the dialysate. In recent years, a dialysis method without acetic acid (an acetate free dialysis method) as one approach to overcome such a situation has been proposed.
Therefore, nowadays, those obtained by formulating citric acid in place of acetic acid as a pH adjusting agent are commercially available and have been clinically used (for example, see JP 2003-104869 A, WO 2005/094918, JP H10-087478 A and WO 2010/112570). However, there has been raised such a problem that because citric acid has a strong chelating action, a portion of the calcium in the dialysate is chelated, thereby to decrease the ionized calcium concentration, and because citric acid is a stronger acid than acetic acid, the pH of the concentrated solution A becomes lower to cause a risk of corrosion of parts of a dialysate delivery system or a dialysis machine. On the contrary, if a large amount of organic acid salts are formulated in order to increase the pH of the solution A, crystals of calcium citrate are precipitated to affect the composition, and this is also a problem. In other words, because citric acid is easy to form a chelate with an alkaline earth metal, it forms a chelate with calcium and magnesium in the dialysate component. This effect is stronger for calcium in particular, and since control of the amount of calcium is very important in dialysis treatment, there is a drawback such that decrease of ionized calcium concentration due to such a chelate significantly affects the calcium balance in patients. For example, if the calcium and citric acid were included at almost the same concentration (ion equivalent ratio) in the dialysate, about 35% of calcium is chelated to reduce the ionized calcium concentration in the dialysate by a corresponding amount, resulting in a difficulty to control the blood calcium level. In addition, since citric acid also enters the body by dialysis, there is a risk such that citric acid binds to calcium in the blood to generate a poorly soluble calcium citrate, which is then deposited in the blood vessel. In addition, there is a concern such that it becomes difficult to control the calcium important in the living body in dialysis patients because there is no explicit dynamics of the components such as citric acid and calcium after they entered the blood at the same time. Furthermore, there is a problem in the following points in that the decrease in ionized calcium concentration due to citric acid promotes the relaxation of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle, leading to low blood pressure, and that citric acid is difficult to use in patients with bleeding tendency because it has an anticoagulant effect.
Further, citric acid is easy to handle in the normal handling because it is a solid, but since its concentrate is strongly acidic, hydrogen chloride gas is easily generated upon partial moisture absorption even if it is stored in powder form, which may cause a partial metal corrosion of the dialysate delivery system, resin deterioration, and the like. For example, JP 2003-104869 A describes a powder-type dialysis agent free from acetic acid, said dialysis agent being able to prevent the formation of insoluble compounds, suppress the precipitation of calcium carbonate, and inhibit the degradation of glucose by using a citric acid. These effects can be achieved by using citric acid within a limited range of pH 2.2 to 2.9. There is a problem such that there is a risk of corrosion of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine within such a pH range and the decrease in the ionized calcium concentration due to the strong chelation effect of citric acid may also affect the therapeutic effect as described above.
Therefore, it is not optimal to use citric acid as an acid other than acetic acid and it is considered to use safe substances to the living body, such as an organic acid other than citric acid, including lactic acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, etc., but it is also important to reduce the amount of these acids as much as possible because it is not clear about their behavior in the body after dialysis in chronic use and to take into account the influence of these acid components on the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine.
On the other hand, as described above, citric acid etc. would decrease the ionized calcium concentration due to its strong chelating action is concerned, but, strictly speaking, acetic acid also reduces the ionized calcium concentration. The clinical problem of acetic acid has been neglected because of its probable faster metabolism, but, in practice, the ionized calcium concentration when formed into a dialysate using acetic acid becomes lower than that of a dialysate using hydrochloric acid as the pH adjusting agent, and the ionized calcium concentration is further reduced as the content of acetic acid is increased. Although not known in general, it is certain that a large content of acetic acid becomes a factor in lowering the ionized calcium concentration, but not as much as citric acid, in the dialysis. From this point, it is clear that a less content of acetic acid is desirable.
The dialysis agent A containing acetic acid, which has been sold in Japan in the past, has a total acetic acid content of 8 mEq/L or more and a ratio of 1:2.2 or more of acetic acid:sodium acetate regardless of a liquid or a solid. The dialysis agent A having the ratio less than the above has not been used. Since the pH of the liquid A is 4.6 or more under this condition, there is such an advantage that the dialysate delivery system is less likely to be corroded and easy to handle, when viewed from the aspect of production of the liquid formulation.
The reason of the formulation of 8 mEq/L or more of the total acetate content in Japan is because benefits of bicarbonate and benefits of acetate, i.e., benefits to correct blood bicarbonate ions directly and benefits to correct bicarbonate ions slowly through the acetate metabolism are combined so as to obtain a dual formulation when changed to the bicarbonate dialysis agent from the past acetate dialysis agent (sodium acetate is formulated in 30 mEq/L or more without using sodium bicarbonate).
On the other hand, liquid preparations (liquid A) are sold primarily outside of Japan. Since in Japan, sodium acetate is used as a part of the alkalizing agent, but only sodium bicarbonate as the agent B is used as the alkalizing agent outside of Japan, sodium acetate has not been used. Therefore, as an acetate component, only acetic acid in an amount of 4 mEq/L or less has been used mainly as a pH adjusting agent.
However, when sodium acetate is not included as described above, the pH of liquid A becomes 3 or less, resulting in adverse effects such as corrosion of the metal member of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine, and strong irritation to the skin. In late years, a liquid A (including those that were prepared by dissolving an agent A powder) having a pH of 3 or less has been commercially available and the dialysate preparation equipment manufacturers also deal with such a liquid A by employing acid resistant materials strongly resistant to corrosion as a component material. However, these materials are economically unfavorable because they are expensive.
In addition, the dialysate containing acetic acid in the dialysis facilities where large quantities of acetic acid are handled even though it is a liquid, and acetic acid odor is very strong and uncomfortable, because of which it also becomes necessary to care the dialysis agent not to be placed in an open system as much as possible during its manufacturing or handling.
Next, in Japan, powder preparations of dialysis agents become the mainstream from the flow of powdering, and a number of patents relating to bicarbonate dialysis agents corresponding to such powdering have been disclosed. For example, JP H07-24061 A describes that the manufacturing of the powder preparation becomes easier, when sodium acetate is combined to acetic acid in a ratio (molar ratio) of 1.56 to 3.29, preferably 2.49 to 3.29, in a powdery dialysis agent A because sodium acetate easily adsorbs acetic acid and is difficult to volatilize. However, even in the technique disclosed by JP H07-24061 A, the total acetate ion content of the finally prepared dialysate is assumed to be 8 mEq/L or more.
In addition, it is typical that sodium acetate is combined in an amount of from more than two times to five times, relative to acetic acid, and, for example, combination ratio of sodium acetate is 2.2 times (acetic acid 2.5 mEq/L:sodium acetate 5.5 mEq/L) for commercially available LYMPACK TA-1 in Japan, three times (acetic acid 2 mEq/L:sodium acetate 6 mEq/L) for KINDALY 2E, 4.5 times (acetic acid 2 mEq/L:sodium acetate 9 mEq/L) for HYSORB-F, and 5 times (acetic acid 2 mEq/L:sodium acetate 10 mEq/L) for HYSORB-D. Even apart from the transition of formulation in the past, the reason why the ratio of two times or less of sodium acetate to acetic acid has not yet been disclosed is because there was a problem with acetic acid odor. In other words, as the ratio of sodium acetate is increased to three times and four times, the acetic acid odor in powder preparation is reduced. On the contrary, the ratio of sodium acetate relative to acetic acid becomes close to double or becomes double or less, an excruciating acetic acid odor occurs, because of which its practical use is not possible.
As seen from the above, even in Japan and abroad, there remains use of a dialysate using acetic acid and having a total acetate ion content of 4 mEq/L or less, or 8 mEq/L or more, and there has been no dialysis agent put to practical use, wherein the pH of the liquid A (concentrate) obtained by dissolving a solid agent A in water is set to about 4 and the total acetate ion content in the dialysate is set to 4 to 8 mEq/L.
Only JP H06-245995 A discloses that a preferable total acetate ion content is up to 5 mEq/L in the dialysate using acetic acid and sodium acetate. However, JP H06-245995 A discloses a primary concentrate (sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium chloride, and sodium acetate) and an individual concentrate (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, hydrochloric acid/or acetic acid, glucose), and describes that the molar ratio of acetate/sodium in the final dialysate obtained by combining the primary concentrate with the individual concentrate is 0.03 or less. That is, if the sodium content in the dialysate is typically set to 140 mEq/L, the total content of acetate ions in the dialysate corresponds to 4.2 mEq/L or less. Further, the sodium acetate to be combined with the primary concentrate is in an acetate/sodium ratio of less than 0.03, and this indicates that the acetate ion content in the dialysate is less than about 4 mEq/L. That is, JP H06-245995 A discloses the embodiment of only a dialysis agent useful in the production of a dialysate having a total acetate ion content of less than about 4 mEq/L.
In addition, the dialysis agent of JP H06-245995 A enables individual patients to select various individual concentrates that can be provided, and the object of combining sodium acetate is to improve the stability and preserving property of the primary concentrate at low temperatures. In other words, a small amount of sodium acetate in the primary concentrate increases the solubility of sodium hydrogen carbonate and suppresses the formation of precipitates.
That is, since the dialysis agent of JP H06-245995 A enables to perform the dialysis with various formulations according to the individual patients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.) and requires a fairly complex system so that acetic acid and acetate salt are designed to be combined into different preparations respectively, it differs from a two pack type dialysis agent comprising generally agent A and agent B in its dosage form and preparation method of the dialysate. In addition, the technical means for reducing the acetic acid odor in the dialysis agent has not been studied at all in JP H06-245995 A. Further, in the dialysis agent of JP H06-245995 A, since the individual concentrate includes hydrochloric acid or acetic acid and does not include a basic component, so that it will be exposed to a strong acidic condition of pH 3 or less, it cannot be said that the dialysis agent of JP H06-245995 A is not necessarily a good preparation in regard to corrosion problems of the dialysate delivery system, stability of glucose, and the like.
As described above, in combination of the agent A (electrolytes, acids, glucose, etc.) and the agent B (sodium hydrogen carbonate) that is widely used as a general two pack type dialysis agent, a dialysis agent having a total acetate ion content of 4 to 8 mEq/L does not exist, let alone there was no dialysis agent in powder form for practical use due to its strong acetic acid odor.
In fact, domestically and abroad, there is no successful example of any actual commercialization of dialysis agents in powder form, wherein the total acetate ion content has been set to less than 8 mEq/L in the dialysate. This is probably because commercialization capable of withstanding clinical use in terms of fluidity and stability, and acetic acid odor as a dialysis agent in powder form is difficult. For example, acetic acid has a big influence on environment in the point with its pungent odor. Clinical dialysate preparation is generally performed by a clinical engineer, but there is a problem at the point of discomfort associated with pungent odor that is generated. Furthermore, because acetic acid also becomes the degradation factor of glucose, a formulation design with sufficient consideration of stability of glucose is required for a dialysis agent using acetic acid and containing glucose. Therefore, it is necessary to find the optimal formulation while sufficiently considering such problems.
In recent years, it has been reported at conferences and the like that a lower content of total acetate ions in the dialysate is physiologically desirable and the total acetate ions are preferably less than 6 mEq/L or less than 4 mEq/L. Thus, development of a dialysis agent that can be set to a lower total acetate ion content has been more and more strongly demanded. By suppressing the total acetate ion content within a low range in this way, it is believed that the onset of symptoms such as decrease in blood pressure can be suppressed without almost raising blood acetic acid concentration of the patient during dialysis, thereby to significantly improve safety, because the metabolic rate of acetic acid is faster than that of other organic acids and the content of acetic acid is less than that of conventional products.
Based on the background of such a prior art, the development of a dialysis agent that is able to set the total acetate ion content in the dialysate to a low value, is excellent in storage stability of glucose or the like, can reduce the acetic acid odor and suppress the corrosion of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine, and can be put into practical use, has been desired.

