The positioning device for positioning a movable conveyed goods carrier on a conveyor track in a clamped position includes a stop device (12); a movement device for a positioning movement and a drive (20) for driving the movement device. The movement device has a positioning element (36), which is engagable with a positioning counter element (46), so that the conveyed goods carrier (30) is clamped between the movement device and the stop device (12). The movement device also has a clamping arrangement including the positioning element (36) and two clamping parts (40), which is movable by the drive (20) from an out-of-engagement configuration into a clamping configuration, in which it exerts a holding force on the conveyed goods carrier (30) in cooperation with the stop device (12). A conveyor system including a conveyor chain or belt, the conveyor track and the positioning device are also described.

The present invention relates to a positioning device for positioning of a conveyed goods carrier movable on a conveyor track along a transport path in a transport direction in at least one clamped position having a predetermined relationship to the transport direction, wherein the positioning device comprises:                stop means;        movement means, which is spaced from the stop means and performs a positioning movement, and        movement means drive, which drives the movement means so that the        movement means performs the positioning movement; and
wherein the movement means has a geometric positioning element, which is movable by the positioning movement from an out-of-engagement position into an engaged position, in which the geometric positioning element is engaged with a geometric positioning counter element so that the conveyed goods carrier is arranged between the movement means and the stop means in a clamped position.
Furthermore the present invention relates to a conveyor system for motion of a conveyed goods carrier in a transport or conveying direction along a transport path on a conveyor track. This conveyor system comprises the conveyor track, which extends both in the transport direction and also in a transport track orthogonal transverse direction, a drive means coupled with the conveyed goods carrier for motion transmission, especially at least one circulating drive means, preferably at least one circulating conveyor chain and/or at least one circulating conveyor belt. The conveyor system also includes a positioning device with the above-described features.
A positioning device and a transport system of the above-described type are known from DE 100 45 743 A1. The known positioning device with the geometric positioning element has a cylinder acted on with pressure, which has a clamping pin that is extendable from it and retractable into it acting as movement drive means. This clamping pin and pressurized cylinder form a piston-cylinder system.
The positioning device known from DE 100 45 743 A1 is arranged in a conveyor system so that the conveyed goods carrier is clamped between the stop means and the movement means and held and arranged in the desired clamped position when the clamping pin is in the engaged position, which corresponds to an extended position of the clamping pin from the pressurized cylinder.
The disadvantage of the known positioning device and/or the known transport system is that the clamping pin provides by form fit an exact arrangement of the conveyed goods carrier in the desired clamped position and also the holding forced required for holding the conveyed goods carrier in this clamped position. Since the conveyed goods carrier is usually arranged in the desired clamped position in order to perform the desired working and/or removing and/or loading processes on the conveyed goods and/or on the conveyed goods carrier, the required holding force can take a considerable size. Bending moments acting on the clamping pin extending from the pressurized cylinder in the clamping position can take a size, which permanently damages the positioning device and makes it unusable. The unusability can comprise impaired movability of the clamping pin by jamming in the cylinder or in an inaccurate positioning because of the shape changes.

Positioning device and conveyor system with the positioning device


A method is provided for populating a function for a control unit with data, in which method measurements are performed on a system at different measuring points on a test stand, and a global data-based model is set up based on the obtained measured values, and virtual measurements which simulate real measurements on the test stand are carried out on the global data-based model, and uncertainties for virtual measured values of the virtual measurements are determined from the global data-based model, the uncertainties of the virtual measured values being taken into account when populating the function for the control unit with data.

Control units are electronic modules, which are used in motor vehicles for control and/or regulation processes. Toward this end, functionalities, normally realized in the form of software and executed on a processor or CPU in the control unit, are implemented in the control unit.
The application of control units means populating the control units with data. In this context the populating with data denotes the inputting or copying of data into or onto a data-storing entity, in most cases a storage device in the control unit.
One working step in the application in engine control units is what is known as the basic adaptation. During the basic adaption, for example, data for engine control functions for detecting the cylinder charge are input. Tools for optimizing all identifiers or labels of such a function are used for this purpose.
A great number of measurements, which are usually determined on an engine test bench, are required for the input into these tools, for which in addition to basic influencing parameters of engine speed and load, further influencing quantities in accordance with the provided charge actuators, such as camshaft angle positions (intake and discharge camshaft), exhaust-gas recirculation rates, intake manifold switchovers, charge motion valve positions, etc., are varied. From the related art, "Design of Experiments" (DoE) methods are known, which instead of employing a grid measurement of all influencing parameters to be varied, use a certain selection of necessary measurements per operating point, defined by engine speed and load, in order to adapt a local operating point model such as a polynomial model (cornerstone) on that basis. These models are then able to be queried only at the operating points, but not in-between.
Populating the labels of a function such as the charge detection, for example, with data requires measurements across the entire operating range, which have to be carried out with the necessary precision. To keep the number of measurements low nevertheless, a so-called global data-based model is inserted between measurements on the test stand and the optimization tool. Virtual measurements using all kinds of variations of the influencing parameters are then carried out on this model.
A method for developing a global model of an output parameter for a dynamic system is known from the International Published Patent Appln. WO 2006/051039. This could be an operating parameter of an internal combustion engine, for instance. This method is to make it possible to manage with only a small number of measuring points for calculating the output parameter for all states. In the development of the global model, a development of the input variable with polynomials takes place and a calculation of coefficients of the development. In the printed publication it is furthermore described to determine variances at measuring points by way of repeat measurements. Parallel to the model of the data, these variances are used for setting up a second model of the variances. This makes it possible to describe in which areas the measurements are more precise and in which areas the measurements are less precise.

Method for setting up a functionality for a control unit


A device for marking upon a surface including a body assembly made of a resilient material, a cover member, a base assembly and a bottom cover. The body assembly has an outer wall, a central opening an upper end and a bottom end. The base assembly includes a marker rigidly attached to the center of the upper surface and a bottom surface. The upper surface is fixedly secure upon the bottom end of the body assembly in a way that the marker is housed within central opening. The bottom cover protects bottom surface. Cover member protects the upper end and the opening of the body assembly and prevents the marker from drying when the device for marking is not in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for marking, and more particularly, to a device for marking upon a surface such as a wall.
2. Description of the Related Art
When hanging a frame for a painting or mirror, it is often necessary to make a mark upon a surface to position where a nail and/or wall anchor will be placed. Making an incorrect mark upon the surface may result in multiple holes being made into a wall, or may otherwise permanently stain the wall. There is a need for a device that marks upon a surface, that is accurate and easy to use, to hang frames for paintings, mirrors, and the like.
There are no devices for marking upon a surface to the best of applicant's knowledge that include a body assembly made of a soft resilient material with a central opening, and a base assembly with a marker rigidly attached to its center in a way that the marker is housed within the central opening.


An addition curable self-adhesive silicone rubber composition comprising (A) an organopolysiloxane containing at least two alkenyl groups, (B) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing at least three SiH groups, (C) an aromatic ring-free organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing at least two SiH groups, and (F) an addition reaction catalyst, with a SiH/alkenyl molar ratio ranging from 0.8 to 5.0, is briefly moldable and cures to various metals and organic resins.

Since silicone rubber has excellent characteristics including heat resistance, freeze resistance, safety, electric insulation and weather resistance, it finds widespread use in a variety of fields, for example, as automotive parts such as connector seals and spark plug boots, electric/electronic parts such as copier rolls and microwave oven gaskets, and building parts such as sealants, as well as many consumer parts such as nursing nipples and diving gears. In many of these applications, silicone rubber is used as articles combined with metals and organic resins. Many methods were proposed for manufacturing cured products of addition curable silicone rubber compositions integrated with metals and organic resins. Such integrally bonded articles are typically produced by (i) coating the surface of a molded resin with a primer, applying an uncured silicone rubber composition thereto, and curing, (ii) coating an adhesive to an interface, (iii) two-color molding so as to provide mutual engagement, and (iv) curing a self-adhesive silicone rubber composition to a molded resin. However, the use of adhesives or primers adds to the number of steps, and with a certain coating technique, the surface to be bonded may be smeared. The two-color molding method can imposes limitation on the shape of integrated articles and lead to insufficient interfacial adhesion. One solution is a self-adhesive type silicone rubber composition obtained by adding an adhesive to a silicone rubber composition. The self-adhesive type silicone rubber composition eliminates the priming or coating step, shortens the operating time, reduces the cost, and improves the efficiency of operation. It constitutes an effective means for manufacturing integrally molded articles with resins.
In connection with the primerless molding of addition type heat-curable silicone rubber compositions, a number of reports have been made for bonding silicone rubber to organic resins. In one exemplary attempt, self-adhesive silicone rubber compositions are cured on resins. Many proposals were made relating to specific adhesive components for use in the self-adhesive silicone rubber compositions. Also, JP-B H02-34311 discloses to add an organopolysiloxane containing at least 30 mol % of hydrogen atoms directly bonded to silicon atoms to an organic resin so that the resin may become bondable to an addition reaction curable silicone rubber. JP-A S63-183843 discloses the integral adhesion of silicone rubber to an olefin resin having grafted thereto a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated group and a silicon-bonded hydrolyzable group. JP-A H09-165516 and JP-A H09-165517 propose a process in which a thermoplastic resin having added thereto a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated group and a hydrogen atom directly bonded to silicon atom is adhesively joined and integrated with silicone rubber as well as an integrally molded article in which a resin having blended therein a thermoplastic oligomer containing aliphatic unsaturated groups is integrally molded with an oil-bleeding silicone rubber.
However, heat-curable silicone rubber compositions of the addition reaction type fail to achieve through a brief molding step a sufficient bond to general thermoplastic resins including ABS, PC, PE, PP, PBT, PET, acrylic resins, PA, aromatic PA, PPO, PPS, and urethane resins. To acquire a bonding ability, the resins must be modified as suggested in the above patent documents. Modification of resins requires additional steps and an extra cost, and the modified resins sometimes become vulnerable to quality alteration.
Materials known to overcome these problems include self-adhesive, addition-crosslinking silicone rubber compositions comprising an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having a SiH bond and a Si—C6H5 (phenyl) bond in a molecule (JP-A 2001-200162 and JP-A 2008-537967). Undesirably the Si—C6H5 bond can generate benzene upon heating.

