A system for acquiring a plurality of internal images of a patient. The system includes a housing connectable to a medium movement sensor. The medium movement sensor generates a movement signal regarding a movement of the medium. The housing is also connectable to an imaging device. The imaging device acquires the internal images upon receiving a control signal having an acquire output. The system further includes a controller secured to the housing. The controller is operable to receive the movement signal, to generate a control signal having an acquire output based on the movement signal, and to provide the control signal having an acquire output to the imaging device.

The invention relates to a system for acquiring a plurality of images of a patient, and particularly an image-acquisition system having a controller that receives a monitoring signal and generates an xe2x80x9cacquirexe2x80x9d output based in part on the monitoring signal.
During a catheterization laboratory procedure (also referred to as a cath-lab procedure), a contrast medium, such as a radio-opaque dye, is injected via a catheter into the patient. For example, the dye may be injected within the patient""s heart during an angiograph procedure. When acquiring an image of the area of interest, the dye is used to increase the contrast of the acquired image. The clinician (e.g., the doctor) can then more easily spot plaque blockages or evaluate anatomy (e.g., heart) function.
At the start of the cath-lab procedure, a catheter is typically inserted through an incision, and then fed through an artery up to the area of interest. During the preparation process, an imaging system, such as a x-ray system, uses low-dose radiation for producing low-quality images. The low-quality images are used to guide the catheter to the area of interest. This low-quality image mode is typically referred to as xe2x80x9cfluoro mode,xe2x80x9d and limits the amount of radiation to which the patient is exposed.
Once the catheter is properly positioned, a contrast medium injector (e.g., the dye injector) injects the contrast medium (e.g., the radio-opaque dye) into the area of interest. For prior procedures, an operator (e.g., a doctor, nurse, technician, etc.) manually enters an input to the imaging system during the injection. The manual input changes the state of the imaging system from the fluoro mode to an acquisition mode (also referred to as xe2x80x9ccine modexe2x80x9d). During the acquisition mode, the imaging system uses high-dose radiation for acquiring high-resolution images of the area of interest. The high-resolution images are used for analysis by the clinician.
For analog systems, the images are acquired with a 35-mm movie film. Typically, the analog system acquires several seconds of frames at a rate of thirty frames per second (fps). Depending on the patient and the number of areas of interest, a clinician may acquire over two-thousand frames per case. For prior systems, because the operator is starting the acquisition mode by entering a manual input, the acquisition period (i.e., the period when the imaging system is in high-resolution mode) is typically unduly long. For example, the operator typically starts the acquisition mode while the catheter is filing with the contrast medium. This guarantees that the acquisition period (also referred to as the xe2x80x9cloopxe2x80x9d) begins before the contrast medium diffuses through the area of interest. Further, the operator typically ends the loop after the contrast medium is too diluted in the area of interest to generate a useful image. This guarantees that the contrast medium has completely run its course. The excessively long acquisition period results in excessive radiation exposure for the patient and staff. Additionally, tube life is reduced since the excessively long acquisition mode is more taxing on the radiation or imaging tube of the imaging system than it really needs to be.
Additionally, an increasing number of imaging systems are acquiring the images using digital acquisition systems, and are storing the acquired digital images on magnetic or optical media. At the time this patent was applied for, current digital imaging systems may use a resolution of 1,024 pixelsxc3x971,024 pixelsxc3x9716 bits/pixels, or two megabytes per frame. For a two thousand frame case, the above resolution results in an image file of four gigabytes of data. While storage devices and networks are continuously increasing in capacity, storing and transmitting multiple image sets of this size is still a challenge for existing technologies.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a system that optimizes the acquisition period or loop. Optimizing the acquisition period reduces the amount of radiation exposure the patient and staff receive, increases tube life, and reduces the image-set file size. At several loops per case, the reduced exposure, increased tube life and reduced image file size quickly add up for significant benefits. Of course, the optimization period may vary with each loop. Considerations used for optimizing the acquisition period may include, but are not limited to, when the contrast medium is injected within the area of interest, the size of the area of interest, the amount of contrast medium injected, the demographics of the patient (e.g, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), and similar considerations.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a system for acquiring a plurality of internal images of a patient. The system includes a contrast medium injector operable to introduce a contrast medium within the patient and to generate a movement signal regarding a movement of the medium, and a controller in communication with the injector. The controller is operable to receive the movement signal and to generate a control signal having an acquire output based on the movement signal. The image-acquisition system further includes an imaging system having an imaging device that acquires internal images of the patient. The imaging system is operable to receive the control signal and acquire the plurality of images in response to receiving the acquire output.
In another embodiment, the system includes a housing connectable to a medium movement sensor. The medium movement sensor generates a movement signal regarding a movement of the medium. The housing is also connectable to an imaging device. The imaging device acquires the internal images upon receiving a control signal having an acquire output. The system further includes a controller secured to the housing. The controller is operable to receive the movement signal, to generate a control signal having an acquire output based on the movement signal, and to provide the control signal having an acquire output to the imaging device.
In another embodiment the invention provides a method of acquiring a plurality of images of a patient. The method includes determining when a contrast medium is entering the patient, generating an acquire output when the contrast medium enters the patient, providing the acquire output to an imaging device, and acquiring the plurality of images with the imaging device upon receiving the acquire output. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

System for acquiring a plurality of images of a patient and a controller for operating the same

GE Medical Systems Information Technologies, Inc.


The invention relates to methods and devices for regulating the filling level in measuring cells of ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers so that it is optimal for mass resolution and mass accuracy. The invention consists in supplying a fraction of the samples to a second reference mass spectrometer operated in parallel, and employing the mass spectra obtained from this reference mass spectrometer to regulate the filling level in the ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer.

Ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers (ICR-MS), also known as Fourier transform mass spectrometers (FTMS) or, in full, as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers (FTICR-MS), are at present the mass spectrometers that offer the highest mass resolution and the most accurate measurement of mass. In these spectrometers, the ions are excited into cyclotron movement under ultrahigh vacuum conditions in a very intense magnetic field of seven, nine, twelve or even fifteen Tesla, generated by superconducting coils held at the temperature of liquid helium, and the frequency of these circulating movements of the ions is measured. The frequencies are inversely proportional to the masses of the ions. Since the magnetic field generated by the superconducting coils is extraordinarily stable, and since frequency measurements are amongst the most accurate measurements that can be taken by today's physical technology, the masses of the circulating ions can be determined with greater accuracy than by any other type of mass spectrometer.
Unfortunately, this ion cyclotron frequency is shifted by the space charge that is created by the ions in the measuring cell of the ICR-MS. A "reduced cyclotron frequency" is measured, which is non-linearly dependent on the strength of the space charge. This has been known for a long time. The publication by J. B. Jeffries, S. E. Barlow and G. H. Dunn, International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 54, 169-187, (1983) gives a theoretical description of the frequency shift as a consequence of space charge. If the space charge varies from one scan to the next because it is not regulated, it can cause a shift in the mass signal that differs every time.
At higher ion densities, a further undesirable phenomenon, known as "peak coalescence", occurs in ICR mass spectrometry. Signals from ions whose masses only differ very slightly converge, and in extreme cases the ion signals may even completely merge. The result of this merging is, in most cases, another high-resolution ion signal that wrongly indicates an apparent mass lying between the true masses of the two ion species. The analysis of ion signals that lie very close together is, however, a task that ICR mass spectrometers are often called upon to perform.
Any kind of frequency shift will result in incorrect mass measurements, and must therefore be avoided. Control methods for filling the measuring cell of an ICR-MS are therefore described in patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,814 B1 (G. Baykut, J. Franzen). The control methods described there, however, always refer to the measurement of the total ion current (or of a fixed proportion of the total ion current) alone, with the result that the regulation of the filling level is always focused on the total ion charge that has been inserted into the measuring cell. Experience, however, shows that maintaining a constant charge quantity does not protect against various kinds of non-reproducible frequency shifts. In addition to the total charge, the precise composition of the mixture of ions of different mass and charge also plays a role, as is already clear from the phenomenon of ion signal merging that has been mentioned above.
Electrospray ionization is nowadays the most widely used ionization method for the ICR mass spectrometry of biomolecules. In this method, ions are generated out of the solution of the analyte molecules at atmospheric pressure under high voltage (3-6 kV) between an electrospray needle and a counter-electrode. Although the spraying procedure is often supported by a slow, finely controllable spray pump (or by a liquid chromatography feed pump, known by the acronym HPLC), the driving force of the spraying method is the detachment of small, charged droplets resulting from a high ion density on the liquid surface (Coulomb repulsion) under the influence of a powerful electrical field. A "dry gas" that flows in the direction opposite to that of the flight of the charged droplets causes the solvent to evaporate from the droplets (the desolvation process), therefore causing the droplet radii to diminish. As a result of the Coulomb forces that have been strengthened in this way, ionized molecules are evaporated, in most cases in multiply protonated form, i.e. as positively charged ions. These ions are fed for measurement to the mass spectrometer through an inlet capillary, a multi-stage vacuum system and a multipole ion guide.
Electrospray ionization under atmospheric pressure has made it very easy to couple separation methods for dissolved analyte substances, such as liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis, directly to the mass spectrometer. Ionization by laser desorption (LDI) has for a long time been used successfully to transfer large organic molecules from a solid surface into the gaseous phase, and thereby to ionize them. A special type of LDI is ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI). MALDI involves the analyte molecules being mixed with what is known as a matrix substance. The ratio of analyte to matrix molecules here is typically between 1:102 and 1:104. The laser beam is absorbed by matrix molecules; in the process, a portion of this matrix material evaporates, taking analyte molecules with it into the gaseous phase. The process partially ionizes them. In most cases the ionization occurs by proton acceptance. Substances used as a matrix are most often proton donors, i.e. substances that easily give up protons.

