A diffracting optical filter for use with telescopes provides a plurality of cells separated by opaque lines on an translucent substrate, the spacing of the cells proportionally spaced to match the Airy disk of a specific optical system for the telescope to aid observation through a turbulent atmosphere.

This present invention relates to an optical filter for use with telescopes; specifically to a diffracting filter composed of a plurality of spaced translucent cells separated from each other by a thin opaque border in which the spacing of the cells is proportional to the Airy disk of a specific optical system for the telescope to aid observation through a turbulent atmosphere.
Turbulent atmospheric phenomena limit the visual range of observations in the 380 nm to 750 nm wavelength (λ) range of visible light. All forms of telescopic astronomical investigation will benefit from such a device; ranging from casual visual observations to in-depth detailed scientific imaging, spectroscopic, photometric, astrometric, and interferometric investigations.
Driven by the thermal energy of the sun, the motion of the earth's atmosphere changes the index of refraction and therefore the optical path length of light passing through the atmosphere and entering the telescope. The light which reaches the telescope is distorted by this turbulent atmosphere even though it started as an almost perfect planar wave front. Atmospheric turbulence changes occur in milliseconds and this led to the development of adaptive optical systems. Typical astronomical telescopic observation suggests that isoplanar wave fronts are only about 10 cm square. At astronomical observatories usually on top of mountain ranges, the isoplanar wave front may be as large as 20 to 30 cm when the "seeing is good." Over any isoplanar region, the wavefront is relatively smooth and provides little curvature with a difference of about λ/17. A rule of thumb adopted by astronomical observers is that if wave distortions are less than λ/10 the image quality will be good.
Since telescopes can only collect a portion of the incident light to be reformed into an image, there will always be some diffraction in all systems. The light will deviate from straight-line propagation and spread out somewhat in the image plane. The effect of turbulence on an image formed by a telescope depends on the size of the aperture of the telescope. If the image is formed from a very small aperture, most of the wave front will be undistorted and planar. The larger the diameter of light allowed causes the Airy disk to be formed which moves as the wave front is distorted. The image is thus a superposition of shifting Airy disk spots resulting in a shimmering blur. The larger aperture will collect more light but will not proportionately improve the resolution of the optical system.
The critical aperture size at which atmospheric blurring occurs is a measure of the turbulence. This aperture is called the Fried parameter, r0, and corresponds to the size of the region over which the incoming wavefront can be taken to be essentially planar. When this parameter r0 exceeds 30 cm, a very distant star will be perfectly imaged as an Airy disk. As the turbulence increases, the Fried parameter r0 decreases. Furthermore, as the wavelength increases, the Fried parameter r0 increases, since the Fried parameter is proportional to the wavelength λ. The resolution of a telescope in the atmosphere is no better than 1.22λ/r0 and since r0 is rarely above 20 cm, even the largest telescopes have a resolving power little more than that of a 8″ telescope. Adaptive optics reduces the sizes of the isoplanar mirror assemblies and then coordinates them based upon atmospheric turbulence, but is both complicated and expensive and beyond the budget of the amateur astronomical observer.
When a telescope with a circular aperture receives plane waves, rather than being an image "point" the light actually spreads out into a small circular spot called the Airy disk containing about 84% of the energy surrounded by several faint rings. The radius of the Airy disk determines the overlapping of the neighboring images and therefore the resolution of the telescope. A telescope which is as perfect as may be possible is referred to as a diffraction-limited telescope. In a turbulent atmosphere, light traveling through the atmosphere is diffracted and therefore arrives out-of-phase with collimated light entering the atmosphere from the cosmological source. The turbulent atmosphere causes starlight to "twinkle" but makes viewing less clear. By placing a diffraction grating over the light path, the refracted starlight is eliminated and the undiffracted portion of the light is allowed to pass through the Atmospheric Stabilization Filter to the focal plane of the instrument, which may either be the pupil of the observer or the focal plane of a CCD camera.
Active optics requires the precise alignment of the main mirror in a large telescope, in conjunction with the precise alignment of the secondary mirror and any other auxiliary optics used in the optical system. Typically active optics is not a continuous real-time alignment system, but rather is employed either in hourly increments during an observation run or immediately before each observation run. Substantial and expensive equipment support equipment and technician time is required for either type of stabilization system. Maintenance of such systems often interferes with observation time, limiting and therefore decreasing time-critical investigations.
Currently, there is no known device, passive in nature (i.e. having no moving parts, and no electrical apparatus) that attaches to a telescope and suppresses atmospheric turbulence. Most devices dealing with astronomical observations through atmospheric turbulence rely upon adaptive optics, or active optics. Both adaptive optics and active optics involve considerable technical sophistication and are limited to small areas of the sky. Adaptive optics for telescopic use in real time observations comprises a special deformable mirror, wavefront sensor, and circuitry intended to match the distortion of the atmosphere to selective movement of the deformable mirror system. A special laser is used to create an artificial guide-star for tracking purposes. Special computers and software must be accessed to automatically make the adaptive movements to the mirror system.

Atmospheric stabilizer filter and method


A sheet storing/feeding device includes a receptacle for holding standing sheets, a stacking and feeding mechanism to successively carry the sheets into the receptacle and to feed a forefront sheet out of the receptacle. A pushing member configured to be optionally advanced and retracted is provided on the side of the forefront sheet in the receptacle, and a holding member is provided to be in contact with a backmost sheet in the receptacle. A retaining member is provided to be optionally advanced and retracted relative to a storage space defined between the stacking and feeding mechanism and the holding member. The retaining member, when advanced, can hold the sheets in the receptacle between the retaining member and the holding member so as to bring them into a temporary holding state, while, when retracted, can release the paper-sheets in the temporary holding state.

Traditionally, the paper-sheet storing and feeding device was adapted to bring the paper-sheets (e.g., banknotes or the like) fed successively, one sheet for each operation, from the exterior, into a standing stored state and then feeding out the paper-sheets in the stored state to the exterior has been known.
As the paper-sheet storing and feeding device of this type, one configured to temporarily take the paper-sheets fed from the exterior into a taking-in space and then carry the paper-sheets in the taking-in space into a storage space so as to bring them into a stored state has been known. The taking-in space and the storage space are separated from each other by a partition plate or the like. Upon carrying the paper-sheets in the taking-in space into the storage space, a beating belt, a rigidness enhancing apparatus or a stacking lever is used.
However, in the case of employing such a paper-sheet storing and feeding apparatus, there is a risk that the paper-sheets may be folded or deformed when the paper-sheets in the taking-in space are carried into the storage space. Therefore, it is significantly difficult to carry the paper-sheets in the taking-in space, stably and securely, into the storage space and bring them into the stored state.
More specifically, for instance, JP2000-72311A discloses a paper-sheet storing and feeding device including the taking-in space, in which the paper-sheets fed from the exterior are first taken, and the storage space, in which the paper-sheets in the taking-in space are then carried and brought into a stored state. In this paper-sheet storing and feeding device, a partition plate for separating the paper-sheets stored in the storage space from the paper-sheets reserved in the taking-in space is provided. In addition, a pusher (or pushing plate) is provided, for pushing the paper-sheets reserved in the taking-in space into the storage space.
In such a paper-sheet storing and feeding device, because the taking-in space, in which the paper-sheets fed from the exterior are first taken, and the storage space for storing the paper-sheets therein are separated, there is a need for pushing the paper-sheets in the taking-in space into the storage space by using the pusher. However, the paper-sheets are likely to be curved when they are pushed into the storage space by the pusher, thus leading to folding and/or deformation of the paper-sheets.


