Provided is a method of preventing and/or treating a skin disorder and/or an oral disorder including administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) or a prodrug or derivative thereof, and salts thereof.

15deoxy, Δ12,14 Prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2-EA; see U.S. Pat. No. 9,328,060) is a novel molecule that was discovered and synthesized by our research group. We determined that 15dPGJ2-EA induced skin tumor cell death while causing little harm to non-tumor skin cells.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle that is primarily responsible for folding proteins. ER stress occurs when the demand for protein folding exceeds the cells capacity to fold proteins leading to an accumulation in unfolded or misfolded proteins. In response to the accumulation of malformed proteins the cell attempts to relieve the stress or initiates death if the total cellular stress is insurmountable.

J-series prostaglandin-ethanolamides as novel therapeutics for skin and/or oral disorders


The invention provides shoes for the elderly and disabled that are easy to put on and remove, that fit comfortably, and that are fashionable. This invention is a shoe with a slide fastener that zips open horizontally along the edge of the upper, with the upper being detachable along the edge of the outsole from the outside of the ankle to the base of the big toe, and with a slide fastener that is attached horizontally along the edges of the upper and the outsole from the base of the big toe to the outside of the ankle. Fastening tapes A and C (hook strips) are attached at the pull-tab of the slide fastener and the edge of upper, respectively, and second fastening tape (loop strip) is attached at the quarter in line with the other hook strips. A composite of polychloroprene rubber foam glued together with synthetic fabric is used as material for the upper. An ornamental design made of the same material as the upper, but in different color and texture, is attached to the upper. The shoe uses a slide fastener with a water-resistance of 0.01 kgf/cm2 or more.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to shoes that are easily put on and taken off and are comfortable to wear. In particular, the invention relates to shoes that for the elderly and for persons who by some cause are physically disabled are easily put on and taken off and that are comfortable to wear. The invention further relates to shoes that are easy for caregivers to put on nursing care recipients.
2. Description of the Related Art
These kinds of shoes have been available in the past. One example is a shoe for nursing care recipients, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2002-262906. This shoe is shown in FIG. 7 as a first conventional example. FIG. 7A is an oblique view showing the shoe with fastening tape 31 attached to the underside of the belt 32, and complementary fastening tape 31 corresponding to the tape on the belt 32 and attached to the vamp in order to open and close the shoe. FIG. 7B is an oblique view showing the shoe on a foot. This shoe has a V-shaped slit from the instep to the toe, fastening tape 31 attached to the right and left sides of the slit, and a belt 32 with fastening tape 31 attached to its underside, so that the shoe may be opened or closed on the right or left side by attaching the belt 32 to the right or left side of the vamp.
A second example is a shoe for rehabilitation, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-46109, that consists of a shoe with a vamp, all or part of which is covered with a fastener surface, and a separate fastening belt with first fastening tape attached to its underside.
This shoe is shown in FIG. 8 as a second conventional example. FIG. 8A is an oblique view showing the shoe with a vamp that functions as the pile part of a hook-and-pile fastener 41, and a separate fastening belt 42 with the hook part of the hook-and-pile fastener 43 attached to its underside. FIG. 8B is an oblique view showing a foot in the shoe with the fastening belt 42 fastened.
A third example is a shoe with a vamp that has a belt attached to one side and an open section in the center with a flap attached to the lower end of the open section, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-104012. The top of the flap and surface of the vamp are made of loop fabric. Hook fabric is attached to the edges of the underside of the flap and to the end of the underside of the belt so that the flap may be fastened to the vamp and the belt may be fastened to the vamp over the top of the flap.
This shoe is shown in FIG. 9 as a third conventional example. FIG. 9 is an oblique view of the shoe with a belt 51 and flap 52, showing the belt 51 and the flap 52 with hook fabric 53 (the hook part of a hook-and-pile fastener) attached to the undersides, the belt 51 and flap 52 unfastened, and the front part completely open.
A fourth example is a shoe for the elderly and the disabled that uses a slide fastener (or zipper) attached to a slit along either side of the eyelets for shoelaces, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2001-104010. When the wearer puts on the shoe for the first time, the slide fasteners are kept fastened and the shoelaces are loosened. The shoelaces are then tightened to fit the shoe to the wearer's foot. Subsequently, the wearer may put on and remove the shoes by simply fastening and unfastening the slide fasteners.
This shoe is shown in FIG. 10 as a fourth conventional example. FIG. 10A is an oblique view of the shoe with slide fasteners 61 at both sides of the shoelaces 62. FIG. 10B is an oblique view of the shoe with a slide fastener 61 unzipped to open out the cuff. FIG. 10C is an oblique view showing the slide fastener 61 being fastened.
Although the conventional shoes described above each in their own way demonstrate a certain effectiveness, for the elderly and the disabled in particular, putting on and removing these shoes is a hard task, such that they are still inadequate in terms of ease of wear.
It is difficult for elderly or disabled persons to put on shoes while seated because they have to push feet that may be swollen or painful into fixed-shaped shoes and then push their heels in place as well.

Shoe whose upper is horizontally openable/closable from the side by means of a slide fastener


A statically scheduled processor compiler schedules a speculative load in the program before the data is needed. The compiler inserts a conditional instruction confirming or disaffirming the speculative load before the program behavior changes due to the speculative load. The condition is not based solely upon whether the speculative load address is correct but preferably includes dependence according to the original source code. The compiler may statically schedule two or more branches in parallel with orthogonal conditions.

Loading data as early as possible is very useful for increasing the speed of the systems. If the data is not in the cache when loaded by the program, execution must wait while the data is retrieved from memory. To help reduce this latency, the compiler can speculatively hoist a load up early in the instruction stream, before knowing for sure if the address is any good.

Compiler-control method for load speculation in a statically scheduled microprocessor


