A fiber optic polishing apparatus is disclosed including a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) gear transmission system, a pressurizing module, a fixture module, and a housing assembly motorized polisher. The single DOF gear transmission system would enable a fiber optic polishing machine, or polisher to be driven by only one motor, or by human hand. The manual polisher is a unique field polishing machine where electricity or battery is not available or not allowed. Both manual polisher and motorized polisher have the following features: polishing up to four connectors or ferrules simultaneously; adjustable force ensures consistent finish for a wide variety of connector types and the number of connectors in the fixture; quick release for convenient removal of polish fixture; low center of gravity for high stability; small footprint for multiple-machine operation to avoid time-consuming film change.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a fiber optical polishing machine to polish end surfaces of optical fibers secured in ferrules, or the connection end surfaces of optical connectors with high polishing quality.
2. Description of Related Art
Unlike electrical wires, optical fibers require end-surface treatment for proper light propagation. The two most common ways of end surface preparations are cleaving and polishing, in which polishing is essential and key process for almost all glass-based fibers with cladding diameters larger than 200 microns. Furthermore, polishing is required for all fiber connectors used in optical communication to get smaller insertion loss and higher return loss. Because the diameter of most optical fibers ranges from 80 um to 1000 um, too small to be polished directly, ceramic, metal, or glass ferrules are often used to protect the fibers. The most commonly used fiber connectors employ ceramic or metal ferrules. Glass ferrules are preferred when optical coating is necessary after polishing for better adhesion. Unlike lens polishing, the convex surfaces of the fiber ferrules are achieved by pressing the ferrules on flexible polishing pads. The domed surface is ideal for true physical contact between two single mode fiber cores. Physical contact is also possible with multimode fibers when the core diameter is small. The dome radius of curvature is determined by the polishing locus (movement path), pressing force, the hardness and the thickness of the polishing pad. A true physical contact also requires a slight undercut of the fiber. The amount of undercut is the result of the type of polishing film used, polishing locus, the force applied, and the polishing speed. As one can imagine, a consistent high-quality and high speed polish can only be achieved by a polishing machine with a well designed polishing locus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,239 illustrates a polishing method using two stage members to create and maintain a figure eight polishing path pattern for polishing machine. The specific embodiment disclosed includes two server motors, motor drivers and a computer program that controls the method.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,784 discloses an apparatus for fiber polishing machine. The fibers are mounted on a jig so that their end faces are pressed against a polishing film attached to a rotary disk. The jig performs an orbital motion while describing a relatively small circle, and the polishing disc is turned in a large circle. The polishing path pattern is a cycloid curve. However, the device is not without its problems. That is, since its polishing disc only turns around on its axis and the component supporting the optical fiber makes a movement corresponding to the revolution, the polishing quality fluctuates depending on the mounting position of the optical fiber. Besides, fiber movement during polishing process is not allowed for larger quantity fiber polishing.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,334 by Takahashi, discloses a polishing disk, supporting a polishing medium, wherein the polishing disk is made to rotate around its own axis while revolving about another axis by a rotating motor, a revolving motor and a complex mechanical mechanism. While this machine produces a better polishing effect by the combined rotating and revolving motion, but one of the drawback is to use two electric motors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,702 developed a more complex gear transmission system realizing the similar polishing trace as U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,334. But it still requires two electric motors to drive the polishing machine.
In some applications of fiber communication such as oil and gas field, where electrical and other powers are not allowed for fire prevention, a manual fiber optic polisher is the only option. In other outdoor applications, where power is not available and/or battery is depleted, a manual polisher comes in extremely handy. However, the prior arts, or the existing fiber optic polishing machine on the market can not be turned into a manual polisher because they all require two motors for driving. In other words, their mechanical transmission systems have two degree-of-freedom (DOF).


A free-standing shelving system comprises four uprights which support a plurality of rectangular shelves. The shelves are attached at each corner to one of the uprights. Attached at each corner of each shelf is a corner piece equipped with pegs. These pegs engage in corresponding keyhole-shaped holes in the upright to thereby securely clamp the shelf to the upright.

This invention relates to a free-standing shelving system.
Such shelving systems, which are commonly made from steel, comprise a plurality of uprights and a plurality of shelves which are supported at spaced positions on the uprights. A common basic configuration comprises four uprights supporting three or more rectangular shelves, the uprights being positioned to provide a support at each of the four corners of the shelves. Such a unit is free standing. Several such units can be attached together to form a run of shelving and, in some types, uprights may be shared between adjacent units.
Free standing shelving systems of this general type have been available for many years. Commonly they are supplied as kits which are bolted together to form the shelving. The uprights are equipped with a plurality of spaced holes so that the shelves can be position at any desired height, according to the requirements. The assembly of these shelves, involving as they do many nuts and bolts, is lengthy and awkward and recently attempts have been made to cut down on the assembly time of these systems. One recent system, for example, utilises shelf support clips which are fitted at desired positions on the uprights, and are shaped to support and secure the shelves.
In another system, described in British Patent No. 1441065, the uprights are formed with keyhole-shaped holes, and the shelves are supported on elongate shelf support members which are equipped with pegs which co-operate with the keyholes to provide a frame structure on which the shelves can be laid. The system has the disadvantage of requiring many components to produce even a basic set of shelves and, as such, has little advantage over the conventional nut and bolt system described above.


In a variable speed generator/motor device including a variable frequency power converter, a direct current voltage device including a voltage type self-excited converter, an automatic voltage adjuster, and a converter current adjuster that controls unit converters, a first three-phase branch circuit is provided between the direct current voltage device and an alternating current system; a second three-phase branch circuit is provided between the variable frequency power converter and a three-phase alternating current synchronous machine; a first load switch is provided between the first three-phase branch circuit and the second three-phase branch circuit; a measurement current transformer is provided between the three-phase alternating current synchronous machine and the second three-phase branch circuit; when switching from a converter mode in which the variable frequency power converter drives the three-phase alternating current synchronous machine to generate power to a bypass mode, the first load switch is closed to stop a gate command to the unit converters; and when switching from the bypass mode to the converter mode, a current command value of the converter current adjuster is calculated from a current value of the measurement current transformer, the gate command to the unit converters is started, and the first load switch is opened.

In a variable speed generator/motor device in which a frequency converter connected back-to-back to a direct-current end of a voltage type self-excited converter (hereinafter, called "VSC converter" in the present invention) that converts power between an alternating current and a direct current by applying pulse-width modulation to a power semiconductor switching element (hereinafter, called "switching element" in the present invention) having a self-turn-off function is connected between an alternating current system and an alternating-current rotary electric machine (hereinafter, called "FPC system" in the present invention), the frequency converter has been improved in price-to-performance ratio. As a result, application of the variable speed generator/motor device to renewable energy generation systems such as wind power systems is expanding.
As a result of development of a modular multilevel PWM converter (hereinafter, called "MMC converter" in the present invention) that is one of the VSC converters, a high-capacity, high-voltage generator/motor can be directly connected to the frequency converter without interposing a transformer therebetween, so that the application of the FPC system is expected to expand.
FIG. 16 illustrates a circuit of an arm converter included in the MMC converter. The arm converter is constituted by a two-terminal converter obtained by connecting k unit converters in series. Each of the unit converters controls a modulation factor of a PWM converter-having a capacitor as a voltage source to generate a desired voltage. The voltage of the capacitor varies with charge and discharge at a period determined by an alternating current frequency.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a system in which two sets of three-phase half-wave circuits each obtained by star connection of three arm converters are provided, the star connection is used as two direct current terminals, and a circulating current reducing reactor is provided between the other terminal of an arm of each of the phases and an alternating current terminal (hereinafter, called "DSMMC converter" in the present invention).
Non Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of providing a variable frequency power supply by back-to-back connection of direct current terminals of two DSMMC converters, and providing a variable speed motor device by connecting one alternating current terminal to an alternating current system and connecting the other alternating current terminal to an alternating-current rotary electric machine.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a method of canceling a direct current magnetomotive force of a transformer core caused by a circulating current by providing two sets of three-phase half-wave circuits each obtained by star connection of three arm converters, using the star connection as two direct current terminals, connecting the other terminal of an arm of each of the phases to a transformer provided with secondary and tertiary windings connected into a double star connection, and using leakage reactance of the secondary and tertiary windings as a current reduction element (hereinafter, called "DIMMC converter" in the present invention).
Patent Literature 3 discloses a method of canceling out the direct current magnetomotive force of the transformer core caused by the circulating current by providing a three-phase half-wave circuit obtained by star connection of three am converters, using the star connection portion as a first terminal of a direct current, providing a transformer provided with secondary and tertiary windings and using a zigzag star connection portion as a second terminal of the direct current, and using leakage reactance of the secondary and tertiary windings connected in a zigzag form as a current reduction circuit element (hereinafter, called "ZCMMC converter" in the present invention).
Patent Literature 4 discloses an FPC system using the above-described three types of the MMC converters in configurations illustrated in FIGS. 17A, 17B, and 17C. Patent Literature 4 discloses that in the case of the DIMMC converter, the DIMMC converter needs to have two sets of three-phase alternating current windings each having a 60-degree phase band, and that in the case of the ZCMMC converter, the ZCMMC converter needs to have three-phase alternating current windings having a 120-degree phase band. Patent Literature 4 also discloses a method of starting a synchronous generator/motor taking into account a "reduction in output in a low-frequency region", which is a disadvantage of the MMC converter.


