Various embodiments of systems, methods, devices, and computer software for establishing a cellular-to-VoIP call are provided. One embodiment is a method for establishing a VoIP media session between an originating cellular telephone and a VoIP destination device. One such method comprises: receiving a first data message from an originating cellular telephone, the first data message comprising an identifier associated with a VoIP destination device; sending a second data message to the originating cellular telephone, the second data message comprising information identifying a temporary directory number (TDN) associated with the VoIP destination device; detecting an incoming voice call to the TDN from the originating cellular telephone; sending an invite message to the identifier associated with the VoIP destination device; sending a ringing indication to the originating cellular telephone; receiving an accept reply from the VoIP destination device; and answering the incoming voice call from the cellular telephone and establishing a VoIP media session between the originating cellular telephone and the VoIP destination device.

The telecommunication industry is replacing old business models dictated by the public switched telephone network (PSTN) with Internet technologies, next generation networks, and new interconnect business models. Examples of this shift include the rapid deployment of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services, and the migration toward Internet protocol multimedia subsystems (IMS). In general, IMS services are implemented using a blended architecture of Internet technologies and wireless network capabilities to enable creation of new services within and across different wireless and wireline networks.
Currently, there are a number of telecommunication systems, methods, and services which integrate cellular and VoIP services. For example, U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2004/0240430, 2005/0096024, 2005/0129069, 2005/0117566, 2005/0186960, 2005/0147049, 2005/0152343, 2001/0015968 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,385,195 and 6,611,516 (each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety) disclose systems for switching between a cellular service and a VoIP service. Other known cellular-to-VoIP systems (e.g., U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0240430, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety) employ a PSTN-to-VoIP gateway which interfaces with the cellular telephone via a cellular wireless network and interfaces with the VoIP destination device via a VoIP network. The PSTN-to-VoIP gateway exchanges messages, call signaling, and audio media with the cellular telephone and the VoIP destination device to enable the cellular telephone to roam from the cellular wireless network to the VoIP network. U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2005/0096024 2005/0129069, 2005/0117566, 2005/0186960, 2005/0147049, 2005/0152343, 2001/0015968 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,385,195 and 6,611,516 (each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety) disclose additional telecommunication systems and methods which employ a PSTN-to-VoIP gateway for transitioning between a cellular service and VoIP service.
There are various existing commercial solutions for establishing a voice session from a cellular telephone to a VoIP destination device over the PSTN. One such solution uses a telephone number which is permanently assigned to a VoIP destination device. A cellular service subscriber enters the telephone phone number assigned to the VoIP destination device into their cellular telephone. The cellular telephone originates a voice call to the entered telephone number, which terminates at a PSTN-to-VoIP gateway. The gateway detects the called telephone number for the incoming call and sends an SIP INVITE message to the SIP URI permanently assigned to that telephone number. The VoIP destination device sends a SIP "ringing" reply to the gateway. The gateway sends a "ringing" indication to the cellular telephone. The VoIP destination device sends a SIP "success" reply to the gateway, if the session invitation is accepted (i.e., the "call" is answered). The gateway "answers" the incoming call from the cellular telephone and bridges the PSTN circuit to a VoIP media session with the VoIP destination device.
Another existing commercial solution, referred to as the iSkoot™ service, establishes a voice session between a cellular telephone and a VoIP destination device using the following process. The cellular telephone sends a text message or an e-mail (containing the cellular telephone number and the VoIP destination) to a PSTN-to-VoIP gateway. The PSTN-to-VoIP gateway originates a PSTN call to the cellular telephone number. The cellular telephone answers the incoming call from the PSTN-to-VoIP gateway. The PSTN-to-VoIP gateway sends a SIP INVITE message to VoIP destination. If the VoIP destination device is available and session invitation is accepted (i.e., the call is answered), a SIP "success" reply is sent to the PSTN-to-VoIP gateway. Then the PSTN-to-VoIP gateway bridges the PSTN call to the cellular telephone with the VoIP media session to the VoIP destination device.
Another commercial solution offered by Skype implements a peer-to-peer internet telephony software application. The software application enables peer-to-peer or computer-to-computer VoIP calls. The Skype™ service also offers a hosted, fee-based service, referred to as SkypeOut™, which allows computer users to initiate calls to non-computer-based landline or cellular telephones from a desktop application. Another hosted, fee-based service, SkypeIn™, allows computer users to receive incoming calls from non-computer-based landline or cellular telephones on their computer.
Another solution currently provided by EQO Communications (referred to as EQO Mobile Internet Phone Service for Skype™) enables mobile phone users to initiate VoIP calls from their mobile phone. The EQO software application on the mobile phone enables users to select Skype™ users from a buddy list. After the user selects the Skype destination, the software application sends an SMS to a personal computer configured with the Skype software. The PC initiates a Skype session to the VoIP destination. The PC calls the originating mobile phone number, and then the PC bridges the call to the VoIP destination.

Cellular-to-VoIP call establishment systems, methods, devices, and computer software


A forming method and a forming apparatus of nanocrystalline silicon structure makes it possible to prepare a nanocrystalline silicon structure at a low temperature to have densely packed silicon crystal grains which are stably terminated and to effectively control the grain size in nanometer scale. A forming method and a forming apparatus of nanocrystalline silicon structure with oxide or nitride termination, carry out a first step of treating a surface of a substrate with hydrogen radical; a second step of depositing silicon crystals having a grain size of 10 nm or less by the thermal reaction of a silicon-containing gas; and a third step of terminating the surface of the silicon crystal with oxygen or nitrogen by using one of oxygen gas, oxygen radical and nitrogen radical.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a forming method and a forming apparatus of nanocrystalline silicon structure with oxide or nitride termination, and more particularly to a forming method and forming apparatus of nanocrystalline silicon structure carried out by using dry processes only.
2. Description of Related Art
A nanocrystalline silicon structure with oxide or nitride termination is composed of a large number of silicon single crystals which have a grain size of 10 nm or less and are terminated with oxygen or nitrogen. Since the nanocrystalline silicon structure shows unique physical phenomena as to electron confinement, photoluminescence and electron emission, it has been noticed for its possibility of application to a variety of devices such as a single electron memory LSI, an optical interconnection LSI, a light emitting device and a lightweight, large screen display panel.
The nanocrystalline silicon structure has been mainly prepared by two methods. In the process of forming silicon single crystal grains, one method employs an anodic oxidation treatment, and the other method employs an annealing treatment of, for example, an amorphous silicon nitride film having stoichiometrically excessive silicon to precipitate silicon single crystal grains.
In the former method, as described in JP2003-86093A, a polycrystalline silicon film is deposited on a substrate by using CVD method (Chemical Vapor Deposition), then annealed, and anodically oxidized in a hydrogen fluoride solution to form single crystal grains. That is, the polycrystalline silicon is partially etched in the anodic oxidation treatment to prepare the nanocrystalline silicon structure comprised of a large number of nanoscale silicon crystal grains. After the anodic oxidation, the surfaces of crystal grains are electrochemically treated, for example, in sulfuric acid to terminate crystal grains with oxygen. Thus, the nanocrystalline silicon structure with oxide termination is prepared. As mentioned above, since the polycrystalline silicon is partially etched to form crystal grains, the silicon structure thus prepared is porous and therefore referred to as a porous silicon.
In the latter method described in, for example, JP2000-273450A, an amorphous silicon nitride film is formed on a substrate by using CVD method. Here, the ratio of a material gas such as monosilane (SiH4) gas to ammonia (NH3) gas is adjusted so that the amorphous silicon nitride film has a stoichiometrically excessive amount of silicon atoms; i.e., x<4/3 in SiNx. Then, the film is annealed to precipitate nanoscale silicon crystal grains. Thus, the nanocrystalline silicon structure with nitride termination is prepared. When an SiOx film is formed instead of SiNx, the nanocrystalline silicon structure terminated with oxygen is similarly prepared.

Forming method and a forming apparatus of nanocrystalline silicon structure


A method for making bicycle frames includes a step of preparing initial parts by carbon-fiber sheets and inflatable bladders are inserted into the initial parts which are then arranged to a desired arrangement. The arranged parts are put in a mold which is heated under a certain pressure. The inflatable bladders are inflated by introducing air therein to push the carbon-fiber sheets against the inside of the mold. The carbon-fiber sheets are then solidified to form a front part of the bicycle frame. A rear part of the bicycle frame or the whole bicycle frame can also be made by the same method.

