A snowboard binding adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the angular orientation of a snowboard boot relative to a snowboard. The snowboard binding adjustment mechanism can be rotated and locked at various angles relative to the snowboard without the need for tools. The snowboard binding mechanism basically has an adjustment disk adapted to be fixedly coupled to the upper surface of a snowboard, and a base plate having an opening with the adjustment disk positioned therein. A control assembly is formed between the adjustment disk and the base member for locking and unlocking the base plate relative to the adjustment disk. In particular, locking members are movably arranged relative to the adjustment disk and the base plate for engaging internal circumferential teeth formed along the opening of the base plate. A control member is secured for moving the locking members between the locked position and the released position. The control member in selected embodiments is rotatably coupled to the adjustment disk and operatively coupled to the locking members to move the locking members between locked positions and release positions. In one embodiment, a pair of links interconnect the control member to the locking members. In another embodiment, a cam member is utilized to engage the locking members for moving them between the locked positions and the release positions. In one of the embodiments, biasing members or springs are utilized to hold the locking members normally in a locked position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a snowboard binding mechanism for adjustably securing a snowboard boot to a snowboard. More specifically, the present invention relates snowboard binding adjustment mechanism, which can be rotated and locked at various angles relative to the snowboard without the need for tools.
2. Background Information
In recent years, snowboarding has become a very popular winter sport. In fact, snowboarding was also an Olympic event during the winter games at Nagano, Japan. Snowboarding is similar to skiing in that a rider rides down a snow covered hill. The snowboard is generally shaped as a small surfboard or a large skateboard without wheels. The snowboarder stands on the snowboard with his or her feet generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. Similar to skiing, the snowboarder wears special boots, which are fixedly secured to the snowboard by a binding mechanism. In other words, unlike skiing, the snowboarder has both feet securely attached to a single snowboard with one foot positioned in front of the other foot. The snowboarder stands with both feet on the snowboard in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. Moreover, unlike skiing, the snowboarder does not utilize poles.
Snowboarding is a sport that involves balance and control of movement. When steering on a downhill slope, the snowboarder leans in various directions in order to control the direction of the movement of the snowboard. Specifically, as the snowboarder leans, his or her movements must be transmitted from the boots worn by the rider to the snowboard in order to maintain control of the snowboard. For example, when a snowboarder leans backward, the movement causes the snowboard to tilt accordingly turning in the direction of the lean. Similarly, leaning forward causes the board to tilt in a corresponding manner and thus causing the snowboard to turn in that direction.
Generally, the sport may be divided into alpine and freestyle snowboarding. In alpine snowboarding, hard boots similar to those conventionally used for alpine skiing are worn, and fitted into so-called hard bindings mounted on the snowboard, which resemble alpine ski boot bindings. In freestyle snowboarding, soft boots similar to ordinary boots, or adaptations of such boots as distinct from hard shell alpine boots are typically worn, fitted into so-called soft bindings.
Accordingly, a snowboarder may want to change the binding orientation depending on the style of snowboarding, snowboarder level of skill and/or rider preferences. Moreover, snowboarders typically ride with their left foot in front of the right foot on the snowboard. However, some snowboarders want to ride with their right foot in front of the left foot on the snowboard (so-called goofy style). In order to accommodate the different styles of snowboarding, the snowboarder level of skill and/or the snowboarder preferences, the bindings have been made to be adjustable so that the snowboarder can adjust the angle of his feet relative to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. In the past, changing the angle of the snowboarder's stance required the snowboarder to loosen several mounting screws so that the binding may be rotated relative to the snowboard, and then re-tightening the screws. This type of binding is very time consuming in order to change the snowboarder's stance. Moreover, a tool must be used to adjust the snowboarder's stance.
In the snowboarding rental industry, the rental shop must set the stance angle for snowboarder's preference at the time of the rental. Thus, the rental shop must spend a significant amount of time with each renter to adjust the binding according to his or her needs. Moreover, once the renter has left the rental shop, the renter cannot adjust the bindings without having a screwdriver or other tool. Thus, the renter will typically have to go back to the rental shop to have the bindings readjusted in the event the snowboarder desires a different stance angle.
In view of the above, there exists a need for snowboard binding adjustment mechanism that can be rotated and locked at various angles relative to the snowboard without the need for tools and which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


The invention is directed to techniques for distributing solder paste using a tool that defines a solder paste aperture having a non-circular cross-sectional shape. When the non-circular shape coincides with a pad and at least a portion of a stringer leading to the pad during a solder paste distribution process, solder paste is deposited over the pad and the stringer portion. Since solder paste now resides on the stringer portion, solder is not drawn from the pad toward the stringer portion during the soldering process as with some conventional situations. Rather, solder within the solder paste that resides on the stringer portion tends to adhere to the stringer portion, while some of the solder volume over the stringer pulls back to join the solder over the pad due to surface tension of the solder. The end result is a robust solder joint between the pad and corresponding component contact. Furthermore, the non-circular shape of the aperture allows for apertures that are larger in size than apertures for stencils that do not implement conventional overprinting approaches thus reducing the likelihood of clogging. One arrangement of the invention is directed to a solder paste distribution system having a base, a tool holder coupled to the base, and a solder paste distribution tool coupled to the tool holder. The solder paste distribution tool includes a support member that couples to the tool holder, a distribution member that defines a solder paste aperture having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, and a fastener that secures the distribution member to the support member.

