A method for detecting an inappropriate video connection in an information handling system (“IHS”) that includes an integrated video controller, the integrated video controller operable to be coupled to a display device, is provided. The method includes determining if an add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS, the add-in video controller operable to be coupled to the display device. The method also includes determining whether the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller or the add-in video controller. The method further includes providing a notification that the display device is inappropriately coupled to the IHS if it was determined that both the add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS and the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller.

The description herein relates generally to information handling systems ("IHS's") and more particularly to video controllers for IHS's.
As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system (IHS) generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Many modern IHS's include an integrated video controller, namely a video or graphics controller which is located on the system board of the IHS. In addition to the integrated video controller, many IHS's also include an "add-in" video controller (e.g., Peripheral Component Interconnect ("PCI") video controller, an Advanced Graphics Port ("AGP") video controller or a PCI Express video controller). An IHS equipped with both an integrated video controller and an add-in video controller may disable the integrated video controller and enable only the add-in video controller. Thus, if a user of the IHS connects a display device (e.g., a Cathode Ray Tube ("CRT") monitor or Liquid Crystal Display ("LCD") monitor) to the IHS by connecting to the integrated video controller, the user may perceive that the IHS or the display device is malfunctioning because the display device does not display a video signal from the IHS. Such a perception causes various problems including, for a manufacturer or seller of IHS's with both an integrated video controller and an add-in controller, increased customer support costs and loss of good will.
With a current technique, a manufacturer or seller of an IHS with both an integrated video controller, and an add-in video controller, physically conceals a connection interface of the integrated video controller by, for example, placing a plastic cap over the interface. This cap is used to discourage the user from plugging a display device into the integrated video controller. However, this approach is ineffective when the user nevertheless decides to remove the cap and plug the display device into the integrated video controller.
Accordingly, what is needed is an IHS and technique without the disadvantages described above.

Information handling system including detection of inappropriate video connection


A method is disclosed for metallizing polymers comprising generating anionic sites on the structures, contacting same with the cation of the metal and then reducing the metal cation to metal at the anionic sites or treating the metal cations to form a semiconductor. The metallized polymers are useful as electrical conductors or semiconductors.

This invention relates to metallizing polymer structures in the form of films, fibers and other geometric shapes. The metallized polymer structures of the present invention are characterized in that metal uniformly penetrates into the polymer matrix. In the process for their preparation, metal cations are electrostatically bonded to the polymer, and then reduced to the metallic state. The reaction of metal cation with a semiconductor-forming compound likewise results in a semiconductor imbibed polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,805 discloses conductive cable and woven polymer fabric in which the individual filaments are coated with an adherent metal. The method for accomplishing the coating operation requires substrate activation with palladium chloride and/or tin chloride.
German Application No. 2,820,502 discloses a process for metallizing polyamides by placing the polymer in an acidic colloidal palladium solution containing an excess of stannous ions. This activated material is then treated with an acid or a base and is subsequently coated with metal at room temperature by a currentless method using a basic metallic salt solution.
German Application No. 3,139,313 discloses polymer fibers metallized by a currentless method after palladium chloride surface activation.
Jones, et al., Materials Letters, Vol. 2, Number 5B, 462 to 467 (1984) discloses a hybrid cable consisting of a bundle of synthetic fibers coated with a thin metallic layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,893 discloses polyamides with permanent conducting properties having on the surface a layer of copper sulfide with an atomic ratio of Cu/S of 1.5 to 2. Such polyamides are metallized by treating with hydrogen sulfide under pressure, followed by an aqueous solution of a copper salt, optionally in the presence of a swelling agent and a reducing agent. If no reducing agent is present in the copper salt solution, an after-treatment is carried out in the presence of a reducing agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,038 discloses a solvent system of liquid sulfoxide, a base and an alcohol or water for dissolving aromatic polyamides, polybenzimidazoles and polyureas which are known to be difficult to dissolve.


An assembly comprised of at least one fixed panel and at least two moveable panels is provided. The moveable panels are capable of being controllably shifted relative both to each other and to the fixed panel such that first and second aligned and non-aligned positions can be achieved. The assembly is further comprised of two or more drive links which are, in turn, comprised of a center pivot which engages with the fixed panel and two or more outer pivots which engage with the movable panels.

The façade of a building plays a central role in a building's environmental performance, influencing energy usage by determining how light, heat and air are exchanged with its surroundings. As one example, the interlocking systems that comprise curtain walls for high-rise buildings: structural, glazing, insulation, ventilation and shading, all play a role in managing the energy flows between interior and exterior.
One key strategy to achieve sustainable performance is for buildings to actively adapt and respond to changing climatic conditions. This strategy may be applied to facades in different ways. For example, an adaptive façade may have operable elements such as shades that extend and retract automatically. Those devices can respond to environmental data (i.e. temperature, light intensity and wind flow) gathered from sensors, and, utilizing computational intelligence, the building can optimize its environmental configuration for different environmental conditions.
This concept of a responsive facade has been termed "intelligent skin" indicating the analogy with natural systems.
A significant portion of the façade is comprised of windows—or more generally, glazed areas. Static methods are often used to set the light transmissivity of glass. Ceramic fritting is widely utilized where a graphic pattern is applied to glass in order to block some light transmission, yet still allowing sufficient transparency for viewing. However, standard ceramic fritting is static and does not respond to changing conditions.
By integrating responsive controls with fritted glass surfaces, improved light control and decreased energy usage can be achieved.
An adaptive window could, for example, allow solar gain during cold weather, yet block the sun when it is warm. Natural light within the building can be maintained at desirable levels. Controllable transparency can also be used to allow visual contact when needed, yet provide privacy under other circumstances.
Beyond transparency control, a physical surface that can adjust its permeability, thereby controlling the passage of air, moisture or heat, provides additional benefits. Utilizing an exterior layer having controllable permeability, energy from the environment may be accepted or blocked as needed.
Currently, such adaptive control within the facade is achieved with standard products such as blinds, shades or curtains. Beyond traditional devices, a new generation of adaptive glass technology is available such as 'switchable' and 'electrochromic' glass. However, these technologies have not received wide acceptance to date.
The invention disclosed herein provides new methods to provide surfaces having controllable properties. Such properties include transparency, permeability and acoustic performance. Surfaces that are formulated according to the disclosed invention may then be integrated into building façades as an 'adaptive layer' providing enhanced environmental performance.

Panel assemblies having controllable surface properties


Selective coupling devices directed by coupling controllers prevent cell plate and/or substrate disturbances from causing memory cell read and refresh errors in open digit line array memory devices. Using selective decoupling devices, when memory cells in an active row store an appreciably unbalanced number of either zeroes or ones, reading the cells generates a voltage transient in the cell plate and/or substrate that can be coupled to a reference digit line because the cell plates and/or substrates of the active sub-array are normally coupled to the cell plates and/or substrates of the reference arrays. By decoupling the cell plate and/or substrate of the active sub-array from the cell plates and/or substrates of the reference arrays, any coupling of the voltage transients to reference digit lines is reduced.