In combination, an inline delivery vehicle for substantially improving performance of a first stage printing press delivery table, for substantially eliminating paper jamming, and for substantially increasing safety of operations. The first stage printing press delivery table has a plurality of driven rollers for increasing the advancing speed of a paper and an upwardly adjustable bracket structure extending above the plurality of driven rollers. The inline delivery vehicle comprises: a first vehicle side positioned perpendicular and proximate the plurality of driven rollers and a second vehicle side positioned perpendicular and proximate the plurality of driven rollers and adjacent the first vehicle side. The first vehicle side and the second vehicle side are removably connected to the upwardly adjustable bracket structure. A plurality of adjustable longitudinally spaced rollers are rotatably connected to and positioned between the first vehicle side and the second vehicle side and the plurality of adjustable longitudinally spaced rollers each have an axis parallel to one another and are positioned parallel and proximate the plurality of driven rollers. A belt tension roller assembly is pivotably connected to and positioned between the first vehicle side and the second vehicle side, the belt tension roller assembly has a tension roller axis being extended parallel and distal the axis of each of the plurality of adjustable longitudinally spaced rollers and a belt is removably coupled to the plurality of adjustable longitudinally spaced rollers and the belt tension roller assembly for rotation of the belt and delivery of the paper. The belt tension roller assembly and the plurality of adjustable longitudinally spaced rollers provide adjustable tension to the belt and the belt is removably and uniformly driven by the plurality of driven rollers to speedily advance the paper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to delivery devices or vehicles for use in the delivery of paper during the first stage of delivery of a printing press. More specifically, the invention is primarily intended for use on the first stage delivery of paper on a web offset printing press delivery table wherein the invention substantially improves performance of the web offset printing press delivery table and substantially eliminates paper jamming while increasing safety of operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art of printing press delivery tables, particularly web offset printing press delivery tables, paper is delivered in mass quantities and at very high rates of speed and volume. After the paper has completed the printing phase of the printing process the paper is then transported to the delivery phase where the paper will be cut to a required shape, folded if necessary, separated sheet from succeeding sheet, and stacked and sorted.
Immediately prior to the delivery phase a final stage of a printed material finishing process is completed by cutting the printed paper into the required size and shape. Any necessary folding has taken place at this stage of the printing press process. The first stage of the delivery phase of the printing process then is that stage which follows the final stage of a printed material finishing process. The first stage of the delivery phase is the stage where the cut printed paper is delivered to a conveyor where the cut printed paper can then be sorted or stacked. The second -stage of the delivery process then involves the slow down and conveyance of the cut printed paper to the sorting, stacking, and other stations.
During this first stage of the delivery process a key factor is the efficient transfer of the printed paper from the cutting machine, known as a rotary trimmer, to the conveyor of the second stage. In order to deliver the cut printed paper from the rotary trimmer to the conveyor a plurality of driven rollers, or "speed-up" rollers are used to both pull and accelerate away the cut printed paper. The speed-up rollers rotate at a speed equal to and up to 25% faster than the rotation of the rotary trimmer so that the cut printed paper is accelerated away from the rotary trimmer and so that succeeding sheets of cut printed paper can "cleanly" follow leading sheets by leaving a gap between the successive sheets. When successive sheets "bunch up" after leaving the rotary cutter, then jamming can occur and can significantly decrease the efficiency of the delivery process. In addition, workers trying to prevent or clean up the jammed sheets of paper must place their hands close to the rotating rotary trimmer and can be injured.
Jamming can also occur when the sheets of cut printed paper are not properly and uniformly delivered over the speed-up rollers. Prior art devices have attempted to redress these problems, but have been unsuccessful and have created further problems for the printing press industry. One such device used in the printing press delivery art involves a five wheel device that is placed on top of the speed-up rollers to press the cut printed paper leaving the rotary trimmer onto the speed-up rollers and aid the process of accelerating the paper to the conveyor of the second stage.
However, this five-wheeled device while pressing the paper onto the speed-up rollers does not alleviate the jamming problems, rather it creates jamming problems in the area, called a nip, where the paper enters the five-wheeled device as it rides atop the speed-up rollers. In addition, the individual wheeled rollers wear out and can lose their settings because they ride directly on the high speed speed-up rollers. Settings are typically lost within a period of a week. Changing the wheels involves a timely process that can take as long as thirty minutes to perform and this time represents lost printing time and high cost. The delivery table must be stopped in order for the device to be removed from the entire mounting shaft.
In addition, because the wheel rollers are placed directly on top of the speed-up rollers, gaps between the rollers are created and cause additional paper jamming. Workers trying to change or prevent this jamming are again presented with the danger of injury due to the rotating rotary trimmer when they try to fix the problems and keep the printing press running. Furthermore, the five wheels do not cover all of the speed-up rollers and create more gaps which can lead to further jamming problems. Additionally, by use of a bolt and screw connection this device is designed to direct the angle of delivery of the paper upon leaving the device, however the device utilizes a tail kicker or kicker to "knock down" the trailing edge of a cut printed paper as it leaves the device and enters onto the conveyor of the second stage. The purpose of the kicker is to aid the stacking of the paper and to prevent further jamming. Finally, in order to make any adjustments to this fivewheeled device the user must tighten various bolt and screw connections, a process that requires fine tuning and time.
Other prior art devices created to alleviate these jamming problems involve the use of multiple-belted devices that also run on top of the speed-up rollers. These devices use belts that are around five feet in length and are complicated to fix when there is ajamming problem and workers find it harder to fix a jamming problem with these devices because of the lack of hand room. Furthermore, when a belt(s) breaks and must be changed, the printing press is almost always stopped so that two or more workers can replace the long belts. This again means machine downtime and loss of money and printing time. The longer belts also mean that there is more room for jamming during delivery
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,719 discloses a paper delivery mechanism for web offset printing presses. This device involves multiple belts, a braking roller, a slow down pulley, an upper high speed belt, and a low speed belt and a snubber. The device therein disclosed is a complicated arrangement. The conveying device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,024 is also used to transport flat printed products lying on a support formed by a driven first belt. This conveying device transports the printed products forward in a conveying channel by means of a second belt disposed above the first and the entrance region of the channel is configured to be adjustable in height in the cadence of the supplied printed products. However, this device does not teach how to change either belt if the belt needs repair and the device does not teach how to control the paper after it leaves the conveying device.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that substantially improves performance of a first stage web offset printing press delivery table and that substantially eliminates the problem of paper jamming and thereby substantially increases the safety of operations of the delivery process.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that uses a belt to provide a continuum and constant uniform surface area for accelerating paper over the speed-up rollers.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that is less likely to lose its settings and is less likely to halt the delivery process due to maintenance.
It is a still further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that allows for the quick, efficient means for changing and repairing the belt.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that allows for multiple adjustments to account for different size and types of delivered paper and different control designs.
It is a still further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that substantially eliminates the need for a separate kicker to knock-down the trailing edge of the paper for stacking purposes.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an inline delivery vehicle that is less complicated to operate, less costly to run and which is adaptable to different delivery requirements and corresponding paper dimensions.
Other objects of my invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.