An amplifier includes a negative gain amplifier, a load element, and a transconductance device. The negative gain amplifier has an input and an output. The load element has a first terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal, and a second terminal. The transconductance device has a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the load element, a control electrode coupled to the output of the negative gain amplifier, and a second current electrode coupled to the input of the negative gain amplifier.

Receiver circuits are used for both terrestrial and cable reception within televisions, digital video recorders, video cassette records, set-top box devices (such as cable and satellite tuners), frequency modulation (FM) radios, models, and other electronic devices. Some smart phones also utilize receiver circuits for television reception. In general, such receiver circuits include a tuner that selects a narrowband signal from within a wide or broadband signal having multiple channels. The tuner includes bandpass filters, amplifiers, and mixer circuits for selecting a desired channel and for rejecting unwanted channels, noise, and interference.
Television signals can be broadcast at a variety of different frequencies, including ultra-high frequency (UHF), very high frequency (VHF), and high frequency (HF) frequency bands. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) defines the UHF frequency range as encompassing electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz. VHF occupies frequencies within a range from approximately 30 MHz to 300 MHz, and HF occupies frequencies within a range from approximately 3 MHz to 30 MHz.
A television receiver processes terrestrial signals with high quality by including low noise amplifier circuits having an exceptional noise figure (NF), since the terrestrial signals generally have a significant signal power difference from channel to channel. Also, a television receiver processes cable television signals with circuits having a certain return loss (RL) to avoid attenuation in the received signal (and with an acceptable NF), since, in a cable environment, the power tends to be relatively even and well-controlled across the channels. In some emerging markets, a television receiver, and in particular, the corresponding circuits of the receiver need both good NF and RL to process quality cable television signals. At the same time, linearity also has to be high. However, some television receiver circuits can interfere with the operation of other corresponding receiver circuits, thus these circuits must accept trade-offs between a good noise figure, a good return loss, and linearity, since it is difficult to achieve all three parameters as desired.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

Amplifier for television tuner chip and method therefor


A digital assistant executing at, at least one processor, is described that is configured to determine a set of candidate third party agents. The digital assistant is further configured to receive, from a computing device that is associated with a user, information indicative of one or more interests of the user and determine based on the information, a set of relevance scores. The digital assistant is further configured to select one or more candidate third party agents from the set of candidate third party agents that have a respective relevance score that satisfies a threshold. Responsive to receiving an indication of user input that accepts a recommendation to configure the user account with the one or more candidate third party agents, the digital assistant is further configured to configure the user account for operation with the one or more candidate third party agents.

Some computing platforms may provide a user interface from which a user can chat, speak, or otherwise communicate with a virtual, computational assistant (e.g., also referred to as "an intelligent digital assistant", "a digital assistant", or simply "an assistant") to cause the assistant to output useful information, respond to a user's needs, or otherwise perform certain operations to help the user complete a variety of real-world or virtual tasks. To determine useful information, the assistant may work with a third party (3P) agent server system. For example, a computing device receives, with a microphone, voice input (e.g., audio data) from a user. An assistant executing at least in part at the computing device outputs an indication of the voice input to a third party agent server system. Upon receiving useful information from the third party agent server system that is based on the voice input, the assistant executing at least in part at the computing device outputs the useful information to the user.


A subsurface battery system includes a ballast mass at the seafloor, a deep-sea electronics module, having an interface to seafloor payloads, and a subsurface buoyant pressure vessel having a battery. The ballast mass is attached to the deep-sea electronics module. The deep-sea electronics module is connected to the battery. The subsurface buoyant pressure vessel is submerged to a water depth of approximately 50 meters to 500 meters. The system is used for powering the seafloor payloads.

The disclosure relates to the design and use of a buoyant, subsurface battery pack for use in subsea marine applications.
Battery packs are used to provide power to a wide range of marine applications. Battery packs are reliable, efficient, and can operate for long periods of time before requiring maintenance or recharging, especially in challenging environments where it may be difficult or prohibited to operate generation equipment such as diesel engines.
There are three main designs of marine battery packs intended for deployment at sea. The first type is a floating battery, often installed on a barge and tethered to the seafloor using an anchor and chain. This type of battery can be low cost and easy to tow out and deploy but may not be suitable for use in very deep water or areas with high storm potential that could capsize the battery barge or subject the mooring to very high loads.
The second type of battery is installed on the seafloor inside a heavy pressure vessel. This battery has the advantage of being immune to surface storms, but can be very expensive, especially in deep water where the pressure vessel may cost and weigh several times more than the battery which it contains. Transport and deployment of this battery can also be very expensive due to the excessive weight of the pressure vessel, the size of the cranes needed to lift it and lower it to the seafloor, and the possible requirement to have underwater remote operated vehicles (ROVs) to assist with guiding the battery back to the seafloor and selecting an installation site of acceptable flatness and composition. These extremely heavy pressure vessel batteries run the risk of becoming stuck in the mud or buried in sand at some locations and can be difficult and expensive to recover.
The third type of subsea battery pack is a pressure compensated design, where the cells and support electronics are designed to tolerate high pressures and are surrounded in a bath of nonconductive oil or polymer. The water pressure load is directly transferred through a slightly flexible outer vessel to the non-compressible oil and battery pack inside, equalizing the pressure. This design tends to be lighter weight and easier to transport and deploy, but is very complicated and expensive to build, and may be subject to failure if all the components are not specifically designed to handle the extreme pressures without cracking or degradation.
Therefore, there is a continuing need in the art for a marine battery pack which is tolerant of surface storms, easy to transport and deploy, resistant to becoming stuck in seafloor mud or buried in sand, and capable of installation in very deep water. Preferably, the battery system is also reliable, cost-effective, light weight, and easily recoverable.


A system for attaching a ring seal to a vane carrier in a turbine engine can allow the ring seal to radially expand and contract at least partially independently of the vane carrier. The system can also be configured to substantially restrict axial and/or circumferential movement of the ring seal. In one embodiment, the ring seal can include a plurality of radial slots circumferentially spaced about the ring seal. A pin can extend substantially through each of the slots and into operative engagement with isolation rings, which are connected to the vane carrier. In another embodiment, the ring seal and the isolation rings can include a series of axially-extending protrusions extending substantially circumferentially about each component. The protrusions on the ring seal can substantially matingly engage the protrusions on the isolation rings. The protrusions can be configured as a Hirth coupling.