This invention relates to DRAM devices. More particularly, the present invention is directed to DRAM devices employing open digit line array architecture.
As is well known in the art and shown in FIG. 1, a DRAM cell 100 typically comprise a capacitor 104 and access transistor 108 pair. One plate of the capacitor 104 is connected to a common cell plate (not shown) to which all capacitors in that DRAM cell array are connected, a subset of which is shown in FIG. 1. The other plate of the capacitor 104 is coupled to a drain of the access transistor 108. The gate of the access transistor 108 is connected to a word line 116 which allows all the DRAM cells coupled to each word line 116 to be activated, while the source of the access transistor 108 is coupled to a digit line 120 which the DRAM cell 100 will read from and write to during memory operations. Activating the gate of the access transistor allows a high voltage charge (Vcc) or low voltage charge (ground) carried by the digit line 120 to pass to the capacitor 104, thus writing the voltage of the digit line 120 to the capacitor 104.
DRAM cell storage technology of this type is understandably transitory in nature: the high or low voltage charge written to the capacitor will eventually dissipate, as charges stored across capacitors are known to do. As also is known in the art, stored charges leak across the dielectric core between the transistor plates, and voltages can leak from the plates through the access transistors to which they are connected. As a result, the contents of DRAM cells typically must be refreshed hundreds of times per second.
A network of sense amplifiers 124 (FIG. 1) typically are used to refresh the contents of the DRAM cells, each of the sense amplifiers 124 comparing voltages received on pairs of digit lines 120 to which each is connected.
The memory cells 100 are shown in FIG. 1 arranged in an open digit line configuration in which each sense amplifier 124 is coupled to a column of memory cells in one array 125 and another column of memory cells in another memory array 126. Each pair of digit lines 120 to which each sense amplifier 124 is connected comprises an active digit line and a reference digit line. The active digit line 128 is the digit line in one array 125 to which the access transistors 108 of the DRAM cells 100 being refreshed are coupled upon activation of the word lines 116 activating the gates of the access transistors 108. The active digit line is assumed to be the top digit line 128 in the array 125 for purposes of the example of FIG. 1. The reference digit line 132 is a digit line connected to a row of DRAM cells 100 whose contents will not be refreshed during the refresh cycle and is assumed to be the digit line 132 in the array 126 for purposes of the example of FIG. 1. Prior to the refresh cycle, both the active digit line 128 and reference digit lines 132 are equilibrated by precharging the digit lines 120 to Vcc/2 so that the sense amplifiers 124 can measure the voltage disparity between them.
When the access transistors 108 of the DRAM cells 100 coupled to the active digit line 132 and the sense amplifiers 124 are activated, each of the sense amplifiers 124 determines which of the two digit lines 120 carries the higher voltage and the lower voltage, and then drives the higher voltage digit line toward Vcc and the lower voltage digit line toward ground. Thus, when the row of DRAM cells 100 coupled to the active digit line 128 is activated, each of these DRAM cells 100 storing a high voltage charge, even allowing for leakage which necessitates these refresh cycles, should carry a voltage of something greater than Vcc/2. Similarly, DRAM cells 100 storing a low voltage charge, allowing for leakage, should carry a voltage of less than Vcc/2. Ideally, therefore, the sense amplifiers drive the DRAM cell 100 coupled to each of the active digit lines toward Vcc or ground, whichever voltage was stored in the DRAM cell 100 before it was refreshed.
However, conditions are not always ideal. For example, depending upon the combinations of charges stored in the DRAM cells 100 coupled to the active digit lines 128, the sense amplifiers 124 might not accurately read the charges on the DRAM cells 100 coupled to the active digit lines 124. For example, if a capacitor 104 of a DRAM cells 100 stores a high voltage charge, but, for some reason, the voltage read by the sense amplifier 124 appears to be below the equilibrated Vcc/2 value of the reference digit line 132, the sense amplifier 124 will drive the active digit line 132 toward ground, refreshing the previously high voltage charge carrying DRAM cell to 100 a low voltage state, corrupting data
One way this can happen is through voltage fluctuations or noise affecting digit lines to which a sense amplifier 124 is coupled. More specifically, since the active digit line 128 extends though one array 125 and the reference digit line 132 extends through a different array 126, the active digit line 128 and the reference digit lines 132 can be exposed to different noise sources. Noise signals coupled to one of the digit lines 128 or 132 but not the other 132 or 128 can cause the sense amplifiers 124 to sense an erroneous voltage level. The manner in which noise signals can be coupled to the active digit line 128 and the reference digit line 132 will be discussed in greater detail below.
As mentioned earlier, differential noise coupled to the digit lines 128, 132 is a problem with the open digit line architecture shown in FIG. 1 primarily because the active digit line 128 and the reference digit line 132 extend through different arrays 125, 126, respectively. In contrast, an array 250 having a folded digit line architecture shown in FIG. 2A does not have this problem. The folded digit line array 250 includes a sense amplifier 262 coupled to respective complimentary pairs of digit lines 258 provided for each column 266 of memory cells 254. Each digit line 258 is connected to alternate memory cells 254 in each column 266. For each read or write operation, one of the digit lines 258 in each pair serves as the active digit line and the other digit line 258 in the pair serves as the reference digit line. Thus, instead of extending through different arrays as in an open digit line architecture, active and reference digit lines 258 having a folded architecture extend through the same array 250 in close proximity with each other. As a result, arrays 250 having a folded digit line architecture have good common mode noise rejection since the active and reference digit lines 258 are exposed to the same noise sources to substantially the same degree.
Although a folded digit line architecture provided good common mode noise immunity, it has the disadvantage of consuming more area on a semiconductor die (not shown) compared to an open digit line architecture, which is shown in FIG. 2B. As is well known in the art, each memory cell in an open digit line architecture requires only 4F2 or 6F2 in area, where F represents the feature size, whereas each memory cell 254 in a folded digit line architecture requires 8F2 in area. This significant disparity allows memory devices using an open digit line architecture to consume substantially less space on a semiconductor die so that such memory device can be substantially cheaper than memory devices using a folded digit line architecture.
FIG. 2B shows two open digit line sub-arrays 200 and 202. Digit lines 203, 204 connected to each sense amplifier 206 in the open digit line sub-arrays 200 and 202 are not connected to memory cells 208 in the same sub-array. Instead, each sense amplifier 206 is connected to one digit line 203 in one sub-array 200 and one digit line 204 in a second sub-array 202. Each sub-array 200, 202 has its own cell plate 210, 212, respectively coupled to the memory cell capacitors in its respective sub-array 200, 202. Furthermore, each sub-array 200, 202 is often fabricated in separate semiconductor wells that form separate substrates 214, 215 that are isolated from each other, such as by using a xe2x80x9ctriple wellxe2x80x9d structure, which is known in the art. As will be appreciated, the digit lines 203 in the first sub-array 200 can be exposed to difference noise sources than the noise sources to which the digit lines 204 in the second sub-array are exposed. Noise can be coupled to the digit lines 203, 204 differently for several reasons. For example, because the digit lines 203, 204 in the different sub-arrays 200, 202 are fabricated in different substrates, noise signals generated in the substrates can be coupled to the digit lines 203, 204. Differential noise can also result from noise signals coupled to differently to the cell plates 210, 212 in each sub-array 200, 202, respectively.
Various approaches have been used to improve the noise immunity of memory devices using an open digit line architecture. One approach has been to couple corresponding nodes in the sub-arrays 200, 202 to each other so that a voltage disturbance or noise in one of the nodes will also occur in the corresponding node. As a result, if the voltage disturbance or noise is coupled from the node to a digit line in one array, the voltage disturbance will, in theory, also be coupled from the corresponding node to the corresponding digit line in the other array. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the cell plate 210 of the first sub-array 200 and the cell plate 212 of the second sub-array 202 are electrically connected by a conductive coupling 217. Theoretically, this measure should alleviate uneven cell plate disturbances by bringing all the coupled cell plates to the same voltage. Similarly, a conductor 219 is used to couple the substrate 214 in which one sub-array 200 is fabricated to the substrate 215 in which the other array 202 is fabricated. Although these conductive couplings 217, 219, as well as other conductors (not shown) coupling corresponding nodes to each other, do, in fact, improve the noise immunity of the sub-arrays 200, 202 in some cases, they can actually creates noise problems that have very adverse consequences, as will be explained below.
With further reference to FIG. 2B, assume that one of the memory cell capacitors 216 in the sub-array 200 is storing a high voltage, e.g., VCC, and all of the other memory cell capacitors in the sub-array 200 are storing a low voltage, e.g. ground potential. This is known as a xe2x80x9c1 in a sea of zerosxe2x80x9d situation. The capacitor 216 and all of the other capacitors in the sub-array 200 are coupled to the same cell plate 210. As previously explained, the digit lines 203 in the sub-array 200 are equilibrated to one-half the supply voltage, i.e., VCC/2, prior to a memory read operation. Assuming that the sub-array 200 is an active array, when the access transistors 203 are activated for the memory cells 208 storing a 0, the voltage on each of the capacitor plates in such memory cells quickly transition from 0 volts to the equilibrated voltage VCC/2 of the digit lines. The sudden increase in voltage coupled to all of the memory cell capacitors except for the capacitor 216 causes the voltage of the cell plate 210 to also increase. The voltage increase on the cell plate 210 is also coupled to the memory cell capacitor 216, which has a plate that has been charged to VCC.
The cell plate 210 is also coupled to the capacitor 104 of the lone cell 216 storing a 1. As a result, the cell plate 210 will tend to drive the voltage stored in the capacitor 216 higher as well. This makes it more likely that the sense amplifier 206 will correctly sense the voltage on the capacitor 216 as corresponding to a 1. However, because the cell plate 210 of the sub-array 200 is also coupled to the cell plate 212 of the array 202, the voltage on the cell plate 212 also increases. This increase in voltage of the cell plate 212 can be capacitively coupled to the reference digit line 204 in the array 202. In fact, the voltage disturbance on the cell plate 210 can be coupled to the reference digit line 204 with an even greater magnitude than it is coupled to the active digit line 203, partly because any voltage increase in the active digit line 203 is coupled to the capacitor 216, which somewhat acts as a low-pass filter. Thus, the conductor 217 provided to couple the cell plates 210, 212 to each other for the purpose of reducing data read errors, can actually increase data read errors. Similarly, the conductor 219 coupling of the substrates 214, 215 for the sub-arrays 200, 202, respectively, to each other can also increase rather than decrease memory read errors.
In an open digit line array architecture device, the types of cell plate and semiconductor substrate disturbances previously described could be overcome by refreshing the memory cells more often. After all, if memory cells were refreshed before the voltages they stored dissipated so as to closely approach Vcc/2, the type of voltage disturbances previously discussed would no longer pose a problem. On the other hand, refreshing memory cells consumes appreciable amounts of power, and it is desirable to reduce power consumption in memory devices to avoid generation of waste heat and, more importantly, to help prolong battery life in portable devices.
There is therefore a need for a circuit and method that can obtain the size advantages of an open digit line architecture without incurring the power consumption costs typically incurred by the higher refresh rates needed for memory devices using an open digit line architecture.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for selectively coupling and decoupling sub-arrays in open digit line array memory devices to prevent cell plate and semiconductor substrate disturbances from causing memory cell read and refresh errors. In particular, the present invention exploits the fact that, when the memory cells in a sub-array store an appreciably unbalanced number of either zeroes or ones, the nominal voltages of the cell plate and/or substrate for the sub-array undergo transient changes that can result in data read errors. More specifically, in an open digit line architecture, the present invention couples cell plates and/or substrates to the cell plates and/or substrates, respectively, between adjacent arrays to allow for the equalization of cell plate and/or substrate voltages up until the equilibrated active digit lines are to be coupled to the memory cells to read and/or refreshed the memory cells. The cell plate and/or substrate for the active sub-array are then decoupled from the cell plate and/or substrate of the reference sub-arrays to reduce the coupling of any voltage transient in the cell plate and/or substrate of the active sub-array to the cell plate and/or substrate of the reference sub-arrays.