Control of the filling level in ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers


A fixture for securing a plurality of circuit boards during vibratory testing is shown, wherein the fixture comprises a first end fixture member having a first wall surface, and a second end fixture member space from the first end fixture member. The second end fixture member has a second wall surface facing the first wall surface, and the first and second end fixture members are relatively movable so as to very the spacing therebetween. Each of the first and second wall surfaces includes a plurality of spaced parallel notches for securing the opposite edges of a circuit board, and each of the notches is to have resilient characteristics to accommodate dimensional variations between similar circuit boards and an included angle in a range of 110.degree. to 130.degree. in order to secure a circuit board so that it is free to vibrate in a free-free manner during the vibratory testing. The fixture is also rigidly secured to a source of vibratory movement capable of providing one or more predetermined frequencies of vibration. This universal fixture can be utilized to support a virtually unlimited variety of circuit boards and cards as a result of its simple adjustability and resilient support notches.

Reliability of manufactured electronic components is a critical consideration for most electronic component manufacturers. Many manufacturers conduct testing of electronic components as a standard step in the manufacturing process. Such testing may range from testing of a statistically insignificant percentage of the total number of components produced selected periodically at random to one hundred percent testing of each and every electronic component produced.
In any event, testing can be directed toward two basic goals. One goal is to cause the component to fail by subjecting it to extreme conditions which will simulate the environmental conditions to which a component is expected to be exposed on an extraordinarily accelerated time period. An example of such testing is an accelerated duty cycle test in which the component is subjected to a number of duty cycles far in excess the number which the component will see during its expected life in a very short time period. Another goal is to subject the components to screen testing which is designed to turn marginal defects into detectible hard failures. Such screening is not intended to find design defects or to qualify a component, but is a process used to detect and eliminate defects during the manufacturing process.
Such screen testing is typically accomplished by carefully selected environmental stress screening procedures. These environmental stress screening procedures include thermal and dynamic screening which is developed for specific components.
Printed wiring boards (PWB) are used in most devices which incorporate electronics. Such devices frequently have numerous PWBs electrically connected to each other. PWBs carry individual electronic components electrically interconnected on the board. In a device which includes several PWBs, the premature failure of the PWB or a component carried by it, can result in the need to replace the PWB after the device has been sold to a customer and put in use, or result in the need to replace the entire device due to damage caused by such failure. In order to avoid such problems and risks of failures, PWBs are frequently screened to detect marginal defects prior to the board's individual sale or incorporation into an electronic device which is then subsequently sold to a consumer or user.
One effective method of environmentally stress screening a PWB is to subject it to dynamic vibrations. In order to do so, PWBs are typically mounted in fixtures which are secured to shaker tables and subjected to various vibrations induced by the shaker table. In order to incorporate such screening as part of the manufacturing process, it is necessary that the fixture allow easy and quick insertion and removal of the PWBs being screened. Additionally, since most PWB manufacturers boards vary in size and componentry, it is necessary for the fixture to be easily adaptable to accept various boards.
To accomplish this, the industry has made use of adjustable fixtures having substantially parallel opposing faces with vertical grooves formed therein. These grooves or notches as are known in the art are aligned with the notches on the opposing face. The notches used heretofore have had an included angle of ninety degrees. Such notches, however, present a problem in that they are not readily adaptable to the wide range of PWBs being manufactured.


Adaptive pilot signaling is disclosed in which resources allocated to pilot symbols are allowed to vary to more closely match channel conditions. User equipments (UEs) may request different pilot configurations depending on channel conditions. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first set of pilot symbols using a first number of resource elements during a first transmission time interval (TTI), and receiving a second set of pilot symbols using a second number of resource elements during a second TTI. In the embodiment, the first TTI and the second TTI include the same number of resource elements, and the first number of resource elements is different than the second number of resource elements.

To achieve sufficient performance in wireless communication systems, it is sometimes useful to characterize the wireless channel. For example, a transmitting entity may need an estimate of one or more channel parameters to perform spatial processing, precoding, or adaptive modulation and coding in order to transmit data to a receiving entity. The receiving entity may need an estimate of one or more channel parameters to properly demodulate transmitted signals in order to recover transmitted data.
Pilots may be inserted in a transmitted data stream to assist a receiving entity with various functions, including not only channel estimation but also timing and frequency offset acquisition as examples. A pilot typically includes one or more modulation symbols known to both the transmitting entity and the receiving entity that are transmitted in a known manner. Since a pilot represents overhead in a system, it is desirable to minimize the amount of system resources used to transmit pilots.
Conventional systems employ a fixed pilot structure that provides an adequate number and distribution of pilot symbols for most receiving entities under most channel conditions. However, the pilot structures may be inadequate for challenging channel conditions, and the pilot structures may waste system resources during more benign channel conditions. Thus, there is a need for techniques to better match pilot structures to channel conditions.

Pilot reconfiguration and retransmission in wireless networks


When in an optical signal amplifying triode 10, light of a second wavelength λ2, selected from among light from a first optical amplifier 26, into which a first input light L1 of a first wavelength λ1 and a second input light L2 of second wavelength λ2 have been input, and a third input light (control light) L3of a third wavelength λ3 are input into a second optical amplifier 34, an output light L4 of the third wavelength λ3, selected from among the light output from the second optical amplifier 34, is light that is modulated in response to the intensity variation of one or both of the first input light L1 of the first wavelength λ1 and the third input light L3 of the third wavelength λ3 and is an amplified signal, with which the signal gain with respect to the third input light (control light) L3 of the third wavelength λ3 is of a magnitude of 2 or more. An optical signal amplifying triode 10, which can directly perform an optical signal amplification process using control input light, can thus be provided.