Some circuit boards include component mounting locations formed by circuit board pads or contacts. On such a circuit board, the circuit board pads typically connect to vias (plated through holes) through stringers, which are portions of metallic etch on the surface of the circuit board. A typical stringer is approximately 0.007 of an inch (xe2x80x9c7 milsxe2x80x9d) wide and can be between 0.000 to 0.007 inches in length.
Mounting a circuit board component (i.e., an integrated circuit or IC, a small circuit board portion, etc.) to a circuit board mounting location typically involves soldering contacts of the component (e.g., leads, balls, pins, pads, etc.) to the circuit board pads. Some soldering approaches involve placing a small portion of solder paste on the top of each circuit board pad prior to soldering the component contacts to the circuit board pads. One such approach involves applying solder paste through a stencil that defines multiple solder paste apertures having circular cross-sectional shapes. This approach deposits small portions of solder paste on the circuit board pads through the solder paste apertures. The solder paste portions melt during the soldering process in order to form solder joints between the contacts of a circuit board component and the circuit board pads.
In general, the aperture placement mirrors the placement of the circuit board pads within the circuit board mounting location such that the portions of solder paste are deposited precisely on the circuit board pads. Additionally, diameters of the circular apertures are at least as large as those of the pads in order to fully cover each circuit board pad with solder paste.
The solder paste generally includes non-solder elements (e.g., flux, binders, etc.) which dissipate during the soldering process (e.g., vaporizes, separates from the solder and subsequently washes away, etc.) thus reducing the volume of material forming solder joints. To compensate for this volume reduction, some circuit board manufactures implement a technique known as xe2x80x9coverprintingxe2x80x9d which involves the use of stencils having apertures with diameters that are slightly larger than the diameters of the circuit board pads. Such stencils deposit portions of solder paste that are slightly wider than the circuit board pads with the expectation that, as the portions shrink during the soldering process, (i) the solder not covering the pads will pull back over the pads due to surface tension, and (ii) adequate amounts of solder will be left between the contacts of the component and the circuit board pads in order to form reliable solder joints.
There are some footprint designs (i.e., layouts of pads, vias, stringers and other connecting etches on the surface of the circuit board) that maximize particular circuit board structure dimensions (e.g., pad areas, drill sizes for vias, etc.) in an attempt to maximize circuit board reliability. When these more robust footprint features are repeated within a mounting location (e.g., side-by-side), the direct radial clearance (DRC) between adjacent features can be very small (e.g., 6.8 to 7.0 mils). Accordingly, overprinting on such footprints can be difficult or impossible to implement without substantially increasing the likelihood of forming solder shorts between footprint features intended to be electrically isolated (i.e., across DRC points of tangency).
Unfortunately, there are deficiencies to the above-described conventional soldering approaches. In particular, such approaches often suffer from unintended solder migration during the soldering process. For example, on some circuit boards, the solder mask (i.e., a protective laminate coating provided by circuit board manufacturers to cover conductive and non-conductive surfaces of the circuit board which are not intended for soldering) may be positioned such that a portion of a stringer is left uncovered by the solder mask (e.g., due to minor inaccuracies in aligning the solder mask with the circuit board but which are within tolerance). This exposed stringer portion can wet and draw solder from the portion of solder paste placed on the adjoining pad. Accordingly, the solder can migrate away from the pad, and along the stringer toward a via that connects to the other end of the stringer. In some situations (e.g., a short stringer, a porous solder mask, etc.), the solder can migrate almost completely from the pad and into the via cavity. The end result is often a poor solder joint between the pad and the corresponding component contact which provides an intermittent electrical connection, or in some cases a bad solder joint that provides no electrical connection.
In some situations, overprinting tends to promote solder migration since overprinting provides larger amounts of solder paste. As such, during the soldering process, an exposed stringer leading from a circuit board pad to a via may draw solder away from its intended location between the circuit board pad and a component contact, and toward an unintended location that causes a short (e.g., a pad-to-pad short, a via-to-via short, etc.).
Weak solder joints, bad solder joints and shorts lower manufacturing yields and are typically costly to debug and repair. By way of example, a ball grid array (BGA) component, which has an array of contacts (e.g., balls) that solder to a corresponding array of circuit board pads, typically limits visual access to the solder joints between the BGA component and the circuit board. Accordingly, visual detection of a poor solder joint or a solder short underneath the BGA component typically involves scanning (e.g., X-raying) the hidden solder joints using sophisticated scanning equipment, an expensive and time consuming process.
Furthermore, for stencils used on circuit board mounting locations having small pitches (e.g., stencils having aperture diameters of less than 1.27 mm) and that are not oversized to provide overprinting, the apertures have a tendency to clog with solder paste over time. Moreover, solder paste has a usable life after which it becomes unusable and a clogging contaminant (e.g., a skin forms over the paste, solvents evaporate, etc.). Such clogging leads to subsequent depositing of inadequate amounts of solder paste on the circuit board pads resulting in the formation of poor solder joints and low manufacturing yields.
In contrast to the above-described conventional soldering approaches which use a stencil having apertures with circular cross-sections to apply portions of solder paste over circuit board pads, the invention is directed to techniques for distributing solder paste using a tool that defines a solder paste aperture having a non-circular cross-sectional shape. When the non-circular shape coincides with a circuit board pad and at least a portion of a stringer leading to the pad, solder paste is distributed over the pad and the stringer portion through the solder paste aperture. Since the solder paste now resides on the stringer portion, solder is not drawn from the pad toward the stringer portion during the soldering process. Rather, solder that resides on the stringer portion tends to adhere to the stringer portion, while some of the solder volume over the stringer pulls back to join the solder over the pad due to surface tension of the solder. The end result is a robust solder joint between the pad and corresponding component contact. Furthermore, the non-circular shape of the aperture allows for apertures that are larger in size than apertures for stencils that do not implement conventional overprinting approaches thus reducing the likelihood of clogging.
One arrangement of the invention is directed to a solder paste distribution system having a base, a tool holder coupled to the base, and a solder paste distribution tool coupled to the tool holder. The solder paste distribution tool includes a support member that couples to the tool holder, a distribution member that defines a solder paste aperture having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, and a fastener that secures the distribution member to the support member.
In one arrangement, the solder paste aperture resembles a keyhole. This keyhole-shaped aperture preferably increases solder paste volume over a pad and a portion of an adjoining stringer. Accordingly, the solder paste, which is xe2x80x9coverprintedxe2x80x9d beyond the pad, is in an area that does not affect the direct radial clearance (DRC) values between adjacent circuit board footprint features (e.g., clearances to an adjacent pad or via). As a result, this arrangement is particularly suitable for footprint designs in which conventional overprinting is difficult or impossible such as a design that maximizes particular circuit board structure dimensions (e.g., pad areas, drill sizes for vias, etc.) in an attempt to maximize circuit board reliability. Tight DRC""s between adjacent pads and vias (e.g., 6.8 to 7.0 mils) can be left unaffected since solder paste distributed beyond the pads is distributed only over adjoining stringers (and perhaps slightly over solder mask near the adjoining stringers). As such, this technique enables formation of robust solder joints without substantially increasing the likelihood of forming solder shorts between footprint features intended to be electrically isolated.
In one arrangement, the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the solder paste aperture includes partially coinciding circles having different diameters. Preferably, the partially coinciding circles include a first circle having a first diameter, and a second circle having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter. The second circle is disposed relative to the first circle such that when the first circle aligns over a soldering pad of a circuit board, at least a portion of the second circle aligns over at least a portion of a stringer leading to the soldering pad. Accordingly, when the circuit board is properly oriented such that the non-circular cross-sectional shaped aperture aligns with the pad and the portion of the stringer leading to the pad, a small portion of solder paste can be deposited through the aperture onto the pad and the portion of the stringer.
In one arrangement, the distribution member of the solder paste distribution tool defines multiple solder paste apertures which include the solder paste aperture having the non-circular cross-sectional shape. Accordingly, the apertures can apply solder paste to multiple areas simultaneously.
In one arrangement, the cross-sectional shape of each of the multiple solder paste apertures includes a first circle having a first diameter and a second circle having a second diameter that is different than the first diameter. The second circle partially coincides with the first circle. For each of the multiple solder paste apertures, the second circle of that solder paste aperture resides in a same direction relative to the first circle of that solder paste aperture. This arrangement is suitable for use when the stringers extend from their respective pads in the same direction.
In another arrangement, for a first solder paste aperture, the second circle of the first solder paste aperture resides in a first direction relative to the first circle of the first solder paste aperture and, for a second solder paste aperture, the second circle of the second solder paste aperture resides in al second direction relative to the first circle of the second solder paste aperture, the second direction being different than the first direction. This arrangement is suitable for use when the stringers extend from their respective pads in different directions.
Another arrangement of the invention is directed to a method for making a solder paste distribution tool. The method involves (a) providing a support member, (b) providing a distribution member that includes a solder paste aperture having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, and (c) fastening the distribution member to the support member. In one arrangement, the step of providing the distribution member involves drilling partially coinciding circles through a solid substrate in order to form the distribution member that includes the solder paste aperture having the non-circular cross-sectional shape. After the solder paste distribution tool is made, the tool can be used to distribute solder paste on a mounting location of a circuit board. In particular, the solder paste can be distributed using the tool such that a portion of solder in the solder paste resides over a portion of a stringer leading to a circuit board pad. During the soldering process, this solder can adhere to the stringer, while the majority of the solder volume over the stringer pulls back to join solder over the pad in order to form a robust solder joint. The non-circular shape of the aperture allows for apertures that are larger in size than apertures for stencils that do not implement overprinting thus reducing the likelihood of solder paste clogging within the solder paste distribution tool.
The features of the invention, as described above, may be employed in solder paste distribution systems (e.g., component mounting systems) and methods such as those manufactured by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass.

Systems and methods for distributing solder paste using a tool having a solder paste aperture with a non-circular cross-sectional shape


An improved structure art design knife that provides for stabler and safer manual grasping, the arrangement of which includes a front cover, a back cover, a hatch, a flat spring, and a blade holder mechanism. In addition to convenient blade replacement, the art design knife of the present invention contains a plurality of spare blades, thereby enhancing the utility of such structures and, furthermore, increasing practical value from a production standpoint.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to utility cutters and knives, specifically an improved structure art design knife that provides for stabler and safer manual grasping, the arrangement of which includes a front cover, a back cover, a hatch, a flat spring, and a blade holder mechanism. In addition to convenient blade replacement, the art design knife of the present invention contains a plurality of spare blades, thereby enhancing functionality and, furthermore, increasing practical value from a production standpoint.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional art design knife, frictional wear between the tensile pawl and the wave-profiled rack of the blade extension/retraction, mechanism often reduces overall structural rigidity such that blades cannot be consistently fixed into position, resulting in a greater risk of user injury. Moreover, the spare blades of a conventional art knife are typically situated external to the body of the knife. As such, considerable time is wasted searching for extra blades whenever a blade has to be replaced. Given the existent drawbacks of the conventional product and the need to overcome them, the applicant of the invention herein innovated an original solution and conducted extensive research based on design and other experience gained while engaged in the related industrial fields that culminated in the successful development of the improved structure art design knife of the invention herein.
The objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved structure art design knife in which the blade holder mechanism and the rack of the front cover and the back cover are of a balanced and stable arrangement to achieve blade positioning more effectively and safely and, furthermore, the present invention accommodates the internal storage of a plurality of spare blades, thereby integrating an extra blade supply within the body of the art design knife itself to further enhance blade replacement convenience and efficiency.
To enable the examination committee a further understanding of the means whereby the said objective is accomplished as well as the advantages, other objectives, and operation of the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brief description of the drawings below are followed by the detailed description of the invention herein.