A conventional way to make bicycle frames by composed material such as carbon-fiber is first make the bicycle parts such as the head tube, the top tube, the down tube and the seat tube individually. These parts are made by carbon-fiber sheets which are overlapped with each other to form the desired shape. These carbon-fiber sheets are then heated under a certain pressure to become solid pieces. The individual parts are then connected with each other by using connection members to connect two or three parts together. However, the individual parts are stiff so that they are not able to be deformed when needed so that a gap between two respective ends to be connected could be too wide to well support the load applied to the two parts. Although these gaps are covered by the connection members, potential risks still exist. After a period of time of use, the connection members tend to be broken. Besides, the conventional method limits the bicycle frames to have few fixed shapes.
The present invention intends to provide a method for making bicycle frames by composite material and the shapes of the frames are set when the parts are in deformable and flexible status.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for making bicycle frame by composite material


A constant velocity serpentine anoxic reactor incorporates a multiple cell vertical serpentine path, as well as a horizontal serpentine path, through the anoxic chamber. A fixed film media is mounted within each cell of the anoxic chamber to provide a structure on which the bacteria can grow to sustain the biological reaction, which convert nitrates into nitrogen gas. The fixed film media can be a cross-flow media and can optionally include a web of textile material integrated within the fixed film media to enhance bacterial growth within the fixed film media or optionally the anoxic vertical serpentine configuration could be applied to an activated sludge operation. A nitrate recycle pump recycles about 75% of the effluent from the aerobic chamber back into the anoxic chamber to provide a nitrate source for the digestion of the BOD within the influent wastewater.

The treatment processes for municipal and industrial wastewater have evolved due to identification of harmful environmental conditions created by nitrogen rich wastewater treatment plant effluents in rivers and estuarian environments and subsequent and necessary regulatory changes required to protect the environment. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen and organic-nitrogen are now commonly restricted components of the effluents of wastewater treatment systems. Although biological wastewater treatment systems are routinely engineered to remove the BOD, ammonia-nitrogen and much of the organic-nitrogen from wastewater streams, in doing so, these wastewater treatment plants, known as nitrification systems, create a nitrate rich effluent that has been recognized as being harmful to some aquatic environments.
There are biological systems designed to remove the nitrate-nitrogen from nitrification system effluents and the process of biological nitrate-nitrogen removal is called de-nitrification. There are a variety of process configurations for de-nitrification and many of these may be incorporated directly within the conventional biological nitrification system. For example, in the most common approach to de-nitrification, the engineer establishes a de-nitrification reactor or reactors, also called an anoxic reactor(s) as the first reactor(s) in a series of separate reactors in which the latter reactors are operated aerobically with oxygen or air present with the intent to biologically oxidize the ammonia-nitrogen and organic-nitrogen to form nitrate-nitrogen. The first reactor is termed anoxic because no elemental oxygen or air containing oxygen is introduced for aeration or mixing in that reactor even though the anoxic reactor is also rich in organic matter because it receives the influent wastewater.
In the anoxic/aerobic reactor scheme described above the nitrate-nitrogen would exit the last tank to contaminate the environment and thus in processes with the anoxic/aerobic sequence, a large stream of the nitrified wastewater is pumped from the nitrification reactor back to the anoxic reactor where-in the nitrate-nitrogen is used as a source of nitrate-oxygen for facultative heterotrophic bacteria which use it processing the BOD of the incoming wastewater in the anoxic tank.
In the anoxic de-nitrification/aerobic nitrification process described above, a means of mixing the influent wastewater with the large recycled stream of nitrate rich water is critical to the effective contact of the mixture with the bacteria. Wherein the overall system is operating as an activated sludge system with suspended bacteria a mechanical mixing device is sufficient, albeit it requires more energy and capital investment. In some instances the series of reactors, both anoxic and aerobic, may use fixed-film biological populations that grow on surfaces fixed within the reactor vessel. Fixed-film systems do not lend them selves as easily to the application of mechanical mixers and again the additional cost for mixers and power are a factor in the economics of these anoxic/aerobic nitrification de-nitrification systems.
The typical anoxic/aerobic nitrification/de-nitrification system requires a 3:1 ratio of recycled nitrate rich water to influent wastewater to substantially reduce effluent nitrate concentration. At this ratio, a typical system can remove 70-75% of the available nitrates thus reducing the negative effects of nitrate-nitrogen on the receiving water systems. Increasing the recycle beyond the 3:1 ratio produces diminished returns because the effluent flow of the nitrification reactor will always contain nitrate-nitrogen at a concentration approximating that of the ammonia concentration entering the nitrification section. The nitrate removal effect is in fact created because the nitrate recycle stream, which does not contain ammonia at the end of the nitrification reactor, dilutes the influent ammonia concentration in and subsequently out of the de-nitrification reactor. The ammonia concentration of the liquid in the anoxic reactor does not vary greatly from the diluted concentration in the de-nitrification reactor but because it has already been diluted as it enters nitrification reactor, the nitrate-nitrogen concentration generated in the nitrification reactor is reduced.
The need to contact the nitrate rich final effluent wastewater with the bacteria in suspension or by forcing flow through the fixed media, or both, has always required the addition of mixing energy to the systems with mechanical devices, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,174, granted on Jul. 8, 1986, to Curtis S. McDowell, to maintain efficient contact between the wastewater and the biological fixed-film and/or to maintain the suspension of the facultative bacteria.
It would be desirable to provide a biological de-nitrification reactor that does not require additional mixers to maintain the required mixing of the wastewater and recycled nitrate stream and at the same time effectively contacts the mixture of these elements with the facultative bacteria. It would also be desirable to utilize the fluid flow and mixing energy provided by the nitrate recycle pumps to accomplish the required mixing of the influent wastewater and recycled nitrate stream and proper contact without requiring an additional input of mechanical energy or equipment.


A zoom lens capable of image stabilization is provided and includes: in order from the object side, a positive first group fixed in variable magnification, a negative second group having a variable magnification function, a positive third group fixed in variable magnification, and a positive fourth group having a correction function for an image plane variation depending upon variable magnification and a focusing function. In the third group, there are arranged a positive 3a-th group, a negative 3b-th group, and a positive 3c-th group in this order from the object side. Blurring of a taken image caused by a vibration of this variable magnification optical system is corrected by moving the 3b-th group in a direction approximately orthogonal to the optical axis. Further, a specific conditional expression relating to power of the third group and a specific conditional expression relating to a power distribution of lens groups of the third group G3 are satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens capable of image stabilization and an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to a zoom lens capable of image stabilization and an imaging apparatus equipped with the same, which are suitably used for a video camera or digital camera, particularly a 3 CCD video camera using three CCDs, so as to obtain a good image by moving a lens group of a part of a variable magnification optical system in a direction approximately orthogonal to an optical axis and optically correcting blurring of a taken image occurring when the variable magnification optical system vibrates (or tilts).
2. Description of Related Art
In imaging on a moving object such as a vehicle or handheld imaging under a condition of slow shutter speed, a taken image is blurred due to a hand shake when vibrations are transferred to an imaging optical system.
For this reason, an optical system capable of image stabilization, which has a function for preventing blurring of a taken image due to vibrations of the imaging optical system, has been variously proposed.
There is a well-known optical system for promoting image stabilization by moving a part of a lens group of an imaging optical system in a direction approximately orthogonal to an optical axis (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 3557344). The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3557344 includes a positive first lens group fixed in varying magnification, a negative second lens group having a variable magnification function, a positive third lens group fixed in varying magnification, and a positive fourth lens group having both a correction function for correcting an image plane variation with varying magnification and a focusing function, arranged in this order from the object side. When the variable magnification optical system vibrates, blurring of a taken image is corrected by moving the third lens group fixed in varying magnification in the direction approximately orthogonal to the optical axis for image stabilization.
However, in the above-described technique, the load of a lens drive system is heavy since the entire third lens group moves. In particular, in the zoom lens of a four-group constitution having positive, negative, positive and positive components corresponding to a 3 CCD system, the refractive power of the third lens group is relatively low to obtain a long back focus and a movement amount for image stabilization of a blurring correction group is necessarily large, such that the load of the lens drive system becomes heavier.
As described in the techniques of JP-A-11-237550, JP-A-2000-298235 and Japanese Patent No. 3359131, it is known that one group of a plurality of groups constituting the third lens group moves for image stabilization. In the JP-A-2000-298235, a five-group constitution of positive, negative, positive, negative and positive components in this order from the object side is disclosed. However, since a space between third and fourth groups is not varied in varying magnification and a combination of these two groups has positive refractive power as clearly shown in a conditional expression, the zoom lens having a four-group constitution of positive, negative, positive and positive components can be assumed.
As described above, the load of the lens drive system may be significantly reduced by moving one group of a plurality of lens groups constituting the third lens group without moving the entire third lens group for image stabilization. In particular, this is extremely effective in a zoom lens having a four-group constitution of positive, negative, positive and positive components corresponding to the 3 CCD system.
However, in JP-A-11-237550, the third lens group is formed by arranging a negative lens group and a positive lens group in this order from the object side and the positive lens group arranged on an image side is operable for image stabilization, such that a light flux is spread at a position of the positive lens group according to light flux divergence of the negative lens group of the object side and the positive lens group driven for image stabilization has an increased size and an increased weight. Consequently, there is a problem in that it is difficult to perform quick vibration isolation control at low power. At present, a small size and low power consumption are strongly required in a video camera or digital camera and the development of a lens system capable of performing quick vibration isolation control is required.
In JP-A-2000-298235, the third lens group is formed by arranging a negative lens group and a positive lens group in this order from the object side and the positive lens group arranged on the object side is operable for image stabilization. However, when the positive lens group moves for image stabilization, the refractive power of the positive lens group should be higher to suppress its movement amount, such that it is difficult to perform a sufficient aberration correction at the time of a blurring correction.
Also in embodiments described in Japanese Patent No. 3359131, the third lens group is constituted with a positive lens group and a negative lens group. There is the same problem as those of JP-A-11-237550 and JP-A-2000-298235 since the positive lens group moves in the direction approximately orthogonal to the optical axis for image stabilization.