A cache memory control circuit allowing an MIB to have information concerning an upper address section of a replace address corresponding to a move-in request and information indicating whether a replace destination is valid or not includes: a first determination section (step S41) that determines whether an index and upper address section of the request address related to the move-in request and those of the request address that is related to a preceding move-in request and has been registered in the MIB do not correspond respectively to each other, a third determination section (step S42) that determines whether an index and upper address section in the address related to the move-in request and those in the replace address that is related to the preceding move-in request and has been registered in the MIB do not correspond respectively to each other; and a tag search section (step S43) that continues the processing for the move-in request in the case where an affirmative result has been obtained both in the first and third determination sections and the replace destination is valid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cache memory control circuit and a cache memory control method that control a CPU cache memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 is a block circuit diagram schematically showing an entire configuration of a CPU. In FIG. 8, each of CPUs 1 and 2 incorporates a two-tier cache including an L1 cache (first cache) and an L2 cache (second cache) and is connected to an SC (system controller) 3, and the SC 3 is connected to a memory 4. In the above configuration, a cache memory control operation is performed as follows.
A move-in request issued from the L1 cache is passed through a pipeline of the L2 cache and a tag search is then performed with respect to the request data in a tag search section (tag section). When the result of the tag search is an L2 cache miss (S1), an MIB (move-in buffer) is acquired and a move-in request is issued to the SC 3 (S2). After receiving reply data from the main memory or other CPU, the SC 3 registers the data in the L2 cache, releases the MIB (S3) and transfers the data to the L1 cache (S4).
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a cache controller that performs the above operation. An MI-PORT 11 shown in FIG. 9 stores a new request issued from the L1 cache. An MO-PORT 12 stores a reply issued from the L1 cache to the L2 cache and move-out data sent from the L1 cache. An SC-PORT 13 is an internal resource that stores an order issued from the SC 3.
A priority section 14 feeds a command to a pipeline 15 in consideration of the superiority of each resource. In the pipeline 15, a tag search is performed with an address of the fed command by a tag search section (tag section) 16. In the case of an L2 cache hit, the data that is requested by the L1 cache is returned. In the case of an L2 cache miss, an MIB 17 is acquired and a move-in request is issued to the SC 3. At this time, information comparison is made between a current move-in request and a preceding move-in request that has been registered in MIB 3 at the same time as the issuance of the current move-in request in order to determine whether it is possible to continue processing for the current move-in request.
When an index of a succeeding move-in request and an index of a preceding move-in request correspond to each other, the succeeding move-in request is, in general, forced to wait until the MIB 17 has been released after completion of the processing for the preceding move-in request for protection of a replace block and guarantee of cache coherency. FIG. 10 shows a processing flow at this time. As shown in FIG. 10, it is determined whether an index of the succeeding move-in request and an index of the preceding move-in request that has been registered in the MIB do not correspond to each other (step S11). When the determination result is not affirmative (No in step 11), processing for the succeeding move-in request is forced to be in a standby state.
When the determination result is affirmative (YES in step S11), processing is continued and a tag search is performed (step S12). Then, depending on the result of the tag search (HIT or MISS in step S12), respective processing operations are performed.
Even when the result of the tag search for the succeeding move-in request is a cache hit, that is, even when the succeeding move-in request can actually be processed (the case where processing for the succeeding move-in request does not generate any problem), processing is forced to wait until the MIB 17 has been released. When an index of the succeeding move-in request and an index of the preceding move-in request do not correspond to each other, processing is performed based on the result of the tag search.
FIG. 11 shows a tag search method used in the tag search section (tag section) 16. In a tag search, firstly, matching is performed in an index 110 of a request address 100 to determine the corresponding block. Matching is then performed in an upper address section 120 to identify the corresponding 64-byte. FIG. 12 shows a data structure of the MIB 17. The MIB 17 includes a request address 100, a registration way and replace way 200, and other flags 300.
When the tag search section 16 has performed a tag search for the move-in request from the MI-PORT 11 and obtained the search result indicating a cache miss, the MIB 17 is acquired and the data related to the move-in request is stored in the acquired MIB 17 and a move-in request is then issued to the SC 3. A method of evacuating all replace targets to a replace buffer (MODQ) is available at this time in order to correctly reply to snoop processing due to the mismatch. However, this method uselessly obtains the MODQ resources in the case where a replace target is "clean victim" (block that has not been updated or changed and need not to be written back). Thus, a method of replying to snoop processing due to the mismatch without evacuating the replace target to a replace buffer (MODQ) and disabling a cache when the replace target is "clean victim".
When the matching between an index of the preceding move-in request that has been stored in the MIB 17 and an index of the succeeding move-in request is performed, there may exist many succeeding move-in requests that will be forced to wait even if the search results therefor are cache hits. In order to cope with the problem, a control circuit or method that can continue processing for the succeeding move-in requests that can actually be processed is demanded.
In the above case, when the MIB 17 is acquired due to a cache miss of the preceding move-in request and an additional succeeding move-in request is issued from the MI-PORT 11, a cache hit erroneously occurs in the case where the replace target of the preceding move-in request is "clean victim". To solve this problem, the following method has been used in the conventional art.
Firstly, states of the cache to be replaced are closely examined. When the block to be replaced is "dirty victim" (block that has been updated or changed and must be written back) at the time of occurrence of a cache miss, its tag is invalidated and data writing to the MODQ is performed. The replace data is read out from the MODQ in response to a request from the system and then written back to the memory.
Since "dirty victim" must correctly reply to the snoop processing due to mismatch even when its tag has been invalidated, "dirty victim" also holds WBA (replace address) at the MIB 17 acquisition time. As a result, when WBA of the MIB 17 and a snoop request correspond to each other even if the search result is not a cache hit, data replay is sent from the MODQ in which the replace data exists.
On the other hand, "clean victim" (block that need not to be written back and that is not invalid) is overwritten when a new cache has been registered since it need not to be written back to the memory. In this case, at the time point when a new registration has been made in a cache tag copy after the system side had received a move-in request (that is, at the time point when "clean victim" has been cleared), it is determined that there has not existed "clean victim" in the following processing. However, since it is impossible for the cache side to know the timing, "clean victim" in the cache cannot be used at the time point when a cache miss has occurred.
When a store request hits a cache in a shared state, a block type change (block type change permission) is issued to the system for the right to exclude. At this time, since a block should not be shared in a store operation, a succeeding request is forced to wait until the store operation has been executed for guarantee of cache coherency even if the succeeding request hits a shared cache of the same block as that a preceding store request has been made for.
In the system having the above configuration, when continued processing does not generate any problem even in the case where an index of a succeeding move-in request and an index stored in the MIB 17 match with each other, it is determined whether a move-in operation can be performed depending on the cache state at the time of a cache hit so that processing can be continued. The flow at this time is shown in FIG. 13. Since "dirty victim" is supposed to have been invalidated at the cache miss detection time, when a dirty block has been hit (step S21), it can be determined that a way that is entirely different from a way of a preceding request in the MIB is targeted, with the result that processing can be performed. Therefore, only in the above case (YES in step S21), it is possible to continue processing for the succeeding move-in request whose index has corresponded to the index stored in the MIB. In the case where a clean block has been hit, it is impossible to determine whether a move-in operation can be performed for the above reason, so that processing cannot be continued.
As a reference of the related art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-229852 is known.
In the case of a cache hit to a clean block, when the clean block is the clean victim of a preceding move-in request or that has been obtained due to an application of block type change, it is impossible to continue processing. On the other hand, any problem does not occur when processing is performed for clean blocks other than the above case. However, in the conventional art, determination is made based on a tag in some cases, so that it is impossible to determine the above case. As a result, succeeding processing operations are collectively forced to wait until the MIB has been released.
Further, the determination is made based on the result of a tag search as described above, which requires time to read out the result and involves activation of additional processing or ensuring of resources temporarily. As a result, the processing for other requests may be interrupted.

Method and system for selectively permitting cache memory access during a cache miss request


Hardware component failure diagnosis of an information handling system is verified with a hardware diagnostics code generated by a diagnostics module integrated with an information handling system and sent from the information handling system to a diagnostics engine of a service center. The hardware diagnostics code includes a unique identifier for the information handling system and a hardware component failure code that identifies the type of hardware and type of failure. The diagnostics engine analyzes the hardware diagnostics code to confirm that diagnostics were run on the information handling system and, for authentic hardware failures, automatically initiates the sending of a replacement hardware component to the information handling system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of servicing information handling system failures, and more particularly to a method and system for verifying information handling system hardware component failure diagnosis.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The wide variety of uses and flexibility of information handling systems has resulted in the manufacture of a wide variety of hardware and software information handling system configurations. One difficulty with operation of a wide variety of hardware and software configurations is that a failure of an information handling system is often difficult to diagnose and correct. Typically, information handling system manufacturers have service centers that aid information handling system users with failures. Generally, the user calls a toll free number of a service center and describes the difficulty to a service technician who attempts to diagnose and correct the problem by describing corrective actions for the user to perform. However, user calls to a service center are expensive for the manufacturer and often an inefficient use of technician time. For instance, resolution of hardware versus software difficulties typically rely on different types of expertise. Thus, isolating and correcting a difficulty may result in the user having to talk with different technicians and, ultimately, end up with replacement hardware components being shipped to the user.
In order to aid in resolution of information handling system difficulties, diagnostics modules are sometimes installed on information handling systems, either during manufacture or during subsequent use, such as through a diagnosis performed on the information handling system through the Internet. If a user has difficulty with the information handling system, the user runs the diagnostics module to attempt to isolate the problem, thus reducing the time needed by the user to talk with a technician. Further, a hardware component failure diagnosed by a diagnostics module is more likely to be correct than a technician analysis accomplished by a phone conversation and thus use of a diagnostics module reduces the risk that a replacement component will be shipped when the original equipment is not faulty. In some instances, seventy percent of hardware components replaced by technician diagnosis cannot duplicate the reported failure on return to the manufacturer. Although the use of the diagnostic module improves the accuracy of hardware component failure diagnosis, often users and technicians fail to run the diagnostics modules, instead relying on operational indications to deduce failed hardware components. Information handling system manufacturers have little opportunity to determine if the diagnostics module was run or to determine the accuracy of the diagnostics module at detecting component failures except to test returned components for duplication of reported failures.