Inline delivery vehicle for a web offset printing press


A circuit comprises an oscillator including a differential tank circuit, an oscillator carrier, and an active device. A phase difference between the oscillator carrier and a device current of the active device is adjusted to reduce upconversion of flicker noise of the oscillator. The circuit includes a common-mode reactance circuit configured to provide an intentionally introduced common-mode inductance, common-mode capacitance, or both, The common-mode reactance circuit is configured to adjust at common-mode impedance of the oscillator. A method comprises adjusting a phase difference between an oscillator carrier of an oscillator and a device current of an active device of the oscillator. The adjusted phase difference is selected to reduce upconversion of flicker noise generated in the oscillator. Adjusting the phase difference includes adjusting a common-mode impedance of the oscillator.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior an against the present disclosure.
Flicker noise is generated by electronic devices. Flicker noise is also called 1/f noise, because the power spectral density of the noise is inversely proportional to frequency. Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices made with sub-micron feature sizes, such as MOS devices fabricated on a 28 nm process, can generate substantial flicker noise at frequencies in the tenths of Megahertz or more.
An oscillator may be used to generate a carrier signal having a high carrier frequency. A non-linear operation of components within the oscillator may up-convert to low frequency noise present within the oscillator. The upconverted noise may produce phase noise in the carrier signal and may produce noise sick bands on either side of the carrier frequency.
Flicker noise is generated by different mechanisms than other types of noise in electronic devices, such as thermal noise and shot noise. As a result, techniques used to reduce other types of noise may be ineffective in reducing flicker noise.

Circuits and methods for flicker noise upconversion minimization in an oscillator


A speaker adapted to be disposed on a head-mounted device includes a housing member, a speaker unit, a vibrating unit and an abutting member. The housing member is adapted to be disposed on the head-mounted device and is formed with an opening adapted to open toward an ear of a user when in use. The speaker unit is disposed on the housing member in a manner that the speaker unit is not directly in contact with the head of the user when in use. The vibrating unit is disposed on the housing member and is capable of generating vibrations. The abutting member is disposed on the vibrating unit, is adapted to be in contact with the skin of the user, and is capable of transmitting the vibrations to the skull of the user.

Head-mounted devices such as headsets, headphones or virtual reality headsets were generally equipped with speakers that might be divided into three types: over-ear; earbuds; and in-ear. All three types of the speakers are in direct contact with a user who wears the head-mounted device, and emit sound directly to the user's ear instead of emitting the sound in open air. However, for virtual reality headsets, the abovementioned speakers were less than ideal, because the speakers are in direct contact with the user's ears and may impair the user's immersion in virtual reality. Furthermore, the human auditory system may not be sensitive to sound with a frequency lower than 200 Hz, so a user may not perceive the low-frequency sound when the direct ear contact speakers emit both high-frequency and low-frequency sounds at the same volume level.
Therefore, to increase user immersion, a conventional speaker that emits sound in the open air, while simultaneously transmitting the low-frequency sound to the skull of a user via a vibrator has currently been adopted as the type of speaker used in head-mounted devices. By virtue of the conventional speaker emitting sound into the open air, the area of contact between a user and the conventional speaker is reduced. In addition, a user may better perceive the low-frequency sound by receiving vibrations conducted through the skull thereof. However, the conventional speaker also transmits some high-frequency sound via the vibrator as well, and the high-frequency sound may interfere with the user's perception of the low-frequency sound.


An executable shopping list (ESL) enables a user browsing an affiliate Web site's Web page to order, with a single action, a bundle of multiple items offered for sale by the affiliate's associated merchant Web site, wherein the bundle is one that is not offered or available for sale as a bundle to on-line visitors who directly access the merchant's Web site server. By selecting a link on the affiliate's Web page, the ESL is executed, thereby automatically loading the bundle of multiple items on that list into a virtual shopping cart at the merchant's Web site on behalf of the user. The virtual shopping cart, filled with the multiple items, is then returned to the user's browser for completion of the checkout procedure by the user. ESLs can be implemented on the affiliate site's side using what is referred to as smart bookmark technology, which records for later playback, the multiple steps required to load each item on the list into a shopping cart at the merchant's Web server. Alternatively, ESLs cam be implemented on the merchant's site side using the merchant's Web server's infrastructure. A discount can be optionally associated with the offer to purchase the multiple items in the bundle. ESLs are also applied to permission marketing where a merchant can bundle a group of items together and electronically offer that bundle to one or more customers who have agreed to receive such merchandising offers.

Relationships between a referring Web site that provides a link to a merchant Web site that sells on-line an item advertised on the referring site are well known. The referring Web site is known in the art as an affiliate Web site of the merchant Web site. Generally, an affiliate site and its associated merchant site have a contractual arrangement in which the proprietors of the merchant site agree to pay the proprietors of the affiliate site a percentage of the purchases made by user who "arrives" at the merchant site via the link on the affiliate's Web page. Alternatively, a flat rate payment scheme may be used for compensating the affiliate or some combination or variant of these schemes. Various well known in the art mechanisms enable the merchant site to determine when a user arrives at that merchant site from an affiliate site. One such mechanism involves examining the packet header of the packets of the request arriving at the merchant site when the user clicks on the link on the Web page of the affiliate site. This header includes a reference to the address of the referring affiliate site from which the request originates. The merchant site can then track all subsequent steps taken by the user by using cookies or special encoding of the URLs as the user browses and adds items to his virtual shopping cart and makes a purchase. Another well known mechanism that enables the merchant site to determine that the user has arrived at its Web site via an affiliate site is through the use of encoded URLs that include both the item selected by the user on the affiliate site as well as an identifier of the affiliate site. No matter the method of associating a user/customer's transaction with the affiliate site that directed the user/customer to the merchant site, after the purchase has been completed and the user's credit card has been debited for the amount of the purchase, the merchant site will at some point credit the affiliate site with a percentage of the sale, or some other monetary compensation. Affiliate merchandising is financially beneficial to the proprietors of both the merchant and the affiliate sites. The merchant site is provided with a source of potential customers who are already browsing at a site whose content is directly related to that which the merchant site has to offer for sale, and the affiliate site is provided with a source of income that it would not otherwise have.
A user browsing the Web may be directed to a merchant site for the purpose of making a purchase of some item or service through various mechanisms. For example, a user browsing through the Barbra Streisand fan Web site at the URL www.barbrastreisand.com Web site may on one its pages view a selection of her CDs. By clicking on a link that says "Purchase Now" below a particular CD on such a Web page, the user's browser opens a new window and retrieves a Web page from the associated merchant site CDNow at the URL www.cdnow.com, which offers to the user that particular CD for purchase. By then clicking in that window on the "add to cart" link, that CD is added to the user's virtual shopping cart, the user being able to then or later complete the purchase of that CD. While at that merchant site, the user can purchase other CDs, or return to the URL www.barbrastreisand.com and click on another Barbra Streisand CD that he wishes to purchase. Thus, if the user wants to purchase multiple CDs, he needs repeatedly return to the affiliate site at www.barbrastreisand.com, click on the desired CD's "Purchase Now" link, and individually add that newly selected CD to his shopping cart. Alternatively, while at the CDNow Web site, the user needs to search for whatever other CD he wants to purchase and add that other CD to his shopping cart. When the user has completed filling his cart with the CDs he wishes to purchase, he enters a check-out phase of his transaction by providing his shipping address and credit card information to the merchant site if he is not previously known to that site through, for example, a cookie stored on his computer. Disadvantageously, such a procedure of individually selecting CDs from the affiliate's site and then adding them to his cart on the merchant's site is time-consuming and may cause users to order fewer CDs to the disadvantage of both the affiliate site and merchant site. Further, the affiliate is precluded from offering a user the purchase of a package of multiple CDs that might be of interest to a purchaser, such as, for example, Barbra Streisand's individual The Broadway Album and the Return to Broadway CDs unless the merchant site also offers them as a package on its Web page.
Although certain sites (e.g., http://www.netgrocer.com) enable a user to create and store lists of multiple items and to add the entire list to a shopping cart, such lists can only be accessed by the creator of the list. Further, such lists that may be available at a merchant site are accessible only by the user directly through the merchant site. As such, they are not useful for affiliate marketing where an offer of multiple items may be configured by the affiliate without any merchant site cooperation, and the offer is made available for acceptance to any visitor to the affiliate site.