Wide deployment of moving image communication, video distribution, and other new broadband services, using optical fiber communication that enables broadband and high-speed transmission, is anticipated. However, a functional (signal amplification) element, which, for example, corresponds to a triode transistor in electronics, that is, an optical functional element that performs signal amplification of optical signals by direct control by other optical signals has not been realized as of yet.
Thus presently, optical signals that have been transmitted at high speed are converted once into electrical signals, which are then subject to information processing in an electronic circuit, and the processed signals are converted back into and transmitted as optical signals. A limit is thus placed in the speed of signal processing due to the inability to directly control light by light. It is said that if signal processing can be performed on optical signals as they are, parallel processing will be enabled and further shortening of the processing time can be anticipated.
In this regard, the devices described in Document 1 or Document 2 are simply devices that switch light, in other words, gate switching devices that make use of wavelength conversion by Mach-Zehnder optical interferometry, and these devices had problems of being weak against temperature change and vibration and being strict in terms of setting conditions. Such conventional arts do not disclose anything in regard to arranging an optical signal amplifying triode, which, like a transistor in an electronic circuit, is equipped with a function of using input light as control light to obtain signal-amplified output light.
In the field of optical communication enabling broadband, high-speed, and high-capacity signal transmission, it is anticipated that communication, transfer, and distribution of optical signals be performed without degradation of the properties of high speed and high capacity. For an optical network based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), which is predicted to be constructed in the relatively near future, an optical signal transfer (optical signal relaying) art, of transferring wavelength division multiplexed optical signals, which are a plurality of types of laser light differing in wavelength and which have been transmitted from one optical transmission path, to desired optical transmission paths according to wavelength, will be important. In optical signal transfer for transferring an optical signal train (for example, a packet signal) that has been propagated via an optical fiber or other predetermined transmission path (for example, a wavelength bus) to other transmission paths indicated by labels, tags, or other routing information attached to the optical signal train, that is for example, in routing within an optical network or among optical networks, the high-capacity and high-speed characteristics of optical signal transmission must not be degraded and routers, that is, optical signal relay (transfer) devices are required to perform transfer processes at high-speed, be high in reliability, and be compact.
An optical path cross-connection device, such as that described in Document 3, has been proposed for this purpose. This device is equipped with a wavelength splitter, which splits a wavelength bus for wavelength multiplex transmission link into N wavelength group buses of G wavelengths each, and a routing processor, which executes a routing process on each of the wavelength groups split by the wavelength splitter, and is thus arranged to perform the routing process according to wavelength group. The routing processor of this optical path cross-connection device comprises a wavelength converter, which performs wavelength conversion according to each wavelength group, and an optical matrix switch, which distributes the wavelength-converted light and is controlled by a controller. This optical matrix switch is arranged with a mechanically-operated reflecting mirror switch that is positioned at the intersection of matrix-like optical paths and is alternatively operated by the controller to make one wavelength group, among the plurality of wavelength groups, be reflected by the reflecting mirror switch and thereby be output to a desired transmission path (paragraph 0042, FIG. 10(1)), or has an optical switch, which is alternatively operated by the controller, and mesh wiring and is arranged to make one wavelength group, among the plurality of wavelength groups, be transmitted by the optical switch and thereby be output to one transmission path inside the mesh wiring (paragraph 0043, FIG. 10(2)).
However, with the above-described conventional optical path cross-connection device, since the routing process is performed by the reflecting mirror switch or the optical switch, the operation of which is controlled by the controller, the switching operation of the reflecting mirror switch or the optical switch is performed in accordance with a command signal, which indicates the routing destination (destination) and is an output that is electronically processed at the controller. A portion of the optical signal thus had to be converted to an electrical signal, the destination information contained in the electrical signal, that is, a transfer-related signal included in a label or tag of a packet had to be extracted, and the optical signal had to transferred upon electrically controlling the operation of the reflecting mirror switch or the optical switch in accordance with the transfer-related signal. Thus, an adequate response speed could not be obtained. Also besides the above-described routing processor, since a wavelength converter, for performing wavelength conversion in accordance with the wavelength of the transmission path (wavelength bus) of the transfer destination, is equipped, and such a wavelength converter is disposed in addition to the routing processor, the device became large and in some cases, especially when a mechanically operated reflecting mirror switch is used, reliability could not be obtained.
Furthermore, in the field of optical communication enabling broadband, high-speed, and high-capacity signal transmission, it is anticipated that the identification, multiplexing and splitting, switching, and routing (transfer, distribution) of optical signals (optical data, such as packet signals) be performed without degrading the characteristics of broadband, high speed, and high capacity. In this field of optics, optical signal storage devices, which enable temporary storage and take-out at desired timings of optical signals, are generally demanded for optical signal processing systems that process optical signals and are represented, for example, by photonic router systems. This is because, just as memories are essential in signal processing in the field of electronics, optical signal storage devices, referred to as optical memories or optical buffers, are essential in the field of optical signal processing.
In this regard, optical memory devices, such as that described in Patent Document 1, have been proposed. With this device, a plurality of optical waveguide means 105 to 108, respectively arranged from optical fibers of different length in order to provide a plurality of types of delay times, are prepared, and arrangements to pass an optical signal through any of optical waveguide means 105 to 108 and enable storage of the optical signal by just the delay time corresponding to the propagation time in the corresponding optical waveguide means among optical waveguide means 105 to 108.
However, with this conventional optical memory device, the storage time of an optical signal is only determined in advance by the delay time corresponding to the propagation time in the optical waveguide means among optical waveguide means 105 to 108 through which the optical signal is made to propagate and the optical signal thus cannot be taken out at a desired timing. The degree of freedom of optical signal processing was thus limited and lowering of signal processing efficiency could not be avoided.
[Document 1] K. E. Stubkjaer, "Semiconductor optical amplifier-based all-optical gates for high-speed optical processing," IEEE J. Quantum Electron., vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 1428-1435, November/December 2000.
[Document 2] T. Durhuus, C. Joergensen, B. Mikkelsen, R. J. S. Pedersen, and A. E. Stubkjaer, "All optical wavelength conversion by SOAs in a Mach-Zehnder configuration," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol. 6, pp. 53-55, January 1994.
[Document 3] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-262319
[Document 4] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 8-204718
This invention has been made with the above circumstances as a background, and a first object thereof is to provide an optical signal amplifying triode that can perform an amplification process directly on optical signals by using control light. A second object is to provide an optical signal transfer method and an optical signal relay device, with which the routing of optical signals can be processed at high speed or by a compact device. A third object is to provide an optical signal storage device that enables storage of optical signals and taking out of the optical signals at an arbitrary time.
Upon carrying out various examinations with the above circumstances as the background, the present inventor found that in an optical amplifier, such as a semiconductor optical amplifier, a rare-earth-element-doped fiber amp, etc., spontaneously emitted light of peripheral wavelengths of an input light of a predetermined wavelength λ1 vary in intensity in response to intensity variations of the input light and this intensity variation varies inversely with respect to that of the signal intensity variation of the input light, and found a laser-induced signal enhancement effect, that is, a phenomenon wherein when laser light of another wavelength λ2 within the wavelength range of the spontaneously emitted light, that is, within the peripheral wavelength range of the input light is made incident upon being multiplexed with the input light, the overall intensity increases suddenly, with the signal (amplitude) variation of the spontaneously emitted light being maintained. The present inventor grasped this phenomenon as a wavelength conversion function from wavelength λ1 to λ2 and conceived an optical triode based on a tandem wavelength converter (All-Optical Triode Based on Tandem Wavelength Converter), with which this wavelength conversion is connected in two stages, and thus came to conceive an optical signal amplifying triode. A first aspect of this invention was made based on this knowledge.
The present inventor also noted that the optical amplifier of the above-mentioned optical signal amplifying triode not only has the function of wavelength conversion from wavelength λ1 to λ2 but is also a functional element equipped with the wavelength conversion function and a switching function and found that, by multiplexing optical signals with routing information by amplitude modulation, the functional element can be used favorably as a routing device, that is, a transfer device for wavelength multiplexed signals. A second and a third aspect of this invention was made based on this knowledge.
The present inventor also found that by making an optical amplifier of an optical signal amplifying triode, which exhibits the above-described phenomenon, perform the function of wavelength conversion from wavelength λ1 to λ2 and at the same time combining this optical amplifier with a wavelength splitter that performs distribution to different output transmission paths in accordance with the input wavelengths and interposing this combination in a ring transmission path in which optical signals circulate, the optical signals that are stored by being made to circulate can be taken out at an arbitrary timing. A fourth aspect of this invention was made based on this knowledge.

Optical signal amplifying triode and optical signal transfer method, optical signal relay device, and optical signal storage device using the same


The present invention relates to a display manufacturing field. Disclosed is a substrate clamping device. The substrate is arranged on the trolley. The clamping arms arranged on the trolley are used for fixing the substrate. The clamping arms move up and down as rotating by means of the rotary lifting mechanism, thereby clamping and releasing the substrate. The impact on the substrate is small in the entire clamping process, and the handling of the substrate is facilitated. The clamping arms arranged around the substrate and symmetrically arranged in pair can keep the force of the substrate uniformly and can clamp the substrate more reliably.

Sputtering machines are widely used in the coating process of display panels, such as OLED cathode coating or TP vanishing layer. Many coating processes do not require to form the film on the entire substrate but merely to deposit the film of the specific shape at the specific position. This requires the substrate to be tightly aligned with the metal mask when the substrate is coated and the relative position of the substrate and the metal mask to needs to be maintained after the alignment is completed, which cannot be changed at all during the entire film formation process. Therefore, the substrate clamping device is particularly important in the entire sputtering machine.
The current sputter substrate jig is generally mounted on the long side of the substrate. After the alignment is completed, the substrate is declined to the film deposition position. The substrate is clamped by using two or four jigs on the long side. Such jig design has the following defects: only fixtures on the two long sides do not guarantee that the short sides do not move during the film formation process; the clamping and loosening of such fixtures require the motor driving at both sides, however, the number of fixtures cannot be more with the restriction of the limited space of the coating chamber; the metal mask mounted on the fixtures has to be disassembled and verified every time for replacing the metal mask model, which will waste time and affect production capacity; frequently disassembled components are easily damaged to increase costs; it is easy to cause warpage of the substrate and/or the metal mask caused by the uneven stress of the substrate to cause the shadow of the coating, which affects the film formation quality.
There are also some sputter machines that choose not to install fixtures but only utilize the gravity of the substrate itself and improve the vibration of the actuator to maintain the relative position of the substrate and the metal mask. However, in case that the fixture is not used, once the transmission mechanism of the device vibrates, it will cause a change in the relative position.