Method and system for verifying information handling system hardware component failure diagnosis


A driving circuit of a transmitting apparatus drives a piezoelectric element in a frequency band different from a resonance frequency at which a vibration system including the piezoelectric element resonates the most strongly. A driving circuit of a sound sensor drives the piezoelectric element for transmitting or receiving an acoustic wave in a frequency band different from a resonance frequency at which a vibration system including the piezoelectric element resonates the most strongly. Such a transmitting apparatus is mounted as a transmitting apparatus of a sound sensor to thereby realize the sound sensor with a small measurement error. The sound sensor is adopted for traveling control and steering control of an autonomous traveling vehicle to thereby enable an autonomous traveling vehicle capable of stopping in the vicinity of an obstacle to be realized.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a transmitting apparatus and a sound sensor for obtaining information such as the presence/absence of a detection-target object with an acoustic wave, or a distance therefrom to the detection-target object, and further relates to an autonomous traveling vehicle equipped with such a sound sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known an ultrasonic sensor that transmits an ultrasonic wave to a detection-target object and, also, receives a reflected wave from the detection-target object to thereby measure a distance therefrom to the detection-target object on the basis of an elapsed time from a transmission start time point to a reception start time point.
As a kind of such an ultrasonic sensor, there has been known an ultrasonic sensor comprising a transmitting apparatus including: a transmitter which includes a piezoelectric element and transmits an ultrasonic wave; a driving circuit which drives the piezoelectric element; and an oscillation circuit which inputs an oscillation signal in a predetermined frequency band to the driving circuit, and a receiving apparatus including: a receiver which includes a piezoelectric element and receives an ultrasonic wave; a sensing circuit which senses an ultrasonic wave in a predetermined frequency band on the basis of an electric signal generated as determined by a vibration of the piezoelectric element caused by the action of the ultrasonic wave; and a signal processing unit which performs processing for obtaining information on a detection-target object on the basis of the electric signal (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-290495 (1998)).
The transmitter of the ultrasonic sensor described above has a case in the shape of a hollow cylinder with a bottom working as a vibration plate, to the inner surface of which a piezoelectric element is adhered. The driving circuit of the same vibrates the piezoelectric element at a predetermined resonance frequency band by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element on the basis of an oscillation signal from the oscillation circuit. The resonance frequency band by which the piezoelectric element is vibrated is regarded as a resonance frequency at which a vibration system including the piezoelectric element resonates the most strongly and in which an ultrasonic wave is transmitted with a large amplitude of the vibration plate in resonance.
The ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmitter is reflected by a detection-target object and received by the receiver. The ultrasonic wave received by the receiver is converted to an electric signal and the electric signal is signal-processed at the signal processing unit to thereby determine a distance therefrom to the detection-target object.
A conventional ultrasonic sensor as mentioned above, as shown in timing charts of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, has a slow rise of acoustic pressure of a transmitted ultrasonic wave until a vibration system including the piezoelectric element resonates in a stable state from the time when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, for which transition a time T1 elapsed.
To be concrete, the time T1 elapsed until the vibration system including the piezoelectric element resonates in a stable state, as shown in an output waveform of the transmitter of FIG. 1B, from the time when a voltage is applied to the transmitter, as shown in an output waveform of the driving circuit of FIG. 1A.
In a case where an ultrasonic wave with such a slow rise of acoustic pressure is received by the receiver, a time delay arises until the time when an acoustic pressure of the ultrasonic wave rises to a predetermined acoustic pressure from the time when the ultrasonic wave actually reaches the receiver. Since a configuration is such that determination on whether or not an ultrasonic wave has been received is performed by whether or not an electric signal obtained by converting an acoustic pressure of the received ultrasonic wave exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a measurement error arises as a time T2, shown in an input waveform of the receiver on FIG. 1C, elapsed until the input waveform exceeds a predetermined threshold value from the time when the ultrasonic wave starts to be received. The conventional sound sensor has had an unsolved problem that a measurement error, to be concrete, the time T2 shown in FIG. 1C, indispensably arises due to such a slow rise of acoustic pressure of an ultrasonic wave.

Transmitting apparatus, sound sensor and autonomous traveling vehicle


A recording ink containing at least: water; a water-soluble organic solvent; a surfactant; and a carbon black having a hydrophilic group on a surface thereof, wherein at least part of a terminal of the hydrophilic group on the carbon black is substituted with an alkali metal, wherein the carbon black releases humic acid in an aqueous dispersion of the carbon black, which is recovered from the recording ink, a concentration of the humic acid released in the aqueous dispersion containing 20% by mass of the carbon black of is expressed with a maximum absorbance at a wavelength of 230 nm to 260 nm, and the recording ink has the maximum absorbance of 5.0 to 20.0 at the wavelength of 230 nm to 260 nm.

A coloring agent for inkjet recording ink is mainly based on a dye, and there are disadvantages that the dye ink is inferior in water resistance and weather resistance and also easily oozes out on plain paper. In order to eliminate these disadvantages, such ink has been proposed that pigments, for example, carbon black, are used.
The pigment ink is excellent in water resistance and weather resistance and also able to record images which ooze out to a less extent but is inferior in fixing property, which is a problem. Therefore, an attempt has been made that various resins are added to improve the fixing property.
For example, Patent Literature 1 has described a recording solution which contains carbon black and a soap-free emulsion. In records obtained by using the above-described recording solution, a resin emulsion forms a film after drying of water resistance, but carbon black contained in the recording solution is dispersed by a surfactant and therefore does not have a hydrophilic group directly on the surface. There is found a disadvantage that the above-described recording solution dispersed by a surfactant is poor in dispensability due to detachment of the surfactant adsorbed on the surface of the pigment with the lapse of time and may easily increase in viscosity and cause aggregation.
Further, Patent Literature 2 has described a method in which hypohalogen is used to acid-treat carbon black. Since this method is able to introduce an aqueous dispersible functional group onto the surface by acid treatment of carbon black, the dispersion stability is better than that attained by using a surfactant. However, carbon black is known to generate humic acid due to acid treatment and the dispersion tends to decrease in pH with the lapse of time, thereby causing a decrease in dispersion stability and the deterioration of members inside an ink-used recording apparatus.
Still further, Patent Literature 3 has described an ink composition containing two or more types of resins in which a pigment that can be dispersed or dissolved in water without a dispersing agent is used. Carbon black which is contained in the above-described ink composition and can be dispersed or dissolved in water without a dispersing agent is acid-treated by using hypochlorous acid or ozone. Since there are provided no measures for the pH decrease with the lapse of time due to elusion of humic acid, the ink is not satisfactory in terms of storage stability.
In addition, Patent Literature 4 has described that attention is given to humic acid contained in acid-treated carbon black and where the concentration of humic acid is found to be one or lower in terms of the absorbance, there is provided an excellent feature of preventing clogging at a nozzle or a pen tip due to the development of solids. However, there is a problem that where humic acid is abundantly contained in a recording solution, pH is decreased with the lapse of time to deteriorate the storage stability.    [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent (JP-B) No. 3489289    [Patent Literature 2] JP-B No. 3405817    [Patent Literature 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2004-204079    [Patent Literature 4] JP-A No. 11-349309

Recording ink, inkjet recording method and inkjet recording apparatus


A substrate having organic thin film capable of growing two dimensionally such organic thin film as C60 and a transistor using the same are constituted with a substrate (1) having organic thin film by sequentially depositing a buffer layer (3) and organic thin film (4) on the substrate (2), and with the buffer layer orienting the organic thin film (4). A layer easily oriented with the substrate (2) and the buffer layer (3) may be inserted between the substrate (2) and the buffer layer (3). A sapphire substrate as the substrate (2), pentacene or pentacene fluoride as the buffer layer (3), and C60 or rubrene as the organic thin film (4) may be used, thereby C60 or rubrene two dimensional thin film of high quality can be obtained. By using such a substrate (1) having organic thin film, a field effect transistor of high quality can be realized.