System and method to avoid voltage read errors in open digit line array dynamic random access memories


Techniques for automatically identifying an edge-facing router in a network are provided. In one technique, a DHCP message is obtained at a router of a subscriber network. An options field of the DHCP message is identified. The options field of the DHCP message is analyzed to determine whether data in the options field indicates that first router is SP-facing. If it is determined that the router is an SP-facing router, then identification data that identifies the router as an SP-facing router is stored.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
As Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address space nears exhaustion, stand-alone retail home routers will increasingly use IP version 6 (IPv6). Use of NAT (network address translation) in IPv6 is discouraged. As a result, consensus is growing within the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) to use dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) prefix delegation in home networks to assign prefixes to subnets instead of NAT, which was used for IPv4. If a home network has more than one router, which is a common deployment scenario, then prefix sub-delegation will be used for IPv6.
One example of a home network with more than one router is a network with (1) a cable modem that includes an embedded router and (2) a retail stand-alone router logically "behind" the embedded router. The embedded router typically does not serve as a wireless access point, while the retail stand-alone router typically does serve as a wireless access point. Because the retail stand-alone router is expected to work without configuration, prefix sub-delegation must be automated.
Use of /64 prefixes is desirable in a home network as this enables the use of Stateless Address Auto Configuration (SLAAC, defined in RFC 48622) for automatically configuring IPv6 addresses of hosts on the subnet. For example, a network Service Provider (SP) delegates a /60 prefix (or any prefix shorter than /64) to an SP-facing home router. The SP-facing router could automatically sub-delegate the prefix through hierarchical sub-delegation. Hierarchical sub-delegation involves an SP-facing router splitting the address based on the number of LAN subnets (to which the SP-facing router is connected) rounded up to the nearest power of 2. "Downstream" routers (or routers that are "behind" the SP-facing router relative to the SP network) can utilize the same mechanism, and all subnets in the home network will be addressed. However, at least two problems arise as a result.
First, address space is not conserved, as not all /64 subnets which are possible from the /60 delegated by the SP are used. Second, hierarchical sub-delegation does not work in arbitrarily routed graph networks because hierarchical sub-delegation "assumes" that the topology of the home network is a tree. The topology of a network refers to the arrangement of the routers in the network. If the topology of a home network is a tree, then there are no cycles in the topology of the home network.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automatically identifying an edge-facing router


A boot for joints, such as constant velocity joints, has a first attachment region and a fold region with a plurality of folds with peaks and roots and a transition area adjacent to the last fold arranged near said first attachment region. The transition area comprises a connecting root between said last fold in the transition part, wherein at least part of said transition part is inclined towards said first attachment region.

Space is certainly one of the most dominant characteristics and problems connected with the use and function of boots to be mounted especially on joints, including constant velocity joints. In an articulated or bended state of a joint, especially at angles above 30 degrees, most preferred above 35 degrees, in an inner area, where the folds of a boot are folded up, a convolute package is formed. Said convolute package is strain-induced, and, thus, tends to turn into an unwanted position. Further, pressure is induced in the fold region of the boot in the convolute package, especially in the roots and peaks thereof. Thus, there is a need for a boot wherein the convolute package is less strain-induced and less pressure is induced in the fold region when used in articulated joint states.

Boot for joints, such as constant velocity joints, with a transition area


A DVD recorder is provided in which access control is effected by a driver layer (41), a UDF file system layer (42,) that reads and writes data from and to a DVD-RW with reference to a file system, and a data base layer (43) that accesses the UDF file system layer (42) with reference to content management information for management of contents stored in the DVD-RW. The data base layer (43) reads TMP_VMGI which is intermediate-state management information for the DVD-RW, and provisionally registers a file system into the UDF file system layer (42) with reference to information included in the TMP_VMGI. Thus, a file system is provisionally formed even if the DVD-RW loaded in the DVD recorder is in the intermediate state having no file system recorded therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording/playback device that records and reproduces data to and from a recording medium such as DVD or the like, and a recording medium access method adopted in the recording/playback device.
This application claims the priority of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-107052 filed on Apr. 10, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a device for recording TV broadcast programs or photographed images, DVD recorders each using a recording DVD as a recording medium have become popular taking the place of the conventional video tape recorders. The recording DVD is an optical disk of 12 cm in diameter and 1.2 mm in thickness and has a recording capacity of 4.7 giga-bytes per side.
There have been proposed recording DVDs of five formats including DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R and DVD-RAM. "R" stands for "recordable ("write once, read many)" and "RW" stands for "rewritable (rewritable more than once)". These formats were proposed by the consumer specification association "DVD Forum" (Internet address: URL :http://www.dvdforum.gr.jp/) and another consumer specification association "DVD+RW Alliance" (Internet address: URL :http://www.dvdrw.com/).
The DVD-R and DVD+R are optical disks recordable only once (write once, read many). The DVD-R is an optical disk complying with the format proposed by the DVD Forum, and DVD+RW is an optical disk complying with the format proposed by the DVD+RW Alliance.
The DVD-RW and DVD+RW are optical disks compatible in format with the read-only DVD disk (DVD-VIDEO) defined by the DVD Forum. They are rewritable a plurality of times. These optical disks can be played back by the conventional read-only DVD player. The DVD-RW is an optical disk complying with the format proposed by the DVD Forum, and DVD+RW is an optical disk complying with the format proposed by the DVD+RW Alliance.
The DVD-RAM is a rewritable optical disk encased in a cartridge. It has a low compatibility in format with the DVD-VIDEO DISK, namely, it is considerably different from the other types of DVD. The DVD-RAM is an optical disk proposed by the DVD Forum.
Also, in the DVD-VIDEO Standard proposed by the DVD Forum, a unit called "title" is defined as a data unit. The "title" defined in this Standard is a concept indicating a unit in which one content such as one movie, one musical composition in a music album or the like is reproduced, for example. It is stated in the DVD-VIDEO Standard that up to 99 titles can be recorded to one DVD disk.
The optical disks including DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R and DVD-RAM adopt the Universal Disk Format (UDF™ ISO/IEC 13346) as a logical format.
Note here that the DVD-RW, DVD-R, etc. adopt formats made compatible with the format defined in the DVD-VIDEO Standard by recording necessary management data and dummy data other than content data (finalizing) after completion of recording the content data.
The UDF file system will not be recorded to any DVD-RW or DVD-R disk before the latter is finalized. That is, any DVD-RW or DVD-R disk, not yet finalized, have no UDF file system recorded therein.
Thus, with any ordinary operation, it is not possible to make a file system-based access control of any DVD-RW or DVD-R disk, not yet finalized.
Also, according to the DVD-VIDEO Standard, referring to a VMGI file as an information file in the title menu allows access from a data base to another file without reference to the file system. Thus, actually, the file system has to have stated therein the top position of each file therein. However, many DVD-VIDEO disks having the top position written in a wrong position as shown in FIG. 1 have been in the market. Referring to the file system in such a disk results in unsuccessful opening each of the files recorded in the disk.

Recording/playback device, and recording medium access method


An on-vehicle remote control apparatus includes a use-state determining device configured to determine whether a vehicle is in use. The vehicle has a remotely controllable on-vehicle device. An emergency-mode determining device is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an emergency mode. A remote-control-execution determining device is configured to determine whether a remote-control executing device is permitted to execute remote control of the on-vehicle device. If the use-state determining device determines that the vehicle is in use, the remote-control-execution determining device prohibits the remote-control executing device from executing the remote control of the on-vehicle device. Even when the use-state determining device determines that the vehicle is in use, if the emergency-mode determining device determines that the vehicle is in the emergency mode, the remote-control-execution determining device permits the remote-control executing device to execute the remote control of the on-vehicle device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an on-vehicle remote control apparatus and a method for controlling a remotely controllable on-vehicle device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles having a so-called remotely controllable on-vehicle device have been proposed. Such a vehicle allows remote control of an on-vehicle device from a location away from the vehicle with a mobile phone or the like through a mobile communication network (see, e.g., paragraphs [0002], [0024], [0043], and [0044] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-347334).
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-347334 describes a technique in which, in a vehicle having a remotely controllable on-vehicle device, remote control of the on-vehicle device is permitted if the vehicle is determined not to be in operation (e.g., the vehicle is parked at a predetermined parking place), but remote control is not permitted if the vehicle is in operation.

On-vehicle remote control apparatus and method for controlling remotely controllable on-vehicle device


A reservoir-containing garage mat, constructed of a semi-rigid material, into which one or more unfolded sections of standard newspaper are placed as the absorbent material. A meshed cover is placed over the newspaper and is removably attached to the mat to secure the newspaper in place. When placed underneath a motor vehicle, leaking liquid debris such as oil, transmission, hydraulic or radiator fluid, will pass through the mesh thereby making contact with the newspaper. The newspaper is replenished when stained or saturated.

1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates generally to a device which is positioned on a garage floor underneath a motor vehicle and which can absorb leaking liquid debris such as oil, antifreeze, hydraulic fluid or transmission fluid and the absorbent material, once saturated, can be easily removed and replenished.
2. Description Of Prior Art
Prior art in respect to the prevention of soiling and staining of garage floors from leaking liquid debris from motor vehicles consist of the following methods:
a. metallic and non-metallic drip pans placed underneath automotive equipment; PA1 b. inorganic absorbent materials such as clay or sand; PA1 c. synthetic absorbent materials such as carpet remnants, rugs or foams; PA1 c. organic absorbent materials such as saw dust, wood fluff, wood shavings, or wood pulp products such as cardboard, paper wadding and newspaper.
Newspaper absorbs well but is easily disarranged by traffic or wind. This invention will utilize standard newspaper as the absorbent material and will stabilize the newspaper in the desired position. Stained or saturated newspaper may be discarded and replenished afresh.


A fabric treatment composition comprising a textile compatible carrier and a supramolecular polymer, the supramolecular polymer comprising a building block comprising at least two moieties each moiety having at least 3 groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds with other building blocks to form the supramolecular polymer.