Addition curable self-adhesive silicone rubber composition


A temperature sensor for a radiant heater has a first tubular expansion element which is connected to its housing and contains a second rod-like expansion element, the two expansion elements having different coefficients of thermal expansion. The temperature sensor has two switching springs for different switching points. In order to adjust a second switching spring, which is fastened to a second switching spring base, the second switching spring base can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the rod and is then permanently fixed by bending or welding.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,345,572 discloses a temperature sensor, which is also referred to as a rod thermostat. It contains two switching springs which are triggered by a second expansion element which is mounted in a tubular first expansion element. The first expansion element usually consists of a metal tube, whereas the second expansion element is a ceramic rod. As a result of different coefficients of thermal expansion, essentially only the tube expands during heating and the rod moves, relative to the latter, out of a housing of the temperature sensor, which contains the switching springs. The switching springs are triggered or switched at a respective triggering point provided for each switching spring, which is thus intended to be effected at two different temperatures which can be set. The setting of these triggering points or switching temperatures is very important and technically cannot be solved in a very simple manner.
The invention is based on solving the problem of providing a temperature sensor mentioned at the outset and a method for adjusting said temperature sensor, which can be used to solve problems of the prior art and, in particular, make it possible to carry out an above mentioned adjustment effectively in terms of the construction and procedure.

Temperature sensor and method for adjusting such a temperature sensor


An electrochemically active element is provided which comprises a first layer of PEDOT-PSS mixed with an adhesion promoter, and a second layer of PANI which is in direct electrical contact with said first layer. Such an element exhibits a substantially increased resistance from being overoxidized, as well as an electrical conductivity which is virtually the same as for pure PEDOT-PSS, and substantially better than for pure PANI. The electrochemically active element can be used in e.g. electrochemical pixel devices, transistors, diodes etc.

Semiconducting and conducting organic materials, both polymers and molecules, have successfully been included in a large range of electronic devices, e g electrochemical devices, for instance as dynamic colorants in smart windows and in polymer batteries. Reversible doping and de-doping involving mobile ions switches the material between different redox states.
Electrochromic materials exhibit colour changes or changes in optical density as a result of electrochemical reduction and/or oxidation reactions. An electrochromic material can either be present as a solid, or exist as molecular, neutral or ionic species in an electrolyte solution. These materials have been used for the creation of electrochromic cells, where the passage of electric charge causes colour changes in the materials. Electrochromic cells are used in electrochromic devices of different kinds, and two principal categories of these devices can be distinguished. The two categories differ from each other mainly in the arrangement of the elements of the electrochromic cell.
The first category of electrochromic devices utilises a sandwich construction, and is used in applications such as automobile windows, building windows, sunglasses, large billboards, mirrors with variable reflectance, sunroofs etc. In this type of electrochromic device, continuous layers of electrochromic material and electrolyte (as well as other layers of e g ion reservoir material) are confined between two electrodes that completely cover the layers of electrochromic material and electrolyte. For the electrochromic device to be of use, at least one of said electrodes has to be transparent to let light through the device. This requirement is met in the prior art through the use of electrode materials such as indium-doped tin oxide (ITO), tin dioxide or fluorine-doped tin dioxide. The electrochromic materials used in these applications vary, but are often based on heavy metal oxides such as WO3 or conducting polymers such as polyaniline or polypyrrole. The conducting, electrochromic polymer poly-(3,4-ethylendioxythiophene)(PEDOT) has attracted much study, and sandwich devices incorporating this polymer have been realised.
The second category of electrochromic devices aim at providing an electrically updateable display for realisation on a flexible support. U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,329 describes such a display, in which the electrodes of the electrochromic device are placed in one and the same plane, contacting a layer of electrochromic material for the generation of local colour effects at the interface between the electrochromic material and the electrodes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,888 represents a further development of this device, describing a two-sided display. However, the arrangement of the component layers of the electrochromic device is similar to that of the device of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,329 patent, considering that the electrodes on either side of the display support contact electrochromic material only, and the generation of electrochromic effects is confined to the area of the electrodes. The electrochromic materials that are used in these devices are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,300.
Problems with the pixel matrices in the displays of the prior art mentioned above include the fact that they are difficult and expensive to manufacture. In particular, no electrochemical pixel devices have been disclosed which are truly capable of being mass produced. Furthermore, the practical use of the pixel elements in the prior art devices has been hampered by their comparatively high power consumption as well as their short lifetimes. Also, materials used in prior art devices suffer from a lack of environmental friendliness, processability and economic production possibilities. There is therefore a need for new and improved pixel devices for incorporation in matrices that may be used in displays.
Actually, the lifetime problem is found to be widespread and similar problems are experienced in other types of electrochemical devices, such as electrochemical diodes and transistors. One critical factor for the lifetime of such devices is the performance of their electrochemically active elements, i.e. the element which is supposed to provide for redox reactions. There is therefore a general need for improved electrochemically active elements, not only for pixel devices but also for any other type of electrochemical device.


A modulation circuit arranged to modulate a first voltage from a first power supply grid to produce a desired second voltage not greater than the first voltage on a second power supply grid is provided. A digital register is operatively connected to the modulation circuit to determine the desired second voltage on the second power supply grid. Furthermore, the digital register maintains a value representative of an activity level or an anticipated activity level of a circuit connected to the second power supply grid. The modulation circuit maintains the desired second voltage for the circuit connected to the second power supply grid by transferring charge between capacitances.

Modern high performance microprocessors have an ever-increasing number of circuit elements and an ever-rising clock frequency. Also, as the number of circuits that can be used in a central processing unit (CPU) has increased, the number of parallel operations has risen. As CPU performance continues to increase, the result has been a larger number of circuits switching at faster rates.
Higher frequencies and data throughput cause a processor to consume increased power. The power dissipated by a circuit is a quadratic function of the supply voltage. Reducing the supply voltage may decrease the power dissipated by a circuit; however, reducing the supply voltage also increases the delay of the circuit. Slowing the speed of the circuit may cause some CPU activities to be incomplete at the end of a cycle. The effect may lead to loss of data in a CPU or incorrect results. Thus, from a design perspective, power is an important consideration. Power is a consideration in the design of a broad range of integrated circuits, including CPUs.
In FIG. 1, an integrated circuit (100) is shown with connections to an external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103). The external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103) are used to provide power to the integrated circuit (100). A circuit (120) located on the integrated circuit (100) performs some function necessary for the operation of the integrated circuit (100).
A supply voltage routing line (105) and a ground voltage routing line (107) are used to provide power to the circuit (120) by connecting to the external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103), respectively. Routing lines have a resistance and form capacitances with adjacent routing lines. These parasitics created by the supply voltage routing line (105) are modeled by impedance ZA (122). The parasitics created by the ground voltage routing line (107) are modeled by impedance ZB (124).
Due to switching noise created by the active switching of circuits, e.g., circuit (120) on the integrated circuit (100), decoupling capacitors are added to act as local power supplies. For example, a decoupling capacitor (102) is located physically close to the external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103) to reduce the amount of power supply noise. Power supply noise from the external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103) may be generated by other integrated circuits connected to the external supply voltage terminal (101) and external ground voltage terminal (103).
In FIG. 1, decoupling capacitor (108) is located physically close to the circuit (120) to reduce the amount of power supply noise on the supply voltage routing line (105) and ground voltage routing line (107). The power supply noise on the supply voltage routing line (105) and ground voltage routing line (107) may be generated by active circuits, e.g., circuit (120), located on the integrated circuit (100).
The power dissipated by a circuit, for example circuit (120), is a quadratic function of a voltage difference, e.g., the voltage difference between the voltage on the supply voltage routing line (105) and the voltage on the ground voltage routing line (107). In particular, power is equal to the capacitance of the load multiplied by the frequency of switching multiplied by the square of the voltage difference. That is, P=CLfVDD2, where P is power, CL is the capacitance of the load, and VDD is the voltage difference. Reducing the voltage difference may reduce the power dissipated; however, reducing the voltage difference also increases the delay of a circuit, such as the circuit (120) in FIG. 1.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit comprises a first power supply grid; a modulation circuit arranged to receive a first voltage from the first power supply grid where the first voltage is modulated by the modulation circuit to produce a second voltage not greater than the first voltage on a second power supply grid; and a digital register operatively connected to the modulation circuit where the digital register determines a desired second voltage of a circuit connected to the second power supply grid and controls the modulation of the modulation circuit.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of supplying power to an integrated circuit comprises modulating a first voltage from a first power supply grid to produce a second voltage not greater than the first voltage on a second power supply grid; determining a desired second voltage on the second power supply grid based on an activity level of a circuit connected to the second power supply grid; maintaining a digital value representative of the desired second voltage on the second power supply grid; and adjusting the desired second voltage based on the digital value.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit, comprises means for modulating a first voltage from a first power supply grid to produce a second voltage not greater than the first voltage on a second power supply grid; means for determining a desired second voltage on the second power supply grid based on an activity level of a circuit connected to the second power supply grid; means for maintaining a digital value representative of the activity level of the circuit connected to the second power supply grid; and means for adjusting the desired second voltage based on the digital value.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

