A system may produce a desired three dimensional object that includes a tank that holds a liquid that solidifies upon exposure to light; a controllable stage that controllably moves within the tank; a controllable light source that emits a light image in a controllable pattern; and a controller that controls the controllable stage and the controllable light source so as to cause at least three cascaded layers to be sequentially solidified in the liquid that collectively approximate at least a section of the desired three dimensional object and that collectively form at least one up-facing step at their outer edges; and, following the solidification of the at least three cascaded layers, cause a meniscus of the liquid to form and solidify in the at least one up-facing step. The controller may control the number and/or width of the sequentially solidified cascaded layers.

Technical Field
This disclosure relates to image, projection-based, additive manufacturing.
Description of Related Art
The surface finish of three dimensional objects made by image, projection-based additive manufacturing (AM) may be critical, such as for applications in optics, micro-fluid flow, and mechanical assembly, in which optical lenses, fluidic channels, and/or rotating components may all need to be smooth. However, there may be a stair-stepping effect in layer-based additive manufacturing processes in which a three-dimensional model is approximated by a set of two-dimensional layers. This may cause the fabricated surface to have a poor surface finish, especially when close to the horizontal plane.
FIG. 1 illustrates a layer-based additive manufacturing process and related stair-stepping effect. As shown in FIG. 1, a given three-dimensional (3D) model may first be sliced into a set of two-dimensional (2D) layers. By stacking these 2D layers together, a physical part can be fabricated in an AM process to approximate the original computer-aided design (CAD) model.
Due to the use of 2D layers, the fabricated part surfaces, especially ones whose normals are close to the building direction (Z axis), may have large approximation errors. Such poor surface quality may limit the use of AM in applications that require smooth surfaces, such as the fabrication of optical lenses, 3D micro-channels in microfluidic systems, and various assembly features in mechanism designs.
The approximation error may depend on the layer thickness used in the slicing of a 3D model. One approach for addressing the stair-stepping effect in AM may be to reduce the layer thickness. For example, the layer thickness typically used in a Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA) system may be 0.1 mm, while the layer thickness used in a recently developed inkjet-based systems (e.g. ones from Objet Geometries Ltd) can be as small as 0.012 mm.
While thinner layers may result in less stair-stepping problems, the use of such ultra-thin layer thickness may also significantly slow down the building process. In addition to a great sacrifice in building speed, it may be challenging for some AM processes to significantly reduce their layer thicknesses. For example, in the SLA process, the spreading of liquid resin into uniform ultra-thin layers can be difficult due to liquid viscosity.

Process planning of meniscus shapes for fabricating smooth surfaces in mask image projection based additive manufacturing


A method and system for managing a file lifecycle is disclosed. The method incorporates a virtual file cabinet having virtual drawers. Files are moved from drawer to drawer throughout their lifecycle in accordance with policies associated with each drawer. The files are moved automatically and as such, a file's lifecycle is managed from file creation to file deletion in an automated fashion. By using an archiving device such as magneto optical storage media, the files are automatically moved to their final archived location in an archiving drawer once certain policies of their present drawer are met. The system is an electronic system employing the inventive method.

In the past, files were stored as paper documents within a physical file. A physical file has a physical lifecycle from file creation to file destruction. Commonly, during this process, the file goes through the process of file building, file reference, file non-use, and file archiving. These steps often occur in that order though this need not be the case.
Because of the way files are maintained within present day computer systems, it is often difficult to retrieve files when lost. This is not because of backup failures and so forth, so much as due to poor organization and non-standard file lifecycle management. Typically, files are relocated manually which necessitates human interaction and the new location of the file has to be manually recorded. This process is prone to errors since it relies heavily on the individual to update the current location. For example, it is often only a guess when a specific file is archived. The name and location of the file may also be inexact. This leads to difficulties in accessing data once archived. It also leads to difficulty in accessing data during normal use.
The adoption of the concept of electronic file storage has increased the demand for storage on an ongoing basis. Huge networked storage repositories, which were once considered as unattainable, are now more widely available. The potential existence of such systems raises many questions of how to organize and coordinate where the files will be stored and for how long. These issues have plagued system administrators through out the evolution of the electronic age, and will continue in the future as the demand for electronic data increases. In most organizations their storage requirements are evolving at an exponential rate exceeding all expectations. This phenomenon along with the ongoing advancements in storage technologies that are occurring at a very fast rate are making existing storage repositories obsolete shortly after their deployment.

Method and system for electronic file lifecycle management


An aerosol cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes an aerosol producing means having a nozzle head. The nozzle head is positioned at a selected proximity and orientation to the substrate which is held by a rotatable holder. The aerosol spray dislodges particles from the substrate and the rotation of the substrate further assists in the removal of the loosened particles. A method of aerosol cleaning includes rotating a substrate at a preselected speed and spraying an aerosol jet in conjunction with the rotation to help in the removal of particles from the substrate.

Removal of unwanted foreign materials, process residues, particles, and the like (hereinafter be referred to as contaminant particles or CPs) from the surface of substrates is extremely important for yield and reliability of components in the manufacture of microelectronic products. The term substrate as used herein includes semiconductor wafers, ceramic substrates, printed circuit boards, display panels, displays, disks and other assemblies. Contaminant particles in microelectronics manufacturing has been recognized as originating from ambient including tools, operators and processes which are used in the manufacturing process. In spite of the use of manufacturing rooms equipped with filters (HEPA filters) and blowers to remove airborne particles, use of clean room garments and processes using clean chemicals and equipment designed for low particulate generation, it has heretofore not been possible to eliminate the build up of a certain amount of CPs on substrates during processing, handling and storage. It is therefore a general practice to clean the substrates at certain process intervals to reduce the amount of CPs. Wet cleaning is most widely used, and employs de-ionized water or an alcohol (IPA- iso propyl alcohol) for rinsing/spraying the substrates multiple times to dislodge (overcome adhesion) the particles. A first step in the removal of CPs is to overcome their adhesion to the surface of a substrate.
The adhesion of CPs to the substrate can vary depending on the CP size and the nature of the adhesion forces involved, i.e. whether the force is chemical or physical in origin (M. B. Ranade, in Aerosol Science and Technology, 7, (1987) p161-176). Chemical forces involve interaction /exchange of valence or core electrons between the CP and the substrate. Physical adhesion forces, most common in the adhesion of CPs to substrates in microelectronics, are usually of either van der Wall type exchange or electrostatic forces. These forces can be substantial, and their strength can be several times that of gravitational forces. When the adhesion forces are predominantly electrostatic in nature, selected chemical solutions are often used to neutralize surface charges and thus diminish the electrostatic adhesion. Chemically bound CPs have higher adhesion energies, comparable to binding energies of solids. They are difficult to dislodge by most cleaning techniques and may need to be sputtered away or dissolved by a solvent. The physically bound CPs, in general, can be dislodged by momentum transfer from impinging gases, fluids or solids, a concept used in spray, ultrasonic and aerosol cleaning. Of the processes utilizing momentum transfer, aerosol cleaning has been found most effective in the removal of CPs. This has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,898. The aerosol used is predominantly solid particles mixed with some gas or liquid. A highly pressurized, precooled gas/liquid is allowed to expand through an orifice, further cooling the gas/liquid due to Joule-Thompson effect, which results in the formation of condensed solid particles. The mixture of solid and gas/liquid particles in the jet is used to blast the susbtrate at high velocities.
Removal of smaller particles is usually more difficult because the adhesion force decreases only linearly with the dimension of the particle, whereas the force that can be applied to overcome adhesion decreases with the area (square) or volume (cube) of the particle. A commonly occurring applied force is gravity, which varies with the volume of the particle. Therefore, applied forces decrease more rapidly with particle size compared to adhesion forces, thereby making the task of removing particles very difficult. Further, the formation of a boundary layer during blasting/cleaning operation, makes coupling of the applied force to the particle less effective. When a substrate is blasted by a medium containing a fluid or in the presence of a fluid forming ambient, a boundary layer is formed on the substrate surface. Usually the boundary layer is made of the impinging gas/liquid or gaseous/liquid layer present on the surface of the substrate. When the CP size is of the order of the thickness of the boundary layer, as the case for sub-micron particles, the boundary layer effectively shields the sub-micron particles from the impact of the high pressure spray of the gas or liquid. However, in aerosol cleaning, the solid/hard particles (frozen particles) in the aerosol, are able to penetrate through the surface boundary layer of the substrate, and impinge on the CP. The dynamic impact due to the impinging of the particles can exert a very substantial force overcoming the adhesion of the CP. This force is the first order time derivative of the impact energy. The solid particles in the high pressure aerosol, are propelled with speed near the velocity of sound and momentum transfer between the aerosol particles and FM is completed within a small fraction of a second, thereby impressing a substantial momentary force on the CP to overcome its adhesion.
Some aspects of the use of aerosol cleaning are described in the following US Patents. The features described generally cover composition, apparatus and the cleaning application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,064 describes a particle-blast cleaning apparatus, wherein CO.sub.2 pellets are propelled by high pressure CO.sub.2 carrier gas and a nozzle is manually directed over the cleaning objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,421 describes an apparatus for removing photo-resist film from a substrate employing fine CO.sub.2 particles. The substrate is affixed to a slidable rod, and moved with respect to the stationary nozzle by a sliding and turning motion. This patent also notes that a 45 degree jet to substrate orientation was much more effective than a 90 degree orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,375 describes an apparatus for cleaning of substrates using a jet of ice particles. The substrate is held at a near vertical angle by a supporting table, which is rotated by a motor so that the ice particles hit uniformly over the whole surface of the solid, and the solid surface can be cleaned uniformly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,750 describes the cleaning of semiconductor wafers by blasting the surface with frozen ice particles propelled by a pressurized nitrogen gas. The wafers are moved by conveyor belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,898 describes the use of an argon aerosol jet for cleaning microelectronic parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,466 describes a method of cleaning a surface by blasting fine frozen particles against the surface, the hardness of the frozen particles being selected by use of different aerosol materials.
U.S. Ser. No. 07/958,417, filed Oct. 9, 1992, allowed Dec. 14, 1992, relates to an apparatus for cleaning with a cryogenic aerosol. The apparatus described contains: nozzle design, a cleaning chamber housing the nozzle, a substrate holder which supports the wafer and moves the wafer with respect to the aerosol spray in a linear and curvilinear manner to spray over all of the substrate surface, and, a carrier gas to help sweep out the dislodged particles from re-landing on a different part of the substrate. Thus, the features described, are focussed toward effective dislodging and removal of CPs from the vicinity of the substrate being cleaned. The carrier gas feature of the apparatus is expensive to design and operate.
It is therefore desirable to overcome some of the deficiencies in the prior art aerosol cleaning apparatus and process. One of the short coming of prior aerosol cleaning apparatus is the inability to remove effectively the loosened particles from the aerosol spray on a substrate, requiring the aerosol spray to overcome the adhesion of CP to substrate, but also impart sufficient momentum so that CP can clear the susbtrate being cleaned. Use of nitrogen carrier gas to carry away the air borne CPs is effective only with very small air borne CPs, and further requires that the particle be ejected off the substrate first. The use of nitrogen at high flow rates can be expensive. Another short coming of prior art aerosol cleaning process is the need to make multiple spray passes of the substrate linearly back and forth in order to sweep the CPs from one end of the substrate to the other. This is time consuming and lowers the productivity of aerosol cleaning. A further general deficiency of prior aerosol apparatus is the need to use part of the aerosol particle momentum to impart a horizontal velocity on the CPs. This means that aerosol bombardment energy can not be optimized for overcoming CP adhesion alone.