The present invention relates to an ingredient for laundry cleaning or treatment products, for deposition onto fabric during a washing, rinsing or other treatment process. It further extends to compositions containing such an ingredient and methods of fabrics treatment using these compositions.
The laundry process generally has several benefits for fabric, the most common being to remove dirt and stains from the fabric during the wash cycle and to soften the fabric during the rinse cycle. However, there are numerous disadvantages associated with repeated use of conventional laundry treatment compositions and/or the actual laundry process; one of these being a fairly harsh treatment of fabric in the laundry process causing fabric to lose its shape.
The present invention is directed towards maintaining the new appearance of fabric, that is to give increased stretch to the fabric and also better return (after being stretched) to the articles original shape (shape retention).
The present invention provides the further benefits of reduced creasing, softness, and also increase comfort during the wearing of an article.
The present invention relates to a fabric treatment composition comprising a textile compatible carrier and a supramolecular polymer, the supramolecular polymer comprising a building block comprising at least two moieties each moiety having at least 3 groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds with other building blocks to form the supramolecular polymer.
A further aspect of this invention is a method of treating fabric comprising the step of applying to the fabric a composition according to the paragraph above.
Also disclosed is the use of a composition comprising a supramolecular polymer comprising a building block comprising at least two moieties each moiety having at least 3 groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds with other building blocks to form the supramolecular polymer, to provide elasticity to fabric.
Supramolecular Polymers
The polymers used in this invention can be composed in several ways. The polymers may consist substantially of hydrogen bonding moieties (H-bridge-forming units) with low molecular weight, as a result of which an essentially linear polymer may be formed; also conceivable on the other hand are (essentially) linear polymers in which the hydrogen bonding moieties are linked to two ends of the polymers so that polymeric chains are linked to each other via the hydrogen bonding. In addition, a number of hydrogen bonding moieties can be grafted onto polymers, so that a form of cross-linking via hydrogen bonds may be obtained.
A schematic diagram of the types of hydrogen bonding interactions to form the supramolecular polymers is depicted below:
Where  represents an H-bridge
Mixtures of di-functional, tri-functional and grafted species are also possible.
The compositions of the invention comprise supramolecular polymer containing monomeric units that form H-bridges with one another, wherein the hydrogen bond forming moieties are preferably in pairs and at least 3 H-bridges are formed between the pairs, to provide elasticity to fabric.
It is preferable if within the supramolecular polymer that each moieties unit within the building block has at least 4 groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds with other building blocks to form the supramolecular polymer.
It is especially preferable if within the supramolecular polymer if there are an even number of groups capable of forming cross-linking hydrogen bonds on the moieties units each moiety has the same structure as the corresponding moiety with which it forms hydrogen bonds. This is especially preferred if there are four or more groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds. It is especially preferred if all the hydrogen bond forming moieties within the supramolecular polymer have the same structure.
The group or groups between the hydrogen bonding moieties with the building block of the polymer may be any covalently attached group or groups. However it is preferred if the group is selected from polyethers, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyacrylamides, polyvinylacetate, polyvinylalcohol, polyethylene, polybutylene, polybutadiene, vinyl derived polymers or combinations thereof.
It is desirable if the supramolecular polymer is essentially linear. It is also preferable if the hydrogen bonding moiety has an essentially flat structure.
In a preferred embodiment within the supramolecular polymer the hydrogen bond forming moieties contain a structural element having the general form (1) or (2):
in which the Cxe2x80x94Xi and Cxe2x80x94Yi linkages each represent a single or double bond, n is 4 or more and X1 . . . Xn, represent donors or acceptors that form hydrogen bonds with the hydrogen bond forming moieties containing a corresponding structural element 2 linked to them, with Yi representing an acceptor if Xi represents a donor, and vice versa.
It is preferable if within the supramolecular polymer the hydrogen bond forming moieties contain a structural element having the general formula (3) or (4):
in which R1 represents a co-valent linking unit within the building bridge or a side chain and R2 represents a co-valent linking unit within the building bridge or a side chain; with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not both side chains.
Especially preferred are the polymers having the following structure:
wherein z is 1-16 preferably 6;
and wherein X is selected from:
a) poly(ethylene/butylene)
in which n and m are such that the molecular weight is in the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 3500 g/mol
b) poly(tetramethylene oxide)
in which n is such that the molecular weight is in the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 2000 g/mol
c) poly(ethylene oxide)
in which n is such that the molecular weight is in the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 2000 g/mol
d) poly (ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide)
in which n and m are such that the molecular weight is in the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 2000 g/mol. The weight percentage of n and m is within the range 1 to 99% and preferably m equals 65%
Polymers containing three hydrogen bonding moieties [structures (3) or (4)] per molecule can be used exclusively or in combination with polymer types (a), (b), (c) and (d) to generate polymer networks. Some examples are:
1) Poly (propylene oxide) with three hydrogen bonding moieties attached in which the molecular weight is within the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 700 g/mol.
2) Polymer with the structural formula shown below:
The level of supramolecular polymer within a composition is from 0.5 to 20 wt % of the total composition, more preferably from 1 t % to 12 wt % of the total composition.
It is preferable if the weight of supramolecular polymer per gram of 0.05 to 10%, more preferably 0.1 to 5% and most preferably 0.5 to 2%.
Compositions
The compositions of the invention may be in any physical form e.g. a solid such as a powder or granules, a tablet, a solid bar, a paste, gel or (especially aqueous) liquid. In particular the compositions may be used in laundry compositions, especially in liquid or powder laundry composition, for example for use in a wash and/or rinse and/or drying process.
The compositions of the present invention are preferably laundry compositions, especially rinse-added compositions. The compositions may also be added as main wash (fabric washing) compositions.
Compositions of the invention comprise a textile compatible carrier. In the context of the invention a textile compatible carrier can be selected from surfactants, softening compounds, terpenes, alcohols, water and mixtures thereof.
Limonene is a preferred terpene based textile compatible carrier. Aqueous alcohol solution in particular aqueous solutions of isopropyl alcohol or ethanol are preferred textile compatible carriers.
A perfume may be present with the textile compatible carriers.
Rinse Compositions
Compositions suitable for delivery during the rinse cycle may also be delivered to the fabric in the tumble dryer if used in a suitable form. Thus, another product form is a composition (for example, a paste) suitable for coating onto, and delivery from, a substrate e.g. a flexible sheet or sponge or a suitable dispenser during a tumble dryer cycle.
Suitable cationic fabric softening compounds are substantially water-insoluble quaternary ammonium materials comprising a single alkyl or alkenyl long chain having an average chain length greater than or equal to C20 or, more preferably, compounds comprising a polar head group and two alkyl or alkenyl chains having an average chain length greater than or equal to C14. Preferably the fabric softening compounds have two long chain alkyl or alkenyl chains each having an average chain length greater than or equal to C16. Most preferably at least 50% of the long chain alkyl or alkenyl groups have a chain length of C18 or above. It is preferred if the long chain alkyl or alkenyl groups of the fabric softening compound are predominantly linear.
Quaternary ammonium compounds having two long-chain aliphatic groups, for example, distearyldimethyl ammonium chloride and di(hardened tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride, are widely used in commercially available rinse conditioner compositions. Other examples of these cationic compounds are to be found in xe2x80x9cSurface-Active Agents and Detergentsxe2x80x9d, Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch. Any of the conventional types of such compounds may be used in the compositions of the present invention.
The fabric softening compounds are preferably compounds that provide excellent softening, and are characterised by a chain melting Lxcex2 to Lxcex1 transition temperature greater than 25xc2x0 C., preferably greater than 35xc2x0 C., most preferably greater than 45xc2x0 C. This Lxcex2 to Lxcex1 transition can be measured by DSC as defined in xe2x80x9cHandbook of Lipid Bilayersxe2x80x9d, D Marsh, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1990 (pages 137 and 337).
Substantially water-insoluble fabric softening compounds are defined as fabric softening compounds having a solubility of less than 1xc3x9710xe2x88x923 wt % in demineralised water at 20xc2x0 C. Preferably the fabric softening compounds have a solubility of less than 1xc3x9710xe2x88x924 wt %, more preferably less than 1xc3x9710xe2x88x928 to 1xc3x9710xe2x88x926 wt %.
Especially preferred are cationic fabric softening compounds that are water-insoluble quaternary ammonium materials having two C12-22 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the molecule via at least one ester link, preferably two ester links. An especially preferred ester-linked quaternary ammonium material can be represented by the formula II:
wherein each R1 group is independently selected from C1-4 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups or C2-4 alkenyl groups; each R2 group is independently selected from C8-28 alkyl or alkenyl groups; and wherein R3 is a linear or branched alkylene group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms, T is
and p is 0 or is an integer from 1 to 5.
Di(tallowoxyloxyethyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride and/or its hardened tallow analogue is especially preferred of the compounds of formula (II).
A second preferred type of quaternary ammonium material can be represented by the formula (III):
wherein R1, p and R2 are as defined above.
It is advantageous if the quaternary ammonium material is biologically biodegradable.
Preferred materials of this class such as 1,2-bis(hardened tallowoyloxy)-3-trimethylammonium propane chloride and their methods of preparation are, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180 (Lever Brothers Co). Preferably these materials comprise small amounts of the corresponding monoester as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180, for example, 1-hardened tallowoyloxy-2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium propane chloride.
Other useful cationic softening agents are alkyl pyridinium salts and substituted imidazoline species. Also useful are primary, secondary and tertiary amines and the condensation products of fatty acids with alkylpolyamines.
The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain water-soluble cationic fabric softeners, as described in GB 2 039 556B (Unilever).
The compositions may comprise a cationic fabric softening compound and an oil, for example as disclosed in EP-A-0829531.
The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain the polyol polyester (eg, sucrose polyester) compounds described in WO 98/16538.
The compositions may comprise a cationic fabric softening compound and an oil, for example as disclosed in EP-A-0829531.
The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain nonionic fabric softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof.
Lecithins are also suitable softening compounds.
Nonionic softeners include Lxcex2 phase forming sugar esters (as described in M Hato et al Langmuir 12, 1659, 1666, (1996)) and related materials such as glycerol monostearate or sorbitan esters. Often these materials are used in conjunction with cationic materials to assist deposition (see, for example, GB 2 202 244). Silicones are used in a similar way as a co-softener with a cationic softener in rinse treatments (see, for example, GB 1 549 180).