FIG. 1 shows an example of one known turbine engine 10 having a compressor section 12, a combustor section 14 and a turbine section 16. In the turbine section 16, there are alternating rows of stationary airfoils 18 (commonly referred to as vanes) and rotating airfoils 20 (commonly referred to as blades). Each row of blades 20 is formed by a plurality of airfoils 20 attached to a disc 22 provided on a rotor 24, which includes a plurality of axially-spaced discs 22. The blades 20 can extend radially outward from the discs 22 and terminate in a region known as the blade tip 26. Each row of vanes 18 is formed by attaching a plurality of airfoils 18 to a blade ring or vane carrier 28. The vanes 18 can extend radially inward from the inner peripheral surface 30 of the vane carrier 28. The vane carrier 28 is attached to an outer casing 32, which encloses the turbine section 16 of the engine 10.
Between the rows of vanes 18, a ring seal 34 can be attached to the inner peripheral surface 30 of the vane carrier 28. The ring seal 34 acts as the hot gas path guide between the rows of vanes 18 at the locations of the rotating blades 20. The ring seal 34 can be formed by a plurality of ring segments. Some turbine engines use metal ring segments that attach directly to the vane carrier 28, such as by bolts or by providing hooks on the ring seal that are received in a mating slot in the vane carrier 28. In other engine designs, the individual ring segments can be indirectly attached to the vane carrier 28. For example, metal isolation rings (not shown) can be attached to and extend radially inward from the vane carrier 28, and the ring segments can be fixed to the isolation rings by, for example, one or more fasteners. Each ring seal 34 can substantially surround a row of blades 20 such that the tips 26 of the rotating blades 20 are in close proximity to the ring seal 34. The space between the blade tips 26 and the ring seal 34 is referred to as the blade tip clearance C.
In operation, hot gases from the combustor section 14 are routed to the turbine section 16. The gas flows through the rows of stationary airfoils 18 and rotating airfoils 20 in the turbine section 16. Gas leakage can occur through the blade tip clearances C, resulting in measurable decreases in engine power and efficiency. Thus, it is preferred if the blade tip clearances C are kept as small as possible to minimize such gas leakage. However, it is critical to maintain a clearance C at all times; rubbing of any of the rotating and stationary components can lead to substantial component damage, performance degradation, and extended downtime.
During transient operating conditions such as engine startup or part load operation, it can be difficult to ensure that adequate blade tip clearances C are maintained because the rotating parts and the stationary parts thermally expand at different rates. As a result, the blade tip clearances C can actually decrease during transient engine operation, raising concerns of blade tip rubbing.
The blade tip clearances C can further be affected by the differing rates of thermal expansion of the stationary components. In particular, the ring seal 34 is a relatively thin component compared to the other stationary components to which it is operatively connected (i.e., the vane carrier 28 and the outer casing 32). Thus, while the ring seal 34 itself may be able to respond relatively rapidly to operational temperature increases, further radial movement and/or expansion of the ring seal 34 can be impeded by the relatively slower thermal response of the vane carrier 28 and/or outer casing 32.
Eventually, the outer casing 32 and the vane carrier 28 become sufficiently heated and expand radially outward. Because the ring seal 34 is connected to the vane carrier 28 and outer casing 32, the radial expansion of the vane carrier 28 and outer casing 32 can move the ring seal 34 radially outward as well so as to increase the clearances C. At steady state engine operation, such as at base load, the clearances C can become overly large, thereby reducing the efficiency of the engine 10.
Management of blade tip clearances during engine operation is a longstanding issue with turbine engines; various systems and methods have been directed to that goal. For instance, an active clearance controller has been used to adjust the radial position of the ring seal 34 based on an on-line measurement of the tip clearance C. However, such active clearance control systems are complicated and expensive.
Thus, there is a need for a system that can facilitate the optimization of the operational turbine tip clearances C.


A display device includes a color filter substrate having a flat upper surface. The color filter substrate of the display device includes a transparent substrate, a color filter layer provided on the transparent substrate and having a plurality of color filters arranged so that gaps are formed between the color filters, a light shielding layer having a plurality of light shielding portions disposed in the gaps between the plurality of color filters, and a light-transmitting resin layer having a plurality of light-transmitting resin portions respectively disposed on the plurality of first light shielding portions on the substrate side of the same. The upper surfaces of the plurality of first light shielding portions and the plurality of color filters form a substantially flat surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color filter substrate used in display devices such as liquid crystal displays, electroluminescent (EL) displays and plasma displays, and to a method of manufacturing the color filter substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid display devices are being widely used in various electronic appliances because of their features: a small size, a small thickness, a low power consumption, and a light weight. In particular, active-matrix liquid crystal display devices having switching elements are being widely used for office automation machines such as personal computers, audio-visual appliances such as television sets, portable telephones, etc. In recent years, rapid progress has been made in improving the qualities of liquid display devices, e.g., increasing the size, improving the definition, increasing the effective pixel area ratio (aperture ratio) and improving the color purity.
The structure of an ordinary active-matrix liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display device.
As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid crystal display device 30 has an active matrix substrate 2 and a color filter substrate 4 opposed to each other, and a liquid crystal layer 6 disposed between these substrates. The liquid crystal display device 30 also has, in a substrate surface, a display region (effective display area) and a picture-frame region (non-display area) surrounding the display region.
The active-matrix substrate 2 is constituted by a transparent insulating substrate 8 made of glass for example, a gate bus line (not shown) for a scanning signal formed on the substrate 8, source bus lines 10 for a data signal, active elements (not shown) such as thin-film transistors (TFT) and transparent pixel electrodes 12. The gate bus lines, the source bus lines 10, the active elements and the pixel electrodes 12 are formed on the substrate 8. A plurality of the pixel electrodes 12 are arrayed in matrix form in the display region.
The color filter substrate 4 is constituted by a transparent insulating substrate 14 made of glass, for example, a color filter layer 22 including a red color filter 16, a green color filter 18 and a blue color filter 20, a light shielding layer 26 including a plurality of light shielding portions 24, and a counter electrode (not shown). The color filter layer 22, the light shielding layer 26 and the counter electrode are formed on the substrate 14. The red color filter 16, the green color filter 18 and the blue color filter 20 are provided in correspondence with the plurality of transparent pixel electrodes 12 provided on the active-matrix substrate 2 side. The light shielding portions 24 are disposed in gaps between the color filters and in the picture-frame region. Ordinarily, the counter electrode is provided on the surfaces of the light shielding layer 26 and the color filter layer 22 on the liquid crystal layer 6 side.
An example of a method of manufacturing the conventional color filter substrate 4 will be described.
In recent years, a dry film method has been used as a color filter substrate manufacturing method. The dry film method has the advantages of ensuring higher yield of materials and reducing the manufacturing cost in comparison with the spin costing method conventionally used. The dry film method also has the advantage of enabling the formation of a layer that is more uniform in thickness.
A method of manufacturing the conventional color filter substrate by using the dry film method will be described below with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9F.
A dry film is formed in such a manner that a photosensitive resin film is interposed between film supporting members such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films facing its two major surfaces. Four dry films in which red, blue, green and black pigments are respectively dispersed in photosensitive resin films are used. Typically, the photosensitive resin film is of a negative type.
First, the red dry film, for example, is adhered to the glass substrate 14 by being pressed against the same and the film supporting member is thereafter separated, thus transferring a red photosensitive resin film 16R onto the substrate 14, as shown in FIG. 9A. Ordinarily, this step is a thermal transfer step executed by heating the dry film. Subsequently, the transferred red photosensitive resin film 16R is exposed with a mask 32 disposed thereon and undergoes development. The red color filter 16 is thereby formed as shown in FIG. 9B.
Subsequently, the same step as that described above is performed by using, for example, the green dry film to form the green color filter 18 as shown in FIG. 9C. Further, the same step as that described above is performed by using the blue dry film to form the blue color filter 20 as shown in FIG. 9D. Thereby, the color filter layer 22 including red, green and blue color filters 16, 18 and 20 is formed.
After the formation of the color filter layer 22, the same method as that used for forming the color filter layer 22 is performed, that is, the black dry film is adhered to the glass substrate 14 by being pressed against the same to transfer a black photosensitive resin film 26R onto the substrate 14 as shown in FIG. 9E. Exposure (back exposure) is performed on the glass substrate 14 from the back surface side of the same. By this back exposure, the black photosensitive resin film 26R is exposed (in a self alignment manner, which means no use or alignment of separate masks is necessary) with the red, green and blue color filters 16, 18, and 20 being used as a mask. After exposure, development is performed to form the light shielding layer 26 having light shielding portions 24 disposed in the gaps between adjacent color filter portions and in the picture-frame region.
The manufacturing of the color filter substrate is thus completed.
In the above-described manufacturing method, since the light shielding layer 26 is formed in a self-alignment manner with the color filters each used as a mask (as shown in FIGS. 9E and 9F), no gap is formed between the color filters and the light shielding portions. Therefore, the above-described manufacturing method has the advantage of improving the yield. However, since the photosensitive resin film 26R of a negative type is used for the light shielding layer 26, the amount of exposure at the time of back exposure is limited to avoid setting of the black photosensitive resin film 26R formed on the color filters 16, 18, and 20. Therefore, the film thickness of the light shielding portions 24 is much less than the thickness of the color filters 16, 18, and 20, and a difference in level (indicated by X in FIG. 9F) occurs between the light shielding portions 24 and the color filters 16, 18, and 20.
In particular, if the film thickness of the color filters 16, 18, and 20 is increased in order to improve the display color purity in the case of making the color filter substrate by the above-described manufacturing method, the difference in level between the color filters 16, 18, and 20 and the light shielding portions 24 due to the film thickness difference between the color filters 16, 18, and 20 and the light shielding portions 24 is considerably large. If a difference in level exists in the surface of the substrate on the liquid crystal layer side, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules is disturbed by the difference in level which causes serious degradation in display quality.
The problem that a difference in level occurs between the color filters and the light shielding portions (that is, the upper surface of the color filter layer cannot be made flat) is not limited to the dry film method. The same problem also occurs in the case of use of a spin coating method and a slit coating method (a method of performing film forming by ejecting a film forming material through a rectangular slit and by moving the slit relative to the substrate while maintaining a predetermined gap between the slit and the substrate surface, which is sometimes called a slot coating method or a dye coating method) and other film forming methods. Various attempts have been made to solve these problems.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-120613 discloses a method of reducing the difference in level between color filters and light shielding portions by performing a development step two times. More specifically, in this method, a light shielding film (black photosensitive resin film) is formed so as to cover a color filter layer and is exposed through a photomask from the upper surface side of the substrate and development is performed to form light shielding portions. When the light shielding portions are formed, internal portions of the light shielding portions are not substantially set. Also, due to an alignment margin (misalignment), the light shielding portions are formed so as to overlap end portions of the color filters. Subsequently, the shielding portions are set on the substrate side by performing back exposure. Thereafter, the second exposure is performed to remove portions (projections) formed on the color filters in the light shielding portions. According to the description of this method, the projections are removed by the second development step to flatten the upper surface of the color filter layer. In the method described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-120613, a dry film method is used to form the light shielding layer.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-248409 discloses a method of flattening the upper surface of a color filter layer in such a manner that a base layer having a flat surface is formed on a substrate by combining light shielding portions and transparent resin portions, and the color filter layer is formed on the base layer. The transparent resin portions must transmit visible light in this method. More specifically, in this manufacturing method, light shielding portions are formed in correspondence with the peripheries of pixels, transparent resin portions having the same thickness as that of the light shielding portions are thereafter formed on regions where the light shielding portions are not formed. A base layer formed of the light shielding portions and the transparent resin portions is formed on the substrate. A color filter layer is formed on this base layer. According to the description of this method, the upper surface of the color filter layer is flattened since the color filter layer is formed on the flat base layer. In the method described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-248409, a spin coating method is used to form the light shielding portions.
However, there is a problem that the upper surface of the color filter layer cannot be sufficiently flattened by either of the methods described in the above-described patent documents.
In the case of the method described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-120613, the light shielding film is exposed by using a photomask and, therefore, misalignment can occur in the pattern of the light shielding portions depending on the accuracy of the exposure apparatus, resulting in failure to form the light shielding portions in the desired configuration. In such a case, a gap maybe formed between the color filters and the light shielding portions in some location in the light shielding layer or a light shielding portion having a width exceeding the alignment margin may be formed on a color filter end portion, resulting in the formation of a projection or a recess in the upper surface of the color filter layer even after the second development step.
In the case of the method described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-248409, the color filter layer is formed on the flat base layer but a gap may be formed between the color filters to form a recess or the color filters may overlap one another to form a projection if misalignment occurs in patterning of the color filters.