A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a data reproduction circuit for reproducing data read by a head from a magnetic disk during a read operation, a data output circuit for outputting reproduced data obtained as an output of the data reproduction circuit to an external circuit, and an erase current control circuit for controlling an erase current supplied to the head during an erase operation. During an erase operation, the data reproduction circuit is kept deactivated. During transition from an erase operation to a read operation, the data reproduction circuit is activated after the erase current is turned off, and thereafter the data output circuit is activated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device used in a magnetic disk drive such as a floppy disk drive to control the current supplied to a head to read data from, write data to, and erase data from a magnetic disk serving as a data storage medium, and to reproduce the data read by the head from the magnetic disk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a data reproduction circuit for reproducing the data received from a head, a data output circuit for processing the data output from the data reproduction circuit to make it ready for output, and a circuit for supplying a write/erase current to the head. Conventionally, in such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, during the transition between an operation for erasing data from a magnetic disk to an operation for reading data therefrom, the erase current is first gradually decreased while keeping the data reproduction circuit active, and then, after the lapse of a predetermined length of time, the erase current is reduced to zero. The purpose of keeping the data reproduction circuit active meanwhile is to make the operation of the semiconductor integrated circuit device as a whole stable enough to allow the data reproduction circuit to be deactivated in a power-save mode.
However, since the erase current is reduced to zero while the data reproduction circuit is kept active, the asymmetry of the reproduced data, i.e. the output of the data reproduction circuit, is degraded by the back electromotive force appearing in an erase head, and it takes as long as hundreds of microseconds for the reproduced data to recover its normal characteristics. This means that it takes extra time to achieve recovery from the erase operation to the read operation (i.e. for the reproduced data to recover its normal characteristics and thus become ready for output after the completion of the erase operation). This inconvenience cannot be alleviated without imposing more limitations on the design of the wiring patterns of the circuit board and on the back electromotive force characteristics of the erase head.
Moreover, since the erase current is reduced to zero at the same time that the data output circuit is turned on, the output of the reproduced data can be restarted quickly after the completion of the erase operation, but this causes the data output circuit to output the reproduced data with degraded characteristics.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device for use in a magnetic disk drive with reduced recovery time between operations


The invention relates to a method to calculate optimum wicket gate positions based on only the initial face-to-face readings comprising the steps of measuring the initial gate openings, determining an optimum unit opening, and rotating each gate to the optimum opening. The method results in a one time adjustment that is more accurate and faster than conventional methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for adjusting wicket gates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wicket gates, sometimes referred to as guide vanes, are used with turbines to control flow regulation over incoming or outgoing operating fluids. A typical turbine includes a wicket gate assembly arranged in a circle around the turbine axis. This assembly includes a plurality of wicket gates and how they are adjusted, one to another, and provides the desired flow regulation to the turbine. For example, in a water turbine all gates operate in unison and equally distribute incoming water, or outgoing water, when operating as a pump to, or from, a unit runner.
Typically, the orientation of each wicket gate is adjustable around a stem axis. Each wicket gate has a wicket gate operating lever. These wicket gate operating levers are connected to a common gate operating ring via connection links for synchronous rotation of all gates during opening or closing. Eccentric pins are provided at all operating ring connection points for individual wicket gate adjustments. Such a design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,408 (Nace). Other conventional means of adjusting individual wicket gates includes using a turnbuckle.
Conventional methods of adjusting the individual wicket gates include the "banding" and "trial and error" methods.
The "banding" method requires removal of all operating levers, which frees the wicket gates. Cables are draped around the wicket gate circle exterior and pulled with chain hoists or other adequate means to force all the Wicket gates closed.
The "banding" method often does not prove successful. For example, the upper and lower gate side seals may resist movement and not allow proper intermeshing actions for closing. Moreover, a sledgehammer or other large object is often used to nudge the gates which can deform the bushings and surfaces of the gates. The cables used in banding may also deform the bushings and surfaces of the gates.
In a trial and error method, adjustment is difficult, because any change on one particular gate influences adjoining gates. Many times, a small relative clearance may exist which requires several gates in an area to be adjusted, and the final readings do not always reveal the anticipated results. Moreover, the trial and error method is time consuming and often several days are required to adjust the wicket gates.
The known "banding" and "trial and error" methods often do not result in a sufficient variance among the wicket gates.


This invention relates to a data transmission method in a passive communication system being wirelessly powered up and being passively operable, without using its own power, for data transmission and reception, such as in a passive RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) communication system, which is capable of effectively configuring a message transmitted by a passive device, thereby providing improved transmission efficiency.

A passive communication system refers to a system including a device being wirelessly powered up and being passively operable, without its own power, for data transmission and reception (hereinafter referred to as a "passive device") and a device which supplies power to the passive device wirelessly for data transmission and reception (hereinafter referred to as an "active device"). A passive RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) communication system, being representative of a passive communication system, is a system in which a passive device (passive RFID) is attached to a particular physical object and stores data related to the object, such as an identification code and so on, and an active device (a RFID reader) supplies power to the passive device wirelessly and collects information on the object.
In recent years, a passive communication system has been proposed to transmit high-capacity multimedia data as well as low-capacity data such as an identification code at a high speed (see, e.g., J. McDonnell et al, "Memory Spot: Labeling technique", IEEE Pervasive Computing, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 11-17, April-June 2010.).
However, such a passive communication is disadvantageous in transmitting high-capacity data at a high speed since a passive device has to be operated with a small quantity of power and is unstable in its power supply state due to dependency on power supplied wirelessly, a frequency of a message transmitted by the passive device is unstable due to the limitation in its power supply, and the strength of a signal is so weak to produce a frequent error in message reception.
Thus, in order to avoid such a frequent error in message reception, the passive device limits the length of a message to be transmitted at a time. This is because the passive device has to transmit the message again in the event of an error in message reception and the increase in length of the message results in increase in probability of error in message reception. However, a long message has to be transmitted at a time for the purpose of effective transmission of high-capacity data at a high speed.
FIG. 1 shows a structure of a message in a typical passive communication system in which, for a data transmission request 10 from an active device, a passive device transmits a synchronization signal 11, actual data 12 and a checksum 13 used to detect a data transmission error to the active device.
For transmission of one message 14, the passive device consumes time required for actual data transmission, time required for reception of the data transmission request from the active device, and time required for transmission of message elements (a synchronization signal for message synchronization between the active device and the passive device, and a checksum used to determine whether or not data are correctly received) additionally required for actual data transmission.
However, such a passive communication system has a very unstable link frequency and is forced to provide a short message to avoid a high probability of error with the elongation of message. However, this system has a problem of low data transmission efficiency since time required in addition to the time required for the actual data transmission is relatively increased with the short message.
As an attempt to avoid this problem, some active communication system (e.g., R. K. Ganti et al, "Data Streaming in Wireless Sensor Network", Proc. International Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems, 2006, pp. 209-222) use a division checksum method in which one long message is divided into a plurality of message fragments 23 and 24, as shown in FIG. 2, and a number 21 and a checksum 22 for identifying an order of message fragments are inserted for each message fragment. This division checksum method provides high reception efficiency since only message fragments with an error are re-transmitted and received without re-transmission of the whole message even if a reception error occurs in some message fragments.
However, application of such a division checksum method to a passive communication system provides a less effect than an active communication system. Since the passive communication system has very unstable frequency of a message to be transmitted, as opposed to the active communication system, if an active device receives a message having an unstable frequency transmitted by a passive device, synchronization with the message is likely to be lost and messages cannot be correctly received after the point of time when the synchronization is lost.
In this case, even when the message is divided into a plurality of message fragments, message fragments received after the point of time when the synchronization is lost cannot be correctly received at all, which has no contribution to improvement of transmission efficiency.
As an attempt to avoid the above problem of unstable frequency in the passive communication system, US Patent Publication 2007/0035383 A1 (titled "Radio Frequency Identification Interrogation Systems and methods of Operating the Same") discloses a method in which 3 synchronization signals are respectively inserted in the beginning, middle and end of a message in passive RFID, as shown in FIG. 3. This method uses several synchronization signals 31, 32 and 33 to alleviate losing of synchronization in message reception.
However, using the fixed number of synchronization signals cannot respond suitably to a variety of communication states. For example, if a passive device transmits a sufficiently strong signal with a correct frequency, transmission of several synchronization signals consumes wasteful time. If a passive device transmits a weak signal with a very unstable frequency, three synchronization signals are insufficient to alleviate losing of synchronization.
In addition, even with alleviation of losing of synchronization, this method has another problem of re-transmission and reception of the whole message in the event of an error in message reception.