In recent years, progress in devices using organic semiconductors is remarkable, and the studies on a field effect transistor (hereinafter, to be simply called FET) with organic semiconductor thin film have been eagerly conducted. These FET are mostly p-type FET, and few examples have been reported on n-type FET. As a n-type organic semiconductor, fullerene (C60) has been drawing attention. For devices having FET or super lattice structure, two dimensional thin film needs to be manufactured for sequentially forming thin films of different compositions and film thicknesses at atomic level. However, compared with conventional inorganic semiconductors such as silicon and compound semiconductors, their manufacturing level is quite low.
A vacuum deposition method is known as one of the methods of manufacturing these organic semiconductor thin film, and it is known that C60 thin film can be formed two dimensionally on metal. Also, in order to manufacture a field effect transistor from fullerene system materials such as C60, thin films of high quality need to be deposited not on metal but on Si or an insulating substrate. For example, Non-Patent Reference 1 reports forming of C60 thin film on a silicon (Si) substrate terminated with hydrogen.
FIG. 16 is an AFM (atomic force microscope) image of C60 thin film deposited on a Si substrate of Reference 1 (K. Ueno and two others, "Van der Waals Epitaxy on Hydrogen-Terminated Si(III) Surfaces and Investigation of its Growth Mechanism by Atomic Force Microscope", 1995, Crystal Growth, Vol. 150, pp. 1180-1185), and (A) is an AFM image, and (B) is a diagrammatical cross-sectional view of C60 thin film. Here, the measurement region of the AFM image is 4 μm×4 μm. As is seen from the figure, two dimensional growth is not attained, but columnar crystals of about 10 nm (100 Å) thickness and 1-2 μm size are dotted about on a Si substrate to grow so-called three dimensionally.
The field effect mobility of organic FET using pentacene has a value of about 1 cm2·V−1·s−1. (See, for example, Reference 2: Y. —Y. Lin and three others, Stacked Oentacene Layer Organic Thin-Film Transistors with Improved Characteristics", 1997, IEEE Electr. Device Lett., Vol. 18, No. 12, pp. 606-608.) This value is larger than that of amorphous Si. In case of organic FET, like the FET of semiconductor, materials of high field effect mobility are desired for increasing electric current driving force.
Recently, References 3 and 4 listed below report that the field effect mobility of a single crystal rubrene along a and b axes has quite large value of 4.4 cm2·V−1·s−1 and 15.4 cm2·V−1·s−1, respectively.
Reference 3: V. C. Sundar and 7 others, "Elastometric Transistor Stamps: Reversible Probing of Charge Transport in Organic Crystals", 2004, Science, vol. 303, pp. 1644-1646
Reference 4: R. W. I. De Boer and three others, "Organic Single-Crystal Field-Effect Transistors", 2004, Phys. Stat. Sol. A, Vol. 201, No. 6, pp. 1302-1331
However, by depositing rubrene on the ordinarily used quartz, corning glass, or sapphire substrate by a molecular beam vapor deposition apparatus, nothing but only amorphous thin film is obtained. FIG. 17 is an image of an atomic force microscope of rubrene thin film of 5×5 μm2 deposited on a conventional sapphire substrate, and the substrate temperatures are (A) room temperature and (B) 100° C. As is obvious from the figure, the obtained rubrene film was amorphous.
For a practical use of field effect transistors of fullerene system materials such as C60, forming of flat two dimensional growth film not on metal but on Si or an insulating substrate is strongly demanded. However, in case to grow C60 thin film on an insulating substrate, it tends to be columnar growth, and thin film of high quality has not so far been obtained.
Also, from conventional rubrene thin film, only amorphous film is obtained which shows almost no function of FET property or others. Further, since this amorphous thin film is quite reactive with oxygen, it becomes transparent when taken out to atmosphere from orange color in vacuum. Thus, thin film forming is difficult, and though quite high field effect mobility is reported for a single crystal, the thin film of high quality needed for practical use of FET has not been obtained.

Substrate with organic thin film, and transistor using same


A thermal ablation system comprises a fluid handling unit receiving fluid from a fluid source at a first pressure, the fluid handling unit including a heater heating the fluid to a desired temperature and a pump and an introducer including a sheath which, when in an operative position, is received within a hollow organ, the sheath including a delivery lumen introducing fluid heated by the heater to the hollow organ and a return lumen withdrawing fluid from the hollow organ and returning the withdrawn fluid to the console via a return lumen, wherein the pump increases a pressure of the fluid between the fluid source and the delivery lumen of the introducer.

Menorrhagia, excessive uterine bleeding during a prolonged menstrual period, has been attributed to disorders of the endometrial lining of the uterus. While a hysterectomy provides a definitive treatment for menorrhagia, physicians and patients may choose less invasive procedures to reduce side effects, prolonged hospital stays and procedural and post-operative discomfort.
Generally, the less invasive procedures employ electrical energy (e.g., RF energy), heat (e.g., laser) or cryogenic treatment. However, these procedures typically rely on direct visualization of the uterus and an experienced operator applying the energy, heat, etc. to selected portions of the uterine lining. Alternatively, the entire inner lining of the uterus may be treated by conduction uterine ablation, i.e., circulating a heated fluid through the uterus. In other similar procedures, the heated fluid may be contained within a balloon while circulating through the uterus.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Crystalline polymorph forms of neurotrophic agent 2,2,2-trifluoroacetic acid 1-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methylene]hydrazide (J147), and process for producing the crystalline polymorphic form are provided.

The present disclosure relates to polymorph forms of a pharmaceutical active agent. In particular, the present disclosure relates to polymorph forms of neuroprotective agent 2,2,2-trifluoroacetic acid 1-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methylene] hydrazide (J147).
2,2,2-trifluoroacetic acid 1-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methylene] hydrazide (J147) is a potent orally active neurotrophic agent discovered during screening for efficacy in cellular models of age-associated pathologies and has a structure given by Formula I:

J147 is broadly neuroprotective, and exhibited activity in assays indicating distinct neurotoxicity pathways related to aging and neurodegenerative diseases, with EC50 between 10 and 200 nM. It has been indicated to improve memory in normal rodents, and prevent the loss of synaptic proteins and cognitive decline in a transgenic AD mouse model. Furthermore, it has displayed neuroprotective, neuroanti-inflammatory, and LTP-enhancing activity.
The neurotrophic and nootropic effects have been associated with increases in BDNF levels and BDNF responsive proteins. Interestingly, despite this mechanism of action, J147's neuroprotective effects have been observed to be independent of TrkB receptor activation. J147 has been indicated to reduce soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels, and it is currently being researched for potential applications in treating ALS.

2,2,2-trifluoroacetic acid 1-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methylene] hydrazide polymorphs and method of making the same


A uniaxial orthopaedic hinge (1000, 2000) has a substantially circular body forming a recessed housing (1022, 2022). The upper surface of the housing (1022, 2022) is furnished with a concentric arcuate circular slot (1038, 2038) disposed inwardly from the periphery. The inner surface (2040) is provided with equally spaced radial teeth (1044, 2044). A back plate (1006, 2006) has an extension into a stub arm (1004, 2004) for attaching to the arm of an orthosis and is fixed to the recessed housing (1022, 2022). A locking plate (1008, 2008) also has an extension into a stub arm (1002, 2002) and is disposed in a parallel manner between the recessed housing (1022, 2022) and the back plate (1006, 2006). Adjustable locking means are in the form of quadrants (1050, 1052, 2050, 2052) each having a pusher (1066, 1068, 2066, 2068) which extends through the arcuate slot (1038, 2038) in the recessed housing (1022, 2022) and toothed locking faces (1042, 2042) on either side of a base portion (1054, 1056, 2054, 2056), the teeth being adapted so as to engage with those on the inner aspect (2040) of the recessed housing (1022, 2022). The quadrants (1050, 1052, 2050, 2052) are each provided with a compression spring (1074, 1076, 2074, 2068) in the base which sustains the engaged condition until the pusher (1066, 1068, 2066, 2068) is depressed after which the quadrants (1050, 1052, 2050,2052) may be moved along the slot (1038, 2038) to a new position. The locking plate (1008, 2008) is provided with an flange abutment stop (1088, 2088) disposed in such a manner that it always lies under the slot (1038, 2038) in the hinge body and adapted to co-operate with the quadrants (1050, 1052, 2050, 2052) so that the hinge (1000, 2000) may be locked in a selected position or allowed any desired range of angular motion which is a multiple of the angular increments of the hinge teeth angle.