Dialysis agent a containing acetic acid and acetate salt, and a two-part dialysis agent using thereof

Abstract: In the dialysis agent A used in the preparation of a bicarbonate dialysate, which is used as one part of a two pack type dialysis agent, it becomes possible to prepare a bicarbonate dialysate having the total acetate ion concentration of between 2 mEq/L or more and less than 6 mEq/L by allowing to include glucose, acetic acid and acetate salt and to satisfy the molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 2 of acetic acid and acetate salt, and include acetic acid and acetate salt in a total amount of between 2 mEq or more and less than 6 mEq in the dialysis agent A required to prepare 1 L of the bicarbonate dialysate. Moreover, according to the dialysis agent A, in addition to the excellent stability of glucose, it is possible to reduce the acetic acid odor, and furthermore possible to suppress the corrosion of the dialysate delivery system and the dialysis machine.


In standard token-based LANs (e.g., FDDI, Token Ring) an equal share of the ring bandwidth is made available to each node. Certain nodes (e.g., bridges, routers, servers) require a larger representation (bandwidth) than other nodes. A surrogate (bridge/router) node is presented which achieves this in a standard compliant manner. The bridge/router may serve as a surrogate on each ring representing multiple stations from the other ring. The multiplicity of stations is adjusted either statically or dynamically to provide sufficient added bandwidth to the surrogate to reduce delay and packet loss characteristic of the conventional single station bridge or router. The increased bandwidth utilization and FDDI ring performance resulting from the implementation of this invention is transparent to the individual stations and the ring in a way that is advantageous to both single media and multimedia usages within defined network local and non-local areas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to local area networks (LANs) and, more particularly, to networks using a timed token protocol and to internetworking devices on such networks, such as serves, bridges, and routers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The interconnection and interoperation of distributed computing devices is an old but containing challenge. In recent years many of those who have thought about this challenge have concluded that the most effective way to promote progress is to parse the task into relatively independent but connected pieces and develop a corresponding set of standards. Different systems can then communicate if they follow the standards at their corresponding levels; they may rely upon parallel coordination through standards at other levels to complete the communication path. The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model reflects this view.
The OSI model defines seven layers--from the physical link dealing with mechanical, electrical and optical characteristics of signals to the application layer which provides file transfer and network management services to users. Local area network (LAN) standards within the OSI model are the subject matter and constraints for the present invention. Local area networks are characterized by a topology (e.g. ring or bus) for connecting devices to the LAN's signal transmission medium (e.g. cable or optical fiber) and a protocol (e.g. token-ring or timed-token) for controlling access to the medium by an attached device.
Communication capacity over a LAN is limited by the transmission medium, and also by the topology and the relevant protocols at both the physical and media access control levels. "Bandwidth" is a measure of the communication capacity of a LAN, and is commonly given in bits per second. For example, the bandwidth of a coaxial cable Ethernet LAN may be 10 million bits per second (Mbps) while a Fiber optic Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) LAN using a timed-token protocol may be 100 Mbps.
However, these figures are nominal capacities. Typically, the aggregate communication needs of devices attached to a LAN are an irregular mix of stream and bursty traffic. The LAN's capacity may be underutilized at one time and overloaded at another.

Apparatus for connecting two fiber distributed data interface rings

International Business Machines Corporation


The edible baked composition delivers cholestyramine in a palatable, pleasant tasting form. Embodiments include a nutrition bar and a cookie. The composition is useful for the control of endogenous cholesterol levels in humans.