The compositions may also suitably contain a nonionic stabilising agent. Suitable nonionic stabilising agents are linear C8 to C22 alcohols alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide, C10 to C20 alcohols, or mixtures thereof.
Advantageously the nonionic stabilising agent is a linear C8 to C22 alcohol alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide. Preferably, the level of nonionic stabiliser is within the range from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight. The mole ratio of the quaternary ammonium compound and/or other cationic softening agent to the nonionic stabilising agent is suitably within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1, preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1.
The composition can also contain fatty acids, for example C8 to C24 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof. Preferably saturated fatty acids are used, in particular, hardened tallow C16 to C18 fatty acids. Preferably the fatty acid is non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free, for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow fatty acid. The level of fatty acid material is preferably more than 0.1% by weight, more preferably more than 0.2% by weight. Concentrated compositions may comprise from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more preferably 1% to 10% by weight. The weight ratio of quaternary ammonium material or other cationic softening agent to fatty acid material is preferably from 10:1 to 1:10.
The fabric conditioning compositions may include silicones, such as predominately linear polydialkylsiloxanes, e.g. polydimethylsiloxanes or aminosilicones containing amine-functionalised side chains; soil release polymers such as block copolymers of polyethylene oxide and terephthalate; amphoteric surfactants; smectite type inorganic clays; zwitterionic quaternary ammonium compounds; and nonionic surfactants.
The fabric conditioning compositions may be in the form of emulsions or emulsion precursors thereof.
Other optional ingredients include emulsifiers, electrolytes (for example, sodium chloride or calcium chloride) preferably in the range from 0.01 to 5% by weight, pH buffering agents, and perfumes (preferably from 0.1 to 5% by weight).
Main Wash Compositions
The laundry compositions of the invention may contain a surface-active compound (surfactant) which may be chosen from soap and non-soap anionic, cationic, non-ionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surface-active compounds and mixtures thereof. Many suitable surface-active compounds are available and are fully described in the literature, for example, in xe2x80x9cSurface-Active Agents and Detergentsxe2x80x9d, Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch.
The preferred detergent-active compounds that can be used are soaps and synthetic non-soap anionic and non-ionic compounds.
The compositions of the invention may contain linear alkylbenzene sulphonate, particularly linear alkylbenzene sulphonates having an alkyl chain length of C8-C15. It is preferred if the level of linear alkylbenzene sulphonate is from 0 wt % to 30 wt %, more preferably 1 wt % to 25 wt %, most preferably from 2 wt % to 15 wt %.
The compositions of the invention may additionally or alternatively contain one or more other anionic surfactants in total amounts corresponding to percentages quoted above for alkyl benzene sulphonates. Suitable anionic surfactants are well-known to those skilled in the art. These include primary and secondary alkyl sulphates, particularly C8-C15 primary alkyl sulphates; alkyl ether sulphates; olefin sulphonates; alkyl xylene sulphonates; dialkyl sulphosuccinates; and fatty acid ester sulphonates. Sodium salts are generally preferred.
Some particular examples of such other anionic surfactants are disclosed below
alkyl ester sulphonates of the formula Rxe2x80x94CH(SO3M)xe2x80x94COORxe2x80x2, where R is a C8-C20, preferably C10-C16 alkyl radical, Rxe2x80x2 is a C1-C6, preferably C1-C3 alkyl radical, and M is an alkaline cation (sodium, potassium, lithium), substituted or non-substituted ammonium (methyl, dimethyl, trimethyl, tetramethyl ammonium, dimethyl piperidinium, etc.) or a derivative of an alkanol amine (monoethanol amine, diethanol amine, triethanol amine, etc.);
alkyl sulphates of the formula ROSO3M, where R is a C5-C24, preferably C10-C18 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical, and M is a hydrogen atom or a cation as defined above, and their ethyleneoxy (EO) and/or propyleneoxy (PO) derivatives, having on average 0.5 to 30, preferably 0.5 to 10 EO and/or PO units;
alkyl amide sulphates of the formula RCONHRxe2x80x2OSO3M, where R is a C2-C22, preferably C6-C20 alkyl radical, Rxe2x80x2 is a C2-C3 alkyl radical, and M is a hydrogen atom or a cation as defined above, and their ethyleneoxy (EO) and/or propyleneoxy (PO) derivatives, having on average 0.5 to 60 EO and/or PO units;
the salts of C8-C24, preferably C14-C20 saturated or unsaturated fatty acids, C8-C22 primary or secondary alkyl sulphonates, alkyl glycerol sulphonates, the sulphonated polycarboxylic acids described in GB-A-1 082 179, paraffin sulphonates, N-acyl,Nxe2x80x2-alkyl taurates, alkyl phosphates, isethionates, alkyl succinamates, alkyl sulphosuccinates, monoesters or diesters of sulphosuccinates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkyl glycoside sulphates, polyethoxycarboxylates, the cation being an alkali metal (sodium, potassium, lithium), a substituted or non-substituted ammonium residue (methyl, dimethyl, trimethyl, tetramethyl ammonium, dimethyl piperidinium, etc.) or a derivative of an alkanol amine (monoethanol amine, diethanol amine, triethanol amine, etc.);
sophorolipids, such as those in acid or lactone form, derived from 17-hydroxyoctadecenic acid;
The compositions of the invention may contain non-ionic surfactant. Nonionic surfactants that may be used include the primary and secondary alcohol ethoxylates, especially the C8-C20 aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and more especially the C10-C15 primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Non-ethoxylated nonionic surfactants include alkylpolyglycosides, glycerol monoethers, and polyhydroxyamides (glucamide).
Some particular examples of such nonionic surfactants are:
polyalkoxylenated alkyl phenols (i.e. polyethyleneoxy, polypropyleneoxy, polybutyleneoxy), the alkyl substituent of which has from 6 to 12 C atoms and contains from 5 to 25 alkoxylenated units; examples are TRITON X-45, X-114, X-100 and X-102 marketed by Rohm and Haas Co., IGEPAL NP2 to NP17 made by RHÓNE-POULENC;
C8-C22 polyalkoxylenated aliphatic alcohols containing 1 to 25 alkoxylenated (ethyleneoxy, propyleneoxy) units; examples are TERGITOL 15-S-9, TERGITOL 24-L-6 NMW marketed by Union Carbide Corp., NEODOL 45-9, NEODOL 23-65, NEODOL 45-7, NEODOL 45-4 marketed by Shell Chemical Co., KYRO EOB marketed by The Procter and Gamble Co., SYNPERONIC A3 to A9 made by ICI, RHODASURF IT, DB and B made by RHÓNE-POULENC;
the products resulting from the condensation of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide with propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, with a molecular weight in the order of 2000 to 10,000, such as the PLURONIC products marketed by BASF;
the products resulting from the condensation of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide with ethylene diamine, such as the TETRONIC products marketed by BASF;
C8-C18 ethoxyl and/or propoxyl fatty acids containing 5 to 25 ethyleneoxy and/or propyleneoxy units;
C8-C20 fatty acid amides containing 5 to 30 ethyleneoxy units;
ethoxylated amines containing 5 to 30 ethyleneoxy units;
alkoxylated amidoamines containing 1 to 50, preferably 1 to 25 and in particular 2 to 20 alkyleneoxy (preferably ethyleneoxy) units;
amine oxides such as the oxides of alkyl C10-C18 dimethylamines, the oxides of alkoxy C8-C22 ethyl dihydroxy ethylamines;
alkoxylated terpene hydrocarbons such as ethoxylated and/or propoxylated a- or b-pinenes, containing 1 to 30 ethyleneoxy and/or propyleneoxy units;
alkylpolyglycosides obtainable by condensation (for example by acid catalysis) of glucose with primary fatty alcohols (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,598,865; 4,565,647; EP-A-132 043; EP-A-132 046) having a C4-C20, preferably C8-C18 alkyl group and an average number of glucose units in the order of 0.5 to 3, preferably in the order of 1.1 to 1.8 per mole of alkylpolyglycoside (APG), particularly those having
a C8-C14 alkyl group and on average 1.4 glucose units per mole
a C12-C14 alkyl group and on average 1.4 glucose units per mole
a C8-C14 alkyl group and on average 1.5 glucose units per mole
a C8-C10 alkyl group and on average 1.6 glucose units per mole marketed under the names GLUCOPON 600 EC(copyright), GLUCOPON 600 CSUP(copyright), GLUCOPON 650 EC(copyright) and GLUCOPON 225 CSUP(copyright) respectively and made by HENKEL;
It is preferred if the level of total non-ionic surfactant is from 0 wt % to 30 wt %, preferably from 1 wt % to 25 wt %, most preferably from 2 wt % to 15 wt %.
Another class of suitable surfactants comprises certain mono-alkyl cationic surfactants useful in main-wash laundry compositions. Cationic surfactants that may be used include quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R1R2R3R4N+ Xxe2x88x92 wherein the R groups are long or short hydrocarbon chains, typically alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or ethoxylated alkyl groups, and X is a counter-ion (for example, compounds in which R1 is a C8-C22 alkyl group, preferably a C8-C10 or C12-C14 alkyl group, R2 is a methyl group, and R3 and R4, which may be the same or different, are methyl or hydroxyethyl groups); and cationic esters (for example, choline esters).
The choice of surface-active compound (surfactant), and the amount present, will depend on the intended use of the detergent composition. In fabric washing compositions, different surfactant systems may be chosen, as is well known to the skilled formulator, for handwashing products and for products intended for use in different types of washing machine.
The total amount of surfactant present will also depend on the intended end use and may be as high as 60 wt %, for example, in a composition for washing fabrics by hand. In compositions for machine washing of fabrics, an amount of from 5 to 40 wt % is generally appropriate. Typically the compositions will comprise at least 2 wt % surfactant e.g. 2-60%, preferably 15-40% most preferably 25-35%.
Detergent compositions suitable for use in most automatic fabric washing machines generally contain anionic non-soap surfactant, or non-ionic surfactant, or combinations of the two in any suitable ratio, optionally together with soap.
Fabric conditioning agents may be present. If the fabric conditioning compound is to be employed in a main wash detergent composition the compound will typically be non-ionic.
The compositions of the invention, when used as main wash fabric washing compositions, will generally also contain one or more detergency builders. The total amount of detergency builder in the compositions will typically range from 5 to 80 wt %, preferably from 10 to 60 wt %.
Inorganic builders that may be present include sodium carbonate, if desired in combination with a crystallisation seed for calcium carbonate, as disclosed in GB 1 437 950 (Unilever); crystalline and amorphous aluminosilicates, for example, zeolites as disclosed in GB 1 473 201 (Henkel), amorphous aluminosilicates as disclosed in GB 1 473 202 (Henkel) and mixed crystalline/amorphous aluminosilicates as disclosed in GB 1 470 250 (Procter and Gamble); and layered silicates as disclosed in EP 164 514B (Hoechst). Inorganic phosphate builders, for example, sodium orthophosphate, pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate are also suitable for use with this invention.
The compositions of the invention preferably contain an alkali metal, preferably sodium, aluminosilicate builder. Sodium aluminosilicates may generally be incorporated in amounts of from 10 to 70% by weight (anhydrous basis), preferably from 25 to 50 wt %.
The alkali metal aluminosilicate may be either crystalline or amorphous or mixtures thereof, having the general formula: 0.8-1.5 Na2O. Al2O3. 0.8-6 SiO2
These materials contain some bound water and are required to have a calcium ion exchange capacity of at least 50 mg CaO/g. The preferred sodium aluminosilicates contain 1.5-3.5 SiO2 units (in the formula above). Both the amorphous and the crystalline materials can be prepared readily by reaction between sodium silicate and sodium aluminate, as amply described in the literature. Suitable crystalline sodium aluminosilicate ion-exchange detergency builders are described, for example, in GB 1 429 143 (Procter and Gamble). The preferred sodium aluminosilicates of this type are the well-known commercially available zeolites A and X, and mixtures thereof.
The zeolite may be the commercially available zeolite 4A now widely used in laundry detergent powders. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the zeolite builder incorporated in the compositions of the invention is maximum aluminium zeolite P (zeolite MAP) as described and claimed in EP 384 070A (Unilever). Zeolite MAP is defined as an alkali metal aluminosilicate of the zeolite P type having a silicon to aluminium ratio not exceeding 1.33, preferably within the range of from 0.90 to 1.33, and more preferably within the range of from 0.90 to 1.20.