This invention relates to a hinge with movement limitation for use in orthoses, orthopaedic splints and braces employed at the knee.
Mechanically, the knee is a modified, crossed, four bar linkage comprising the rigid elements femur, tibia and the anterior and the posterior cruciate ligaments. Its axis of rotation moves backwards or posteriorly as the knee is flexed from the fully extended position. The locus or track of the axis of knee rotation is called the "Instant Centre Pathway" which exactly defines the moving path of the centre of knee rotation at any given instant.
In a first, very widely used type, there are two hinge arms each having its own pivot and also each having a set of gear teeth about the periphery of that part which extends between the pivots. The arms are so sized and arranged that the gear teeth mesh between the pivot points, thereby integrating the arm movements. Thus if one arm moves, the other must move as well. This type is generally referred to by those skilled in the art as the geared bi-axial, geared duocentric or geared polycentric type. The latter term is perhaps the most widely recognised. This type of hinge is not at all physiological in the way it moves and its mechanical action is quite unlike that of the human knee. Consequently such a hinge cannot accommodate or track the complex motion of the knee properly.
Another type of hinge design used in orthopaedic splints and braces employed at the knee has two hinge arms, each having its own pivot but in this design there are no gear teeth. Thus, in this type, the arm movements are not integrated and each arm can always move independently without affecting the other. This type of hinge is generally referred to by those skilled in the art as the true bi-axial, true bi-pivotal or simply just bi-pivotal type. It continues to grow in popularity with the realization that such a construction is superior to the others in providing the freedom necessary to accommodate the complex and changing locus of the axis of the knee throughout the entire flexion/extension cycle.
However, a third type, only slightly less popular than the geared polycentric type, has two hinge arms which are joined at and flex about a single pivot. This type is generally referred to by those skilled in the art as the uni-axial, uni-pivotal or monocentric type. Like the geared polycentric hinge, this type is not physiological but because it can be made simply and cheaply, basic designs have frequently found favour in braces and orthoses used in the early phases of treatment and rehabilitation following injury to or surgery on the knee, such as rupture and repair of the anterior cruciate ligament. Most users and manufacturers are aware that uniaxial hinges offer little in the way of physiological tracking or accommodation of natural knee motion. However, the argument made by both groups in favour of using uniaxial hinge usually relates to cost and also propounds that in the acute situations, where most use of this type occurs, ranges of motion are small and activity levels are low.
The origin of single pivot hinges in general is lost in the mists of time but it is found in pre-historic flails used for grain and in early jewellery. The uniaxial hinge has been used in a basic form since the earliest days of the orthotic profession and this probably emerged from its widespread earlier use by makers of military armour.
In 1855, H. H. Smith writing in the American Journal of Medical Science described a true splint but which he called an "artificial limb" which featured a uniaxial hinge at the knee. It does not appear to have had any means for controlling flexion or extension. In 1866, U.S. Pat. No. 58,403 to R. J. P. Goodwin, described a splint primarily for fractures which had a uniaxial hinge and a slot and screw arrangement for compressively locking the arms of the splint in a selected position in what is effectively a continuously variable manner.
In 1889, U.S. Pat. No. 401,933 to W. H. De Camp, described a fracture apparatus for surgeons' splints which had a uniaxial hinge with a body in the form of a disk segment, attached to one hinge arm and provided with a series of openings to receive a pin mounted on an auxiliary spring arm carried on the same pivot rivet as the arms. This arrangement provided flexion stops or discontinuous extension stops but not both at the same time. Free motion of the hinge could be provided by moving the auxiliary spring arm beyond the extent of the disk.
A somewhat similar but simplified arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,481,941 and 4,531,515 to Rolfes. In these devices a pair of substantially circular hinge plates are at the end of a first hinge arm and a second hinge arm is disposed between them. Both plates have a series of aligned holes but those in the rearmost plate may be threaded. Pins constituting discontinuously variable stop means are passed non-threadedly through the front plate and engage optionally threadedly with the rear plate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,252, to Friddle et al, a uniaxial joint is described with means for controlling flexion and extension stop positions defined by the length of an arcuate slot acting against a stop pin. In addition, means are provided, in the form of mutually engaging serrated members, for repositioning the arcuate slot. No means for selectively altering the stop position within the arcuate slot, are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,732 to Morris discloses a uniaxial knee brace having a slotted circular hinge member, 16 discrete radial stops for extension and a further 16 discrete stops for flexion, each stop being provided with its own leaf spring. The stops extend through slots in a cover which bear some resemblance to those of De Camp op cit. Both sets of stops may be individually and selectively moved from a disengaged or parked position in a circular hinge member to an engaged position where they contact abutment stops formed in a circular cam member, thus limiting flexion and extension in a discontinuous manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,169, to Swicegood et al, employs a serrated indexing ring plate which the authors call a rounded serrated track. Movable, separate stop carriers for discontinuous limitation of flexion and extension are mounted in arcuate slots within the plate. Stops are in the form of pins which engage both a recess in the serrated track and a hinge base plate.


An organic electroluminescent element including an organic compound layer which is composed of a C—F compound (PFPT) having a triazine group is provided. The organic electroluminescent element includes: two electrodes; and at least one organic compound layer formed between the two electrodes, in which the organic compound layer is doped with a triazine derivative compound represented by the following Formula:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to organic electroluminescent elements, and more particularly, to organic electroluminescent elements comprising functional organic compound layers including triazine derivative compounds.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic electroluminescent element has a layered structure in which a hole injection layer (HIL) and an electron injection layer (EIL) are formed on a substrate, and an emitting layer (EML) and a carrier transport layer, i.e. an electron transport layer (ETL) or a hole transport layer (HTL) are formed between the HIL and the EIL. Generally, the HIL, the HTL, the ETL and the EIL in the layered structure are organic thin layers.
Compounds having C—H bonds, such as C6H6 (benzene ring), have been generally used as organic materials for the functional organic thin layer. However, since C—H bonds have a low bond energy, they are easily broken and the material containing them is deteriorated when irradiated with ultra violet rays or a high voltage is applied thereto, thereby causing a reduction in the lifespan of the organic electroluminescent element.
Recently, attempts have been made to extend lifespan of an organic electroluminescent element by forming an organic electroluminescent element using a functional organic thin layer composed of a perfluorophenylene derivative compound which has fluoro substituents with a C—F bond instead of the C—H bond (for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-247498 and 2002-359086). However, despite these efforts, due to a difficulty in substituting fluorine, organic electroluminescent materials and elements using the perfluorophenylene derivative compound are not easily developed.

Organic electroluminescent elements including triazine derivative compounds

Abstract: where each of R1, R2 and R3 is a perfluorophenylene derivative.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


External network connectivity of an internal host can be measured by giving an external computer a payload identifying the internal host and instructions to deliver the payload to an external host. The external host may receive the payload and contact the internal host. The internal host's response and receipt of the payload may then determine the Internet connectivity of the internal host. The path from the computer through the trusted host to the internal server shows external network connectivity without exposing the internal host to the external network directly.

As an increasing amount of processing and data transfer is being performed over networks such as the Internet, it is desirable to be able to accurately monitor information about the servers or resources performing such operations. In many cases, however, this information is difficult to obtain due to obstacles that affect the flow of certain types of network traffic. For example, information about network connectivity of various servers can be difficult to determine as obstacles can prevent unauthorized traffic from entering networks or seeking specific servers. One such obstacle is a firewall that can ensure that only certain types of traffic reach a particular Web server in order to filter out malicious traffic. In another example, a load balancer may choose the server to which a proper request is routed, while other requests are ignored. These gateways typically exist to protect internal servers from external attacks.
There may in some instances exist a barrier of trust between the Internet, or other external networks, and one or more internal networks. Internal computers and networks may be viewed as trusted because the internal servers are known and administered by an internal administrator. Computers on the Internet, however, may not be trusted because the computer and/or networks may not be known. As Internet connectivity may be routed through untrusted computers, measuring Internet connectivity to an internal server may be difficult because of the barriers encountered. While various techniques have been employed to effectively test Internet connectivity, due to the complexity of the tasks, the employed techniques are of varied success.

Securely determining internet connectivity


A cutting assembly includes toolholder and a cutting insert. The cutting insert includes a top surface, a rake face and a cutting edge. The top surface includes a coolant duct along a central, longitudinal axis, A, that directs coolant from an inlet region to a cutting region. The cutting region includes a pair of chip deflectors and a plurality of coolant directing elements separating a plurality of coolant channels configured in at least one hub and spoke arrangement that directs coolant radially outward from the central, longitudinal axis, A, to the entire cutting edge of the cutting insert.

The invention pertains to a cutting assembly for removing material from a workpiece. More specifically, the invention pertains to such a cutting assembly that includes a toolholder, which carries a cutting insert, wherein the toolholder provides the capability to supply coolant to the cutting insert.
In a cutting operation, such as, for example, a grooving operation, a grooving or cutting insert engages a workpiece so as to remove material from the workpiece. In some cutting assemblies, an upper seat and a lower seat retain the cutting insert. Exemplary cutting assemblies wherein an upper seat and a lower seat retain a cutting insert are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,032 and PCT Patent Application Publication WO 2009/141815 A1.
Material removal operations can generate heat at the interface between the cutting insert and the workpiece. Typically, it is advantageous to provide coolant to the vicinity of the interface between the cutting insert and the workpiece. The following patent documents are exemplary of arrangements that delivery coolant to the vicinity of a cutting insert: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,439,327; 5,775,854; 6,705,805; and 7,641,422.
Even though the arrangements disclosed in some of the above patent documents deliver coolant, it remains highly desirable to provide a cutting assembly that delivers in an efficient fashion coolant to the interface between the cutting insert and the workpiece. This is especially true for a cutting operation in which the cutting insert engages the workpiece surface at the outside diameter (i.e., outside workpiece surface) for the purpose of cutting a groove. During the cutting operation, as the depth of the groove increases, the difficulty connected with coolant delivery to the cutting insert-workpiece interface increases. As can be appreciated, it would very beneficial to provide a cutting assembly (and especially a toolholder) that delivers coolant to the cutting insert-workpiece interface even as the depth of the groove increases during the cutting operation.