Data transmission method in passive communication system

KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION


A microwave oven including: a main casing forming a component compartment and a cooking compartment and formed with a component compartment through portion communicating with the component compartment; a fan assembly coupled to the main casing, and including an exhaling fan blowing air toward the component compartment through portion to cool the component compartment and a fan motor driving the exhaling fan; and a guide unit mounted to the component compartment through portion and guiding the air blown by the exhaling fan toward a heating component accommodated in the component compartment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave oven having an improved structure for effectively cooling a component compartment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a microwave oven comprises a main casing forming a cooking compartment for cooking and a component compartment accommodating various components for emitting an electromagnetic wave; a door opening and closing the cooking compartment; and a control panel provided in a front of the component compartment. Further, the microwave oven generally comprises a ventilation unit to discharge air, having the smell of food, from the cooking compartment or to inhale circumferential air near the microwave oven and discharge it.
Such a conventional microwave oven, for example, a wall-mounting type microwave oven disclosed in Korean Patent First Publication No. 2004-47077, comprises a discharging fan assembly including a large-amount discharging fan and a large-amount fan motor, so that ventilation efficiency is improved. Further, the discharging fan assembly can be rotated to orient a discharging hole in various directions, so that the discharging direction can vary according to shapes of an outside duct provided in the outside of the microwave oven. Such a conventional microwave oven separately comprises a fan to cool various components accommodated in the component compartment.
However, in the conventional microwave oven, the discharging fan assembly for discharging the air from the cooking compartment is provided separately from the fan for cooling the component compartment. If the discharging fan assembly is employed for both discharging the air from the cooking compartment and cooling the component compartment, there is no need for the separate fan. Further, if the air blown toward the component compartment is guided to a high-temperature heating component among various components accommodated in the component compartment, cooling efficiency is enhanced.


A piezoelectric ink jet head that includes a polymer film, for example a flex print, located between the piezoelectric element and the reservoirs in the jet body. The film provides an efficient seal for the reservoirs and also positions the electrodes on the side of the piezoelectric element in which motion is effected, which can reduce the magnitude of the drive voltage. This location of the compliant flex print material also can enhance electrical and mechanical isolation between reservoirs, which improves jetting accuracy. The compliance of the polymer also reduces strain on the ink jet head.

This invention relates to piezoelectric ink jet modules.
A piezoelectric ink jet module includes a module body, a piezoelectric element, and an electrical connection element for driving the piezoelectric element. The module body, usually carbon or ceramic, is typically a thin, rectangular member into the surfaces of which are machined a series of ink reservoirs that serve as pumping chambers for ink. The piezoelectric element is disposed over the surface of the jet body to cover the pumping chambers and position the piezoelectric material in a manner to pressurize the ink in the pumping chambers to effect jetting.
In a typical shear mode piezoelectric ink jet module, a single, monolithic piezoelectric element covers the pumping chambers to provide not only the ink pressurizing function but also to seal the pumping chambers against ink leakage. The electrical connection is typically made by a flex print positioned over the exterior surface of the piezoelectric element and provided with electrical contacts at locations corresponding to the locations of the pumping chambers. An example of a piezoelectric shear mode ink jet head is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,184, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In one known ink jet module, available from Brother, a resin diaphragm is provided next to each of the pumping chambers. The central region of each diaphragm is pumped by a piezoelectric feature. Electrodes are embedded in the piezoelectric material.
This invention relates to a piezoelectric ink jet head that includes a polymer, preferably a flex print, located between the piezoelectric element and the pumping chambers in the jet body. The polymer seals the pumping chambers and also positions the electrodes on the side of the piezoelectric element in which motion is effected, which can reduce the magnitude of the drive voltage required for operation. The compliant flex print material also can provide electrical, mechanical, and fluidic pressure isolation between pumping chambers, which improves jetting accuracy.
Thus, in one aspect, the invention features a piezoelectric element that is positioned to subject the ink within an ink reservoir to jetting pressure. A flexible material carries electrical contacts arranged for activation of said piezoelectric element and is positioned between the reservoir and the piezoelectric element in a manner to seal the reservoir.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The material may be a polymer. The ink reservoir may be defined by a multi-element module body. An ink fill flow path leading to the reservoir may be sealed by the polymer. The polymer may include an area that is not supported. The piezoelectric element may be sized to cover the reservoir without covering the ink fill flow path. The module may include a series of reservoirs all covered by a single piezoelectric element, or in other examples by separate respective piezoelectric elements. The module may be a shear mode piezoelectric module. The piezoelectric element may be a monolithic piezoelectric member.
In other general aspects of the invention, the flexible material over the flow path contains an area that is not supported; the piezoelectric element spans the ink reservoir and is positioned to subject the ink within the reservoir to jetting pressure; and electrical contacts are located only on a side of the piezoelectric element adjacent to the ink reservoir. In some implementations, the contacts may be thinner than 25 microns, preferably thinner than 10 microns.
Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.


An image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element has refractive power. The fifth lens element with refractive power has two surfaces being both aspheric, wherein at least one of the surfaces of the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point thereon. The sixth lens element with positive refractive power has an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof, wherein the surfaces of the sixth lens element are both aspheric.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an image capturing lens assembly. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a compact image capturing lens assembly applicable to portable electronic products.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the popularity of mobile products having camera functionalities, the demand of miniaturized optical systems has been increasing. The sensor of a conventional optical system is typically a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensor. As the advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies have allowed the pixel size of sensors to be reduced and compact optical systems have gradually evolved toward the field of higher megapixels, there is an increasing demand for compact optical systems featuring better image quality.
A conventional optical system employed in a portable electronic product mainly adopts a four-element lens structure or a five-element lens structure. Due to the popularity of mobile products with high-end specifications, such as smart phones and tablet personal computers, the requirements for high resolution and image quality of present compact optical systems increase significantly. However, the conventional optical systems cannot satisfy these requirements of the compact optical systems.
Other conventional compact optical systems with six-element lens structure enhance image quality and resolution. However, the system cannot correct various aberrations of the system effectively due to the insufficient symmetry of the refractive power and the surface shapes of the first lens element and the sixth lens element of the system which thereby causes worse image quality. Moreover, the total track length cannot be reduced so as to restrict the application on the compact electronic device.

Image capturing lens assembly and image capturing device


The present invention relates to a process for determining a set of one or more operating conditions of an olefin polymerization reactor for the synthesis of a polyolefin in slurry condition, comprising the steps of:    a1) introducing a polyolefin into a volume of at least one diluent, said diluent being agitated by a powered agitator at a first temperature T1;    b1) monitoring the power consumed by the agitator as a function of the concentration, for at least three concentrations C1, C2, and Cn, which are different from each other;    c1) repeating steps a1) and b1) at two or more subsequent temperatures T2 and Tn, which are different from each other and from T1;    d1) determining from the power consumed by the agitator as a function of concentration, said set of one or more stable operating conditions for the synthesis of the polyolefin in the olefin polymerization reactor.