The present invention relates to an edible, baked composition which will help control endogenous terol levels when ingested. More specifically, the composition contains cholestyramine which is useful in the control of cholesterol or lipid levels of the blood.
Hypercholesteremia, which is also known as high blood cholesterol level, is believed to be responsible in many cases for atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is exceedingly desirable to effect a reduction of the blood cholesterol level in adult, atherosclerotic patients. This has been done heretofore primarily through the use of low fat diets and medications. However, in many patients this is not sufficient to maintain the cholesterol within the desired limits. Accordingly, it is desirable to administer to the patient a cholesterol lowering agent.
Cholesterol and/or lipid reducing agents are useful in the treatment of arterial plaque formation (i.e. atherosclerosis). These medicinal agents, however, must be administered on a regular, periodic basis in order to exhibit their beneficial effects Moreover, when formulated as tablet, capsule or liquid dosages, these medicaments have the appearance and character of medicines used in the treatment of sickness and disease. Consequently, patients for whom cholesterol or lipid reducing agents have been prescribed will have an aversion toward routine, daily ingestion of such medicaments.
In particular, cholestyramine is a medicament of choice for the control of cholesterol or lipid levels in humans. Its administration, however, has proved to be problematic from a pharmaceutical compounding point of view. Not only does the cholestyramine exhibit an unpleasant taste and gritty oral consistency, but it is difficult to ingest and/or swallow under most conditions and methods employed to form masking pharmaceutical formulations.
Several attempts have been reported in the literature which attempt to circumvent these difficulties. For example, in EP86-300236, an ingestible anhydrous aggregate comprising starch, a non-cellulosic polysaccharide and cholestyramine is described. This aggregate is a candy which by reason of its extreme sweetness masks the unpleasant taste of the medicament involved. Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,272, also discloses an oral formulation containing cholestyramine. In this instance, the formulation has a base of milk or fruit juice and contains a hydrophilic colloid which masks the cholestyramine until it has passed the taste receptors along the human alimentary canal.
The sweetness and refined character of such candy confections containing medicaments like cholestyramine are not desirable for an edible medicament composition. The refined ingredients present do not deliver appropriate bulking character to the gut. These disadvantages detract or may, in certain instances, negate the advantage provided by the control of cholesterol level in the blood by cholestyramine.
It would be advantageous to develop a food product for administration of cholestyramine which also contains non-nutritive bulking agents. It would seem that such a food product could be adapted from so-called baked compositions. These baked compositions, however, require the use of high temperatures for congealing and solidifying their ingredients. The high temperature necessary for the baking in such instances will cause decomposition and degradation of cholestyramine. As a result, baked compositions of such ingredients as flour and solid sugars nave not been useful as vehicles for the oral administration of cholesterol and lipid control agents such as cholestyramine.
It is an object of the invention, therefore, to develop a baked composition containing cholestyramine which can be prepared at temperatures low enough to avoid or substantially eliminate the degradation and decomposition of cholestyramine. It is another object of the invention to develop a baked composition which is pleasant tasting, has a desirable oral constituency and which masks the unpleasant taste of cholestyramine. It is a further object of the invention to develop a baked composition which will deliver cholestyramine in a form that will enable efficient finding of bile salts and other cholesterol and lipid components present in the gut. Yet another object of the invention is to develop a medicinal formulation which will deliver a level of cholestyramine that will control cholesterol and lipid levels in humans.

Edible, baked compositions containing cholestyramine


A high-density deep trench capacitor array with a plurality of leakage sensors and switch devices. Each capacitor array further comprises a plurality of sub-arrays, wherein the leakage in each sub-array is independently controlled by a sensor and switch unit. The leakage sensor comprises a current mirror, a transimpedance amplifier, a voltage comparator, and a timer. If excessive leakage current is detected, the switch unit will automatically disconnect the leaky capacitor module to reduce stand-by power and improve yield. An optional solid-state resistor can be formed on top of the deep trench capacitor array to increase the temperature and speed up the leakage screening process.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the field of integrated circuit design, and more particularly to the design of a high-density deep-trench capacitor array, wherein a plurality of leakage sensor and switch devices are integrated so that capacitors with excessive leakage current can be detected and switched off to improve circuit reliability and yield.
2. Description of Background
Capacitor devices have been widely used in today's integrated circuits, such as phase-locked loop (PLL), charge pump, analog circuits, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices. As the silicon technology continues to advance and the number of on-chip devices continues to increase, high-density deep-trench capacitor arrays have been developed to provide switching current, reduce power supply noise, and protect signal integrity. However, as the dielectric film in the capacitor becomes thinner, the leakage current grows exponentially. Leakage current not only increases power consumption, but also jeopardizes power integrity and causes coupling and jitter problems for noise-sensitive devices such as PLL.
The leakage current of a capacitor generally increases as the operation time, temperature, and biased voltage increase. For instance, the measured leakage level of a good tantalum capacitor is in the range of 0.01 nA/μF·V. If the leakage current of a solid tantalum capacitor exceeds 10 nA/μF·V, it is generally considered defective and should be scrapped.
Many methods have been proposed to manufacture capacitors on chip. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,133, entitled "Method of manufacturing thin film capacitor," a dielectric film made of materials with high dielectric constants such as Ta2O5, Bi4Ti3O12, and BaMgF4 is used to reduce the leakage of thin film capacitors. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,138, entitled "Miniaturized monolithic multi-layer capacitor and apparatus and method for making same," various acrylates are used for the dielectric layers, with the number of layers ranging from a few to many thousands. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,193,262, entitled, "Low-cost deep trench decoupling capacitor device and process of manufacture," a trench-type decoupling capacitor structure is added to a base logic design. Since the trench is made directly in the silicon wafer and the sidewalls of the trench are used for the capacitor dielectric, the planar area of trench decoupling capacitors can be made fairly small.

Leakage sensor and switch device for deep-trench capacitor array

International Business Machines Corporation


In an image forming apparatus, a controller allows selection of one from a first setting mode and a second setting mode at an operating portion. The first setting mode allows operating conditions to be set at the operating portion. The second setting mode allows only some of the operating conditions to be set at the operating portion. If the second setting mode is selected at the operating portion, an operating condition settable in the second setting mode is set, and then the first setting mode is selected at the operating portion, the controller makes a setting of the operating condition having been set while the second setting mode is selected reflect in an operating condition to be set in the first setting mode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus, more specifically, to a technique to be employed while an operating condition is set.
2. Description of Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a multifunction machine has various functions including a copying function, a facsimile transmitting function, a scanning function, a printing function, and an image transmitting function, for example. The image forming apparatus permits setting an operating condition about each function. For example, the image forming apparatus permits setting a plurality of operating conditions about such as a copying density, a copying magnification, a copy count, and a sheet size about the copying function.
Such an operating condition is set on a setting screen displayed on a touch display panel, for example. More specifically, an icon prepared for each settable operating condition is displayed on the setting screen. If any icon is selected on the setting screen, a detailed setting screen for an operating condition corresponding to the selected icon is displayed and the operating condition is set on the detailed setting screen.
Development having made in recent years for higher performance of an image forming apparatus results in a tendency toward a larger number of operating conditions settable about each function such as a copying function. This makes it possible to set operating conditions in detail. This in turn produces a situation where an icon corresponding to an operating condition to be set with high frequency by a user and an icon corresponding to an operating condition to be set with low frequency by the user are displayed together on a setting screen. Hence, increase in the number of settable operating conditions makes operation on the setting screen troublesome, causing the problem of reduced operability.
According to a technique having been suggested to handle this problem, only an icon corresponding to an operating condition of high setting frequency can be displayed on a touch display panel, etc., as a simple setting screen separately from a normal setting screen on which all icons are displayed (see Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2007-181993, for example).
According to the aforementioned technique, however, if there arises a need to set an operating condition (operating condition of low setting frequency) that cannot be set on the simple setting screen after or while an operating condition is set on the simple setting screen, a user is required to return to the normal setting screen and is forced to perform troublesome operation. Specifically, when the user returns to the normal setting screen, each setting of an operating condition having been set on the simple setting screen is reset to force the user to set the operating condition again on the normal setting screen. Hence, high operability has not yet been achieved by the aforementioned suggested technique.


A wireless programmable logic device contains a wireless component and a programmable logic component. A remote wireless host can be used to program the programmable logic device. Some product designs require multiple programmable logic devices. When wireless programmable logic devices are used in the design, all of them can receive data and commands from the host. As a result, the wireless host can control the order of configuration and the start time of these logic devices. There is no need to build glue logic for this purpose. Consequently, the efficiency in product design is improved. If there are problems in programming a programmable logic device, the host can log the failed operation in its memory. This information could be used to improve production flow.

