A system method for sono-thrombolysis is provided employing real-time, continuous intensity and temperature monitoring. The method generally includes the steps of establishing an ultrasound delivery column to the patient being treated for a thrombotic or embolic occlusion wherein the column includes an ultrasound transducer, a coupling medium and a hydrophone. The transducer is operated in a conventional manner to deliver ultrasound to the occlusion. During operation of the transducer, characteristics of the ultrasound being delivered to the occlusion are monitored on a real-time basis with the hydrophone. In addition, the methods includes monitoring temperature proximate the site of the occlusion, the temperature also being monitored on a real-time basis. Importantly, in response to the monitored characteristics of the ultrasound, intensity of the delivered ultrasound is controlled to be maintained within a desired intensity range.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for sono-thrombolysis and more specifically relates to systems and methods for sono-thrombolysis employing ultrasound intensity and temperature monitoring techniques.
The use of ultrasound to accelerate thrombolysis has been proposed for many years. In experimental studies, ultrasound has been used, in conjunction with thrombolytic agents to disrupt peripheral arterial and venous thrombi in animal models and to open artheroscelerotic occlusions of peripheral arteries in some patients. In early research experiments, the ultrasound was typically delivered through catheters to prevent damage to normal tissues near the site of the occlusion.
Ultrasound application has been studied for its effect in fibrinolytic therapy with a thrombolytic agent, such as a tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). Studies have suggested that transcutaneous ultrasound energy, delivered in a continuous mode at high frequencies, may enhance the thrombolytic effect of some medicinal agents by promoting agitation of the clot, thereby exposing additional fibrin in the clot for binding with the medicinal agent.
Lauer et al, in Circulation, 1992, investigated the effects of ultrasound on t-PA induced thrombolysis both in vitro and in rabbit jugular veins. More recently, Furtuhata in the proceedings of 1st International Symposium of Sonodynamic Therapy, 2000, investigated early recanalization of ischemic circulation by thrombolytic method combined with drug and ultrasound, including acceleration of thrombolysis by transcranial ultrasonic irradiation in rabbit femoral arteries and also in vitro.
The early investigators employed relatively high intensity of ultrasound at the site of exposure. Possibly, the early investigators believed that significant levels of ultrasound were needed to accomplish acceleration of lysis in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Various methods have been used to generally assess the amount of ultrasound intensity being delivered to a site. Typically, the methods employed to assess the intensity of ultrasound used to produce results of an experiment involved sampling of intensities either before and/or after the experiment, rather than during the experiment.
Despite advances made in the field of sono-thrombolysis, there are significant problems that are not addressed by the prior art. For example, the potential for thermal injury is a significant concern that cannot be overlooked, particularly when sono-thrombolysis is employed on a human patient for treatment of an acute stroke in the brain. The present invention addresses these and other concerns and provides significant advantages over earlier sono-thrombolytic therapy methods.
Accordingly, a method for treating a patient experiencing an acute stroke, heart attack, peripheral arterial, deep vein, or other peripheral vascular occlusion using sono-thrombolysis is provided.
The present invention generally comprises establishing an ultrasound delivery column to the subject or patient, and providing real-time monitoring of both intensity and temperature in order to limit energy exposure, avoid cavitation and control heating to prevent thermal injury to the patient. Preferably, the monitoring of the ultrasound intensity and the temperature is performed continuously during application of the ultrasound. By employing careful, real-time monitoring of characteristics of the ultrasound being delivered, effective thrombolysis of the occlusion can be accomplished using low intensity ultrasound preferably in conjunction with low concentrations of thrombolytic agents.
More specifically, a method of using ultrasound to treat a patient experiencing a thrombotic or embolic occlusion, in accordance with the invention, generally comprises the steps of establishing an ultrasound delivery column to the patient, wherein the column comprises an ultrasound transducer, a coupling medium and a hydrophone, operating the transducer to deliver ultrasound to the thrombotic occlusion and monitoring ultrasound intensity on a real-time basis with the hydrophone. In response to the monitored characteristics of the ultrasound, intensity of the delivered ultrasound is controlled within a desired intensity range, using conventional electronics equipment and techniques.
The ultrasound energy is preferably provided by a ultrasound transducer assembly, utilizing, for example, a 27 kHz transducer. Preferably, pulse mode ultrasound, rather than continuous mode ultrasound, is employed for sono-thrombolysis therapy in accordance with the present invention. Preferably, the pulse mode is set at a 10% duty cycle. By using pulse mode ultrasound, average intensity delivered is reduced in comparison to levels that would be delivered using continuous mode ultrasound. The efficacy of pulse mode versus continuous mode is higher per unit of intensity delivered. Therefore, pulse mode is more desirable in terms of efficiency. Pulse average intensity is the time averaged intensity, in watts per square centimeters, during the ultrasound pulse. Temporal average intensity is the pulse average intensity multiplied by the pulse length, and divided by the time between pulses.
The desired intensity of the ultrasound preferably has a pulse average intensity of up to about 1 watt/cm. More preferably, the ultrasound has a temporal average intensity of about 0.25 w/cm2 and the ultrasound intensity range may be a range of between about 0.06 w/cm2 and about 0.25 w/cm2 temporal average intensity. At these relatively low levels of ultrasound energy, infarction volumes of patients who are experiencing an acute stroke can be significantly reduced as will be described hereinafter.
It is noted that the actual intensity of ultrasound being delivered to the patient is influenced by many factors. For example, small variations in the contact surface (i.e. contours or shape of the body surface of the patient on which the transducer is positioned), the viscosity and entrapped air of the coupling medium, the force being applied to the transducer to ensure good contact between the transducer and the patient, all can cause significant variations in the intensity of ultrasound being delivered.
Ideally, in accordance with the invention, the hydrophone is positioned between the transducer and the subject in order to provide accurate measurement of ultrasound intensity as the energy enters the subject. Characteristics of the ultrasound can be viewed by means of a conventional oscilloscope assembly connected to the hydrophone. Intensity of the ultrasound can be adjusted by the operating technician to ensure the intensity remains within the desired range (e.g. between about 0.06 w/cm2 and about 0.25 w/cm2). Actual oscillographic plots of intensity may show a waveform with occasional spikes that are attributable to the presence of cavitation occurring at the site of exposure. High levels of cavitation at the site of exposure may cause excessive heating of the patient and therefor should be minimized.
Preferably, therefore, the coupling medium used should be selected to reduce or minimize the occurrence of cavitation. Specifically, in accordance with the present invention, the coupling medium may comprise a silicone material, and a thin layer of glycerine on either side thereof. Even more specifically, the hydrophone is preferably encased within a silicone material, for example a pellet of silicone material. To provide sufficient coupling, a thin layer of glycerin is placed on either side of the silicone pellet having the hydrophone encased therein. The silicone pellet and thin layer of glycerin is positioned between the transducer and the body surface of the patient. It has been found that when silicone and glycerin are used in this manner as the coupling medium, cavitation is reduced, in comparison to other more conventional coupling media such as the medium known as xe2x80x9cSonigelxe2x80x9d.
Temperature rise is a significant concern, especially for patients exposed to ultrasound who are experiencing an acute stroke. Hypothermia has been proposed as a method to reduce damage caused by an acute stroke. Ideally, in accordance with the present invention, the application of the ultrasound would have no effect on temperature rise of the exposed patient. Practically, a temperature rise of about 1 deg C. to about 2 deg C. may be tolerated, but no greater. In a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method further comprising the step of monitoring temperature of the patient on a real-time basis, wherein the temperature is monitored proximate the site of the occlusion. This embodiment of the present invention therefor includes the step of monitoring temperature on a real time basis.
This feature of the present invention is particularly important when the method is employed for treatment of a patient experiencing an acute stroke. The step of monitoring temperature may include placing a temperature probe external to the skull of the patient, with the hydrophone in the silicone material. Temperature can be monitored on a real time, continuous basis for the purpose of limiting temperature rise and avoiding damage to the brain of a patient undergoing an acute stroke.