Polyolefins, such as polyethylene (PE), are synthesized by polymerizing monomers, such as ethylene (CH2═CH2). Because polyolefins are cheap, safe and stable to most environments and can be easily processed, polyolefin polymers are useful in many applications. For example PE can be classified into several types according to its properties, such as (but not limited to) LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene), LLDPE (Linear Low Density Polyethylene), and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). Each type of polyethylene has different properties and characteristics.
Polyolefins can be produced from monomers in the presence of diluent and catalyst and optionally one or more co-monomers and molecular weight regulators in a loop reactor. For example, polyethylene can be produced from ethylene monomer in the presence of diluent and catalyst and optionally one or more co-monomers and molecular weight regulators in a loop reactor. Usually the loop reactor is a liquid phase loop reactor wherein the components are circulated under pressure in slurry conditions. The product usually consists of solid particles and is in suspension in a diluent. The liquid diluent can be any hydrocarbon that is inert and liquid during ethylene polymerization, for example alkanes, such as isobutane. The catalyst for producing polyethylene may typically comprise a chromium-based catalyst, a Ziegler-Natta catalyst or a metallocene catalyst. The molecular weight regulator, if added, is usually hydrogen. A co-monomer can be any alpha-olefin with at least three carbons.
Continuous circulation of the slurry contents of the reactor is typically maintained with a pump, which also ensures efficient suspension of the polymer solid particles in the liquid diluent. Circulation is carried out at elevated polymerization temperatures around the loop reactor, thereby producing polyethylene. The product can be discharged by means of settling legs for example, which operate on a batch principle or continuously to recover the product. Settling in the legs is used to increase the concentration of solids in the slurry to be recovered as product slurry. The product can further be discharged to a flash tank, through flash lines, where most of the diluent and unreacted monomers are flashed off and recycled. The polymer particles are dried, optionally additives can be added and finally the polymer is extruded and pelletized. Alternatively, after discharging the product slurry from the settling legs, the reaction mixture may be fed to a second loop reactor serially connected to the first loop reactor where a second polyethylene fraction may be produced. Typically, when two reactors in series are employed in this manner, i.e. a first polyethylene fraction is produced in a first reactor and a second polyethylene fraction is produced in a second reactor, the resultant polyethylene product has a broad or bimodal molecular weight distribution.
Ethylene co-polymerization is the process wherein ethylene is polymerized with co-monomer, i.e. an alpha-olefin, such as e.g. propylene, butene, 1-hexene, etc. The lower the desired density of the final polyethylene, the higher the concentration of co-monomer in the reactor must be. A major problem in such co-polymerization processes is that the control of reaction parameters is very difficult. In particular, the ratio of co-monomer to ethylene monomer can differ at different points in the reactor. It also becomes more difficult to control and optimize reaction conditions, such as reaction temperature and solid concentration in reaction slurry, when producing polyethylene, for example when producing linear low-density polyethylene.
The operating temperature in the reactor is preferably set as high as possible in order to have optimum conditions, i.e. the higher the temperature in the reactor, the higher the productivity of the catalyst. However, increasing the temperature also increases the risk of swelling which may occur in the reactor. Swelling is the phenomenon where diluent enters the amorphous phase of the polymer (that can be partially dissolved in the diluent) and makes the polymer matrix increase in volume (swell). Co-monomer, e.g. 1-hexene, if present, is an even better solvent for low molecular weight polymers, and the polymer produced having a lower density is more prone to swelling (increased ratio of amorphous to crystalline polymer ratio). Hence co-polymerization processes suffer from a higher risk of swelling than homo-polymerization processes. Since some polymer is dissolved in the diluent, the polymer slurry becomes more viscous. Moreover, since swelling leads to an increased volume fraction of solids in the reactor (for the same weight of solids content), it might lead to particles touching each other, therefore increasing the slurry viscosity dramatically, which can perturb the reactor flow, leading to hydrodynamic instabilities and may even lead to blockage of the reactor. Therefore, at least temperature and solid concentration of the slurry must be properly controlled.
In the past, the risk of swelling was decreased by setting the polymerization temperature well below the temperature at which swelling is believed to pose a problem. Classically, this temperature has been predicted for chromium-catalyzed polymerizations by calculating it from the linear relationship between the reaction temperature and the resin density, i.e. the swelling curve. The problem with using traditional swelling curves is that they do not allow the full potential of the catalyst to be exploited. Actual operating temperatures are usually far below the optimum temperatures, which could theoretically still be utilized without the risk of swelling. As a result of the low reactor temperatures, the catalyst has limited productivity, the polymer has difficulties settling in the settling legs and co-monomer is not incorporated efficiently. Furthermore, operating at lower temperatures may impose limitations on the process, as a result of limitations imposed by a cooling system.
EP 1 563 903 describes a means to react to a hydrodynamic instability, it does not provide the means to determine the safe operating region.
EP 0 432 555 A2 establishes control signals which typify flow rate of diluent fluid required to (a) maintain a minimum velocity for the circulating reaction slurry, (b) maintain a maximum pressure head at a selected point in the reactor and (c) maintain a maximum power level supplied to the circulation pump.
US 2015/0209751 discloses a method including measuring parameters for the polymerization reactor including a reactor temperature and a concentration of an induced condensing agent in a polymerization reactor. Induced condensing agents are used in gas phase polymerization to increase cooling capabilities at a given reactor temperature. The use of condensing agents modifies the temperature at which the polymer softens.

Process for determining one or more operating conditions of an olefin polymerization reactor


A method, a device (20), an arrangement and a use for applying a reference mark on a rotor blade (1) for a wind power plant. After producing the rotor blade (1) in a manufacturing mold (34, 34′, 35) and before removing the rotor blade (1) from the manufacturing mold (34, 34′, 35), a reference mark is applied in the area of a rotor blade root (5) of the rotor blade (1) by means of a marking device (23), which is connected or can be connected to a holding device (21) disposed at a predetermined or predeterminable position on the manufacturing mold (34, 34′, 35).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method, a device and an arrangement for applying a reference mark on a rotor blade for a wind power plant, as well as to a use.
2. Description of Related Art
During operation of wind power plants, imbalances that arise due to differing settings of the rotor blade angles of the rotor blades of a rotor, lead to a reduction of the attainable energy yield. At the same time, these imbalances endanger the integrity of the wind power plant. Therefore, during setup and operation of wind power plants it must be ensured that the rotor blades of the wind power plant are operated with identical and predetermined adjustment angles. For this purpose, the rotor blades typically have reference marks, also called 0°-marks or zero marks, which are aligned with marks on the central rotor hub.
It has been shown in practice that faulty reference marks lead to rotor imbalances and reduced energy yield. If this is the case, the rotor blades must be recalibrated. An accuracy of at least 0.3° is required; however, an accuracy of less than 0.1° is preferable.
DE 196 28 073 C1 discloses a method for adjusting the blade angle of a wind power plant, according to which the power output of the wind power plant is measured time-resolved over a longer period of time. The power output is assigned to the power contributions of the individual rotor blades. The blade angles of the rotor blades are individually aligned and set in order to minimize differences of individual power contributions that arose, as well as aerodynamic imbalances. Thus, operational durability loads are reduced, and the excitation of a vibration resonant with the rotor speed is prevented.
DE 20 2007 008 066 U1 discloses a device for aligning an angle-adjustable rotor blade of a wind power plant that has at least two reference points which can be arranged in the interior of the rotor blade at predetermined positions to the rotor blade. The device comprises a measuring device with which the position of the reference points can be measured relative to a reference system. Placing the reference points in the interior of the rotor blade creates an option for measuring the rotor blade adjustment angles that is secure, accurate, time-saving and largely independent of the weather.
In a typical method for applying appropriate reference marks, an airfoil template is slid from the outside over a rotor blade, which is then calibrated by means of optical methods with respect to a reference plane, e.g., the rotor plane or the rotor axis plane. With current sizes of wind power plants having rotor diameters of far more than 100 m, applying such a template at over 50 m above the ground is a time consuming and costly measure.
For this reason, it is by now preferred to already provide the rotor blades with reference marks after their production, before they are mounted at a wind power plant. For this purpose, it is known that the position for a zero mark is measured on the outside at the root side end of a rotor blade using an unrolling measurement tape, starting from the separation plane of the rotor blade, i.e., the plane that separates an upper half shell from a lower half shell of the rotor blade. The half shells are typically composed of a composite of multiple layers of glass fiber mats and/or carbon fiber mats, laminated with a resin material.
Finally, jigs are also known which are positioned at the inner surfaces of the blade connection casings. In this method, the attainable accuracy depends on both the positioning accuracy of the casing in the flange, as well as the accuracy of the prior positioning of the flange on the rotor blade. These tolerances add up.
The necessary accuracy of 0.3°, preferably 0.1°, is not possible with the previously described methods because for the zero angle to be marked at the blade root, the tilt angle of the rotor blade in the power area is significant, that is, in the outer area arranged toward the tip of the rotor blade which yields the greatest power contribution at the rotor blade. Correspondingly, the 0° angle is defined relative to the leading edge of the rotor airfoil in the power region, relative to which the leading edge of the rotor airfoil at the blade root is rotated by a specific angle. Therefore, the zero mark in general does not correspond with the position of the airfoil leading edge at the blade root.
The rotor blade is very flexible and bends under its own weight. If the airfoil section or the airfoil leading edge in the power region is placed vertically, it is not guaranteed that the blade root side region is set relative to the former in a position or angular position reproducible to 0.1° to 0.3°. Due to individual tensions and distortions of each rotor blade, variations result in the angular relations and thus, in the reference mark points, which lie above the desired range of accuracy.
In contrast to this prior art, the object of the present invention is to be able to apply reference marks on a rotor blade for a wind power plant in a reproducible manner and with high accuracy.