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A stage light projector including an electronically controlled lens system capable of independently positioning two lenses of a triplet lens system to focus light from different selected back focal plane distances to project images having different selected sizes upon a screen or stage at a selected distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting systems and more particularly to a light projector with improved means for controlling the focus, size and direction of a projected beam of light.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Conventional stage lighting systems and spot lights have used triplet lenses to focus and vary or "zoom" the size of a projected beam of light. U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,329 uses a well-known Cooke triplet in combination with a negative doublet fourth lens to magnify and focus a light beam. The triplet lenses are mounted fixedly with respect to each other and movably along the optical axis with respect to the fourth lens to adjust the size of the beam. The triplet and fourth lens are movable together relative to the back-focal object plane of a transparency to be imaged to focus the image at the selected size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,113 discloses a projector in which an objective lens and a unitary zoom lens are manually adjusted along their axis to focus an image at a distance after which the zoom lens position may be adjusted to control the image size.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,800 describes a projector zoom lens formed from a triplet or three groups of lenses. The outer two lenses are fixed relative to the back-focal object (plane) while the middle lens is relatively movable to vary the size of the projected image.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,108 describes a projector zoom lens formed from a triplet including a relatively movable middle lens to vary the beam size, and a movable front lens to focus the beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,067 describes a spotlight projector including an axially movable light source and a fixedly mounted, adjustable diameter iris to control the size of a projected beam, an axially movable rear lens to focus the beam, and a semi-permanently mounted front lens. Various axial locations are provided with means for semipermanently mounting different types of front lenses to convert the spotlight to shorter or longer "throw" lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,020 discloses a variable magnification stage light including two lenses and a light source which are all manually movable along their optical axis to focus and magnify a beam of light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,720 describes a projection in which a zoom lens is axially movable by a lens drive means to adjust the projected image size. A control means responsive to the magnification adjustment of the zoom lens drive controls the focal length.
Lighting systems which move two lenses relative to each other to focus and magnify a light beam must constrain the back-focal object plane and lenses spacings to certain relationships, depending upon the specific characteristics of each lens. Conventional systems in which multiple lens positions are coordinated by mechanical linkages permit only predetermined spacial relationships which would not enable the lenses to focus from different back focal plane distances. Also, such linkages are typically not dimensioned correctly for different types of lenses requiring different axial relationships to focus at any object and/or image distance.
There remains therefore a need for a light projector which can be adjusted simply to use a general range of lens triplets to focus from various back-focal distances to project images at selected sizes at selected front-focal distances.


An information recording apparatus records the record data onto an information recording medium, which is provided with wobbled tracks and on which pre-format address information is recorded. The information recording apparatus is provided with: an optical pickup; a detector for detecting a push-pull signal on the basis of an output of the optical pickup; a timing generator for generating a timing signal by detecting the pre-format address information and by detecting a slot unit smaller than a data management unit of the pre-format address information on the basis of a cycle of the push-pull signal; and a system controller for detecting an optimum recording laser power by recording or reproducing a test signal on the tracks while changing a recording laser power on the basis of the timing signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus, such as a write-once-type optical disc recorder, for recoding information onto an information recording medium, such as a write-once-type optical disc, and an optimum recording laser power detecting method which is executed on such an information recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, on an information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording information onto an information recording medium, such as an optical disc, the optimum recording power of a laser beam is set by Optimum Power Control (OPC) processing according to the type of the optical disc, the type and the recording speed of the information recording/reproducing apparatus, and the like. Namely, the calibration of the recording laser power (i.e., the calibration of the recording power of the laser beam) is performed. This corresponds to variations in characteristics of an information recording surface of the optical disc. For example, if the optical disc is inserted or loaded and a command of writing is inputted, light intensity is changed sequentially step-by-step and the data for trial writing is recorded into a Power Calibration Area (PCA), by which so-called trial writing is performed. After that, the data for trial writing recorded in this manner is reproduced. The reproduction result is judged by a predetermined evaluation standard, and the optimum recording laser power is set.
More specifically, for example, in the case of a DVD-R (DVD-Recordable), the PCA (i.e., the OPC area, or the recording area for OPC) is provided with about 400 clusters, for example. One cluster is equivalent to 16 sectors, for example. Here, the "cluster" is a data management unit on a disc-shaped memory device and the smallest unit upon error-correcting. On the other hand, the "sector" is the smallest data management unit by pre-format address information in which the record data is error-correctable. One sector is equivalent to 26 sync frames, and one sync frame (hereinafter referred to as SF as occasion demands) is formed from a pre-pit which is the smallest unit of an address structure. The one SF is regarded as a unit of a power-step in one OPC processing, for example. Using the unit of the power-step, if the one OPC processing is provided with 26 power-steps, for example, the shortest pit length, 3T, and the longest pit length, 11T, of an 8/16 modulated test signal are recorded with respect to 26 SF with 26-stage laser powers, and the OPC processing is performed. Here, "T" is a standard clock cycle. For example, in the case of the DVD-R, 0.133 (μm)/3.49 (m/s)=about 38.2 (ns). Namely, the 26 SF (i.e. one sector) are used in the one OPC processing. With respect to each SF, an "OPC pattern", which is a predetermined pattern including a plurality of recording pits for trial writing (i.e. OPC pits), is recorded for each power-step. At this time, by setting the number of the power-steps used for the one OPC processing to be equal to or less than the number of the sync frames included in one sector, it is possible to perform the one OPC processing with the one sector. Therefore, for example, in one disc or one PCA provided for the one disc, it is possible to perform about 6400 times of OPC processing corresponding to the cluster total number (about 400 clusters). Incidentally, in this case, one cluster is equivalent to 16 sectors, but how many sectors the one cluster is equivalent to is various depending on the type of the medium. The above technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent NO. 3159454, and Japanese Patent Application Laying Open NO. 2002-352517.
However, according to the above-described technique, if the recording medium is a so-called write-once-type recording medium, for example, a write-once-type optical disc, such as the DVD-R, rewriting is not performed in the PCA because it uses the data management unit of the pre-format address (sector) information, which is an accessible unit, and because the unit corresponding to the sector is large in a large-capacity medium. This causes such a problem that the number of the OPC processing is limited by the size of the data management unit of the pre-format address information in the PCA. Particularly, with respect to a larger-capacity write-once-type recording medium, the chance or the number of writing-once or additional recording for one medium increases, so that the number of the OPC processing increases. As a result, if the OPC processing is executed as conventionally performed, the PCA is possibly used up before recording is performed onto an entire recording area, which is a technical problem.

Information recording apparatus and optimum recording laser power detecting method


The present invention discloses organic, gluten-free savory food products, including gluten-free pre-mixes, gluten-free broths, and gluten-free snack foods, as well as the methods for making them. The present invention provides tasteful alternatives for people sensitive to commercially available foods prepared with gluten-containing wheat flour.