Dynamic modulation of on-chip supply voltage for low-power design


A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER11403’, characterized by its uniform, compact, upright and mounded plant habit; strong stems; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts; early-season flowering; natural season flower maturity date is late November for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; and excellent post-production longevity.

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name 'PER11403'.
The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. The cultivar PER11403 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2003. The new Poinsettia was selected on the basis of its early flowering habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since January, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Systems, methods and devices for a coaxial cable transmission system. A power supply receives a primary power signal from a power source. The power supply generates a switched direct current power signal from the primary power signal. A power gateway receives the switched direct current power signal over a coaxial cable from the power supply. The power gateway generates a secondary power signal from the switched direct current power signal. A load device receives the secondary power signal from the power gateway. In some implementations, the power supply generates the switched direct current power signal at a positive direct current voltage level for a first part of a time period and at a negative direct current voltage level for a second part of the time period.

Coaxial cable is typically used to transmit communications signals. As one example, coaxial cable has long been used to distribute cable television (CATV) signals from a CATV headend to end user premises. In another example, coaxial cable is used to transmit communications signals between end user premises and communications networks, such as the Internet.

Coaxial cable power signal distribution systems and methods


A portable foldable support assembly for a microwave dish antenna in which three or more legs are hinged to a vertical center post near its upper end to engage the ground plane beyond the center of gravity of the antenna, and a torsional stabilizer secured to the lower end of the post having three or more moment arms respectively disposed circumferentially between adjacent pairs of legs and in which a pair of tension members couple the lower end of each leg to two adjacent moment arms on opposite sides of the central axis to resist rotation of the post in either direction.

Microwave communication is dependant on precision antenna mounting including stabilization of aim in altitude and azimuth with respect to the remote counterpart source or target antenna. In the case of portable antennas there is an obvious trade-off between the mass or complexity of the support structure and antenna stability. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,827,629, 4,799,642 and 5,061,945 are examples of the present state of the art in portable and semi-portable dish antenna support structures. They are massive; clumsy and time consuming in assembly and disassembly; present complicated, multiple packaging for transport; and share with all designs a vulnerability to torsional load displacement deriving from wind on the dish.
The present invention, therefore, has for its objects and features an antenna support design in which weight is minimized; foldability quickly presents a compact, manageable package for transport; and the ability of the support to resist torsional loading on the surmounted dish is achieved with minimized weight and at low cost.

Support assembly for portable microwave antenna


A mass spectrometer having an array of parallel and/or tandem ion traps. The ion traps are preferably formed by providing a body of conductive material with a plurality of holes forming ring electrodes and electrodes on opposite faces of said body, opposite the ends of said ring electrodes, to define with the ring electrodes a plurality of parallel ion traps.