Method and device for applying a reference mark on a rotor blade for a wind power plant


A speech speed conversion factor determining device has a physical index calculation unit including a sound/silence judgment unit that distinguishes between sound and silent intervals of an input signal, a fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates a fundamental frequency of the signal in the sound intervals and determines stable and unstable intervals, a frequency smoothing unit that smoothes the fundamental frequency in the stable intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates, for the intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency by interpolation , and a fundamental frequency general shape connection unit that connects the smoothed and pseudo frequencies to obtain sampled values of a general shape of the frequency, such that the sampled values are output as an index, based on which conversion factor are calculated.

With a technology for adaptive speech speed conversion, for a given playback speed, such as 1× speed (playback in real time) or 2× speed (playback in half of real time), the speed is not changed by a uniform factor α over the entire input signal, but rather the speed is changed in each section by a factor larger or smaller than the factor α so as to balance the overall playback time to be the same as when speech speed is converted at the uniform factor α. Thereby it is aimed to generate speech speed converted voice that is "slower and easier to hear" for the listener than when speech speed is converted at the uniform factor α.
Some techniques for achieving the above include (1) lowering the speech speed where the fundamental frequency is high and raising the speech speed where the fundamental frequency is low, (2) treating an interval spoken in one breath as a unit, lowering the speech speed at the start of the interval, and gradually raising the speech speed towards the end of the interval in accordance with changes in the fundamental frequency, and (3) shortening a silent interval between intervals spoken in one breath to a degree that preserves a natural sound (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
Another technique treats a silent interval of at least a given length as a pause, and in a voice interval located between pauses, lowers the speech speed at the start of the voice interval, progressively raises the speech speed during a given time T based on a predetermined decreasing function, and after the given time T elapses, changes the factor for lowering the speech speed by taking into consideration the relative magnitude of the maximum fundamental frequency in each voice interval (for example, see Patent Literature 2).
Within the speech speed control disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or Patent Literature 2, another known technique allows for a brief silent interval within a voice interval located between pauses to be shortened to a degree that still preserves a natural sound. This technique also lowers the subsequent speech speed in so far as possible when the speech speed of each section matches, or is only slightly later than, the time assumed when the speech speed being converted at a uniform factor α, and reduces the amount by which the subsequent speech speed is lowered as the speech speed of each section is increasingly later than the time assumed when the speech speed is converted at the uniform factor α. This technique thereby lessens misalignment, in so far as possible, with the time assumed when the speech speed of each section of the speech speed converted voice is converted at the uniform factor α (for example, see Patent Literature 3).
Furthermore, when separating the input signal into voice intervals and silent intervals, lowering the speech speed in the voice intervals, and shortening the silent intervals, the output voice length extends beyond the input signal length per unit time due to the lowering of the speech speed in the voice intervals. It thus becomes necessary to store the voice after speech speed conversion temporarily in memory, yet there is a limit on memory capacity. Therefore, a technique is known for gradually raising the speech speed in the voice intervals and increasing the amount cut from the silent intervals in accordance with the remaining memory capacity (for example, see Patent Literature 4 and 5).
Additionally, a technique is known for determining the speech speed of each section using a coefficient such that the speech speed is inversely proportional to the increase or decrease of the magnitude (power) or pitch (fundamental frequency) of the input signal, or a coefficient such that the speech speed is inversely proportional to the nth power of the value of the magnitude or volume of the input signal (for example, see Patent Literature 6).

Speech speed conversion factor determining device, speech speed conversion device, program, and storage medium


The invention relates to (among other things) polymer-semaxanib moiety conjugates and related compounds. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits advantages over the semaxanib moiety in unconjugated form.

Protein kinases ("PKs") are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of hydroxy groups on tyrosine, serine and threonine residues within proteins. Phosphorylation of these hydroxy groups is required for the growth, differentiation and proliferation of cells. Thus, virtually all aspects of the cell life cycle depend on normal PK activity. In view of the criticality normal PK activity has on healthy cell functioning, it is perhaps not surprising that abnormal PK activity has been related to a host of disorders, ranging from relatively non-life threatening diseases such as psoriasis to extremely virulent diseases such as glioblastoma (brain cancer).
Among other categorizations, PKs can be divided into two classes, the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Briefly, the RTKs comprise a family of transmembrane receptors with diverse biological activity. The HER subfamily of RTKs includes EGFR (epithelial growth factor receptor), HER2, HER3 and HER4. These RTKs consist of an extracellular glycosylated ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain and an intracellular cytoplasmic catalytic domain that can phosphorylate tyrosine residues on proteins.
Another RTK subfamily consists of insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor related receptor (IRR). IR and IGF-1R interact with insulin, IGF-I and IGF-II to form a heterotetramer of two entirely extracellular glycosylated alpha subunits and two beta subunits which cross the cell membrane and which contain the tyrosine kinase domain.
A third RTK subfamily is referred to as the "platelet derived growth factor receptor" ("PDGF-R") group, which includes PDGF-R-α, PDGF-R-β, CSFI-R, c-kit and c-fms. These receptors consist of glycosylated extracellular domains composed of variable numbers of immunoglobin-like loops and an intracellular domain wherein the tyrosine kinase domain is interrupted by unrelated amino acid sequences.
Another group, which, because of its similarity to the PDGF-R subfamily (and is sometimes subsumed into the PDGF-R subfamily) is the fetus liver kinase ("flk") receptor subfamily. This group is believed to be made up of kinase insert domain-receptor fetal liver kinase-1 (KDR/FLK-1, VEGF-R2), flk-1R, flk-4 and fins-like tyrosine kinase 1 (flt-1).
Still another member of the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor family is the vascular endothelial growth factor ("VEGF") receptor subgroup. VEGF is a dimeric glycoprotein similar to PDGF but has different biological functions and target cell specificity in vivo. In particular, VEGF is presently thought to play an essential role is vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.
Semaxanib is a potent and selective inhibitor of the Flk-1/KDR vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinase. It targets the VEGF pathway, and both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated its antiangiogenic potential. Chemically, sunitinib's systematic name is "(3Z)-3-[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylidene]-1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one" and formula is provided below.

Although initial testing with semaxanib was encouraging, a clinical trial associated with semaxanib showed that the drug did not achieve certain defined endpoints.
Therefore, a need exists to provide compounds that can exert the same pharmacology semaxanib in vivo, yet have properties different from semaxanib. The present invention seeks to address this and/or other needs.


Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system. The light emitting device may include a reflective metal support including at least two pairs of first and second reflective metal layers, a light emitting structure layer including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first conductive type semiconductor and the second conductive type semiconductor layer on the reflective metal support, and an electrode on the light emitting structure layer. The reflective metal support includes at least one of Al, Ag, an APC(Ag—Pd—Cu) alloy, and an Au—Ni alloy.