Zoom lens capable of image stabilization and imaging apparatus


A connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a body, a plurality of connectors coupled to the body, where the plurality of connectors are adapted to couple to a plurality of respective sockets, and a release structure coupled to the body, where the release structure enables the plurality of connectors to decouple from the plurality of respective sockets. According to the system disclosed herein, the connector assembly facilitates convenient and efficient connection and disconnection of a set of connectors with latches and a set of sockets.

Devices for holding arrays of electrical or optical latching connectors, such as RJ-11 or RJ-45 connectors, are well known. These devices facilitate connection and disconnection of connectors to and from corresponding sockets in electrical equipment, such as telephone and data network switches.
Ganged connectors greatly facilitate the testing of equipment where many connectors and sockets must be connected and disconnected, such as in a production environment. A problem with conventional ganged latching connectors is that connecting and disconnecting multiple connectors and sockets can be labor intensive.
One conventional solution provides a connector holder and a latch release bar coupled to the connector holder. RJ-45 connectors are mounted in the connector holder for simultaneous insertion into corresponding sockets. The latch release bar is manipulated to simultaneously depress a latch of each connector in the connector holder. A problem with this conventional solution is that is it difficult to use. It also requires many parts, which adds unnecessary complications when building the holder. Having so many parts increases the cost to produce and to assemble.
Another conventional solution provides a device having a connector holder with openings to allow manual release of the connector latches. RJ-45 connectors are mounted in the holder for simultaneous insertion into corresponding sockets. The openings allow clearance for a user's fingers to depress the latches of connectors, while an apparatus is provided to selectively depress or release the latches of the remaining connectors. A problem with this conventional solution is that it requires two operations to disengage the latches. Also, it requires two hands to operate. This makes it difficult to extract the connectors, especially when the number of connections gets larger.
Another problem with connecting connectors with sockets is that sockets can come from different manufacturers. Accordingly, the specific spacing between sockets vary, especially between rows of sockets. The conventional solutions do not address this problem. If a connector is loosely connected with a socket due to misalignment, the electrical connection may fail. Also, there is a likelihood of wear and galling created by the sliding of the connectors in their fittings.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved system for connecting and disconnecting connectors and sockets. The system should be simple, cost effective and capable of being easily adapted to existing technology. The present invention addresses such a need.


Described are a system, apparatus, and method to capture a stereoscopic image pair using an imaging device with a single imaging sensor. Particularly, discussed are systems and methods for capturing a first and second image through an image sensor, determining a vertical and horizontal disparity between the two images, and applying corrections for geometric distortion, vertical disparity, and convergence between the two images. Some embodiments contemplate displaying a directional indicator before the second image of the stereoscopic image pair is captured. By displaying a directional indicator, a more optimal position for the second image of the stereoscopic image pair may be found, resulting in a higher quality stereoscopic image pair.

In the past many years, digital imaging capabilities have been integrated into a wide range of devices, including digital cameras and mobile phones. Recently, the ability to capture stereoscopic images with these devices has become technically possible. Device manufacturers have responded by introducing devices integrating multiple digital imaging sensors. A wide range of electronic devices, including mobile wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal music systems, digital cameras, digital recording devices, video conferencing systems, and the like, make use of multiple imaging sensors to provide a variety of capabilities and features to their users. These include not only stereoscopic (3D) imaging applications, such as 3D photos and movies, but also higher dynamic range imaging and panoramic imaging.
However, the addition of a second digital imaging sensor comes with some disadvantages. For example, the additional cost of a second imaging sensor and the associated electronics can be prohibitive in at least some market segments. Additionally, a second imaging sensor impacts the usability of the device in a number of ways. For example, accommodation of a second imaging sensor requires the device to be somewhat larger than a device with only a single sensor. Additionally, the power capabilities of the device must be sized to support powering both imaging sensors simultaneously. This may require larger and more costly power handling circuitry. Battery life of the device may also be affected, perhaps requiring a larger battery.

Systems and methods to capture a stereoscopic image pair


A nonaqueous electrolytic solution for a secondary battery exhibits excellent cycle characteristics even in high-temperature environments. The solution includes at least one of boric acid esters, acid anhydrides, cyclic carbonates having an unsaturated bond, cyclic carbonates having a halogen atom, cyclic sulfonic acid esters, and amines having an acetoacetyl group. A secondary battery having a positive electrode and a negative electrode makes use of this electrolytic solution.

In recent years, the applied field secondary battery including a lithium secondary battery is pursued further high performance, such as improvements of a power density and energy density and a reduction of a capacity loss, in association with an increase in uses from electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal computers and digital cameras to vehicle installation. For in-vehicle usage, durability that is higher than before is desired against an ambient operating temperatures which are both of high temperatures and low temperatures. Particularly, regarding high-temperature environments, when a cell is increased in size, since the cell is constantly exposed to a relatively high temperature due to not only the usage environment but also self-generated heat, an improvement of high-temperature durability is very important. Furthermore, when the cell is stored in the high-temperature environments, an internal resistance of the cell is increased in association with deterioration of an electrode, an electrolytic solution or an electrolyte, and energy loss resulting from an internal resistance in low-temperature environments becomes remarkable.
In conventional common lithium secondary batteries, materials in which Li ions can be reversibly inserted are used for a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material. For examples, a compound such as LiNiO2, LiCoO2, LiMn2O4 or LiFePO4 is used for the positive electrode active material. Lithium metal, an alloy thereof, a carbon material, a graphite material or the like is used for the negative electrode active material. Furthermore, an electrolytic solution formed by dissolving an electrolyte such as LiPF6 or LiBF4 in a mixed solvent such as ethylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate and propylene carbonate is used for an electrolytic solution to be used for the lithium secondary battery.
Generally, there is understanding that a stable coating (solid electrolyte interface) having lithium ion conductivity but not having electronic conductivity is formed at an interface between the electrode active material and the electrolytic solution. The process of insertion in an electrode active material/desertion from an electrode active material of lithium ions is high in reversibility; however, when charge-discharge is repeated in the high-temperature environments, cracks are produced or dissolution/decomposition takes place at the stable interface and therefore charge-discharge characteristics tend to be lowered or impedance tends to increase.
Numerous attempts to improve deterioration of a capacity of a secondary battery due to repeated charge-discharge in environments of a temperature load are reported for such problems. Patent Document 1 proposes to add vinylene carbonate, and in this proposal, an improvement of cycle characteristics at room temperature is found; however, the cycle characteristics are lowered in high-temperature environments.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that by using a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a monofluorophosphate or a difluorophosphate as an additive, a coating can be formed on a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a lithium secondary battery, and thereby, decomposition of the electrolytic solution resulting from the contact between the nonaqueous electrolytic solution and a positive electrode active material/a negative electrode active material is suppressed to enable to inhibit self-discharge, to improve storage performance, and to improve a power characteristic; however, it is required to further improve cycle characteristics in the case of storing in high-temperature environments.

Nonaqueous electrolyte solution for secondary batteries and secondary battery provided with same


The invention is a staple comprising a bridge member having a spherical top surface and a spherical opposing bottom surface defining a constant thickness between and having a constant thickness and a first pair of a first leg and a second leg and a second pair of a first leg and a second leg where the first and second pair of legs are spaced apart along the axis and are joined to the bridge member.