This invention relates generally to ion trap mass spectrometers, and more particularly to mass spectrometers employing an array of miniature ion traps of the same or different sizes, or a combination thereof.
An area of increasing interest in mass spectrometry is that of miniature instrumentation. Recent progress has been made toward the total miniaturization (sample introduction, ion source, mass analyzer, ion detection, data acquisition, and vacuum systems) of all the common types of mass spectrometers. The mass analyzers which are currently the main focus of miniaturization efforts are the linear quadrupole and time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzers. A number of groups have developed single miniature linear quadrupole analyzers (Syms, R. R. A.; Tate, T. J.; Ahmad, M. M.; Taylor, S. Electron. Lett. 1996, 32, 2094-2095) (Taylor, S.; Tunstall, J. J.; Syms, R. R. A.; Tate, T.; Ahmad, M. M. Electron. Lett. 1998, 34, 546-547) (Syms, R. R. A.; Tate, T. J.; Ahmad, M. M.; Taylor, S. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 1998, 45, 2304-2311) (Holkeboer, D. H.; Karandy, T. L.; Currier, F. C.; Frees, L. C.; Ellefson, R. E., J Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 1998, 16, 1157-1162) (Taylor, S.; Tunstall, J. J.; Leck, J. H., Tindall, R. F.; Jullien, J. P.; Batey, J; Syms, R. R. A.; Tate, T; Ahmad, M. M., Vacuum 1999, 53, 203-206) (Freidhoff, C. B.; Young, R. M.; Sriram, S.; Braggins, T. T.; O""Keefe, T. W.; Adam, J. D.; Nathanson, H. C.; Syms, R. R. A.; Tate, T. J.; Ahmad, M. M.; Taylor, S.; Tunstall, J., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 1999, 17, 2300-2307).
Arrays of mass analyzers have been used previously, starting with the commercial double-beam Kratos MS30 sector instrument of a generation ago, and, more recently, including multiple linear quadrupoles each of identical size (Ferran, R. J.; Boumsellek, S., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 1996, 14, 1258-1265) (Orient, O. J.; Chutjian, A.; Garkanian, V., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1997, 68, 1393-1397). In the latter cases, multiple analyzers are specifically used in order to provide higher ion currents while maintaining the favorable operating conditions of physically smaller devices, including higher pressure tolerance and lower working voltages. As an example of this approach, Kirchner (Kirchner, N. J.: U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,506, 1993) proposed a parallel electrostatic ion processing device composed of a parallel series of channels. Each channel was designed to store, process, and then detect ions. Due to the parallel architecture, high ion throughput and high capacity were expected.
Miniature mass spectrometers that can be operated in non-laboratory and harsh environments are of interest for continuous on-line and other monitoring tasks. Simplicity of operation and small size are the premier qualities sought in these devices. Only modest performance in terms of resolution and dynamic range is needed to address many of the problems to which these small instruments might be applied. Miniaturization of the mass analyzer must be accompanied by miniaturization of the entire system, including the vacuum system and control electronics. The ion trap mass analyzer is physically small. Nearly a decade ago a miniature version (2.5 mm internal radius) was described by Kaiser et al. (Kaiser, R. E.; Cooks, R. G.; Stafford, G. C.; Syka, J. E. P.; Hemberger, P. H., Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1991, 106, 79-115).
One major issue with miniaturized mass spectrometers is the pressure tolerance of the device. Currently, pumping systems are size, power and weight prohibitive, and the miniature devices available do not provide the pumping speeds or base pressures associated with full-size pumps. Offsetting this is the fact that the pressure tolerance of small analyzers is greater than that of larger analyzers, since the shorter path lengths decrease the probability of ion/neutral atom or molecule collisions. Even though ion traps have relatively long path lengths, collisions with gases of lower mass and higher ionization potential have beneficial effects on resolution since they cool ions to near the center of the device (Stafford G. C.; Kelley, P. E.; Syka, J. E. P.; Reynolds, W. E.; Todd, J. F., Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1984, 60, 85-98). The result is that quadrupole ion traps are the most pressure-tolerant of all the major types of mass analyzers, and small ion traps should be even more so. A pressure tolerant analyzer like the quadrupole ion trap, therefore, is of special interest as a miniature mass spectrometer, since base pressure can be higher and pumping capacity lower, allowing use of a simpler pumping system.
In the search for a robust mass analyzer for miniaturization, the quadrupole ion trap is a prime candidate due to its overall performance characteristics and operating conditions that are beneficial for the miniaturization process. Operation of the trap using simplified-applied voltages simplifies the control electronics needed to operate the ion trap as a mass analyzer. Also, given that a reduction in size causes a reduction in ion trapping capacity, a method to gain back total ion trapping capacity is needed when miniaturized ion traps are used, and the use of multiple individual traps is suggested for this purpose.
The conventional method of operating a hyperbolic quadrupole ion trap as a mass spectrometer is to perform a mass-selective instability scan. In this experiment the amplitude of the applied rf voltage is scanned so as to force ions of increasing m/z ratios into unstable trajectories, causing them to leave the trap and allowing them to impinge on an external detector such as an electron multiplier (Stafford G. C.; Kelley, P. E.; Syka, J. E. P.; Reynolds, W. E.; Todd, J. F., Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1984, 60, 85-98). The relationship between the parameters involved is given by the Mathieu equations. The solution for ion motion in the z (axial) direction can be expressed in terms of the Mathieu parameter qz where:       q    z    =                    8                          xe2x80x83                        z                          xe2x80x83                        V                    m                          xe2x80x83                                              Ω            2                                          (                                          r                0                2                            +                              2                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  z                  0                  2                                                      )                                .
In this equation, V is the amplitude of the trapping rf voltage, m is the mass of the ion of interest, r0 and z0 are the inscribed dimensions of the ion trap, and xcexa9 is the angular frequency of the rf voltage. It has been previously noted that, in principle, at a fixed value of qz, variation in V, xcexa9 or r will correspond to selection of ions of different m/z values (Kaiser, R. E.; Cooks, R. G.; Stafford, G. C.; Syka, J. E. P.; Hemberger, P. H. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1991, 106, 79-115) (Kaiser, R. E.; Cooks, R. G.; Moss, J.; Hemberger, P. H. Rapid Comm. Mass Spectrom. 1989, 3, 50-53). Indeed, scans of V have been used to record mass spectra, the value of qz being fixed by the boundary for ion stability or some other operating point in the stability diagram (Stafford, G. C.; Kelley, P. E.; Syka, J. E. P.; Reynolds, W. E.; Todd, J. F. J. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1984, 60, 85-98).
A cylindrical ion trap (CIT) was first described by Langmuir for use as an ion containment device, but not as a mass spectrometer. Subsequently, the use of CITs has focused mainly on ion storage, although recent experiments by Badman (Badman, E. R.; Johnson, R. C.; Plass, W. R.; Cooks, R. G. Anal. Chem. 1998, 70, 4896-4901) and Kornienko (Kornienko, O.; Reilly, P. T. A.; Whitten, W. B.; Ramsey, J. M. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 1999, 13, 50-53) (Kornienko, O.; Reilly, P. T. A.; Whitten, W. B.; Ramsey, J. M. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1999, 70, 3907-3909) have shown them to perform well as mass spectrometers. CITs are also simpler to machine than standard hyperbolic quadrupole ion traps, especially on the millimeter scale. A cylindrical ion trap (CIT) consists of a barrel-shaped central ring electrode with two flat endcap electrodes, and as such, it is extremely simple to machine compared to the hyperboloid shapes of the electrodes in the standard quadrupole ion trap.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mass spectrometer consisting of an array of quadrupole ion traps each element of which is operated using the same rf and dc trapping signals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mass spectrometer having simple miniaturized control electronics and pumping systems.
There is provided a mass spectrometer in which, in the first embodiment, each element of an array is an ion trap whose dimensions are proportionately varied. This allows the size (r0 and z0) of the device to be used as a variable in the Mathieu stability equation to trap ions of different mass/charge ratios in the individual ion traps with the same rf and dc trapping voltages. Each trap operates in the mass selective stability mode to trap ions of a given m/z value or range of m/z values. Isolation of ions in a quadrupole ion trap is commonly achieved by applying, along with the trapping rf voltage, a dc voltage between the ring electrode and the endcap electrodes or, alternatively, by the use of a waveform applied to one or more electrodes to resonantly eject ions of one or multiple mass/charge ratios through use of a pulse with frequency components equal to the frequencies of motion of the ions to be ejected. In this invention, the mass range selected for isolation is controlled via the applied voltages to be for a single m/z value (as is typically done) to a wide range of masses, including the entire mass range.
In the second embodiment, the array consists of identical-sized ion traps, also operated under common conditions. This type of array can be operated in a similar manner as the first embodiment, using same methods of ion isolation, ejection and detection. In this case, the invention allows increased ion trapping capacity over a single-sized ion trap operated under identical conditions, which improves overall signal intensity. Alternatively, with appropriate methods of ionization and injection, it allows simultaneous analysis of multiple samples using the same array mass spectrometer and the same vacuum, electronics and data systems.
In a further embodiment, the arrays may be operated in series whereby the first array can be used to accumulate ions before they are injected into the second array.


A method of making a high density organic polymeric particle, suitable for use in milling, includes the steps of: providing an oil phase including a high density metal, a metal modifying agent, a cross-linkable organic monomer mixture, and an oil soluble polymerization initiator; admixing the oil phase under high shear conditions in an aqueous medium to produce droplets of the oil phase in the aqueous medium; and adding a hydrocolloid to the aqueous medium containing the droplets of the oil phase. The method further includes polymerizing the droplets of the oil phase to produce high density organic polymeric particles comprising a cross-linked polymer host matrix and a high density metal wherein the high density metal is within the interior of the cross-linked polymer host matrix.

Ink jet printing is a non-impact method for producing images by the deposition of ink droplets on a substrate (paper, transparent film, fabric, or other like materials.) in response to digital signals. Ink jet printers have found broad applications across markets ranging from industrial labeling to short run printing to desktop document and pictorial imaging. The inks used in ink jet printers are generally classified as either dye-based or pigment-based.
A dye is a colorant which is molecularly dispersed or solvated by a carrier. The carrier can be a liquid or a solid at room temperature. A commonly used carrier is water or a mixture of water and organic co-solvents. Each individual dye molecule is surrounded by molecules of the carrier. In dye-based inks, no particles are observable under the microscope. Although there have been many recent advances in the art of dye-based ink jet inks, such inks still suffer from deficiencies such as low optical densities on plain paper and poor light fastness. When water is used as the carrier, such inks also generally suffer from poor water fastness.
Pigment based inks have been gaining in popularity as a way of addressing these limitations. In pigment-based inks, the colorant exists as discrete particles. These pigment particles are typically treated with addenda known as dispersants or stabilizers which serve to keep the pigment particles from agglomerating and settling out of the carrier. Pigment-based inks suffer from a different set of deficiencies than dye-based inks. These deficiencies are the result of the fact that prior-art pigment-based inks display particle sizes and particle size distributions which can vary widely from pigment to pigment. This often requires costly and time-consuming filtration steps and often leads to plugging of the orifices of the ink jet printer. This dramatically limits the number of available pigments which can be used in ink jet printing processes. For example, although pigments in a wide variety of colors have been described in the prior art, commercially available ink jet inks have thus far been limited to black inks based on carbon black.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,138 describes a process for milling a pigment for use in an inkjet ink where the pigment is milled using rigid milling media until 90% by weight of the pigment particles have a size less than 100 nm. The rigid milling media are preferably polymeric milling media having an average diameter of 50 microns which is considerably smaller than conventional ceramic milling media. Beads used in the example are highly crosslinked polystyrene such as poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) 20/80.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,269 teaches a method of making pigmented toner particles produced by a limited coalescence technique resulting in particles of a non-crosslinked solid polymer matrix with pigment dispersed in the interior regions of the polymer matrix. The pigment can be a magnetic oxide, including ferric and ferrous oxides, and cobalt oxides.
There is a need for making polymeric particles with high density.


The number of sensors that can be used by an SSA system including a single source can be increased by using a multi wavelength source to send different wavelength pulses to each of a plurality of different sensor array ladders, particularly Sagnac sensor array (SSA) ladders. More particularly, each broadband pulse from a broadband source is wavelength divided into a plurality of narrower pulses with each narrower pulse being used in a separate sensor array ladder.