Embodiments relate to a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor light emitting devices that convert current into light.
A wavelength of light emitted from such an LED depends on a semiconductor material used for manufacturing the LED. This is done because the wavelength of the emitted light depends on a band-gap of the semiconductor material, which refers to an energy difference between valence band electrons and conduction band electrodes.
As brightness of LEDs has gradually increased in recent years, the LEDs are being used as light sources for displays, vehicles, and illuminations. Also, LEDs emitting white light having superior efficiency may be realized by using a fluorescent substance or combining LEDs having various colors.

Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting system


Methods of providing building performance data include receiving building performance data from multiple different building performance data sources each comprising one of multiple different system programming languages and configured to provide building performance data at different time intervals, aggregating the received building performance data from the different building performance data sources into a single data stream, generating graphical data that represents data in the single data stream and providing the data in the single data stream and/or the graphical data to be displayed data to a user.

Various embodiments described herein relate to computer systems, methods and program products, and more particularly to systems, methods and computer program products for aggregating building performance data.
Building management is becoming increasingly important for enterprises. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to aggregate building performance data that is generated and provided by multiple different systems, sensors and/or types thereof. For example, different systems and/or types thereof may provide data using different protocols. The data from such systems may provide challenges for a site operator and/or user to utilize in a meaningful way. Accordingly, there may be overlaps and gaps among energy and sustainability management use cases within an enterprise.

Systems, methods and computer program products for aggregating building performance data from dissimilar sources


A conductive transfer 201 for application to a surface includes two non-conductive ink layers 202, 203. A heating element 204 is positioned between the two non-conductive ink layers. An adhesive layer 207 for adhering said conductive transfer to a surface is also present. The heating element comprises an electrically conductive ink 205 having a positive temperature coefficient such that the electrically conductive ink exhibits an increase in resistance in response to an increase in temperature. A method of production of the conductive transfer involves a printing process.

The present invention relates to a conductive transfer and a method of producing a conductive transfer.
Heated articles, such as heated items of clothing including jackets, are known. Articles of this type conventionally utilise a heating element which supplies heat into the jacket to keep a wearer warm. The heating element typically comprises electrical wiring, however this can be uncomfortable and/or bulky to wear and cumbersome to manufacture.
Printed heating elements have been proposed as an alternative. These alternatives typically include rigid or semi-rigid substrates onto which the heated electrical component can be printed. When used in heated items of clothing, however, while the substrates may have a degree of flexibility in terms of flexural strength, they lack flexibility in terms of tensile or compressive forces. Thus, these types of heating arrangements are generally unsuitable for applications such as heated items of clothing, as they are not able to stretch in line with the material of the item of clothing. The applicant has developed a conductive transfer which is disclosed in patent publication GB 2 555 592 which provides an electrically conductive circuit which can be applied to suitable articles or surfaces. A problem in applying this conductive transfer as a heating element is that the current transfer can lead to overheating and a lack of stability, in particular in relation to the current flow through the conductive ink itself. In an extreme case, this leads to fire hazards created by the transfer.
In attempting to overcome these problems, it is also noted that ensuring an adequate heat output from the conductive transfer while also preventing overheating has proven difficult. The present invention aims to address these problems.


A boresight module comprising a housing defining an optical axis and having a day optical window and a night optical window; a source of sensible radiation located along the optical axis; a collimator mounted in association with the housing operative to receive beams of radiation emitted by the radiation source and to reflect the beams parallel to the optical axis; and an optical assembly made from a single piece of material mounted within the housing and comprising first and second optical surfaces in respective optical association with the day and night optical windows and positioned so as to receive the reflected beams such that a first plurality of the beams is deflected by the first optical surface through the day optical window and a second plurality of the beams is deflected by the second optical surface through the night optical window.

Laser-guided weapons delivery systems include, inter alia, a direct-view optical telescope or `day`system used for daytime viewing and a thermal imaging or `night`system used for nighttime `viewing`. The day system is useful for viewing targets located remote from the system and is operative, via electro-optical systems, to facilitate aiming of the weapons system with which it is associated.
The thermal imaging system, used for facilitating aiming of the weapons system at night, is operative to `lock in` to thermal energy, typically infrared, emitted by the target. The thermal imaging system is mounted onto the optical telescope system such that the line of sight thereof is parallel to the line of sight of the thermal imaging system. The aligning of the line of sight of the thermal imaging system with that of the optical telescope system is known as `boresighting.`
In order to carry out boresighting, apparatus, whose use is well known to those skilled in the art, has been developed which employs an optical subsystem, removably mounted in association with the optical telescope system and the thermal imaging system. This optical subsystem is known as a boresight module.
A conventional boresight module typically comprises an aluminum housing having `day` and `night` optical windows and in which there is disposed an elongate quartz prism disposed along an axis and defining first and second parallel reflective surfaces transversely intersecting the axis and respectively associated with the day and night windows, a light source, a collimator for reflecting parallel to the axis nonparallel light rays projected at the collimator and a reticle, which is typically a movable arrangement of cross hairs.
Light rays are projected past the cross hairs and pass to the collimator and, as stated, are reflected therefrom parallel to the axis. If the collimator is not arranged along the axis then there is also provided a compensating prism to cause reflection of the rays parallel to the axis. The quartz prism is arranged such that some of the light rays are projected through the day window and some are projected through the night window.
The module is mounted in association with the optical telescope system and the thermal imaging system such that the respective day and night windows are aligned therewith and such that light rays projected through each of the windows pass into the respective optical system associated therewith. By techniques which are not the subject of the present invention, boresighting may thus be carried out.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, precise alignment between the reflective surfaces and the collimator is crucial in weapons systems employing the above-described optical systems, an acceptable angular line of sight error in boresighting being typically in the order of one half of a degree or less.
A disadvantage of the above-described boresight module is that alignment errors may result from differential thermal expansion of different portions of the quartz prism and the aluminum housing in which it is located. Although the prism is generally mounted in the housing by kinematic mounts, it has been found that significant angular line of sight errors nonetheless occur, these errors being due, at least in part, to differential thermal expansion between opposing ends of the prism.
Disclosed in an article in SPIE Vol. 645 Optical Manufacturing, Testing and Aspheric Optics (1986) by Rudolf Hartmann and, (at the time of publication of the article) a subject of a patent application by the U.S. Army, Invention Ser. No. 07/411,413, is a boresight module constructed so as to eliminate differential thermal expansion of optical elements employed therein.
The boresight module to Hartmann comprises an elongate hollow prismatic element onto ends of which are molecularly bonded respective beamsplitter and annular reflecting plates, these plates being nominally parallel to each other and being associated with respective day and night optical windows as described above.
Among disadvantages inherent in the module described in the article by Hartmann is that, in order to eliminate differential thermal expansion, the reflecting plates are molecularly bonded onto the prismatic element. This adds significant time and expense to the manufacturing process. In addition, both the conventional boresight module as described earlier and that described by Hartmann constitute complex structures having relatively large numbers of components.


System and method for power saving transmission in a wireless communications networks. In one embodiment, a communications device includes a transceiver configured to transmit or receive frames over a peer communications link to or from another communications device in a wireless communications network. The communications device also includes a controller configured to initiate a service period for transmission of data frames to the another communications device. The controller is also configured to terminate the service period following an acknowledgement to a transmission of a last data frame therein addressed to either the communications device or the another communications device.

An ad hoc wireless communications network may be a communications network that communicates wirelessly without the assistance of a wired infrastructure. Furthermore, communication nodes in an ad hoc wireless communications network may communicate directly without needing to communicate through an intermediary wireless communication node. An ad hoc wireless communications system may be thought of as a distributed system. The elimination of the need for a wired infrastructure and intermediaries may enable rapid and inexpensive deployments of ad hoc wireless communications networks. For example, ad hoc wireless communications networks compliant with the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers ("IEEE") technical standards entitled "Information technology—Telecommunications and information exchange between systems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Specific requirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control ("MAC") and Physical Layer ("PHY") Specifications" (referred to as IEEE standard 802.11, which is incorporated herein by reference) may be brought rapidly into service without requiring a large investment in infrastructure.
A large number of communication devices operating in an ad hoc wireless communications network may be mobile in nature, meaning that the communication devices may be powered by a battery. Therefore, power consumption may be an item of importance. A communication device with high power consumption may have an abbreviated operating period before requiring that the battery be recharged or replaced. Otherwise, the communication device may require a large battery that may reduce the mobility and practicality of the communication device itself. In addition to implementing power saving features in the communication device, such as low power electronics, shutting down inactive portions of the communication device, improving communication device efficiency, and so forth, it would be beneficial to implement power saving techniques in the data transmissions of the ad hoc wireless communications network itself.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a system and method for power saving transmission in wireless communications networks.