Applications of executable shopping lists


A system for inserting numeric labels automatically includes: a setting module (10) configured for setting label properties of inserting numeric labels to define a numeric labels configuration; an input/output module (12) configured for reading the label properties, importing a technical drawing file to be inserted with the numeric labels; a selecting module (14) configured for extracting an array of references to be inserted with the numeric label from the technical drawing file; and a labeling module (16) configured for labeling the references in the array of references with numeric labels correspondingly according to the numeric labels configuration. A related method is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for inserting numeric labels automatically.
2. General Background of the Invention
Generally, a user needs to manually sequence numeric labels on a product technical drawing file. Labeling in the technical drawing file refers to sequentially inserting numeric labels to connected areas on each measurement location. In the technical drawing file, each measurement location is respectively inserted with unique numeric labels 1, 2, 3 . . . etc.
At present, the user has to manually label the above-mentioned numeric labels and draw a round frame in order to circle the numeric label near the measurement information such as the size or position of an reference in a technical drawing file. The round frame and the numeric label form a label entity, for example: {circle around (1)}{circle around (2)}{circle around (3)}{circle around (4)}{circle around (5)}{circle around (6)}{circle around (7)}{circle around (8)}{circle around (9)}{circle around (10)} . . . etc.
However, the manually labeling cannot precisely control a labeling order, and is time-consuming and cumbersome. Therefore, the present invention reduces time required for inserting numeric labels on the measurement locations in a technical drawing file. And, the present invention is very precisely control the labeling order.

System and method for inserting numeric labels automatically

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


Disclosed herein are finished products, methods, compositions and kits for derivatizing plastic (e.g., “polymer”) surfaces in a manner that renders the surfaces appropriate for various downstream applications. For example, flow cells incorporating modified plastic surfaces provide greatly enhanced stability for retention of attached chemical species such as polypeptides and nucleic acids.

Microfluidic flow cells and robotic liquid-handling instruments represent alternative platforms for automating multi-step reactions in the modern bioanalytical chemistry laboratory. Flow cells generally contain targets of some sort (e.g., cells, proteins, or nucleic acids) fixed within a chamber, wherein different liquid reagents can be flowed through the chamber and wherein the chamber is configured to facilitate detection of the targets therein. For example, a reagent can flow into the chamber through an inlet port, and exit the chamber through an outlet port. Flowing different reagents in ordered sequence through the flow cell to contact the fixed targets controls the nature of the biochemical reactions that may take place. Likewise, liquid-handling instruments, which are available in many formats, generally transfer liquid reagents under automated control from one vessel to another, where the vessel (e.g., a multiwell plate) holds or contains immobilized targets. Targets commonly are immobilized to beads (e.g., magnetic beads). In some formats, magnetic beads are moved from one vessel to another.
Microfluidic flow cells can be created from one or more sealing layers sandwiched between two substantially flat substrate layers, often made of glass. The sealing layer creates a fluidic channel shape, forms one portion of the channel wall, and typically defines the channel thickness. The two substrates enclose the channel and serve as the top and bottom channel walls. A leak-proof seal is made by clamping the sealing layer in between the substrates and/or adhering the layer to one or both substrates. (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,150,907)
Certain next-generation nucleic acid sequencing technologies have been automated to employ flow cells, wherein reagent flow across a surface harboring immobilized nucleic acid features conveniently allows for reagent exchange in a cyclic fashion. The flow cell is observed, for example, via fluorescence microscopy techniques to detect changes in the immobilized nucleic acid features that are indicative of their sequences. Example sequencing chemistries that can be carried out in the flow cell format include sequencing-by-binding and sequencing-by-synthesis. Here the flow cells can include planar surfaces decorated with nucleic acid features synthesized in situ, or with microbeads displaying nucleic acids. Considerations important for success when using flow cells for nucleic acid sequencing applications include the quality of the surface with respect to capture and/or retention of the nucleic acid feature to be sequenced.