Gluten is a storage protein found in certain grains (e.g., wheat, barley, rye) and wheat variants (e.g., triticale, spelt, kamut) but not in others (e.g., oats, rice, corn). (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587). Close to 15% of the total weight of a grain is comprised from gluten proteins. (U.S. 2002/0165125 A1).
A great deal of commercially available food contains gluten. People with malabsorption disorders suffer from a disruption of digestion and nutrient absorption. One such disorder is celiac disease.
Celiac disease (also known as gluten enteropathy or celiac sprue) is a disease in which inflammatory responses to the ingestion of gluten damage the proximal small intestinal mucosa and result in malabsorption of most nutrients. Gluten is hypothesized to stimulate an inappropriate T cell-mediated immune response in the intestinal submucosa that destroys mucosal enterocytes. (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587). Characteristic symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal distention, weakness, muscle wasting, growth retardation, and malnutrition. (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587). Other symptoms that may occur even in the absence of the above symptoms, include fatigue, short statute, osteoporosis, dental enamel hypoplasia, and iron deficiency anemia. (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587). Approximately 10% of celiac disease patients suffer neurological complications including ataxia and peripheral neuropathy. R. L. Chin, H. W. Sander, T. H. Brannagan, P. H. Green, A. P. Hays, A. Alaedini, N. Latov (2003), Celiac Neuropathy, Neurology, 60(10): 1581-1585). In addition, a cutaneous variant of celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, exists. In this manifestation, patients suffer from a skin rash of pruritic papulovesicles over the extensor surfaces of the extremities, trunk, scalp, and neck. (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587).
The prevalence of celiac disease in the United States is estimated to be 1:150 (M. Michael (2003), Recognizing and managing celiac disease in primary care, J. Am. Acad. Nurse Pract., 15(3): 108-114.), although whites of Northern European ancestry are afflicted at a higher rate than are those with African and Asian ancestry. (L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587).
To date, no medical treatment exists to eliminate the physiological response and consequent damage to intestinal mucosa following gluten ingestion. Thus, gluten sensitivities cannot be cured. Elimination of all gluten from the diet is essential. L. M. Tierney, Jr., S. J. McPhee, and M. A. Papadakis, eds. (2003), Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment: 585-587). Thus, the only treatment available is compliance with a life-long gluten-free diet, which alleviates the symptoms of the disease and allows the intestinal mucosa to heal. (A. S. Abdulkarim and J. A. Murray (2003), The diagnosis of coeliac disease, Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther., 17(8): 987-95). Non-compliance with a gluten-free diet can result in recurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms, neuropathic symptoms, and/or other potentially life-threatening consequences.
Because of the widespread usage of gluten-containing grains in commercially available foods, people with gluten sensitivity are restricted in the foods available to them. One purpose of this invention is to provide organic, gluten-free alternatives to commercial food products containing gluten. Another purpose of this invention is to teach recipes for organic, gluten-free broths and pre-mixes which may be used as the base to create additional gluten-free food items.
Broths
Commercially available soups frequently include wheat flour or a gluten-containing wheat flour substitute as a thickening agent. Thus, individuals sensitive to gluten have few options for a tasty, yet safe-to-eat soup. In addition, a need exists for an organic gluten-free broth that can be used as a base for other gluten-free food items.
U.S. 2003/0203096 teaches a universal based sauce base with a bland and non-sour flavor which can be used in a wide variety of food applications. This sauce base, however, is not gluten-free.
A number of commercially available gluten-free products and recipes are available in stores and through the internet.
One recipe freely available on the internet provides instructions for a soup snack that instructs one to "[t]ake your fresh veg-any sort, any mixture-get lucky. Cook em (less than you would normally-steaming is best) add garlic (LOADS), extra virgin olive oil (LOADS), coconut oil (LOADS), fresh herbs, retain any liquid or add filtered water. Liquidase. Sprinkle fresh herbs, watercress, celery leaves, chopped radish, garlic, onions, ginger on top." (http://www.panix.com/˜paleodiet/list/soups.htm). This recipe does not provide satisfactory information about the proportions of the ingredients, and as such does not enable a cook to reliably reproduce a tasty soup. In addition, the recipe does not restrict ingredients to gluten-free oils and vegetables. In addition, this soup retains solid vegetables within the broth rather than simmering vegetables to imbue the bouillon with the taste of vegetables.
Gluten-free bouillon cubes are commercially available (Celifibr Vegetable Medley Bouillon and Harvest Sun Low Sodium Vegetable Bouillon Cubes, both available at http://www.glutenfreemall.com). The Celifibr cubes contain organic vegetable and spice blends, sea salt, maltodextrin (from corn), molasses, yeast extract, and sunflower oil in dehydrated form. The Harvest Sun cubes contain yeast extract, organic potato starch, non-hydrogenated palm oil, organic vegetables, sea salt, and organic herbs in dehydrated http://www.glutenfreemall.com). The Celifibr cubes contain organic vegetable and spice blends, sea salt, maltodextrin (from corn), molasses, yeast extract, and sunflower oil in dehydrated form. The Harvest Sun cubes contain yeast extract, organic potato starch, non-hydrogenated palm oil, organic vegetables, sea salt, and organic herbs in dehydrated form. Both preparations require reconstitution before use. Thus, a need exists in the market for a freshly prepared organic, gluten-free bouillon preparation.
Pre-Mixes
Pre-mixes containing ingredients to easily and rapidly prepare food items and even meals are commercially available. A large number of these items contain wheat flour and are therefore unsuitable food choices for gluten-sensitive individuals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,294 (Bunke et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,984 (Ekanayake et al.) disclose shelf stable complete pre-mixes. These inventions require separate dry and aqueous components that are later mixed.
Thus, a need exists for an organic, gluten-free pre-mix that can be used as a base for the rapid preparation of healthy, gluten-free food items.
Snack Foods
Adults and children afflicted by gluten allergies or intolerance have few snack food choices. Most baked goods, and most non-sweet snack foods are made with gluten-containing flour. Thus, a need exists for tasty savory snack foods that can be safely consumed by those intolerant to gluten. Commercially available gluten-free snack foods tend to replace gluten-containing flour with substitute flours containing corn, soy, or other non-gluten-containing grains. One purpose of this invention is to teach a recipe for tasty, organic, gluten-free snacks that provide a healthy alternative to sugar-heavy snacks without gluten such as candy.
One commercially available recipe describes how to make golden crispbreads that are gluten-free. These crispbreads are potato-based baked chip-like food items, and are primarily non-gluten flour based. The recipe uses ground rice, corn flour (cornstarch), gram (chickpea) flour, salt, caster sugar, polyunsaturated margarine, fresh mashed potato, and water. (R. Greer (2001), Easy Gluten-Free Cooking, Thorsons, London: 42-43). The recipe does not provide vegetable nutrients or enable a cook to vary the savory flavoring of the snack.
The ingredients for another gluten-free recipe for crackers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,366 B1 (Fitzpatrick) (citing E. Baker and E. Baker (1980), The Uncook Book, Communication Creativity, Saguache, Colo.). The millet cracker recipe discloses how to sprout millet and flaxseed before grinding and adding salt and poppy seeds. As noted in the '366 patent, however, no instructions are provided as to what to do after adding the salt and poppy seeds. In addition, the recipe discloses a seed based cracker, but does not teach how to incorporate fresh vegetables or other savories.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,522 (Seeds et al.) discloses a snack chip composition having a peak flavor protein roux which involves caramelizing a flour or particulate vegetable source. These crackers are not, however, gluten-free.
Two brands of gluten-free crackers are commercially available at http://www.glutenfreemall.com. Glutano crakers (maize) are described as "delicious crispy crackers" containing maize starch, rice flour, soya flour, vegetable fat, sugar, salt, guar gum, yeast, and sodium carbonate. Nu-World Foods Amaranth Chili Lime Snackers contain amaranth flour, tapioca flour, evaporated cane juice, tomato powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, vegetable oil (cold pressed canola oil or sunflower oil), natural flavors, sea salt, citric acid, and calcium citrate. Both of these crackers are created using gluten-free wheat flour substitutes, and both contain preservatives. No gluten-free fresh vegetable crackers appear to be on the market.
All patents noted above are herein incorporated by reference.


Technologies are disclosed for identifying and remediating correctable hardware errors. A firmware can detect a system management interrupt (“SMI”) generated by a hardware device responsive to the occurrence of a correctable error. Once the firmware has identified the device that generated the SMI, the firmware can determine whether an earliest recorded error generated by the identified device is longer ago than a threshold amount of time. If the earliest recorded error generated by the device is not longer ago than the threshold amount of time, the firmware can increment an error count for the device. The firmware can also determine whether the error count for the device exceeds a threshold. If the error count for the device exceeds the threshold, the firmware can generate an error notification for the device. The firmware can also implement a remedial action policy for the device.

Certain types of hardware devices within computing systems can encounter correctable errors. A correctable error is a hardware error that does not result in the loss of data or require a computing system to restart or shut down. Such errors might, however, have a negative impact on the performance of the computing system or other negative effects. Correctable errors are typically corrected by hardware and no software intervention is required.
Some types of computing systems, like server computers, include many types of hardware components that can encounter correctable errors. Each of these hardware components can generate notifications indicating that a correctable error has occurred. In some cases, each component can generate many such notifications and, as a result, it can be difficult for an administrator of a computing system to identify the component and to take appropriate remedial action, if appropriate.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Identifying an remediating correctable hardware errors


A hybrid type power generation system in which some of components of a cogeneration system are combined with a supercritical CO2 power generation system, may increase an energy output by combining some of the components of the cogeneration system with the supercritical CO2 power generation system.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a hybrid type power generation system, and more particularly, to a hybrid type power generation system in which some components of a cogeneration system are combined with a supercritical CO2 power generation system.
As efficiency in power production is gradually increased and a move to decrease emission of pollutants has become active globally, various efforts for increasing a power output while decreasing emission of pollutants have been made. As one of such efforts, research and development of a supercritical CO2 power generation system using a supercritical CO2 as a working fluid as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-0036180 has been conducted.
The supercritical CO2 has a density similar to a liquid state and viscosity similar to gas, such that equipment may be miniaturized and power consumption required to compress and circulate a fluid may be reduced. At the same time, the supercritical CO2 having critical points of 31.4° C. and 72.8 atm is much lower than water having critical points of 373.95° C. and 271.7 atm and thus may be handled more easily.
In addition, the supercritical CO2 power generation system is mostly operated as a closed cycle in which the carbon dioxide used for power generation is not discharged to the outside, which can greatly contribute to reduction emission of pollutants by country.
However, the existing supercritical CO2 power generation system is difficult to increase capacity beyond a certain scale, and thus only a part of the required power amount can be supplied. In addition, in the case of coal-fired power generation, reduction of the emission of pollutants is needed while increasing the power generation efficiency.
Therefore, a method that can improve the supercritical CO2 power generation system and the coal-fired power generation system and to increase the power generation efficiency is desirable.

Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd.


The present disclosure relates generally to cleaning compositions and, more specifically, to cleaning compositions containing an etheramine that is suitable for removal of stains from soiled materials.

