We describe an example system including a wireless cellular channel to transmit voice data associated with a call between a server and a wireless device. A wireless signaling channel, distinct from the wireless cellular channel, transmits supplementary signaling packets between the server and the wireless device.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) enable users to access public, private, or enterprise wireless networks through wireless devices, like laptop computers. WLANs provide high-rate wireless data access in a relatively small area using a variety of wireless access protocols including the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol. Voice over wireless local area networks (VoWLANs) build on WLANs by allowing voice enabled wireless devices like cellular phones to deliver packetized voice data over WLANs. This technology is often called Vo Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi VoIP because it uses the IEEE 802.11 protocol for wirelessly transporting voice over the WLAN and the Internet. The IEEE 802.11 protocol is, however, designed to support packetized data communication within a limited area. Voice enabled wireless devices using only the IEEE 802.11 protocol to transport voice packets are thus operable in only that limited area. And voice quality often suffers because the IEEE 802.11 protocol is optimized for wireless data communication and not voice.
Vendors of voice enabled wireless devices are currently making dual mode voice enabled wireless devices that include both the IEEE 802.11 protocol wireless capabilities in addition to standard cell phone technology. These dual mode wireless devices operate in both VoWLANs using the IEEE 802.11 protocol and in standard cellular networks.

Enhanced wireless voice services using a signaling protocol


A metal recovery apparatus in which metal-laden fluid is cycled through an electrolytic cell at a relatively low flow rate, but fluid within the cell is forced to swirl at a relatively high speed to improve electroplating of metal on an electrode. Two fluid circuits are used to achieve the high speed within the cell: a fluid supply circuit runs fluid through the apparatus at a relatively low flow rate (about 2 to about 4 gallons per minute); a fluid circulation circuit boosts the speed of the fluid within the cell and forces it to swirl by discharging fluid drawn from the cell back into the cell at a relatively high flow rate (about 20 to about 40 gallons per minute). The apparatus includes inner and outer electrodes defining an annular space in which the fluid circulates. The outer electrode is preferably removable from the apparatus and is preferably the cathode. A seam in the cathode allows the cathode to be opened for removal of metal plated on the cathode. Current efficiency within the circulating fluid is optimized by using a cathode-to-anode surface area ratio of between about 1.8:1 and about 2.4:1, further enhancing recovery of metal from the fluid. The apparatus is particularly suited for the recovery of silver from photographic chemicals, especially bleach-fix solutions.

In many commercial and chemical processes, such as photographic film processing, metals are dissolved in fluids. The metal-laden fluids are often simply thrown away, wasting valuable metals and polluting the environment. As a result, methods and apparatus have been developed to recover these metals from the fluids in which they are dissolved.
A typical recovery apparatus includes an electrolytic cell through which metal-laden fluid is cycled. The cell typically includes two electrodes between which the fluid passes, one or more of the electrodes being rotated to provide agitation of the fluid. The fluid is stored in a batch tank and is sent through the cell by a fluid supply circuit. As fluid passes through the cell, metal plates onto one of the electrodes by virtue of an electrolytic reaction. In the case of silver, it plates onto the cathode. The metal-laden fluid is circulated through the supply circuit until the electrolytic reaction reaches equilibrium, at which point the fluid is drained from the cell and the metal is removed from the electrode.
Prior art recovery devices typically have a low flow rate within the cell as a result of the use of a single fluid circuit (the supply circuit). The low flow rate results in limited exposure of the fluid to the electrode onto which the dissolved metal plates. A batch of fluid, therefore, takes a long time to reach equilibrium.
Prior art devices do not take full advantage of the relationship between the current efficiency in a cell and the rate at which metal plates onto the electrode. These devices have lower than optimum current efficiencies, reducing the amount of metal that can be drawn out of solution in a given amount of time. This also increases the amount of time a batch of fluid takes to reach equilibrium.


A microphone device includes an audio signal output circuit that balanced-outputs, through a balanced transmission line, an audio signal output from a condenser microphone unit, a balanced output terminal including a hot terminal, a cold terminal, and a ground terminal connected to the balanced transmission line, a power supply circuit that supplies a phantom power supply to the audio output circuit from the balanced output terminal through the balanced transmission line, and a display circuit including light emitting elements that perform lighting and non-lighting according to an operation of a manual switch, and the display circuit includes constant current elements that generate a constant current through the balanced transmission line, a constant voltage element connected to the constant current elements and which generates a constant voltage, and light emitting elements connected to the constant current elements, and to which the constant voltage by the constant voltage element is applied.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microphone device favorably used in conference rooms and the like, and especially relates to a microphone device including light emitting elements, which can suppress occurrence of noises based on switching of lighting and non-lighting of the light emitting elements included in the microphone.
Description of the Related Art
For example, as conference microphones installed on speech tables of conference rooms or tables of conference attendees, gooseneck-type microphones are provided. The gooseneck-type microphones include a stand arm with a long neck and including a flexible pipe that easily enables angle or height adjustment, and a microphone case in which a microphone unit is housed is attached to a tip portion of the stand arm.
As the gooseneck-type microphones, typically, a small and light condenser microphone is used, and a phantom power feed system is employed in order to operate an impedance converter of the condenser microphone, the phantom power feed system being able to obtain an operation power supply from a microphone amplifier unit side, such as a mixer, using a signal line of the microphone.
In the above-described microphones installed in conference rooms or the like, a microphone including a light emitting element therein is provided in order to have smooth progress of conferences, and a light bulb or an LED is used as the light emitting element.
Currently, in many of these types of microphones, LED which consumes little power and has good visibility is used as the light emitting element.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a gooseneck-type microphone including light emitting elements. A gooseneck-type microphone 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is configured from a base portion 2 detachably mounted to a socket attached on a conference desk or a desk surface, a stand arm 3 attached to the base portion 2, and a microphone case 4 attached to an upper end portion of the stand arm 3.
The stand arm 3 is configured from a center relay pipe 3a, and flexible pipes 3b and 3c attached to upper and lower both ends of the relay pipe 3a.
Further, a condenser microphone unit and an audio signal output circuit including an impedance conversion circuit described below are housed in the microphone case 4 attached to the upper end portion of the stand arm 3. Further, a plurality of light transmission holes 4a is formed along a peripheral side surface of the microphone case 4, and the light transmission hole 4a is embedded with a translucent resin material. Light from LEDs (not illustrated) as the light emitting elements housed in the microphone case 4 is projected to an outside through the translucent resin material of the light transmission holes 4a.
The LEDs as the light emitting elements mounted on the gooseneck-type microphone 1 is subjected to lighting (light emission) and non-lighting operations by remote control by a chairman of a conference or an operator who can overlook the entire conference room. Accordingly, the chairman can prompt a speaker with a lighted light emitting element to speak, and can smoothly advance the conference.
By the way, as a power supply that lights the LEDs as the light emitting elements mounted on each microphone, two means can be considered, which include means to supply a power supply independent of an outside, and means to use a power supply to be supplied to the audio output circuit of the microphone.
When the latter means to use a power supply to be supplied to the microphone is used, there are advantages that only a control signal line that controls lighting and non-lighting of the light emitting elements may just be wired, and it is not necessary to separately supply a current that lights the LEDs as the light emitting elements.
FIG. 2 illustrates a circuit example of a conventional microphone device 1 that lights an LED using a power supply to be supplied to an audio output circuit of a microphone.
The reference sign 5 in FIG. 2 illustrates a condenser microphone unit. An output of the condenser microphone unit 5 is subjected to impedance conversion, and is output from an output terminal (output connector) 8 as a balanced output signal by an audio signal output circuit 6.
This output terminal 8 is a three-pin type connector including a first pin P1 for grounding, a second pin P2 used as a hot side of a signal, and a third pin P3 used as a cold side of the signal. A signal from the microphone 1 is sent to a microphone amplifier unit such as a mixer (not illustrated) through a microphone cable (balanced shield cable (not illustrated)) connected to the output terminal 8.
Further, a direct current equally divided through the second pin P2 and the third pin P3 of the output terminal 8 is sent from a phantom power feed circuit included in the microphone amplifier unit side such as the mixer to the microphone 1 side. Then, a light emitting drive current is supplied to the above-described audio signal output circuit 6 including the impedance conversion circuit, and a display circuit 9 including an LED (D1) as the light emitting element, using a direct current drive voltage generated in a power supply circuit 7 arranged at the microphone 1 side.
Note that configurations of the audio signal output circuit 6 including the impedance conversion circuit and the power supply circuit 7 illustrated in FIG. 2 are the same as an embodiment according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3 described below. Therefore, in FIGS. 2 and 3, a portion serving the same function is denoted with the same reference sign, and details thereof will be described below based on FIG. 3.
In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, the display circuit 9 that performs lighting and non-lighting of the LED (D1) as the light emitting element mounted on the microphone 1 by remote control, using the direct current power supply by the power supply circuit 7, is included.
That is, an anode of the LED (D1) is connected to the display circuit 9 through a resistance R7 that receives a drive current from the power supply circuit 7 and a constant current diode CR2, and a cathode of the LED (D1) is connected to a ground. Then, a condenser C7 is inserted between a connection point of the resistance R7 and the constant current diode CR2, and the ground, and an N-type MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) is connected in parallel to the LED (D1). Then, a gate of the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) is connected to a signal line connector 10.
A remote control operation unit 11 that performs a blinking operation of the LED (D1) is connected to the signal line connector 10 at the microphone device 1 side through a connector 12. A resistance R9 and a manual switch S1 are connected in series and arranged between a direct current operation power supply Vcc and the ground in the remote control operation unit 11. Then, a connection point of the resistance R9 and the manual switch S1 is connected to a Schmitt trigger circuit ST that functions as a waveform forming circuit. An output of the Schmitt trigger circuit ST is supplied to an inverter circuit IN, and an output of the inverter circuit IN is supplied to a gate of the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) at the microphone device 1 side through the connectors 12 and 10.
According to the circuit configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, the manual switch S1 included in the remote control operation unit 11 is operated to ON, so that a voltage level supplied to the Schmitt trigger circuit ST is made to the ground (L level). Accordingly, an output potential of the Schmitt trigger circuit ST becomes an "H" level that is close to the direct current operation power supply Vcc.
The output of the Schmitt trigger circuit ST is inverted by the inverter circuit IN. Therefore, a potential supplied to the gate of the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) at the microphone device 1 side is made to the "L" level, and the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) becomes an OFF state.
Therefore, the current from the power supply circuit 7 included in the microphone 1 is supplied to the LED (D1) connected in parallel to the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5), and the LED (D1) is lighted.
Note that, when the manual switch S1 included in the remote control operation unit 11 is operated to OFF, functions of the above-described "H" level and "L" level are inverted, and the MOS-field effect transistor (Q5) is made to an ON state. As a result, the current flowing in the LED (D1) is decreased, and the LED (D1) is made to a lights-out state.
The microphone device which includes the power supply circuit 7 that provides the drive current to the audio signal output circuit 6 including the impedance conversion circuit of the condenser microphone, and which lights the LED as the light emitting element using the current from the power supply circuit 7, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4528465 (hereinafter, called Patent Document 1).
By the way, the microphone device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to provide the drive current from the power supply circuit 7 to the audio signal output circuit 6 including the impedance conversion circuit and the display circuit 9 including the LED. That is, the audio signal output circuit 6 and the display circuit 9 are connected in parallel to the power supply circuit 7. Therefore, when an operation to blink the LED (D1) is performed, a power supply voltage of the power supply circuit 7 fluctuates, and a drain voltage of the field effect transistor (Q1) that configures the impedance conversion circuit and an operation voltage of the audio signal output circuit 6, for example, also fluctuate in association with the fluctuation of the power supply voltage of the power supply circuit 7, and a problem that the fluctuation of the operation voltage of the audio signal output circuit is immediately superimposed on an audio signal as noises occurs.
To suppress the occurrence of the noises, in the circuit configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, the resistance R7 and the condenser C7 are arranged in the display circuit 9, and means to make the fluctuation of the power supply voltage associated with blinking of the LED (D1) moderate is applied. In this case, by setting a value of the resistance R7 to be large, the occurrence of the noises can be further suppressed. However, a voltage value applied to the LED is decreased, and thus it becomes difficult to light a plurality of LEDs at the same time to enhance visibility of the LEDs.