Method of chemically modifying plastic surfaces


A linear light-emitting diode (LED)-based solid-state universal lamp using a degenerate voltage sensing and control mechanism operates normally in both single-ended and double-ended linear tube lamp fixtures. The degenerate voltage sensing and control mechanism automatically detects power source configuration in the fixture and makes proper management so that the universal lamp works in any fixtures without operational uncertainty or risk of fire. When used with shock protection switches in the two lamp bases at two opposite ends, the universal lamp fully protects a person from possible electric shock during initial installation and re-lamping.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to linear light-emitting diode (LED) lamps that work with any linear tube lamp fixtures configured as single-ended or double-ended, and more particularly to a universal, shock and fire hazard-free linear LED tube lamp with a shock-protection mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid-state lighting from semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has received much attention in general lighting applications today. Because of its potential for more energy savings, better environmental protection (with no hazardous materials used), higher efficiency, smaller size, and longer lifetime than conventional incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes, the LED-based solid-state lighting will be a mainstream for general lighting in the near future. Meanwhile, as LED technologies develop with the drive for energy efficiency and clean technologies worldwide, more families and organizations will adopt LED lighting for their illumination applications. In this trend, the potential safety concerns such as risk of electric shock and fire become especially important and need to be well addressed.
In a retrofit application of a linear LED tube (LLT) lamp to replace an existing fluorescent tube, one must remove the starter or ballast because the LLT lamp does not need a high voltage to ionize the gases inside the gas-filled fluorescent tube before sustaining continuous lighting. LLT lamps operating at the AC mains, such as 110, 220, and 277VAC, have one construction issue related to product safety and needed to be resolved prior to wide field deployment. This kind of LLT lamps always fails a safety test, which measures through lamp leakage current. Because the line and the neutral of the AC mains apply to both opposite ends of the tube when connected, the measurement of current leakage from one end to the other consistently results in a substantial current flow, which may present a risk of shock during re-lamping. Due to this potential shock risk to the person who replaces LLT lamps in an existing fluorescent tube fixture, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) uses its standard, UL 935, Risk of Shock During Relamping (Through Lamp), to do the current leakage test and to determine if LLT lamps under test meet the consumer safety requirement.
Appliances such as toasters and other appliances with exposed heating filaments present the same kind of hazard. When the line and the neutral wire reverse, the heating filaments can remain live even though the power switches to "off". Another example is screw-in incandescent bulbs. With the line and the neutral wire reversed, the screw-in thread of the socket remains energized. These happen when the line and the neutral wires in the wiring behind the walls or in the hookup of sockets are somehow interchanged even with polarized sockets and plugs that are designed for safety. The reason why a consumer can widely use the appliances with heating filaments and screw-in light lamps without worrying about shock hazard is that they have some kinds of protections. The said appliances have protection grids to prevent consumers from touching the heating filaments even when they are cool. The screw-in light lamp receptacle has its two electrical contacts, the line and the neutral in proximity, recessed in the luminaire. When one screws an incandescent bulb in the receptacle, little shock risk exists.
As mentioned, without protection, shock hazard will occur for an LLT lamp, which is at least 2 feet long; it is very difficult for a person to insert the two opposite bi-pins at the two ends of the LLT lamp into the two opposite sockets at two sides of the linear tube lamp fixture at the same time. Because protecting consumers from possible electric shock during re-lamping is a high priority for LLT lamp manufacturers, they need to provide a basic protection design strictly meeting the minimum leakage current requirement and to prevent any possible electric shock that users may encounter in actual usage, no matter how they instruct a consumer to install an LLT lamp in their installation instructions.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional LLT lamp 100 comprises a housing 110 with a length much greater than its diameter of 25 to 32 mm, two end caps 120 and 130 with bi-pins 180 and 190 respectively on two opposite ends of the housing 110, LED arrays 140 mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 150, and an LED driver 160 used to receive energy from the AC mains through electrical contacts 142 and the bi-pins 180 and 190, to generate a proper DC voltage with a proper current, and to supply it to the LED arrays 140 such that the LEDs 170 on the PCB 150 can emit light. The bi-pins 180 and 190 on the two end caps 120 and 130 connect electrically to the AC mains, either 110 V, 220 V, or 277 VAC, through two electrical sockets located lengthways in an existing fluorescent tube fixture whereas the two sockets in the fixture connect electrically to the line and the neutral wire of the AC mains, respectively. This is a so called "double-ended" configuration.
To replace a fluorescent tube with an LLT lamp 100, one inserts the bi-pin 180 at one end of the LLT lamp 100 into one of the two electrical sockets in the fixture and then inserts the other bi-pin 190 at the other end of the LLT lamp 100 into the other electrical socket in the fixture. When the line power of the AC mains applies to the bi-pin 180 through one socket, and the other bi-pin 190 at the other end has not yet been in the other socket in the fixture, the LLT lamp 100 and the LED driver 160 are deactivated because no current flows through the LED driver 160 to the neutral. However, the internal electronic circuitry is live. At this time, if the person who replaces the LLT lamp 100 touches the exposed bi-pin 190, which is energized, he or she will get electric shock because the current flows to earth through his or her body—a shock hazard.
Almost all the LLT lamps currently available on the market are without any protections for such electric shock. The probability of getting shock is 50%, depending on whether the person who replaces the lamp inserts the bi-pin first to the line of the AC mains or not. If he or she inserts the bi-pin 180 or 190 first to the neutral of the AC mains, then the LLT lamp 100 is deactivated while the internal circuitry is not live—no shock hazard. An LLT lamp supplier may want to adopt single protection only at one end of an LLT lamp in an attempt to reduce the risk of shock during re-lamping. However, such a single protection approach cannot completely eliminate the possibility of shock risk. As long as shock risk exists, the consumer product safety remains the most important issue.
An easy solution to reducing the risk of shock is to connect electrically only one of two bi-pins at the two ends of an LLT lamp to the AC mains, leaving the other dummy bi-pin at the other end of the LLT lamp insulated, so called "single-ended". In such a way, the line and the neutral of the AC mains go into the LLT lamp through the single-ended bi-pin, one for "line" (denoted as L, hereafter) and the other for "neutral" (denoted as N, hereafter). The electrically insulated dummy bi-pin at the other end only serves as a lamp holder to support LLT lamp mechanically in the fixture. In this case, however, the retrofit and rewiring of the existing fixture to enable such LLT lamp may involve two new electrical sockets replacement in the fixture and needs much longer time to complete the rewiring because conventional fluorescent tube is double-ended, and its fixture and lamp holder sockets are wired in a double-ended manner. The new sockets, rewiring, and installation costs together will be too high for consumers to replace conventional fluorescent tubes economically. Therefore, some manufacturers have modified the dummy bi-pin by internally connecting the two pins with a conductor. The purpose is to convert a double-ended fixture/wiring into a single-ended configuration so that the single-ended LLT lamp can be used in the double-ended fixture/wiring as shown in FIG. 3, no matter whether the active end of the LLT lamp is on the left or right hand side in the fixture.
In FIG. 3, the AC mains supply voltage to the bi-pin sockets in the lamp holder 311 and 312 from two opposite ends of the LLT lamp 101—a double-ended configuration. However, LLT lamp 101 is internally connected as single ended because two pins 181 and 182 of the bi-pin are at one end, from which the LED driver 400 receives energy to power LED arrays 214. The conductors 255 in the sockets of the lamp holder 311 and 312 are used to connect the bi-pins to the AC mains through electrical contacts shown as dots. The "dot" notation will be used to indicate electrical contacts throughout the figures. In order to receive energy from both ends of a double-ended fixture so that such a single-ended LLT lamp can operate in the double-ended fixture, manufacturers interconnect the two pins 183 and 184 of the bi-pin at one end with a conductor 251 inside the lamp such that electric current can flow through the pin 183, the conductor 251, the pin 184, and an electrical wire 252 to the pin 182 at the other end. The modification seems to work to operate the LLT lamp in the double-ended fixture and be able to pass UL leakage current test. But this introduces shock and fire hazards. Imagine what will happen if consumers insert this electrically shorted end to a real single-ended fixture that has L and N connections on the bi-pin socket. This definitely will burn the connections on the bi-pin, possibly causing fire, and trip the circuit breaker. Due to this potential shock and fire risk for this kind of LLT lamp modification used with an existing fluorescent tube fixture, UL requires that the lamp base bi-pin used for mechanical support only not be interconnected or connected to dead metal parts of the lamp base. Furthermore, such single-ended LLT lamps are subjected to the requirements in UL Isolation of Lamp Pins test, ensuring no indication of fire or risk of electric shock if manufacturers want their products to be UL certified.
Similar hazards occur for double-ended lamps. There are many double-ended lamps without shock-protection mechanisms on the linear LED lighting market. Such lamps will never pass UL leakage current test and present the shock risk during re-lamping, as mentioned above. In addition, such non-UL compliant LLT lamps have their bi-pins internally connected. In FIG. 4, the LED driver 400 receives energy from both bi-pin sockets in the lamp holders 313 and 314 at opposite ends of the LLT lamp 102 to power LED arrays 214—a double-ended configuration. The two pins 181 and 182 at one end are internally interconnected with a conductor 253. Similarly, the two pins 183 and 184 at the other end are internally interconnected with a conductor 254. In this case, as long as either one electrical contact in the bi-pin sockets has a power, the LLT lamps can operate. Manufacturers do this modification just trying to make it easy for consumers to more easily retrofit their linear tube lamp fixtures without considering that the same hazards as mentioned for the single-ended LLT lamps may occur if either one of such bi-pins is inserted into a powered socket in a single-ended fixture with single-ended wiring. Furthermore, because LLT lamps have a very long service life, consumers who do not know single-ended and double-ended configurations may try to install their LLT lamps in another fixture with unknown wiring configuration several years later while original installation/wiring instructions may not be found. In this case, there exist fire and shock hazards.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 8,147,091, issued Apr. 3, 2012, double shock protection switches are used in a double-ended LLT lamp to isolate its LED driver such that a leakage current flowing from a live bi-pin, through the LED driver, to an exposed bi-pin is eliminated without hazards. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an LLT lamp with such shock protection switches. The LLT lamp 200 has a housing 201; two lamp bases 260 and 360, one at each end of the housing 201; two actuation mechanisms 240 and 340 of shock protection switches 210 and 310 in the two lamp bases 260 and 360, respectively; an LED driver 400; and LED arrays 214 on an LED PCB 205.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an LLT lamp 200 with the protection switches 210 and 310. The shock protection switch 210 comprises two electrical contacts 220 and 221 and one actuation mechanism 240. Similarly, a shock protection switch 310 comprises two electrical contacts 320 and 321 and one actuation mechanism 340. The electrical contact 220 in the protection switch 210 connects electrically to the bi-pin 250 that connects to the L wire of the AC mains, and the other contact 221 connects to one of the inputs 270 of the LED driver 400. Similarly, the electrical contact 320 in the protection switch 310 connects electrically to the bi-pin 350 that connects to the N wire of the AC mains, and the other contact 321 connects to the other input 370 of the LED driver 400. The switch is normally off. Only after actuated, will the switches turn "on" such that they connect the AC mains to the LED driver 400 that in turn powers the LED arrays 214. Served as gate controllers between the AC mains and the LED driver 400, the protection switches 210 and 310 connect the line and the neutral of the AC mains to the two inputs 270 and 370 of the LED driver 400, respectively. If only one shock protection switch 210 is used at one lamp base 260, and if the bi-pin 250 of this end happens to be first inserted into the live socket at one end of the fixture, then a shock hazard occurs because the shock protection switch 210 already allows the AC power to electrically connect to the LED driver 400 inside the LLT lamp when the bi-pin 250 is in the socket. Although the LLT lamp 200 is deactivated at the time, the LED driver 400 is live. Without the shock protection switch 310 at the other end of the LLT lamp 200, the LED driver input 370 connects directly to the bi-pin 350 at the other end of the LLT lamp 200. This presents a shock hazard. However, if the shock protection switch 310 is used in accordance with this application, the current flow to the earth continues to be interrupted until the bi-pin 350 is inserted into the other socket, and the protection switch 310 is actuated. The switch redundancy eliminates the possibility of shock hazard for a person who installs an LLT lamp in the existing fluorescent tube fixture.
Double shock protection switches used in a double-ended LLT lamp can be used to isolate its LED driver such that a leakage current flowing from a live bi-pin, through the LED driver, to an exposed bi-pin is eliminated without hazards. However, such lamps are non-operable because no power supplies to the LED driver when used with single-ended fixtures. Even worse, when the two adjacent pins of the bi-pin on either one of the two ends in the double-ended LLT lamp are abnormally interconnected, the lamps may present a fire hazard when installed in the single-ended fixture, as mentioned above. In the present invention, however, double shock protection switches are used in a universal single-ended or double-ended LLT lamp to isolate its degenerate voltage sensing and control mechanism such that the leakage current flowing from a live bi-pin, through the degenerate voltage sensing and control mechanism and an LED driver, to an exposed bi-pin is interrupted without hazards.