Due to the increasing popularity of easy-care fabrics made of synthetic fibers as well as the ever increasing energy costs and growing ecological concerns of detergent users, the once popular warm and hot water washes have now taken a back seat to washing fabrics in cold water (30° C. and below). Many commercially available laundry detergents are even advertised as being suitable for washing fabrics at 15° C. or even 9° C. To achieve satisfactory washing results at such low temperatures, results comparable to those obtained with hot-water washes, the demands on low-temperature detergents are especially high.
It is known to include certain additives in detergent compositions to enhance the detergent power of conventional surfactants, so as to improve the removal of grease stains at temperatures of 30° C. and below. For example, laundry detergents containing an aliphatic amine compound, in addition to at least one synthetic anionic and/or nonionic surfactant, are known. Also, the use of linear, alkyl-modified (secondary) alkoxypropylamines in laundry detergents to improve cleaning at low temperatures is known. These known laundry detergents, however, are unable to achieve satisfactory cleaning at cold temperatures.
Furthermore, the use of linear, primary polyoxyalkyleneamines (e.g., Jeffamine® D-230) to stabilize fragrances in laundry detergents and provide longer lasting scent is also known. Also, the use of high-molecular-weight (molecular weight of at least about 1000), branched, trifunctional, primary amines (e.g., Jeffamine® T-5000 etheramine) to suppress suds in liquid detergents is known. Additionally, an etheramine mixture containing a monoether diamine (e.g., at least 10% by weight of the etheramine mixture), methods for its production, and its use as a curing agent or as a raw material in the synthesis of polymers are known. Finally, the use of compounds derived from the reaction of diamines or polyamines with alkylene oxides and compounds derived from the reaction of amine terminated polyethers with epoxide functional compounds to suppress suds is known.
Also, cleaning compositions comprising a surfactant system and a polyetheramine of Formula (I), Formula (II), or a mixture thereof:
where each of R1-R12 is independently selected from H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl, where at least one of R1-R6 and at least one of R7-R12 is different from H, each of A1-A9 is independently selected from linear or branched alkylenes having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, each of Z1-Z4 is independently selected from OH or NH2, where at least one of Z1-Z2 and at least one of Z3-Z4 is NH2, where the sum of x+y is in the range of about 2 to about 200, where x≥1 and y≥1, and the sum of x1+y1 is in the range of about 2 to about 200, where x1≥1 and y1≥1, are known. These cleaning compositions can provide increased grease removal, particularly in cold water, e.g., at 30° C. or even lower.
While cleaning compositions that comprise etheramine(s) and provide increased grease removal (particularly in cold water) are known. There is a continuing need for a material that not only removes grease, but reduces redeposition of the grease on the target substrate, such as fabric. The compositions of the present disclosure provide surprisingly effective grease removal and antiredeposition benefits.


A closure device for the vacuum-tight closure of an opening includes a closure element, at least one rod that projects out of a housing of the closure device and that, outside the housing, supports the closure element and that is rigidly connected to a carrier piece, a transmission unit which is adjustable by a drive parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction between an initial, open position of the closure element, a middle position, in which the closure element assumes the intermediate position, and a closed, end position. At least one spring is arranged between the transmission unit on the carrier piece, and a stop device which, during adjustment of the transmission unit from the middle to the end position, blocks a further adjustment of the carrier piece parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction. The transmission unit is guided by at least one longitudinal linear guide to be displaceable relative to the housing parallel to a longitudinal adjustment direction, and the carrier piece is guided by at least one oblique linear guide to be displaceable relative to the transmission unit parallel to an oblique adjustment direction.

The invention relates to a closure device for the vacuum-tight closure of an opening in a wall, comprising a closure unit, which closure unit has a closure element, which closure element is adjustable parallel to a longitudinal adjustment direction from an open position, that the closure element assumes in an opened state of the closure device, into an intermediate position, and parallel to a transverse adjustment direction, that lies at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction, from the intermediate position into a closed position, that the closure element assumes in a closed state of the closure device, and which closure unit has at least one rod that has a longitudinal axis lying parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction and that projects out of a housing of the closure device and that, outside the housing, supports the closure element and that is rigidly connected to a carrier piece, a transmission unit that, by way of a drive, is adjustable parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction between an initial position, in which the closure element assumes the open position, a middle position, in which the closure element assumes the intermediate position, and an end position, in which the closure element assumes the closed position, at least one spring that is arranged between the transmission unit and the carrier piece and that drives the carrier piece along during the adjustment of the transmission unit from the initial position into the middle position, with the carrier piece being adjusted relative to the housing in the longitudinal adjustment direction, and a stop device that, during the adjustment of the transmission unit from the middle position into the end position, blocks a further adjustment of the carrier piece parallel to the longitudinal adjustment direction, with the carrier piece being adjusted relative to the housing in the transverse adjustment direction.
A closure device for the vacuum-tight closure of an opening in a wall may also be referred to as a vacuum valve. If the opening is arranged on the wall of a vacuum chamber and the closure element is situated on the outer side of the chamber wall in the surroundings space surrounding the vacuum chamber, such a type of vacuum valve is also referred to as a vacuum door. A closure device of said type in the form of a vacuum door can be designed for pressure difference acting only in one direction. Other types of vacuum valves are normally designed for pressure differences acting in both directions. In the case of such closure devices, the closure element is generally arranged in a valve housing which has a valve opening which is closable by the closure element.
Closure devices in the case of which, in order to close the opening, the closure element is firstly adjusted, in a longitudinal adjustment direction lying parallel to the rod, from an open position into an intermediate position in which the closure element covers the opening but is still raised from the wall, and is subsequently adjusted in a transverse direction lying at least substantially at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction and is pressed against the wall, are also referred to as L-valves.
In a non-generic type of construction of L-valves, the rod is mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal adjustment direction, in order to permit the adjustment of the closure element from its intermediate position into its closed position and back again. For the pivoting of the rod about the axis, use may be made here of slotted guides, such as is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,892 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,443 B2 or US 2012/0258242 A1.
In the case of L valves in which, for the adjustment of the closure element between the intermediate position and the closed position, a parallel displacement of the closure element takes place in a transverse adjustment direction at an angle, in particular at right angles, with respect to the longitudinal adjustment direction, it is the case in a conventional embodiment that drive elements for the adjustment of the closure element between the intermediate position and the closed position are arranged on a carrier unit which supports the closure element, wherein the carrier unit is attached to a rod. Such embodiments of L valves, inter alia in the form of vacuum doors, emerge for example from U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,266 A, U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,316 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,122 B2. Here, U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,266 A, U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,122 B2 also disclose sequence controllers for the purposes of ensuring the correct sequence of the actuation of the piston-cylinder units. A further such sequence controller for an L-valve emerges from U.S. Pat. No. 8,177,190 B2.
WO 2010/034046 A1 discloses an L-valve in which a block which serves for displaceably mounting the rod in the longitudinal adjustment direction and to which the drive for the adjustment of the rod in the longitudinal adjustment direction is also attached is mounted so as to be linearly displaceable in a transverse adjustment direction lying at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction. This linear displacement is performed by way of piston-cylinder units which act in said direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,527 B2 presents an embodiment of an L-valve in which the piston-cylinder unit which serves for the adjustment of the closure element in the longitudinal adjustment direction is mounted, by way of a linear guide, so as to be displaceable relative to a valve housing in the transverse adjustment direction lying at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction.
WO 2014/075757 A1 discloses a valve in which the rod which supports the closure element is guided so as to be linearly displaceable in the longitudinal adjustment direction. For this purpose, a carrier piece is provided which is connected to the valve rod and which is guided along rod-like guide parts so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal adjustment direction. The rod-like guide parts are displaceable in a transverse direction at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction, and can be displaced in the transverse adjustment direction by way of pneumatic piston-cylinder units. For the displacement of the rod in the longitudinal adjustment direction, use is likewise made of pneumatic piston-cylinder units, the piston rods of which are connected to the carrier piece, wherein said connection permits mobility of the transmission piece relative to the piston rods in the transverse adjustment direction.
US 2013/0112906 A1 presents a closure device of the type mentioned in the introduction. The closure element is arranged in a valve housing and, in the closed position, closes an opening in the valve housing. For the opening and closing of the closure device, use is made of piston-cylinder units which displays a transmission unit parallel to a longitudinal adjustment direction between an initial position, a middle position and an end position. The transmission unit is formed by a yoke to which left-hand and right-hand cam drivers, which protrude in the longitudinal adjustment direction, are fixed. In a respective cam driver there is arranged in each case one first cam recess, which extends in the longitudinal adjustment direction, and one second cam recess, which extends in the oblique adjustment direction. Control cams which are arranged fixedly on a housing engage into the first cam recesses. Control cams which are arranged on a carrier piece which is rigidly connected to a rod which supports the closure element engage into the second cam recesses. A spring is arranged between the yoke of the transmission unit and the carrier piece. This yoke drives the carrier piece along during the adjustment of the transmission unit from the initial position into the middle position. During a further displacement of the transmission unit from the middle position into the end position, a further movement of the carrier piece in the longitudinal adjustment direction is blocked, and the carrier piece is adjusted in the transverse adjustment direction lying at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction. In this way, the rod, and with it the closure element, are also displaced parallel to the transverse adjustment direction in order to move the closure element into the closed position. In the case of said closure device, it appears to be difficult to realize a smooth movement sequence with little play without great outlay in terms construction.
A similar closure device emerges from EP 1 061 301 A2. Here, however, during the adjustment of the transmission unit from the middle position into the end position, the rods which support the closure element pivot about an axis lying at right angles to the longitudinal adjustment direction. Such pivoting has disadvantages in relation to a parallel displacement of the closure element, for example with regard to uniform compression of the seal of the closure element in the closed position thereof.
US 2015/0014556 A1 discloses a further closure device which is similar to the closure device of US 2013/0112906 A1. A difference of the closure device in this document consists in that first and second closure elements are provided, by way of which openings in opposite walls can be selectively closed off.
JP H112360 A discloses a closure device in the case of which an adjustment of the closure element from an open position via an intermediate position into a closed position is likewise realized by way of a drive acting in a longitudinal direction. The adjustment of the closure element from the intermediate position into the closed position is in this case realized by virtue of the valve rod to which the closure element being pivoted, by virtue of first cams being displaced in first slots extending parallel to the longitudinal direction and second cams being displaced in second slots extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction.