FIG. 1 depicts a prior art Sagnac sensor array (SSA) system 1 comprising a source 3, a coupler 5 having input ports 7A-7C and output ports 9A-9C, a clockwise distribution and agglomeration bus A, a counterclockwise distribution and agglomeration bus C, clockwise channel couplers 15A(1)-15A(N−1) where N−1=2, counter clockwise channel couplers 15C(1)-15C(N−1) where N−1=2, rungs R1-RN, sensors 17(1)-17(N), and detectors 19F and 19G. Reference to the 3rd rung as the N rung is intended to show that the actual number of rungs may vary between different sensor arrays.
In the SSA system 1, a signal 21 comprising a series of pulses of light is generated by the intensity modulated source 3 coupled to the 3×3 optical coupler 5. The coupler 5 splits the signal 21 equally among the three output ports 9A, 9B, and 9C, such that each pulse of the signal 21 output by the source 3 is split into a clockwise (cw) pulse, signal 21A, traveling along bus A, and a counter clock wise (ccw) pulse, signal 21C, traveling along bus C. The cw and ccw signals 21A and 21C travel down the busses A and C until they encounter couplers 15A(1) and 15C(1) that each split off a portion of the signals 21A and 21C, and cause the split off portions to traverse the rung R1, and the non-split off portions to continue down the busses A and C. The non-split off portions continue until they reach the next set of couplers, 15A(2) and 15C(2), that each split off a portion of the signals reaching them, and cause the split off portions to traverse the rung R2. This splitting of the remaining portions of signals 21A and 21C continues on until a final rung RN is reached at which point signal 21A has been split into a plurality of signals 21A(R1)-21A(N) and signal 21C has been split into a plurality of signals 21C(R1)-31C(N). As can be seen, the busses A and C each comprise a plurality of linearly arranged channels coupled together by the couplers 15A and 15C.
When the split off portions 21A(R1)-21A(RN) and 21C(R1)-21C(RN) of the signals 21A and 21C traverse the rungs R1-RN, they are modified by sensors 17(1)-17(N) of the rungs R1-RN. As shown, the split off portions 21A(R1)-21A(RN) are designated 21F(R1)-21F(RN) after passing through the sensors 17(1)-17(N), and the split off portions 21C(R1)-21C(RN) are designated 21G(R1)-21G(RN) after passing through the sensors 17(1)-17(N). On exiting the sensors 17(1)-17(N), the signals 21F(R1)-21F(RN) are combined on bus C by the couplers 15C(1)-15C(N) to form signal 21F, and the signals 21G(R1)-21G(RN) are combined on the bus A by the couplers 15A(1)-15A(N) to form signal 21G.
Because each pulse of the signals 21A and 21C is delayed by a coil 6 (21C after it passes through the sensors to become 21G), and split between rungs, each pulse of the signals 21A and 21C becomes multiple pulses in the signals 21F and 21G with the increased number of pulses being proportional to the number of rungs R1-RN in the SSA system 1. The individual pulses in the signals 21F and 21G are independent from each other, with each pulse in signal 21F carrying sensed information obtained via a sensor in a particular sensor rung, and each pulse in signal 21G carrying sensed information obtained via a sensor in a particular sensor rung.
The signals 21F and 21G are combined in the 3×3 coupler 5. The timing of the individual pulses of the signals 21F and 21G are such that both the cw and ccw pulses corresponding to an input pulse that passed through a particular rung pass through the coupler 5 at the same time. As a result, the pulses for a particular rung interfere with each other. The resultant signals 21F′ and 21G′ exiting the ports 7A and 7C are detected by the detectors 19F and 19G with the detected signals being used to obtain information imparted by the sensors 17(1)-17(N).
There is a limit to the number of sensors/rungs a sensor system such as the SSA system 1 can include before running into signal to noise issues. This is due at least in part because of the need to divide the cw and ccw signals among all the sensors/rungs. Unfortunately, having a limit on the number of sensors limits the amount of area the SSA system 1 can cover. Having a limit on the number of sensors also limits the sensing capabilities of the SSA system 1.
For later discussion, the portion of the SSA system 1 to the right of coupler 5 will be referred to as the "ladder" or "SSA ladder" of the SSA system 1. As can be seen, the ladder 31 of SSA system 1 includes the pair of buses A and C, and the rungs R1-RN extending between the busses A and C, and the sensors of those rungs. The SSA ladder 31 also includes a delay coil 6. However, "ladders" and "SSA ladders", as the terms are used in the detailed description, do not necessarily include a delay coil.


A system and method of tracking a viewer's focus and attention by displaying an object on a screen and instructing the user to look at such object. A camera captures an image of an eye of the user as he looks at the object, and then captures one or more further images of the eye of the user to determine when or if the user looked away from the object. A duration of time during which the user looked at the object may be used as a measure of focus or attention of the user.

A tendency towards distraction by visual stimulus may be correlated with a reduced capacity for extended concentration and cognitive learning. Some theories maintain that improvements in visual attention and focus may improve concentration faculties and reduce a propensity towards distraction. Manual methods of exercising visual attention do not provide sufficient feedback to a user about his actual attention, focus and distraction rates.

System and method of feedback for attention and concentration


Provided is a single crystal ingot sawing apparatus. The single crystal ingot sawing apparatus includes a wire saw configured to slice an ingot, a roller for configured to drive the wire saw, and a slurry bath for configured to receive slurry supplied onto the wire saw.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sawing apparatus of a single crystal ingot.
2. Background of the Related Art
Wafers such as silicon are manufactured by slicing a single silicon ingot into slices having a thin thickness. For example, a single crystal ingot is sliced in a wafer form using a predetermined sawing apparatus such as a wire saw while the ingot mounted on a table is moved and slurry is supplied.
However, a distance between a wire and the table is gradually reduced toward a rear end of the ingot to be sliced. As a result, the slurry which is not used during the slicing of the ingot, is supplied into the ingot to be sliced to cause the excessive supply of the slurry. Due to the excessive supply of the slurry, the ingot is over-cooled causing non-uniform shape of a sliced surface of the wafer, thereby deteriorating quality of the wafer.
The slurry (abrasive+oil) also acts as slicing and lubricating agents in the wire saw thereby affecting the quality of the sliced wafer. Although the slurry smeared on a wire acts as the slicing agent for slicing the ingot, scattered slurry or slurry scattered by the wire reciprocated at a high speed may be permeated and accumulated between wafers generated by slicing the ingot to deform a shape of the wafer.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating a sliced wrap profile due to slurry supply failure in a related art. FIG. 2 is a nano-map illustrating an example of nano-waviness due to non-uniformly sliced wrap profile.
According to the related art, the slurry scattered when an end (a rear end to be sliced) of the silicon ingot is sliced within the wire saw may have a bad influence on the wafer or straightness of the wire to deform a shape of the end of the wafer. As a result, a flow amount of slurry may be generally reduced at the rear end of the ingot to be sliced. However, when the flow amount of slurry is reduced, a slurry curtain phenomenon (slurry is uniformly spread) may not occur.
Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the slurry supply failure may occur at a specific portion of the ingot. Therefore, the sliced wrap profile of the wafer may be non-uniform. Also, due to the non-uniform shape of the sliced wrap profile of the wafer, as shown in FIG. 2, waviness pattern errors may occur in a nano-topography process after a polishing process.

Sawing apparatus of single crystal ingot


A high density integrated test probe and method of fabrication is described. A group of wires are ball bonded to contact locations on the surface of a fan out substrate. The wires are sheared off leaving a stub, the end of which is flattened by an anvil. Before flattening a sheet of material having a group of holes is arranged for alignment with the group of stubs is disposed over the stubs. The sheet of material supports the enlarged tip. The substrate with stubs form a probe which is moved into engagement with contact locations on a work piece such as a drip or packaging substrate.

Integrated circuit (IC) devices and other electronic components are normally tested to verify the electrical function of the device and certain devices require high temperature burn-in testing to accelerate early life failures of these devices. Wafer probing is typically done at temperatures ranging from 25 C.-125 C. while typical burn-in temperatures range from 80 C. to 140 C. Wafer probing and IC chip burn-in at elevated temperatures of up to 200 C. has several advantages and is becoming increasingly important in the semiconductor industry.
The various types of interconnection methods used to test these devices include permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary attachment techniques. The permanent and semi-permanent techniques that are typically used include soldering and wire bonding to provide a connection from the IC device to a substrate with fan out wiring or a metal lead frame package. The temporary attachment techniques include rigid and flexible probes that are used to connect the IC device to a substrate with fan out wiring or directly to the test equipment.
The permanent attachment techniques used for testing integrated circuit devices such as wire bonding to a leadframe of a plastic leaded chip carrier are typically used for devices that have low number of interconnections and the plastic leaded chip carrier package is relatively inexpensive. The device is tested through the wire bonds and leads of the plastic leaded chip carrier and plugged into a test socket. If the integrated circuit device is defective, the device and the plastic leaded chip carrier are discarded.
The semi-permanent attachment techniques used for testing integrated circuit devices such as solder ball attachment to a ceramic or plastic pin grid array package are typically used for devices that have high number of interconnections and the pin grid array package is relatively expensive. The device is tested through the solder balls and the internal fan out wiring and pins of the pin grid array package that is plugged into a test socket. If the integrated circuit device is defective, the device can be removed from the pin grid array package by heating the solder balls to their melting point. The processing cost of heating and removing the chip is offset by the cost saving of reusing the pin grid array package.
The most cost effective techniques for testing and burn-in of integrated circuit devices provide a direct interconnection between the pads on the device to a probe sockets that is hard wired to the test equipment. Contemporary probes for testing integrated circuits are expensive to fabricate and are easily damaged. The individual probes are typically attached to a ring shaped printed circuit board and support cantilevered metal wires extending towards the center of the opening in the circuit board. Each probe wire must be aligned to a contact location on the integrated circuit device to be tested. The probe wires are generally fragile and easily deformed or damaged. This type of probe fixture is typically used for testing integrated circuit devices that have contacts along the perimeter of the device. This type of probe cannot be used for testing integrated circuit devices that have high density area array contacts. Use of this type of probe for high temperature testing is limited by the probe structure and material set.
High temperature wafer probing and burn-in testing has a number of technical challenges. Gold plated contacts are commonly used for testing and burn-in of IC devices. At high temperatures, the gold plated probes will interact with the solder balls on the IC device to form an intermetallic layer that has high electrical resistance and brittle mechanical properties. The extent of the intermetallic formation is dependant on the temperature and duration of the contact between the gold plated probe and the solder balls on the IC device. The gold-tin intermetallic contamination of the solder balls has a further effect of reducing the reliability of the flip chip interconnection to the IC device. Another problem caused by the high temperature test environment is diffusion of the base metal of the probe into the gold plating on the surface. The diffusion process is accelerated at high temperatures and causes a high resistive oxide layer to form on the surface of the probe contact.