Programmable logic devices exist as a well-known type of integrated circuit (IC) that may be programmed by a user to perform specified logic functions. There are different types of programmable logic devices, such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). One type of programmable logic devices, called the field programmable gate array (FPGA), is very popular because of a superior combination of capacity, flexibility and cost. A FPGA typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. The CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells that define how the CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are configured. The configuration bitstream may be read from an external memory (e.g., an external PROM). The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
Due to advances in semiconductor processing technology, more and more transistors can be fabricated onto the same area in an IC. This leads to more functionality. As a result, pin counts of the devices need to be increased to support the functionality. Recently, some of the FPGAs have around one thousand pins.
Because these FPGAs can be programmed to perform many functions, they are used in more and more product designs. In some complex product designs, more than one FPGA is used in a product. Some of these FPGAs need to start operation at different times after configuration. In the past, engineers have to design glue logic to handle the configuration and start time of these FPGAs. In many cases, this glue logic takes up valuable real estate on a circuit board. In addition, the glue logic is typically custom designed for each product. Consequently, it is a time consuming and inefficient process.
The large number of pins on a FPGA also means that the circuit board is more congested because many of the pins are connected to other ICs. Thus, it is increasing difficult to find space on a circuit board to place the above-mentioned glue logic.
Therefore, it is desirable to reduce unnecessary circuits on a circuit board. It is also desirable to improve efficiency in using FPGAs.


A power generating bearing assembly (100) comprising a bearing (120) retained by a bearing housing (110). The bearing housing (110) includes a bearing cooling passage system comprising at least one integrated liquid cooling passage (130) is integrated within the bearing housing (110). A turbine receiving bore (160) is formed through the bearing housing (110), penetrating the integrated liquid cooling segment (130). A turbine assembly (200) is inserted into the turbine receiving bore (160), positioning a turbine blade subassembly (230) of the turbine assembly (200) within the integrated liquid cooling passage (130), wherein fluid flowing within the integrated liquid cooling passage (130) causes the blade subassembly (230) to rotate. The rotation of the blade subassembly (230) rotates an electric power generator (collectively 222, 224, 226, 240, 242, 244, 246) to create electric power. The turbine assembly (200) can include an electro-magnetic subassembly mounting plate (248), wherein the turbine subassembly (202) is located on an interior surface of the mounting plate (248) and at least a portion of the power generating portion location on an exterior portion of the mounting plate (248).

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for generating power utilizing a cooling system integrated into a bearing or bearing housing.
2. Background Art
Bearings are used to support many rotating objects. Bearings are commonly integrated into a variety of machines. The bearings are a key factor contributing to the reliability of the machine. The system designed commonly installs one or more bearing condition monitoring devices to ensure the bearings remain in working order. The majority of the condition monitoring devices requires low voltage electrical power for operation. Some systems include other components that also utilize electrical power.
Batteries provide a limited capacity, which dictates a limited supply and thus a limited run time. Obtaining power from a commercial utility source can be costly, particularly for remote installations. Transferring electrical power from a commercially available source can require running extensive and costly power cabling and support equipment. Maintenance of these systems must be considered. Replacement of batteries incurs both parts and labor costs. These concerns are aggravated for temporary installations.
A portion of the bearings generates a significant amount of heat. These bearings include heat dissipation or thermal transfer systems. One exemplary thermal transfer system includes one or more integrated liquid cooling passages. Liquid coolant is pumped through the integrated liquid cooling passages extracting heat from the bearing or bearing assembly.
Turbines are commonly used for a variety of applications. One application converts energy from a flowing liquid to electrical energy. A well-known example is a windmill. Another well-known example is a dam.
More compact, lower level power generators have been integrated into home appliances such as faucets, shower heads, and the like, where power is converted from the flowing water to electrical power, which is subsequently used to illuminate LED's.
A variety of parameters are monitored to continuously determine a condition of a bearing. The application of the bearing may limit the availability or ease of providing electrical power to the sensors used to monitor the condition of the bearing. What is desired is a power generating system that can be integrated into the bearing assembly to harvest power from the bearing assembly and utilize the harvested power to generate electrical energy.


A device for feeding a young child or impaired adult without the threat of the person choking, my device comprising a handle member in combination with a food dispensing member. The handle member has a generally circularly configured end thereon, upon which circular end, a ring mounting arrangement is provided. A ring having a circularly-shaped aperture therein is utilized with the handle member, with an inner surface of the ring being equipped with a component for tightly engaging the ring mounting arrangement. The component inside the ring for engaging the ring mounting arrangement is configured to operably engage the circular end of the handle member. The food dispensing member is an elongate container of fine mesh material having an aperture therein through which solid or semi-solid food can be inserted, with such food intended to at least partially dissolve in the mouth of the person being fed. The aperture in the container is of a size that can be readily accommodated in the circularly-shaped aperture of the ring as well as being able to fit over the ring mounting means of the handle member, whereby upon food being placed in the container and the open end of the container placed over the ring mounting arrangement, the ring can be tightened upon the handle member so as to form a unitary device that can be held by the person, and the container placed in the mouth of the person.

Almost everyone is well aware of the fact that liquid food can be supplied to a child from a bottle provided with a nipple, with such nipple often being held in place by virtue of mounting the nipple in a ring that is equipped with internal screw threads. Used with this nipple and ring is a bottle having external threads extending around the open end, so that by tightly screwing the ring onto the top of the bottle, a liquid tight arrangement is brought about. After the milk, orange juice or other liquid food has been fully administered, the ring is unscrewed from the top of the bottle so that a thorough washing of all of these components can be readily brought about.
Typically the mother or other care giver introduces the infant to spoon feeding in the age range of six to eight months, but sometimes the transition from nipple to spoon can be difficult for the infant.
One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a means whereby a transitional phase is set up during the baby's development between the milk-nipple stage and the food-spoon stage. The administering of certain foods, such as semi-solid foods, in the early period of development becomes easier because of the baby's familiarity with a nipple, and this makes subsequent spoon training faster and easier, because when a spoon is first presented with food in it, the baby will already be familiar with the food. Consequently, crossing the "spoon barrier" becomes a simple matter.
Another important consideration is the fact that when an infant is starting to take semi-solid and solid food, the possibility of choking can be a constant threat. Therefore, when a child is being given a piece of a hot dog, for example, the mother or other care giver should cut the hot dog longitudinally before cutting it into pieces. This is advisable because a generally cylindrically shaped piece of hot dog is of a configuration that could easily form a blockage in the throat of a child or impaired adult, and cause him or her to choke to death if help is not quickly forthcoming.
I am aware that there are many items on the market, such as baby crackers, baby cookies, baby toast and the like that are intended as snacks for an infant to chew on while teething or while the infant has only a few teeth. Even though such items are ostensibly for infants, it is nevertheless quite possible for an infant or impaired adult to break off a piece of such an item and choke on it.
It was in an effort to supplement and improve upon previously known feeding practices that the present invention was evolved.

Device for supplying food to a person while avoiding choking


The present invention provides a container closure molded from plastics material and comprising a crown, an annular skirt depending from the crown and formed with a screw threaded on its internal surface and a tamper evident ring connected to the end of the skirt remote from the crown by a series of frangible bridges extending across an axial gap between the ring and the skirt, or by a band of the material with a circumferential line of weakening therein. The ring has spaced along its inner surface a plurality of radially inwardly projecting protrusions each having an abutment surface generally facing the crown, but having a slight inclination away from the crown in the radially inward direction, and an inwardly facing cam surface inclined away from the crown. The inwardly facing cam surface has a compound curve tapering downwardly from the crown and towards the screwing-on direction, thereby to assist capping.

The present invention relates to closures for containers.
In EP-A-0408364, there is described a container closure molded from plastics material and comprising a crown, an annular skirt depending from the crown and formed with a screw thread on its internal surface, and a tamper evident ring connected to the end of the skirt remote from the crown by a series of frangible bridges extending across an axial gap between the ring and the skirt, or by a band of the material with a circumferential line of weakening therein. The ring has spaced along its inner surface a plurality of radially inwardly projecting protrusions each having an abutment surface a plurality of radially inwardly projecting protrusions each having an abutment surface generally facing the crown but having a slight inclination away from the crown in the radially inward direction, and an inwardly facing cam surface inclined away from the crown. Whereas this arrangement works satisfactorily there are improvements which can be made to improve its performance.
One of the problems with arrangements of the above type is that in order to provide an adequate abutment surface for contact with the shoulder of security band formed on the neck of the container to which the closure is to be applied, regularly spaced double-ended protrusions are provided at regular intervals about a ring. The effect of this is to reduce the extensibility of the ring because the relative lengths of the protrusions have the side effect of reducing the flexibility and extensibility of the ring. The effect is to require a relatively high torque setting on the capping machine, during assembly with a container neck, in order to force the ring over the security band on the neck of the container during the capping procedure. Because the torque setting of the capping machine has to be high, a further side effect is that the closure is driven onto the container neck by the capping machine such that unscrewing can require significant strength. Further, because of the lack of extensibility there is a certain failure rate among the closures and the capping rate is reduced.