Ultrasound signal and temperature monitoring during sono-thrombolysis therapy


An image processing apparatus communicates with a document management server and a client apparatus. The image processing apparatus receives document entity data and document property information required for determining accessibility to the document entity data stores the received document entity data in a storage unit. The image processing apparatus transmits document property information to the document management server and requests the document management server to perform document registration. The image processing apparatus sends, to the document management server, an inquiry about accessibility to the stored document entity data, if the document entity data is requested by the client apparatus, based on information obtained from the client apparatus. The image processing apparatus controls transmission of the requested document entity data to the client apparatus based on an obtained inquiry result received from the document management server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to document management and control in a document management system including an image processing apparatus configured to input a document, a document management server configured to register and manage a document, and a client apparatus configured to communicate with the document management system and the document management server.
More specifically, the present invention relates to document management and control for a document management system capable of managing an image file (i.e., electronic file) obtained by an image processing apparatus (multifunction peripheral, copy machine, scanner, etc) that can scan a paper document and input a scanned image document.
2. Description of the Related Art
The network techniques enable personal computers (PCs) connected via a network to form a document management system that can store and manage electronic files as commonly usable documents.
In general, a document management system can be provided in an office including plural PCs connected via a network so that users can commonly use electronic files. Each PC user can transmit an electronic file via a network to the document management system. The document management system registers a received electronic file as a document. The registered electronic files can be accessed from each PC connected to the network. Each PC user can retrieve (or delete) a document managed in the document management system.
The above-mentioned document management system can be accessed by plural users operating their PCs. To improve the security, satisfying the following conditions is necessary to prevent an arbitrary user to freely access a document registered in the document management system.
1. Access right to an arbitrary document can be set.
2. Access of each user to a document can be controlled with reference to access right settings.
A conventional document management system was installed as an application operable on the OS. Each user installed a document management application on a PC.
On the other hand, recent web techniques enable each user to operate a document management system via a web browser.
Copy machines, multifunction peripherals, and scanners are image processing apparatus (image reading apparatus) that can be connected to a network and scan a paper document to obtain an electronic file (containing image data). An electronic file obtained from an image processing apparatus can be transmitted, via the network, and registered as a document in a document management system.
In this manner, a document management system can link with not only PCs but also image processing apparatus (image reading apparatus). For example, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-39411, access control can be employed to determine whether a paper document can be copied in an image reading apparatus that scans the document.
An advanced image processing apparatus includes a hard disk or comparable auxiliary storage device that can store scanned electronic files, and has a URL-send function for enabling a user to access via a web browser to an electronic file stored in the image processing apparatus.
FIG. 15 is an illustration of a conventional URL-send function for accessing an electronic file stored in the image processing apparatus.
However, according to the system shown in FIG. 15, an image processing apparatus itself determines accessibility to an electronic file stored in its storage unit. In short, an electronic file stored in the image processing apparatus is not linked to a document management system.
There may be an environment where an electronic file stored in an image processing apparatus can be managed by a document management system. In this case, address of an electronic file stored in the image processing apparatus can be registered beforehand in the document management server. If a client requests the document management server to inform the address of a requested document, the document management server notifies the client of the address of the requested document using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) redirect function. The client can access the electronic file stored in the image processing apparatus with reference to address information (URL) indicating the storage place of the requested electronic file.

Image processing apparatus, document management server, document management system, and document management control method


Apparatus and method for communication are provided. The apparatus includes one or more antenna ports; and a processor configured to share a cyclic shift space of reference signals of user equipment utilizing single user multiple input multiple output transmission by applying a cyclic shift increment value between reference signals of different antenna ports or spatial layers of the user equipment transmission.

The following description of background art may include insights, discoveries, understandings or disclosures, or associations together with disclosures not known to the relevant art prior to the present invention but provided by the invention. Some such contributions of the invention may be specifically pointed out below, whereas other such contributions of the invention will be apparent from their context.
In data links, the transmission path used for transmitting signals is known to cause interference in telecommunication. Another main cause for errors in communication is thermal noise. In order to diminish the effects of thermal noise and interference caused by the transmission path, efficient transmission methods are required.
In many systems, coherent detection is utilized in receivers. In coherent detection, the carrier phase of the received signal must be detected at the receiver. In non-coherent detection, phase information is not required. However, due to better performance, coherent detection is widely used although the receiver complexity is greater. It is common to add a reference signal to a payload signal so that the signal may be received coherently at a receiver. In some moderns systems, constant amplitude zero autocorrelation waveform (CAZAC) sequences are used as reference signals. Cyclic shift versions of a CAZAC sequence have high orthogonality with each other. Thus, cyclic shifted versions of such a sequence may be used as a reference signal. Also other sequences may be used, such as computer searched Zero-Autocorrelation (ZAC) sequences.

Apparatus and method for single user multiple input multiple output communication employing cyclic shifts


According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a display disposed in a first housing, an input device comprising input circuitry disposed in a second housing arranged to face the display device, a first sensor module disposed in at least a portion of the first housing, a second sensor module disposed in at least a portion of the second housing, a communication module comprising communication circuitry, and a processor electrically connected with the display, the input device, the first sensor module and the second sensor module. The processor may be configured to determine whether sensing data received from the first sensor module and sensing data received from the second sensor module meet a predetermined condition, and to operate the input device in an external input mode if the sensing data provided by the first sensor and the sensing data provided by the second sensor meet the predetermined condition.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for utilizing an input device.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, with the development of digital technologies, various types of electronic devices such as a mobile communication terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a smart phone, a tablet Personal Computer (PC), a wearable device, or the like are widely used. The electronic device is persistently improved in a hardware part and/or software part of the electronic device to support and enhance functions.
The electronic device is being developed in such a manner that a display device and an input device can be separately used according to usability of a user.
For example, the user may use the electronic device in a laptop mode in which both the display device and the input device are used or a tablet mode in which only the display device is used by folding back the input device or by separating the display device from the input device. The input device may have no utilization if the user uses only the display device.