International Business Machines Corporation


An embed code that can be copied from a first web site for placement in a second web site by users is disclosed. The embed code will render a content object from the second web site on a number of supported platforms. Autonomously, the embed code chooses from multiple playback options to choose one for the web browser rendering the embed code, for example, Flash,™ HTML5, Silverlight,™ or a media player. Wherever the embed code is placed in a web site, a wide range of end user devices are supported without needing to reference other locations on the Internet, i.e., the embed code alone can automatically configure to play on that wide range of end user devices. The content object may be hosted or stored in various locations with the embed code accessing the proper version of the end user device.

This disclosure relates in general to video playback and, but not by way of limitation, to use of embed code that instructs a browser to play a video on multiple platforms.
More and more content is being viewed through a web browser. There are different versions of web browsers, on different platforms and different plugins. Most web browsers can understand HTML in some form and scripting languages, such as JavaScript.™ Video content is especially difficult to deliver through a web browser because of the differing capabilities for playback and decoding algorithms on different platforms. Phones are just one example of difficult platforms to deliver video content for.
A founding premise of the world wide web was to create content that could be enjoyed by all. Creating web content that can be enjoyed broadly is becoming increasingly difficult with the splintering of what web browsers can play back in terms of video content. Flash™-based content players are increasingly popular as are ones that use Silverlight.™ Flash™ is shunned by some device manufacturers, especially on cellular phones. Silverlight™ is proprietary to select operating systems. Content creators just want their web sites and video content to be enjoyed as broadly as possible.
When syndicating content for others, customers will create channels or videos that will playback their content when rendered in an end user's web browser. An end user may want to take a video and embed it in another web site, for example on a blog site, social network site, etc. Embedding of video in different sites creates unique problems for syndication. The second web site has no relationship with the syndicator, but still will render the customer's content. End user's expect the content to playback on any number of devices that might be used to view the second web site.


The present invention discloses a method for increasing the sensitivity of a plant to a gibberellin inhibitor. The method for increasing the sensitivity of a plant to a gibberellin inhibitor provided by the present invention comprises the step of introducing an encoding gene of a protein into a recipient plant to obtain a transgenic plant; the transgenic plant has increased sensitivity to the gibberellin inhibitor compared to the recipient plant; the protein is a protein of the following a) or b) or c): a) a protein whose amino acid sequence is set forth in positions 1-821 of SEQ ID NO: 1; b) a protein whose amino acid sequence is set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; c) a fusion protein obtained by attaching tag(s) to the N-terminus or/and C-terminus of a) or b). The experiments prove that the method for increasing the sensitivity of a plant to a gibberellin inhibitor of the present invention can be used to increase the sensitivity of plants to gibberellin inhibitors, and the plant height of plants can be regulated by the plant height-related protein HRP of the present invention.

N,N-dimethylpiperidinium chloride (DPC), whose chemical name is 1,1-dimethylpiperidinium chloride, is an inhibitory plant growth regulator that has a retarding effect on plant vegetative growth. It can inhibit cell elongation, reduce the growth of plant apical bud and control its vertical and horizontal growth. After applying DPC to cotton, the leaves are thickened, the leaf color becomes darker, the chlorophyll content increases, and the leaf photosynthetic rate increases (He Zhongpei et al., 1991, Li Piming et al., 1991; Tian Xiaoli et al., 2004). Thus, it is beneficial to the light transmission in the field, and can enhance the light in the lower part of the cotton plant, and inhibit the growth of the main stem of the cotton plant, shorten the internode of the cotton plant and compact the plant type, thereby preventing the cotton plant from vigorous growth and delaying the closure period. DPC can also increase the root activity of cotton plants (Tian Xiaoli et al., 2006), while DPC can also increase the stability of cell membranes and increase the resistance of cotton plants (Shao Lixiang, 2004).
The application of DPC in cotton accounts for more than 80% of the planting area in the whole country. DPC can regulate cotton under the conditions of growing environment in the field. It can inhibit the growth of the main stem of cotton and reduce the plant height by shortening the internode and reducing the number of internodes. It can compact the plant type, effectively control the vigorous growth of cotton and shape the ideal plant type to optimize the economic traits of cotton (He Zhongpei et al., 1991: Reddy et al., 1992). In the process of tomato cultivation, the use of DPC can inhibit the vain growth of tomato plants, increase the content of chlorophyll and soluble sugar in seedlings, reduce the relative conductivity and significantly increase the yield of large fruit tomatoes (Mao Xiujie et al., 1999; Wang Mei et al., 2012). However, the regulating effect of DPC on gramineous crops, such as maize, is not significant and compared with control, the treatment of maize Zhengdan 958 with 1000 mg/L DPC shows no significant difference in plant height and stem diameter (Chen yin, 2012). Some plants are insensitive to DPC, which limits the application of DPC in crop production.

Method for improving sensitivity of plant to gibberellin inhibitor and use thereof