System and method for transmissions in power save mode


A device closes septal openings, such as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The device includes two anchors and a flexible connector. Tension applied to one or more strings attached to the device causes the device to collapse into a reduced profile form for withdrawal into a delivery catheter, thereby facilitating retrieval of the device after insertion into a septal opening.

The invention relates to devices and methods that are used to close septal openings, such as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). A PFO is a persistent, one-way, usually flap-like opening in the wall between the right atrium (RA) and left atrium (LA) of the heart. Because left atrial pressure is normally higher than right atrial pressure, the flap usually stays closed. Under certain conditions, however, right atrial pressure can exceed left atrial pressure, which creates the possibility that blood could pass from the right atrium to the left atrium and allow blood clots to enter the systemic circulation. It is desirable to avoid this situation.

Delivery systems and methods for PFO closure device with two anchors


A method for manufacturing a titanium powder, which comprises the steps of: causing a molten reducing agent comprising molten magnesium at a temperature of 650.degree. to 900.degree. C. or molten sodium at a temperature of 100.degree. to 900.degree. C. to fall into a reaction vessel; ejecting a titanium tetrachloride gas at a temperature of 650.degree. to 900.degree. C. toward the falling flow of the molten reducing agent in the reaction vessel to atomize the molten reducing agent, and producing titanium particles containing molten reaction product which comprises molten magnesium chloride or molten sodium chloride, through a reducing reaction between the atomized molten reducing agent and the titanium tetrachloride gas; and removing the reaction product from the titanium particles containing the reaction product to manufacture a titanium powder.

Titanium or a titanium alloy is widely applied as a material for various parts of aircraft and machines and equipment for the chemical industry because of a high melting point (titanium has a melting point of 1,668.degree. C.), a high strength, a high toughness, a low density and an excellent corrosion resistance.
However, because of the high melting point of titanium or a titanium alloy as described above, it is not easy to manufacture various parts from titanium or a titanium alloy through a precision casting, which requires a high manufacturing cost.
A known method for manufacturing a titanium part at a lower cost is a powder metallurgy process which comprises: preparing a titanium powder, then forming the thus prepared titanium powder into a green compact of a prescribed shape through a press forming, and then sintering the thus formed green compact. Another known method for manufacturing a titanium alloy part at a lower cost is another powder metallurgy process which comprises: preparing a mixed powder by mixing a titanium powder with another metal powder which is to be alloyed with the titanium powder, then forming the thus prepared mixed powder into a green compact of a prescribed shape through a press forming, and then sintering the thus formed green compact.
When manufacturing various parts from titanium or a titanium alloy in accordance with one of the above-mentioned powder metallurgy processes, it is necessary to use a titanium powder or a titanium composite powder as a material.
As methods for manufacturing a titanium powder as the above-mentioned material, the following methods are known.
(A) First, a sponge titanium is prepared by means of any one of the following processes:
(i) A lumpy magnesium is charged into a steel vessel keeping an argon gas atmosphere, and heated to prepare a molten magnesium. Then, a liquid titanium tetrachloride at a room temperature is caused to fall dropwise from above into the vessel. The dropping titanium tetrachloride becomes a titanium tetrachloride gas because of the boiling point thereof of 136.degree. C. A sponge titanium (Ti) and magnesium chloride (MgCl.sub.2) are produced through a reducing reaction as expressed in the following formula (1) between the titanium tetrachloride gas and the molten magnesium: EQU TiCl.sub.4 +2Mg.fwdarw.Ti+2MgCl.sub.2 ( 1).
Then, the thus produced sponge titanium is separated from the magnesium chloride. The above-mentioned process for obtaining the sponge titanium is widely known as the "Kroll process".
(ii) A lumpy sodium is charged into a steel vessel keeping an argon gas atmosphere, and heated to prepare a molten sodium. Then, a liquid titanium tetrachloride at a room temperature is caused to fall dropwise from above into the vessel. The dropping titanium tetrachloride becomes a titanium tetrachloride gas because of the boiling point thereof of 136.degree. C. A sponge titanium (Ti) and sodium chloride (NaCl) are produced through a reducing reaction as expressed in the following formula (2) between the titanium tetrachloride gas and the molten sodium: EQU TiCl.sub.4 +4Na.fwdarw.Ti+4NaCl (2).
Then, the thus produced sponge titanium is separated from the sodium chloride. The above-mentioned process for obtaining the sponge titanium is widely known as the "Hunter process".
(B) Then, a titanium powder is manufactured by means of any one of the following processes with the use of the sponge titanium prepared as described above:
(a) The sponge titanium is pulverized by means of a grinding machine to manufacture a titanium powder (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 1").
(b) The sponge titanium is first caused to absorb hydrogen to make the sponge titanium brittle. Then, the brittle sponge titanium is pulverized by means of a grinding machine to prepare titanium particles. The titanium particles are then dehydrogenated to manufacture a titanium powder (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 2").
(c) The titanium powder obtained by the prior art 1 is formed into a green compact having an electrode-shape through a press forming. Then, the thus formed green compact is charged with electricity to melt same. The resultant melt is then cast into a high-purity titanium ingot. Then, the thus obtained titanium ingot is melted by means of an electric arc. The molten titanium is then caused to fall into a vessel keeping an inert gas atmosphere, and a compressed inert gas is ejected toward the falling flow of the molten titanium, or a centrifugal force is caused to act on the falling flow of the molten titanium, to atomize the molten titanium. The thus atomized molten titanium is rapidly cooled and solidified, thereby to manufacture a titanium powder (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 3").
However, the above-mentioned prior arts 1 to 3 have the following problems:
(1) In the above-mentioned preparing processes (i) and (ii) of the sponge titanium, when a reducing reaction temperature in the steel vessel reaches at least 1,000.degree. C., iron forming the vessel reacts with produced titanium to produce Fe-Ti (Fe-Ti has a eutectic temperature of 1,080.degree. C.), resulting in a lower manufacturing yield of the sponge titanium. In order to avoid the production of the above-mentioned Fe-Ti, it is necessary to keep the reducing reaction temperature in the steel vessel to up to 960.degree. C. For this purpose, it is necessary to use a larger steel vessel, or to control the quantity of titanium tetrachloride supplied to the steel vessel. This control is not however easy. Even if a larger steel vessel is employed, there would not be much improvement in the productivity.
(2) In the prior arts 1 to 3, a sponge titanium is first prepared through reduction of titanium tetrachloride in accordance with the Kroll process or the Hunder process, and then the thus prepared sponge titanium is pulverized or atomized, thus requiring two steps, and hence requiring many facilities and much time. In addition, since the above-mentioned sponge titanium is prepared in a batch manner, the production efficiency is very low. Furthermore, each of the particles of the titanium powder manufactured through pulverization of the sponge titanium, having an irregular shape including a projection or an acute edge, is low in press-formability.
(3) In the prior art 3, it is necessary, as described above, to melt a high-purity titanium ingot, and then atomize the molten titanium, in order to manufacture a high-purity titanium powder. However, large-scale facilities are required for melting the titanium ingot and atomizing same.
(4) When manufacturing parts of a titanium alloy, uniform mixing of the titanium powder with another metal powder which is to be alloyed with the titanium powder, requires a high-level technology. It is therefore difficult to manufacture parts comprising a uniform titanium alloy.
Under such circumstances, there is a strong demand for the development of a method which permits continuous manufacture, in simple steps and at a high productivity, of a titanium powder or a titanium composite powder as a material for the manufacture of titanium articles or titanium alloy articles by a powder metallurgy process, but such a method has not as yet been proposed.

Method for manufacturing titanium powder or titanium composite powder