Method for utilizing input device and electronic device for the same


Coated abrasive products having abrasive filaments of polycrystalline alumina.

Sol gel aluminous abrasives, have demonstrated substantial advantages over other premium abrasives in broad areas of coated abrasive applications since their introduction some few years ago. Such abrasives are generally made by drying and sintering a hydrated alumina gel which may also contain varying amounts of additives such as MgO or ZrO.sub.2. The dried material is crushed either before or after sintering to obtain irregular polycrystalline abrasive grits in a desired size range. The grits may be later incorporated in abrasive products such as coated abrasive disks or belts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,827 to Leitheiser et al, discloses abrasive grits made by such a method in which the sintered grits contain irregular "snowflake" shaped alpha Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 crystals which are on the order of 5 to 10 microns in diameter. The spaces between the arms of a "snowflake" and between adjacent "snowflakes" are occupied by other phases such as a finely crystalline alumina magnesia spinel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,364, which issued on Nov. 18, 1986 assigned to Norton Company, the assignee of this application, discloses a sol gel method for the manufacture of aluminous abrasive grits, and products other than abrasive grits such as coatings, thin films, fibers, rods or small shaped parts, having enhanced properties. In that patent the conversion of the hydrated alumina to alpha alumina is facilitated by the introduction of seed material into the gel or the gel precursor prior to drying. This can be accomplished by either wet vibratory milling of the gel or gel precursor with alpha alumina media, or by the direct addition of very fine seed particles in powder or other form. The alpha alumina so obtained (often herein called SG grain) has a very fine, uniform crystallite structure with substantially all the crystallites less than about 1 micron in size. Slightly larger sizes can be obtained by longer firing but this is not in general desirable. To make abrasive grits the seeded gel is dried, crushed and fired. The abrasive grits so produced may be used in the manufacture of products such as coated abrasive disks and grinding wheels. Alternatively, to make shaped parts or rods, the material may be formed or molded as by extrusion before firing. In the case of extrusion of rods, the rods are later cut or broken into appropriate lengths.
The present invention provides a coated abrasive with a long useful life and which require less applied power for a given cutting rate using a special form of abrasive grain.
The coated abrasives of the invention are freer cutting and generate less heat during grinding.
The coated abrasives of the invention are also found to cut at a more even rate and impart a more consistent surface finish to the work piece over an unusually long useful life.

Coated abrasive material containing abrasive filaments


In an ultrasonic object detecting apparatus which detects the presence of an object by emitting ultrasonic tone bursts and by receiving the reflected wave, an attenuator is provided at the rear stage of a reception and amplification circuit and an attenuation control circuit for controlling the attenuation in the attenuation circuit is added so that the attenuation is increased at a timing when a reflected wave from a short distance object is received and the attenuation is decreased at a timing when a reflected wave from a long distance object is received. An object in a wide range from the short distance to the long distance may be thus stably detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic object detecting apparatus for detecting the presence of a human body, vehicle and the like by using the reflection of ultrasonic waves.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a conventional ultrasonic object detecting apparatus. In FIG. 5, an oscillator 1 is connected with a tone burst generating circuit 2 and a gate pulse circuit 3. The tone burst generating circuit 2 is connected with an ultrasonic wave transmitter 5 via a transmission and amplification circuit 4 for forming a transmission circuit. Similarly, an ultrasonic wave sensor 6, a reception and amplification circuit 7, a detector 8 and a discriminator 9 are coupled with each other as shown in the drawing for forming a reception circuit.
Reference timing signals are generated by the oscillator 1 and radio frequency pulses each having a width of about 10 ms are generated at intervals of usually 200 ms by the tone burst generating circuit 2 and ultrasonic wave pulses are emitted from the ultrasonic wave transmitter 5 via the transmission and amplification circuit 4. If an object exists in front of the ultrasonic wave transmitter 5, a wave reflected from the object is received and amplified by the ultrasonic wave sensor 6 and the reception and amplification circuit 7 and is converted into a direct current level by the detector 8. When the reflected wave, which has been converted into the direct current level by the detector 8, is received within a period of the gate pulse outputted by the gate pulse circuit 3, which generates gate pulses representative of a period of time during which the reflected wave which is shifted by a given real period of time from the pulses generated by the tone burst generating circuit 2 may be detected, a detection signal is outputted by the discriminator 9.
However, the conventional art having such a structure has a drawback as follows. Since the level of the reflected wave detected by the ultrasonic object detecting apparatus changes greatly due to the difference in distance between the object and the ultrasonic object detecting apparatus as shown in FIG. 6a, it is necessary to increase the gain of the reception and amplification circuit 7 so that an object which is far from the detecting apparatus can be detected. If the gain is excessively increased, the level of the reflected wave from the surface of a close floor or a wall which is located out of a detecting area would be increased. Thus only the reflected wave from the floor surface is detected as shown in FIG. 6c during the gate period as shown in FIG. 6b, and misdetection takes place. Accordingly, it is difficult to stably detect the presence of an object over a continuous range from a short distance such as several centimeters to a long distance such as about ten meters.


A multiple battery charger is provided. The multiple battery charger includes an input unit configured to receive or block power from a power supply unit, an output unit including a plurality of output terminals, wherein the plurality of output terminals are commonly connected to the input unit and charge a plurality of batteries, and wherein each of the plurality of output terminals includes at least one of a plurality of second switches for a selective receipt of the power from the input unit and the plurality of output terminals are controlled in a time division multiple control manner, and a switching control unit configured to transmit a pulse width modulation signal to the input unit and the output unit so as to independently control the power applied to the plurality of batteries. Accordingly, a plurality of different kinds of batteries and the same kind of batteries in which charge states are different can be simultaneously charged.

The following description relates to a multiple battery charger which can simultaneously charge a plurality of different kinds of batteries or the same kind of batteries in which charge states are different, and a method of controlling the same.
Recently, demand for mobile devices such as a smart phone, and a tablet personal computer (PC) is greatly growing in an electronic device market. With this growth, demand of consumers with respect to the high-performance mobile devices is continuously increasing, and demand of a market with respect to a high-performance battery having a great influence on performance and an operating time of the mobile devices is also increasing. Further, a kind of battery used in the high-performance mobile device is various, and studies on a multiple battery charger which can charge various kinds of batteries are being carried out.
The multiple battery charger is a device which can charge various kinds of batteries. Conventionally, when charging a plurality of batteries, it takes a long time for charging because while charging one of the batteries, the charger does not charge the rest of the batteries. Otherwise, while charging the plurality of batteries simultaneously, there is a problem in which various kinds of batteries are not simultaneously charged since the charger charges only the same kind of batteries with power having the same magnitude.
The present invention is directed to providing a multiple battery charger which can simultaneously charge a plurality of batteries using a time division multiple control method, and a method of controlling the same.