Microphone device including light emitting elements


An apparatus and method for generating a terahertz (THz) wave are provided. The apparatus comprises: an fiber optic probe injecting an optical wave transmitted through an optical fiber into a device under test (DUT); a driving oscillator generating and injecting an electrical wave into the DUT; and the device under test (DUT) generating a THz wave using the produced optical and electrical waves.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for generating a terahertz (THz) wave, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for generating a THz wave by heterodyning optical wave and electrical wave.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Terahertz (THz) waves can be generated by photo-mixing using a fiber optic probe (FOP) and an objective lens. The photo-mixing is performed by injecting the coupled laser beams into a high-speed and high-frequency semiconductor device through an optical lens or a single-mode optical fiber, and generating and detecting microwave and THz waves. However, in this case, because the diameter of the laser beam is much larger than semiconductor devices, degradation of the stability of a detected signal and the high noise figure arises from lack of the device accessibility and scanning performance of FOP.
THz waves can also be generated by heterodyning two optical waves. The heterodyning of the two optical waves is performed by injecting optical beams with frequencies ω1 and ω2 come from two lasers into a near-field fiber optic probe (NFOP) using an optical coupler. Then, through the interaction between a high-speed and high-frequency device and an optical wave of a frequency ωb (=ω1˜ω2) come from a probe tip (end) with a diameter of less than 0.1 μm, a millimeter wave with a frequency (ωb/2π) corresponding to the above-described frequency difference (ω1˜ω2) is generated and detected. Thereby, from this method, the resolution and noise figure of the mixed light are improved.
However, it is found that using the high-speed and high-frequency InP-based hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT), whenever high frequency characteristics are measured under 1 THz, the practical characteristics are considerably different from the simulated results. Therefore, the heterodyne method of two optical waves has limitations to evaluate characteristics of high-speed and high-frequency devices in a range from 0.1 to 10 THz.

Apparatus and method for generating THz wave by heterodyning optical and electrical waves

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A directed-effect submunition moves in a substantially vertical direction V with a displacement velocity v parallel to V and a rotation velocity r about an axis parallel to V. The submunition includes a shaped charge with axis D forming an acute angle t with axis V and a detection device with axis d forming an angle u with axis D, a target detecting device, and a triggering device. The submunition also includes a displacement velocity v determining device, and a calculation device for calculating as a function of v a value u.sub.i for angle u that minimizes deviation (e) between the position (M) of a target detected, and impact point (M') of the penetrator of the shaped charge if the latter were triggered upon detection, as well as a device for imparting the value u.sub.i to angle u.

This invention concerns a directed-effect munition designed to be launched, by means of a vector, above an area containing a target, wherein the munition includes a warhead having a shaped charge and a detection device that actuates a detonation device.
The invention concerns in particular a submunition designed to be expelled by a mine or a vector, the submunition being in turn launched by an aircraft or an artillery piece, such that the submunition is given a displacement velocity v along a substantially vertical axis V, and a rotation velocity r substantially about the same axis.
A weapon system of this kind is described U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,532 to Persson et al. The axis of the detection device is tilted approximately 30.degree. with respect to the rotation axis of the submunition so that during its descending movement, the surface region covered by the detector device at a given moment moves in spiral fashion over the detection area, thus increasing the probability that the target will be detected.
When the target is detected, a signal triggers the shaped charge, which acts vertically downward while the submunition is in a substantially vertical descending portion of its trajectory. It is evident that a warhead of this type could just as easily operate in an ascending trajectory, as in the case of the first part of the trajectory of a submunition launched by a land mine.
Such a system has the advantage that targets can be engaged remotely, with no need for guidance, and with the use of a simple detection scheme.
However, this structure has considerable drawbacks resulting firstly from inaccurate detection, since the appearance of a detection signal means only that at least a part of the target is within the detection zone, and resulting secondly from well-known error sources associated with the velocity components v and r of the submunition.
To clarify the drawbacks of the prior method, the implementation principles of the method will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the attached drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 5, which refer to a conventional submunition, illustrate a submunition 1 including a shaped charge 2 that moves with a displacement velocity v along a substantially vertical axis V, and with a rotation velocity r about an axis substantially identical to V, in the vicinity of a plane 3 containing a target 5, such as a land vehicle.
Shaped charge 2 has rotational symmetry about an axis D that forms an angle t with axis V. A detector 7, with a detection axis d substantially parallel to axis D, can act on an igniter 8 placed behind shaped charge 2. Detection axis d rotates about axis V, scanning a surface area whose intersection with plane 3 containing target 5 forms a spiral 9. Detection is effective within a solid angle with axis d, impinging on plane 3 over a surface area 4. FIG. 1 shows a spiral 10, which to some extent encompasses spiral 9 and corresponds to the envelope in plane 3 of the outline of instantaneous detection surface area 4.
FIG. 3 diagrams the impact point deviation resulting solely from rotation of the charge. The plane of FIG. 3 is parallel to the target plane, which is assumed to be horizontal. Circle C with center 0 is the location of the detected points (intersection between detection axis d and the ground), and circle C' is the location of the impact points on the ground. The target, located at point M, is detected at time t.sub.0 and firing is triggered at time t.sub.1 (t.sub.1 -t.sub.0 =a, corresponding to the calculation time).
If r is the rotational velocity of the charge, and n is the distance between the center of gravity of the casing of the explosively formed penetrator, and rotation axis V, angle s1 is equal to r.a, and is induced by rotation of the charge during the calculation time. It causes point M to correspond to a point M" on circle C.
Angle s2 is equal to arctan (n.r/V.sub.pen.sin t), V.sub.pen being the velocity (assumed to be constant) of the penetrator after firing. This angle is induced by the velocity n.r impressed by the charge on the penetrator velocity. It causes point M" to correspond to a point M' on circle C'. The total error is equal to MM'.
The angular error resulting from s=s1+s2 is constant over time, and always acts in the same direction. Thus, the impact point is always ahead of the detected point in the direction of rotation. It is thus possible, with a fixed shift in the detection axis with respect to the axis of the charge, to compensate for this error and reduce the total error to merely the deviation M.sub.1 M' (M.sub.1 being the point on circle C offset from point M by an angle s).
The error M.sub.1 M', however, still remains to be corrected.
If angle s is constant, deviation compensation could be implemented by shifting detection axis d forward by an identical amount, but error M.sub.1 M' would still need to be compensated for.
With regard to the impact deviation due to the substantially vertical displacement velocity v of the charge, a listing will first be given of the orders of magnitude ordinarily encountered with this type of submunition:
v=50 m/s
Velocity of the penetrator generated by the charge: V.sub.efp =2000 m/s
t=30.degree.
Target distance=100 m
Time from detection to charge triggering: a=0.5 ms
Impact point deviation: 1.4 m.
This error also depends on the direction of movement of the submunition. During ascent, the impact point is displaced toward the outside of the spiral; during descent, the impact point is displaced toward the inside of the spiral.
In FIG. 4, the impact deviation has been diagrammed for the case of an ascending charge trajectory; and axis Z represents the vertical axis and axis R represents the axis of the radial distances of the impact point, designated here by P.
For a time a, point Q symbolizing the position of the charge is displaced a distance a.v and moves to Q1. By systematically shifting the position of the detector, an initial correction can be applied by moving from P to P.sub.1, line Q.sub.1 P.sub.1 being parallel to QP; but an error P.sub.1 P' would remain.
However, this kind of correction would be disadvantageous for the descent phase, as shown in FIG. 5, since it would correspondingly increase the deviation PP".