Linear solid-state lighting with degenerate voltage sensing free of fire and shock hazards


A display panel includes a plurality of sub-pixels and a plurality of data lines, and a detection circuit. The data lines include at least one first data line. The detection circuit includes a first detection signal line, a detection control signal line, and at least one first switch. The first detection signal line and the detection control signal line detour along an edge of the active area. The first detection signal line is configured to transmit a detection signal, and the detection control signal line is configured to transmit a detection control signal. The first switch is electrically connected to the first detection signal line, the detection control signal line, and the at least one first data line, and is configured to close a line between the first detection signal line and the first data line, in response to the detection control signal.

At present, with the development of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology, active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLEDs) have been more and more widely applied to various display apparatuses. In particular, flexible AMOLED display apparatuses have broad application prospects in wearable products due to its advantages of being bendable, high brightness and high contrast.

Display panel, display apparatus and crack detection method therefor

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Short-circuit current and power consumption for an integrated circuit may be calculated by measuring short-circuit current for various cells within an integrated circuit using a Verilog.TM. logic level model of the cell. Each cell within an integrated circuit may be characterized by its inputs and outputs and connectivity. A corresponding SPICE sub-circuit model having the same logic characteristics as the cell may be generated. A number of calculation passes are made for each sub-circuit within a cell to determine short circuit current for each sub-circuit at various signal rise and fall times and for various inputs and outputs. Current data may be stored in a format compatible with Verilog.TM. propagation delay data. Overall power consumption and short circuit current for an integrated circuit may then be calculated from Verilog.TM. logic model data. The use of the Verilog.TM. model eliminates the need to calculate short circuit current at a SPICE circuit level. Moreover, putting short circuit data into a propagation delay format allows software to more readily process short circuit data.