Closure device for the vacuum-tight closure of an opening in a wall


Provided are photon counting apparatuses and methods, and radiographic imaging apparatuses configured to receive charge signals corresponding to incident radiation photons, and to count the incident radiation photons by using a plurality of counting bits, such that the counting changes only one counting bit from among the plurality of counting bits when the count value is increased by one. By using the photon counting methods, a data-change frequency of photon counting data corresponding to radiation photons is minimized while counting the radiation photons based on charge signals corresponding to input radiation photons.

1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to photon counting apparatuses and methods, and radiographic imaging apparatuses comprising the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A radiographic imaging apparatus is an imaging system for obtaining images of an inside of an object, such as a human body or an article, by irradiating the object with radiation such as an X-ray. Such a radiographic imaging apparatus includes a radiation detector configured to detect the radiation irradiated to the object.
The radiographic imaging apparatus may include a photon counting apparatus that uses a photon counting detection (PCD) method of counting radiation photons incident to the radiation detector. For example, a photon-counting type X-ray detector includes a photoelectric conversion material unit configured to convert input X-ray photons into electric charges, and a readout circuit unit configured to count the electric charges converted by the photoelectric conversion material unit. Electric charge packets generated in the photoelectric conversion material unit reach an input end of the readout circuit unit due to an internal potential difference. After reaching the input end of the readout circuit unit, the charges are voltage-amplified in an amplifier, and are counted according to size in an internal comparator and counter after passing through an additional amplifying or shaping process.
By using an asynchronous ripple binary counter, the readout circuit unit increases data by a count value of one each time a photon is incident to the radiation detector, and finally reads a data value at a point in time when X-ray photons are incident and reconstructs the data value to form an image.

Photon counting apparatus and method, and radiographic imaging apparatus comprising the same


An internal gear pump for a hydraulic vehicle brake system has axial discs which, by the exertion of pressure on the outer sides thereof, are pressed against gearwheels of the internal gear pump for lateral sealing, provided on the inner sides thereof with grooves through which the gearwheels convey brake fluid as they are driven in rotation, which brake fluid thereby passes, for lubrication, between the axial discs and the gearwheels of the internal gear pump.

The disclosure is explained below with reference to an internal gear pump, but in principle it can be applied also to gear pumps in general, i.e. also to external gear pumps. Internal gear pumps have an externally toothed gearwheel which, for unambiguous designation, is referred to below as the pinion, and an internally geared so-called crown wheel, wherein the pinion is arranged eccentrically in the crown wheel so that the two gearwheels, i.e. the pinion and the crown wheel, can intermesh together in a peripheral portion. On another peripheral portion there is a sickle-shaped clearance between the two gearwheels, which is delimited on the inside by the pinion and on the outside by the crown wheel. The clearance is also called the pump chamber or compression chamber. Due to the rotational drive of the two gearwheels, wherein usually the pinion is held rotationally fixed on a pump shaft which is driven in rotation, and via the pinion the crown wheel is also driven rotationally, fluid is conveyed from a suction region to a pressure region of the pump chamber located behind this in the direction of rotation of the gearwheels. A pump inlet opens in the suction region and a pump outlet branches from the pressure region.
At the side i.e. on the faces of the gearwheels, side walls delimit the pump chamber. The side walls can also be called the end walls, covers or similar. An example of such an internal gear pump is disclosed in patent DE 196 13 833 B4. To seal the pump chamber at the faces of the gearwheels, the known internal gear pump has discs known as axial discs which are rotationally fixed and lie against the gearwheels with their insides facing the gearwheels. On the outsides of the axial discs, pressure fields are provided which are pressurized with fluid from the pressure region of the internal gear pump. The pressure fields are flat depressions which extend in a sickle shape over approximately the pump chamber or part of the pump chamber. The pressure fields can be formed in the outsides of the axial discs and/or in the insides facing these of the side walls of the internal gear pump. The axial discs are held rotationally fixed. The pressure of the fluid conveyed presses the axial discs against the faces of the gearwheels of the internal gear pump in order to seal the pump chamber. This does not achieve a hermetic seal but a good compromise between low leakage, good lubrication and low friction between the rotating gearwheels and the fixed axial disc, and low wear.
Lubrication between the faces of the gearwheels of the internal gear pump and the axial discs lying thereon and pressurized from the outside is provided in the manner of hydrodynamic lubrication by fluid which adheres to the faces of the gearwheels and is conveyed by the gearwheels between the axial discs and the faces of the gearwheels.

Axial disc and gear pump with axial disc


A method and apparatus is disclosed for the ablation of biological tissue to produce a therapeutic effect. An adjustment is made to the output frequency of an electrosurgical generator during the ablation cycle to accommodate changes in the electrical properties of the apparatus and the biological tissues that occur as energy is transferred to the tissue. The adjustment is made to better align the source impedance with that of the load.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a system and related methods for employing electromagnetic energy in the microwave frequencies to produce a therapeutic effect on targeted tissue at a surgical site. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods of impedance matching to maximize energy delivered to target tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Electromagnetic radiation may be used to heat cells to produce a therapeutic effect. For example, microwave energy has been used to selectively ablate certain types of cancerous cells found to denature at elevated temperatures slightly lower than temperatures normally injurious to healthy cells. Destroying cellular tissue in place may be less traumatic than removing it in a conventional surgery. Accordingly, a microwave ablation procedure may be an attractive option for many patients who are not good candidates for conventional surgery.
To denature many malignant growths of cells, temperatures above about 41.5° C. should be achieved. However, because thermal damage to most normal types of cells is commonly observed at temperatures above about 43° C., caution must be taken not to exceed this value. While it is true that electromagnetic energy used in ablative treatments is rapidly dissipated to non-destructive levels by natural processes such as conduction and convection due to circulating fluids, the temperature range suitable for ablative treatment is small, so great care must be taken in the application of microwave energy.
In a typical microwave ablation procedure, an antenna is positioned in the proximity of the tissue to be treated. For precise control, the antenna may be positioned directly inside the targeted tissue. A generator produces an electromagnetic oscillation, which may be transmitted over a coaxial transmission line to the antenna at its distal end. An electromagnetic field created by the antenna causes friction at a molecular level resulting in elevated temperatures in the vicinity thereof.
One concern in the management of microwave energy is impedance matching. In order to maximize the power transferred from a source to a load, the output impedance of the source should equal the input impedance of the load. Failure to match impedances may result in standing waves on the transmission line due to reflections of the incident power. In the case of microwave tissue ablation, the source is often configured with impedance throughout the appropriate frequency range approximately equal to that of the load to be ablated, which for most human tissue is approximately 50 ohms. However, as the target tissue is ablated, heating of the transmission line components and changes in the electrical properties of the target tissue tend to vary the load impedance over time. When the load impedances change, a greater portion of the power is reflected and the performance of the antenna system is diminished.