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a coated body for members of an electronic device, comprising a substrate covered, on the surface side and back side thereof, with respective thermal radiative coatings having thermal radiation property, wherein a difference ΔT1 (=T1B−T1A) between Temperature T1A, at Position T1, of the coated body used as a sample and Temperature T1B, at Position T2, of the substrate not covered with a coating used as another sample is 1.5° C. or greater, said temperatures being measured using a thermal radiation property evaluating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; and whereby satisfying its essential properties (maintenance of air tightness to block water or dust and reduction in size and weight), while reducing the temperature inside of the members of an electronic device (thermal radiation property).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coated body for members of an electronic device, which coated body is useful as a cabinet of an electronic, electrical or optical device (which may hereinafter be represented by "electronic device") and excellent in thermal radiation property; a coated body for members of an electronic device, which coated body is excellent in thermal radiation property and self cooling property; the above-described coated body for members of an electronic device, which coated body is also excellent in electric conductivity; parts for an electronic device excellent in such properties; a coating composition useful for the formation of a coated body excellent in thermal radiation property and electric conductivity; and an apparatus for evaluating the thermal radiation property of a coated body. Since the coated body of the present invention contains a blackening additive such as carbon black in a proper amount and has a proper coat thickness, it is excellent in thermal radiation property. It can therefore be suited for use in the products of digital information recording and/or processing products such as CD, LD, DVD, CD-ROM, CD-RAM, PDP and LCD and the products of electric, electronic and communication related fields such as personal computers, car navigation systems and car AV. Moreover, they are usable as cabinets for various electronic devices, for example, audio-video instruments such as projector, television, video and game machine, copying machine, printer, power supply box cover of air conditioner outdoor unit, control box cover, automatic vending machine and refrigerator.
The coated body of the present invention can also be used as a chromate-free coated body which does not contain harmful hexavalent chromium at all. The chromate-free coated body provided by the present invention is very useful, because it has corrosion resistance and adhesion of coating comparable to those of a chromated steal sheet and in addition, has good formability.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a recent tendency to enhanced performance and miniaturization of electronic, electrical or optical devices, heat released amount inside of the chassis of an electronic device or the like increases, causing problems such as temperature increase of the device itself (temperature increase inside of the electronic device). The temperature inside an electronic device is usually about 40 to 70° C. under normal atmospheric temperature, which happens to become about as high as 100° C. at the maximum. It has been pointed out that stable operation is disturbed by such a temperature increase exceeding the heat resistant temperature of IC, CPU (semiconductor device), disk or motor. When a temperature rises further, a semiconductor element is destroyed and gets out of order or the life of the parts of an electronic device becomes short.
As a heat releasing means for reducing the inside temperature of an electronic device (for radiating heat from an electronic device), proposed is a method of attaching a heat releasing part such as heat sink or heat pipe to the cabinet of the electronic device (to the cabinet itself, frame, shield case, back panel of liquid crystals or the like). This method is effective only for diffusing the heat released from the heat source (heating element) of an electronic device within the whole cabinet. Particularly in the case where the cabinet has a small capacity, desired heat releasing effect is not available. Moreover, it is accompanied with such inconveniences that it takes time to attach such a heat releasing part to an electronic device, an extra space is necessary for attachment, and it heightens the production cost. This method is therefore unsuited for use in electronic devices which tend to be smaller in size and lower in production cost.
Also proposed is a method of releasing heat from the cabinet of an electronic device made of a metal plate by perforating the metal plate and making use of convection caused by a fan installed to the metal plate. Since electronic devices are apt to be damaged by water or dust, such a device cannot be applied to every purpose. Moreover, it has similar problems to those of the above-described heat sink such as cost rise, and extra time and space derived from attachment of the fan.
There is accordingly an eager demand for the provision of a novel cabinet for an electronic device which can satisfy the original performances required for the electronic device (such as maintenance of air tightness in order to protect the device from water and dust, smaller size and lighter weight), while attaining a reduction in the temperature inside of the electronic device (thermal radiation property).
The cabinet of an electronic device is, in addition to the thermal radiation property, required to control a temperature rise of the cabinet itself, because this makes it possible to prevent users who touch the cabinet from getting burned during operation of the electronic device. Thus, safe products can be provided if a temperature rise of the cabinet can be suppressed. This "property to suppress a temperature rise of the cabinet itself of an electronic device" is especially called, in the present invention, "self cooling property" to distinguish it from the above-described "thermal radiation property". The above-described heat releasing countermeasures (for example, a method of attaching a heat releasing part such as heat sink or heat pipe or a method of perforating a metal plate and installing a fan) are insufficient for obtaining a cabinet excellent in both of these properties. There is accordingly an eager demand for provision of a cabinet having both properties.
The cabinet of an electronic device is required, in addition to the above-described properties, to have excellent electric conductivity. A conventional steel plate coated into black color (a steel plate covered with a black coating) is accompanied with such a problem that an electric resistance becomes high owing to an excessively thick black coating and desired earth cannot be secured when it is applied to an electronic device.
With respect to the substrate, on the other hand, substrates are conventionally chromated in order to impart them with corrosion resistance and improve adhesion of coating, but environmental pollution brought by the use of a large amount of harmful hexavalent chromium is becoming a serious problem. There is therefore a demand for the replacement of the harmful chromate treatment with non-chromate treatment which does not contain chromium. It is however known that substrates without chromate treatment are inferior in corrosion resistance and adhesion of coating, and, formability. There is accordingly an eager demand for the provision of a chromate-free coated body usable as a cabinet for the members of an electronic device, which coated body is excellent in corrosion resistance, adhesion of coating and formability, and in addition, is excellent in thermal radiation property and self cooling property.