Container closure with tamper evident band


A method for reducing force and position control tracking errors caused by changes in hydraulic pressure at the actuator ports of a hydraulic servo valve. The method may use either the force command signal or the load cell signal in conjunction with a mathematical algorithm to compensate for changes in the flow capacity in the servo valve caused by changes in pressure at its ports. Good performance can be attained using the load cell signal. Alternatively, the algorithm can use the force command signal. The performance of the control loop with proper velocity feed-forward compensation keeps the feedback signal largely in phase with the command. Pressure sensors for detecting pressure changes at the actuator ports of the servo valve are not required for load droop compensation.

Vehicle systems and components are tested during the development and manufacturing thereof using various techniques. The systems and components undergo static, quasi-static, and dynamic testing to meet and exceed various durability, lifespan, and performance requirements. The testing techniques are used to simulate a working environment and to assure that the systems and/or components under test can survive and perform as desired within that environment.
In performing such tests various actuators are utilized. The actuators apply force on the systems and or components under test. It is desirable that the applied force be accurately controlled. It is also desirable that the actuators, when appropriate, be capable of following the motion of a device without imposing uncharacteristic forces or in effect restricting the motion of that device. For example, when testing an airfoil or wing of an aircraft, tens to hundreds of actuators may be coupled to both sides of that wing. The actuators must work in unison to flex the structure and cause accelerated fatigue. Some tests require high cycle rates, which can be difficult to follow due to changing dynamics experienced by the actuators. As an example, when the wing is being flexed in an upward direction, the actuators coupled to the topside of that wing ought to follow the motion and velocity of that wing without uncharacteristically restricting its movement while the bottom side actuators are applying force in an upward direction. In other words, the non-acting or force-imposing actuators should not impose forces on the wing that would not normally be experienced in a normal operating environment.
Dynamic load control involves the accurate application of compressive and tensile forces to a moving object. When this load is applied using hydraulic actuators and servo valves with classical control methods, the resulting accuracy is typically unacceptable at maximum rated pressures and flows. There is inaccuracy in the applied force relative to the commanded force signals due to motion of the object. This inaccuracy is affected to such a degree that the motion of the object must be drastically reduced to obtain the desired force control accuracy.
Force control systems can also experience lack in symmetry in system polarity. This is especially true when utilizing single ended actuators, in which the amount of lack in symmetry is significant. The lack of symmetry can be due to differences in tubing connections, servo valves, and other components and devices.
Many force control systems, such as lag-lead type, lead-lag type, and pole-zero placement type systems, tend to increase system loop gain in order to reduce steady state error and thus compensate for the motion of the tested object. However, the increased gain only marginally reduces the error and leads to limit cycling or oscillation and instability in the force control loop. Even with the increased gain, these types of force control systems are not robust when null shifts occur in the equipment. Null shifts cause a proportionate amount of force errors to accumulate. Thus, these systems are partially uncontrolled systems and are only marginally stable and as error increases the systems become unstable and are sensitive to null shifts in the hardware.
Another method used to increase system robustness and reduce steady state error is error integration, which is successful in slower systems that do not have backlash and other non-linearities due to mechanical linkages. Backlash can be introduced from, for example, pin-slop. Although useful for static conditions, error integration can cause instability during transitions in force polarity. The integration process increases the settling time required for the actuator to apply an accurate load. This added time constraint reduces the benefit of using integral compensation on durability tests that have fast changing set point commands.
Yet another method used to reduce steady state error is referred to as damping derived from the force signal. This method tends to be slow, which results in larger errors for longer time intervals. The errors are larger due to the increased time for the damping algorithm to correct for the velocity.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved force control system and technique of applying controlled forces on an object under test without the steady state errors, increased settling time, and other associated disadvantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Velocity feedback compensation for force control systems


A reversible food and game tray device for use with a child safety seat includes a two-sided tray that is easily reversible between two sides. One side includes a generally flat surface on which books, toys, games, and the like may be rested for use by a child. An opposed side defines multiple recesses for holding plates, cups, napkins, food, and drink items. The tray includes coupling elements for holding the tray in place as well as for enabling the tray to be quickly and easily reversed between the game and food surfaces. The coupling elements include at least one pin cooperatively positioned for releasably engaging a track. Preferably, two pairs of pins are provided along with a control lever for selectively retracting a selected pair of pins. Operation of the lever enables the tray to be pivoted, slid, and thus reversed.

This invention relates generally to food and game devices and, more particularly, to a reversible food and game tray device for use with an automotive child safety seat.
Enabling toddlers to neatly eat and providing them with adequate entertainment while riding in a vehicle are difficult but consistently needed tasks for parents or other caregivers. Providing food to toddlers seated in their booster or safety seats often results in a mess on the child's clothing or in a mess on the vehicle seat or floor. The mess may be the result of the child's inability and inexperience with managing multiple food items and drink at the same time without having a large flat surface on which to rest these items. The lack of entertainment is, again, frequently the result of not having an adequate surface on which to rest a picture book, coloring book, or other manipulatives like toy cars, trucks, or games.
Various tray devices have been proposed in the art for supporting food items while traveling in a vehicle. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices either do not provide the dual functions of supporting food service usage and entertainment or they do not provide a quick and convenient means for selectively alternating these functional means.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a food and game tray device in which a tray includes a game and entertainment surface on one side and a food serving surface on a reverse side thereof. Further, it would be desirable to have a food and game tray device that includes coupling elements such as a track and pin assembly by which the tray may be selectively alternated between the two surfaces. In addition, it would be desirable to have a combination food and game device that may be quickly and easily attached to a child booster car seat.


Provided are a display panel and a display device. The display panel includes a drive chip and a switching device, and the drive chip includes a digital interface inputting terminal, a positive driving voltage inputting terminal and a negative driving voltage inputting terminal, and the switching device includes a first switching inputting terminal, a second switching inputting terminal, a third switching inputting terminal, a switching control terminal, a first switching outputting terminal corresponding to the first switching inputting terminal, a second switching outputting terminal corresponding to the second switching inputting terminal and a third switching outputting terminal corresponding to the third switching inputting terminal. The first switching inputting terminal, the second switching inputting terminal, the third switching inputting terminal and the switching control terminal are configured to be electrically connected to a main circuit board. The first switching outputting terminal is electrically connected to the digital interface inputting terminal.

Commonly, a display panel includes a drive chip (also known as a drive IC) for controlling to display a picture, where a gray scale signal outputted from the drive chip is transmitted to a data line to drive the display panel to display the desired picture. The drive chip includes a digital interface inputting terminal, a positive driving voltage inputting terminal and a negative driving voltage inputting terminal, where a working voltage is provided by a main circuit board to the drive chip through the digital interface inputting terminal, the positive driving voltage inputting terminal and the negative driving voltage inputting terminal.
When the display panel is in a sleep mode, the drive chip may leak current to the data line electrically connected to the drive chip, thereby forming residual charges. When the display panel leaves the sleep mode and turns to display the image, the residual charges may affect normal display of the display panel, and cause flickers, which leads to an abnormal display.