A trenched-gate power MOSFET includes a body region that is formed within a mesa between adjacent gate trenches. The doping concentration of the body region is established such that the body region does not fully deplete at normal drain voltages. The MOSFET also includes a gate which is doped with material of a conductivity type opposite to that of the body. The width of the mesa and the doping concentration of the body region and gate are established such that the body region is fully depleted by the combined effects of the source-body and drain body junctions and the gate. As a result, the conventional source-body short can be eliminated, providing a greater cell packing density and lower on-resistance while maintaining acceptable levels of leakage current when the MOSFET is in the off-state.

The primary performance objective for a power MOSFET switch is the achievement of the lowest possible on-resistance for a given breakdown voltage rating. The breakdown voltage is a measure of the ability of the MOSFET to withstand voltage when it is turned off, and the on-resistance is a measure of the ability of the MOSFET to carry a current with a minimal loss of power when it is turned on. The on-resistance is defined as the ratio of drain-to-source voltage to drain current when the switch is turned on.
Structurally, power MOSFETs fall into two main categories. In lateral MOSFETs, the current flow is primarily "lateral" between source and drain regions that are formed at the surface of the substrate. In vertical MOSFETs, the current flow is primarily "vertical" between a source region located at the top surface of the substrate and a drain region located adjacent the backside of the substrate. In one subcategory of vertical MOSFETs, the gate is formed in a trench which extends into the top surface of the substrate. A trench-gated MOSFET is exemplified in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, which shows a MOSFET 10 having an N+ source region 11, a drain region 12 which includes an N++ substrate 13 and an N-epitaxial (epi) layer 14, and a P-body region 15. Current flows between source region 11 and drain region 12 through a channel in P-body region 15 adjacent the side wall of trenched gate 16. Viewed from above, the trench appears as a pattern which divides the MOSFET into geometric cells. The cells may be rectangular, square, hexagonal or some other shape. A planar double-diffused MOSFET is exemplified by MOSFET 20 shown in FIG. 2, having an N+ source region 21, a drain region 22 which includes an N++ substrate 23 and an N-epi layer 24, and a P-body region 25. Current flows between source region 21 and drain region 22 through a channel in P-body region 25 directly under a gate 26.
In both of MOSFETs 10 and 20 the body regions (15,25) are normally biased to a fixed potential. In particular, metal layers 17,27 short the body regions to the source regions (11,21) through P+ body contact regions 18,28. Body regions 15,25 are doped with P-type ions to the point that neither body region becomes completely depleted, even at high drain-to-source or gate-to-drain potentials. Because the body regions are not depleted and are always shorted to the source regions, the voltage applied to MOSFETs 10,20 when they are turned off appears across the drain-to-body junction. A depletion region forms around the drain-to-body junction, mostly on the more lightly doped drain side of the junction.
FIG. 3A is a view of a portion of MOSFET 10 along cross-section III--III shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B shows a profile of the dopant concentration along cross-section III--III at a drain voltage of zero. The depletion regions surrounding the source-to-body junction S/B and the drain-to-body junction D/B are shown in FIG. 3B. The corresponding energy bands are shown in FIG. 3C, which displays a conduction band E.sub.c, a valence band E.sub.v, and an intrinsic level E.sub.i, along with the Fermi level E.sub.f in equilibrium. The source-to-body junction creates a built-in energy barrier which prevents electrons from flowing from the source to the drain. FIG. 3D is a similar energy band diagram which shows only the conduction band E.sub.c. The energy barrier between the source and body is clearly evident. Finally, FIG. 3E shows the changes in the conduction band as the voltage at the drain is progressively raised to a level V.sub.D1 >0 and then to a level V.sub.D2 >V.sub.D1. Since the body region is not fully depleted, as shown in FIG. 3B, the application of a reverse bias between the drain and body does not lower the source-body barrier height. Thus MOSFET 10 avoids a punchthrough condition (where the depletion regions around the source-body and drain-body junctions meet) by preventing its body region from becoming completely depleted and maintaining its built-in source-to-body energy barrier at all levels of the drain voltage. This property is characteristic of a long-channel MOSFET.
As shown in the equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 4, because the source and body regions of MOSFET 10 are shorted together, the PN diode represented by the drain-to-body junction appears "anti-parallel", i.e., parallel to the normal path of current through MOSFET 10 (from the drain to the source) but opposite in direction. The disadvantage of having the source-body short in MOSFET 10 is a loss of bidirectional current blocking capability and in some applications unwanted PN diode conduction, which can lead to charge storage near the drain-body junction, large reverse recovery times, ringing, etc. FIG. 4 shows that a parasitic bipolar transistor also resides within MOSFET 10, having a base region represented by the undepleted body region of the MOSFET. Unless precautions are taken, this parasitic bipolar transistor can produce undesirable operating conditions.
Despite these disadvantages, the source-to-body short is generally needed in conventional MOSFETs for several reasons. First and foremost, the body region must have a well-defined potential in order to prevent the threshold voltage of the MOSFET from drifting upward and downward uncontrollably. For example, if the source-body junction were to become reverse-biased, as a result of the well-known "body effect" the threshold voltage of the device would tend to increase. Second, the source-body short is needed to prevent snapback in the parasitic bipolar transistor, an undesirable phenomenon which leads to a substantial reduction of the off-state breakdown voltage of the device (referred to as BV.sub.ceo breakdown in bipolar transistors). This problem is especially acute for MOSFETs having design breakdown voltages over 30 V, since the snapback voltage of the parasitic bipolar transistor may be only 10 or 20 V. Operating at 500 V and snapping back to 20 V, for example, would lead to destructive currents in the device.
A major disadvantage of having an integral source-body short is that it must be included in every vertical MOSFET cell, thereby wasting valuable area and requiring a larger cell pitch. A larger cell pitch results in fewer cells and a lower total gate width per unit area, which in turn increases the on-resistance of the MOSFET. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the minimum width of the source-body short region for a planar DMOSFET and a trenched-gate MOSFET, respectively, is about 4 .mu.m. In the planar DMOSFET, where the length of the gate is limited to at least around 4 .mu.m, this implies a minimum cell pitch of 8 .mu.m, and even in the trenched-gate MOSFET the source-body short limits the cell pitch to about 5 .mu.m.
Two types of trenched-gate MOSFETs have been proposed to eliminate the need for a source-body short. One type, known as an accumulation mode FET or ACCUFET, is shown in cross-section in FIG. 6. ACCUFET 60 is a trenched-gate device which uses a semiconductor material of a single conductivity type but in different doping concentrations. Its gate is doped with P-type material such that the lightly-doped N-region 61 is fully depleted when the gate is turned off. Accordingly, the ACCUFET's leakage characteristic is that of a device which relies on an electrically induced potential barrier created by the gate rather than the built-in voltage of a PN junction.
FIG. 7A shows a portion of ACCUFET 60 taken at cross-section VII--VII in FIG. 6. FIGS. 7B and 7C show the doping concentration profile and energy bands, respectively, at cross-section VII--VII. The influence of the gate in forming an energy barrier is evident from FIG. 7C, where the intrinsic level E.sub.i in the lightly doped region 61 is below the Fermi level (i.e., N-type) without the assistance of the gate but crosses the Fermi level (acting like an electrically-induced P-type region) when the gate is driven high. FIG. 7D shows that the energy barrier is almost immediately lowered by the application of any drain-to-source bias V.sub.D. The ACCUFET is further described in application Ser. No. 08/459,054, filed Jun. 2, 1995.
The second type of device, sometimes referred to as a punchthrough FET or PT-FET, is illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 8. PT-FET 80 includes a P-body region 81 which is of opposite conductivity type to its N+ source region 82 and N+ drain region 83. Unlike a conventional MOSFET, however, the gate 84 is doped with P-type material, and the "mesa" between the gate trenches is made narrow. Moreover, the doping of P-body region 81 is so light that any small amount of drain voltage V.sub.D fully depletes the body region. This is evident from FIGS. 9B and 9C, which show the doping profile at cross-section IX--IX in FIG. 8 when V.sub.D equals 0 V and 0.1-1.0 V, respectively. Note from FIG. 9B that only a small portion of the body region 81 remains undepleted at V.sub.D =0 V and, as shown in FIG. 9C, the body region is fully depleted when V.sub.D =0.1-1.0 V. Since the body region is fully depleted, it does not float, and no external body bias is required to define and stabilize the threshold voltage. There is no "quasi neutral" region in the P-body in which to apply an externally defined body bias. In this way the problem of threshold voltage drift is avoided.
In its off-state, then, the PT-FET relies on the effect of the P-type gate on the P-type body material in the narrow mesa between the gate trenches to increase the height of the energy barrier between the source and body regions and thereby minimize its leakage current. The gate does not materially affect the depletion of the P-body region. Depletion spreading in the P-body region occurs almost entirely as a result of the PN junctions between the body region and the source and drain regions, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 9D, however, the fact that the body region is fully depleted at small levels of V.sub.D means that, despite the P-type gate and narrow mesa, drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) occurs at small levels of V.sub.D. DIBL gives rise to a diffusion current which has a maximum limit determined by the charge carrier velocity. Thus in some situations the PT-FET may suffer from an unacceptably high leakage current.
The PT-FET is further described in application Ser. No. 08/415,009, filed Mar. 31, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,005, issued Jan. 7,1997.