Multiple battery charger and method for controlling the same

FOUNDATION OF SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION


A rotary hydraulic machine having particular utility as a fuel pump for aircraft turbine engines that combines the desirable features of vane-type and centrifugal-type machines of similar character--i.e., high pressure positive displacement at low speed combined with improved reliability, package size and weight. This is accomplished, in accordances with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, by providing a combined vane- and centrifugal-type pump that is configured to function as a pressure-compensated single-lobe vane pump for engine starting, and as a centrifugal pump at normal operating speed.

Positive displacement pumps are conventionally employed as fuel pumps for aircraft turbine engines in order to obtain sufficient fuel pressure for the engine during low speed starting conditions. Recent requirements to improve pump reliability, package size and weight have increased the need to employ centrifugal-type pumps in applications of this type. However, centrifugal hydraulic pumps, which rely upon high-speed rotation to obtain high output pressure, do not provide sufficient fuel pressure at the ten percent to fifteen percent speed range to permit engine starting.
System designs specifications typically require fuel pumps to operate at a specified flow rate with a vapor/liquid inlet ratio of 0.45, and with a net positive suction pressure or NPSP, which is the pressure at the pump inlet above true vapor pressure of the fuel, of 5 psi. Newer system specifications, however, require the 0.45 vapor/liquid inlet ratio capability over a wider engine flow range, and may even require a 1.0 vapor/liquid ratio with intermittent all-liquid or all-vapor operation. Furthermore, the NPSP requirements have been increased to 5 psi over the entire engine flow range, and in some cases even 3 psi over the engine flow range.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a rotary hydraulic machine of the subject type that provides sufficient output pressure for use during low speed starting of aircraft turbine engines and other applications of similar type, while retaining desirable features of centrifugal pumps in terms of reliability, package size and weight.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary hydraulic pump that is capable of satisfying flow requirements in aircraft turbine engine fuel delivery systems over an extended engine operating range. A further object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump of the describe character that is economical and efficient in construction in terms of the stringent weight and volume requirements in aircraft applications, and that provides reliable service over an extended operating lifetime.

Combined centrifugal and undervane-type rotary hydraulic machine


The present disclosure provides, among other aspects, improved methods for the manufacture of Factor H compositions from plasma precipitation fractions. In some aspects, the methods include an improved process step for extracting Factor H from a plasma precipitate fraction with reduced co-extraction of amidolytic activities. In other aspects, the methods include a heat treatment step for reducing impurities, such as amidolytic enzymes, from a Factor H composition. In yet other aspects, the methods include improved anion exchange, heparin affinity, and/or mixed mode chromatographic enrichment of Factor H. In still other aspects, the improved methods include a combination of the individual improved process steps disclosed herein.

Plasma-derived therapeutic proteins, unlike other biologics that are produced via recombinant expression of DNA vectors in host cell lines, are fractionated from human blood and plasma donations. The supply of these plasma-derived products cannot be increased by simply increasing the volume of production. Rather, the level of commercially available blood products is limited by the available supply of blood and plasma donations. This dynamic results in a shortage in the availability of raw human plasma for the manufacture of plasma-derived blood factors that have lesser established commercial markets, including Factor H (FH).
Factor H is a large (155 kDa), soluble glycoprotein that functions in the regulation of the complement Alternative Pathway to ensuring that the complement system acts on pathogens and not host tissue. Factor H circulates in human plasma at a concentration of 500-800 micrograms per milliliter, binding to specific glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) present on human, but not most pathogenic, cell surfaces. Once located to self-cells and tissues, Factor H down-regulates complement activation through Factor I cofactor activity of C3b cleavage and decay accelerating activity against the alternative pathway C3 convertase, C3bBb.
Factor H is implicated as a potential therapeutic agent for several human disease states, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). However, because of the extremely high worldwide demand for plasma-derived pooled immunoglobulin G (IgG), source plasma is not readily available for the direct isolation of Factor H. Rather, methods for Factor H isolation that can be introduced into existing IgG manufacturing schemes are needed. Several methods have been suggested to achieve just this, however, many of these proposed solutions require modification of the existing manufacturing scheme for established products. Such changes will require new regulatory approvals for the established products and may even result in alterations of the characteristics of the established products.
WO 2007/066017 describes a method for the production of Factor H preparations from cryo-poor plasma. Cryo-poor plasma, however, is a common source material for the manufacture of many commercially important IgG therapeutics, such as GAMMAGARD® LIQUID (Baxter Healthcare Corporation). WO 2007/06617 provides no guidance as to how the disclosed method, which involves passing cryo-poor plasma through at least two chromatographic steps, including anion exchange chromatography and heparin affinity chromatography, would impact, or even allow for, the manufacture IgG from the pre-processed cryo-poor plasma. In addition to requiring a complete revalidation and possible redesign of key IgG manufacturing processes, regulatory re-approval of the manufacturing procedures from key regulatory agencies would be required.
Likewise, WO 2008/113589 describes methods for the production of Factor H preparations from known plasma fractionation intermediates, namely Cohn-Oncley Fraction I supernatant, Cohn-Oncley Fraction II+III precipitate, and Kistler/Nitschmann Precipitate B fractions. Because these fractions are intermediates used in many commercially important IgG therapeutics, such as GAMMAGARD® LIQUID, implementation of these methods would likewise greatly impact existing IgG manufacturing capabilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,304,524 discloses methods for the isolation of Factor H from commonly produced by-products of IgG manufacturing processes, including Cohn Fraction I precipitate and Fraction II+III precipitate insoluble materials which are normally discarded. The '524 patent reports that about 90% of the Factor H content of plasma is fractionated into Cohn Fraction II+III precipitate during IgG manufacturing, and proposes that Factor H manufacturing efforts be focused on the extraction of Factor H from this by-product. However, Fraction II+III precipitate, and specifically the insoluble material derived therefrom and used in the '534 patent for the isolation of Factor H, contains high levels of proteolytic/amidolytic activity. It is shown herein that Factor H purified from Fraction II+III precipitate according to the methods of the '524 patent is proteolytically clipped to a large extent.
Brandstätter et al. (Vox Sanguinis (2012) 103, 201-212) report the purification of Factor H from an undisclosed plasma fraction. As in the '524 patent, Brandstätter et al. observe a large fraction of proteolytically clipped Factor H in their starting plasma fraction (see, lane 1 of the western blot shown in FIG. 3(b)).
Concerns over the amidolytic activity content of immunoglobulin compositions fueled by occurrences of thromboembolic events in patients being administered plasma-derived immunoglobulins and the recent withdrawal of two plasma-derived immunoglobulin compositions from market have highlighted a need for methods of effectively reducing serine proteases (e.g., activated protein C, kallikreins, FXIa, and FXIIa) during the manufacturing of plasma-derived therapeutics. Moreover, several studies have suggested that administration of high levels of amidolytic activity may result in unwanted thromboembolic events (Wolberg A S et al., Coagulation factor XI is a contaminant in intravenous immunoglobulin preparations. Am J Hematol 2000; 65:30-34; and Alving B M et al., Contact-activated factors: contaminants of immunoglobulin preparations with coagulant and vasoactive properties. J Lab Clin Med 1980; 96:334-346).
Thus, a need remains for methods of manufacturing plasma-derived Factor H compositions with reduced proteolytic profiles from the existing supply of plasma donations. Advantageously, the present disclosure fulfills these and other needs by providing improved methods that reduce the proteolytic content (e.g., amidolytic activity) of Factor H compositions prepared from precipitation byproducts normally discarded during the manufacture of commercial IgG therapeutic products.