SHANGHAI AVIC OPTO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A solar module has a solar cell which generates a DC voltage. The module has a converter for converting a DC voltage fed into its input. The module contains a semiconductor switch and a controller which drives a switching input of the semiconductor switch. The controller drives the semiconductor switch variably so that the semiconductor switch switches more slowly during the transition operation than during normal operation, thereby reducing a dynamic overvoltage on the switch such that the voltage present on the switch does not exceed the blocking voltage of the switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solar module, comprising a solar cell and a converter, and to a method for its operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solar cells are commonly used to generate regenerative energy. To prepare the DC voltage generated by the solar cells for use, for example in a power supply network, they are combined with a converter, generally an inverter, to form a solar module. The converter converts the DC voltage received by the converter from the solar cells into an AC voltage which is in turn supplied to the power supply network. The solar cell generally mentioned in the singular here in practice often comprises a plurality of individual solar cells connected in series. In a known, simple embodiment, the converter has at least two transistor half bridges. Each half bridge contains then at least two transistors with at least two freewheeling diodes. Further semiconductors can be located between the solar cell and the converter. As a rule, therefore, the DC voltage generated by the solar cell is fed into the AC network by means of an inverter. To this end, a pulse pattern is generated with which the transistors of the inverter are switched.
Non-illuminated or weakly illuminated solar cells supply no DC voltage or too low a DC voltage to have this processed further by the converter. The converter is therefore initially inoperative. When the solar cell begins to be illuminated, its no-load voltage rises quickly to a value that is higher than in normal operation. The no-load voltage is present when no or only a very low load current flows through the solar cell. As compared with an output voltage when the solar cell is loaded with a load current, this value is very high, frequently about twice as high. This is present on the internal resistance of the solar cell.
In particular at cold ambient temperatures, which means in winter and at sunrise, the solar cell has a maximum-no-load voltage. Consequently, the DC voltage present on the inverter in the form of its intermediate circuit voltage also reaches a maximum, since the inverter is not yet in operation and therefore no noticeable current flows through the solar cell. During operation of the inverter, i.e., when a load voltage is drawn from the solar cell, the DC voltage drops substantially, for example from a peak voltage of 900 V to a regular (operating) voltage of 500 V. The voltage output by the solar cell therefore depends, inter alia, on the solar irradiation, the temperature and the current flow through the cell.
Thus, it is always possible to think of a starting or transition operation in which the output voltage from the solar cell is above the permitted input voltage of the converter.
It is known to use an inverter for the solar cell which is designed only for the operating voltage of the solar cell, i.e., for 500 V in the example. In the starting case outlined above, however, the permissible operating voltage of the inverter is exceeded considerably by the no-load voltage of the solar cell of 900 V. Direct starting is therefore not permissible under these circumstances because of the maximum operating voltage of the solar cell being exceeded by the no-load voltage of the solar cell.
It is known, during start-up operation of the solar cell, to assign to the input of the inverter a device for the temporary reduction of the intermediate circuit voltage, a chopper, for example with a load resistance. Before the inverter is connected, the solar cell is loaded by the chopper. A load current flows in the solar cell. The current flowing through the chopper in this case loads the solar cell, so that its voltage value and thus the intermediate circuit voltage to be fed to the converter, falls to a value which is in the permitted voltage range of the inverter. The input voltage, which means the intermediate circuit voltage, at the inverter is therefore reduced to the maximum permissible intermediate circuit voltage. The inverter can then be started up, the chopper becomes inactive, the inverter can start up and feed power into the network. During start-up operation of the solar cell, a chopper is therefore needed in such a configuration.
Alternatively, it is known to use fewer solar cells in a solar module in order to lower its maximum voltage, or to dimension the converter for the maximum available no-load voltage of the solar cell. The voltage on the converter is determined by the number of solar cells connected in series. In this case, the highest possible voltage is aimed for, since the most power can then be transferred with an inverter. The maximum no-load voltage, which means the maximum voltage fed to the converter, is always below the permissible converter voltage or intermediate circuit voltage even in start-up or transition operation. However, since the transition operation lasts only a few seconds as compared with many hours of normal operation, during normal operation the converter then operates considerably below its design limits for nearly all of its operation. The semiconductors in the converter will be loaded fully in terms of voltage only for a few seconds; in the rest of the time the converter is over-dimensioned. As soon as the converter works towards the network, the voltage decreases considerably, as described above.
This over-dimensioning of the circuitry adds considerably to its manufacturing cost.

Solar module for generating a D.C. voltage and method for its operation


A LIGHT TRIGGERED BENDING ELEMENT LIGHT SWITCH will be used to turn on or off the light signal in one of two adjacent fiber optic channels by the action of the electric field of the light passing through the channels. LIGHT TRIGGERED BENDING ELEMENT LIGHT SWITCH can be made adjacent to each other so that the bending Elements will latch together and stay in the state required by means of the shape of the ends of the Elements. The bending is accomplished by the response of piezoelectric material to the electric field of light in the fiber optic channel. This will allow information of be stored by the LIGHT TRIGGERED BENDING ELEMENT LIGHT SWITCH that are made to latch. Light of different frequencies may travel in a light channel of appropriate dimensions together without hindering each other. The light that actuates the light switching or latching may be a different frequency than the light signal that is switched on or off. This switch holds the latched position required until light signals of the appropriate wavelength and power in the proper sequence are applied to the LIGHT TRIGGERED BENDING ELEMENT LIGHT SWITCH to cause the unlatching.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for switching light signals in an optical wave-guide on or off at speeds faster than 10−11 seconds using light to trigger the switch in which a ELEMENT bends to close the channel. These switches can be arranged to stay latched until unlatched.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technology advances communication of three-dimensional drawings, video, and software applications require more information to be communicated faster than ever. Fiber optical channels can handle much more information than wires can. The slowest part of a fiber optic communication channel at present are the fiber optic switching devices. At present fiber optic signals are switched using various methods that are actuated by transistors. One device pictured in trade journals is based on an array of mirrors. U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,033 issued to Joseph Ford et al, on Jan. 23, 2001, which teaches MICROMECHANICAL MEMBRANE TILT-MIRROR SWITCH, is an example of this kind of device. The mirrors are tilted to switch the optical signal from on to off or off to on. The tilting of the switch is actuated by circuits that use transistors, and so are bound to 10−9 seconds speeds at the best. U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,411 issued to Yueh Liang Chung et al, on Jul. 15 of 2003 which teaches OPTICAL SWITCH, makes mention of a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is actuated by an electrical signal, which is again bound to the 10−9 seconds speeds that transistors can accomplish. U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,975 issued to William Miller et al, on Dec. 30, 1997 that teaches INTERFEROMETRIC SWITCH are physically long for the present need for miniaturized components. The components are more than a centimeter in length in William Miller's device.

Light triggered bending element light switch


A wavelength cross connect is provided in which wavelength channels are individually switchable from one of a first set of ports to one of a second set of ports. Add and drop capability is provided on the sets of ports. Some embodiments feature a single row of ports, while others feature two dimensional arrays of ports. Some embodiments employ one dispersive element per port, and others employ one dispersive element per row of ports. Embodiments featuring transmissive and non-transmissive switching elements are provided.

The advent of DWDM fibre optics telecommunications systems in the early 1990s have enabled a dramatic increase in the transmission capacity over point-to-point links. This was achieved through multiplexing of a large number of individually modulated light beams of different wavelengths onto the same optical fibre. Typical systems installed today would have 64 or more independent channels precisely aligned onto an ITU-T standardized grid at 100 GHz, 50 GHz or even narrower channel spacing. With routine modulation speeds of 10 Gb/s and attaining 40 Gb/s in laboratory experiments, it is not unusual to obtain aggregated capacities in the order of several terabits per second of information being transmitted onto a single optical fibre (S. Bigo, Optical Fibre Communications conference, WX 3, pp. 362-364, Anaheim, 2002). At the same time, electrical switching capacities have been growing at a much slower rate, with current largest electrical switch matrices limited to typically 640 Gb/s in a single stage. Furthermore, the cost of converting the signal from optical to electrical for switching and then back from electrical to optical becomes prohibitively expensive as the number of optical channel increases. All optical switching technologies are therefore becoming more and more attractive to manage the enormous bandwidth being transmitted over optical fibres.
A typical all-optical switch would consist of a large core all-optical switch matrix surrounded by DWDM demultiplexers and multiplexers at each fibre interface. However, for large number of wavelengths channels per optical fibre, this leads to a very large switching core size: for example, a 50 GHz channel spacing system with 128 channels per fibre would require a 1024×1024 switching matrix to switch traffic between 8 incoming fibres to 8 outgoing fibres on a per wavelength basis. Large optical switching matrices are hard to fabricate, complex to control, require overwhelming fibre management and are very expensive. Furthermore, in the absence of wavelength conversion, only a sub-set of the switching matrix capacity is actually in use: each wavelength being switched independently, only 128 8×8 independent connections are used in the 1024×1024 available (0.8% of the overall switching capacity). This huge inefficiency is the primary reason for considering a wavelength switching architecture in which the DWDM demultiplexing and multiplexing are integrated with the switching function.
An example of a wavelength selective all-optical switch is called a wavelength selective cross-connect WSXC (R. E. Wagner, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 14, No. 6, June 1996, also U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,859) by Solgaard et al. Such a device generally has N incoming fibres and N outgoing fibres, each fibre being capable of transporting M wavelength channels. The WXC enables independent switching of each of the M wavelength channels from the N incoming fibres to the N outgoing fibres. It is functionally equivalent to an input array of N wavelength demultiplexers routed to an output array of N wavelength multiplexers through an array of M N×N optical switches. In such a WXC, there are M×N×N possible optical paths, which is exactly the required flexibility in the absence of wavelength conversion. For example, in the case mentioned above of a 128 channel system at 50 GHz spacing with 8 fibres in and 8 fibres out, the standard large optical core based switch would have over a million possible connections, whereas only 8192 are needed, which is exactly what the WXC architecture enables (128×8×8).