Especially preferred is zeolite MAP having a silicon to aluminium ratio not exceeding 1.07, more preferably about 1.00. The calcium binding capacity of zeolite MAP is generally at least 150 mg CaO per g of anhydrous material.
Organic builders that may be present include polycarboxylate polymers such as polyacrylates, acrylic/maleic copolymers, and acrylic phosphinates; monomeric polycarboxylates such as citrates, gluconates, oxydisuccinates, glycerol mono-, di and trisuccinates, carboxymethyloxy succinates, carboxymethyloxymalonates, dipicolinates, hydroxyethyliminodiacetates, alkyl- and alkenylmalonates and succinates; and sulphonated fatty acid salts. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
Especially preferred organic builders are citrates, suitably used in amounts of from 5 to 30 wt %, preferably from 10 to 25 wt %; and acrylic polymers, more especially acrylic/maleic copolymers, suitably used in amounts of from 0.5 to 15 wt %, preferably from 1 to 10 wt %.
Builders, both inorganic and organic, are preferably present in alkali metal salt, especially sodium salt, form.
Compositions according to the invention may also suitably contain a bleach system. Fabric washing compositions may desirably contain peroxy bleach compounds, for example, inorganic persalts or organic peroxyacids, capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution.
Suitable peroxy bleach compounds include organic peroxides such as urea peroxide, and inorganic persalts such as the alkali metal perborates, percarbonates, perphosphates, persilicates and persulphates. Preferred inorganic persalts are sodium perborate monohydrate and tetrahydrate, and sodium percarbonate.
Especially preferred is sodium percarbonate having a protective coating against destabilisation by moisture. Sodium percarbonate having a protective coating comprising sodium metaborate and sodium silicate is disclosed in GB 2 123 044B (Kao).
The peroxy bleach compound is suitably present in an amount of from 0.1 to 35 wt %, preferably from 0.5 to 25 wt %. The peroxy bleach compound may be used in conjunction with a bleach activator (bleach precursor) to improve bleaching action at low wash temperatures. The bleach precursor is suitably present in an amount of from 0.1 to 8 wt %, preferably from 0.5 to 5 wt %.
Preferred bleach precursors are peroxycarboxylic acid precursors, more especially peracetic acid precursors and pernoanoic acid precursors. Especially preferred bleach precursors suitable for use in the present invention are N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2,-tetracetyl ethylenediamine (TAED) and sodium nonoyloxybenzene sulphonate (SNOBS). The novel quaternary ammonium and phosphonium bleach precursors disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,751,015 and 4,818,426 (Lever Brothers Company) and EP 402 971A (Unilever), and the cationic bleach precursors disclosed in EP 284 292A and EP 303 520A (Kao) are also of interest.
The bleach system can be either supplemented with or replaced by a peroxyacid. examples of such peracids can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,686,063 and 5,397,501 (Unilever). A preferred example is the imido peroxycarboxylic class of peracids described in EP A 325 288, EP A 349 940, DE 382 3172 and EP 325 289. A particularly preferred example is phtalimido peroxy caproic acid (PAP). Such peracids are suitably present at 0.1-12%, preferably 0.5-10%.
A bleach stabiliser (transistor metal sequestrant) may also be present. Suitable bleach stabilisers include ethylenediamine tetra-acetate (EDTA), the polyphosphonates such as Dequest (Trade Mark) and non-phosphate stabilisers such as EDDS (ethylene diamine di-succinic acid). These bleach stabilisers are also useful for stain removal especially in products containing low levels of bleaching species or no bleaching species.
An especially preferred bleach system comprises a peroxy bleach compound (preferably sodium percarbonate optionally together with a bleach activator), and a transition metal bleach catalyst as described and claimed in EP 458 397A, EP 458 398A and EP 509 787A (Unilever).
The compositions according to the invention may also contain one or more enzyme(s). Suitable enzymes include the proteases, amylases, cellulases, oxidases, peroxidases and lipases usable for incorporation in detergent compositions. Preferred proteolytic enzymes (proteases) are, catalytically active protein materials which degrade or alter protein types of stains when present as in fabric stains in a hydrolysis reaction. They may be of any suitable origin, such as vegetable, animal, bacterial or yeast origin.
Proteolytic enzymes or proteases of various qualities and origins and having activity in various pH ranges of from 4-12 are available and can be used in the instant invention. Examples of suitable proteolytic enzymes are the subtilisins which are obtained from particular strains of B. Subtilis B. licheniformis, such as the commercially available subtilisins Maxatase (Trade Mark), as supplied by Gist Brocades N.V., Delft, Holland, and Alcalase (Trade Mark), as supplied by Novo Industri A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Particularly suitable is a protease obtained from a strain of Bacillus having maximum activity throughout the pH range of 8-12, being commercially available, e.g. from Novo Industri A/S under the registered trade-names Esperase (Trade Mark) and Savinase (Trade-Mark). The preparation of these and analogous enzymes is described in GB 1 243 785. Other commercial proteases are Kazusase (Trade Mark obtainable from Showa-Denko of Japan), Optimase (Trade Mark from Miles Kali-Chemie, Hannover, West Germany), and Superase (Trade Mark obtainable from Pfizer of U.S.A.).
Detergency enzymes are commonly employed in granular form in amounts of from about 0.1 to about 3.0 wt %. However, any suitable physical form of enzyme may be used.
The compositions of the invention may contain alkali metal, preferably sodium carbonate, in order to increase detergency and ease processing. Sodium carbonate may suitably be present in amounts ranging from 1 to 60 wt %, preferably from 2 to 40 wt %. However, compositions containing little or no sodium carbonate are also within the scope of the invention.
Powder flow may be improved by the incorporation of a small amount of a powder structurant, for example, a fatty acid (or fatty acid soap), a sugar, an acrylate or acrylate/maleate copolymer, or sodium silicate. One preferred powder structurant is fatty acid soap, suitably present in an amount of from 1 to 5 wt %.
Other materials that may be present in detergent compositions of the invention include sodium silicate; antiredeposition agents such as cellulosic polymers; inorganic salts such as sodium sulphate; lather control agents or lather boosters as appropriate; proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes; dyes; coloured speckles; perfumes; foam controllers; fluorescers and decoupling polymers. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
It is often advantageous if soil release or soil suspending polymers are present, for example in amounts in the order of 0.01% to 10%, preferably in the order of 0.1% to 5% and in particular in the order of 0.2% to 3% by weight, such as
cellulose derivatives such as cellulose hydroxyethers, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxybutyl methyl cellulose;
polyvinyl esters grafted onto polyalkylene backbones, such as polyvinyl acetates grafted onto polyoxyethylene backbones (EP-A-219 048);
polyvinyl alcohols;
polyester copolymers based on ethylene terephthalate and/or propylene terephthalate units and polyethyleneoxy terephthalate units, with a molar ratio (number of units) of ethylene terephthalate and/or propylene terephthalate/(number of units) polyethyleneoxy terephthalate in the order of 1/10 to 10/1, the polyethyleneoxy terephthalate units having polyethyleneoxy units with a molecular weight in the order of 300 to 10,000, with a molecular weight of the copolyester in the order of 1000 to 100,000;
polyester copolymers based on ethylene terephthalate and/or propylene terephthalate units and polyethyleneoxy and/or polypropyleneoxy units, with a molar ratio (number of units) of ethylene terephthalate and/or propylene terephthalate/(number of units) polyethyleneoxy and/or polypropyleneoxy in the order of 1/10 to 10/1, the polyethyleneoxy and/or polypropyleneoxy units having a molecular weight in the order of 250 to 10,000, with a molecular weight of the copolyester in the order of 1000 to 100,000 (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,959,230, 3,962,152, 3,893,929, 4,116,896, 4,702,857, 4,770,666, EP-A-253 567, EP-A-201 124);
copolymers of ethylene or propylene terephthalate/polyethyleneoxy terephthalate comprising sulphoisophthaloyl units in their chain (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,711,730, 4,702,857, 4,713,194);
terephthalic copolyester oligomers having polyalkyleneoxyalkyl sulphonate/sulphoaroyl terminal groups and optionally containing sulphoisophthaloyl units in their chain (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,721,580, 5,415,807, 4,877,896, 5,182,043, 5,599,782, 4,764,289, EP-A-311 342, WO92/04433, WO97/42293);
sulphonated terephthalic copolyesters with a molecular weight less than 20,000, obtained e.g. from a diester of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, a diester of sulphoisophthalic acid and a diol, in particular ethylene glycol (WO95/32997);
polyurethane polyesters, obtained by reaction of a polyester with a molecular weight of 300 to 4000, obtained from a terephthalic acid diester, possibly a sulphoisophthalic acid diester and a diol, on a prepolymer with isocyanate terminal groups, obtained from a polyethyleneoxy glycol with a molecular weight of 600 to 4000 and a diisocyanate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,824);
sulphonated polyester oligomers obtained by sulphonation of an oligomer derived from ethoxylated allyl alcohol, dimethyl terephthalate and 1,2-propylene diol, having 1 to 4 sulphonate groups (U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,451);
The detergent composition when diluted in the wash liquor (during a typical wash cycle) will typically give a pH of the wash liquor from 7 to 10.5 for a main wash detergent.
Particulate detergent compositions are suitably prepared by spray-drying a slurry of compatible heat-insensitive ingredients, and then spraying on or post-dosing those ingredients unsuitable for processing via the slurry. The skilled detergent formulator will have no difficulty in deciding which ingredients should be included in the slurry and which should not.
Particulate detergent compositions of the invention preferably have a bulk density of at least 400 g/l, more preferably at least 500 g/l. Especially preferred compositions have bulk densities of at least 650 g/liter, more preferably at least 700 g/liter.
Such powders may be prepared either by post-tower densification of spray-dried powder, or by wholly non-tower methods such as dry mixing and granulation; in both cases a high-speed mixer/granulator may advantageously be used. Processes using high-speed mixer/granulators are disclosed, for example, in EP 340 013A, EP 367 339A, EP 390 251A and EP 25 420 317A (Unilever).
Liquid detergent compositions can be prepared by admixing the essential and optional ingredients thereof in any desired order to provide compositions containing components in the requisite concentrations. Liquid compositions according to the present invention can also be in compact form which means it will contain a lower level of water compared to a conventional liquid detergent.
Any suitable method may be used to produce the compounds of the present invention.
Treatment Process
Treatment of the fabric with the polymer can be made by any suitable method such as washing, soaking, steaming, rinsing, spraying of the fabric or contact via an impregnated sheet.
Typically the treatment will involve a washing or rinsing method such as treatment in the main wash or rinse cycle of a washing machine and involves contacting the fabric with an aqueous medium comprising the composition of the present invention.
The present invention will now be explained in more detail by way of the following non-limiting examples.
Synthesis of Materials
The polymers of the Examples were prepared according the method described by Folmer B J B, Sijbesma R P, Versteegen R M, van der Rijt J A J, Meijer E W, ADVANCED MATERIALS, 12, 874, 2000. Polymers A, B and C were prepared by using the appropriate OH terminated polymer.
The polymers had the following formula:
Where z is 6 and X is selected from:
in which n and m are such that the molecular weight is approximately 3500 g/mol
in which n is such that the molecular weight is approximately 2000 g/mol
in which n is such that the molecular weight is approximately 2000 g/mol
in which n and m are such that the molecular weight is approximately 2000 g/mol. The weight percentage of n and m are such that n equals 35% and m equals 65%.
Polymer containing three hydrogen bonding moieties [structures (3) or (4)] per molecule was used exclusively and in combination with polymer types (a), (b), (c) and (d) to generate polymer networks:
Polymer E
Poly (propylene oxide) with three hydrogen bonding moieties attached in which the molecular weight is within the range of 500 to 50000 g/mol and preferably approximately 700 g/mol.