Color filter substrate, method of manufacturing the color filter and display device


A method of introducing a physiologically-active agent into the circulatory system of a mammal is disclosed herein. The method utilizes a rapid drug delivery system which prevents deactivation or degradation of the active agent being administered to a patient in need of treatment. In particular, the drug delivery system is designed for pulmonary drug delivery such as by inhalation, for delivery of the active agents such as proteins and peptides to the pulmonary circulation in a therapeutically effective manner avoiding degradation of the active agents in peripheral and vascular tissue before reaching the target site.

Drug delivery systems for the treatment of disease which introduce active ingredients into the circulation are numerous and include oral, transdermal, subcutaneous and intravenous administration. While these systems have been used for quite a long time and can deliver sufficient medication for the treatment of many diseases, there are numerous challenges associated with these drug delivery mechanisms. In particular, delivery of effective amounts of proteins and peptides to treat a target disease has been problematic. Many factors are involved in introducing the right amount of the active agent, for example, preparation of the proper drug delivery formulation so that the formulation contains an amount of active agent that can reach its site(s) of action in an effective amount.
The active agent must be stable in the drug delivery formulation and the formulation should allow for absorption of the active agent into the circulation and remain active so that it can reach the site(s) of action at effective therapeutic levels. Thus, in the pharmacological arts, drug delivery systems which can deliver a stable active agent are of utmost importance.
Making drug delivery formulations therapeutically suitable for treating disease, depends on the characteristics of the active ingredient or agent to be delivered to the patient. Such characteristics can include in a non-limiting manner solubility, pH, stability, toxicity, release rate, and ease of removal from the body by normal physiologic processes. For example, in oral administration, if the agent is sensitive to acid, enteric coatings have been developed using pharmaceutically acceptable materials which can prevent the active agent from being released in the low pH (acid) of the stomach. Thus, polymers that are not soluble at acidic pH are used to formulate and deliver a dose containing acid-sensitive agents to the small intestine where the pH is neutral. At neutral pH, the polymeric coating can dissolve to release the active agent which is then absorbed into the enteric systemic circulation. Orally administered active agents enter the systemic circulation and pass through the liver. In certain cases, some portion of the dose is metabolized and/or deactivated in the liver before reaching the target tissues. In some instances, the metabolites can be toxic to the patient, or can yield unwanted side effects.
Similarly, subcutaneous and intravenous administration of pharmaceutically-active agents is not devoid of degradation and inactivation. With intravenous administration of drugs, the drugs or active ingredients can also be metabolized, for example in the liver, before reaching the target tissue. With subcutaneous administration of certain active agents, including various proteins and peptides, there is additionally degradation and deactivation by peripheral and vascular tissue enzymes at the site of drug delivery and during travel through the venous blood stream. In order to deliver a dose that will yield an acceptable quantity for treating disease with subcutaneous and intravenous administration of an active agent, dosing regimes will always have to account for the inactivation of the active agent by peripheral and vascular venous tissue and ultimately the liver.


A method of removing a hard mask during fabrication of semiconductor devices is provided. A protective layer, such as a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer or other dielectric layer, is formed over structures formed on a substrate, wherein spacers are formed alongside the structures. In an embodiment, the structures are gate electrodes having a hard mask formed thereon and the spacers are spacers formed alongside the gate electrodes. A photoresist layer is formed over the protective layer, and the photoresist layer may be patterned to remove a portion of the photoresist layer over portions of the protective layer. Thereafter, an etch-back process is performed, such that the protective layer adjacent to the spacers remains to substantially protect the spacers. The hard mask is then removed while the protective layer protects the spacers.

Some semiconductor devices, such as transistors, include one or more layers overlying a dielectric layer. For example, transistors are typically formed by depositing a dielectric layer and forming one or more gate layers over the dielectric layer. A hard mask layer is formed over the one or more gate layers. Thereafter, the hard mask layer and the one or more gate layers are patterned to form gate structures. Source/drain regions are formed by implanting ions on opposing sides of the gate structures. To create various doping profiles in the source/drain regions, spacers are frequently used. Spacers are formed alongside the gate structures by depositing a conformal dielectric layer and performing an anisotropic etch, thereby removing the dielectric layer from flat regions of a substrate while leaving a spacer alongside the gate structure. The spacers, among other things, protect the dielectric layer under the gate layers.
After forming the gate structure, the hard mask layer is usually removed. To remove the hard mask, a photoresist layer is formed over the gate structures and an etch-back process is performed to expose the hard mask layer, while remaining portions of the photoresist layer protect the spacers, isolation regions (e.g., shallow trench isolations, field oxide regions, or the like), and source/drain areas. Once exposed, the hard mask layer may be attacked.
During the etch-back process, however, the photoresist material alongside the gate structure may be recessed too far such that, when the hard mask layer is removed, a portion of the dielectric may be exposed and damaged, thereby adversely affecting the operation of the resulting device.

Hard mask removal for semiconductor devices

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Interface devices for facilitating communications between devices and communications networks are provided. According to one aspect, a destination interface device for providing communications between a first device and a second device comprises one or more inputs, one or more outputs, and logic. The one or more inputs of the destination interface device receive data in a first format from a source interface device. The logic translates the data to a second format compatible with the second device. The translated data is then transmitted to the second device via the one or more outputs. The destination interface device may subscribe to the source interface device for access to enhanced features as well as for access to data associated with communications networks and devices.

Emerging communications network protocols and solutions, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and WI-FI, allow individuals to use VoIP and WI-FI compatible devices to communicate with each other over wide area networks, such as the Internet, in the same manner in which they currently communicate over the Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN). However, in most instances, owners of legacy devices such as cellular telephones and Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) devices which are compatible with cellular networks and the PSTN are not capable of interfacing these devices to networks associated with the emerging communications network protocol and solutions. Thus, legacy device owners are inconvenienced by having multiple devices that lack functionality with the emerging communications network protocols and solutions. Owners of legacy devices cannot convert data sent via the emerging communications network protocols and solutions to formats compatible with the legacy devices. Moreover, users cannot dictate which devices should receive data and in what format the devices should receive the data. There is additionally no flexibility built into legacy systems that allows for receiving the data even when primary means for receiving the data is lost or for allowing devices to share features and functionality.


A locking differential having a collar member (35) fixed to rotate with the gear case (11), but free to move axially, and cooperating with a first sidegear (19) to define interdigitated lock members (41,43) operable, when the collar member is locked (FIG. 1), to prevent rotation of the first sidegear relative to the gear case (11). A spring (61) is disposed between the collar member and the gear case, to bias the collar member toward unlocked (FIG. 3). A plurality of actuation members (47) is provided, each having a first end (49) in engagement with the collar member, and a second end (51) in engagement with a ramp plate (53). When the actuating means is in the actuated condition, the ramp plate rotates relative to the gear case, and the actuation members ramp-up on the ramp plate and move the collar member from unlocked to locked.