Long channel trench-gated power MOSFET having fully depleted body region


A method is described of bit-mapped image analysis comprising division of all analysis means at one's disposal into several groups differing in accuracy and further processing multi-stage analysis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a field of bit-mapped image character recognition and, more particularly, to a method of parsing and analysis pre-process assisting character and text recognition of printed text from bit-mapped binary image or other binary or raster images inputted from scanning device or like or obtained by other way.
2. Prior Art
Segmentation and parsing methods are known in the art. Typically, such methods divide an image into parcels containing homogeneous objects and use a plurality of special computing procedures, each depending on a plurality of parameters to analyze an object.
The most known methods initially divide the object into a plurality of regions, each region further dividing into smaller objects—paragraphs, lines, words, characters, non-text objects etc. After that all prior methods make various pre-recognition analysis and corrections of image to improve its quality for further text recognition. Corrections may include removing distortion of various types—distortion, skew, inversion text matter, cursive character matter, undesired dots—extra or missing etc.
A plenty of methods of preprocess analysis are known that remove the distortions in raster or bit-mapped image. (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,815 Jan. 14, 1997). Their productivity depends mainly on an amount of distortions in the image. Each type of distortion is corrected by the only means during the analysis session.
Other kinds of prior art use new methods for parsed regions and objects analysis, differing in the amount of computing resources required. (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,261, Mar. 20, 2001). Said methods are not enough universal, they sometimes can't vary the computing volume in accordance with extent of complexity or simplicity of the document structure.
Another known method supposes a single stage of image pre-recognition analysis mainly as an ordinary version, and an addition of one or more profound stages of analysis in a case if errors occurred at stage 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,794, Feb. 10, 1998). The incorrectness criteria in said method is the difference between the length of character string, most likely comprising a line and a resulting line, as a result of the first analysis session. But for all that no supplemental data is to be collected and used but only a repeating session with the same set of the analysis means.
One more method of the close subject deals with detecting distorted regions on the analysed image and removing the distortion in said regions by special means. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,224 Dec. 31, 1996). No supplemental data is collected and utilized. This considerably reduces the accuracy of the analysis. An object of present invention consists in hastening the raster (bit-mapped) image analysis procedure without any loss in quality and accuracy.

Bit-mapped image multi-stage analysis method

Abstract: The analysis comprises a primary analysis stage and at least one profound analysis stage, with supplemental data collected at both stages.

Abstract: The primary analysis, includes preliminary recognition of objects with distortion and detection of objects that require more precise analysis means to overcome the distortion. At the primary analysis stage, the analysis means from the group of the most inaccurate group are used.

Abstract: The profound analysis stage includes repeating recognition of objects with a distortion taking into account the supplemental data obtained at the previous stage, detecting objects that require more precise analysis means to overcome the distortion, and collection of newly appeared supplemental data. Each subsequent profound analysis stage uses analysis means from the group of more accurate means.


An accessory for a hand drill which cooperates with the crank handle of the opening mechanism of a casement window. The accessory, when turned by the drill, facilitates turning of the crank handle and opening or closing of the window. The accessory includes a shaft which is intended to be gripped by the chuck or jaws of the hand drill in much the same manner that hand drills grip drill bits. A forwardly projecting crank handle-contacting head is provided which is adapted to slide over the crank handle. The head has a side opening with a pair of edges which push against one side of the crank handle in order to rotate the same. Preferably, the inside surface of the head of the accessory and the crank handle's contacting edges are rubber coated so that rotation of the accessory and its movement with respect to the crank handle will not mar the finish of the crank handle. In an alternate embodiment, the head can be adapted for rotation of the splines of the window turning mechanism exposed when the handle is fully removed. In yet another alternate embodiment, a head is provided which is adjustably configured to receive different sized crank handles.

The present invention relates to an accessory for use with a hand drill. Preferably, the hand drill is of the cordless or battery-operated type. The accessory is intended to facilitate the turning of the crank handle of the opening mechanism of casement-type windows so they are easier to open and close. This accessory would be used by the elderly or those having arthritic conditions and it would facilitate their ease of opening and/or closing of casement type windows since it is now difficult for these people to turn, manually, the crank handles of these opening mechanisms. Often these crank handles are not properly greased or have become sufficiently rusted that operation and opening or closing of the windows is extremely difficult.
In addition, the accessory would have instant appeal to vacation or second home owners who frequently leave their homes shut tight when they are in their primary residence and, upon arriving and "opening up" the house, it is highly desirable for all windows to be quickly opened to allow fresh air to come in. This device would accomplish that in a minimum of time with respect to manual turning of the handle cranks of these casement-type windows. Also, clearly, when it is time for the vacation or second homeowner to "close up" the vacation or second home, prior to leaving, the accessory, again, could be a very simple and quick manner of accomplishing the closing of all windows, rather than manually hand cranking them all to the closed position.
Portable hand drills of the electric cordless-type have recently become extremely popular and are primarily used as portable screwdrivers. These devices have a relative high torque to weight ratio. After use, they are stored for subsequent use in a battery recharger which is connected to a source of household electric current. As mentioned, the principle use of these portable drills is for use as a screwdriver and, therefore, the drill is often provided with a chuck or jaw mechanism for holding alternative drill bits in the form of Phillips-head screwdriver tips or flat head screwdriver tips, all in addition to ordinary drill bits. Irrespective of the shape of the driving head which is inserted into the chuck or jaws of the portable drill, the drill connecting shank is generally a metal hex-shaped rod or bar. A locking mechanism is frequently provided for insuring that the hex-shaped shank is secured into the chuck of the portable drill.
The present invention relates to a new and extremely useful accessory for a portable hand drill or screwdriver which facilitates the quick and easy turning of the crank handle of the opening mechanism of a casement-type window. The accessory can be easily inserted and locked into the portable drill and, then, the head of the accessory can be easilY slipped into place over the crank handle. When it is desired to either open or close the casement window, after the head of the accessory is placed or slipped over the lateral extension of the crank handle, the trigger or other actuator of the hand drill is depressed and the torque power of the hand drill rotates the head of the accessory which, in turn, causes the crank handle to rotate about its turning axis to thereby operate the opening mechanism of the casement window. Typically, these portable hand drills or cordless screwdrivers are provided with a "reverse" switch so that the present accessory can be used to either open or close the casement type window, as desired.