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc.


In an apparatus, a receiver includes a clock data recovery module to provide a dense distribution of waveform edges across an adjustment range, and an eye scan circuit to obtain samples at a first sample position and a second sample position to provide an error count for a sample count for the samples. An eye scan module, coupled to the receiver, is configured to: scan for the samples at the first sample position of a first type for each of a plurality of sample positions of a second type to obtain an error count for a sample count for each of the plurality of sample positions; locate a threshold BER from the scan; determine an amount and a direction of a sample offset at the threshold BER from a reference location; and adjust either the first sample position or the second sample position responsive to the amount and the direction.

A conventional clock-data recovery ("CDR") module of multi-gigabit serial data transceiver may align a clock to a median position of edges of a waveform after equalization. Data may be sampled a fixed time after this median position is aligned to a clock, such as at one-half of a bit period. However, this sample point may be less than optimal due to one or more of: (a) variations in the clock distributions between edge samplers and a data sampler may move a data sample point relative to an equalized waveform unpredictably; and (b) characteristics of a communication channel or an equalization skew of edge distributions may change unpredictably, inducing low probability bit errors on a long tail of such skewed distributions.
Hence, it is desirable and useful to provide sampling that increases margin for recovering data.

Offset calibration and adaptive channel data sample positioning


A method of operating a hybrid temperature control system. The method provides an evaporator, which has a discharge line, a supply line, and a evaporator coil. The evaporator coil is in fluid communication with the discharge line and the supply line. The method also provides a microprocessor, which regulates a supply of a heat absorbing fluid to the evaporator. The method further couples a sensor module to the microprocessor. The sensor module is near the evaporator, senses a temperature of a gas exiting the evaporator, and sends a temperature to the microprocessor. The method also turns off the supply of the heat absorbing fluid to the evaporator when the microprocessor determines that the temperature of the gas exiting the evaporator reaches a predetermined temperature.