Modern integrated circuits may be designed by combining a number of individual blocks or "cells". The functionality and design of individual cells may be predetermined and stored on a computer system as a standardized design. Such design techniques may save considerable time, as it no longer may be necessary for an integrated circuit designer to custom design each individual gate and transistor in an integrated circuit. Rather, the circuit designer may break down a new circuit design into a number of known (or new) cell designs and then combine these cells appropriately to generate a circuit design which will perform a desired function.
Once a circuit has initially been designed, it may be modeled using one or more circuit emulation programs, such as SPICE, VERILOG.TM. or VHDL. SPICE (Simulation Program with Emphasis on Circuit Emulation) is an integrated circuit emulation program developed at the University of Southern California at Berkeley which emulates performance of individual circuit elements (e.g., transistors) and may be used to emulate performance of one or more transistors in a circuit. SPICE programs are commercially available from a number of vendors. One example of a SPICE program is the HSPICE.TM. program from Meta-Software.TM., Inc., of Campbell, Calif.
VERILOG.TM. or VHDL are hardware description languages which may be used to describe, at a logic level, an integrated circuit design. Verilog-XL.TM., produced by Cadence Design Systems, Inc., of San Jose, Calif. is a software program which may emulate the performance of a circuit described using the VERILOG.TM. hardware description language. The VERILOG.TM. hardware description language is now part of IEEE standard P1364 incorporated herein by reference. The Verilog-XL.TM. program may perform a number of functions. One function, for example, may be to calculate propagation delays generated by successive gates. The Verilog-XL.TM. program may calculate such propagation delays and use such information to calculate overall propagation delays for a particular cell or group of cells.
When designing and proving an integrated circuit, it may be desirable to calculate overall power consumption and maximum power consumption for the overall circuit, as well as power consumption for individual cells. Each new design for an integrated circuit may incorporate new cell types or designs. Thus, in the prior art, in order to calculate overall short circuit current, considerable effort must be made to generate a SPICE model for each cell design, and generate suitable short circuit current models for each cell. Such modeling efforts may be time consuming and cumbersome and may increase new product development cycle times.
Short circuit current for a particular circuit element may be defined as the maximum current generated from supply voltage V.sub.DD to ground V.sub.SS. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a well-known CMOS circuit for an inverter gate. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, short circuit current will be discussed.
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a digital input signal may be input to input line 230. If the input signal on input line 230 is high, p-channel MOS transistor 240 may turn off, n-channel MOS transistor 241 may turn on, and output line 290 may go low. If the input signal on input line 230 is low, p-channel MOS transistor 240 may turn on, n-channel MOS transistor 241 may turn off, and output line 290 may go high.
The above description of FIG. 2, however, assumes ideal conditions, namely an instantaneous transfer of the input signal from a high level to a low level and vice versa. Due to propagation delays, transition from a high level voltage to a low level voltage (and vice versa) may not be instantaneous, but rather may ramp up or down over a given period of time.
FIG. 1 illustrates the three states of the inverter gate of FIG. 2 when transitioning from a low input voltage to a high input voltage. In step 110, the input voltage in input line 230 may be low, and p-channel MOS transistor 240 may be on, and n-channel MOS transistor 241 may be off. In step 120, the input voltage on input line 230 may transition from a low to high state. For a brief given instant, both p-channel MOS transistor 240 and n-channel MOS transistor 241 may both be on. In step 130, the input voltage on input line 230 may go high, and p-channel MOS transistor 240 may turn off and n-channel MOS transistor 241 may remain on.
During step 120, a short circuit may occur in the inverter circuit, as illustrated in FIG. 3. With both p-channel MOS transistor 240 and n-channel MOS transistor 241 in the on state, current may pass from supply voltage V.sub.DD line 220 through p-channel MOS transistor 240 and n-channel MOS transistor 241 to ground voltage V.sub.SS line 270. The inverter circuit of FIGS. 2 and 3 is a fundamental element in CMOS gate design, and thus, such short circuit currents may occur in other gate designs as well. The use of an inverter circuit is illustrated here by way of example only.
Depending upon the extent of propagation delays and the slope of the transition of input signals, the short circuit current of individual gates may consume considerable amounts of power. In general, the more gradual the transition from high to low level (or vice versa) the more power may be consumed by a gate, as the gate may remain in a short circuit condition for a longer period of time.
A circuit designer may wish to detect portions of an integrated circuit design with a voracious appetite for power. Once such circuit portions have been identified, step may be taken to reduce power consumption. For example, some circuit portions may be connected to further logic gates to switch such portions off when not in use. Alternatively, or in addition, the input signals to such circuit portions may be "squared up" using a buffer or the like to reduce the amount of time a circuit is in a short circuit condition.
However, as discussed above, it may be onerous to model each cell within an integrated circuit design for short circuit conditions using a SPICE type program.

Method and apparatus for automatically characterizing short circuit current and power consumption in a digital circuit


Cartesian robots and methods for proper alignment are provided. More specifically, the invention uses reflective spheres and a laser to locate specific points that can then be used to determine correction factors.

Cartesian robots, as manufactured, typically have three primary sources of correctable error in their movement to target locations. The first is an offset error, a displacement in X or Y that does not vary over the area of the bed. The second error component is scale inaccuracy, where a commanded movement systematically results in more or less movement than requested. The third source of error is skew, when a requested movement in X creates an unintended movement in Y, or a requested movement in Y creates an unintended movement in X.
These three errors, offset, scale inaccuracy, and skew are machine specific errors and cannot be preset for all robots manufactured. For each machine manufactured, each of the errors must be determined and correction factors set. The correction factors must also be redetermined and reset occasionally due to a number of events including routine operation, the machine being moved or bumped, or as part of a regular maintenance schedule.
Because of the need to set the correction factors for each machine, a simple and reliable alignment correction system and method of determining those factors is desirable. We hereby provide such a system and method.

Alignment correction system and methods of use thereof


Systems, apparatuses, computer program products, and methods for dynamically customizing and/or configuring applications on devices. Current access point information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the terminal. In response to providing this current access point information, the terminal receives updated access point information via the network. The terminal is configured to enable data communication by way of an access point identifiable from the updated access point information, rather than from any prior access points.

In recent times, functional capabilities of computers and communication devices continue to migrate towards one another. Computers are used for electronic mail, file transfer, and even telephone communications. Communication devices such as mobile phones originally provided primarily telephone services, but now continue to gain processing power and capabilities traditionally limited to computers. For example, mobile devices now typically include capabilities to send and receive electronic mail (e.g., e-mail, Short Message Service, Multimedia Messaging Service, etc.), as well as data communication capabilities. These advances in mobile devices and the associated mobile network infrastructures allows mobile devices to gain access to content and other data that was once only within the ambit of larger, wired computers.
Mobile operators and service providers have taken advantage of these new capabilities of mobile terminals. A variety of mobile content is now available to mobile terminal users, including images, ring tones, music files, games, calendars, contact management, device utilities, and so forth. While these advances benefit operators, service providers, users and others involved in the content distribution chain, some complexities arise as a result of the various developers, service providers, operators and other vendors who provide services that ultimately enable this content to be provided to end-users. For example, the content/service providers need to be able to make their content/services available to the consuming public. Operators often have different service/content offerings, and need to have a way to identify and select the desired service/content that they will offer.
Another complexity involves the manner of delivery of this content and/or services in a manner desired by the content providers and operators, or in a manner that provides for better access to the service. For example, the advent of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) has created some complexities. Detecting MVNO operators' subscribers from other MVNO operators operating in the same network or the network operator's subscribers is not possible with Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC) mapping.
Further, when terminal applications connect to multiple servers, the best access point might not be the same for all servers. Some servers may require connecting through a specific access point for various reasons, such as to obtain needed authentication information from a WAP-proxy for billing, or the access point has limitations as to how large the content can be that is transferred through it, or due to specific arrangements made with an operator. The default access point settings used by an application might not be optimal or otherwise desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for solutions to the aforementioned problems. The present invention fulfills these and other needs, and offers a variety of advantages over prior art solutions.