Method for producing factor H from a plasma precipitation fraction


The present invention relates to stable pharmaceutical compositions comprising linaclotide or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as to various methods and processes for the preparation and use of the compositions.

Linaclotide is a peptide that is useful as an agonist of the guanylate cyclase C (GC-C) receptor in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Linaclotide is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,304,036 and 7,371,727, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
There is an existing and continual need for linaclotide formulations, for example, low-dose and pediatric formulations, having improved stability and performance. This need arises in part because of the intrinsic and chemical instability of linaclotide (for example, induced by moisture-driven degradation reactions such as hydrolysis, deamidation, isomerization, and multimerization). These difficulties may be exacerbated when producing pediatric formulations and other low-dose formulations of linaclotide, e.g., because the linaclotide is more dispersed and has greater surface area exposure to aqueous environments such as during preparation.
The present invention provides such improved stability formulations of linaclotide. These formulations are described herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A piezoelectric material for a combustion pressure sensor, a method for producing the piezoelectric material, and a combustion pressure sensor using the piezoelectric material are provided. The piezoelectric material of the present invention includes a single crystal containing Ca, Ta, an element M (M is Al or Ga), Si, and O, the single crystal has the same crystal structure as the crystal structure of langasite represented by La3Ga5SiO14, and at least the content of the element M is insufficient for the stoichiometric composition represented by Ca3TaM3Si2O14. Preferably, in a case where the element M is Ga, each content of the Ca and the Si is excessive for the stoichiometric composition, and in a case where the element M is Al, the content of the Ca is excessive for the stoichiometric composition, and the content of the Ta is insufficient for the stoichiometric composition.

In order to improve the fuel efficiency and to reduce CO2/NOx, research and development of automobiles and the like having an internal-combustion engine have been conducted. In recent years, for this purpose, a combustion pressure sensor to be mounted on an internal-combustion engine has been attracting attention. Since a combustion pressure sensor directly detects the torque fluctuation, both of the low torque fluctuation and the low CO2/NOx can be achieved, therefore, the improvement of the fuel efficiency and the reduction of CO2/NOx are expected.
Such a combustion pressure sensor is constituted of a piezoelectric material, and as the piezoelectric material, La3Ga5SiO14 (langasite), a langasite-type crystal having the same crystal structure as the crystal structure of langasite, and the like are known.
Langasite, and a langasite-type crystal do not generate the phase transition until reaching the melting point, and do not have pyroelectricity, therefore, are characterized in that characteristic deterioration at high temperature is small, and there is no fear of electrical signal disturbance such as generation of electromotive force corresponding to the temperature change due to pyroelectricity and of dielectric breakdown due to pyroelectric voltage. However, even in these langasite and langasite-type crystal, the electric resistivity at high temperature is not sufficient for use in an automotive combustion pressure sensor.
Recently, it has been reported that among the langasite-type crystals, an order-type langasite-type crystal having an ordered structure in which each element is regularly arranged at atomic sites in the crystal is preferred for high temperature sensing application (for example, see Non-Patent Literature 1). According to Table 1 of Non-Patent Literature 1, it is shown that the electric resistivities at 500° C. of Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 (CTGS) and Ca3TaAl3Si2O14 (CTAS) are 1.7×109 Ω·cm and 2.7×109 Ω·cm, respectively, and according to FIG. 1, it is shown that the electric resistivity at 427° C. of CTGS is 1.0×1010 Ω·cm.
However, even in CTGS and CTAS in Non-Patent Literature 1, it cannot be said that the electric resistivity at high temperature is sufficient.
In addition, focusing on the La3Ta0.5Ga55O14 (LTG) crystal that is a langasite-type crystal, a crystal of Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 (CTGS) has been designed on the basis of this electric conduction mechanism (for example, Non-Patent Literature 2). According to Non-Patent Literature 2, it has been disclosed that in LTG, the electric conductivity improves due to the metal-deficiency defect, therefore, a CTGS crystal in which the Ga/Ta ratio and the Si content are smaller than those of the stoichiometric composition so as to accompany anti-site defects and to minimize the occurrence of metal deficiency defects has an electric resistivity of 1.8×1010 Ω·cm at 400° C.
However, according to Non-Patent Literature 2, among the langasite-type crystals, only CTGS has been disclosed, and CTAS has not been developed yet. In addition, it cannot be said that CTGS of Non-Patent Literature 2 also has sufficient electric resistivity at high temperature.

Piezoelectric material, method for producing the same, piezoelectric element and combustion pressure sensor

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE


A motorized walking cane operated by a rechargeable battery powered linear actuator that assists a person to rise from a sitting position to a standing position and to lower from a standing position to a sitting position. The speed of the linear actuator can be adjusted with the use of a variable speed controller. The motorized lift cane can include an interface for receiving additional accessories.

The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
U.S. PatentsPat. No.Kind CodeIssue DatePatentee4,562,8501986 Jan. 07Earley et al.7,356,858B22008 Apr. 15Summers6,834,660B12004 Dec. 28Van Wart, Jr.
This invention relates to mechanical mobility aid devices, such as walking canes, or the like.
Various types of canes are known in the prior art. However, what has been needed is a cane with lifting capabilities. Many attempts have been made in the prior art to deal with ambulatory assistance devices for individuals with mobility problems.
In the past individuals needing assistance in rising from a seated position to a standing position had to depend upon human or prior art mechanical support. Prior art addressed individuals that needed extensive assistance to move from sitting to standing positions. Prior art did not address individuals that are mobile and only need minimal assistance to arise from a seated position to a standing position.
Prior art lift devices were bulky and required Nursing or Therapy personnel to operate them.
The most pertinent prior art patents for walking canes with uprisal device may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,850 to Earley et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,660 B1 to Van Wart, Jr.
The most pertinent prior art patent for sit to stand support apparatus may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,858 B2 to Summers.
The Earley et al. patent sets forth a walking cane with a flange or disk mounted upon the shaft of the cane to assist the user in rising from a seated position to a standing position. The user has to assert physical force to manually rise from the seated position to the standing position. For some users this would be a very difficult task.
The Van Wart Jr. patent sets forth a walking cane with an upper handle attached to the upper end of the cane shaft and a second lower handle attached to the shaft below the upper handle of the cane to assist the user in rising from a seated position to a standing position. The user has to assert physical force to manually rise from the seated position to the standing position. For some users this would be a very difficult task.
The Summers patent sets forth a sit to stand support apparatus that lifts an individual, who is usually limited in mobility and strength, from a seated position to a standing position. It requires the assistance of another person, usually a licensed person in the likes of a nursing assistant or a nurse, to operate the apparatus. The apparatus does not provide mobility aid ability such as walking.
What is needed is a mechanical mobility aid device, such as a walking cane or the like, with lift capabilities to assist an individual who is mobile to rise from a seated position to a standing position, and allow the individual to more easily move between locations and conduct their daily lives without assistance from care workers.