Devices and methods for treating heart valves include members that assist the valve in closing during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle. Such devices include members configured to alter the shape of a valve annulus, reposition at least one papillary muscle, and/or plug an orifice of the valve so as to provide a coaptation surface for the valve leaflets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and related methods for treating and improving the function of dysfunctional heart valves. More particularly, the invention relates to devices and related methods that passively assist to close a heart valve to improve valve function of poorly functioning valves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various etiologies may result in heart valve insufficiency depending upon both the particular valve as well as the underlying disease state of the patient. For instance, a congenital defect may be present resulting in poor coaptation of the valve leaflets, such as in the case of a monocusp aortic valve, for example. Valve insufficiency also may result from an infection, such as rheumatic fever, for example, which may cause a degradation of the valve leaflets. Functional regurgitation also may be present. In such cases, the valve components may be normal pathologically, yet may be unable to function properly due to changes in the surrounding environment. Examples of such changes include geometric alterations of one or more heart chambers and/or decreases in myocardial contractility. In any case, the resultant volume overload that exists as a result of an insufficient valve may increase chamber wall stress. Such an increase in stress may eventually result in a dilatory process that further exacerbates valve dysfunction and degrades cardiac efficiency.
Mitral valve regurgitation often may be driven by the functional changes described above. Alterations in the geometric relationship between valvular components may occur for numerous reasons, including events ranging from focal myocardial infarction to global ischemia of the myocardial tissue. Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy also may drive the evolution of functional mitral regurgitation. These disease states often lead to dilatation of the left ventricle. Such dilatation may cause papillary muscle displacement and/or dilatation of the valve annulus. As the papillary muscles move away from the valve annulus, the chordae connecting the muscles to the leaflets may become tethered. Such tethering may restrict the leaflets from closing together, either symmetrically or asymmetrically, depending on the relative degree of displacement between the papillary muscles. Moreover, as the annulus dilates in response to chamber enlargement and increased wall stress, increases in annular area and changes in annular shape may increase the degree of valve insufficiency. Annular dilatation is typically concentrated on the posterior aspect, since this aspect is directly associated with the expanding left ventricular free wall and not directly attached to the fibrous skeleton of the heart. Annular dilatation also may result in a flattening of the valve annulus from its normal saddle shape.
Alterations in functional capacity also may cause valve insufficiency. In a normally functioning heart, the mitral valve annulus contracts during systole to assist in leaflet coaptation. Reductions in annular contractility commonly observed in ischemic or idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients therefore hamper the closure of the valve. Further, in a normal heart, the papillary muscles contract during the heart cycle to assist in maintaining proper valve function. Reductions in or failure of the papillary muscle function also may contribute to valve regurgitation. This may be caused by infarction at or near the papillary muscle, ischemia, or other causes, such as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, for example.
The degree of valve regurgitation may vary, especially in the case of functional insufficiency. In earlier stages of the disease, the valve may be able to compensate for geometric and/or functional changes in a resting state. However, under higher loading resulting from an increase in output requirement, the valve may become incompetent. Such incompetence may only appear during intense exercise, or alternatively may be induced by far less of an exertion, such as walking up a flight of stairs, for example.
Conventional techniques for managing mitral valve dysfunction include either surgical repair or replacement of the valve or medical management of the patient. Medical management typically applies only to early stages of mitral valve dysfunction, during which levels of regurgitation are relatively low. Such medical management tends to focus on volume reductions, such as diuresis, for example, or afterload reducers, such as vasodilators, for example.
Early attempts to surgically treat mitral valve dysfunction focused on replacement technologies. In many of these cases, the importance of preserving the native subvalvular apparatus was not fully appreciated and many patients often acquired ventricular dysfunction or failure following the surgery. Though later experience was more successful, significant limitations to valve replacement still exist. For instance, in the case of mechanical prostheses, lifelong therapy with powerful anticoagulants may be required to mitigate the thromboembolic potential of these devices. In the case of biologically derived devices, in particular those used as mitral valve replacements, the long-term durability may be limited. Mineralization induced valve failure is common within ten years, even in older patients. Thus, the use of such devices in younger patient groups is impractical.
Another commonly employed repair technique involves the use of annuloplasty rings. These rings originally were used to stabilize a complex valve repair. Now, they are more often used alone to improve mitral valve function. An annuloplasty ring has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the enlarged valve annulus. The ring is placed in the valve annulus and the tissue of the annulus sewn or otherwise secured to the ring. This causes a reduction in the annular circumference and an increase in the leaflet coaptation area. Such rings, however, generally flatten the natural saddle shape of the valve and hinder the natural contractility of the valve annulus. This may be true even when the rings have relatively high flexibility.
To further reduce the limitations of the therapies described above, purely surgical techniques for treating valve dysfunction have evolved. Among these surgical techniques is the Alfiere stitch or so-called bowtie repair. In this surgery, a suture is placed substantially centrally across the valve orifice between the posterior and anterior leaflets to create leaflet apposition. Another surgical technique includes plication of the posterior annular space to reduce the cross-sectional area of the valve annulus. A limitation of each of these techniques is that they typically require opening the heart to gain direct access to the valve and the valve annulus. This generally necessitates the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, which may introduce additional morbidity and mortality to the surgical procedures. Additionally for each of these procedures, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate the efficacy of the repair prior to the conclusion of the operation.
Due to these drawbacks, devising effective techniques that could improve valve function without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and without requiring major remodeling of the valve may be advantageous. In particular, passive techniques to change the shape of the heart chamber and associated valve and/or reduce regurgitation while maintaining substantially normal leaflet motion may be desirable. Further, advantages may be obtained by a technique that reduces the overall time a patient is in surgery and under the influence of anesthesia. It also may be desirable to provide a technique for treating valve insufficiency that reduces the risk of bleeding associated with anticoagulation requirements of cardiopulmonary bypass. In addition, a technique that can be employed on a beating heart would allow the practitioner an opportunity to assess the efficacy of the treatment and potentially address any inadequacies without the need for additional bypass support.
A recently developed passive technique that addresses at least some of the drawbacks discussed above includes applying passive devices to the heart, for example the left ventricle, to change the shape of the ventricle and concomitantly to improve coaptation of the mitral valve leaflets. In one embodiment, the technique involves implanting splints across the left ventricle. Examples of various splinting approaches are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/680,435, filed Oct. 6, 2000, entitled xe2x80x9cMethods and Devices for the Improvement of Mitral Valve Function,xe2x80x9d which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
The devices and related methods which will be disclosed herein also operate passively to treat valve insufficiency, by altering the shape of the valve annulus and/or repositioning the papillary muscles, for example. Some of the devices of the present invention may be used in combination with the splinting treatments disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/680,435, incorporated by reference herein.
It should be understood that the invention disclosed herein could be practiced without performing one or more of the objects and/or advantages described above. Other aspects will become apparent from the detailed description which follows. As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a method for treating a heart valve comprising providing a device having an arcuate portion and at least one elongate portion configured to extend from the arcuate portion. The method may further comprise encircling at least a portion of an annulus of a heart valve with the arcuate portion and adjusting a size of at least one of the arcuate portion and the elongate portion so as to alter a shape of the portion of the annulus. The method also may include securing the at least one elongate portion to an exterior surface of the heart.
According to another aspect, a method of treating a heart valve comprises providing a device having an arcuate portion and at least one elongate member configured to extend from the arcuate portion. The method further extending the at least one elongate member from the arcuate portion. The method also may comprise securing the at least one elongate member to an exterior surface of the heart, wherein the at least one elongate member extends from the arcuate portion to the heart wall in substantially the same plane as the arcuate portion.
Yet another aspect includes a device for treating a heart valve comprising an arcuate portion configured to at least partly encircle an annulus of the heart valve and at least one elongate portion extending from the arcuate portion and configured to be secured to an exterior surface of a heart wall surrounding a heart chamber associated with the valve. At least one of the arcuate portion and the elongate portion is configured to be adjusted in size so as to alter a shape of at least a portion of the annulus.
In yet another aspect, a device for treating a heart valve comprises an arcuate portion configured to be positioned proximate an annulus of the heart valve and at least one elongate member extending from the arcuate portion and configured to be secured to an exterior surface of the heart wall. The at least one elongate member extends from the arcuate portion to the heart wall in substantially the same plane as the arcuate portion.
According to yet another aspect, the invention includes a device for treating a heart valve comprising at least one substantially elongate member configured to be implanted in a lumen of a coronary vessel so as to encircle at least a portion of an annulus of the heart valve and alter a shape of at least the portion of the annulus. The device may further comprise a shape change element associated with the elongate member and configured to impart a local shape change to a portion of the valve annulus at a location corresponding to the shape change element.
Yet another aspect includes a device for treating a heart valve comprising at least one substantially elongate member configured to be implanted in a lumen of a coronary vessel so as to encircle at least a portion of an annulus of the heart valve and alter a shape of at least the portion of the valve annulus. The shape of at least a portion of the elongate member may be configured to be adjustable so as to impart a local shape change to a portion of the valve annulus at a location corresponding to at least the adjustable portion.
Yet another aspect of the invention includes a method for treating a heart valve comprising providing at least one substantially elongate member and extending at least a portion of the elongate member within a heart wall surrounding a chamber of the heart associated with the heart valve so as to encircle at least a portion of the heart chamber. The method may further comprise securing the elongate member in place with respect to the heart and compressing at least a portion of a heart wall surrounding at least the portion of the heart chamber so as to move leaflets of the valve toward each other so as to assist the valve in closing during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle.
In yet another aspect, a method for treating a heart valve comprises providing at least one substantially elongate member and extending at least a portion of the elongate member within a lumen of a coronary sinus so as to encircle at least a portion of a heart chamber. The method further comprises securing the elongate member in place with respect to the heart via securement mechanisms and compressing at least a portion of a heart wall surrounding the portion of the heart chamber so as to move leaflets of the valve toward each other so as to assist the valve in closing during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle.
Yet another aspect of the invention includes a device for treating a heart valve comprising an elongate member having first and second oppositely disposed ends, with the elongate member being relatively rigid, a first anchoring member configured to be attached to the first end of the elongate member, and a second anchoring member configured to be attached to the second end of the elongate member. The first anchoring member may be configured to engage a first exterior surface of a wall of the heart and the second anchoring member may be configured to engage a second exterior surface of the wall of the heart to maintain a position of the elongate member transverse a heart chamber associated with the valve and substantially along a line of coaptation of the valve. The length of the elongate member may be such that the elongate member is capable of maintaining a substantially normal distance between trigones of the valve.
In yet another aspect, a method for treating a heart valve comprises providing a relatively rigid elongate member having first and second oppositely disposed ends, securing the first end of the elongate member to a first exterior heart wall surface, and securing the second end of the elongate member to a second exterior heart wall surface, the second exterior surface being located substantially opposite to the first exterior surface such that the elongate member extends substantially transverse a heart chamber associated with the valve and substantially along a line of coaptation of the valve. The method also may comprise maintaining a substantially normal distance between the trigones of the valve via the elongate member.
Yet another aspect of the invention includes a device for treating leakage of a heart valve comprising an expandable plug member having an external surface, with at least a portion of the plug member being configured to be positioned proximate leaflets of the heart valve. The device also may comprise a securement mechanism attached to the plug member and configured to secure the plug member with respect to the heart such that during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle, the leaflets abut the external surface of the plug member to restrict bloodflow through the valve.
According to another aspect, a device for treating leakage of a heart valve comprises a plug member having a piston-like configuration and an external surface being configured to abut free ends of leaflets of the valve to restrict bloodflow through the valve during at least the portion of the cardiac cycle. The device may further comprise a securement mechanism attached to the plug member and configured to secure the plug member with respect to the heart.
Yet another aspect of the invention includes a method of preventing leakage in a heart valve comprising providing an expandable plug member having an external surface, delivering the plug member to a heart chamber containing a valve, and positioning the plug member proximate leaflets of the valve such that the leaflets contact the external surface of the plug member during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle so as to restrict bloodflow through the valve.