Coated body having excellent thermal radiation property used for members of electronic device


The developed oligonucleotide microchip for simultaneous, rapid identification of multiple crucial forest Phellinus pathogens was based on the DIG or biotin-labeled specific probes derived form ribosomal DNA genes (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), by using reverse-dot hybridization. The chip can precisely and accurately identify and diagnose seventeen Phellinus species, including notorious hardwood and conifer tree killer, P. noxius and P. weirii, with a sensitivity of 1 pg DNA/μl on Nylon membrane, and 100 fg DNA/μl on plastic chip, respectively. Verification and identification of forest Phellinus pathogens infested authentic samples or voucher specimens can be accomplished within 7 hr.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DNA microchip for identifying fungal species and a method thereof, in particular to a DNA microchip for identification of Phellinus noxius and allied species and a method thereof.
2. The Prior Arts
It has been known that there are about more than 80,000 species of fungi, approximately 8000 species of which are plant pathogens that cause various types of plant diseases in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Some plant diseases even lead to famine and massive mortality of the forests. The issue of how to rapidly, precisely and sensitively identify fungal pathogens in order to take proper and effective measures for prevention and management in advance, reduce loss of life and property and promote social welfare is indeed of great urgency.
Phellinus noxius, a species of Phellinus, is particularly a notorious fungal pathogen that is considered as forests killer. The fungus infects and colonizes the roots and stem base of the forests and results in tissue degradation and decay and finally the whole plant is dried out. This has been extensively reported in Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. It has been also reported a couple of decades, and particularly prevalent more recently in Taiwan, that at least 140 kinds of forests, including ornamental trees, fruit trees and forestation tree species, have been infected by the fungus, which leads to acute or chronic wilting or drying out, landscape destruction, economic loss and environmental safety. In addition, the other species of Phellinus, for example Phellinus pini and Phellinus werii belonging to the same genus but different species or A. mellea from the genus Armillariella or A. ostoyae from the genus Armillaria, were also reported in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe to infect massive coniferous forests or broad-leaved forests, which causes poor growth, weakness, early defoliation, advanced blooming, decay, withering and top-over of the plants in windbreak and hence becomes an enormous restricted factor and a potential severe threat to forest management.
Traditionally, the diagnosis of plant diseases is carried out according to Koch's postulates, the process of which includes i) isolation and identification of pathogens from the lesion of the infected plants; ii) multiplication of the pathogens in vitro or in vivo; iii) back inoculation of the pathogens to healthy plants to generate the same disease with identical symptoms; iv) re-isolation and verification of the pathogens. This is a process of re-establishing and verifying the disease cycle. Accordingly, it is obvious that pathogenic identification is the main step in the diagnosis of plant diseases. The diagnosis in tradition principally depends on the features of the microscopic or macroscopic morphology, structure and sporogenesis of a pathogen. However, if anyone wants to correctly identify such diverse and structurally complicated fungi, besides familiarity with distinctions among various forms, to accept learning, education and training, also requires practical operation and experience accumulation over a long period of time and therefore a seriously burden. The dramatic progress in molecular biology in recent years, there is some significant progress, particularly with respect to systematic, phylogeny and identification of plant pathogens, for examples amplified DNA fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), rapid amplification of DNA polymorphism (RAPD), simple sequence repeat (SSR), selected characterized amplified region of DNA (SCAR), nano-magnetic bead polymerase chain reaction (NMB-PCR), multi-plex PCR and suspension microsphere-based array. However, there was no method available for a rapid identification of Phellinus noxiusu and closely related fungal pathogens until 2009, which do severely harm to the forests, so that domestic and foreign quarantine and inspection institutions are not capable of monitoring and rapidly and precisely identifying the fungal pathogens to curtail their accidental introduction. Furthermore, the early symptoms caused by the pathogens often vary with the habitat, growth and age of the plants and the infectious potential of the pathogens. Even the early symptoms are not so remarkable and therefore this makes an accurate diagnosis more difficult. If a rapid diagnosis and a precise identification can be performed in the early phase, this will become the essential factor for prevention of the occurrence and prevalence of such diseases in nursery, or tree species for forestation and selection of habitats. Consequently, the development of a rapid and precise technique for diagnosis and identification is becoming an urgent theme.


Ammonia is produced in a reactor in which pseudoisothermal conditions can be approached by convective cooling of a reaction zone of the reactor by positioning at least a portion of the reaction zone in indirect contact with a flow of hot gas such as exhaust gas or preheated air. The hot gas may be supplied from a fired heater, a boiler, a reformer, a process air preheat furnace, a gas turbine, or the like. The reactor converts a feed stream of a purge gas or syngas to ammonia. The method may be implemented in a primary synthesis loop or in a purge gas loop of a new ammonia plant, or by retrofitting an existing ammonia plant. Cooperatively installed with a primary ammonia synthesis loop, the reactor increases total ammonia production.

Ammonia is commonly manufactured by reacting synthesis gas (syngas) components nitrogen and hydrogen in an ammonia synthesis loop including a compressor, an ammonia synthesis reactor, ammonia condensation and recovery units, and purge gas recovery. After a pass through the ammonia synthesis reactor, the unreacted synthesis gas components are typically recovered and recycled to the compressor and the reactor in a loop. Make-up synthesis gas is continuously added to the ammonia synthesis loop to provide fresh hydrogen and nitrogen.
Synthesis gas typically contains inert components introduced with the make-up syngas, including argon, methane, carbon dioxide, and others, which do not contribute to ammonia production and undesirably accumulate in the loop.
Therefore, a purge gas stream is usually taken from the ammonia synthesis loop to avoid an excessive concentration of the inerts in the loop. The purge stream is typically processed in a hydrogen recovery unit, yielding a waste gas stream and a hydrogen-enriched stream for recycle to the ammonia synthesis loop. The waste gas stream comprises principally nitrogen with minor amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, and argon. In some cases, the waste gas can be used as a low heating value fuel gas.
A significant technological advance in the manufacture of ammonia has been the use of highly active synthesis catalysts comprising a platinum group metal such as ruthenium on a graphite-containing support, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,628, 4,122,040 and 4,163,775. Also, reactors have been designed to use this more active catalyst, such as a catalytic reactor bed disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,270. Other ammonia synthesis reactors include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,230,669, 4,696,799, and 4,735,780.
Ammonia synthesis schemes have also been developed based on the highly active synthesis catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,530 discloses reacting a stoichiometrically hydrogen-lean synthesis gas in an ammonia synthesis reactor containing a highly active catalyst in the synthesis loop.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.


The present invention relates to pectate lyases comprising the amino acid sequence Asn Leu Asn Ser Arg Val Pro (NLNSRVP) (amino acids 236-242 of SEQ ID NO: 2) belonging to Family 1 of polysaccharide lyases have good performance in industrial processes under neutral or alkaline conditions such as laundering and textile processing. The pectate lyase may be derivable from Bacillus species.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microbial pectate lyases, more specifically, to microbial enzymes exhibiting pectate lyase activity as their major enzymatic activity in the neutral and alkaline pH ranges; to a method of producing such enzymes; and to methods for using such enzymes in the textile, detergent and cellulose fiber processing industries.
2. Description of Related Art
Pectin polymers are important constituents of plant cell walls. Pectin is a hetero-polysaccharide with a backbone composed of alternating homogalacturonan (smooth regions) and rhamnogalacturonan (hairy regions). The smooth regions are linear polymers of 1,4-linked alpha-D-galacturonic acid. The galacturonic acid residues can be methyl-esterified on the carboxyl group to a varying degree, usually in a non-random fashion with blocks of polygalacturonic acid being completely methyl-esterified.
Pectinases can be classified according to their preferential substrate, highly methyl-esterified pectin or low methyl-esterified pectin and polygalacturonic acid (pectate), and their reaction mechanism, beta-elimination or hydrolysis. Pectinases can be mainly endo-acting, cutting the polymer at random sites within the chain to give a mixture of oligomers, or they may be exo-acting, attacking from one end of the polymer and producing monomers or dimers. Several pectinase activities acting on the smooth regions of pectin are included in the classification of enzymes provided by the Enzyme Nomenclature (1992) such as pectate lyase (EC 220.127.116.11), pectin lyase (EC 18.104.22.168), polygalacturonase (EC 126.96.36.199), exo-polygalacturonase (EC 22.214.171.124), exo-polygalacturonate lyase (EC 22.214.171.124) and exo-poly-alpha-galacturonosidase (EC 126.96.36.199).
Pectate lyases have been cloned from different bacterial genera such as Erwinia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella and Xanthomonas. Also from Bacillus subtilis (Nasser et al., 1993, FEBS 335: 319-326) and Bacillus sp. YA-14 (Kim et al., 1994, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. 58: 947-949) cloning of a pectate lyase has been described. Purification of pectate lyases with maximum activity in the pH range of 8-10 produced by Bacillus pumilus (Dave and Vaughn, 1971, J. Bacteriol. 108: 166-174), B. polymyxa (Nagel and Vaughn, 1961, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 93: 344-352), B. stearothermophilus (Karbassi and Vaughn, 1980, Can. J. Microbiol. 26: 377-384), Bacillus sp. (Hasegawa and Nagel, 1966, J. Food Sci. 31: 838-845) and Bacillus sp. RK9 (Kelly and Fogarty, 1978, Can. J. Microbiol. 24: 1164-1172) has been reported, however, no publication was found on cloning of pectate lyase encoding genes from these organisms. All the pectate lyases described require divalent cations for maximum activity, calcium ions being the most stimulatory.
WO 98/45393 discloses detergent compositions containing protopectinase with remarkable detergency agains muddy soilings.
Generally, pectinase producing microorganisms exhibit a broad range of pectin degrading or modifying enzymes. Often the microorganisms also produce cellulases and/or hemicellulases and complex multi-component enzyme preparations from such microorganisms may be difficult to optimize for various applications, they even may contain enzymes with detrimental effect. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pectin degrading enzyme exhibiting only the desired effects e.g. in detergents or different industrial processes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The detailed description described embodiments of highly efficient power management systems configurable to simultaneously generate various output voltage levels for different components, sub-assemblies, and devices of electronic devices, sub-systems, and systems. In particular, the described embodiments include power management systems that substantially reduce or eliminate the need for inductors, large numbers of capacitors, and complex switching techniques to transform an available voltage level from a system power source, such as a battery, to more desirable power supply voltages. Some described embodiments include a charge pump that uses only two flying capacitors to simultaneously generate multiple supply outputs, where each of the multiple supply outputs may provide either the same or a different output voltage level. The described embodiments also include efficient power management systems that flexibly provide highly accurate voltage levels that are substantially insensitive to the voltage level provided by a system power source, such as a battery.