The present invention relates to traction modifying differential devices, and more particularly, to such devices of the type in which the differential gearing can be "locked" in response to an input signal, such as an electrical input signal.
Traction modifying locking differentials of the type to which the present invention relates typically include a gear case defining a gear chamber, and disposed therein, a differential gear set including at least one input pinion gear and a pair of output side gears. Typically, such a "locking differential" includes some sort of locking mechanism to prevent rotation of one of the side gears relative to the gear case, the engagement of the locking mechanism being initiated by some sort of actuator. By way of example only, the actuator could include a ball ramp mechanism in which rotation of a ramp plate is retarded relative to the gear case, thus initiating ramping, in response to a signal being transmitted to an electromagnetic coil disposed adjacent the ramp plate. Examples of locking differentials of the type described hereinabove are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,083,134 and 6,551,209, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
In both of the locking differentials illustrated and described in the above-incorporated patents, transmitting an appropriate input signal to the electromagnetic coil results in a locking member engaging a mating portion associated with the differential side gear disposed immediately adjacent the actuator arrangement (which includes the electromagnetic coil). Although electrically actuated locking differentials made in accordance with the teachings of the above-incorporated patents are now in commercial production, and are performing in a satisfactory manner, the design configuration illustrated and described in the above-incorporated patents has one inherent characteristic which can limit the performance capability of the locking differential. With the actuator utilizing a conventional ball-ramp device (i.e., one having two ramp plates with a set of cam balls being disposed therebetween), a substantial amount of packaging space, both radially and axially, is taken up just by the ball ramp device. Furthermore, ball ramp devices inherently have a relatively small axial displacement, as the device "ramps up", and that can represent a disadvantage in a locking differential, as will be described subsequently.
As should be understood by those skilled in the art, the torque capacity of the locking mechanism in a locking differential is a function of (and is generally proportional to) the axial travel of the locking mechanism, as it moves between the locked and unlocked conditions. Furthermore, the travel of the locking mechanism is, in the devices of the above-incorporated patents, limited by the axial travel of the ball ramp device, i.e., by the axial travel of the "inner ramp plate" disposed adjacent the differential case. It has now also become understood that in the devices of the above-incorporated patents, the travel of the locking mechanism, and therefore, the torque capacity of the locking mechanism is further limited by the arrangement wherein the locking mechanism is associated with the side gear adjacent the actuator (the electromagnetic coil and ball ramp device), such that there is within the "package" a limited amount of space for the locking mechanism to achieve its "travel". By way of example only, in a commercial embodiment of a locking differential made in accordance with the teachings of above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,209, the locking members have an axial travel of only about 4 mm., and therefore, an effective "locking engagement" of only about 3 mm.
Also, as is known by those skilled in the art, the travel of the locking mechanism (in moving from the unlocked to the locked condition) must be matched by a biasing spring arrangement capable of moving the locking mechanism over a distance equal to the "travel", but oppositely, from the locked condition to the unlocked condition. The requirement for a biasing spring arrangement which is able to move the locking mechanism a distance equal to the required "travel" of the locking mechanism makes it much more difficult to package the locking mechanism, especially in the case of those devices in which the locking mechanism is on the end of the device immediately adjacent the actuator.

Electronically actuated locking differential


Described herein are techniques related to pre-fetching ads while serving ads in a live streaming video. In one implementation, the pre-fetching mechanism will set up a default set of ads pre-fetching criteria on a client and then the client will parse new/extra ads pre-fetching criteria from a live stream. Next the default set of ads pre-fetching criteria on the client will update via the parsed new/extra ads pre-fetching criteria. Now a notification from the live stream to pre-fetch ads is received by the client and the pre-fetched ads are obtained from the live stream. The client will receive a notification from the live stream to show ads and pre-fetched ads will be shown on the client. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

More and more users are watching online live streaming video (i.e., "live stream"). For instance, a number of users (i.e., "viewers") may watch National Basketball Association (NBA) games on the ESPN™ website (or Machinima™ games on a video hosting service). By and large, live streaming video is synchronized for all viewers. Consequently, each viewer will see live streamed advertisements (i.e., "streaming ads") at the same "wall-clock" time. Conversely, video on demand (VOD) viewers are not synchronized, and thus can start watching streaming video at any time. The VOD views see streaming advertisements at arbitrary times or asynchronously.

Pre-fetch ads while serving ads in live stream


A wall-mounted type microwave oven includes a casing defining an external appearance of the microwave oven. A power cord passes through an upper panel, which defines a top wall of the casing, to supply an external electrical power into the casing. A mounting hole is formed at the upper panel of the casing so as to be opened at a rear end of the upper panel, thus allowing the power cord to pass through the upper panel. A locking unit is provided at a predetermined portion of the power cord to engage with the mounting hole, thus locking the power cord to engage with the mounting hole, thus locking the power cord to upper panel. A rear panel defines a rear wall of the casing and supports a rear end of the locking unit. The wall-mounted type microwave oven is designed such that the locking unit is locked to the upper panel without additional components.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-80188, filed Dec. 16, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to wall-mounted type microwave ovens and, more particularly, to a wall-mounted type microwave oven which is designed to allow a power cord to be easily and efficiently mounted to the microwave oven.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known to those skilled in the art, a wall-mounted type microwave oven is installed above an oven range, in a kitchen. The wall-mounted type microwave oven serves to exhaust gas or smoke produced from the oven range which is positioned under the microwave oven, in addition to cooking food by microwaves in the wall-mounted type microwave oven.
The wall-mounted type microwave oven includes a casing which defines an external appearance thereof. A cooking cavity and a machine room are provided in the casing and separated from each other by a partition wall. An internal duct is provided outside of the cooking cavity and of the machine room in the casing to vent the exhaust gas or the smoke, produced from the oven range which is positioned under the wall-mounted type microwave oven, to the atmosphere.
The internal duct extends around lower portions, rear portions, and upper portions of the cooking cavity and the machine room. An air inlet port is formed at a bottom panel of the casing to suck the exhaust gas or the smoke into the casing. An exhaust fan is provided on an upper portion of the casing, and operates to discharge the exhaust gas and the smoke, which are sucked into the casing via the air inlet port and the internal duct, to the atmosphere.
In the wall-mounted type microwave oven, a power cord is installed to pass through the casing, and operates to supply electric power to a power supply unit which is provided in the casing. In this case, the power cord passes through an upper panel which defines a top wall of the casing.
Since a rear wall of the casing is mounted close to a wall of a kitchen and a side wall of the casing is mounted close to a cupboard to store kitchen utensils, the power cord is not mounted to the rear wall or the side wall of the casing but is mounted to the upper panel of the casing. When the power cord is installed to pass through a bottom wall of the casing, the power cord may be thermally deformed due to heat generated by the oven range which is positioned under the microwave oven.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mounting hole 4 is formed at a predetermined portion of an upper panel 2 which defines a top wall of a casing 1, so that a power cord 3 is installed to pass through the upper panel 2 of the casing 1.
A plug 3a is provided at an end of the power cord 3 which is outside the mounting hole 4, and is connected to an external power source. A locking unit 5 is provided at a predetermined portion of the power cord 3 to lock the power cord 3 to the upper panel 2.
The locking unit 5 is provided around a circumferential surface thereof with a locking groove 5a, thus engaging with the mounting hole 4 at the locking groove 5a. The mounting hole 4 is provided with a locking notch 4a, so that the locking groove 5a of the locking unit 5 engages with an edge of the locking notch 4a.
Further, the mounting hole 4 is provided with a guide opening 4b. The guide opening 4b has a width larger than the locking unit 5 to easily guide the locking unit 5 into the locking notch 4a. That is, the locking unit 5 engages with the edge of the locking notch 4a through the guide opening 4b of the mounting hole 4.
When the locking unit 5 engages with the edge of the locking notch 4a, the guide opening 4b is open. Thus, contaminants, such as dust, may flow into the casing 1 through the open guide opening 4b.
To prevent the contaminants, such as dust, from flowing into the casing 1 through the mounting hole 4 and to engage the locking unit 5 to the mounting hole 4, a cover 6 is mounted to the mounting hole 4. The cover 6 is fastened to the upper panel 2 using a fastener, such as a setscrew, thus covering the mounting hole 4. A stopper 6a is provided at an end of the cover 6 to surround a part of an upper surface and a side surface of the locking units, thus preventing the locking unit 5 from being unexpectedly removed from the locking notch 4a.
However, the conventional wall-mounted type microwave oven has a problem that components, such as a cover, are additionally required, so a manufacturing cost is increased, The conventional wall-mounted type microwave oven has another problem that the cover is fastened to a casing using a setscrew, so its assembling efficiency is poor.
Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a wall-mounted type microwave oven which reduces a number of required components, thus reducing a manufacturing cost of the wall-mounted type microwave oven, and enhancing an assembling efficiency of the wall-mounted type microwave oven.
Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The above and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a wall-mounted type microwave oven, including a casing defining an external appearance of the wall-mounted type microwave oven, a power cord passing through an upper panel, which defines a top wall of the casing to supply external electrical power into the casing, and a mounting hole formed at the upper panel of the casing so as to be opened at a rear end of the upper panel, thus allowing the power cord to pass through the upper panel. The wall-mounted type microwave oven also includes a locking unit provided at a predetermined portion of the power cord to engage with the mounting hole, thus locking the power cord to the upper panel, and a rear panel defining a rear wall of the casing and supporting a rear end of the locking unit.
The locking unit is provided around a circumferential surface thereof with a locking groove, thus engaging with the mounting hole at a locking groove. The mounting hole includes a locking notch having a width corresponding to the locking groove so that the locking groove of the locking unit engages with an edge of the locking notch, and a guide opening having a width larger than the locking unit to guide the locking unit into the locking notch.
Further, a support rib forwardly extends along an upper edge of the rear panel to support the rear end of the locking unit and close the guide opening.
The locking unit includes upper and lower bodies of a rectangular plate shaped so as to define the locking groove between the upper and lower bodies.
The upper panel is depressed downwardly at a portion around the locking notch, thus preventing the upper body of the locking unit from being projected from the upper panel of the casing.
Further, the locking unit is integrated with the power cord.