Wavelength selective switch with a 2D arrangement of optical ports


A bonnet for an automotive vehicle has a leading end, a trailing end, and a lock striker for locking the free end of the bonnet to the vehicle body during normal operation when the bonnet is closed. The lock striker is spaced from the bonnet portion by a mounting mechanism that includes at least one elongated arm extending between the inside of the bonnet portion and the lock striker. At least one portion of the elongated arm is weakened to permit relative pivoting of the bonnet portion and the lock striker around a geometrical axis when the elongated arm is loaded in excess of a predetermined value. The bonnet is thus allowed to move downwardly in the event of an impact between a pedestrian and the bonnet portion.

Motor vehicle manufacturers are constantly striving to provide vehicles which, in the event of a collision, reduce the risk of injury to persons involved in the collision. These persons may be occupants of the vehicle or a pedestrian which is struck by the vehicle. To this end, vehicles are nowadays designed with so-called deformation zones which deform in a controlled manner to thereby absorb energy which arises during impact between the vehicle and an object. The amount of energy which arises in a collision is proportional to the square of the relative velocity between the vehicle and the object at impact. Accordingly, the risk of injury to occupants of vehicles is increased at higher speeds. Due to the considerable amounts of energy which arise as a result of high speed collisions, the deformation zones must exhibit a certain degree of stiffness, or resistance to deformation, to function effectively at those high speeds.
Most collisions between vehicles and pedestrians occur in built-up or urban areas in which the speed of the vehicles is relatively low. For example, most jurisdictions impose a speed limit in urban areas of about 50 km/h. In most collisions, the speed of the vehicle is lower than 40 km/h. Due to the relatively light weight of most pedestrians, the amount of energy arising from a low speed collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian is relatively low. In such situations, the deformation zones of the vehicle may not deform to any great extent and, therefore, a large amount of the energy is transmitted to the pedestrian, possibly resulting in injury.
In addition, a vehicle has certain critical positions that are involved during a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle. During such a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian, the pedestrian typically initially impacts the front of the vehicle and, thereafter, the bonnet of the vehicle. Although the bonnet itself may be designed to be relatively deformable, the engine covered by the bonnet is normally not deformable. As a result, the deformation capability of the bonnet is dependent on the size of the clearance between the bonnet and the engine. Several attempts have been made to reduce the head injuries of a pedestrian by certain configurations of the vehicle bonnet, including different configuration that cause the trailing edge of the bonnet to lift. For example, U. S. Pat. No. 5,385,212, granted on Jan. 31, 1995, to John Cady, et al., discloses a vehicle bonnet for motor cars where the vehicle bonnet is lifted to provide a clearance, so that the bonnet may deform to cushion the impact. Such a clearance can be obtained by arranging the bonnet assembly to move rearwardly and pivot when an impact is applied to the leading edge of the bonnet. Such a bonnet is, however, not able to effectively protect a pedestrian in all kind of impact situations. In particular, in a collision between a child and a vehicle the head of the child hits the bonnet at a position much closer to the leading edge of the bonnet.


This disclosure relates generally to olefin metathesis, and more particularly relates to the synthesis of terminal alkenes from internal alkenes using a cross-metathesis reaction catalyzed by an olefin metathesis catalyst. According to one aspect, for example, a method is provided for synthesizing a terminal olefin, the method comprising contacting, in the presence of a ruthenium alkylidene metathesis catalyst, an olefinic substrate comprised of at least one internal olefin with a cross metathesis partner comprised of an alpha olefinic reactant, under reaction conditions effective to allow cross-metathesis to occur, wherein the reaction conditions include a reaction temperature of at least 35° C. The methods, compositions, reactions and reaction systems herein disclosed have utility in the fields of catalysis, organic synthesis, and industrial chemistry.

Ethenolysis is a specific cross metathesis reaction between an internal olefin and ethylene to produce terminal olefins. Scheme 1 demonstrates the ethenolysis reaction:
Examples of ethenolysis include the conversion of a mixture of ethylene and 2-butene into propene (as in the Phillips triolefin process and the Meta-4 process developed by the Institut Français du Pétrole), and the conversion of a mixture of ethylene and 2,4,4trimethyl-2-pentene into neohexane. These processes typically use heterogeneous, ill-defined olefin metathesis catalysts based oil tungsten and rhenium oxides and which are not compatible with air, water, oxygenates, and many functional groups. The ethenolysis reaction has also been implemented in the conversion of seed oil-derived substrates such as fatty acid methyl, esters (FAME) into terminally unsaturated carboxylic acids (e.g., 9-decenoic acid) and terminal olefins (e.g., 1-decene). The ethenolysis of FAME was originally performed with a heterogeneous, ill-defined rhenium catalyst to give turnover numbers (TON) of about 100. More recently, the ruthenium alkylidene catalyst Cl2(PCy3)2Ru═CH—CH═CPh2 was used for the ethenolysis of methyl oleate (MO). Several groups have used the so-called "first generation" Grubbs catalyst Cl2(PCy3)2Ru═CHPh ("C823") or the first generation Grubbs-Hoveyda catalyst ("C601") to promote the ethenolysis of vegetable oil-derived materials. Additionally, first generation Grubbs-like complexes that contain bicyclic phosphines were used in the ethenolysis of methyl oleate, although the highest ethenolysis turnover number reported to date for this reaction is 15,400. The cross metathesis of 1-butene and 11-eicosenyl acetate is reported, but this reaction is described to occur at 0° C. and high catalyst loading (e.g., 5 mol % catalyst loading; see example 9 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,347). Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a more efficient method to produce terminal olefins from internal olefins.
It is therefore desirable to provide a convenient and effective route for the production of terminal olefins. Compared with known metathesis methods, an ideal process would: substantially reduce the amount of catalyst that is needed for the cross-metathesis reaction; allow the use of a mixture of internal olefins from a variety of sources; and allow the use of a variety of alpha-olefin cross metathesis partners. Unlike the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,347, which required significant cooling of the reaction mixture, an ideal process would allow for flexibility of reaction conditions.

Synthesis of terminal alkenes from internal alkenes via olefin metathesis


Authentification data (R) comprising random numbers generated by a reader/writer (200) is given to an IC card (100), encrypted by utilizing a secret key (a), and returned as encryption data (C). This encryption data (C) is decoded by utilizing an open key (β) to authentify the IC card. A set of past given authentification data (R) is stored in an authentification data storage section (130): if another set of given authentification data (R) is the same as the set of past data, an encryption operating section (150) is prevented from executing an illegal statistical analysis technique by repeatedly giving encrypting operation the same set of authentiification data (R).