A system and method are disclosed for measuring and/or imaging a feature having a re-entrant cross-sectional profile. Beams are emitted onto the feature and substrate at different angles during corresponding measurement intervals. An feature data set of the feature is characterized for each measurement interval. The data associated with each measurement interval are aggregated to provide a cross-sectional representation of the having dimensions proportional to the feature. As a result, a more accurate feature profile may be determined, including a cross-sectional dimension of the re-entrant feature at the juncture between the feature and substrate.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor processing and, more particularly, to a system and method for measuring and/or imaging features, such as lines and spaces, including those having a re-entrant profile.
In the semiconductor industry, there is a continuing trend toward higher device densities. To achieve these high densities there has been and continues to be efforts toward scaling down the device dimensions on semiconductor wafers (e.g., at submicron levels). In order to accomplish such high device packing density, smaller and smaller features sizes are required. This may include the width and spacing of interconnecting lines, spacing and diameter of contact holes, and the surface geometry such as corners and edges of various features.
The requirement of small features with close spacing between adjacent features requires high resolution photolithographic processes. In general, lithography refers to processes for pattern transfer between various media. It is a technique used for integrated circuit fabrication in which a silicon slice, the wafer, is coated uniformly with a radiation-sensitive film, the resist, and an exposing source (such as optical light, x-rays, etc.) illuminates selected areas of the surface through an intervening master template, the mask, for a particular pattern. The lithographic coating is generally a radiation-sensitive coating suitable for receiving a projected image of the subject pattern. Once the image is projected, it is indelibly formed in the coating. The projected image may be either a negative or a positive image of the subject pattern. Exposure of the coating through a photomask causes the image area to become either more or less soluble (depending on the coating) in a particular solvent developer. The more soluble areas are removed in the developing process to leave the pattern image in the coating as less soluble polymer.
Due to the extremely fine patterns which are exposed on the photoresist, Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) often are employed to analyze and measure critical dimensions resulting from the lithographic process. Critical dimensions include the size of minimum features across the wafer such as linewidth, spacing, and contact dimensions.
In certain fabrication processes, resist and/or etched features have cross-sectional profiles that are re-entrant. By xe2x80x9cre-entrant profile,xe2x80x9d it is meant that the sidewalls of the feature taper inwardly at the bottom of the feature. For an elongated feature, such as a line or space, a re-entrant profile may result in an elongated trench (e.g., having a triangular cross section) positioned along the juncture of the feature and the substrate surface parallel to the substrate surface. While the re-entrant profile may be desirable in certain circumstances, the re-entrant features may cause a shadowing effect during subsequent deposition. As a result of the shadowing effect by the upper portion of the feature, an elongated void may be formed during the deposition at the bottom surface of the re-entrant feature in contact with the substrate. The void, if undetected, may have serious consequences for subsequent processing steps and may result in defects that compromise the operation of the resulting semiconductor device. Conventional SEM systems for measuring critical dimensions of wafers often fail to detect re-entrant profiles of lines and/or spaces, as they tend to employ top-down electron beams or a beam that is electronically tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the substrate.
It is desirable to have a system and/or method which facilitates measuring and/or imaging a feature, such as a line and/or space, having a re-entrant profile.
The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring and/or imaging a feature having a re-entrant cross-sectional profile. Beams are emitted onto the feature and substrate at at least two different angles during corresponding measurement intervals, such as by employing a scan-tilt CD-SEM. A feature data set for the feature is characterized for each measurement interval. The data sets associated with each measurement interval are aggregated to provide a cross-sectional representation of the feature. Because beams are emitted at different relative angles during the measurement intervals, each corresponding data set represents feature characteristics according to portions of the feature that the beam strikes. As a result, a more accurate feature profile may be determined, including a cross-sectional dimension of the feature at the juncture between the feature and substrate.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for measuring a cross-sectional profile of a feature in a substrate. The method includes the steps of performing first and second scans of the feature at different angles relative to the substrate to provide respective first and second feature data sets, such that an aggregate of the first and second feature data sets indicates the feature profile.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a system for determining a cross-sectional profile of a feature in a substrate. An emitter directs a beam onto the substrate at a first angle during a first measurement interval and at a second angle, which is different from the first angle, during a second measurement interval. A detector detects interactions between the beam and the feature and/or substrate and provides a detector signal indicative thereof. A controller determines a first feature data set based on the detector signal associated with the first measurement interval and a second feature data set based on the detector signal associated with the beam during the second measurement interval. The controller then determines a cross-sectional characteristic of the feature based on the first and second feature data sets.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a CD-SEM system primarily for measuring a cross-sectional dimension of a feature having a re-entrant profile relative to a substrate. A lens is provided for directing electrons to the surface of the substrate at a first angle during a first scanning interval and at a second angle during a second scanning interval, the second angle being different from the first angle relative to the substrate. A detector provides a signal based upon electrons received from the surface of the wafer. A processing system determines a first feature data set based on detected electrons associated with the first scanning interval and a second feature data set based on detected electrons associated with the second scanning interval. The processing system determines a cross-sectional characteristic of the feature based on an aggregation of the first and second feature data sets.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

System and method for measuring dimensions of a feature having a re-entrant profile


In a full-frame, copying system, translucent registration guides along the edges of a platen area provide an operator with an indication of which portion of a document overlying the platen will be copied onto selected copy paper at the particular magnification ratio selected. Illumination sources located on the image side of a projection lens create line images which are projected through the lens to illuminate appropriate registration guides corresponding with the particular magnification ratio.

The present invention relates to office photocopiers and more particularly to copiers having magnification capabilities. In this type of system it is obviously important for an operator to determine if the entire document to be copied will in fact, be copied onto the particular copy paper at the selected magnification setting. One solution to this problem is to use a framing indicator of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,610; especially FIGS. 13 and 16. This solution is rather complex requiring a plurality of belts and pulleys which are coupled to the linkage which in turn adjusts the optical system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,327 also discloses a movable framing indicator which can be moved by the operator to a placement defined by the optical system.
There is still required in a variable magnification system some mechanism to automatically and simply predefine for an operator which areas of the platen will be copied in the particular magnification mode he has selected.