The invention relates to a temperature control system for pulling down the temperature in a conditioned space to a set point temperature, and for maintaining the set point temperature of the conditioned space; and more particularly the invention relates to a hybrid temperature control system that includes a first evaporator coil which utilizes a first heat absorbing fluid to provide primary temperature control of the conditioned space air and a second evaporator coil adjacent to, a distance from, or integrated with, the first evaporator coil where the second evaporator coil utilizes a second heat absorbing fluid to provide supplemental temperature control of the conditioned space air.
Mobile temperature control units are typically mounted on one end of trailers, trucks or containers to maintain the cargo transported in the trailer, truck, or container conditioned space at a desired set point temperature during shipment. Known temperature control units may be mechanical units which utilize a hydroflurocarbon-based refrigerant to maintain the conditioned space ambient fluid at the desired set point temperature. As illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, prior art mechanical temperature control unit 10 is generally comprised of a compressor 11 that raises the pressure of a known refrigerant gas, a condenser 12 flow connected to the compressor to condense the high pressure refrigerant gas to a liquid, and an expansion valve 13 for controlling the refrigerant flow to an evaporator 14. The evaporator 14 includes evaporator coils 17 which are enclosed by an evaporator housing 20 having an evaporator inlet 16 through which conditioned space air enters the evaporator and an evaporator discharge 18 through which conditioned space air reenters the conditioned space.
Warm conditioned space air flows into the evaporator inlet 16, continues across the evaporator coils 17 and is discharged through evaporator discharge 18. The refrigerant that flows through the evaporator coils 17 absorbs heat from the conditioned space air, and in this way pulls down the temperature of the conditioned space air to a predetermined set point temperature and thereby maintains the conditioned space at the set point temperature.
In operation, high cooling capacities are needed to pull down a higher temperature conditioned space to the desired lower set point temperature in a relatively short time. After the conditioned space has been pulled down to the desired set point temperature, the cooling capacities required to maintain the conditioned space set point temperature are modest relative to the required pull down cooling capacities.
Conventional mechanical temperature control units provide the required variable cooling capacities by utilizing a compressor prime mover (not shown in FIG. 1) that drives the compressor at high and low speeds to provide high and low cooling capacities. However, even known mechanical temperature control units that utilize multi-speed prime movers cannot provide the cooling capacities required during peak demand periods. For example, during transportation of cargo, the doors to the trailer or truck are typically left open while the cargo is unloaded from the conditioned space. The temperature of the cargo conditioned space increases as the warm outside ambient air flows into the trailer conditioned space. The doors may be left open for an hour or more during unloading. After the delivery has been made and the doors are again closed, the conditioned space is pulled down to reestablish the conditioned space set point temperature. If the temperature of the conditioned space is not pulled down quickly, the load can spoil. Known mechanical units cannot provide the cooling capacity needed to quickly initially pull down the conditioned space or reestablish the set point temperature after cargo unloading.
In order for known mechanical units to achieve the desired pull down capacities, the size of conventional mechanical refrigeration units would need to be increased considerably. However this is not a realistic alternative since such units would be too large to be effectively used in the trailer, truck or container applications and such larger capacity mechanical units would be higher in cost, would be less efficient, would weigh more and would be noisier than conventional mechanical units.
A non-mechanical temperature control unit has been developed to meet the peak cooling demands at initial pull down and during pull down to reestablish the set point temperature in the conditioned space. Such non-mechanical temperature control units utilize a cryogen fluid to produce the desired cooling in the conditioned space. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a prior art cryogen-based temperature control system 30 that includes a supply of cryogen liquid in cryogen tank 32 and the cryogen may be liquid carbon dioxide LCO2 for example. An electronic expansion valve 34 or other valve means regulates the supply of cryogen through the evaporator coil 38 of evaporator 36. A microprocessor 37 adjusts the expansion valve position by sending a signal to the valve in response to the sensed temperature at the evaporator unit 36. A vapor motor 40 drives a fan 45 that draws conditioned space air through the evaporator 36 and across the evaporator coil 38. The rotating vapor motor turns alternator 41 which charges a temperature control unit battery (not shown).
The higher temperature conditioned space air is drawn into the evaporator and across coil 38. The cryogen liquid flowing through the evaporator coil absorbs heat from the conditioned space air and the lower temperature air is discharged from the evaporator 36 into the conditioned space in the direction of arrows 43. The cryogen is vaporized as it absorbs heat from the conditioned space air. The cryogen vapor flows out of the evaporator and drives the vapor motor 40. The spent cryogen vapor is exhausted from the vapor motor to atmosphere through exhaust 42 and muffler 39.
The liquid cryogen can provide the cooling capacity required to quickly pull down the conditioned space. However, there are limitations associated with nonmechanical, cryogenic based temperature control units. First, cryogen units are limited by how fast one wants to drop the cargo temperature and by practical considerations so that fresh loads such as produce are not frozen. The supply of cryogen typically only lasts one to three days and when the cryogen supply is exhausted the tank must be refilled. It may be difficult to locate a cryogen filling station. If the cryogen units are to provide defrost and heating capability, a heating fuel and necessary heating components must be provided.
Hybrid mechanical and non-mechanical temperature control systems have been developed. These systems directly spray a volume of cryogen into the conditioned space during pull down of the conditioned space to the set point temperature. As a result, the conditioned space air is displaced and the conditioned space is comprised primarily of cryogen, which is undesirable for most applications. The cryogen is not breathable and can negatively affect some foods.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.
In one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a hybrid temperature control system including a mechanical temperature control system that includes a primary evaporator having a first evaporator coil with a first heat absorbing fluid adapted to flow through the first coil to absorb heat from the conditioned space air and provide primary cooling of the conditioned space air. The hybrid temperature control system further includes a supplemental evaporator located adjacent to, a distance from, or integrated with the first evaporator coil. The supplemental evaporator includes a supplemental evaporator coil with a second heat absorbing fluid adapted to flow through the supplemental evaporator coil to provide supplemental cooling of the conditioned space air.
The first heat absorbing fluid is a conventional refrigerant and the second heat absorbing fluid is a cryogen.
By the present invention supplemental cooling of the conditioned space air by the supplemental evaporator is controlled by a microprocessor or by the unit operator so that supplemental cooling is only provided when required such as during initial pull down of the conditioned space or during pull down to reestablish the conditioned space set point temperature.
The supplemental evaporator coil may be made integral with the mechanical refrigeration unit evaporator housing with the supplemental evaporator coil located immediately adjacent to the primary evaporator discharge. Additionally, the supplemental evaporator coil may be located adjacent to, a distance from, or integrated with the mechanical evaporator discharge by locating the coil on a panel of the conditioned space, such as the ceiling; or along side the primary evaporator coil.
The invention may be utilized in both a conditioned space to be maintained at a single set point temperature and also in multi-temperature applications having a first conditioned space to be maintained at a first temperature with a first primary evaporator and a first supplemental evaporator adjacent to, a distance from, or integrated with or along side the first primary evaporator; and second conditioned space at a second set point temperature with a second primary evaporator, and a second supplemental evaporator adjacent to, a distance from, or integrated with the second primary evaporator.
When the present invention is used in a multi-temperature application with a number of conditioned spaces, any of the conditioned spaces may be maintained at the lowest set point temperature.


A memory apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The memory apparatus includes a plurality of multi-level cells and a controller. The controller encodes input data according to a target encoding code to generate a plurality of encoded subsets, and stores the encoded subsets into the multi-level cells. Thereafter, the controller could read data from the multi-level cells, perform an error correction procedure on the read data to correct and recover the read data as recovered data, and decode the recovered data according to the target encoding code. Consequently, sensing windows between threshold voltage distributions of the multi-level cells are expanded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory apparatus and an operation method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a memory apparatus of a flash memory with multi-level cells (MLCs), and an operation method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A flash memory is one kind of non-volatile memories, which can maintain stored data without power. The flash memories are categorized into NOR flash memories and NAND flash memories. Moreover, the flash memories can also be categorized into single level cell (SLC) flash memories and multi level cell (MLC) flash memories according to an amount of bits capable of being stored in a single memory cell. Wherein, the "single level" represents that each of the memory cells only records data of one bit, and the "multi level" represents that each of the memory cells records data of multiple bits. Since the MLC records more data bits compared to the SLC, the MLC has to distinguish values of the stored data according to more different threshold voltage distributions.
As data storage amount is increased, sensing windows between the threshold voltage distributions of the MLCs become narrower. The narrower the sensing window is, the more difficult a data state corresponding to each of the threshold voltage distributions is distinguished. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating threshold voltage distributions of the conventional MLCs. FIG. 2 is another diagram illustrating the threshold voltage distributions of the conventional MLCs. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, horizontal axes of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 represent the threshold voltages of the MLCs, and vertical axes represent numbers of the MLCs. Each of the MLCs of FIG. 1 stores 2 bits of data, so that there are four threshold voltage distributions V1-V4 are illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein the sensing window between two adjacent threshold voltage distributions is SW1. Each of the MLCs of FIG. 2 stores 4 bits of data, so that there are 16 threshold voltage distributions W1-W16 are illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the sensing window between two adjacent threshold voltage distributions is SW2. As shown in figures, a threshold voltage difference between the threshold voltage distributions V1 and V4 is equal to a threshold voltage difference between the threshold voltage distributions W1 and W16, so that the threshold voltage distributions W1-W16 are denser than the threshold voltage distributions V1-V4, and therefore the sensing window SW2 is narrower than the sensing window SW1. Accordingly, the more bits that a single MLC stores, the narrower the sensing window between the threshold voltage distributions is. Therefore, regarding a flash memory whose a single MLC stores more bits, an occurrence chance of write operation errors or read operation errors thereof is relatively high. Therefore, how to reduce the occurrence chance of the write operation errors or the read operation errors caused by lessening of the sensing window in a MLC flash memory is a major problem to be resolved.

Memory apparatus with multi-level cells and operation method thereof


An abnormal trend detection system for detecting one or more hazards may provide for a safe and effective drilling operation as any of the one or more hazards may be avoided. Several indicators may be defined including a first, second, third and fourth indicator. The indicators are used to identify in a trend analysis abnormal trends. One or more thresholds may be defined. When a trend analysis indicates that a threshold has been reached or exceeded an alarm may be triggered, a drilling operation may be altered or a combination thereof.

Detection and avoidance of abnormal behaviors, conditions or hazards during a hydrocarbon operation provides a safe and efficient environment for the recovery of hydrocarbons. The present disclosure relates generally to abnormal trend detection and analysis for real-time drilling data, for example, drilling data associated with a hydrocarbon, such as oil and gas, exploration, production or recovery application. During a specific drilling operation, the avoidance of hazards is necessary to provide a safe and effective drilling operation. Current drilling hazard avoidance systems are generally physically based models. These physically based models have a lot of limitations in application, such as (a) physical models usually require high quality data input, (b) physical models are based on specific assumptions with a limited application scope, and (c) physical model based systems usually require large computational costs. Optimization of abnormal trend detection is needed to provide effective and efficient trend analysis, for example, to avoid hazards in hydrocarbon exploration and recovery drilling operations.
Current data driven models also have several drawbacks. For example, hydrocarbon operations may comprise one or more sensors disposed on or about equipment or at a site. Data from these sensors may contain a lot of noise such that the data is not easily analyzed or does not provide useful information to detect or avoid a hazard during a hydrocarbon operation. For example, the data may contain noise such that a trend cannot be determined as the analysis of the data does not provide a trend indicative of abnormal behavior but rather depicts a trend indicative of the noise. Further, current abnormal behavior, condition or hazard detection methods rely on a difference between a peak value and a predicted value. This predicted value may be unreliable and thus provide inaccurate information.
Thus, a reliable abnormal behavior, condition or hazard detection for a hydrocarbon operation is needed. The present invention provides such reliable detection by applying specific models to time-series data to obtain a probability value which yields reliable information for an abnormal trend analysis.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted and described and are defined by reference to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, such references do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure.
In one or more implementations, not all of the depicted components in each figure may be required, and one or more implementations may include additional components not shown in a figure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure. Additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized within the scope of the subject disclosure.

Automatic abnormal trend detection of real time drilling data for hazard avoidance