Electronic devices and systems typically include a wide variety of components, sub-assemblies, and devices. For example, new electronic devices, such as mobile devices, may include memory, microprocessors, communication interfaces, transceivers, receivers, and display components. In addition, in many cases, these components, sub-assemblies, and devices will have differing power supply voltage and current requirements. For example, a display component configured to be in a sleep mode or turned off in order to conserve power may require a different power supply voltage level than when the display component is normally operating. Likewise, the power supply voltages and current requirements of the components, sub-assemblies, and devices may also vary depending upon the operational mode of the electronic devices and systems. These varying system power supply needs may be further complicated in the case where a battery is used to provide a system power source.
To meet the varying power supply needs of these diverse components, sub-assemblies, and devices, some electronic devices and systems rely upon power supply systems that use inductors to convert the voltage levels available from a system power source, such as a battery, to more desirable power supply voltages. In some cases, multiple inductors may be used. Other power supply systems may employ large numbers of capacitors to transform an available voltage level from a system power source, such as a battery, to more desirable power supply voltages. In addition, as the number of capacitors and inductors increase, the power supply systems may need to employ increased numbers of power switch and complex switching techniques to convert the voltage levels of an available system power source to more desirable power supply voltages.
Also, in some cases, components, sub-assemblies, and devices of these electronic devices and systems may require highly accurate voltage levels in order to properly function. In some cases where the system power source is provided by a battery, power supply systems that employ large numbers of capacitors or multiple inductors to transform a voltage level from an available system power source to a highly accurate voltage level may consume substantial amounts of energy, require substantially increased silicon areas or module areas, and be economically expensive.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop more efficient power management systems that may be reconfigured to provide a desired output voltage to each of the components, sub-assemblies, and devices of electronic devices and systems based upon the operational mode of the electronic devices and systems. In addition, there is also a need to develop power management systems that substantially reduce or eliminate the need for inductors and large numbers of capacitors to transform an available voltage level from a system power source, such as a battery, to more desirable power supply voltages. There is also a need to develop efficient power management systems that can flexibly provide highly accurate voltage levels that are substantially insensitive to a change in voltage level provided by a system power source, such as a battery.

Single μC-buckboost converter with multiple regulated supply outputs


Systems and methods for controlling a chloramine synthesis reaction. The system includes at least one water pump configured to deliver a first water stream to a first junction where the first water stream is mixed with a first solution including an ammonium compound, and a second water stream to a second junction where the second water stream is mixed with a second solution including hypochlorite, a reaction chamber downstream of the first and second junctions which is configured to mix the first and second water streams in order to react the ammonium compound and the hypochlorite to form chloramine, an optical measurement device disposed upstream of the second junction, the optical measurement device configured to measure an absorbance of the hypochlorite in the second solution, and at least one controller programmed to determine a concentration of the hypochlorite in the second solution based on the measured absorbance.

Biofouling is a detrimental type of fouling experienced in industrial water treatment applications. Regardless of industry, water treatment experts spend a considerable amount of time focused on preventing biofouling of heat exchangers, cooling towers, process water storage vessels, and other areas serviced by various industrial cooling and process waters. When biofouled, poorly performing heat exchangers and cooling towers can lead to millions of dollars in lost revenues, and uncontrolled corrosion on metal surfaces can lead to unplanned downtime and accelerated capital expenditures.
The use of biocides, such as chloramines, for microbiological control in industrial applications is well known. Chloramines may be formed from water (H2O), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (bleach, or hypo), and an ammonium salt, such as ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4). The chloramine solution produced from the combination of these reagents is then able to be used as a cleaning agent or as a biocide for cooling and process waters. Chloramines may include monochloramine, dichloramine, trichloramine and organic chloramines. Chloramines provide long-lasting protection against microbial contamination and are more stable than pure chlorine products as they may not break down as quickly in cooling and process water systems.
As the salt of sulfuric acid (strong acid) and ammonia (a weak base) ammonium sulfate forms an acidic solution when added to water. For this reason, ammonium sulfate is known to be highly corrosive. Moreover, ammonium sulfate is also known to fuel microbial growth. Thus, there is a significant need in the water treatment industry to monitor and control the amount of ammonium sulfate applied in the synthesis of chloramine in water systems.
Conventional systems and methods for controlling the amount of ammonium sulfate in a water system include measuring the pH of the outflow, measuring the heat of the chloramine reaction, and no control process at all. Additionally, chloramine synthesis technology utilizing narrow parameters for input ratios of precursors exist but lack in quantitative precision and accuracy. No automated on-line system currently exists for the quantitative measurement and control of ammonium sulfate concentration in chloramine-treated water systems. Further, it is known that bleach, one of the components in the chloramine synthesis reaction, is highly reactive and unstable, thereby limiting options for safe and effective on-site storage. In this regard, the known methods have significant drawbacks when it comes to overall efficacy, safety, cost and delivery. These and other objectives are addressed by the disclosed embodiments.

Systems and methods for controlling a chloramine synthesis reaction in industrial water systems


A device for detecting isotopes includes an isotope portion including a material including an isotope of an element, a reaction control portion to cause a chemical reaction of the material, and an electrical parameter portion to measure a change in an electrical parameter of the material, where the change in the electrical parameter is caused by the chemical reaction, and where the change in the electrical parameter is dependent on the isotope in the material, to detect the isotope by comparing the change in the electrical parameter of the material with a known electrical parameter associated with a known isotope.

Many elements have isotopes which occur in nature. An element is defined by the number of protons in its nucleus. For example, carbon has 6 protons in its nucleus, nitrogen has 7 protons in its nucleus, and zinc has 30 protons in its nucleus. Some elements have various isotopes with varying number of neutrons in the nucleus. For example, zinc has five stable isotopes that occur in nature with 34, 36, 37, 38 or 40 neutrons.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A plate stretcher includes two clamping heads that are directed at one another and can be displaced relative to one another, to apply a clamping force directed along a stretching direction, by way of a pressure element that absorbs the clamping force, and at least one transverse straightener that acts perpendicularly to the clamping force. A method for stretching a plate in a plate stretcher transversely straightens the plate during stretching of the plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plate stretcher comprising two chuck heads that are directed at one another and can be displaced relative to one another, to apply a clamping force directed along a stretching direction, by way of a pressure element that absorbs the clamping force. Likewise, the invention relates to a method for stretching a plate in a plate stretcher.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such plate stretchers are known, for example, from DE 10 2007 009 139 B3, from DE 32 04 560 A1, or from DE 20 26 521 A1, and generally have two chuck heads that are directed at one another and can be displaced relative to one another to apply a clamping force directed along a stretching direction. In this regard, they particularly serve for stretching and/or straightening rolled or pressed stretched material. In particular, they serve for stretching and/or straightening metal sheets or plates. In this regard, at least one of the chuck heads can comprise lamellae oriented perpendicular to a clamping plane for the workpieces to be clamped. These lamellae then carry a clamping mouth or some other type of clamping jaws, for example. Likewise, the respective workpieces can be clamped in place in some other way, using the clamping jaws that cause the chuck head to clamp, for example by means of wedges that run at a slant or the like.