A portable information recording medium typified by an IC card has rapidly spread in conjunction with downsizing of technology, and it is only a matter of time before IC cards become prevalent on an individual general user basis one by one. Thus, as portable information recording media such as IC cards have increasingly come to be used as a tool that is essential in social life, security comes into important question. To access an IC card, a so-called reader/writer device is used, and a computer system carries out an exchange of data with the inside of the IC card via this reader/writer device. Normally, when an IC card is inserted into a reader/writer device, processing is executed for authenticating each other.
Authentication of an IC card from a reader/writer device is normally made according to a method in which arbitrary authentication data (using random numbers) is provided from the reader/writer device to the IC card together with an authentication command, and it is verified whether or not the IC card makes a correct response. Concretely, a public key cryptosystem is used, and a secret key α is stored inside an authentic IC card in advance, authentication data (arbitrary random numbers) provided in the reader/writer device is encoded by using this secret key α, and encoded data thus obtained is fed-back as a response. Then, the reader/writer device decodes this encoded data that has been fed-back as a response, and authenticates the IC card based on a judgment whether or not data obtained through this decoding process agrees with the original authentication data.
The secret key α stored in the IC card is normally structured so as not to be externally read out by any method, so that it is very difficult to imitate an IC card having a correct secret key α. Therefore, according to the above-mentioned method, if data that is obtained by decoding the encoded data fed-back as a response agrees with the original authentication data, it is authenticated that an IC card is not fake.
As mentioned above, logically, a secret key a stored in an IC card is prevented from being externally read out by any method. However, in reality, there is a method for externally detecting a secret key α stored in an IC card in a nondestructive manner by analyzing physical phenomena (for example, electric power consumption) in operation of the IC card. For example, a method called DPA (Differential Power Analysis) is based on a principle in which, by statistically analyzing a waveform of electric power consumption of an IC card, the contents of a secret key α are estimated. Concretely, in a condition where a measuring system for measuring electric current consumption inside an IC card is connected to a power supply terminal, etc., of the IC card, predetermined authentication data is repeatedly sent from a reader/writer device, an encoding operation using a secret key α is executed inside the IC card, and a power consumption waveform at this point is analyzed, whereby the contents of the secret key α are statistically detected.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an authentication method for a portable information recording medium, by which reliable security against illegal analyzing methods as mentioned above can be secured.

Portable information storage medium and its authentication method


Tracing operation of a kernel can include comparing, using a processor, signals of a compiled kernel with a database including compiler generated signals for compute units to determine a list of the signals of the compiled kernel that match the compiler generated signals and generating trace data by emulating the compiled kernel using the processor. The trace data includes values for signals of the compiled kernel collected over time during the emulation. Operational data corresponding to individual compute units of the compiled kernel can be determined from values of the signals of the list within the trace data using the processor. The operational data can be displayed using the processor.

A heterogeneous computing platform (HCP) refers to a data processing system that includes a host processor (host) coupled to one or more other devices through interface circuitry. The devices are architecturally different from the host. The host is capable of offloading processing jobs to the devices. The devices are capable of performing the processing jobs and making the results available to the host. Typically, the host is implemented as a central processing unit. Examples of the devices include, but are not limited to, graphics processing units (GPUs) and digital signal processors (DSPs).
Open Computing Language (OpenCL) is an example of a framework for writing programs that execute on an HCP. An OpenCL application includes host program code and kernel program code. The host program code is compiled to execute on the host. The kernel program code is compiled to execute on a particular type of device. The devices perform processing jobs offloaded from the host through execution of the compiled kernel program code.

Kernel tracing for a heterogeneous computing platform and data mining


The aim of the invention, improving the resolution by increasing the maximum possible distance to the test joint and expanding the range of applications by allowing the finish quality of the ends, and their parallel and coaxial alignment to be determined, is achieved by successively sending probing light pulses into the light guides being joined, measuring the total power of reflection from the ends and end joints, and determining optical losses in these portions from mathematical formulae.

Known in the art is a method of measuring optical losses in fiber light guides in reflected light (ref. USSR Application No. 4204727, with a decision to issue an Inventor's Certificate passed on May 30, 1988), comprising a probing radiation pulse into a test light guide through a blank light guide, the length of which is equal to half the length of the established mode distribution for the given type of light guide, measuring the energy N.sub.1 of a pulse reflected from the output end of the blank light guide, measuring the energy N.sub.2 of a pulse reflected from the output end of the blank light guide and the input end of the test light guide located at a minimum distance from each other, measuring the energy N.sub.3 of a pulse reflected from the output end of the test light guide and determining optical losses .mu. per unit length of the test light guide.
This prior art method is disadvantageous in that it cannot be used for determining optical losses at the radiation input and output of the test light guide, i.e., at the output end of the blank light guide and at the input and output ends of the test light guide, and also in the air gap between the joined light guides because of the non-parallel alignment of their ends and the non-coaxial alignment of their cores.
Also known in the art is a method of determining optical losses in joints of light guides according to scattered radiation propagating in the backward direction (ref. Shiketants, D., "Theory of Measurement by Backward Scattering Method in Light Guides" in Zarubezhnaya Radioelektronika, 1981, No. 6, pp.87-94), comprising sending radiation into the light guides being joined, measuring the intensity of radiation scattered in the light guides upstream and downstream of the joint, and determining optical losses in the joint of the light guides.
As the closest prior art of the present method in technical essence, this method has been selected as the prototype.
A drawback of the prior art method is the low intensity of the scattered radiation, which limits the maximum possible distance in the light guide line to the test joint.
The need exists, however, and its importance rises with an increase in the length of trunk light guide communication cables the length of which presently reaches 30 to 40 kilometers or more, and which are accessed by measuring devices from one side only.

Method of determining optical losses at the ends and end joints of fiber light guides


A system and process are disclosed for removing elemental sulfur compounds from hydro-desulfurization (HDS) treated hydrocarbon products including liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Low (sub-ppm) concentrations of sulfur remain in the hydrocarbons, providing, e.g., fuel products suitable for use in various modalities including, e.g., jet fuels and fuel cell Auxiliary Power Units (APUs).

The removal of sulfur from hydrocarbon fuels reduces the sulfur dioxide emissions that result from combustion of those fuels and prevents the poisoning of expensive catalysts that utilize these fuels for other purposes. In addition, the proper operation of various technologies such as fuel cells requires the use of hydrocarbon fuels with very low sulfur concentrations. Therefore a variety of methodolgies have been employed to economically and efficiently reduce sulfur concentrations in hydrocarbon fuels. Industrial hydrodesulfurization processes typically focus upon the conversion of organic sulfur to H2S and capture and removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. However, these processes are still less than fully effective in removing all of the sulfur from these fuels. HDS treatment of high sulfur fuel can result in elemental sulfur compounds remaining in the fuel after one stage of treatment and in the case of very high sulfur contents in the fuel, contamination levels of up to 100 ppmw of elemental sulfur can still exist. This level of sulfur contamination makes the use of such fuels unsuitable in a steam reformer. While other approaches including a second HDS treatment or high levels of hydrogen relative to fuel may remove/reduce this sulfur contamination, the high pressure and temperature of HDS process makes this an expensive option. What is needed is a method or system for elemental sulfur removal that provides efficient enhanced sulfur removal capability and enables JP-8 and other kerosene based fuels to be sufficiently desulfurized so as to be used in steam reformers and other very low sulfur applications.

Systems and processes for removing elemental sulfur compounds from desulfurized fuels


A scalpel handle includes a body defining a first end and a channel therein and an insert defining a blade holder disposed at a first end thereof and positionable within the channel of the body with the blade holder extending outwardly away from the first end of the body. A shield is coupled with the body such that the blade holder is positionable within the shield, and a removal wedge is defined on the body, fixed with respect to the shield, and disposed in a substantially fixed lateral position at least partially aligned with a portion of the blade holder.

Accidental cuts or punctures may occur by way of sharp instruments, either during use, during transfer from one person to another, or from inadvertent misplacement thereof in certain locations. Such injuries are particularly impactful in the medical arena, as diseases can be spread through accidental contact with "sharps," including scalpel blades or the like. In particular, scalpels may include a handle that can be assembled with a disposable blade. Such handles may also be disposable or may be reusable (such as by being made of a material that can be sterilized using an autoclave of the like). Further, many such handles may not include any protection from contact with the blade when being assembled thereto and, further, may present additional opportunity for injury during removal of a to-be-disposed blade prior to reuse or disposal of the handle.
Accordingly, further advances in protection from injury due to inadvertent contact with scalpel blades, including during removal, are desired.