Cutting assembly with cutting insert having enhanced coolant delivery


A modular humidification-dehumidification (HDH) apparatus and system for concentrating a solution including a plurality of internal modules coupled to each other. The plurality of internal modules includes a humidification module and a dehumidification module in gas flow communication with the humidification module. The humidification module includes humidification media facilitating evaporation of liquid from the solution to gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby producing a concentrated solution and a humidified gas. The dehumidification module includes a condensing heat exchanger for condensing vapor from the humidified gas.

Waters contaminated with salt can be unusable or hazardous to the environment. For example, mines use freshwater and discharge tailings into ponds. Tailings water is commonly about 99.8% freshwater by mass, but is unusable due to low levels of salts, for example 0.1 to 0.2% by mass. Desalination is being increasingly used in both industries as regulations require treatment of impaired water. Desalination is also used in coastal regions to produce freshwater from seawater, with the more saline brine reject returned to the ocean. Reverse osmosis is the dominant desalination technology, but faces osmotic pressure and fouling limits that reduce production of freshwater per unit of input water. Conventional thermal desalination systems do not experience osmotic pressure limits, but instead face heat transfer surface fouling issues at higher temperatures due to the inverse temperature solubility of calcium sulfate and carbonates.
In humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems an air stream is humidified by warm saltwater, with the air stream having a wet bulb temperature lower than the warm saltwater temperature. The warm saltwater drips through fill material to promote heat and mass transfer from the warm saltwater to the air stream. The humidified air stream is then cooled by a heat exchanger surface that is colder than the wet bulb temperature of the humidified air. As the humidified air is cooled, the air's ability to hold vapour decreases and moisture condenses on the cooler heat exchanger tubes. A cool liquid or evaporating refrigerant flows internal to the heat exchanger tubes.
Air based HDH systems offer certain advantages as well as drawbacks over conventional thermal desalination systems. One advantage is that HDH systems operate at lower temperature, for example less than 80° C., reducing fouling and enabling the use of waste heat to run the process. A lower operation temperature also allows the HDH apparatus to be constructed from less expensive and corrosion resilient engineered plastics such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which are less prone to fouling. One of the drawbacks of HDH systems is that the footprint of a conventional HDH apparatus is generally higher than a conventional thermal desalination apparatus which employs higher pressure and temperature steam with a lower specific volume. Since a conventional HDH apparatus is operated at a lower temperature, the water vapour has a higher specific volume necessitating more vapour space, hence a larger footprint. It would therefore be of benefit to provide a HDH system that provides such vapour space at a low cost. Lower cost can be achieved through modularization, improved repeatability, economies of scale, and reduction of site work.

Modular humidification-dehumidification apparatus for concentrating solutions


Disclosed is a flexible maleimide polymer. The flexible maleimide polymer includes a reaction product of reactants (a)-(c). The reactant (a) is maleimide, a compound with a structure represented by Formula (I), a compound with a structure represented by Formula (II), or combinations thereof

Due to its high thermal stability, mechanical strength, and resistance to chemical corrosion, maleimide polymer is applied in a variety of electrical devices. A coating made of the conventional maleimide polymer, however, exhibits inferior film extensibility due to the rigid aromatic linking chain of the conventional maleimide polymer. Further, the conventional maleimide polymer has a high dimensional change under high temperature or by water absorption due the poor dimensional stability of the conventional maleimide polymer.
Moreover, in order to improve the ionic electrical conductivity, a polymer with high ionic electrical conductivity has to be used to blend with the conventional maleimide polymer. Therefore, the application of the maleimide polymer is limited.

Flexible maleimide polymer and method for preparing the same

Abstract: wherein R1 is —(CH2)10—CO2H, and R2 is H, OH, SO3Na, NO2, CN or CO2H. The reactant (b) is a compound with a structure represented by formula (III)

Abstract: wherein A is

Abstract: R3 is H or methyl group, x is between 1-12, R4 is H or methyl group, and y and z are both between 1-5. The reactant (c) is a compound with a structure represented by formula (IV), or a compound with a structure represented by formula (V)

Abstract: wherein R5 and R6 are independent H or C1-4 alkyl group.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


In a semiconductor circuit device having a substrate, a first region of a first conductivity type formed in the substrate, a second region of a second conductivity type contacted to the first region and a MISFET formed in the second region, there is a problem of that a parasitic npn bipolar transistor constituted by the first region, the second region and a source or drain of the MISFET activates. In this invention, switching circuitry is provided to make the second region floating or to connect the second region with the source or drain of the MISFET when a negative first input voltage is input to a source or a drain of the first MISFET. By virtue of the switching circuitry, no base current of the parasitic bipolar transistor occurs, thereby preventing operation of the parasitic transistor. In particular, when the switching circuitry operates to cause the second region to float, the base of the parasitic bipolar transistor will float, and the bipolar transistor cannot operate. Alternatively, when the switching circuitry connects the second region with the source or drain, the base-emitter junction of the parasitic bipolar transistor will be shorted, which also prevents its operation.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor circuit device having an insulated gate semiconductor device. More particularly, the invention relates to a device having a power MOSFET, an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an insulated gate semiconductor device containing a control circuit such as a negative gate voltage protection circuit or an overheat protection circuit formed on the same chip.
Semiconductor circuit devices having large current capacities such as power MOSFETs are required in the fields of circuits, printers, hard disk drive, portable telephones, car electronics or the like. In these fields, semiconductor circuit devices are required which are immune from both overheating and negative gate voltages.
A conventional insulated gate semiconductor device containing a control circuit of this kind can be represented by, for example, a power MOSFET containing a control circuit such as an overheat protection circuit formed on the same chip to improve reliability as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-58293. According to this reference, a gate resistor is connected between an external gate terminal and an internal gate terminal of the power MOSFET, and, in addition, a protection MOSFET for turning off the gate of the power MOSFET is connected between the internal gate terminal and an external source terminal. The gate resistor is for avoiding a short-circuit between the external gate terminal and the external source terminal when a positive voltage is applied to the external gate voltage. When the chip temperature rises beyond a predetermined temperature, therefore, the protection MOSFET is turned on to cause a gate current flow to the gate resistor to lower a potential of the gate of the power MOSFET, and the power MOSFET is turned off before the power MOSFET is broken.
According to this reference, the control circuit formed on the same chip is constituted by using-an element having a self-isolation structure formed in the drain region of the power MOSFET in order to suppress an increase in the number of the processing steps. Therefore, though the cost can be suppressed, there arises a probability that a leakage current flows from the external drain terminal to the external gate terminal through a parasitic npn bipolar transistor that exists between the drain of the protection MOSFET and the drain of the power MOSFET when the gate voltage becomes negative. In order to cope with this, therefore, a cut-off diode for suppressing the base current of the parasitic npn bipolar transistor has heretofore been connected in series with the protection MOSFET, and, besides, a protect diode for preventing the above cut-off diode from being broken down has been connected between the external gate terminal and the external source terminal.
In order to operate the power MOSFET containing the overheat protection circuit at a high frequency, furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-244414 discloses an example of using a cut-off MOSFET instead of the above-mentioned gate resistor. The cut-off MOSFET is also for avoiding a short-circuit between the external gate terminal and the external source terminal when a positive voltage is applied to the external gate voltage. This reference employs the cut-off MOSFET whose body potential is fixed to the source terminal voltage. It is noted that here, and throughout the rest of this description, the term "body" means a region in which the MOSFET being referred to is formed.

Semiconductor circuit device having an insulated gate type transistor


A computer-implemented method prevents physical interference between co-located users in virtual environments. The method includes identifying a first user associated with a first virtual reality (VR) system and a second user associated with a second VR system. The method also includes predicting a future movement of the first user to perform a first task in a primary virtual environment. The method further includes identifying, in response to the predicting the future movement of the first user, a first physical space needed for the first user. The method includes determining, in response to identifying the first physical space, a likely interference in a first physical location of the first user. The method also includes preventing the likely interference.

The present disclosure relates to virtual environments, and, more specifically, to creating working boundaries in a multi-user environment.
In multi-user working environments, such as an office, multiple co-located people will be working together and/or in close proximity to one another, and engaged in different activities. The co-located personnel can unintentionally interfere with each other in the co-located space.

Creating working boundaries in a multi-user environment


A method and system for designing a compensator for a system is described. A structure of a model set and a compensator set is defined. The defined model set and compensator set is processed. Model set, compensator set, and model subsets are created from the processed model and compensator set. The created model set, compensator set, model subsets are evaluated.