Plate stretcher and plate stretching method


An instrumented torso model that simulates anatomical features and measures the effects on a body caused by various types of impacts. Simulated bone having material properties similar to that of healthy human bone is surrounded by simulated tissue. At least one sensor array is attached to either or both of the simulated bone and the simulated tissue for measuring the effects of the impacts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instrumented torso model that simulates anatomical features and measures the effects on a body caused by various types of impacts.
2. Background
People have used body armor such as wooden and metal shields, vest plates, chain mail and other types of armor throughout history. The technology of soft body armor to protect against bullets matured in the 1970""s with the development of an aramid fiber (Kevlar(copyright)) by the DuPont Corporation. Bulletproof vests incorporating soft body armor are generally preferred over vests that use rigid plates because of weight and comfort concerns.
Soft body armor is designed to prevent projectiles from penetrating the body. When effective, soft body armor spreads the impact of a bullet over a wide area of the body and prevents a puncture wound. However, experiments in the 1970""s using laboratory animals demonstrated that even when soft body armor prevents a puncture wound the liver, heart, spleen and spinal cord are still vulnerable to severe injuries known as Behind Armor Blunt Trauma (BABT). See Carroll, A. W. and Soderstrom, C.A., xe2x80x9cA New Nonpenetrating Ballistic Injuryxe2x80x9d, Ann. Surg., 188, 6,pp753-757 (1978). Other studies have used high-speed photography to show that when impacted by a bullet the body acts as a highly damped or xe2x80x9cviscousxe2x80x9d system. When a bulletproof vest successfully stops a bullet, the human torso behind the vest exhibits viscoelastic behavior that includes the propagation of several types of BABT inducing waves, including: 1) stress wavesxe2x80x94longitudinal pressure waves that travel at or slightly faster than the velocity of sound in tissue; 2) shock wavesxe2x80x94waves of high pressure characterized by an effectively instantaneous wavefront propagated through underlying tissue at a velocity faster than the velocity of sound in tissue; and 3) shear wavesxe2x80x94transverse waves of long duration and relatively low velocities that produce gross distortions of tissue and organs. Finally, the wearer of a bulletproof vest may also be subject to crush injury. Crush injury results from the intense static impulse load that is applied to underlying tissue when a bullet is stopped by body armor.
The modes by which the above bullet-induced waves and forces damage bones, organs and tissue are very complex. For example, stress and shear waves account for many injuries distant from the blunt impact. Stress waves in tissue may result in very high local forces producing small but very rapid distortions. Such rapid distortions usually do not result in gross lacerations to tissue; rather their effects are largely concentrated at the microvascular level to produce extravasations of blood. Shear waves may produce marked distortion of internal organs adjacent to the body wall that results in contusions or lacerations. Crush injury from a bullet impacting body armor may include bowel laceration from the gross compression of the anterior abdominal wall resulting in contact with the retroperitoneal surface. Finally, sternal fracture and gross myocardial injuries show a significant correlation to the degree of chest displacement when pigs are subjected to non-penetrating midsternal impact.
The nature of the above injuries in a specific case of a bullet impacting a human torso that is protected by body armor is based on complex relationships between numerous variables. The anatomical location and direction of impact are also significant factors that determine the extent of injury. However standard tests for body armor do not measure these anatomical factors. Current methods of testing body armor include use of clay physical models. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) ballistic standard 0101.04 for the testing of body armor, a flat 10.2 cm (4.0 inch) deep layer of clay is placed behind soft personnel protective armor and shot with different munitions. The depth of deformation of the clay is then measured and, for the armor to pass the test, must be less than 4.4 cm. Other tests include wrapping soft armor around blocks of xe2x80x9cballistic gelatinxe2x80x9d, a low water content mixture of Knox Gelatin, to simulate a torso. The gelatin acts as an analog for soft human tissue to show the damage path and wound area during penetration tests of body armor. For non-penetrating tests the deformation in the gelatin can be captured with high-speed photography or x-rays. Unfortunately testing techniques involving only clay or ballistic gelatin are not capable of accurately estimating internal injury to a person when a bullet strikes a particular point on their bulletproof vest.
Effective body armor minimizes injury by transferring the kinetic energy of a projectile over an extended time-scale or surface area. Body armor that accomplishes such energy transfer using lightweight materials that are comfortable to wear involves sophisticated technology and engineering. Effective testing methods for such body armor also require the use of sophisticated technology. Existing testing methods do not include sensors and instrumentation for recording the deformation of ribs and the effect of the shock, shear and stress waves that pass through the human torso. To better assess the quality of new body armor designs, new injury criteria are needed to quantify the damage of different non-penetrating munitions to the internal organs. Therefore there is a need for a human surrogate torso for the purposes of measuring deformation of ribs and the sternum and kinetic energy imparted to organs from different types of non-penetrating munitions.
An anatomically correct instrumented model of the human torso capable of measuring how the above bullet-induced waves and forces damage particular organs, bones and tissue could significantly improve the design and testing of body armor. Such a model could yield measurements that show, for example, that a new prototype design of body armor would be very effective at preventing injury when a bullet strikes one area of the torso but leaves the wearer vulnerable to significant injury if a bullet strikes another area of the torso.
Prior art devices related to an instrumented torso for testing body armor include the anthropometric test devices (ATDs) or crash dummies used primarily in vehicle crash analyses. Such ATDs are designed to simulate the general overall dynamics of humans during vehicle crashes, but are generally not anatomically accurate on more local anatomical scales. For example, most ATDs are expensive and are therefore designed to withstand numerous vehicle crashes before they need replacement. Therefore the ribs of ATDs are generally made of steel, rather than of a more anatomically accurate bone simulant. ATDs have been designed to measure more local anatomical effects of vehicle crashes such as chest deflection. But the torso instrumentation used in these designs is very simple such as a single linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) mounted on a steel sternum. Such an ATD would be of limited use in estimating damage to internal organs caused by a bullet impacting body armor.
An anatomically accurate instrumented torso model would also be useful in designing and testing other types of law enforcement devices such as xe2x80x9cbean bagsxe2x80x9d and other weapons that are used to temporarily disable individuals without inflicting lethal harm. For example instrumented torso models would be helpful in determining how such devices should be sized and aimed for maximum effectiveness. Such torso models would also be useful in training law enforcement personnel in the effective use of various weapons. Other uses for an anatomically correct instrumented torso include automotive crash testing and martial arts, boxing and other types of sports training.
The present invention is therefore an instrumented model of the human torso with simulated anatomic features for measuring the effects of high or low velocity impacts. It includes simulated bone having material properties similar to that of healthy human bone and simulated tissue surrounding the simulated bone. Finally, at least one sensor array is attached to either or both of the simulated bone and the simulated tissue for measuring the effects on the torso of the impacts.


A three-dimensional vision system, device, and methods using the same are disclosed. The system or device includes an image device capable of capturing a plurality of sequential individual or scanned images of a field-of view, a buffer that stores the images for a predetermined time delay, first and second image stabilizers coupled to the buffer, and a display. The predetermined time delay signals the buffer to transmit an older image and a newer image, sequentially separated in time by the predetermined time of the predetermined time delay. The display is coupled to the first and second image stabilizers to present the images to a viewer in a format that enables the viewer to see a three-dimensional image. At least one of the first and second image stabilizers adjust the orientation of either the older image or the newer image to correspond to the orientation of the other image.

Views from airliner windows tend to appear flattened (i.e., the view lacks binocular effect). The Rocky Mountains even appear modest in scale as seen from an airliner. This is because depth perception is lost primarily because of the distance to the ground. At night, it is even more difficult to see from an airliner window due to darkness. Current external camera views from airplanes suffer from the same flattened appearance due to monocular vision combined with reduced resolution compared to the naked eye and the distance to the ground.
Another type of view from an airplane is aerial photography for documenting geography. The view when documenting geography aerially is typically from directly overhead. Sometimes "stereo pairs" of images of a single area are made by taking photographs from different passes by the airplane over the same geography. The first pass might be an overhead image while the second pass is laterally offset from the first pass, providing an overlap for a portion of the initial image. This pair of images may be used later in a special viewer to enable a technician to discern the altitude of objects and the altitude contour lines of the terrain. Standard three-dimensional aerial photography techniques, such as the two pass approach just described, have a substantial time delay between the first and second shots of a subject. This means that the subject must be stationary for the three-dimensional representation to be accurate and there is no means during the flight or afterwards to adjust the interpupillary distance (except by adjustment of the second flight path).
Another type of view from an airplane is radar, such as military surveillance or "recreational" viewing of geography. Synthetic aperture radar is used in surveillance airplanes. This system records radar returned over a period of time corresponding to a spatial distance. This effectively increases the physical size of the radar antenna (its "aperture"), hence the name "synthetic aperture." The signals are highly processed to obtain the enhanced resolution that accompanies a larger aperture. However, radar produces a view of geography that is not natural to a typical viewer—it is not like a photograph at all nor is it a binocular view.
A different type of viewer is Google's "Google Maps," in particular its "Street View." Google Maps is a web-based application that provides a computer viewer with maps of the Earth in various overhead views. The Street View provides a melded, panoramic view of the geography from the street level, typically in 2-D, but with some available in three-dimensional. The three-dimensional images use red-cyan biased images that require viewing with red-cyan glasses. it is believed that these viewers may use a stereo-pair camera system. This type of system takes multiple still images from multiple cameras.
Existing stereo images are formed by the simultaneous use of two cameras, such as those filming techniques used for movies. The geometric distance between their lenses defines the three-dimensional effect that results. This distance is generally not adjustable and a relatively short maximum distance is constrained by physical considerations such as weight and bulk.

Three-dimensional vision system for displaying images taken from a moving vehicle


A ballast (20) for powering one or more gas discharge lamps (70,72,74,76) comprises an inverter (200) and a lamp fault protection circuit (400). Inverter (200) has an operating frequency that is load-dependent. Lamp fault protection circuit (400) monitors an electrical signal within inverter (200). In response to a change in the fundamental frequency of the electrical signal, such as what occurs when a lamp is removed, when a lamp approaches the end of its operating life, or when an arcing condition occurs at one or more of the ballast output connections (302,304,306,308,310), lamp fault protection circuit (400) disables the inverter (200) for a predetermined shutdown period. Lamp fault protection circuit (400) also provides a restart function for periodically attempting to ignite and operate the lamps. Additionally, in response to a sustained fault condition, lamp fault protection circuit (400) increases the predetermined shutdown period so as to minimize any undesirable effects due to the restart function. Lamp fault protection circuit (400) is preferably realized using a suitable microcontroller integrated circuit (420) with associated discrete circuitry, and is especially well-suited for use in ballasts for powering multiple lamps via a current-fed self-oscillating inverter and an isolated parallel resonant output circuit.