Initial bone staples were temperature activated memory staples, which were rendered obsolete through the adoption of mechanically activated room temperature superelastic Nitinol devices as the relevant materials technology advanced to the current state of the art.
Over 1.8 million orthopaedic trauma fixation procedures were performed in the US in 2016, which is expected to remain the fastest growing segment through to 2025 and is expected to reach over $4 billion by 2025, and the fastest growing part of this market is the staple fixation segment. The primary driver for growth is reportedly a reduced operating time as compared to screws, and plates.
While this growth demonstrates that orthopedic arts have accepted bone staples as an alternative and even a preferred fixation hardware to screws and bone plates for certain procedures, there remain issues and limitations to the designs presently available. While the latest generation of memory staples have improved rigidity and compressive capability when used alone or as adjunctive hardware, (which could improve outcomes for certain procedures, such as the Lapidus arthrodesis), it is still desirable to provide a stiffer and stronger construct and more reproducible surgical technique than the generally accepted perpendicular arrangement of legs and bridge used for example for a first metatarsophalangeal arthrodesis procedure. Additionally, the prior art devices are not optimal for fracture and osteotomy fixation of the hand and foot, including joint arthrodesis and to stabilize and dynamically compress bone fragments to facilitate osteosynthesis.
In response to these and other concerns, the present staple has a low-profile design to respect the economy of space in small bone procedures and further is designed for quick and efficient use, including removal following bone fusion. Additional issues with the prior art staples include problems with packaging, implant or instrument breakage, incompatibility with the staple inserter or other related instruments, lack of compression or sustained compression within the bone/implant construct, and difficulties with the instrument and implantation process.
A known risk with the prior art staples is associated with over-spreading the staple, which can over-stress the staple legs and have a deleterious effect on mechanical properties, recoverable strain and fatigue resistance. The present invention reduces this risk through design improvements achieved in manufacture of the staple and in the configuration of the legs and a resultant reinforcement of the leg/bridge interface.
The present staple has a unique configuration that addresses the issues of breakage while providing a low profile implant that is particularly well suited for small bone procedures. The staple and staple inserter are designed to function together to avoid over-spreading and/or misalignment of the staple legs so as to reduce potential use risks and to provide a device which is inherently less prone to user error. In addition, the staple is designed for permanent implantation or unlike prior art devices, for removal following bone fusion which can typically take 4-6 weeks while the patient is partially weight bearing. Specific instrumentation is provided for the removal procedure.
The staple will be manufactured from ASTM F2063 room temperature superelastic (e.g., from 2 to up to 8%) Nitinol. (and it will be understood that other shape memory materials can be used in this design).


A method of depositing a top clad layer for an optical waveguide of a planar lightwave circuit. A GeBPSG top clad layer for an optical waveguide structure of a planar lightwave circuit is fabricated such that the top clad layer comprises doped silica glass, wherein the dopant includes Ge (Germanium), P (Phosphorus), and B (Boron). In depositing a top clad layer for the optical waveguide, three separate doping gasses (e.g., GeH4, PH3, and B2H6) are added during the PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) process to make Ge, P and B doped silica glass (GeBPSG). The ratio of the Ge, P, and B dopants is configured to reduce the formation of crystallization areas within the top clad layer and maintain a constant refractive index within the top clad layer across an anneal temperature range. A thermal anneal process for the top clad layer can be a temperature within a range of 950 C to 1050 C. The GeBPSG top clad layer reduces the insertion loss of passive arrayed waveguide grating devices and active planar lightwave circuit devices.

Planar lightwave circuits comprise fundamental building blocks for the modern fiber optic communications infrastructure. Planar lightwave circuits are generally devices configured to transmit light in a manner analogous to the transmission of electrical currents in printed circuit boards and integrated circuit devices. Examples include arrayed waveguide grating devices, integrated wavelength multiplexers/demultiplexers, optical switches, optical modulators, wavelength-independent optical couplers, and the like.
Planar lightwave circuits generally involve the provisioning of a series of embedded optical waveguides upon a semiconductor substrate (e.g., silicon), with the optical waveguides fabricated from one or more silica layers formed on the underlying semiconductor substrate. Fabrication techniques required for manufacturing planar lightwave circuits using silica are generally well known.
Prior art FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of two planar optical waveguides of a conventional PLC. As depicted in FIG. 1, the planar optical waveguides include two doped SiO2 glass cores 10a-10b formed over a SiO2 bottom cladding layer 12 which is on a silicon substrate 13. A SiO2 top cladding layer 11 covers both the cores 10a-b and the bottom cladding layer 12. As described above, the refractive index of the cores 10a-b is higher than that of top cladding layer 11 and the bottom clad 12. Consequently, optical signals are confined axially within cores 10a-b and propagate lengthwise through cores 10a-b.
There are a number of problems with the prior art fabrication process for the PLC shown in FIG. 1. One problem is the formation of crystallization areas within top cladding layer 11. Crystallization areas tend to form in the low density areas of the top cladding layer. Such low density areas are typically found in the high aspect ratio gaps, such as the gap between cores 10a-b.
Top cladding layer 11 is typically an SiO2 layer doped with a Phosphorus dopant and a Boron dopant (e.g., BPSG). Those two dopants decrease the reflow temperature of BPSG and able to adjust the refractive index such that it matches the refractive index of bottom cladding layer 13. The problem is the fact that during the PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) process for top cladding layer 11, the top cladding layer material deposited between cores 10a-b tends to form seams or voids. To overcome this problem, top cladding layer 11 is gradually built-up through a number of deposition and anneal cycles. This gradual top cladding layer build up process can fill the gap between cores 10a-b without forming voids, however, there are often low density areas in such gaps, where the material of top cladding layer 11 is less dense than in other areas. These low density areas lead to the formation of crystals. The Phosphorus and Boron dopants form BPO4 crystals in the low density areas of the silica matrix.
Prior art FIGS. 2A and 2B show a side cutaway photograph of 10 waveguide cores 20, top cladding layer 21, and BPO4 crystallization areas 22. FIG. 2A shows a case where there is a two micron gap between cores 20. FIG. 2B shows a case where there is a four micron gap between cores 20. The BPO4 crystals between cores 20 can significantly degrade the performance of the PLC, and particularly, active devices such as coupler PLCs wherein the geometry (e.g., the distance between cores 20) and the material properties of top cladding layer 21 between cores 20 are critical to the performance of the coupler.
Prior art FIG. 3 shows a top-down view of a coupler PLC. As depicted in FIG. 3, cores 10a-b form a coupling region wherein the distance between cores 10a-b and the material properties (e.g., consistent refractive index, uniformity, etc.) of the top cladding layer need to be precisely controlled. The top cladding layer between cores 10a-b in the coupling region needs free of crystallization.
A second problem is refractive index control of the top cladding layer. As multiple lots of PLC devices are fabricated, it is difficult to maintain a consistent refractive index across the lots. Prior art BPSG top cladding layers are very sensitive with respect to anneal temperature and the Boron and Phosphorus dopant ratios. As described above, multiple deposition and anneal cycles are required to fill the high aspect ratio gaps. For example, there are typically at least six deposition/anneal cycles for top clad deposition for arrayed waveguide grating PLCs. Active PLC devices require at least seven top clad deposition/anneal cycles. The multiple deposition/anneal cycles introduce more thermal impacts on the cores (e.g., which can cause core deformation and shrinkage) and on the first few layers of the top clad. The multiple high temperature anneal cycles makes the refractive index hard to control due to migration of Phosphorus atoms. Additionally, high anneal temperatures require an extra 10 percent phosphorus dopant gas flow (e.g., PH3) to place top clad refractive index within the correct range. This high phosphorus concentration in BPSG is the major source of refractive index variation from lot to lot.
A third problem is the fact that the large number of deposition/anneal cycles reduces the yield of the PLC device fabrication process. As described above, to reduce crystallization problems, six or more deposition/anneal cycles are used for AWG devices and seven or more deposition/anneal cycles are used for active PLC devices (e.g., couplers, etc.). The large number of deposition/anneal cycles increases the amount of time required to fabricate the PLC devices.
Thus what is required is a solution that eliminates the formation of crystallization areas within the top cladding layer of a PLC device. What is required is a solution that provides a predictable and stable refractive index for the top cladding layer of a PLC device and renders the refractive index of the top cladding layer less sensitive to variation in the annealing procedure. What is further required is a solution that reduces the number of deposition/anneal cycles required to fabricate AWG PLC devices and active PLC devices. The present invention provides a novel solution to the above requirements.

GeBPSG top clad for a planar lightwave circuit


An electric kettle includes a plastics material tank side wall structure for liquid to be heated and a heating arrangement including an electrical element associated with a metal heater plate mounted at the bottom of the side wall structure with its top face in direct contact with the liquid to be heated. The side wall structure includes shoulders to support a peripheral rim of the metal heater plate. A seal is disposed between the side walls and the peripheral rim of the heater plate. The kettle has a base including a skirt which fits around the side walls of the tank. A fixing arrangement attaches the base to the tank side wall structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an electric kettle with a metal heater plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Providing tanks of liquid to be heated with heating means including an electrical element associated with a metal heater plate which is mounted at the bottom of the tank and the top face of which comes into direct contact with the liquid to be heated is known in itself.
In conventional kettles, this heater plate is molded or crimped directly into the walls of the tank, near its bottom.
A plate fixed in this way is not removable, however, which makes working on the heater plate difficult in the event of repairs. Molding the plate into the tank is also a complicated procedure.
French patent application 93 09 467 in the name of the Applicant describes a kettle having a heater plate resting on a shoulder inside the tank, with a seal between them, a central screw extending between the bottom of the tank and the center of the heater plate in order to hold the edge of the latter in contact with the seal.
However, this arrangement has the drawback of taking up space under the heater plate, where the electrical element and the control and safety means for the heater plate have to be accommodated.
What is more, pressing the plate onto the seal by means of an axial screw necessitates a disk-shape plate and therefore a kettle with a cylindrical tank.
An aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages by proposing an improved system for fitting the heater plate into the body of a kettle tank.