The present invention relates generally to compensator design methodology and, more particularly, to a method for minimization of compensator design efforts by efficient utilization of sub-compensators.
The design and manufacture of new products has become an increasingly complex activity due to reliance on features requiring high performance compensators. It should be noted that throughout this specification the term compensator is used to describe various types of compensators for example in the communications arena a compensator may be an equalizer or in the control arena a compensator may be a feedback controller. Thus, to avoid confusion the term compensator is used throughout this specification.
In order to design compensators for a dynamic system, a designer must go through a number of operations in a design cycle. First, a desired performance of the dynamic system is identified and qualified. Then, the designer must create a model characterizing the system. In the process of constructing the model, the designer may rely on prior knowledge encompassing available scientific formulas and on experimental data gathered from previous experiments conducted on the system. The model obtained is a mathematical representation of the system""s behavior.
Next, using the model previously created, a compensator is designed for the system (design cycle). The compensator, that was designed, is tested to determine the performance of the compensated system. Depending upon the outcome of the tests, several portions of the design cycle may be repeated, until the design results in a final product (i.e., a compensator design) to be used with the system.
In the design cycle, standard design tools and methodologies are often used to design the compensator. These standard design tools and methodologies work well in situations where the compensator is being designed for a system that exhibits linear behavior. However, many systems and manufacturing processes exhibit nonlinear behavior or are made up of many similar but not identical systems. Thus, such systems have become too complex for standard tools and methodologies, and the compensator design performed by such methodologies is often inadequate.
Existing compensator design tools and methodologies are created for those skilled in the art of compensator design and require a high level of expertise. One shortcoming of such compensator design tools and methodologies is the selection of design parameters used in the design process. The design parameters must be selected manually by a knowledgeable designer, which often proves to be a difficult task. A typical example of such a tool is MATLAB(copyright) Control System Toolbox, available from Mathworks, Inc. of Natick, Mass.
Other known compensator design tools and methods attempt to solve the compensator design problem numerically by applying automatic optimization techniques to the entire set of design parameters in order to find optimal parameter values. For a large number of parameters, the optimization procedure is computationally intractable. One example of such software tool is QDES, described in detail in Linear Controller Design: Limits of Performance, by Boyd and Barratt, Prentice Hall 1991.
Other compensator design methodologies apply a weighted sum approach in order to size the model set and compensator set appropriately to arrive at a desired performance level. The weighted sum approach works well if all the variables are in the same units, but in most compensation problems the variables being taken into consideration are often unrelated and thus have a variety of units.
Thus, what is needed is a method and system for designing a compensator for a system where the system has particularly difficult behavior or where standard methods for compensator design are not good enough to compensate the particular behaviors of the system.
A method and system for designing a compensator is described. A structure of a model set and a compensator set is defined. The defined model set and compensator set is processed. Model set, compensator set, and model subsets are created from the processed model and compensator set. The created model set, compensator set, and model subsets are evaluated. The compensator design method provides adequate support for each model in the model set and results in attaining a high performance compensator that is adaptable in various environments.

Compensator design optimization through efficient utilization of subcompensators


A method of interleaving time-critical data packets and delay-tolerant data packets on a shared channel emanating from a control port of a switching node permits a strict time requirement for transmission of time-critical data packets to be met. A control circuit of the switching node stores a local time, an indication of a time required to transfer a delay-tolerant data packet waiting to be transferred, a comparator and a selector to control transfer of the time-critical and delay tolerant data packets.

The volume of data now exchanged through telecommunications networks requires data networks having a high data transfer capacity. Such networks must also serve large geographical areas. Network scalability to achieve a very high-capacity and wide-area coverage may be realized by increasing the number of nodes in a network and/or increasing the transfer capacity per node. For a given link capacity, e.g., 10 Gb/s, increasing the capacity per node necessitates increasing the number of links per node. In a balanced network, the mean number of hops per node pair is inversely proportional to the number of links per node. Decreasing the mean number of hops per node pair dramatically reduces network-control complexity, facilitates the routing function, and enables the realization of network-wide quality of service (QOS) objectives.
In order to decrease the number of hops per node pair in a network, very high-capacity switches are required. Consequently, methods are required for constructing very high-capacity switches. It is also desirable that such switches be distributed to permit switch access modules to be located in proximity of data traffic sources.
Advances in optical switching technology have greatly facilitated the construction of high-capacity switches using optical space switches in the switch core. The principal problem encountered in constructing high-capacity switches, however, is the complexity of coordinating the transfer of data between ingress and egress, while permitting the creation of new paths between the ingress and the egress. Consequently, there exists a need for a method of increasing data transfer capacity while simplifying data transfer control in a high-speed data switch.
The design of data switching systems has been extensively reported in the literature. Several design alternatives have been described. Switches of moderate capacity are preferably based on a common-buffer design. For higher capacity switches, the buffer-space-buffer switch and the linked-buffers switch have gained widespread acceptance. A switch based on an optical space-switched core is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,679 which issued on Dec. 12, 1995 to Munter. An optical-core switching system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,320 which issued May 19, 1998 to Watanabe et al.
A buffer-space-buffer switch, also called a space-core switch, typically consists of a memoryless fabric connecting a number of ingress modules to a number of egress modules. The ingress and egress modules are usually physically paired, and an ingress/egress module pair often shares a common payload memory. An ingress/egress module pair that shares a common payload memory is hereafter referred to as an edge, module. The passive memoryless fabric is preferably adapted to permit reconfiguration of the inlet-outlet paths within a predefined transient time. The memoryless core is completely unaware of the content of data streams that it switches. The core reconfiguration is effected by either a centralized or a distributed controller in response to spatial and temporal fluctuations in the traffic loads at the ingress modules.
The linked-buffers architecture includes module sets of electronic ingress modules, middle modules, and egress modules, and has been described extensively in the prior art. Each module is adapted to store data packets and forward the packets toward their respective destinations. The module-sets are connected in parallel using internal links of fixed capacity.
The control function for the linked-buffers switch is much simpler than the control function for the space-core switch. The capacity of the linked-buffers switch is limited by the capacity of each module-set, the number of internal links emanating from each ingress module, and the number of internal links terminating to each egress module. With a given module-set capacity, the capacity of a linked-buffers switch can be increased virtually indefinitely by increasing the number of internal links, which permits the number of module-sets in the switch to be accordingly increased. However, with a fixed module capacity, when the number of internal links is increased, the capacity of each internal link must be correspondingly reduced. Reducing the capacity of an internal link is not desirable because it limits the capacity that can be allocated to a given connection or a stream of connections. A switch with a space switch core does not suffer from this limitation.
The linked-buffers switch can be modified in a known way by replacing a module-set with a single module having a higher capacity than that of any of the modules in the module set. As described above, a module set includes an ingress module, a middle module, and an egress module. The modified configuration enables both direct and tandem connections between ingress and egress and is hereafter referred to as a mesh switch. The mesh switch enables direct switching from ingress to egress as well as tandem switching.
A disadvantage of the switching architectures described above is their limited scalability.
Prior art switches may be classified as channel switches that switch channels without examining the content of any channel, and content-aware data switches. A switched channel network has a coarse granularity. In switched data networks, inter-nodal links have fixed capacities. Consequently, fluctuations in traffic loads can require excessive tandem switching loads that can reduce the throughput and affect network performance.
There therefore exists a need for a self-configuring data switch that can adapt to fluctuations in data traffic loads.


In an implant constructed of a blade form body (2) to be implanted within an alveolar bone (10) and a head (3), the body is constructed in a bending form like saw teeth in its sectional area in a whole length direction. In the upper portion of the body, sharp portions of the saw teeth which is a positioning range of the implant in the compact bone portion (10a) of the alveolar bone (10) at the time of the implantation, are projected in a taper form so as to gradually increase the height upward.

This invention relates to a dental implant.
It is publicly known that an implant acts as an artificial dental root for a denture by implanting it in the alveolar bone in order to repair a damaged tooth by implanting a denture.
Heretofore, various kinds of implants have been proposed and this invention has been anteceded by a blade-type implant.
The blade-type implant is constructed by a blade-like body and a pillar head projected towards the upper end of the body. In this case, an action which supports the denture exposes the head of the body at the time when the body is implanted in the alveolar bone.
In implanting the implant, a groove which fits the size of the implant is dug out in the alveolar bone. Then, by inserting the implant therein, an initial fixation due to friction combination is obtained, and then bone tissue in the alveolar bone increases over time and the slit between the implant and the groove is buried and connected by new raw bone. In other words, a bone setting is performed.
Thus, in the implant of the blade type, the connection of the bone by new raw bone is delayed.
However, the above conventional implant has the following problems:
(1) It is necessary to provide a groove which exactly fits the implant into the alveolar bone in order to obtain a secure initial fixation, and this operation is very difficult because it is performed in the patient's mouth. For instance, if the groove is larger than the implant, the implant wobbles, making the initial fixation inferior, and if the groove is smaller, the insertion of the implant is impossible. PA1 (2) As a result, a secure initial fixation of the implant is impossible. In order to repair the denture, it is necessary to wait until the implant is connected to the alveolar bone through the lapse of time. Accordingly, two separate operations are required. PA1 (3) In case (1), even if the implant fits the groove and does not wobble, its connection depends on the friction holding the implant in the groove. Accordingly, the implant buried by ultrasonic wave movement due to a high frequency vibration from a turbine could float up to the surface whereby cutting by a turbine cannot be performed near an area where the implant operation is practiced. PA1 (4) In case (1), although the friction force becomes stronger against the implant if the groove is smaller somewhat, there exists the peril that the alveolar bone, which is forcibly widened by the implant at the time of insertion, will split. PA1 (5) In case (1), if the contact area between the implant and the groove increases, the friction force becomes stronger. However, in this case the implant cannot enlarge its size in a total length direction in relation to the adjacent teeth, but only enlarges in the upper and lower directions. As a result, it is necessary that the groove of the alveolar bone be dug close to the jaw hole and the lower alveolar canal, and a greater risk accompanies such an operation. PA1 (6) Since a leg at the lower end of the implant gets into the alveolar bone, particularly into spongy bone having a soft tissue, when the implant is inserted into the groove by striking the implant with, a mallet at the time of implantation, the implant can sink in more than necessary. In addition, the implant can be sunk down by bite pressure even after completion of the operation.
As described above, many difficult problems are related to adopting the implant to a clinic, and the use of the implant is therefore low in Japan.
However, on the contrary, it is very useful in repairing damage to a cheek tooth or a long span bridge. In addition, there are a great many potential demands from patients who have strong aversions against dentures, and an improvement in dental implants is desired from the dental profession.