A recording apparatus records an image by driving plural recording elements in blocks, into which the plural recording elements are divided. The plural blocks are divided into plural groups, each group having more than one block. A driving circuit drives each of the blocks independently. The driving circuit effects recording with high resolution or low resolution by respectively driving plural groups at a different timing in a first mode and driving the plural groups at a same timing in a second mode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a time division drive recording apparatus and method. More specifically, this invention is suitable for the time division drive recording apparatus and method using an ink jet recording system that can record with high accuracy and at high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
As copying apparatuses, information processing apparatuses such as word processors and computers, and communication apparatuses have become more and more widely used, image forming apparatuses which perform digital image recording using an ink jet system are rapidly becoming widely used. In such a recording apparatus, it is common to use a recording head (multi-head) in which plural recording elements are integrally arranged to improve recording speed. Ink discharge openings and liquid paths are integrally arranged to correspond to recording elements in the case of an ink jet system.
Printing a monochromatic high resolution image or a color image requires good coloring, tonality, uniformity and so on.
In a recording apparatus of the bubble jet system which discharges ink using thermal energy, among many kinds of ink jet recording apparatuses, a heat element is controlled by applying plural electric pulses to the heat element. By applying plural electric pulses or, in some cases, changing the width thereof, an ink discharge condition can be kept constant so printing quality can be maintained constant regardless of outside environmental conditions (e.g., temperature).
However, recently in an ink jet system not only high printing quality but also high recording speed are expected.
To control the heat element by applying plural pulses to improve printing quality requires much time for control because one dot must be formed by applying plural pulses, so it is a disadvantage in achieving high recording speeds.
A driver structure of conventional printing heads 50A to 50D is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the driver structure for black recording head 50A is shown in detail, but the driver structures for cyan head 50B, magenta head 50C, and yellow head 50D are similar. Black printing data BKSi (CSi, MSi, YSi for the other heads) is transferred to a shift register 51 and it is once stored in a latch 52. By performing AND (logical product) of the data stored in the latch 52, common signals BEi1*, BEi2*, BEi3* and BEi4* commonly supplied to all heads and heat signal BkENB* (CENB*, MENB* and YENB* for the other heads), only designated heaters 54 can be driven by a transistor array 53. The symbol "*" designates low active.
Drive timing in a conventional recording apparatus is shown in FIGS. 5A-5H. FIGS. 5A-5H show that common signals (BEi1*, BEi2*, BEi3*, BEi4*) and heat signals (BkENB*, CENB*, MENB*, YENB*) are driven in a time division manner and a number of the heaters heated at the same time is limited in order to reduce consumption of electric power in an actual drive. As mentioned above, the heat signal comprises plural pulses to maintain printing quality.
In FIGS. 5E-5H, the manner of controlling by two pulses is shown. Each heat signal comprises a preheat pulse and a main heat pulse between which an interval period exists. The main heat pulse warms a heater for discharging ink by forming a bubble. The preheat pulse, however, is of insufficient duration to discharge the ink, but rather preheats the ink to control a bubble forming area.
However, this method takes a relatively large length of time because of the duration of the preheat period and the interval period, in comparison with a head drive method in which temperature control is not performed. As a result, in this method the drive time as a whole becomes too long as to diminish the high-speed drive of a printer. Moreover, it is desirable to select high resolution recording or standard resolution recording as needed.

Time division drive recording apparatus and method


An image-forming apparatus is provided that can form good images stably by uniformly and stably charging a non-magnetic single-component developer (such as a toner). In this apparatus, a DC power supply applies a positive voltage Vd to a development roller, and a DC power supply applies a positive voltage Vb to a layer thickness restricting blade. The voltages Vb and Vd satisfy the relationship Vb>Vd+Vt, where Vt is the potential difference in a thickness direction of the layer of toner T adhering to the development roller. The toner T is a suspension polymer toner excelling in fluidity. Accordingly, toner T charged with reverse polarity can be nicely removed. In addition, the action of injecting electric charge to the toner T by the application of the potential Vb to the layer thickness restricting blade 32 is not produced and, even without that action, the toner T can be sufficiently charged by friction-charging produced by the development roller and the supply roller working together. Thus the toner T can be uniformly and stably charged.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image-forming apparatus that transfers a developer to a recording medium to form an image, and more particularly to an image-forming apparatus that forms images with a charged non-magnetic single-component developer
2. Description of the Related Art
Image-forming apparatuses are known in the prior art which comprise an electrostatic latent image carrier such as a photosensitive drum on the surface of which electrostatic latent images are formed, development means that convey a developer such as a toner to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier and thus develop the electrostatic latent images, supply means for supplying the developer to the development means, and layer thickness restricting means for restricting the thickness of the developer layer adhering to the surface of the development means before the developer faces to the electrostatic latent image carrier. With this type of image-forming apparatus, the developer is conveyed to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier by the supply means and development means, the electrostatic latent images are developed by that developer, and the images are then formed by transferring the developer to a recording medium. The thickness of the developer layer is restricted by the layer thickness restricting means before it faces to the electrostatic latent image carrier, so that images can be formed in a uniform density.
As the developer noted above, two types are known, namely one being a two-component developer system containing a toner and a carrier, and the other being a single-component developer system containing no carrier. In recent years, in the interest of maintaining image-forming apparatuses with ease and making them more compact, instead of the two-component systems, single-component developer systems have come into wide use. With single-component developer systems, a substance corresponding to the carrier is contained in the toner, and, when the toner is moved using magnetic force, the toner is made to contain magnetic materials. However, the magnetic materials are opaque, and hence especially with color development, it is more suitable to use a non-magnetic developer. That being so, in recent years, it is becoming increasingly common to use a non-magnetic single-component developer in electrophotographic image-forming apparatuses that form images by transferring a developer such as toner to a recording medium.
A non-magnetic single-component developer is charged either positively or negatively, and develops the electrostatic latent images using electrostatic attraction. The known methods for charging the toner or other non-magnetic single-component developers include a method wherein a toner is rubbed together by, e.g., rollers (in some cases functioning as both of the supply means and development means noted earlier), thereby friction-charging the toner, and a method wherein layer thickness restricting means is made of an electrically conductive material, and the toner is charged by injecting electrical charges into the toner via the layer thickness restricting means.
With either of the methods noted above, however, it is very difficult to charge the toner uniformly and stably, as discussed below. Accordingly, good images cannot be formed stably with conventional image-forming apparatuses.
More specifically, a toner that adheres to the surface of the development means in a layer the thickness of which is restricted is not all available for development; a portion thereof remains adhering to the surface of the development means. Development means are often constituted with, e.g., rollers. In the former of the two methods that is based on friction-charging, the toner that remains adhering to the development means is again subjected to friction-charging. When that happens, the amount of friction-charging becomes excessive in some of the toner, so that it adheres strongly to the development means and sometimes hinders the charging of other toner. As a consequence, adequate friction-charging is not effected in the toner, so that not only the image density declines, but inter-toner friction increases, and in some cases friction-charging of a polarity opposite to the desired charging polarity occurs. This results in so-called inverse fogging wherein toner adheres to the background in electrostatic latent images on the electrostatic latent image carrier.
With a non-magnetic single-component developer, in particular, charging speed is slow compared to the case of a two-component developer system, and when forming images in a low-temperature, low-humidity environment, fogging readily occurs, immediately after replenishing the toner with new toner, or when forming images after the toner has deteriorated. In addition, even worse fogging tends to occur in areas connecting to black solid printed areas where much toner is consumed.
In order to resolve these problems, the latter of the two methods, namely the method based on electrical charge injection, has been conceived. With this latter method, however, charging efficiency is highly dependent on the resistance of the toner, and so is readily affected by the environment, such that it is very difficult to control the amount of charging in the developer. If the toner resistance is made sufficiently small or innovations are made in the additives, it may be possible to reduce occurrences of fogging, but, depending on the environment, there is the possibility of transfer faults occurring or of a decline in fine line reproducibility.

Image-forming apparatus with potential applied to layer thickness restricting blade


Exemplary embodiments for self-aligning a sensor array with respect to blood vessel of a user comprise: determining an optimal sensor in a sensor array comprising an array of discrete sensors arranged on a band such that the sensor array straddles or otherwise addresses a blood vessel or other targeted area of a user by activating each of the discrete sensors to generate respective signals; designating as the optimal discrete sensor a particular discrete sensor producing a highest signal-to-noise ratio; and using the optimal sensor to collect physiological data of the user.

Wearable devices are becoming increasingly popular. For example, wearable devices equipped with sensors are known that may capture user data such as activity data (duration, step count, calories burned), sleep statistics, and/or physiological data (e.g., heart rate, perspiration and skin temperature). Typically, sensor-equipped wearable devices are implemented as bands or watches that may be worn on the user's wrist. However, the sensors that record physiological data require precise positional accuracy on the wrist to obtain accurate readings. Consequently, such devices need to be worn tightly fitted to the user's wrist. This may at times oppose the need for the devices to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Long term, even continuous use, is important for such devices to obtain data that may offer new or improved insight into one's health.
Accordingly, what is needed is a wearable sensor device that has a sufficiently loose fit to be comfortably worn by the user, while maintaining positional accuracy on the wrist for accurate reading of physiological data.