Electronic ballasts generally include an inverter that provides high frequency current for efficiently powering gas discharge lamps. Inverters are commonly classified according to switching topology (e.g., half-bridge or push-pull) and the method used to control commutation of the inverter switches (e.g., driven or self-oscillating). In many types of electronic ballasts, the inverter provides an output voltage that is processed by a resonant output circuit to provide a high voltage for igniting the lamps and a magnitude-limited current for powering the lamps.
When the lamps fail, are removed, or otherwise cease to operate in a normal fashion (e.g., such as what occurs during so called "diode mode" operation), it is highly desirable that the inverter be shut down or at least shifted to a different (e.g., low power) mode of operation. This is necessary in order to minimize power dissipation, reduce heating in the ballast, and protect the components of the ballast from damage due to excessive voltage, current, and heat. Circuits that shut down or alter the operation of the inverter in response to a lamp fault condition are customarily referred to as lamp fault protection circuits.
Many of the existing approaches to lamp fault protection rely upon detecting asymmetries in either the lamp voltage or the lamp current as an indication that a lamp fault condition has occurred. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,439 discloses an arrangement wherein rectifying devices are connected to both sides of a lamp in order to detect an unbalanced voltage (which is known to be indicative of at least certain types of lamp failure modes, such as diode mode operation). Such a fault detection approach is effective and economical for ballasts that have a non-isolated output (i.e., no output transformer interposed between the resonant output circuit and the connections to the lamps), but it is not well-suited for those types of ballasts (e.g., a ballasts that includes a current-fed self-oscillating inverter and a parallel resonant output circuit with an output transformer) that inherently provide electrical isolation between the ballast circuitry and the connections to the lamps. For the latter type of ballasts, any signal indicative of a lamp fault condition must be transferred from the secondary side of the output transformer to the primary side via a suitable isolation device, such as an optocoupler, before it can be used to control operation of the inverter. As can be expected, the added presence of an isolation device increases the cost and complexity of the ballast.
Many existing ballasts with lamp fault protection circuits respond to a lamp fault condition by shutting down the inverter and then keeping the inverter off for as long as power continues to be applied to the ballast. With such ballasts, following replacement of a failed lamp with an operational lamp, it is required that power to the ballast be turned off and then on again (i.e., "cycled") in order to effect ignition and powering of the lamps in the fixture. This requirement poses a considerable inconvenience in many applications, such as in large office areas or factories, in which a large number of ballasts are often connected in the same branch circuit. In such environments, with many existing ballasts, it is necessary to momentarily interrupt the lighting in a large area in order to restore desired operation to even a single lighting fixture after one or more of its lamps are replaced. It is thus desirable to have a ballast that accommodates relamping without requiring that the power to the ballast be removed and reapplied.
It is important that lamp fault detection be inhibited during certain operating periods, such as inverter startup and lamp ignition. For instance, the normal starting process of the inverter and lamps is generally accompanied by the same types of electrical disturbances that occur during a lamp fault condition. Thus, unless lamp fault detection is inhibited during inverter startup and lamp ignition, the inverter may be preventing from properly starting and/or the ballast may be prevented from properly igniting the lamp. Additionally, although most lamps are capable, under ideal conditions, of igniting and operating normally within a short period of time (e.g., 20 milliseconds), some lamps, due to age or low temperature, require a much longer time to ignite and stabilize. Thus, lamp fault detection should be inhibited for a period that is long enough (e.g., at least 200 milliseconds or so) to accommodate lamp starting under conditions that are less than ideal.
It is desirable that a ballast possess some type of automatic restart capability wherein, within a specified time following detection of a lamp fault condition and shutdown of the ballast, periodic attempts are made to restart the ballast and ignite the lamp. This feature is desirable in order to prevent a "latched" shutdown of the ballast (which necessitates that power to the ballast be turned off and then on again in order to reset the ballast) in the event of false detection due to a momentary power line transient or any of a number of anomalous phenomena (e.g., electrical noise) that pose no real threat to ballast reliability or safety. Also, because lamps are somewhat unpredictable, it is possible that an otherwise "good" lamp may sometimes fail to properly start on the first attempt. In such a case, a ballast with automatic restart capability will periodically attempt to start the lamp, rather than simply latching the ballast or its inverter in a shutdown state until such time as the power to the ballast is cycled.
For ballasts that power multiple lamps and that includes automatic restart capability, in the event of a sustained lamp fault condition (i.e., a lamp fault condition that remains present for an extend period of time such as, e.g., hours, days, weeks, months, etc.), the periodic (but unsuccessful) attempts to restart the ballast and ignite the lamps results in a regular (e.g., once per second) brief flashing of any remaining operational lamp(s). This regular brief flashing, which occurs on a sustained basis until either the lamp fault condition is corrected or power is removed from the ballast, is considered to be visually annoying to occupants who are in the vicinity of the affected lighting fixture. Additionally, the periodic restart attempts are stressful to the components within the ballast. Thus, a need exists for a lamp fault protection approach that not only minimizes visual annoyance to occupants, but that also avoids placing unnecessary stress upon the ballast components.
Ballasts for gas discharge lamps provide high ignition voltages for starting the lamps. The ignition voltages supplied by preheat type ballasts are typically on the order of several hundred volts (e.g., 500 volts peak), while those provided by instant-start type ballasts may exceed 1000 volts peak. As a consequence of these high ignition voltages, ballasts are subject to a special type of lamp fault condition that is commonly referred to as output arcing.
Output arcing may occur in any of a number of different ways. For example, in fluorescent lighting installations, it is a common practice to replace failed lamps while AC power is applied to the ballast. This practice is referred to as "live" relamping. During live relamping, as a lamp is being removed or inserted, a momentary arc may form between the fixture socket contacts and a pin of the lamp. As another example, a sustained arc (as opposed to a momentary arc) may occur due to poor or faulty connections in the output wiring or the lamp sockets, or if a lamp is improperly installed in such a way that a small gap exists between the lamp pins and the contacts within the fixture sockets. If a connection to a lamp is compromised due to a defective lamp socket or defective wiring, a high intensity, high temperature arc may be produced across the air gap caused by those faulty connections.
Arcing is generally acknowledged to cause degradation of the contacts in the fixture sockets and undue stress on components within the ballast. Sustained arcing is especially undesirable because of its tendency to produce potentially destructive heating. In order to minimize any ill effects due to arcing, it is important that the arc be promptly extinguished. This requires a ballast that is capable of quickly and reliably detecting an arc and, subsequently, taking appropriate action to promptly extinguish the arc.
The prior art includes a number of circuits for detecting and/or protecting against output arcing. A more thorough discussion of the problems and prior art relating to output arcing is provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/532,277 (titled "Ballast with Arc Protection Circuit," filed on the same date, and assigned to the same assignee, as the present application), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Existing approaches for lamp fault protection are largely limited to protecting against more conventional types of lamp faults (e.g., failure or removal of a lamp, diode mode operation, and degassed lamp), and do not provide reliable protection against output arcing. Conversely, existing approaches for protecting against output arcing generally do not protect against more conventional types of lamp faults. Thus, a need exists for an approach that reliably combines protection against conventional lamp faults with protection against output arcing.
A significant shortcoming of many existing protection approaches is that the employed circuitry generally provides for "analog" type detection (as opposed to "digital" type detection). Besides being susceptible to problems attributable to electrical noise, analog approaches are generally sensitive to variations in component tolerances and operating parameters, and are therefore often quite lacking as to robustness. More particularly, analog approaches are generally incapable of compensating for the fact that significant parameters of the ballast circuitry and the lamps tend to vary with time and temperature. For example, it is well known that the operating voltage and current of a gas discharge lamp tends to significantly change as the lamp "warms up." As another example, certain ballast components such as integrated circuits are prone to considerable parameter variations (e.g., in the frequency of the internal oscillator) as the ballast ambient temperature changes. In some applications, some of the deficiencies attributable to component tolerances and parameter variations can be reduced by design measures (e.g., using components with "tight" tolerances), but almost certainly at the price of substantial added cost to the ballast. As yet another example, the nature (e.g., lead length, spacing, etc.) of the wiring within the lighting fixture often exerts a significant effect (due to parasitic capacitances, and such) upon the operation of the ballast and lamps. Thus, a further need exists for a protection approach that is substantially insensitive to, or at least capable of largely compensating for, at least some of the more significant component tolerances and parameter variations, as well as sources of electrical noise, that are inherent in electronic ballasts, gas discharge lamps, and lighting fixtures, but that is still capable of being implemented in an economical and manner.
Yet another shortcoming of many existing approaches to lamp fault protection is that those circuits often require a considerable amount of operating power. Typically, the operating power requirements increase with circuit complexity, especially when analog circuitry is extensively employed. Consequently, those circuits significantly detract from the overall energy efficiency of the ballast. Thus, a further need exists for a lamp fault protection circuit that, in comparison with existing approaches, has relatively modest operating power requirements.
Ballasts with a current-fed self-oscillating inverter and a parallel resonant output circuit are currently the prevailing "instant start" design topology in North America. However, providing reliable lamp fault protection within these types of ballasts presents a significant engineering challenge. As previously discussed, existing approaches based upon analog detection have a number of deficiencies, including costly/complicated circuitry, susceptibility to electrical noise, sensitivity to parameter variations and component tolerances, and a need for providing electrical isolation between at least portions of the lamp fault protection circuit and the rest of the ballast circuitry. Additionally, many prior art approaches are susceptible to problems relating to detection resolution, and are therefore ill-suited for ballasts that power multiple (e.g., three or four) lamps. For example, in a ballast for powering three or four lamps and in the case of a lamp fault condition that involves only one lamp, any signal that is intended to be indicative of a lamp fault condition may be "swamped out" by the fact that the remaining two or three lamps are operating in a substantially normal manner. Because of this problem, one existing approach has been to provide a separate inverter and output circuit for each of the lamps powered by the ballast; such an approach has the obvious disadvantage of being quite expensive, especially for ballasts that power three or four lamps (in which case three or four separate inverters and output circuits are required).
Thus, a need exists for a ballast having a lamp fault protection circuit that, in addition to protecting against conventional lamp fault conditions, is capable of protecting against damage (to the ballast and its associated lighting fixture) due to the output arcing. A need also exists for a lamp fault protection circuit that is capable of detecting a lamp fault condition in a reliable manner and that is substantially insensitive to electrical noise and to problems/variances attributable to component tolerances, fixture wiring, number of lamps, and operating parameters within the ballast, lamps, and lighting fixture. A need also exists for a ballast and lamp fault protection circuit that provide a starting (i.e., inhibit) period in order to allow for proper lamp starting. A further need exists for a ballast and lamp fault protection circuit that provide automatic restart capability in order to accommodate false detection and anomalous starting failure of a "good" lamp. A further need exists for a ballast and lamp fault protection circuit that provide automatic restart capability, but that also minimize visually annoying flashing and unnecessary stress to ballast components when a lamp fault condition remains present for an extended period of time. A further need exists a lamp fault protection circuit with modest operating power requirements. A further need exists for a lamp fault protection circuit that provides all of the aforementioned functional benefits, and that is readily and economically implemented within existing ballasts. Such a ballast and lamp fault protection circuit would represent a considerable advance over the prior art.