One end portion of a connecting member 31 is connected to a first housing 1 such that the connecting member 31 is rotatable about a first rotation axis L1 fixed in position with respect to the first housing 1. The other end portion of the connecting member 31 is connected to a second housing 2 such that the connecting member 31 is rotatable about a second rotation axis L2 fixed in position with respect to the second housing 2 and extending parallel to the first rotation axis L1. The first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are located in different locations in a direction of the first and the second rotation axes L1, L2 such that a top surface 1a of the first housing 1 and an undersurface 2b of the second housing 2 are located generally on a same plane.

In general, a mobile phone handset includes a first housing having an operation button, etc. disposed thereon, a second housing having a liquid crystal display, etc. disposed thereon, and a hinge assembly interposed between the first and the second housings. The hinge assembly includes a connecting member. One end portion of the connecting member is connected to the first housing such that the connecting member is rotatable about a first rotation axis. The other end portion of the connecting member is connected to the second housing such that the connecting member is rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-179817


An embodiment of the invention provides for multiple service classes within a controllable transit system (e.g., a PRT system), by route allocation according to service class priority. Routes are optimized for vehicles needing or entitled to the highest service level, then remaining capacity is used to optimize routes for the next lower service class. Such optimization can be extended indefinitely, through “N” service classes of service. In addition, an embodiment of the invention allows the cataloging of PRT capacity and vehicle types/roles/emissions, as well as related business models. The system provided hereunder provides a means of ensuring that various service classes of system users can be given treatment according to the service class in which they reside. Such prioritization leads to a more flexible system, with higher user satisfaction and a greater number of available business models (e.g., “pay for service class”) permissible within the transit system.

As energy conservation becomes an increasingly important goal, one area of possible improvement is traffic and/or transportation management. Today, a traveler's options are typically limited to either an individual mode of transportation (e.g., an automobile), or mass transit (e.g., airplanes, subways, buses, trains, etc.). Neither option is entirely efficient. As a result, the more recent concept of "Personal Rapid Transit" (PRT) has emerged. PRT is a public transportation concept that offers on-demand, non-stop transportation using small, automated vehicles on a network of specially-built guide-ways. However, several issues stand in the way of efficient management of PRT systems.

Service class prioritization within a controllable transit system

International Business Machines Corporation


An imager comprises an image sensor and a controller coupled to the image sensor. The image sensor is configured to obtain an image of a field of view of the image sensor with a configuration pattern placed in the field of view. The controller is configured to determine a location of the configuration pattern within the image, interpret the configuration pattern, and set a parameter of the imager based on the interpretation of the configuration pattern.

In many image sensor applications, there is an initial calibration or setup mode where backgrounds, Regions Of Interest (ROI), network configuration parameters, or other parameters are established. For example, in an application where an imager is used in a security application to ensure no personnel or objects are placed in a keep out region, the imager is typically configured to ascertain where the keep out region is located. In situations where backgrounds are subtracted from an image to improve the sensitivity of the imager, the imager typically determines when to obtain the background image so that no foreign objects are present in the background image. In another example, network nodes in a simple (not ad hoc) network are assigned identities and the routing information for communicating with a base station or command center are provided to each node.
Typically, initiating the obtainment of background images, establishing regions of interest, setting network configuration parameters, or setting other parameters of imagers is performed through a command center or base station using a computer and a graphical user interface. Using a computer and a graphical user interface, however, has several disadvantages. First, using a computer and a graphical user interface requires significant software development to design the interface. Second, using a computer and a graphical user interface requires that the network of imagers already be established. Third, using a computer and a graphical user interface requires substantial image transmission over a network that is typically designed for a lower data capacity.
In addition, in an example situation where a background image needs to be obtained, a trigger via the command center is issued. The command center may be remote from the imager where the background is being obtained, therefore making it difficult to determine if the field of view of the imager is clear. Initiating a background image read is more conveniently performed locally at the imaging node.
In certain situations where a region of interest needs to be established, due to the two dimensional image obtained by an imager, it is difficult to precisely define the region of interest in the three dimensional field of view of the imager. Using a graphical user interface to define a region of interest using the two dimensional image is a complex and difficult process.
In an example situation where a network needs to be configured, a relatively complicated ad hoc network with self routing would require increased network bandwidth and additional traffic to maintain the network. Therefore, it is more advantageous to hard code a simple network giving each node a network identity and a routing path to the base station. Typically, this data is provided by the command center or base station.
In situations where the command center or base station is not yet available, or where a command center or base station is not used, it would be advantageous to locally set the parameters of imagers at the imager itself. The imagers, however, are typically small and have no user interface for directly accessing the memory of the imager to set or update the parameters.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Setting imager parameters based on configuration patterns


A process for in situ production of shale oil comprises fracturing the target zone 10 of an shale oil formation using a two step approach. First, an initial set of fractures 18 is developed in the formation by using high pressure gas pulses. Second, a secondary set of fractures 28 extending and further fracturing the initial set of fractures 18 is created using a modified ANFO mix 22 wherein rubber particles acting as solid fuel are blended in with ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. The solid fuel enhances the fracturing characteristics of ANFO while minimizing its crushing and compacting tendencies. Hot high pour point oil is then injected into the formation and forced into the receptor well 16 where it is pumped to the surface. By circulating oil in the formation at carefully controlled temperatures, kerogen can be decomposed at the optimum rate to maximize the amount of oil recovered and yield high quality shale oil. High pour point oil reaching cooler extremities of the fractured formation will solidify creating an impermeable perimeter barrier 34 around the target zone 10.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a process for fracturing a tight subsurface formation, and more particularly to a two-step process for fracturing an oil shale formation for production of shale oil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically, pathways in hydrocarbon formations have been created using high explosives, hydraulic fracturing techniques, and acid treatments. Research has shown that the pressure pulse created by high explosives enlarges the well bore by crushing and compacting the surrounding rock in the formation. The enlarged well bore is left with a zone of residual compressive stress and compacted rock which can actually reduce permeability near the well bore. Extensive caving also occurs in the well bore leaving debris that may require days or even weeks to clean up. Hydraulic fracturing is highly effective but is well known to create fractures that can break out of a producing formation and into nearby aquifers.
A more recently available alternative used for fracturing a tight formation surrounding a well bore is the use of high pressure gas pulses, sometimes referred to as high energy gas fracturing. This involves activating a solid propellant, often referred to as a low explosive, to generate high-pressure gas pulses that are strong enough to create multiple fractures in the adjacent formation radiating 10 to 100 feet from the well bore, but not so strong as to pulverize and compact the rock such as is the case with high explosives. It is sometimes explained that these solid propellants do not detonate supersonically, but deflagrate at subsonic velocities. Several advantages of high-pressure gas pulse technology are that cavings are minimal, the integrity of the well bore is maintained, and clean up is nominal. The nature of the forces produced by gas pulses also has the salutary effect of creating fractures having minimal vertical propagation thereby lessening the chances of breaking into adjacent aquifers.
Ammonium-nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) is one of a class of high explosive compositions which includes an oxidizing agent and a liquid hydrocarbon component. Ammonium-nitrate is by far the preferred oxidizing agent and #2 fuel oil is usually the liquid hydrocarbon of choice. ANFO may be modified to reduce the shock energy and increase the heave energy of the explosion. ANFO so modified, commonly known as a low shock energy explosive, has been used in quarrying operations in rock blasting situations, but has never been used for fracturing oil shale formations.
It is critically important to avoid contamination of aquifers located in proximity to the targeted portion of the formation. The vertical fracturing which results from hydraulic fracturing techniques can intersect natural vertical fractures in the formation creating pathways to aquifers usually located in horizontal strata above or below a target formation.

Process for two-step fracturing of subsurface formations