A method and apparatus for producing metal matrix nanocomposites is disclosed. The method may include obtaining a nanodispersion by dispersing a plurality of nanoparticles into an inert gas within a dispersion chamber. Dispersing the plurality of nanoparticles into the inert gas may include injecting a pressurized stream of the inert gas into the dispersion chamber, and mechanically mixing the inert gas and the plurality of nanoparticles. The method may further include injecting the nanodispersion into a volume of molten metal, obtaining a molten mixture by mechanically mixing the nanodispersion with the volume of molten metal, and applying a casting process on the molten mixture by transferring the molten mixture into a die.

Metal matrix composites consist of a ductile metal matrix and hard reinforcing particles. Metal matrix composites offer better mechanical properties such as lower density, higher specific strength, higher fatigue resistance, and more dimensional stability at elevated temperatures, compared to mechanical properties of conventional alloys. Different methods are available for production of metal matrix composites such as mechanical alloying with high energy stir casting methods, powder metallurgy, and solid state methods. Stir casting methods are widely used in the industry due to their simplicity, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, stir casting methods enable the production of large components.
However, production of metal matrix composites by stir casting methods is associated with limitations due to low wettability of the reinforcing particles by the molten metal. Consequently, ensuring a proper distribution of the reinforcing particles in the metal matrix is an important factor that may significantly impact the final properties of the produced metal matrix composites, especially at nanoscales. Because of high surface to volume ratio of nanoparticles, their tendency toward agglomeration is very high and as a result, increasing the wettability of nanoparticles by achieving a uniform distribution of the nanoparticles in the molten metal is difficult. Therefore, there is a need for development of efficient methods and techniques for increasing the wettability of nanoparticles by the molten metal in stir casting methods.

Production of metal matrix nanocomposites


A new and distinct cultivar of Cortaderia plant named ‘Scarlet Wonder’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; green-colored leaves; purple-colored pendulous flower panicles; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cortaderia plant, botanically known as Cortaderia selloana, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Scarlet Wonder'.
The new Cortaderia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of an unnamed selection of Cortaderia selloana, not patented. The new Cortaderia was discovered and selected by the Inventor within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled environment in Appelscha, The Netherlands in July, 2002.
Asexual reproduction of the new Cortaderia by micropropagation in Zandvoort, The Netherlands since July, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Cortaderia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


An apparatus (20) for determining a location of a person's head (90) includes stereo vision system (60) for imaging an area of interest such as the interior of a vehicle (26). The vision system provides an image signal of the area of interest. An analyzer (80) analyzes the image signal to identify head candidates (90′, 210, 212, 214, 216) in the area of interest and provides data regarding any identified head candidates in the area of interest. A processor (80) processes the provided data regarding identified head candidates to locate the person's head. In an air bag restraining system (22), a controller (50) monitors the location of the person's head and controls an air bag (34) in response to a sensed crash condition (52) and the location of the person's head.

Actuatable occupant restraining systems, such as an inflatable air bag, in vehicles are known in the art. Such systems that are controlled in response to whether the seat is occupied, an object on the seat is animate or inanimate, a reward facing child seat present on the seat, and/or in response to the occupant's position, weight, size, etc., are referred to as smart restraining systems.
One example of a smart actuatable restraining system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,226.

Method and apparatus for determining an occupant's head location in an actuatable occupant restraining system


A recombinant fusion protein (DEN-2 MBP) containing the B domain of the due (DEN 2 envelope protein is disclosed as a candidate subunit immunogen for vaccination against dengue virus infection. A gene fragment encoding amino acid 298 to amino acid 400 of the DEN-2 virus envelope was expressed as a fusion protein with the maltose binding protein (MBP) of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The recombinant fusion protein was purified and analyzed for its antigenicity imunogenicity and ability to protect mice against lethal challenge. This antigen is detected by monoclonal antibody (3H5) which is specific for a neutralizing epitope on the DEN-2 envelope and reacted with homologous polyclonal mouse immune ascitic fluid and DEN-2 immune human sera. A recombinant fusion plasmid bearing the DEN-2 MBP DNA sequence, expressing the fusion product in E. coli is disclosed. The fusion protein when administered to a host elicits a virus neutralizing antibody response which confers partial protection to the recipient animals against challenge infection. Sera from immunized mice revealed no neutralizing antibodies to any of the other DEN serotypes in the plaque reduction neutralization assay (PRNT).

1.Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an immunologically active fusion protein, useful in vaccination against dengue (DEN) virus as well as a diagnostic antigen. More particularly, this invention relates to a fusion protein antigen containing 366 amino acids of a maltose binding protein (MBP) from E. coli fused to 103 amino acids of the DEN envelope protein. This fusion protein antigen reacts with mouse monoclonal (3H5) and polyclonal (HIAF) antibody to dengue virus as well as human anti-DEN antibody, making it a useful antigen for diagnostic assays and when administered as a vaccine, can confer protective immunity to a substantial proportion of vaccinated subjects.
2.Description of the Prior Art
Prevention of DEN infections would alleviate a major health problem in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Each of the four DEN serotypes may cause dengue fever and the more severe illnesses, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Infection with any one serotype of DEN appears to confer lifelong immunity to reinfection with the same serotype, but not to the other serotypes. Individuals sequentially infected with a different dengue serotype (secondary infection) appear to be at higher risk for developing more severe disease. Immmune enhancement has been proposed as the mechanism responsible for DHF/DSS. Because of this phenomenon, an effective vaccine must be either serotype specific or be against all four serotypes of dengue virus to insure that vaccination against a single serotype does not enhance infection with a different serotype.
Despite more than 50 years of effort, safe and effective vaccines have not been developed. Attempts to produce cell culture-derived live attenuated dengue vaccines by long term passage in primary kidney (PDK) cells were tried unsuccessfully (Ennis et al., J. Inf. Dis., 158:876-880, 1988). A dengue-1 candidate was shown to be genetically unstable (McKee et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 36(2):435-442, 1987). Other dengue 2, 3 and 4 candidates were also not suitable because they were either unstable, caused unmodified dengue fever or produced low levels of neutralizing antibody (Bancroft et al., J. Infect. Dis., 149:1005-1010, 1984, Hoke et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 43(2):219-226, 1990, Innis et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 40(6):676-687, 1989).
DEN viruses are composed of a single-stranded RNA molecule of positive polarity that is translated into three structural proteins, the capsid (C) protein, the membrane (M) protein, and the envelope (E) glycoprotein followed by seven nonstructural proteins (Henchal and Putnak, Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 3(4):376-396, 1990). The E protein is the major surface component of the virion membrane, it mediates virus binding to cell receptors and interacts with neutralizing antibody. Neutralizing antibodies are believed to correlate with protection (Henchal and Putnak, Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 3(4):376-396, 1990). Studies have shown that the E protein of DEN viruses contain cross reactive, subgroup specific, and serotype specific antigenic determinants and has been shown to elicit a protective immune response (Gentry et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 31:548-555, 1982, to Mc Cown et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 42(5):491-499, 1990). Immunization of rabbits with a purified native 33 kDa E protein fragment of the 17D Yellow Fever (17DYF) virus produced neutralizing antibodies and protection against intracerebral challenge (Brandriss et al., J. Enf. Dis., 161:1134-1139, 1990). Mice immunized with native purified DEN-2 envelope protein developed neutralizing antibodies and were protected against lethal virus challenge (Feighny et. al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 47(4):405-412, 1992).
Several laboratories have reported production of recombinant DEN virus structural and nonstructural proteins in expression vectors including baculovirus, vaccinia virus and E. coli (Bray et. al., J. Virol., 63:2853-2856, 1989, Bray et al., J. Virol., 185:505-508, 1991, Lai et al, Vacc., 89:351-356, 1989, Mason et al., Virol., 158:361-372, 1987, Mason et al., J. Gen. Virol., 70:2037-2049, 1989, Men et al., J. Virol., 65:1400-1407, 1991, Putnak et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.,45:159-167, 1991, Putnak et al., Virol., 163:93-103, 1988, Zhang et al., J. Virol. 62:3027-3031, 1988). Success with recombinant proteins as vaccines in the murine model has been variable. Some baculovirus recombinants have shown protection against virus challenge, but they were membrane-associated, making them difficult to purify without denaturation and were produced in low yields (Lai et al., Vacc., 89:351-356, 1989, Putnak et al., Virol., 163:93-103, 1988, Zhang et al., J. Virol., 62:3027-3031, 1988). As crude antigens they elicited low levels of neutralizing antibodies in mice, making them unlikely candidate vaccines. Vaccinia virus expressing the E protein and nonstructural protein one (NS1) used as a live recombinant virus failed to elicit a detectable seroresponse to either protein (Zhao et al., J. Virol., 62:4019-4022, 1987). An E. coli produced fusion protein with staphylococcal protein A containing 269 amino acids of the DEN-2 E protein and NS1 protein was recently reported to elicit neutralizing antibodies and protected mice against lethal challenge (Srivastava et al., Vacc., 13:1251-1258, 1995). Staphylococcal protein A however, has a high binding affinity for human immunoglobulin G, eliminating this fusion protein as a candidate vaccine (Kobatake et al., Anal. Biochem., 208(2):300-305, 1993). Recombinants containing the B domain of the E protein as a fusion protein with TrpE were expressed in E. coli as insoluble intracellular inclusion bodies and required detergents for its purification. These purified preparations did not elicit neutralizing antibodies in immunized mice nor did they confer protection against virus challenge (Fonseca et al., Am J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 44(5):500-508, 1991).