A ballistic weapon stand has a base plate for mounting armor panels having front and rear faces. The armor panels are fastened to and extend upwardly from the base at an angle in the range of 10–30° with respect to the vertical to define a protected space behind the panels. Struts are welded to the base plate and extend upwardly toward and through an opening in a middle armor panel and between the edges of the middle armor panel and side armor panels. Welding plates are constructed and arranged for welding to the struts on the rear faces of the armor plates. The welding plates extend over the rear faces of the armor plates at junctions between the armor plates. A weapon platform is disposed on a second portion of at least one of the struts for mounting a weapon in the protected space to fire out past the front face of the armor panels. A transparent projectile defeating shield is mounted to swivel with the weapon, preferably on the weapons stand. The transparent shield may have one-way visibility so that a gunner is not visible to adversaries, but adversaries are visible to the gunner.

Soldiers, sailors, marines and security personnel operating fixed weapon emplacements which may include weapons, such as but not limited to: the M2HB .50 caliber Machine Gun, MK43 Mod 1 7.62 mm Machine Gun, M240 7.62 mm Machine Gun, M249 5.56 mm Machine Gun, MK48, MK46 weapons, or to weapon mounts and cradles to include but not be limited to the MK16 stand, MK82, MK93, MK95, MK97 and MK125 and to all modifications related to these types of stands and cradles. Positions including these and other weapons may all be exposed to incoming bullets and shrapnel. It is desirable to shield these gunners from incoming fire with minimal compromise to their effectiveness. Currently, most shields are opaque and therefore limit the operator's vision and protection so that while offering protection, the shields also expose gunners and adjacent personnel to fire from sources screened by the opaque shields themselves.
While transparent shields are currently being offered for possible purchase, such shields tend to be very heavy and tend to restrict gun elevation. Adequate gun elevation is necessary for urban combat situations requiring extreme elevation and depression. Moreover, these transparent shields tend to have integral armor skirts which limit visibility in situations where the operator is confronted by threats which occur from below an emplacement, for example, blow emplacements on piers or on the sides, bows and stems of ships. In addition, it is desirable to have transparent shields which may be rapidly retrofitted to existing weapon emplacements and are of minimal weight so that transport, rapid mounting and replacement of transparent shields is facilitated.
There is a need for protective ballistic weapon stands used for fixed weapon emplacements, wherein the ballistic stands protect gunners from incoming bullets and shrapnel while providing support for a weapon or a number of weapons, and wherein the weapon emplacements optionally include transparent shields mounted for cooperation with the protective ballistic weapon stands.
In view of these and other limitations, there is a need for effective transparent shields which retrofit readily to existing emplacements, whether stationary or on vehicles or ships, which transparent shields are minimal in weight without compromising protection provided by the transparent shields.

Protective ballistic weapons stands and transparent shields useable therewith


An ultrasonic Doppler diagnostic equipment according to the present invention is characterized by including a Doppler signal detection device which executes a filtering process for a plurality of reception signals obtained in time series at unequal intervals from a predetermined position within a patient by a transmission/reception device, thereby to detect Doppler signals based on a mobile object; a velocity calculation device which selects Doppler signals obtained at a predetermined time interval, from among the plurality of Doppler signals obtained at the unequal intervals by the Doppler signal detection device, and which calculates a velocity of the mobile object on the basis of the selected Doppler signals; and an image data generation device which generates velocity image data on the basis of the velocity of the mobile object as calculated by the velocity calculation device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic equipment wherein color Doppler image data are generated on the basis of ultrasonic Doppler signals obtained from a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic diagnostic equipment is such that ultrasonic pulses which have been generated from piezoelectric transducers built in an ultrasonic probe are radiated into a patient, and that ultrasonic reflected waves generated by the difference of the acoustic impedance of a patient tissue are received by the piezoelectric transducers and then displayed on a monitor. Such a diagnostic method is extensively employed for the functional diagnoses and morphological diagnoses of the various internal organs of a living body because a two-dimensional image can be easily observed in real time by the simple operation of merely bringing the ultrasonic probe into touch with the surface of the body.
An ultrasonic diagnostic method which obtains in-vivo information on the basis of reflected waves from a tissue or blood corpuscles within a living body has made rapid progress owing to the great technological developments of two methods; an ultrasonic pulse echo method and an ultrasonic Doppler method. A B-mode image and a color Doppler image which are obtained using the technologies, are indispensable to ultrasonic image diagnoses of today.
A color Doppler method is such that, in a case where a predetermined section within a living body has been scanned with ultrasonic pulses and where a moving reflector such as blood (blood corpuscles) has been irradiated with ultrasounds, imaging is performed by grasping a Doppler frequency shift which is induced in correspondence with the velocity of the reflector (blood flow velocity). The color Doppler method was initially employed for the imaging of a blood flow within the cardiac cavity as exhibits a high blood flow velocity, but nowadays it has become applicable even to the imaging of a very slow blood flow such as the tissue blood flow of an abdominal organ.
In order to enhance a diagnosability with the color Doppler method, a superior measurement precision (low-flow-velocity detectability and high-flow-velocity detectability) is first required, a temporal resolution (real-time responsivity) is secondly done, and a spatial resolution is thirdly done.
Now, the measurement precision being the first requisite will be explained. In a case where a moving reflector is irradiated with ultrasonic pulses and where the moving velocity of the reflector is measured from the Doppler frequency shift of reflected waves from the reflector, it has heretofore been practiced that ultrasound transmissions/receptions to and from the reflector are repeated a plurality of times (L times) at predetermined transmission/reception intervals Tr, and that the moving velocity is measured on the basis of a series of reflected waves obtained within an observation time Tobs (Tobs=Tr·L)
In this case, the detectability for the reflector of low flow velocity (low-flow-velocity detectability: the lower-limit value of measurable flow velocities) as denoted by "Vmin" is determined by the characteristics of a filter, namely, the cutoff frequency and roll-off characteristic of the filter (for example, MTI filter) which is used for detecting Doppler components from within the series of reflected waves obtained by the L times of ultrasonic transmissions/receptions (hereinbelow, simply termed "transmissions/receptions"). The detectability Vmin on this occasion is indicated by the following equation (1) where "fr" (fr=1/Tr) denotes a transmission/reception repetition frequency (rate frequency: pulse repetition frequency (PRF)):
                                                        V                                                                                min                                                                          ∝                          1              Tobs                                =                      fr            L                                                                                (        1        )
On the other hand, the upper-limit value of the measurable flow velocities (high-flow-velocity detectability) as denoted by "Vmax" is determined by a Nyquist frequency which is defined by ½ of the transmission/reception repetition frequency (rate frequency) fr, and it is indicated by Equation (2) below. In the equation, "C" denotes an acoustic velocity value within the patient, "fo" denotes the center frequency of received ultrasonic waves, and "ξ" denotes an angle which is defined between an ultrasonic transmission/reception direction and a blood flow direction. Besides, in a case where the Doppler frequency shift has exceeded the Nyquist frequency, an aliasing phenomenon appears in the frequency spectrum of Doppler signals, and hence, the precise measurement of the blood flow velocity becomes impossible.
                              V                                                              max                =                              C            ·            fr                                4                        fo                                                                          cos                                                                          ξ                                              (        2        )
More specifically, in order to enhance the low-flow-velocity detectability Vmin which is one factor of the first requisite in the color Doppler method, the rate frequency fr needs to be set low, or the number of times L of the repetitive transmissions/receptions in a predetermined direction needs to be increased. On the other hand, in order to enhance the high-flow-velocity detectability Vmax which is the other factor of the first requisite, the rate frequency fr must be set high. Since, however, the rate frequency fr has its upper-limit value determined by the field of view, it cannot be heightened still further.
Meanwhile, the real-time responsivity being the second requisite is determined by the number of display images per unit time (frame frequency) "Fn". The frame frequency Fn is indicated by Equation (3) below. In the equation, "M" denotes the total number of scan directions which are necessary for the generation of the data of one color Doppler image, and the number of times L of the transmissions/receptions or the total number M of the scan directions must be set small in order to enhance the real-time responsivity.
                    Fn        =                              fr                          L              ·              M                                =                                    1                              Tobs                ·                M                                      ∝                                          V                                                                                min                            M                                                          (        3        )
Further, in order to enhance the spatial resolution being the third requisite, the total number M of the scan directions needs to be increased. That is, the frame frequency Fn (real-time responsivity), the low-flow-velocity detectability Vmin as well as the high-flow-velocity detectability Vmax, and the spatial resolution are in the trade-off relationship, and they are difficult of being simultaneously satisfied. Therefore, importance has been attached to the frame frequency Fn and the high-flow-velocity detectability Vmax in case of blood flow measurements in the region of circulatory organs, and to the frame frequency Fn and the low-flow-velocity detectability Vmin in case of blood flow measurements in abdominal and peripheral organs.
In order to cope with the above problems, a staggered pulse scheme capable of enhancing the high-flow-velocity detectability has been proposed in, for example, JP-A-4-197249 (hereinbelow, termed "Patent Document 1").
The staggered pulse method is a technique wherein transmissions/receptions in a predetermined direction are repeated at, for example, two different transmission/reception intervals T1 and T2 (T2=T1+Ts), and a blood flow velocity is calculated on the basis of the difference value Δθ (Δθ=θ2−θ1) between the phase difference θ1 of reception signals obtained by the transmission/reception at the transmission/reception interval T1 and the phase difference θ2 of reception signals obtained by the transmission/reception at the transmission/reception interval (T1+Ts). An aliasing frequency in this method is determined by the difference Ts of the transmission/reception intervals, and the high-flow-velocity detectability can be bettered by setting the difference Ts to be T1>Ts.
On the other hand, for the blood flow measurements of low flow velocities in the abdominal organs, peripheral blood vessels, etc., a new scan method (hereinbelow, termed "interleave scan method") has been proposed in, for example, JP-A-64-43237 (hereinbelow, termed "Patent Document 2"). FIG. 1 shows a practicable example of the interleave scan method disclosed in Patent Document 2. The upper stage of the figure indicates transmission/reception directions (hereinbelow, termed "scan directions") θ1 through θM in a sector scan, while the lower stage indicates the sequence of transmissions/receptions in the scan directions.
More specifically, with this method, ultrasounds are first transmitted/received in the direction of the scan direction θ1 at a time t1. Subsequently, ultrasounds are transmitted/received in the direction of the scan direction θ2 at a time t2, and in the direction of the scan direction θ3 at a time t3. Further, the transmissions/receptions of ultrasounds are repeated in the Q (Q=3) directions of the scan directions θ1-θ3 again at times t4-t6 and times t7-t9. When the L times (L=3) of transmissions/receptions have been respectively completed at intervals Ts (Ts=3 Tr) in all the directions of the scan directions θ1-θ3 in this way, L times of transmissions/receptions based on the intervals Ts are similarly performed in the directions of the scan directions θ4-θ6, the scan directions θ7-θ9, . . . . According to this method, premising that a limit down to which the cutoff frequency can be lowered with a predetermined attenuation factor satisfied by an identical design method depends upon the observation time "Tobs", the low-flow-velocity detectability "Vmin" becomes the following equation (4).
                                          V                                                                          min                    ∝                      1                          Tobs              ·              Q                                      =                              fr                          Q              ·              L                                =                                    fs              L                                                                                (                              Q                =                3                            )                                                          (        4        )
Here, "fs" (fs=1/Ts) denotes a transmission/reception repetition frequency for the respective scan directions. That is, according to the practicable example, the transmission/reception repetition frequency fs becomes ⅓ of the rate frequency fr in the case where the interleave scan is not performed. It is accordingly permitted to enhance the low-flow-velocity detectability triple without lowering the frame frequency.
The proposed methods, however, are problematic as stated below. According to the method of Patent Document 1, the phase differences θ1 and θ2 in the Doppler signals obtained by the transmissions/receptions at the different transmission/reception intervals T1 and T2 are respectively evaluated, and the blood flow information is further calculated on the basis of the difference between the phase differences θ1 and θ2. Therefore, the blood flow information to be obtained is liable to become unstable under the influence of noise. In particular, a measurement error which is not negligible develops due to speckle noise ascribable to the interference of ultrasounds.
Further, with this method, the transmissions/receptions at the transmission/reception intervals T1 and T2 are repeated, so that the filter (MTI filter) for extracting the Doppler signals has a blind frequency which is determined by, for example, the sum between the transmission/reception intervals T1 and T2. Accordingly, a Doppler component agreeing with the blind frequency lowers conspicuously to make impossible the calculation of the blood flow information at a high precision.
On the other hand, the method of Patent Document 2 has been proposed for the purpose of measuring the comparatively slow blood flows of the abdomen, etc. Although the low-flow-velocity detectability Vmin is enhanced to 1/Q, also the high-flow-velocity detectability Vmax becomes 1/Q, and the frequence of occurrence of the aliasing phenomenon heightens for fast blood flows. It is therefore impossible to apply this method to the measurements of comparatively fast blood flows.
Concretely, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the region of interest is scanned with a small number of data, for example, 8, the blood flow of low flow velocity is cut by a wall filter and is not displayed by the prior-art method (interleave scan of one stage) in a case where the wall filter has characteristics as shown in the figure.
In contrast, with the method of the interleave scan (of, for example, 2 stages) as disclosed in Patent Document 2, even when the region of interest is scanned with the same number of data, 8 data, the aliasing frequency becomes half. As shown in FIG. 2B, therefore, the characteristics of the wall filter improve, and the blood flow being invisible with the prior-art method becomes visible. However, the problem occurs that a blood flow which goes away is displayed like a blood flow which turns back and comes near.
As shown in FIG. 2C, this problem is solved when the region of interest is scanned with the double number of data, 16 data, by the prior-art method (interleave scan of one stage) At this time, however, the other problem occurs that the frame rate (temporal resolution) lowers.