Ballast with frequency-diagnostic lamp fault protection circuit


In a projection optical system for obliquely performing enlargement projection of an image formed on a display device surface onto a screen surface, a plurality of reflective surfaces are provided, at least one of which is a curved reflective surface having an optical power. Letting the curved reflective surface, out of said at least one curved reflective surface, having the largest effective optical region be the largest curved reflective surface, the reflective surface other than the largest curved reflective surface is slightly decentered with the largest curved reflective surface kept in a fixed state so as to perform pixel shift on the screen surface in a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction, or an oblique direction, or vertical and horizontal directions within the range of a pixel pitch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection optical system, and more specifically to a projection optical system that is mounted in a projector having, for example, a digital micromirror device or a LCD (liquid crystal display), as a display device and that obliquely performs enlargement projection of an image formed on the surface of the display device onto the screen surface.
2. Description of Related Art
As an image display for use in digital satellite broadcasts at home and home theater, low-cost and high-performance projectors having a digital micromirror device or a LCD as a display device have been becoming increasingly widespread in recent years. Thus, there has been a great demand for a slim rear projector that does not occupy too much space even in a small room, which requires a wider-angle projection optical system. Moreover, the volume of information displayed has been considerably larger than before, and the display device has been provided with an even higher resolution than before accordingly, thus leading to a demand for smooth, clear, and high-quality images.
To achieve a low-cost rear projector with a high resolution, so-called pixel shift has been conventionally practiced by which an image projected on the screen surface is shifted by a small degree (for example, one half of a pixel) so as to increase the apparent number of pixels. The practice of pixel shift causes pixels to be superimposed on one another, which makes the contour of the pixels projected on the screen surface less outstanding, thereby permitting display of a smooth image. Moreover, due to its ability to increase the volume of information displayed on the screen surface without changing the number of pixels of the display device, the pixel shift is very effective in achieving a higher-grade image through an improvement in the resolution. As a projector employing this pixel shift, Patent publications 1 and 3 propose those which achieve pixel shift by way of slightly decentering a mirror while Patent publication 2 proposes one which achieves pixel shift by way of slightly decentering a flat glass.
[Patent publication 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H4-319937
[Patent publication 2] U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,399
[Patent publication 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H7-49477
However, with the projector constructions proposed in Patent publications 1 to 3, image projection is performed with an optical power possessed by a refractive optical system; therefore, an increase in the number of components and an increase in the back focus as a result of adding a mirror or a flat glass leads to upsizing of the entire apparatus and a cost increase. Especially in a case where a mirror or a flat glass to be slightly decentered is large in size, this results in upsizing of mechanisms such as a holding mechanism, a decentering mechanism, and the like, and thus requires complicated mechanisms for achieving slight decentering with even more accuracy, which contributes a further cost increase and upsizing. Further, the projector proposed in Patent document 2 suffers from chromatic aberration occurring with the flat glass to be slightly decentered.


A method of shimming a superconducting magnet assembly that includes a cryostat and a superconducting magnet configured to be installed in the cryostat. The method includes determining a plurality of field inhomogeneity characteristics of the superconducting magnet while the superconducting magnet is at room temperature and prior to the superconducting magnet being sealed in the cryostat, and installing an initial set of passive shims inside the cryostat while the superconducting magnet is at room temperature, the initial set of passive shims reducing the determined field inhomogeneity characteristics when the superconducting magnet is operating at a normal operational temperature.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the superconducting magnets, and more particularly to a method of passively shimming a superconducting magnet in an imaging system.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems typically include a superconducting magnet that generates a primary magnetic field within an imaging volume. Inhomogeneities in the primary magnetic field may be caused by manufacturing tolerances for the magnet, as well as equipment and site conditions. In operation, magnetic field inhomogeneities may distort the position information in the imaging volume and degrade the image quality. The imaging volume must have a low magnetic field inhomogeneity to produce high quality images.
Shimming is a known technique for reducing the inhomogeneity of the primary magnetic field. The primary magnetic field is essentially a large constant field with small inhomogeneous field components superimposed on the constant field. If the negative of the inhomogeneous components of the field can be generated, the net field can be made uniform and the magnet is then referred to as shimmed.
It is known to use active or passive shims for reducing the magnetic field inhomogeneity. Active shimming may be accomplished using resistive and/or superconducting shim coils to generate magnetic fields designed to cancel out the inhomogeneous field components. Known passive shimming is accomplished after the magnet has been installed in the imaging system. Specifically, after installation, a magnetic field is induced into the magnet to identify inhomogeneous field components. Passive shims that cancel out the inhomogeneous field components are then identified. The passive shims are then installed in a conventional shim tray that is located near, or inside, a gradient coil structure that generates the x, y, and z gradient magnetic fields used for MR imaging.
However, during operation, the conventional passive shims are in thermal contact with the gradient coil structure, e.g. in the warm bore area of the MRI imaging system. Specifically, pulsing the gradient coils results in heat generation due to joule losses. A portion of the heat generated is transferred to the passive shims causing an increase in the temperature of the passive shims. The increased temperature of the passive shims reduces the magnetization of the shim material and weakens the magnetic field that the passive shims produce, thereby causing an increase in the magnetic field inhomogeneity. As a result, the passive shims installed in the shim trays installed in the warm bore area are subjected to varying temperatures that affect the magnetic permeability of the passive shims and therefore may not, adequately compensate for magnetic field inhomogeneities during operation. Moreover, there may not be adequate room in the shim trays to install the passive shims required to compensate for magnetic field inhomogeneities during operation.

Superconducting magnet having cold iron shimming capability


Gripping tool for automatic laboratory machines, with gripping appliances for gripping vessels, an appliance for converting and/or transferring of movements, the power take-off of which is coupled with the gripping appliances in order to drive them, a coupling appliance for detachable connection with a drive appliance of a tool support of an automatic laboratory machine, which is coupled with the drive of the appliance for converting and/or transferring in order to drive it, and a mounting appliance for detachable mounting of the gripping tool on the tool support of the automatic laboratory machine, while the coupling appliance is connected with the drive appliance of the tool support.

Automatic laboratory machines serve for the automatic processing of mostly liquid samples in the laboratory. In particular, temperating, mixing, filtration, chemical reaction and dosage of the samples belong to the processings. During or between the processings, respectively, the samples are stored in vessels, in particular in laboratory vessels, vessel chains, microtiter plates, filter plates and other plates with a plurality of sample receivers. The vessels have to be moved or transported, respectively, between different positions of storage and processing, respectively. For this purpose, conventional automatic laboratory machines are equipped with an automatic gripping appliance, which enables gripping, transporting, moving and setting down of the vessels as well as covering of the vessels with special lids.
Further, conventional automatic laboratory machines have dosage appliances. Dosage appliances are already known which comprise a tool support and a dosage tool, detachably connectable with it, which has at least one piston-cylinder unit. By moving the piston into opposite directions, sample liquid is aspired or set free, respectively, through a dosage opening. In direct displacement systems, the piston has contact to the liquid, and in insulating air cushion systems, an insulating air cushion exists between the piston and the liquid. Often the liquid is received in replaceable pipette systems, which have a dosage opening at the bottom and a pinning up opening for detachable connection with the dosage tool on the topside. By exchanging the dosage tool, it is possible to perform different dosage tasks. The tool support is movable between different positions, in order to accept or to release, respectively, dosage tools, pipette points or samples, respectively.
Departing from this, the invention is based on the objective to provide a simplified gripping and dosage technique for automatic laboratory machines.

Gripping tool, dosage tool and tool support for an automatic laboratory machine


The invention relates to a method for servicing and/or monitoring a field device (1) of process and automation technology. The invention includes that at least one photograph is taken of at least one section (2) of the field device (1), that the photograph is evaluated and/or processed in such a manner, that there results at least one piece of information concerning an access location (11) for field device data related to the field device (1), and/or information for identification of the field device (1), that a request for data is made to the access location (11), and that, in response to the request for data, field device data are supplied. Furthermore, the invention concerns a corresponding field device.