Recombinant dengue virus envelope protein/maltose-binding protein antigens and subunit vaccine compositions containing said antigens

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method for canceling an echo and an electronic device thereof are provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a communication module, a first speaker disposed in a first region of the housing, a second speaker disposed in a second region of the housing, a first microphone disposed adjacent to the first region, a second microphone disposed adjacent to the second region, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a first audio signal from an external electronic device, and output a first given frequency band, and output a second given frequency band, and provide a first signal by applying a filter capable of passing a band corresponding to the second given frequency band, and provide a second signal by applying a filter capable of passing a band corresponding to the first given frequency band, and provide a second audio signal corresponding to the external audio signal, and transmit the second audio signal to the external electronic device.

To increase a user's convenience, an electronic device can provide various services. For example, the electronic device can provide various multimedia services such as a broadcasting service, a wireless Internet service, a camera service, a voice reproducing service, etc., an audio service using an audio signal detected through a microphone such as a recording service, a phone call service, a video conference service, etc., and the like.
In recent years, at audio service provision, to detect a user's voice more accurately, the number of microphones installed in the electronic device is increasing gradually. Accordingly, even a quality of the audio service is being improved gradually.

Method for generating audio signal using plurality of speakers and microphones and electronic device thereof


An integrated circuit device including a die with a substrate with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface is provided. The die includes at least one circuit element positioned on the first surface. Formed on the second surface, is a wetting feature that includes an array of spaced-apart nanoscale structures and/or an array of spaced-apart microscale structures. The wetting feature also includes a wettability coating applied to at least a portion of the second surface. The integrated circuit device includes a spacer coupled to the die adjacent to the second surface. In addition, an injector plate is coupled to the spacer. The injector plate includes at least one microjet and at least one exit hole defined through the injector plate. The at least one exit hole is positioned adjacent to the at least one microjet.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to cooling electronic devices and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for dissipating heat from an integrated circuit device.
In at least some known electronic systems, e.g., computers, radios, radar modules, etc., the electronic device is the warmest component in the system. As such, at least some known electronic devices are coupled to a heat removal system to dissipate heat generated by the electronic device. Many known heat removal systems for such electronic devices include a path for heat flow with a high thermal resistance resulting in a high operating junction temperature. Generally, waste heat is removed by conduction, spreading, and convection to an appropriate cooling fluid with gradual reductions in temperature as the heat moves from the heat source to the cooling fluid. For example, the heat generated by a high-density power integrated circuit ("IC") device may travel from the front side of the IC device trough the IC substrate, a thermal interface material, a heat spreader, and a heat sink before being transferred to a cooling fluid, e.g., air.
While considerable efforts have been made to develop heat removal systems that are reliable and efficient, these systems often only address the backside cooling of the electrical devices. These systems are unable to limit the temperature rise of today's complex electronic components. Such cooling solutions, where heat must be conducted away from components before rejection to the air, add considerable weight and volume to electronic systems. This results in complex electronic systems that continue to grow in size and weight due to the inefficiencies of the current cooling system designs.

Electronic device cooling with microjet impingement and method of assembly


The disclosed devices, systems, and methods may be used to automatically identify, locate, and assign luminaires into groups such that lighting systems may be more efficiently configured, used, and maintained especially in large buildings, etc. For example, a wink function may be used with a system of sensors which are capable of detecting light patterns from individual and groups of luminaires to form virtual maps of luminaire locations which may be correlated with actual luminaire floor plans to efficiently identify, locate, and group the luminaires.

In lighting control systems with distributed networked/intelligent devices it is imperative that each of the unique network addresses are correctly identified and associated with their relevant locations/areas of control to facilitate correct operational configuration of the system.
Current identification methods include a Detachable Printed ID Number, which is an identification number and/or scan-code sticker that is removed from the device upon installation and fixed to an installation drawing in its relevant location. This is then later referred to when commissioning/configuring the system. Other identification methods include a barcode (or other scan-code medium), which is removed and affixed to a drawing for later scanning or scanned in-situ and used to directly update information within a commissioning application (software or handheld tool). A service pin may also serve as an identification method. If the identification of installed devices has not been previously recorded, it is then possible to identify networked devices by pressing a 'service pin' (physical button on the device) with a commissioning app/tool in a listening mode. The address of the device is then displayed or assigned to a pre-configured 'dummy'/virtual device. Additional identification methods include a wink function to facilitate observational identification of luminaires particularly with networked DALI addressed devices, which generally do not support the previous methods, the network is scanned for previously un-provisioned devices using a commissioning app/tool, which are then listed on screen. A 'wink' option button for each of the results is provided and when selected causes the related luminaire to flash on and off repeatedly. When witnessed by the engineer, the device address can then be correctly assigned.
Once the addresses of all luminaire control devices are known along with location information, the next process conducted will be to assign them to operational groups, representing areas such as rooms and corridors. This is ordinarily achieved by manually assigning known addressed devices to a group object so that all members can be controlled by a single command/message when later configured/programmed.
As the size of a single lighting control network grows beyond that of a single zone of a floor, to the whole floor, the whole building and areas beyond, the time and labor expended on luminaire/networked device identification will likely be quite extensive. Most presently employed methods of device identification require some form of direct manual interaction and/or direct observation of the individual luminaire being identified.
With the emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) based lighting control systems, the size of a single installation when compared to existing localized networked solutions will grow in size significantly due to the absence of limitations imposed by more localized technologies. As such, in order to reduce the installation and commissioning time for a large project based on the issues outlined, the requirement for an automated method of luminaire/device discovery/identification and group assignment becomes apparent.
If during the physical installation of an intelligent lighting control system, all information regarding addresses and locations has been accurately mapped and added directly to a commissioning application/tool or drawing, the issue of post-installation identification may not generally present a major problem, however from experience this is not always accurately carried out by electricians/installers and physical media such as installation drawings (with IDs attached) can be lost/damaged.
Given the state of the art, there is a need for a system and method for automatic luminaire location identification and group assignment capability using wink function for commissioning a lighting control in very large ecosystems such as a whole building or a floor, in quick turn-around time and reducing manual efforts. Additionally, in very large systems with automatic group assignment capability (even when all individual device addresses are already known), an automated process could still present a significant commissioning timesaving

Automated luminaire identification and group assignment


Provided is a method of preparing cellulose fiber and carbon fiber by recycling industrial wood waste, wherein the carbon fiber is prepared by preparing high purity cellulose pulp by using, as a raw material, wood waste generated by manufacturers of pulp, furniture and other industrial products from wood and by eliminating resin and lignin impregnated in the wood waste through pulping and bleaching of the raw material, by preparing cellulose fiber by directly dissolving the prepared pulp in a cellulose solvent, and then by performing stabilizing and carbonizing with the cellulose fiber as a precursor.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of preparing carbon fiber from wood waste including an adhesive. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of economically preparing high purity cellulose fiber from wood waste including an adhesive including urea resin and/or urea melamine resin, and a method or preparing high performance carbon fiber using the high purity cellulose fiber as a precursor fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Carbon fiber refers to a fiber, which is obtained by carbonizing of an organic fiber precursor, having 90% or higher carbon content. Carbon fiber may be classified as polyacrylonitrile(PAN)-based carbon fiber, pitch-based carbon fiber, and rayon-based carbon fiber, according to the type of the precursor. Due to the high performance properties such as high strength, light weight, and electric conductivity, carbon fiber is extensively used in manufacturing automobiles, ships, aircrafts, and spacecrafts.
The first carbon fiber was prepared by using cellulose fiber such as viscose rayon as a precursor material, but the physical properties and the carbonization yield were low. Hence, currently, most carbon fibers are produced by using an acrylic fiber which is prepared by using a PAN-based copolymer as a precursor. The PAN-based carbon fiber has excellent physical properties, but the price is high. To make carbon fiber be utilized generally in industries, carbon fiber of low price needs to be developed and provided. For this, carbon fiber may be prepared by using raw materials of low price or by recycling waste. From this point of view, a method of preparing carbon fiber by using wood as a raw material has been suggested.
In a representative method of preparing carbon fiber using natural wood, an attempt has been made to prepare carbon fiber by using lignin, which is generated in wood pulp process, as a precursor. However, as lignin itself is hard to be fiberized, carbon fiber was prepared by firstly preparing lignin composite fiber by mixing lignin with another synthetic polymer and fiberizing the mixture, and then carbonizing the lignin composite fiber. However, the carbon fiber prepared by the method is not commercially produced as the physical properties of the carbon fiber are very bad. On the other hand, as a method of preparing carbon fiber by using wood which has not undergone a purification procedure, a method of preparing cellulose fiber and carbon fiber wherein a spinning dope is prepared by dissolving wood power of a size of 80 mesh or less in phenol solvent and melt spinning is performed with the spinning dope was suggested (Ma, Xiaojun. et. al. Wood Sci. Technology, 44, 3-11, 2010). However, the method has not been commercialized as the organic solvent used in the method, such as phenol, is harmful to human body and the environment, and thus the use is restricted.
Preparing cellulose fiber by using wood waste and preparing carbon fiber by using the cellulose fiber as a precursor may provide a great economic advantage in the aspects of resources recycling and economic feasibility. Wood waste is very cheap, as it is discarded by burying or incinerating, and thus wood waste has very high potential to be used as a raw material for preparing cellulose fiber and carbon fiber at a low price. However, as wood waste includes not only hemi-cellulose included in wood as well as a great quantity of an adhesive such as urea resin and urea-melanin resin which has been used in wood processing, it is difficult to obtain high purity cellulose pulp, which enables to prepare high performance carbon fiber, by means of the conventional natural wood pulping process. For this reason, there is not yet a known method of preparing high purity cellulose pulp from wood waste and preparing carbon fiber by using the high purity cellulose pulp as a precursor.