A combustor for a gas turbine engine operates with high combustion efficiency, and low nitrous oxide emissions during engine operations. The combustor includes at least one trapped vortex cavity, a fuel delivery system including two fuel circuits, and a fuel spray bar assembly. A pilot fuel circuit supplies fuel to the trapped vortex cavity and a main fuel circuit supplies fuel to the combustor. The fuel spray bar assembly includes a spray bar and a heat shield. The spray bar is sized to fit within the heat shield. The heat shield includes aerodynamically-shaped upstream and downstream sides.

This application relates generally to combustors and, more particularly, to gas turbine combustors.
Air pollution concerns worldwide have led to stricter emissions standards both domestically and internationally. Aircraft are governed by both Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. These standards regulate the emission of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) from aircraft in the vicinity of airports, where they contribute to urban photochemical smog problems. Most aircraft engines are able to meet current emission standards using combustor technologies and theories proven over the past 50 years of engine development. However, with the advent of greater environmental concern worldwide, there is no guarantee that future emissions standards will be within the capability of current combustor technologies.
In general, engine emissions fall into two classes: those formed because of high flame temperatures (NOx), and those formed because of low flame temperatures which do not allow the fuel-air reaction to proceed to completion (HC and CO). A small window exists where both pollutants are minimized. For this window to be effective, however, the reactants must be well mixed, so that burning occurs evenly across the mixture without hot spots, where NOx is produced, or cold spots, when CO and HC are produced. Hot spots are produced where the mixture of fuel and air is near a specific ratio when all fuel and air react (i.e. no unburned fuel or air is present in the products). This mixture is called stoichiometric. Cold spots can occur if either excess air is present (called lean combustion), or if excess fuel is present (called rich combustion).
Known gas turbine combustors include mixers which mix high velocity air with a fine fuel spray. These mixers usually consist of a single fuel injector located at a center of a swirler for swirling the incoming air to enhance flame stabilization and mixing. Both the fuel injector and mixer are located on a combustor dome.
In general, the fuel to air ratio in the mixer is rich. Since the overall combustor fuel-air ratio of gas turbine combustors is lean, additional air is added through discrete dilution holes prior to exiting the combustor. Poor mixing and hot spots can occur both at the dome, where the injected fuel must vaporize and mix prior to burning, and in the vicinity of the dilution holes, where air is added to the rich dome mixture.
Properly designed, rich dome combustors are very stable devices with wide flammability limits and can produce low HC and CO emissions, and acceptable NOx emissions. However, a fundamental limitation on rich dome combustors exists, since the rich dome mixture must pass through stoichiometric or maximum NOx producing regions prior to exiting the combustor. This is particularly important because as the operating pressure ratio (OPR) of modern gas turbines increases for improved cycle efficiencies and compactness, combustor inlet temperatures and pressures increase the rate of NOx production dramatically. As emission standards become more stringent and OPR""s increase, it appears unlikely that traditional rich dome combustors will be able to meet the challenge.
One state-of-the-art lean dome combustor is referred to as a trapped vortex combustor because it includes a trapped vortex incorporated into a combustor liner. Such combustors include a dome inlet module and an elaborate fuel delivery system. The fuel delivery system includes a spray bar that supplies fuel to the trapped vortex cavity and to the dome inlet module. The spray bar includes a heat shield that minimizes heat transfer from the combustor to the spray bar. Because of the velocity of air flowing through the combustor, recirculation zones may form downstream from the heat shield and the fuel and air may not mix thoroughly prior to ignition. As a result of the fuel being recirculated, a flame may damage the heat shield, or fuel may penetrate into the heat shield and be auto-ignited.
In an exemplary embodiment, a combustor for a gas turbine engine operates with high combustion efficiency and low carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and smoke emissions during engine power operations. The combustor includes at least one trapped vortex cavity, a fuel delivery system that includes at least two fuel circuits, and a fuel spray bar assembly that supplies fuel to the combustor. The two fuel stages include a pilot fuel circuit that supplies fuel to the trapped vortex cavity and a main fuel circuit that supplies fuel to the combustor. The fuel spray bar assembly includes a spray bar and a heat shield. The spray bar is sized to fit within the heat shield and includes a plurality of injector tips. The heat shield includes aerodynamically-shaped upstream and downstream sides and a plurality of openings in flow communication with the spray bar injection tips.
During operation, fuel is supplied to the combustor through the spray bar assembly. Combustion gases generated within the trapped vortex cavity swirl and stabilize the mixture prior to the mixture entering a combustion chamber. The heat shield improves fuel and air mixing while preventing recirculation zones from forming downstream from the heat shield. During operation, high heat transfer loads develop resulting from convection due to a velocity of heated inlet air and radiation from combustion gases generated within the combustor. The heat shield protects the spray bar assembly from heat transfer loads. Furthermore, the spray bar assembly prevents fuel from auto-igniting within the heat shield. Because the fuel and air are mixed more thoroughly, peak flame temperatures within the combustion chamber are reduced and nitrous oxide emissions generated within the combustor are also reduced. As a result, a combustor is provided which operates with a high combustion efficiency while controlling and maintaining emmissions during engine operations.