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment and method of controlling ultrasonic diagnostic equipment


A fiber glass-reinforced plastic mast in the form of several fiber glass-reinforced pipes, which are at a distance from one another and braced relative to one another, the pipes preferably three pipes fixing an equilateral prism, are connected to one another by horizontal laminated panels disposed at different heights.

The invention relates to a fiber glass-reinforced plastic mast in the form of several fiber glass-reinforced pipes, which are at a distance from one another and braced relative to one another.
Aside from conical mast constructions, which are frequently manufactured by centrifugal methods, constructions similar to the known metal lattice masts, for which four fiber glass-reinforced plastic pipes, which form the edges of a straight prism, are joined together by struts, have also become known recently, for example, in antenna masts. Such braced fiber glass-reinforced plastic pipes are less expensive to manufacture and have a lesser area for attack by wind which makes it possible once again to reduce costs, since they are more slender and can be constructed from thinner pipes. Independently of the manner of bracing, such masts of braced fiber glass-reinforced plastic pipes are relatively susceptible to twisting and the lateral deflection in the antennas has also not yet been solved satisfactorily.

Pfleiderer Verkehrstechnik GmbH & Co. KG


A holographic recording medium has at least a recording layer with a thickness of L which comprises a recording layer material having an absorption coefficient of α and containing a photorefractive material, wherein the optical density αL represented by the product of the absorption coefficient α and the thickness L is in the range from 0.3 to 2.0.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a holographic recording medium and a holographic recording method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, research has been actively conducted with respect to holographic recording, owing to its potential for high density recording, multiplexed recording, and the like. Within holographic recording, amplitude holograms based on a change in the transmittance of a recording materials, phase holograms based on a change in the refractive index, or structural irregularity of a recording material, among other techniques, are known.
Among recording materials for use in such holographic recording, much research has been conducted on photorefractive index-changing materials (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "photorefractive materials") which change their refractive index when light is applied to them. In particular, organic photorefractive materials have been actively researched, since they can be easily worked into any shape and their sensitive wavelength can be easily controlled.
In photorefractive materials, charges are generated by the application of light and move to become trapped, producing an inner electric field, whereby Pockels effect takes place and thus a change in the refractive index is caused. This change in the refractive index forms a hologram. When organic photorefractive materials are used, however, orientation of the organic molecules and application of an outer electric field are required for effective production of Pockels effect. The need for an outer electric field is a significant problem when considering applications.
Holographic materials needing no outer electric field are known, a representative example of which being organic photoisomerizable materials having an azobenzene structure as a photoisomerizable group, particularly photoisomerizable polymer materials (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 2834470 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2001-201634, 2000-105529, 2000-109719, 2000-264962, and 2001-294652). The photoisomerization reaction of the azobenzene plays an important role in holographic recording. When linearly polarized light is applied to the azopolymer, the azobenzene is reoriented through the trans-cis-trans isomerization cycle. This reorientation induces optical anisotropy, specifically dichroism and birefringence, so that holographic recording can be performed.
In terms of factors including convenience, holographic recording is performed using a holographic recording medium that structured such that a recording layer is provided on a given substrate, board, or the like and the recording layer contains a holographic recording material. When holographic recording is performed using a photoisomerizable material, a light beam corresponding to information to be recorded is applied to the recording layer, after which the photoisomerizable material in the recording layer absorbs the light and changes its refractive index.
In the process of holographic recording, the absorption of light by the photoisomerizable material can cause a loss in holographic diffraction efficiency and can ultimately cause, for example, a reduction in reproduction output. To reduce loss in diffraction efficiency, for example, the content of azobenzene in the photoisomerizable material may be reduced. However, a low azobenzene content in the photoisomerizable material can lead to a reduction in the photosensitivity of the holographic recording material and thus can lead to an inability to carry out holographic recording itself.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems. The invention provides a holographic recording medium with which high diffraction-efficiency recording/reproduction can be performed independently from the optical properties of the photorefractive material, and also provides a holographic recording method using such a medium.
The invention further provides a holographic recording method by which multiplexed recording of information can be performed at high density and a high SNR (low error rate).