Optical system for providing visual aid for proper magnification selection


The present invention discloses a resistive memory cell, including a unipolar type RRAM and a MOS transistor as a selection transistor serially connected to the unipolar type RRAM, wherein the MOS transistor is fabricated over a partial depletion SOI substrate and provides a large current for program and erase of the RRAM by using an intrinsic floating effect of the SOI substrate. The present invention utilizes a floating effect of a SOI device, in which under the same width/length ratio, a MOS transistor over a SOI substrate can provide larger source/drain current than a MOS transistor over a bulk silicon, so that the area occupied by the selection transistor is reduced, which is advantageous to the integration of the RRAM array.

A semiconductor memory is an indispensable component of various electronic device systems, and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory has a characteristic of retaining data even if its power is off, thus it is widely used in various mobile, portable apparatuses, such as cell phone, laptop, palmtop, or the like. With an increasing shrinkage of feature size, a conventional floating gate structure is gradually approaching the bottleneck, however, emerge of a new type of resistive random access memory (RRAM) brings hopes for fabricating a smaller, rapider, more economic nonvolatile memory. The RRAM has vantages of easy fabricating process, rapid read/write speed, high storage density, nonvolatility and excellently compatibility with a conventional silicon integrated circuit process, and thus has huge potential in application.
A RRAM is a nonvolatile memory based on electrically induced resistive change effect of some materials. The RRAM has a simple Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor structure as a functional device, in which an insulating layer material has a characteristic of electrically induced resistive change and has a resistive which may be reversibly changed under a specific external electrical signal. A process in which a resistive of the RRAM transits from a high resistive state (OFF-state) to a low resistive state (ON-state) is referred as a program (set) operation; a process in which the resistive of the RRAM transits from a low resistive state to a high resistive state is referred as an erase (reset) operation. The RRAM is mainly classified into unipolar type and bipolar type, depending on whether the voltage polarities occurred in Set/Reset processes are identical or not. The unipolar type RRAM has identical polarities in the Set/Reset process, while the bipolar type RRAM has different polarities in the Set/Reset process.
One transistor one RRAM (1T1R) is a currently typical RRAM structure, i.e. one RRAM and a drain terminal of one transistor (MOSFET) as a switch are serially connected. The transistor is referred as a selection transistor. The selection transistor in conventional 1T1R is formed on a bulk silicon substrate, and a RRAM in the conventional 1T1R is formed over the selection transistor with a thick oxide isolation layer therebetween. Since Set/Reset currents required in a RRAM for programming is relatively large, it is necessary to design the selection transistor MOSFET with a large width/length ratio in order to provide a sufficiently large saturation area current, which is adverse to the integration of memory with high density.


A device (104) transmitting or receiving low priority data may receive or be directed to transfer higher priority data for transmission. If the incoming data is of sufficiently high priority, the device (104) will interrupt transmission of the outgoing data by generating a signal on the bus (102) indicative of a collision. The receiving device (106) will then back-off. To prevent another device (106, 108) from seizing the bus after the back-off, the device (104) immediately (i.e., before expiration of a single slot time), proceeds with the high priority transmission. Once it is finished, the device (104) may resume its earlier lower priority transmission.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a network access protocol known as carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) and, more particularly, to a method for allowing isochronous data flow on such a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The CSMA/CD protocol generally used in Ethernet LANs (local area networks), is defined in ANSI/IEEE standard 802.3, published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (hereinafter the "IEEE 802.3 standard"). Under the CSMA/CD rules for access to a network bus or cable, any node or station wishing to transmit must first listen to ensure that the channel is clear before beginning to transmit. All nodes on the network have equal priority of access and may begin transmitting as soon as the channel is clear and a required interpacket delay of 9.6 microseconds has elapsed. However, if a first node that has begun transmitting detects a collision with a transmission from another node, the first node continues transmitting for a short time to make sure that all nodes wishing to transmit will detect the collision (it is assumed that, while the attempts to transmit are nearly simultaneous, the first node is actually the first to begin). Collisions are detected by detecting a predetermined signal or voltage level on the bus. Every other node detecting the collision also continues to transmit for a short time. Then each node that has detected a collision terminates transmission of the packet or frame. The nodes involved in the collision then wait for a required interpacket delay of 9.6 microseconds and then select random and therefore usually different delay times, referred to as back-off times, before attempting to transmit their packets again.
The IEEE 802.3 standard defines a collision back-off procedure referred to as "truncated binary exponential back-off." When a transmission attempt has terminated due to a collision, it is retried by the transmitting node after a selected back-off time until either the transmission is successful or a maximum number of attempts have been made and all have been terminated due to collisions. The back-off time is selected by each node is an integral multiple of the "slot time" which is the maximum round trip propagation time for the network, i.e., the time required to propagate a data packet from one end of the network to another. The slot time is defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard as 51.2 microseconds. The number of slot times selected as the back-off time before the nth retransmission is chosen as a randomly distributed integer R in the range: 0.ltoreq.R.ltoreq.2.sup.k, where k=min (n, 10).
While generally adequate for transmitting packetized burst-type data such as e-mail or word processing documents, a CSMA/CD network according to the IEEE 802.3 protocol makes no provision for traffic priority. Thus, real-time or isochronous (i.e., higher priority) traffic is put at risk of being blocked if a node is currently transmitting lower priority data. High priority isochronous data such as voice or video requires a guaranteed bandwidth and tightly bounded delivery delays. Accordingly, the delay required to complete the transmission of lower priority data can adversely affect the higher priority data.
One approach to providing for isochronous data transmission on a local area network is isochronous Ethernet ("isoEthernet") or IEEE standard 802.9a. IsoEthernet is a hybrid network that combines standard 10 megabit per second Ethernet with 6.144 megabits per second of isochronous bandwidth for a total of 16 megabits per second available to any user. The isochronous portion is further divided into 96 separate 64 kbps ISDN bearer or B channels. While providing backward compatibility and the ability to be introduced piecemeal, isochronous Ethernet requires channels separate from the existing CSMA/CD data path in order to provide for isochronous data flow. This results in a relatively higher and undesirable level of complexity.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for reducing the latency of high priority data on an existing CSMA/CD network path. There is a still further need for providing for interrupting low priority transmission so that a higher priority transmission may occur on the same channel. Finally, there is a need for resuming transmission of the lower priority transmission once the higher priority transmission has been completed.

System and method for reducing the latency for time sensitive data over CSMA/CD networks

Siemens Information and Communication Networks, Inc.


In a two-stage differential anodization of valve-metal pellets in which the second stage is carried out at a high voltage and with a different electrolyte than the first, underformed spots on the pellets are eliminated in the second stage by adding 0.01-1.0 wt. % of a nonionic surfactant to the second stage electrolyte.