Method of preparing carbon fiber from wood waste including adhesive

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


An information recording medium which comprises as a recording layer an information recording thin layer, formed on a substrate directly or via an underlayer, which records and/or reads back information through the use of atomic arrangement change caused by the irradiation of energy beams, a protective layer and at least two reflective layers, the reflective layers including a first reflective layer and a second reflective layer, the materials of which differ in refractive index or extinction coefficient or both, the aforesaid layers being laminated in the order, from the side of light incidence, of the protective layer, the recording layer, an intermediate layer, the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer.

The present invention relates to an optical information recording medium which is capable of recording and reading back information.
Various principles are known which are used for recording information on a thin layer (i.e., recording layer) by irradiation of laser light. Among these principles, those which make use of a phase transition (also called "phase change") of layer materials or of a change of atomic arrangement caused by irradiation of laser light (e.g., photo-darkening) have an advantage in that they can give an information recording medium of double-sided disk structure by directly laminating two disk members because they are accompanied by little deformation of the thin layers. Furthermore, recording layers of GeSbTe or similar type have the advantage of permitting the rewriting of information.
In a recording layer of this kind, however, when the layer is subjected to a large number (exceeding 10.sup.4) of times of rewriting by means of a sample servo system or a mark edge recording, which are conducted for attaining a high density recording, the recording layer thickness changes as the result of a flow of the recording layer and the wave form of the reproduced signal undergoes distortion. The cause of the flow of the recording layer is presumably that the recording layer becomes flowable by the laser beam irradiation at the time of recording and the recording layer is pushed little by little as the result of deformation of the protective layer and the intermediate layer caused by thermal expansion.
For example, reference 1 (T. Ohta et al., "Optical data Storage", '89 Proc. SPIE, 1078, 27 (1989)) discloses a method of preventing the flow of the recording layer by decreasing the thickness of the recording layer to reduce its heat capacity and making use of the resultant increase in the effect of the adhesive force of the layer with adjacent layers. Reference 2 (Hirotsune, Terao, Miyauchi, Minemura and Fushimi, Collection of preliminary papers for 41th applied physics joint lecture meeting, p. 1000) discloses a method of preventing the flow of the recording layer by adding a high melting point ingredient. These methods can suppress the flow of the recording layer to a certain extent. However, when a large, number of times of rewriting is repeated, the fluctuation of reflectivity level takes place.
To improve the overwrite jitter characteristic in mark edge recording, a disk increased in transmitted light intensity has been proposed in reference 3 (Okubo, Murahata, Ide, Okada and Iwanaga, Collection of preliminary papers for 5th phase change recording symposium, p. 98). The disk has a structure of PC substrate/ZnS--SiO.sub.2 (250 nm)/Ge.sub.2 Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.5 (15 mm)/ZnS--SiO.sub.2 (18 nm)/Si (65 nm).
On the other hand, in optical disks obtained by replicating, as surface unevenness on the substrate surface, analog information signals produced by the FM modulation of image signals and sound signals and digital information signals, such as electronic computer data, facsimile signals and digital audio signals, and in optical disks having information recording thin layers or the like which are capable of recording signals and data at the real time by means of recording beams, such as laser beams and electron beams.
The signal readback resolution is almost entirely determined by the wavelength .lambda. of the light source of the reproduction optical system and the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens, the recording mark period 2NA/.lambda. representing the reading limit.
As to the means for obtaining a high density recording, a method in which data recorded by ruggedness are read back by using a medium which changes its reflectivity by phase change and the medium used therein are described in reference 4 (K. Yasuda, M. Ono, K. Aritani, A. Fukumoto, M. Kaneko; Jpn, J. Appl. Phys. vol. 32 (1993), p. 5210). In this method, also, the layer for ultra-high resolution reading undergoes flowing of the layer and gives rise to fluctuation of reflectivity level when subjected to a very large number, exceeding 10.sup.4, of times of reading, so that the possible number of times of reading is restricted.
In the present specification, the term "phase change" is used not only to indicate the phase change between the crystalline and the amorphous states but also to imply the phase change of melting (i.e., change into liquid phase) and recrystallization and the phase change between the crystalline and another crystalline states.

Information recording medium and information memory storage


A method and apparatus is provided for determining aggregated value of risk and resilience metrics of critical nodes in a network of computer nodes, comprising determining a status of each node in a plurality of nodes, computing one or more effectiveness attributes for each node in the plurality of nodes, ranking the plurality of nodes based upon at least the one or more effectiveness attributes of each node, determining one or more nodes as critical nodes based on the ranking and computing a criticality surface of the one or more critical nodes as the aggregated value of risk and resilience metrics, wherein the criticality surface is an aggregation of the one or more effectiveness attribute for each of the one or more critical nodes.

Modern computer networks often have several layers of security to protect from cyber-attacks, viruses and the like. However, as attackers become more coordinated and advanced in such attacks, the security layers such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption and the like are required to have much more effectiveness to protect valuable assets on systems internal to the network, i.e., network nodes such as computer workstations, routers, switches and servers. Such a requirement makes it essential to take a comprehensive and objective approach to measuring the individual and relative performances of cyber security assets in network nodes.
Therefore there is a need in the art for techniques that measure individual and cumulative criticalities of cyber security assets in network nodes and then determine their criticality surface to enhance cyber defense.

Method and apparatus for determining a criticality surface of assets to enhance cyber defense

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


An encoder comprising a sleeve for holding on a shaft and an encoder element secured to the sleeve. The encoder element presents an encoding zone that is protected by a thin layer of material deposited by plasma directly on the encoder element and secured thereto, the thin layer covering at least the encoding zone A device including the encoder and a method of fabricating the encoder are described.

In numerous applications, and in particular for wheel shafts, outlet shafts from gearboxes, or crank shafts of internal combustion engines, a rotary shaft is fitted with a device for encoding angular displacement in order to measure its instantaneous speed of rotation and/or its angular position and/or its direction of rotation.
It is advantageous to make the encoder element using a magnetizable polymer, i.e. a polymer of the elastomer type, or of any other material capable of performing a binder function, and containing a high proportion of magnetic particles, such as ferrite particles, for example. Such magnetizable polymers can be configured in a variety of shapes by molding, and they can be secured to a support by being bonded directly thereto. However, such polymers are relatively friable and their lifetime can be reduced in certain severe applications where the angle encoder is particularly exposed to abrasive particles, such as dust or sand, for example.
Proposals have been made to protect the encoder element by a metal covering part made of non-magnetic metal, which part is mounted on the encoder so as to cover at least the encoding zone, as described in US patent application No. US-A-2002/040418. Nevertheless, the additional covering part needs to be secured firmly to the encoder and increases the complexity and the cost of manufacture. Furthermore, said part needs to present thickness that is relatively large in order to have sufficient strength, thereby increasing the gap between the encoder element and the magnetic sensor, thus degrading the magnetic field emitted towards the sensor, and increasing the overall size of the encoder, given that the magnetizable polymer needs to be relatively bulky in order to generate a magnetic field that is detectable. The presence of a covering part may require the thickness of the magnetizable polymer to be increased as measured perpendicularly to the encoding zone in order to compensate for the disturbance to the magnetic field.

Encoder for a movable shaft, a device including such an encoder, and a method of fabricating such an encoder