Holographic recording medium and holographic recording method using the same


A method for the production of hydrogen peroxide from a source of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a dispersion of a catalyst in an organic reaction medium, the catalyst being composed of inert particles of between 1 and 100 microns, the particles having coated thereon about three to ten layers of a zirconium or hafnium complex, the organic reaction medium having a pH of less than about 3 and composed of at least 50% of a lower alkyl alcohol, a lower alkyl ketone or a mixture thereof, water and a mineral acid.

For the most part, in the past, the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide was accomplished by the hydrogenation of anthraquinone to form the corresponding hydroquinone and the subsequent oxidation of the hydroquinone to obtain hydrogen peroxide. The catalyst initially used to accomplish this reaction was Raney nickel which has only recently been replaced by a supported palladium catalyst. Although this process has been used since the 1940's through several modifications, it nevertheless is very capital intensive in terms of downstream separation process costs.
Among recent developments in the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen, there may be mentioned Gosser et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,731) and Chuang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,531) who have used palladium supported on silica and carbon, respectively, to carry out the reaction. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,112 discloses a process for the direct production of hydrogen peroxide by contacting a mixture of gases containing oxygen hydrogen with a solid catalyst having a Group VIII metal included therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,252 also discloses the same reaction utilizing a Group VIII metal catalyst.
One of the problems in using Group VIII metals, such as platinum and palladium, to catalyze the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide is that these very same metals catalyze the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with hydrogen to produce water.
There have been many attempts to promote the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to peroxide and to retard the reaction of hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide to produce water. One of the ways to increase the yield of hydrogen peroxide when using a Group VII metal catalyst is to conduct the reaction in the presence of halides. There is evidence that the presence of chloride and bromide ions have an important influence in promoting the Group VII metal-based catalytic scheme for producing hydrogen peroxide. The mechanism by which the halide ions promote the production of hydrogen peroxide is not clear but regardless of the mechanism, there are great concerns about using halides in such a reaction because of the extreme corrosive nature of halides when they are in solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,629 also uses Group VIII metals to catalyze the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to peroxide by forming pillars of alkyl bisphosphonic acids with dicationic bipyridinium (viologen) groups incorporated into the alkyl chain. Within the pillars are Group VII metals which are dispersed throughout the organic compounds. This patent thus discloses a heterogeneous catalyst wherein an organic catalyst is a source of reducing potential to generate hydrogen peroxide from oxygen. The colloidal particles of Group VIII metals (e.g. platinum and/or palladium) act as catalysts for the preliminary step of removal of the electron from the hydrogen absorbed on the metal. The electrons released from this preliminary step reduce the viologen in the pore structure to give a radical cation. The radical cation will react with the dissolved oxygen and the hydrogen to form hydrogen peroxide.
In all of the processes described above, the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide is enhanced the higher the peroxide levels.

Method for catalytic production of hydrogen peroxide and catalyst therefor


A method for controlling the end-expiratory pressure at a patient (30) in a respiratory system (50) of an anesthesia apparatus or respirator (30) includes regulating a pressure curve (401a, 401b, 501a, 501b) during the expiration phase (650) of the patient such that the pressure curve is described by an at least partially dropping curve (105a, 105b, 106a, 106b, 601, 602, 603, 604) from a first upper pressure value (613a, 613b, 613c, 613d) to a first lower pressure value (614a, 614b, 614c, 614d) from the end of the inspiration phase (660) until the beginning of the next, following inspiration phase (670). An anesthesia apparatus or respirator is provided that includes an operating and actuating unit that regulates a controllable expiratory valve and a respiration drive such that the pressure curve is described by an at least partially dropping curve.

During the mechanical respiration of a patient by means of an anesthesia apparatus or a respirator, the pressure is reduced at the end of expiration to the extent that the patient can breathe out. The pressure level is not lowered now completely to the prevailing ambient pressure, but there remains a residual pressure, the so-called positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), in the lung. This pressure is maintained at a constant level by means of the anesthesia apparatus or respirator during expiration until the next inspiration. Any possible leaks in the connection from the anesthesia apparatus or respirator to the patient are compensated by a pressure regulator by the pressure regulator adjusting a volume by means of supplying a rate of flow to the extent that the positive end-expiratory pressure can be maintained in the patient's lungs. Due to this slight overpressure in the lungs against the ambient pressure, it is ensured by a distension of the lungs that the opened areas in the lungs will not collapse again during expiration during the time until the next inspiration and the exchange area of the lungs will not be reduced hereby.
A suctioning measuring system is connected in many cases by means of a flexible tube in anesthesia systems directly at the connection piece to the patient, in which the expiratory and inspiratory breathing tubes are brought together, the so-called Y-piece, and gas is sent with a suction volume flow directly from the patient into the measuring system, and the physiological respiration parameters of the patient are analyzed in the measuring system. For example, the oxygen concentration and the carbon dioxide concentration (CCO2) are recorded over time. Especially the carbon dioxide concentration (CCO2) at the end of expiration by the patient, the so-called end-tidal concentration (etCO2), is of diagnostic and therapeutic significance here. This makes it possible to infer how sufficient the patient's respiration, i.e., the supply with oxygen, is. The physician makes decisions about adjusting the respiration, for example, the respiration rate, the minute volume, the pressure settings, as well as the selected, administered oxygen concentration.
The adjustment of the positive end-expiratory pressure by a pressure regulator in the respiratory system causes fresh gas to be delivered directly to the patient to the so-called Y-piece. This fresh gas mixes there with the air expired by the patient. This mixed air is suctioned off from the patient, from the Y-piece, to the measuring arrangement. The suctioning takes place typically with a suction line, typically by means of a very thin suction tube with an internal diameter in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm over a length of 1.5-3.0 m. A suction volume flow of typically about 0.2 L/minute delivers the air through the suction tube from the patient into the measuring arrangement. The gas thus reaches the measuring arrangement with a delay in the range of about 0.8 sec to 3.5 sec due to its path and the type of suctioning. If additional components with an additional volume, for example, a water trap, are arranged in the suction line on the path to the measuring arrangement, and if the volume in the measuring arrangement itself, as well as the necessary measuring time for determining the carbon dioxide concentration in the measuring arrangement are taken into account, the delay between the location of the test sample at the patient and a value of a carbon dioxide concentration, which value is determined by measurement and displayed, increases, on the whole, to a value in the range of about 3 sec to 10 sec.
Such a delay corresponds approximately to a number ranging from less than one breathing cycle to two breathing cycles for an adult, to 1 to 6 breathing cycles for an infant as well as to 3 to 10 breathing cycles for a newborn.
Depending on the type of pressure regulation and the situation prevailing at the patient, at the respiratory system, the respiration parameters selected and the leaks present in the system, the regulated adjustment of the positive end-expiratory pressure causes the carbon dioxide concentration (CCO2) at the measuring arrangement not to correspond to the concentration that is present in the pharyngeal space and the bronchial space of the patient during expiration. A respiratory system with a regulator for setting a positive end-expiratory pressure is known from the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,093.

Method for controlling the end-expiratory pressure in a respiratory system


A hanger for holding light fixtures on a power track has a rubber block with appropriate size, shape, and material to create sufficient frictional force relative to a wall to prevent the hanger from sliding under the combined weight of the hanger and the fixture.

In stores that sell light fixtures, hangers can be used to support the fixtures in a power track so that the fixtures can be easily moved or replaced as desired. One type of hanger is elongated and fits into a power track that is on a wall or a ceiling. The hanger has an opening through which a power cord extends from the fixture to the rear of the hanger and along the power track to an outlet. While this hanger works well for ceiling-mounted fixtures, it does not work well with wall-mounted fixtures because the hanger can slide down the power track under the weight of the fixture.

Hanger for supporting light fixtures on a wall-mounted power track


Embodiments of this application provide a communication method including: determining, by a terminal device in a first state, that a paging area of the terminal device is changed; sending, by the terminal device, a first message to a first access network device, where the first message is used to notify the first access network device that the paging area of the terminal device is changed; receiving, by the terminal device, a second message sent by the first access network device based on the first message; determining, by the terminal device based on the second message, a to-be-entered state of the terminal device; and when the terminal device determines that the terminal device needs to be in a second state, entering, by the terminal device, the second state based on a stored connection context information.

In a Long Term Evolution (LTE)/System Architecture Evolution (SAE) system, a location of a terminal is managed using a tracking area update (TAU) process. A mobility management entity (MME) can know a tracking area (TA) in which a terminal device is located. The terminal device in an idle state can move freely in the TA without notifying the MME. When the terminal device in the idle state moves from one TA to another TA, location registration needs to be performed again in the new TA, to instruct the MME to change location information of the UE stored in the MME. This is a TAU process.
In the TAU process, the terminal device needs to send a radio resource control (RRC) connection setup request message to an access network device. After receiving the RRC connection setup request message, the access network device sends an RRC connection setup message to the terminal device. Then, the terminal device responds with an RRC connection setup complete message, and carries a non-access stratum (NAS) protocol data unit (PDU) to the RRC connection setup complete message. The NAS PDU includes TAU signaling. The NAS PDU is forwarded by the access network device to the MME, to notify the MME that the terminal device has left the TA. The MME sends TAU accept information to the terminal device through the access network device, and configures a new TA for the terminal device using the signaling. Because there are a plurality of pieces of signaling between the terminal device and the access network device and between the access network device and a core network device, signaling overheads are relatively high.