Devices and methods for heart valve treatment


An image forming apparatus includes: a printing device which forms an image on a recording medium using ink containing at least pigment, a water-soluble organic solvent, resin particles and water; and a fixing device which makes contact with a surface of the recording medium on which the image is formed and applies heat and pressure to fix the image, wherein a minimum filming temperature) (MFT0) of an aqueous dispersion of the resin particles is 60° C. or above, and higher than a minimum filming temperature (MFT25) of a dispersion of the resin particles in a mixed liquid combining a water-soluble organic solvent at 25 weight % with respect to the resin particles, and water; and wherein the image forming apparatus further includes a controller which controls temperature of the recording medium in such a manner that, when the temperature of the recording medium in the fixing device is represented by T, the minimum filming temperature (MFT25) of mixed liquid dispersion of the resin particles satisfies MFT25≦T≦MFT25+50 (° C.), and a coating layer is formed on the recording medium, then the temperature of the recording medium is adjusted to or below a temperature at which a coating layer is not broken down.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and image forming method by which an image can be fixed satisfactorily to a recording medium and the strength of a formed image can be improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet recording apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by successively depositing droplets of ink onto the recording medium. The inkjet recording apparatus is able to record images of good quality by means of a simple composition, and therefore such apparatuses are widely used as domestic printers for individual use and office printers for commercial use. In the case of office printers for commercial use, in particular, there are increasing demands for higher processing speed and higher image quality.
An inkjet recording apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using ink and fixes the image onto the recording medium by drying and then melts resin particles contained in the ink so that the ink forms a film. A known fixing device for fixing an image on a recording medium is an apparatus which fixes a formed image on a recording medium by the action of heat and pressure, by holding and conveying a recording medium on which an image has been formed using a heater, a fixing roller, a conveyance drum, and the like.
However, if the heating temperature during fixing is high, then an offset effect occurs in which a portion of the ink is transferred to (adheres to) the fixing roller. This offset effect causes problems in that, when recording in a continuous fashion, the ink is transferred again onto the non-image portion (non-recording portion) of the next recording medium and therefore a satisfactory printed item cannot be obtained.
In order to solve problems of offset such as this, the minimum filming temperature (also abbreviated as "MFT" below) of the resin particles contained in the ink is an important factor. By carrying out fixing at a temperature equal to or higher than this minimum filming temperature, the resin particles are melted and image fixing can be performed.
As an apparatus or method which forms images by specifying the minimum filming temperature, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-160068 discloses, for example, an inkjet or ink mist recording method which uses an ink having a minimum filming temperature of 40° C. or higher. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-283636 discloses a recording method comprising at least a first step of fixing a printed item by means of a platen heated to at least the MFT of a low-MFT resin emulsion having an MFT of 60° C. to 100° C., using ink containing the low-MFT resin emulsion and a high-Tg resin emulsion having a Tg (glass transition temperature) of 140° C. to 200° C., and a second step of carrying out repeat fixing of the printed item by further heating outside the recording apparatus.
However, the ink described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-160068 specifies the MFT temperature in order to improve nozzle blockages and storage stability, and provides no investigation with respect to fixing conditions. Furthermore, the recording method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-283636 discloses a recording method in which fixing is carried out by heating at least to the MFT of the resin emulsion contained in the ink, but this MFT is the MFT when dispersed in water and no investigation is made in respect of the MFT and fixing conditions in a solvent composition which is close to a dry state. Furthermore, since an image is fixed by heating a recording medium from the rear surface, there have been no problems of the occurrence of offset due to excessively high heating temperature during fixing.
Conversely, if the MFT temperature is low, then the resin emulsion is molten at room temperature, and when recording media on which images have been formed are stacked upon each other, the problems of image peeling and transfer of color to other recording media (blocking) also arise and it has been difficult to obtain images of high quality.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


A system for providing manual guidance of a vehicle includes a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to a steering wheel, a second IMU attached to a fixed part of the vehicle, a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receiver, a data storage device for storing a pre-planned path, and a feedback module. The feedback module is configured to determine a current angle of the steering wheel, determine a deviation of the current position of the vehicle from the pre-planned path, determine a current heading of the vehicle, determine a current velocity of the vehicle, and determine a desired angle of the steering wheel relative to the vehicle. The system further includes a user interface configured to provide a visual indication of the desired angle of the steering wheel or a deviation of the current angle of the steering wheel from the desired angle of the steering wheel.

In operating an agricultural vehicle such as a tractor or a harvester, it is often desirable for the vehicle to follow a pre-planned path over an area, for example when planting a field. Deviating from the pre-planned path may result in damaged crops, overplanting, reduced yield per acre, and the like. Following pre-planned paths may also be desirable for other types of vehicles and operations, such as road side spraying, road salting, and snow plowing. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide manual guidance to a human operator of the vehicle so that the human operator may change a steering wheel angle accordingly to correct a deviation from the pre-planned path.

Vehicle manual guidance systems with steering wheel angle sensors and road wheel angle sensors


The disclosed exhaust treatment device for a diesel engine can prevent heat damage to a DPF when regenerating said DPF. If a selection device (7), which selects whether to allow or prohibit an automatic DPF regeneration process, is set to prohibit the automatic DPF regeneration process, a DPF regeneration control device (4) is made able to start a process to cancel execution of the automatic DPF regeneration process. If the selection device (7) is set to allow the automatic DPF regeneration process, the DPF regeneration control device (4) retracts the cancellation of the automatic DPF regeneration process, allowing execution of the previously-cancelled automatic DPF regeneration process to begin.

Conventionally, a DPF regeneration control device starts the execution of automatic DPF regeneration processing based on the fact that the accumulation estimation value of PM accumulated on a DPF has reached the start value of the automatic DPF regeneration processing so that the temperature of an exhaust gas passing through the DPF is raised by an automatic DPF regeneration device and the PM accumulated on the DPF is incinerated and removed by the heat of the exhaust gas. Furthermore, the DPF regeneration control device starts cancel processing for canceling the execution of the automatic DPF regeneration processing based on the prohibition manipulation of the automatic DPF regeneration processing although the DPF satisfies a condition that the automatic DPF regeneration processing is executed.
In accordance with this type of an exhaust treatment device, there are advantages in that the DPF may be repeatedly used by the automatic DPF regeneration processing and the automatic DPF regeneration processing may be cancelled by the cancel manipulation of a regeneration cancel manipulation device under the condition that it is not appropriate to execute the automatic DPF regeneration processing.
However, the prior art is problematic in that the cancel state of the automatic DPF regeneration processing cannot be freely released.

Exhaust treatment device for a diesel engine


Described herein is a laser (1) having a cavity for supporting oscillation of an electromagnetic signal to provide lasing action. A gain element (5) provides a source of stimulated emission for amplifying the oscillating signal. The laser also includes a wavelength selective element (7), which includes a reflecting element and a polarization modifying element. The reflecting element selectively defines a predetermined wavelength and the polarization modifying element selectively modifies the polarization of the signal component at the predetermined wavelength so as to provide high selectivity. The wavelength selective element (7) rotates the signal polarization at the predetermined wavelength into an orthogonal state. A polarization filter (9) filters out the signal components having wavelengths not corresponding to the predetermined wavelength and a polarization rotation element (11) again rotates the polarization of the signal into an orthogonal state.

Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Tunable laser sources have a number of important applications including spectroscopy, interferometry, astronomy and optical communications. Previous methods for providing wavelength tuneability in lasers include adjusting the laser cavity length and introducing selective feedback into the cavity. However, these designs suffer from unstable output signals due to effects such as spatial hole burning, mode competition and polarization drift. The output stability of a laser source is often the limiting factor in its use for real world applications.
US Patent Application Publication number US 2003/0210727 entitled "Narrowband Filter Method and Apparatus" is a publication of an earlier application by the inventors of the present application. US 2003/0210727 discloses a narrowband filter device which utilizes a relative resonant wavelength shift in the phase response of a Gires-Tournois resonator. Orthogonal signal components are incident onto a Gires-Tournois resonator at slightly different angles to introduce a relative phase difference between the orthogonal components at a particular wavelength. This phase difference is utilized to manipulate and filter a certain signal component at the particular wavelength. This filtered wavelength is returned at the same polarization state.
While US 2003/0210727 suggests use of such a filter in a tunable laser, it does not significantly overcome the shortfalls mentioned above in relation to output stability. Tunable laser sources providing more stable outputs are desired.