Methods and apparatus for decreasing combustor emissions


A compact disc removal tool for removing a compact disc from holding tabs in its carrying case, for transporting the disc to a compact disc player machine, and for replacement of the disc in its carrying case. The tool consists of a pair of longitudinally aligned, oppositely directed elongated arms having at their opposite distal ends outstanding cupped fingers adapted to encompass opposite sides of a compact disc, the arms connected at the point proximate each other to a central body split ring oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the arms. Centrally located on the removal tool on each arm proximal end for disengaging the carrying case disc holding tabs is a partial circular arc ridge adapted to engage the disc circular face, an adjacent circular arc depression, and a vertical circular wall interposed the ridge and the depression. The split ring, when grasped and compressed over a compact disc in its carrying case, causes the cupped fingers to engage opposite sides of the compact disc while the circular walls simultaneously engage the carrying case holding tabs to release their hold upon the centrally located opening of the compact disc. With the release of the disc by the holding tabs, the disc is easily removed from its position in the holding case.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is devices adapted to facilitate the removal, carrying, and replacement of compact discs from their carrying case to and from compact disc player machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Relatively new in the recorded music field have been the advent of compact discs. These compact discs, generally made of a thin circular sheet of aluminum, have music and voice recorded upon them in a laser encoded manner. The compact disc is utilized in compact disc player machines by rotation of the disc while passing over an operating laser, the laser so positioned to direct a beam of light to the underside of the compact disc wherein the light is reflected to light receiving means, such as light sensitive phototransistors. Operative circuitry attached to the light receiving means produce a very high quality, high fidelity reproduction of the voice and music originally recorded on the compact disc. Since the laser beam illuminates and reflects off a very small area of the compact disc, it is very important that the surface of the compact disc which reflects the laser beam be kept clean and free of dirt and other contaminates, such as body oil from a person's fingers, which, if present, would tend to distort the laser beam impinging upon the compact disc.
To that end, the compact disc manufacturers suggest that the compact disc be picked up by a person's fingers on opposite sides, at the peripheral edge, and if the disc must be handled, that only the top flat circular disc be touched inasmuch as the coded information is on the flat circular bottom of the disc. The disc is round, about 45/8 inches in diameter, approximately 1/16 inch thick, and has a centrally located opening approximately 9/16 inch diameter.
While if one perfectly handles the compact disc with their fingers, transfer of skin oil to the bottom side of the disc may be avoided, however, it would be far better if there were available a tool which permitted the grasping of the disc for removal, carrying, and replacement purposes which avoided all possible human contact with the disc.
The compact discs are typically kept in a carrying case having a lid which swings open to reveal the compact disc inside. The carrying case is characterized by a centrally located hub with a plurality of upward protruding knee-shaped holding tabs, the sides of the holding tabs forming a circle adapted to receive the centrally located opening of the compact disc in a frictional engagement for securing the disc in the carrying case. When one lifts the disc from its carrying case by grasping the disc at opposite peripheral edges, removal of the disc is opposed by the holding tabs in the centrally located opening and by continual pulling of the disc upward and away from the carrying case will it slip off the holding tabs. However, in the process, one can observe the disc bending and flexing. Whether or not this injures the disc is unknown. Certainly, breakage may be possible. However, it has been the Inventor's experience that different manufacturer's holding cases utilize slightly different diameter holding tabs inasmuch for the same compact disc, some carrying cases release it easier than others. Accordingly, it is possible that some manufacturers may have a carrying case which grasp a compact disc so tightly via its holding tabs that in removal of the disc, breakage could occur.
It is to this end that it would be useful to provide a tool which permits the removal of the compact disc from its carrying case wherein the possibility of contamination of the face of the compact disc by the operator is completely avoided. It would also be advantageous if such tool accomplished removal of the compact disc from its carrying case by also acting upon the holding tabs such that they released the compact disc at the time that the disc is removed in order that possible cracking or breaking of the compact disc is avoided.
Accordingly, there is an advantage of providing a compact disc removal tool which grasps the compact disc at opposite peripheral sides as intended by the compact disc manufacturer and which, at the same time, acts upon the holding tabs to reduce their frictional engagement of the compact disc centrally located opening in order that removal of the compact disc from its carrying case is performed in a relatively effortless manner and operator contamination of the compact disc is avoided.


In the production of epoxidized fatty alcohols by reaction of fatty alcohols containing at least one olefinic double bond with hydrogen peroxide and formic acid, the formation of secondary products is reduced by carrying out the epoxidation in the presence of a buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the production of epoxidized fatty alcohols.
2. Statement of Related Art
The conventional process for the production of epoxides from organic compounds containing at least one olefinic double bond is based on the so-called Prileschajew reaction, i.e. epoxidation with percarboxylic acids (cf. D. Swern, Organic Peroxides, Vol. II, Wiley Interscience, 1971, pages 355-533).
In the practical application of this process, the percarboxylic acids are not generally used as starting materials; instead, the corresponding carboxylic acids are combined with hydrogen peroxide to form percarboxylic acids which react in situ with the olefinic double bonds. The carboxylic acids used are, for example, formic acid, acetic acid and higher homologs thereof. Catalysts, for example sulfuric acid and other mineral acids, are often used to accelerate the reaction. Although these catalysts do accelerate the reaction, they have the disadvantage that they also initiate secondary reactions including opening the oxirane ring.
Performic acid formed in situ from formic acid and hydrogen peroxide is often used for the epoxidation of olefinically unsaturated organic compounds. This system has the advantage that the formation of the percarboxylic acid does not require a catalyst. However, in view of the fact that formic acid is a stronger acid than the other carboxylic acids used for the in situ epoxidation reaction, there is an increased tendency here toward unwanted opening of the oxirane ring (cf. D. Swern, loc. cit., pages 400-401).
The epoxidation of olefinic double bonds carried out in the absence of catalysts with performic acid formed in situ is preferably used in the production of epoxides from olefins and triglycerides containing unsaturated fatty acids (cf. German Application 30 02 861 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,485,160).
The application of the epoxidation process known from the cited prior art using performic acid formed in situ to the production of epoxidized fatty alcohols gives unsatisfactory results. In addition to the secondary reactions mentioned above, unwanted formic acid esters are formed, leaving the epoxidized fatty alcohol with an unsaturated (high) saponification value.

Process for the production of epoxidized fatty alcohols


A network image fusion service is provided that is configured to receive a plurality of image data and to execute at least one image fusion processes in both software and hardware. The image fusion process logic has been divided between instructions to be executed in software and logic to be executed in hardware. The software instructions may be executed by a processor within the network element or in a processor associated with network service. The hardware logic is executed in a reconfigurable programmable logic device such as an FPGA. The network service may be included within the network element, be separate from a network element but associated therewith, or may be external to the network and accessible by a plurality of network elements.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to image processing systems and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing medical image data in a network environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical diagnostic imaging allows radiologists to perform diagnosis of many types of injury and disease by imaging various internal body parts. For example, radiologists utilize diagnostic imaging to visualize organs in the abdomen, the chest cavity, the brain and central nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, and other body parts. Diagnostic imaging may be used to detect potential cancer abnormalities; bone densitometry; joint, bone, or soft tissue injuries; and many other types of diseases. Presently, diagnostic imaging includes many different imaging modalities such as x-rays, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine to name but a few.
Traditionally, almost all diagnostic imaging was film based. An image was recorded on a physical piece of film that had to be developed, provided to the physician for viewing, reviewed by the physician, and recorded and stored in an archive. Often there was a significant time delay between the taking of the image and the physician reviewing the image. In addition, the storage of film images required a large physical space and associated record keeping. If a physician needed to refer to a patient's stored records, the film images needed to be physically found, retrieved, and provided to the physician. Often there was a significant time delay in this process as well.
To address these issues, diagnostic imaging technology has advanced and medical diagnostic imaging has shifted from a film based system to a digitally based system in which diagnostic images are recorded, transferred, viewed, and stored electronically. Several types of digital imaging modalities, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging generate a large number of images during each diagnostic examination that are then combined to form a three-dimensional volume image. One examination can generate between twenty and one hundred images or more. The processing of the large number of image files to render a single fused image is time consuming, so that a technician typically performs the image fusion prior to the fused image being provided to the radiologist for review. In some instances, the image formed by the technician is not exactly what the radiologist needed and the determination is made that other images are necessary. The time delay between taking the image and the review by the doctor or radiologist may thus be considerable. Thus, the patient may be required to return at a later time for more images to be taken, or the patient may be required to wait until the radiologist has reviewed the images and made a determination as to whether more images are needed. In either case, the patient is required to be subjected to further inconvenience.

Method and apparatus for processing medical image data in a network environment


A straddle type vehicle comprising a vehicle body frame including a head pipe and a main frame extending from the head pipe to a rear side, and a headlight unit provided on a front side of the vehicle body frame, and further comprising a support stay fixed to the vehicle body frame to support a predetermined vehicle constituent component on the front side of the vehicle body frame, and a driving support sensor fixed to the support stay on a lower side of the headlight unit.

As an example of a four-wheeled vehicle, a vehicle capable of performing some or all of driving operations such as acceleration and braking on the side of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), that is, performing driving support has been proposed (PTL 1). According to PTL 1, a plurality of driving support sensors, for example, cameras, radars, and the like are arranged around a vehicle body, and the driving support is implemented based on the detection results of the traveling environment of the four-wheeled vehicle by the driving support sensors.