Frequency tuning in a microwave electrosurgical system


A structure for mounting a vehicle seat includes: a side sill extending in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body on a side of the vehicle body; a cross member extending in a width direction of the vehicle body; a floor frame substantially extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body, with an end portion curved and joined to the side sill, and thus bridging the side sill and the cross member; a seat-mounting bracket joined to the floor frame; and a seat fixed at least to the seat-mounting bracket. With this structure, the seat can be securely fixed to the vehicle body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a seat in a body of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automobile, which is a representative example of vehicle, generally has two front seats (driver seat and passenger seat), and optionally a rear bench seat. FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of a conventional structure for mounting an automobile seat, with a front seat mounted thereon. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of a conventional structure for mounting a front seat, showing an arrangement of a cross member and a seat-mounting bracket.
As shown in FIG. 6, in a conventional structure for mounting an automobile seat, a front seat 100 to be used as a driver seat or a passenger seat has base frames 120 provided on a lower face of a seat cushion 110 in such a manner that the base frames 120 (and thus the front seat 100) can slide in a front-rear direction along a seat rail 300 bridging a cross member 200 and a seat-mounting bracket 400. The seat rail 300 is fixed to a floor panel 800, by fixing a front end portion and a rear end portion of the seat rail 300 to the cross member 200 and the seat-mounting bracket 400 provided on the floor panel 800, respectively (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 2001-63620A, paragraphs 0012-0016 and FIGS. 3 and 5).
As shown in FIG. 7, the cross member 200 extends in a width direction of the car body between a pair of side sills 600 each extending in a front-rear direction on both lateral sides of the car body, and bridges the pair of side sills 600 and a center sill 500 extending in a front-rear direction at a center of the car body (only one side sill is shown in the drawing).
The center sill 500 is located at a center of the car body in nearly parallel with the side sills 600.
The seat-mounting bracket 400 is fixed to the center sill 500-side lateral face of the side sill 600 by spot welding.
The floor panel 800 is spot-welded to the lower faces of the side sill 600, the cross member 200 and the seat-mounting bracket 400, and supported by the center sill 500 placed below the floor panel 800.
When an automobile having the above-described structure crashes head-on, an inertia force in a forward direction of an arrow G is exerted on the front seat 100, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, a load in a direction of an arrow H is exerted on the seat-mounting bracket 400, which tends to detach the seat-mounting bracket 400 from the floor panel 800. Therefore, conventionally, a reinforcing bracket 700 for strengthening the seat-mounting bracket 400 is provided and the seat-mounting bracket 400 is fixed to the floor panel 800 with a bolt 900 (see FIG. 7), in order to prevent the seat-mounting bracket 400 from being detached from the floor panel 800 during collision.
The reinforcing bracket 700 is placed immediately below the seat-mounting bracket 400 through the floor panel 800, with one end of the reinforcing bracket 700 being fixed to the side sill 600 and the other end fixed to the center sill 500. In other words, the reinforcing bracket 700 bridges the side sill 600 and the center sill 500 while supporting the seat-mounting bracket 400.
However, in the case of the structure disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, problems arise in that addition of the reinforcing bracket 700 and the bolt 900 to the seat-mounting bracket 400 inevitably increases the number of parts, assembling processes and weight of the car body.
Therefore, it would be desirable if a structure for mounting a vehicle seat is provided that can securely mount a seat in a vehicle body, without increasing the number of parts, assembling processes, weight of the vehicle body and the like.


An automated feeding station feeds an animal in a feeding event. An automated collection system, such as a urine collection system, fecal collection system, or combination urine/fecal collection system, collects and excrement from the animal in an excrement elimination event. The feeding event and excrement elimination events provide insights into the health of the animal.

Pet owners, professionals in the agricultural field, veterinarians and biological scientists need to be able to evaluate an animal's general health. Decades of research in many scientific disciplines have been able to define physiological activities/norms and biochemical pathways that are necessary to maintain homeostasis and a normal state in all species.
In the scientific area of nutrition, a common question, regardless of the species, is how much of the energy (Kcal) fed to an animal is metabolized. Historically, getting scientific answers to how much of a particular diet has been metabolized has been accomplished by conducting feeding trials using a statistically relevant number of animals for a prescribed number of days. One of the short-comings when conducting these trials is that social animals (pack/herd species) must be isolated to ensure that the amount of food consumed and the subsequent waste (feces and urine) that are collected can be specifically identified to each test animal. This is commonly accomplished by separating animals into stanchions, pens, kennels, metabolism cages or paddocks. This separation prevents an animal from maintaining normal social interactions and restricts normal movement or natural behavior which in turn can create significant stress, discomfort, or unnatural elimination patterns, all of which can affect excrement samples.
Additionally, in the domestic cat, for example, there is a unique health concern related to urinary tract health. Commercially developed diets for cats have unique ingredient requirements, such as Taurine, and the mineral balance of diets can influence the urinary pH level. Most cat diets currently are formulated to slightly acidify the cat's urine to maintain urinary tract health. Lower urinary tract disease left untreated can result in morbidity or mortality. Lower urinary tract disease can also lead to inappropriate excrement elimination issues which can result in euthanasia or abandonment. Two collection methods are used to collect urine samples from cats participating in nutritional trials or when cat owners suspect urinary tract problems in the veterinary clinic. The first collection method requires the cat to be isolated in a cage until a urine sample is voided. Fresh urine samples must be evaluated immediately or there is a chance of bacterial contamination. An additional risk is the urine pH and chemical composition of the urine is altered by the oxidation process. Cystocentesis is the second collection method in which a veterinarian is required to insert a needle through the lower abdominal cavity and into the bladder to obtain a sterile sample. Cystocentesis, however, provides a single point in time sample which may not be indicative of the overall health of the urinary tract. While this method produces a very good sample, it can create stress to the animal during the collection process and may introduce some hemolysis into the sample.
There remains a need for an improved method for feeding animals and subsequently collecting the animal's excrement. There remains a need for an automated collection system to collect excrement samples from animals in a multi-animal environment. There remains a need for an automated collection system to collect excrement samples from an animal in a non-invasive manner. There remains a need for an understanding of the impact of an animal's diet on urinary tract and gastrointestinal tract health.

Automated systems for feeding animals and collecting animal excrement


An organic light emitting display device and a method for manufacturing the same. The organic light emitting display device includes: an insulating layer formed on a substrate; a resistance layer of oxide semiconductor formed on the insulating layer; a wiring layer connected to both side portions of the resistance layer; an organic layer formed on the upper portion including the resistance layer and the wiring layer; and a capping layer formed on the organic layer to be overlapped with the resistance layer.

1. Field of the Invention
An embodiment of the present invention relates to an organic light emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more specifically, to an organic light emitting display device including a resistive element of oxide semiconductor and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting display device, which is a next-generation display device with self-emitting characteristics, has excellent characteristics with regards to viewing angle, contrast, response speed, power consumption, etc., and can be light in weight and slim in design since it does not require a backlight.
The organic light emitting display device includes a substrate that has a pixel area and a non-pixel area and a container or a sealing substrate that is disposed to face the substrate to encapsulate the substrate and is bonded to the substrate by a sealant.
A plurality of organic light emitting display devices that are connected between scan lines and data lines in a matrix manner and forms pixels are formed in the pixel region on the substrate. On the other hand, scan and data lines that extend from a scan line and a data line in a pixel region, a power supply line that operates the organic light emitting display device, and a scan drive IC and a data drive IC that process a signal supplied through an input pad from the outside of the light emitting display and supply the signal to the scan and data lines are formed in a non-pixel region.
An input pad of the organic light emitting display device configured as described above is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) (not shown) and receives an electrical signal through the flexible circuit substrate from outside of the organic light emitting display device.
When a signal is input to the power supply line, the scan driver, and the data driver, the scan driver and the data driver supply a scan signal and a data signal to the scan line and the data line, respectively. Therefore, the organic light emitting device of the pixel selected by the scan signal emits light corresponding to the data signal.
However, the organic light emitting display device generates a large amount of electrostatic discharge (ESD) during the manufacturing or use thereof since the substrate is made of glass, etc. When the electrostatic discharge is introduced into the organic light emitting device or the driving circuit that quickly operates at low voltage, the organic light emitting device or the driving circuit may malfunction or may be damaged by an electrical effect. When the electrostatic discharge generated from the outside is introduced into the driving circuit through the internal wiring, the operation of the driving circuit may momentarily stop and when the generation frequency or voltage of the electrostatic discharge is increased, the circuit line may be disconnected or short. The damage due to the electrostatic discharge is more serious as the driving circuit is gradually high-integrated (miniaturization).
In order to prevent damage due to the electrostatic discharge, the introduction of the electrostatic discharge is interrupted by using a resistive element or a diode, etc. In the case of the display device including a general polysilicon thin film transistor, ions are doped on the polysilicon to form the resistive element. However, with the development of the thin film transistor using as an active layer the oxide semiconductor which has excellent electrical characteristic and processing speeds as compared to the polysilicon, it is difficult to form the resistive element as the oxide semiconductor with a high resistance value (Mega ohm/square).
Since the process of manufacturing the thin film transistor using the oxide semiconductor as the active layer does not include the doping process, the resistive element should be formed by using a metal as a gate electrode or source and drain electrodes when the display device includes the oxide semiconductor thin film transistor. Therefore, the resistive element should be formed in a serpentine type over a wide area in order to implement the desired resistance value, such that there is a limitation in the miniaturization of the display device.

Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same