In modern process and automation technology, often used in process plants are so-called field devices, which are, for example, measuring devices for measuring process variables, e.g. temperature, fill level, pressure, pH-value or flow. The field devices may also be actuators, e.g. control elements, such as pumps or valves. Such field devices are, most often, provided with a type label or also with a barcode, via which the individual device is identifiable. If, now, a person would like, on-site, to obtain information concerning a particular field device, then such person must e.g. based on the serial number or, on occasion, also in connection with the location of the device, establish contact with a superordinated unit and obtain the information from there.

Method for operating and/or monitoring a field device, and corresponding field device


A control apparatus for a continuously variable transmission with a sub transmission includes a primary solenoid valve installed at an oil passage in a midway position between a mechanical oil pump and a primary pulley and configured to control a hydraulic pressure to be supplied to the primary pulley. The control apparatus further includes a transmission controller which outputs a primary current command value to a primary solenoid valve. The transmission controller outputs the primary current command value which previously closed the oil passage between the mechanical oil pump and the primary pulley to the primary solenoid valve before a rise in an engine revolution number due to at least a re-start of the engine, when a coast stop control/an idle stop control is carried out.

Conventionally, an apparatus in which, when an engine revolution number (an engine speed) is reduced due to a start of the coast stop control and a drain pressure from an engine driven mechanical oil pump is reduced, an electrically driven oil pump is driven and a hydraulic pressure to pulleys and clutches is secured has been disclosed (for example, refer to a Patent Document 1).
This Patent Document 1 discloses that, in the continuously variable transmission with a sub transmission, during the coast stop control in which a driving force source is stopped in a traveling state of the vehicle, a speed ratio (a transmission gear ratio) of the continuously variable transmission is prevented from being upshifted toward a higher side than the speed ratio when the coast stop control is started. In this Patent Document 1, while a drive start of the electrically driven oil pump, the hydraulic pressure of a primary pulley is made approximate zero so that a lowest speed ratio is achieved in a balance pressure control and, thereafter, the coast stop control is ended.
However, in the conventional apparatus, when the electrically driven oil pump is abolished, the hydraulic pressure is not generated during the coast stop control. In a state in which the hydraulic pressure cannot be supplied to a secondary pulley, the lowest speed ratio is maintained (inhibit of a high shift). Because of this, there is a case where, even if a hydraulic pressure command value of the primary pulley is made zero, when the hydraulic pressure is supplied from the oil pump in response to a re-start of the engine at a time of a vehicular start, an actual pressure does not become zero dependent upon a situation of valves or so forth, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the primary pulley, and the lowest speed ratio cannot be maintained.
In this way, when going through the coast stop control (when the vehicle is started), the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the primary pulley. At this time, the speed ratio is shifted toward the high speed ratio side without balancing at the lowest speed ratio. Thus, such a problem is raised that, due to a fact that the hydraulic pressure required for the vehicular start is used for the high shift, an engagement of a starting clutch is delayed, a reduction of the driving force due to the high shift is generated, and a vehicular starting performance is reduced.

Control device for continuously variable transmission


A method of controlling contamination of a vapor deposition apparatus includes: a wafer loading step of loading a wafer for contamination evaluation into a chamber of the vapor deposition apparatus; a heat treatment step of heat treating the wafer for contamination evaluation at a heat treatment temperature of 1190° C. or more at a hydrogen flow rate of 30 slm or less; a wafer unloading step of unloading the wafer for contamination evaluation from the inside of the chamber; and a wafer contamination evaluation step of evaluating a level of metal contamination of the wafer for contamination evaluation. In a method of producing an epitaxial wafer, epitaxial growth is performed using a vapor deposition apparatus whose contamination is controlled by the contamination controlling method.

In recent years, as the resolution of camera functions included in digital cameras, smartphones, mobile PCs, etc. becomes higher, there is a demand for enhancing contamination control of epitaxial silicon wafers used for imaging devices such as CCDs and CISs.
In particular, there is a demand for investigating the cause of white spot problems which are peculiar to imaging devices and enhancing the process management. At present, metal contamination is considered as a cause of the formation of white spots. In particular, slowly diffusing metals such as Mo, W, Ti, Nb, and Ta are considered to be a major factor.
Examples of contamination sources of metal contamination of an epitaxial silicon wafer include a source gas used in epitaxial growth and a cleaning gas for cleaning the interior of a chamber. Other examples include materials forming the chamber and metal members typically used in a piping system. Still other examples include generation of metal particles from the interior of an epitaxial growth apparatus, for example, from a driving unit.
As a method of controlling such contamination originated from an epitaxial growth apparatus, highlighting contamination by increasing the oxygen concentration in a reaction system to detect metal contamination in a highly sensitive manner has been proposed (for example, see JP 2015-029002 A (PTL 1)).

Method of controlling contamination of vapor deposition apparatus and method of producing epitaxial wafer


A head on a golf putter is configured to create overspin on a putted golf ball. An exemplary embodiment employs a body with a ball-striking face including a first curved segment with a first radius of curvature and a second curved segment with a second radius of curvature. The first and second curved segments define a curved surface extending from a bottom surface of the body. The first segment is positioned proximate to the bottom surface and the second segment is positioned intermediate the bottom surface and an opposing top surface of the body. The first radius of curvature is greater than the second radius of curvature. The face may have a third curved segment positioned intermediate the second segment and the top surface, with a third radius of curvature greater than the first radius of curvature. The position of the center of mass of the head also promotes overspin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to golf clubs, and more particularly to a golf putter.
2. Description of Related Art
The popularity of golf has created a strong demand for golf equipment and other related products and services. Many golf players are willing to spend significant time and money to develop their skills and improve their level of play. As a result, equipment makers continue to research and develop new golf club designs to attract these consumers.
One area of this research and development focuses on the design of putters. In particular, many different types of putter features have been developed for aiming, sighting, and alignment of the putter with the object of ensuring that the golf ball travels in the desired direction when putted. Indeed, the United States Golf Association (USGA) requires that all clubheads "be generally plain in shape," but this "plain in shape" rule is interpreted liberally for putters and an extensive list of exceptions exists for putters. Given the broad range of permissible designs for putters, makers have incorporated many different features into putter designs.
Despite the ongoing attempts to improve putting accuracy with such features, most putters continue to suffer from common problems and disadvantages. Generally, when most putters strike the golf ball, they create a backspin on the ball. The golf ball is usually situated within a slight depression in the ground, and is lifted out of the depression when struck. The ball may become airborne for a distance, and eventually hits the ground with the backspin. Although the ball is propelled forward by the initial contact with the putter face, it loses momentum with the backspin. In addition, the ball tends to skid with the backspin and may not follow the intended line to the hole. Thus, even if the ball originally follows the desired line at initial contact, backspin on the ball introduces inaccuracies by causing the ball to skid and stray from the desired line. Further inaccuracies may also result when the ball bounces after becoming airborne.


A method of doping fins of a semiconductor device that includes a substrate includes forming multiple fin structures on the substrate, each of the fin structures including a cap formed on a fin. The method further includes performing a first tilt angle implant process to dope a first pair of the multiple fin structures with n-type impurities and performing a second tilt angle implant process to dope a second pair of the multiple fin structures with p-type impurities.

The escalating demands for high density and performance associated with ultra large scale integration semiconductor devices require design features, such as gate lengths, below 100 nanometers (nm), high reliability, and increased manufacturing throughput. The reduction of design features below 100 nm challenges the limitations of conventional methodology.
Double-gate MOSFETs represent devices that are candidates for succeeding existing planar MOSFETs. In double-gate MOSFETs, the use of two gates to control the channel significantly suppresses short-channel effects. A FinFET is a double-gate structure that includes a channel formed in a vertical fin. Although a double-gate structure, the FinFET is similar to existing planar MOSFETs in layout and fabrication techniques. The FinFET also provides a range of channel lengths, CMOS compatibility, and large packing density compared to other double-gate structures.

SRAM formation using shadow implantation


A LED ultraviolet germicidal lamp includes a bracket, a power box, a driving light source, a heat sink, an ultraviolet light source, a lampshade, a quartz glass, a catalyst gauze, and a lamp frame. The bracket is connected to the heat sink, and the power box and the driving light source are provided in the bracket in sequence from outside to inside. The driving light source is provided in the power box and is connected to the power box by bolts. The heat sink is connected to the power box and is provided at a lower end of the power box. Titanium dioxide is used as the catalyst and is catalyzed by the UVC light source. Hydroxyl radicals produced when nanoscale titanium dioxide catalyst gauze is exposed to the UVC light source destroy bacteria and viruses.

Photocatalysis using ultraviolet (UV) light has been applied in sterilization for several decades. Due to the complexity of the technique and the heat dissipation of the chip, however, it is difficult to increase the power of ultraviolet light sources. Another problem that limits the use of the technique is the difficulty in expanding the heat dissipation area. Recent advancements addressing heat dissipation of the chip have resulted in the photocatalytic sterilization technique with UV light replacing traditional chlorination disinfection in some applications. Photocatalytic sterilization is now a preferred means for eradicating unwanted micro-organisms and has proven especially efficacious in ridding the working space of viruses and bacteria. As the mechanism of UV disinfection becomes better understood, new UV techniques are advanced, and the designs of disinfection devices increase, UV disinfection is expected to supplant traditional chlorination disinfection.