An apparatus and method is provided for stabilizing CT number calculations by a CT system against fluctuations in the x-ray source voltage due to voltage source drift. A voltage reference level is established, by adjusting the voltage to the value which yields the correct CT number for a sample having a known CT number value. The x-ray energy spectrum measured by a kV meter is used to maintain the voltage constant at this reference level. The kV meter has a principal detector that generates a first intensity magnitude of the x-rays, and an auxiliary detector that generates a second intensity magnitude. The auxiliary detector includes an absorber that preferentially absorbs x-ray photons having a relatively low energy. A feedback controller provides to the voltage source a voltage control signal, which is continuously adjusted as a function of the first and second intensity magnitudes, so as to maintain the voltage constant at the reference level.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to the measurement of CT numbers, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for stabilizing the measurement of CT numbers.
X-ray computed tomography (CT) allows an image of the internal structure of a target object to be generated, one cross-sectional slice at a time, by irradiating the target object with x-rays. The target object may be an anatomical region of a patient, such as the head or the chest. In this case, CT allows structures inside the human body, such as blood clots and tumors, to be visualized accurately without invasive surgery. Many other applications have been found for CT, including but not limited to, the detection of explosives in luggage and the analysis of fluids in petroleum engineering.
In a CT system, x-rays emitted from an x-ray source pass through a slice of the target object, and are detected by a detection system. The slice is irradiated from many different directions, for example by rotating the x-ray source and detector around a patient so that each revolution of the x-ray source and detector produces a scan of a single slice of the target region. In spiral (or helical) CT systems, the x-ray source rotates continuously as the patient is moved through the x-ray scan field, so that a continuous set of data is obtained for the entire region scanned.
The detection system measures the intensity of the x-ray beam that has been transmitted through a slice of the target object. The material within a slice irradiated by an x-ray beam attenuates the beam by absorbing and/or scattering the x-rays. The detection system generates detection signals indicative of the attenuated intensities of the x-rays that have traversed the slice, digitizes them, and transmits the digitized detection signals to a computer.
The computer implements image processing techniques, known in the art, to generate an image of the target object, slice by slice. Each slice is viewed as being composed of a plurality of individual volume elements. Information regarding the total attenuation of each of a very large number of x-ray beams, which traverse the patient in essentially all directions and at all radii from the center of the field of view, is used to determine the density and structure of each volume element. Each volume element is characterized by a numerical value, referred to as the CT number, which represents the x-ray attenuation characteristics of the element. CT numbers are conventionally scaled relative to the x-ray attenuation coefficient of pure water, which is assigned a CT number equal to 0 under the Hounsfield scale that ranges from low density (about xe2x88x921000) to high density (about +3095). The CT number of a material thus represents the attenuation coefficient of the material relative to the attenuation coefficient (0) of pure water. Soft tissues commonly have CT numbers in the range from about xe2x88x92100 to about 200. The CT number for bone is from about 800 to about 1400, whereas metals often have CT numbers in excess of 2000.
A CT image is generated as a map or distribution within the target object of such arrays of CT numbers. The reconstruction of an image by a CT system thus requires an accurate measurement of x-ray attenuations, and an accurate determination of CT numbers. Many industrial applications of CT require that the CT number of a material be determined with great precision and accuracy. As one example, part of the recognition algorithm used in CT scanning for the detection of explosives refers to the CT numbers of known explosives in order to recognize explosives within an object, such as luggage.
The calculated CT numbers are related to the energy of the x-ray beam, which in turn is related to the voltage provided to the x-ray source that generates the x-rays. The calculated CT numbers thus depend strongly on the voltage provided by the power supply to the x-ray source. The only other parameters that affect the CT number are those that define the physical geometry of the CT scanner and its inherent x-ray absorption, which can be maintained constant over long periods of time. Any fluctuations in the x-ray source voltage thus impair the accuracy and stability of CT number measurements by a CT system. These fluctuations are typically caused by voltage source drift, for example due to the drift of resistor values with time. A CT system must therefore have a very stable voltage source connected to the x-ray source, in order for accurate and stable measurements of CT numbers to be possible. In order to reliably make about 0.1% measurements of CT numbers for many years, the voltage provided to the x-ray source must be stable to about 0.03%, for many years.
Stability in x-ray source voltage is very difficult and expensive to obtain in practice, because very stable electronic components are typically not suitable for high voltage applications, such as the generation of x-rays. Indeed, the task of testing the electronic components of a CT system, and proving that they are stable over time and over possible changes in the environment, is very expensive and difficult. It is therefore desirable to provide a CT system which has inherently stable components that do not require such testing.
It is an object of this invention to provide a low-cost method and apparatus for allowing a CT system to determine CT numbers with improved accuracy and stability. It is another object to provide a method and apparatus for maintaining the determination of CT numbers by a CT system stable against fluctuations in the voltage provided to the x-ray source.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for stabilizing the measurement of CT numbers against fluctuations in the x-ray source voltage. In the present invention, CT number measurements are stabilized by detecting the fluctuations in the x-ray source voltage or equivalently, in the x-ray energy, using x-ray intensity magnitudes that are measured by a device, henceforth called a kV meter.
A CT system in accord with the present invention includes an x-ray source for emitting x-rays in response to an accelerating voltage provided by a voltage source. A detection system, preferably including an array of detectors, detects x-rays emitted by the x-ray source and transmitted through a target object. The CT system further includes an image processor for reconstructing a CT image of the target object. The image processor calculates the CT numbers of the target object from the measurements of the attenuated intensities of x-rays transmitted through the target object and detected by the detector system.
The CT system also includes a kV meter. In the present invention, the kV meter includes a principal detector and an auxiliary detector. The auxiliary detector is covered with an absorber that removes a large fraction of the lower-energy x-ray photons in the incident x-ray beam. The ratio between a first x-ray intensity magnitude measured by the principal detector, and a second x-ray intensity magnitude measured by the auxiliary detector, is a strong, stable function of the voltage supplied to the x-ray source. This ratio, or the corresponding voltage, serves as a reference level for the stabilization of the power source for subsequent CT number measurements by the CT system.
As a calibration, the CT system calculates the CT number of a sample having a known CT number value. The sample may be a vessel containing water, by way of example. The voltage supplied by the voltage source is adjusted to the value which yields the correct, known CT number value for the sample. The kV meter measures the x-ray intensities from the principal and the auxiliary detector, and determines from them the magnitude of the voltage supplied to the x-ray source, when the CT number of the sample, as calculated by the CT system, matches the known CT number.
The CT system includes a controller, which provides a voltage control signal to the voltage source. The controller continuously adjusts the voltage control signal so as to maintain the voltage constant at the reference level established during calibration. Equivalently, the controller adaptively adjusts the voltage control signal based on a known and measurable function of the first and second intensity magnitudes generated by the kV meter, such as the measured ratio of the first and second intensity magnitudes as referred to above. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the controller uses the measured ratio or other known function as a sensitive way of detecting any fluctuation in voltage from the reference level, and adaptively adjusts the control signal based on the measured ratio or other known function of the intensity magnitudes. Undesirable fluctuations in voltage are thereby prevented, and the measurement of CT numbers is stabilized against such fluctuations.
A method is provided for stabilizing the measurement of CT numbers by a CT system having an x-ray source for emitting x-rays in response to a voltage supplied by a voltage source. The method includes calibrating the CT system, initially. During calibration, the CT number of a sample (for example a water sample) having a known CT number value is calculated. The method includes adjusting the x-ray source voltage of the CT system, until the calculated value of the CT number of the sample matches the known CT number value. The magnitude of this x-ray source voltage then serves as a reference level for feedback control.
The method includes using the x-ray spectrum measured by a kV meter to keep the voltage constant against fluctuations from the reference level, caused by voltage source drift. The method includes using a principal detector, and an auxiliary detector including an absorber that preferentially absorbs x-ray photons having a relatively low energy. The method includes measuring a first x-ray intensity magnitude using the principal detector, and measuring a second x-ray intensity magnitude using the auxiliary detector.
The method includes providing a voltage control signal to the voltage source, during subsequent CT number measurements by the CT system. The method includes continually adjusting the voltage control signal as a function of the ratio (or other measurable relationship) between the first and second intensity magnitudes. In this way, the x-ray source voltage is maintained substantially constant at the reference level established during calibration, thereby substantially reducing in the CT system a variation in the measured values of CT numbers caused by voltage source drift.

Method and apparatus for stabilizing the measurement of CT numbers


Boron-containing compounds, gasses and fluids are used during ammonothermal growth of group-Ill nitride crystals. Boron-containing compounds are used as impurity getters during the ammonothermal growth of group-Ill nitride crystals. In addition, a boron-containing gas and/or supercritical fluid is used for enhanced solubility of group-Ill nitride into said fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ammonothermal growth of group-III nitrides.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ammonothermal growth of group-III nitrides, for example, GaN, involves placing, within a reactor vessel, group-III containing source materials, group-III nitride seed crystals, and a nitrogen-containing solvent, such as ammonia, sealing the vessel and heating the vessel to conditions such that the vessel is at elevated temperatures (between 23° C. and 1000° C.) and high pressures (between 1 atm and, for example, 30,000 atm). Under these temperatures and pressures, the nitrogen-containing solvent may become a supercritical fluid which normally exhibits enhanced solubility of the group-III containing materials into solution. The solubility of the group-III containing materials into the nitrogen-containing solvent is dependent on the temperature, pressure and density of the solvent, among other things. By creating two different zones within the vessel, it is possible to establish a solubility gradient where, in one zone, the solubility will be higher than in a second zone. The group-III containing source materials are then preferentially placed in the higher solubility zone and the seed crystals in the lower solubility zone. By establishing fluid motion of the solvent with the dissolved source materials between these two zones, for example, by making use of natural convection, it is possible to transport the fluid from the higher solubility zone to the lower solubility zone where the group-III nitride crystals are grown on the seed crystals.
What is need in the art are improved techniques for ammonothermal growth of group-III nitrides. The present invention satisfies this need.

Using boron-containing compounds, gasses and fluids during ammonothermal growth of group-III nitride crystals

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