This invention relates to a two-stage differential anodization of valve-metal pellets, and specifically to the use of a nonionic surfactant in the second, higher voltage, stage to eliminate underformed spots.
The two-stage differential anodization process has been described by Bernard and Szpak in U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,520, issued Dec. 26, 1978. In their process, valve-metal pellets are first anodized in a conventional electrolyte during which a uniform film of anodic oxide is formed throughout the pellet structure. In the second stage, a different electrolyte is used to form an outer layer or shell, and the anodization (or formation) is carried out at a higher voltage.
When producing pellet anodes on a large scale using the above method, it was noticed that there were underformed spots in the outer or shell layer. When the valve-metal is tantalum, such spots are easy to detect visually, because of the difference in colors of the anodic oxide formed at different voltages.

Two-stage differential anodization process


In a photon storage ring for storing SR light to generate the same through an outlet port, a reflection mirror is disposed to surround a circular orbit along which bundles of charged particles revolve at a speed close to the velocity of light, generating SR light at a direction tangential to the circular orbit. The reflection mirror has curvature such that the SR light generated in the tangential direction is reflected on the reflection mirror and sent as reflection SR light which is tangential to the orbit. The SR light and the reflection SR light interfere with each other and are guided towards the outlet port.

Generally, in a type of a SR light source, wherein charged particles are moved along a circular orbit or an orbit having a straight portion at a speed close to the light velocity with the aid of a single magnet or a plurality of magnets, SR light is generated in the tangential direction of the orbit. SR light beam lines for taking out SR light are normally disposed at a plurality of locations along the orbit. Since the wavelengths of this SR light include short wavelength component, it is expected that the SR light can be utilized in various uses, such as micro-fine machining of super LSI's or the like.
However, in the SR light source in the prior art, practically available SR light was only a small part of a generated light beam, and in practice, the remainder was wasted in a light beam dump, and consequently, the SR light source in the prior art had a shortcoming that a utilization efficiency of light was low.
In addition, since SR light generated from an SR light source has its wavelength components distributed over a wide range and it is incoherent light, it is a common practice that when the SR light is practically used, a wafer for super LSI's or the like is irradiated thereby through a filter or the like. Accordingly, if the SR light also having the nature of monochromatic SR light source, it is expected that the use of SR light and an SR light source would be greatly expanded. Furthermore, it is predicted that if the intensity of SR light can be increased depending upon an object, it will be significant.
Heretofore, in an SR light source having a charged particle orbit including straight section, a trial of generating SR light has been also practiced which has the nature of monochromatic light by providing an undulator which are formed by arraying a plurality of magnets having alternate polarities, at a straight charged particles. However, due to the fact that in order to obtain monochromatic light having a large intensity by this proposal a long straight portion is necessitated, there is a shortcoming that the SR light source itself becomes extremely large-sized.
A problem of the present invention is to provide an SR light source having a high utilization efficiency for SR light.
Another problem of the present invention is to provide an SR light source which can generate SR light also having the nature of monochromatic light or laser light.
Still another problem of the present invention is to provide an SR light source which can enhance an intensity of SR light.


An animal feeder that is suspended alongside a tree trunk or other structure and utilizes the energy produced by live squirrels to dispense granular feed from a storage hopper to deer and other animals on the ground. The feeder assembly consists of a tubular feed container with a horizontal platform mounted on the bottom, a port hole for allowing feed particles to spill out onto the platform, and a simple agitating device that sweeps feed particles off the platform to the ground below. The agitating device is activated by the force generated by the weight and momentum of squirrels leaping back and forth from the tree trunk to the platform. The feeder works only during daytime hours when squirrels are active, and it cannot be accessed by any wildlife except squirrels and birds. If shelled corn is mainly used in the feeder, very little of it will be consumed by the squirrels themselves. They will eat only the small tip of a kernel, whereas the deer, hogs, turkeys, raccoons and other animals on the ground will readily eat all of it.

This invention relates to devices for dispensing granular feed, such as corn, to deer and other animals, more particularly, to devices that are powered by natural energy sources, rather than man-made sources such as batteries.
The need and desire to feed wildlife has always existed for people who love nature and have an interest in animals. Over the years, this demand has resulted in the invention of many different types of animal feeders, most of which provide a storage container for the food, coupled with a system for dispensing the food to animals over a period of time.
Although many people utilize wildlife feeders for the sole purpose of providing supplemental food to animals during stressful times, the primary use is to attract and hold wildlife, mainly deer, within a certain area for the purposes of hunting, photographing, or just observing. This, of course, must take place during the daytime hours when people can see, making feeders that provide food at night unsuitable to this purpose. Demand-type feeders, that is, those that allow the animals to feed at any time, are notorious for this disadvantage, because most grain-eating animals such as deer, prefer to visit the feeders under the protection of darkness. Another disadvantage of demand-type feeders is that most of them must be placed close to the ground, where undesirable animals cannot be easily excluded. For example, if a hunter desires to feed deer only, using a demand-type feeder can allow hogs and raccoons to raid and empty feeders if within reach. U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,941 to Ayliffe, Jun. 25, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,509 B1 to Mostyn, Aug. 10, 1999 are examples of demand-type feeders.
The most popular type of wildlife feeder available today seems to be those that are powered and controlled by mechanical devices, such as motors, timers or electronic components. These feeders have several main disadvantages, one being the fact that they are usually very expensive. Another disadvantage is the requirement for ongoing maintenance such as battery replacement or mechanical repairs. Also, some of these feeders are noisy and invasive to natural surroundings when placed in the wild. There have been many inventions of feeders that fall within this category, some typical examples being U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,289 to Gresham, Mar. 26, 1991, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,980 to Rassmussen, Oct. 26, 1994.
There have not been many feeder inventions that utilize only natural energy sources for power. One invention that I am aware of is U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,572 to Nutt, Aug. 2, 1993, which is thermostatically powered by temperature changes. Although this feeder is quiet and unobtrusive, it has two main disadvantages. One being the fact that it has complicated and expensive components. Another disadvantage is that it depends upon unpredictable weather conditions, which can allow it to distribute feed at night.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(a) to provide a feeder which distributes feed during the daytime hours only;
(b) to provide a feeder that is simple, inexpensive, and low-maintenance;
(c) to provide a feeder that is quiet and unobtrusive to the natural surroundings;
(d) to provide a feeder that prevents undesirable animals from raiding the food supply;
(e) to provide a feeder that is totally powered by a free and reliable source of energy.
Further objects and advantages are to provide a feeder that includes a means for regulating the daily amount of feed distributed, and a simple and reliable mechanism for releasing the feed. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
The present invention is a squirrel-powered animal feeder that is suspended alongside a tree or other vertical structure, comprising a feed hopper that opens to the top side of an attached horizontal platform. The platform includes a mechanical device for knocking the grain off the platform to the ground below where it can be consumed by other animals. Hungry squirrels jump from the tree over to the platform in order to get to the visible feed. The resulting forces generated by the momentum of the jump activates the mechanical device.