Communication method, terminal device, and access network device


A process is set forth for the separation of one or more, more permeable components from one or more, less permeable components in a feed stream. The process suggests two membrane separation stages in series wherein the feed is introduced into the low pressure side of the first stage, the permeate stream from the first stage is compressed and introduced into the high pressure side of the second stage and wherein the non-permeate stream from the second stage is recycled to the high pressure side of the first stage.

Membrane separation processes which use a plurality of semi-permeable membranes in series for the separation of one or more, more permeable components from one or more, less permeable components in a feed stream are known in the art. A state of the art example is the "series type two unit separation cell" process as shown in FIG. 1 which recovers both the permeable and non-permeable components at desired purity while using an optimum combination of power and membrane area vis-a-vis any comparable process. Referring now to FIG. 1, a feed stream F2 comprising one or more, more permeable components and one or more, less permeable components is introduced into the high pressure side of membrane separation module M1. M1's high pressure side is separated from its low pressure side by a semi-permeable membrane which is selective for the permeation of the more permeable component(s). A first non-permeate stream NP1 which is enriched in the less permeable component(s) of the feed stream is withdrawn from the high pressure side of M1 and introduced into-the high pressure side of membrane separation module M2. Similar to M1, M2's high pressure side is separated from its low pressure side by a semi-permeable membrane which is selective for the permeation of the more permeable component(s). A second non-permeate stream NP2 which is further enriched in the less permeable component(s) is withdrawn from the high pressure side of M2 and recovered as a first product stream. A first permeate stream P1 which is enriched in the more permeable component(s) is withdrawn from the low pressure side of M2, combined with the incoming feed stream F1, compressed in compressor C1 and finally recycled to the high pressure side of M1. A second permeate stream P2 which is further enriched in the more permeable component(s) is withdrawn from the low pressure side of M1 as a second product stream.
It is an object of the present invention to recover either or both of the permeable and non-permeable components at desired purity while using an optimum combination of power and membrane area vis-a-vis any comparable process, including the state of the art process shown in FIG. 1.

Low pressure feed membrane separation process


A microprocessor including a level two cache memory including asynchronously accessible cache blocks. The microprocessor includes an execution unit coupled to a cache memory subsystem which includes a plurality of storage blocks, each configured to store a plurality of data units. Each of the plurality of storage blocks may be accessed asynchronously. In addition, the cache subsystem includes a plurality of tag units which are coupled to the plurality of storage blocks. Each of the tag units may be configured to store a plurality of tags each including an address tag value which corresponds to a given unit of data stored within the plurality of storage blocks. Each of the plurality of tag units may be accessed synchronously.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of microprocessors and, more particularly, to cache memory subsystems within a microprocessor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical computer systems may contain one or more microprocessors which may be connected to one or more system memories. The processors may execute code and operate on data that is stored within the system memories. It is noted that as used herein, the term "processor" is synonymous with the term microprocessor. To facilitate the fetching and storing of instructions and data, a processor typically employs some type of memory system. In addition, to expedite accesses to the system memory, one or more cache memories may be included in the memory system. For example, some microprocessors may be implemented with one or more levels of cache memory. In a typical microprocessor, a level one (L1) cache and a level two (L2) cache may be used, while some newer processors may also use a level three (L3) cache. In many legacy processors, the L1 cache may reside on-chip and the L2 cache may reside off-chip. However, to further improve memory access times, many newer processors may use an on-chip L2 cache.
Generally speaking, the L2 cache may be larger and slower than the L1 cache. In addition, the L2 cache is often implemented as a unified cache, while the L1 cache may be implemented as a separate instruction cache and a data cache. The L1 data cache is used to hold the data most recently read or written by the software running on the microprocessor. The L1 instruction cache is similar to L1 data cache except that it holds the instructions executed most recently. It is noted that for convenience the L1 instruction cache and the L1 data cache may be referred to simply as the L1 cache, as appropriate. The L2 cache may be used to hold instructions and data that do not fit in the L1 cache. The L2 cache may be exclusive (e.g., it stores information that is not in the L1 cache) or it may be inclusive (e.g., it stores a copy of the information that is in the L1 cache).
Memory systems typically use some type of cache coherence mechanism to ensure that accurate data is supplied to a requester. The cache coherence mechanism typically uses the size of the data transferred in a single request as the unit of coherence. The unit of coherence is commonly referred to as a cache line. In some processors, for example, a given cache line may be 64 bytes, while some other processors employ a cache line of 32 bytes. In yet other processors, other numbers of bytes may be included in a single cache line. If a request misses in the L1 and L2 caches, an entire cache line of multiple words is transferred from main memory to the L2 and L1 caches, even though only one word may have been requested. Similarly, if a request for a word misses in the L1 cache but hits in the L2 cache, the entire L2 cache line including the requested word is transferred from the L2 cache to the L1 cache. Thus, a request for unit of data less than a respective cache line may cause an entire cache line to be transferred between the L2 cache and the L1 cache. Such transfers typically require multiple cycles to complete.
During a read or write to cacheable memory, the L1 cache is first checked to see if the requested information (e.g., instruction or data) is available. If the information is available, a hit occurs. If the information is not available, a miss occurs. If a miss occurs, then the L2 cache may be checked. Thus, when a miss occurs in the L1 cache but hits within, L2 cache, the information may be transferred from the L2 cache to the L1 cache. As described below, the amount of information transferred between the L2 and the L1 caches is typically a cache line. In addition, depending on the space available in L1 cache, a cache line may be evicted from the L1 cache to make room for the new cache line and may be subsequently stored in L2 cache. In some conventional processors, during this cache line "swap," no other accesses to either L1 cache or L2 cache may be processed.
As described above, the L2 cache is generally much larger than the L1 cache. In many microprocessors, the L2 cache may account for as much as 70 percent or more of the microprocessor die size. The trend for future microprocessors is to have an even larger L2 cache. In many processors, the L2 cache may be implemented as a fully pipelined cache. As such, the L2 cache may use a clocking architecture that includes a clock distribution network that may span the entire cache array area. This type of clocking scheme may consume a great deal of power and a corresponding amount of heat, which may limit the scalability of future microprocessors. The power consumption may be attributed to clocked structures within each memory cell. Even simple memory cells having a single transistor may consume power due to the charging and discharging of the input gate capacitance. In addition, as component (e.g., transistors) sizes decrease, the resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant delays at interconnection points may be greater than the transistor delays. Thus, the clock tree distribution network of an L2 cache may be increasingly difficult to route which may also effect the scalability of future microprocessors.

Microprocessor including bank-pipelined cache with asynchronous data blocks


A management system facilitating deployment of customizations of an enterprise application, with the enterprise application containing software modules pre-installed on a set of servers. In an embodiment, the management system first receives a set of deployment units each containing data defining a manner of configuration affecting the operation of at least some of the software modules to attain the desired customizations, and an enterprise profile indicating the specific subset of deployment units to be deployed in each of the servers. Management system then orchestrates the configuration of the software modules installed on the set of servers according to the data specified in the set of deployment units and the enterprise profile.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to enterprise applications and more specifically to facilitating deployment of customizations of enterprise applications.
2. Related Art
Enterprise applications refer to a class of applications tailored for specific business contexts (banking, finance, sales, supply chain management, etc.), typically executed on multiple servers for reasons such as scalability, redundancy and performance, as is well known in the relevant arts.
Customer relationship management (CRM) applications are a class of enterprise applications which simplify an enterprise's interaction with customers in the corresponding context. CRM applications are used in environments such as call centers, where there is a substantial amount of interaction between customers and the call center employees typically to address various issues/concerns raised by the customers.
Enterprise applications also often need to be customized, primarily to adapt (as opposed to fixing of bugs/errors in the software code of) a vendor-provided enterprise application to the specific requirements and needs of the particular enterprise. The software code forming the enterprise application is typically deployed in a state suitable for execution, and further adaptations are made after such deployment. These adaptations are referred to as customizations.
As an example, different enterprises may desire to display their respective images/logos (or messages) on the corresponding user interfaces provided by the same enterprise application executing in their respective environments. However, customizations may be more complex, and often include, for example, additional data, modules (software code providing specific features), and rules/workflows/validations (e.g., in the form of scripts), which control the sequence/timing in which the base modules (contained in the installed enterprise application) are executed for a desired process flow, etc.
In the case of CRM applications noted above, a vendor may install the CRM application software with a basic set of features, and customizations may need to be developed, tested and deployed to meet the enterprise specific requirements.
It is generally desirable that the deployment of customizations be facilitated while meeting one or more of objectives such as simplicity, efficiency, recovery, and speed.
In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

Facilitating deployment of customizations of enterprise applications