System, apparatus, and method for dynamically configuring application access point settings


A device for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine for controlling the intake of gas into the combustion zone of the combustion chamber. The device includes a control element that is arranged outside the combustion chamber. This control element has a first covering for at least a first inlet to the combustion zone and is displaceable in relation to the combustion chamber. There is also a support for the control element that is connected to the cover. The cover is displaceable relative to the combustion chamber and a support (16) for the control element (12, 12′) is connected to the cover. The support (16) is accommodated in a structure (4) at a rear of the combustion chamber.

The present invention relates to a device for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine for controlling the intake of gas into the combustion zone of the combustion chamber. The device comprises (includes, but is not limited to) a control element that is arranged outside the combustion chamber. This control element has a first means of covering at least a first inlet to the combustion zone and is displaceable in relation to the combustion chamber. There is also a means of supporting the control element connected to the cover means.
The term gas turbine relates to a unit which comprises at least one turbine and a compressor that is driven thereby, together with a combustion chamber. Gas turbines are used, for example, as engines for vehicles and aircraft, as prime movers for ships and in electricity-generating power stations.
The gas delivered to the combustion chamber by way of the inlet is usually air, but other gases are also conceivable.
One or more fuel distributors or fuel injectors are arranged in the combustion chamber. The term combustion zone relates to a section in proximity to, and at least substantially in front of the fuel distributor (s) in the longitudinal direction of the combustion chamber. The combustion zone is in turn usually divided up into a primary zone and a dilution zone in the direction away from the fuel distributor.
In order to be able to bring about combustion with low emissions, it is desirable to have the facility for controlling the temperature in the primary zone of the combustion chamber so that it lies within a certain range. This is achieved by using various types of control devices to control the air flow while it is being delivered to the primary zone and/or the dilution zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,149 describes a device for a combustion chamber for controlling the air intake to the dilution zone of the combustion chamber for the purpose of reducing NOx emissions. The device comprises a rotatable ring, which extends around the combustion chamber in the intended dilution zone thereof. The ring has a plurality of through-openings and the combustion chamber wall has correspondingly shaped openings. By bringing the ring openings over the openings in the combustion chamber wall, ducts are formed for the air from the outside to the inside of the combustion chamber.
A temperature sensor is provided for controlling the rotation of the ring. Due to the very high temperature around the combustion chamber, the constituent parts of the device are subject to great stress, which means that the device has a relatively short service life.

Device for a combustion chamber in a gas turbine for controlling the intake of gas to a combustion zone


A method for communication session management by a session controller is described. Usage data associated with a video communication session is received for data stream handlers of a first network topology, which handle data streams of the video communication session at a first time. The first network topology includes a plurality of client devices and at least a first media server. A second network topology is determined based on the usage data to handle the data streams when a network parameter and/or an application parameter reaches a corresponding update threshold. Data stream handlers of the second network topology include at least a second media server. The data stream handlers of the second network topology are configured to handle the data streams at a second time, including instructing the first media server to offload at least some of the data streams to the second media server.

Communication systems such as video-conferencing systems often use a dedicated media server as a centralized forwarding agent for video streams. Generally, a single media server acts as the forwarding agent and receives a video stream from each transmitting client device for a corresponding participant of a communication session. The media server then forwards each received video stream to the remaining participants. However, as new participants join the communication session, the bandwidth required to forward every stream to all participants grows quadratically. Moreover, as participants join from geographically distant areas, overall network efficiency may be reduced as more data streams are transmitted across long distances.
It is with respect to these and other general considerations that embodiments have been described. Also, although relatively specific problems have been discussed, it should be understood that the embodiments should not be limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background.

Media server management for communication session


A metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device designed to achieve reduced gate-to-drain capacitance is disclosed. The device has gate-electrode layer consisting of alternating polarity regions, such that regions of the gate-electrode layer not involved in channel operations have a conductivity type different from the conductivity type of the gate-electrode-layer regions actually involved in channel operations. Since the alternating conductivity regions form a capacitance in series to the gate-to-drain capacitance, the gate-to-drain capacitance of the device is reduced. An embodiment of the invention also incorporates increased-thickness regions of the gate-oxide film, which regions are disposed over semiconductor areas at which no channel operation occurs.

In using metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures for switching operations involving power supplies and AC adapters, it is desirable to reduce the gate-to-drain capacitance in order to reduce switching time and power loss.
Reduction of capacitance across gate and drain may be achieved by several methods, including: reducing the ratio of the gate width to the width of the channel region; decreasing the gate area; increasing the thickness of the gate insulation film; increasing the thickness of a part of the insulation film; and disposing an impurity diffusion layer whose conductivity type is different from that of the substrate, on a portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate away from the channel region.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a conventional MOS structure for reducing the gate-to-drain capacitance. In this embodiment incorporating a reduced gate area, p-type channel regions (2) are formed on the surface of an n-type silicon substrate (1); p.sup.+ -type regions (3), laterally interposed between regions (2), are formed on the surface of substrate (1); and n.sup.+ source regions (4) are formed on the surface portions of regions (2). Additionally, lateral spacing between the channel regions (2) is reduced.
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, gate electrodes (6) made of polycrystal silicon film are disposed on gate oxide films (5), which layer is in turn disposed on portions of the channel regions (2) located between the source regions (4) and the n-type substrate (1). The gate electrodes (6), via gate oxide films (5), are disposed also on portions of the n-type substrate between the channel regions (2). An Al--Si source electrode (7) contacts the p.sup.+ region (3) and the n.sup.+ source region (4). Additionally, the source electrode (7) is insulated by PSG films (8) from the channel regions (2) and the n-type substrate (1).
The embodiment of FIG. 2 has an operational problem. When the gate electrode (6) area is reduced in order to decrease the gate-to-drain capacitance, on-resistance of the device increases.
FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional MOS structure for reducing the gate-to-drain capacitance. In this embodiment, which has a structure similar to FIG. 2, the gate-oxide-film (5) thickness is increased while lateral spacing between the channel regions (2) is not reduced.
This embodiment also has an operational problem. Increase in the thickness of the gate-oxide film (5) results in changes of the threshold voltage, V.sub.th, and mutual conductance, g.sub.fs. Consequently, when the applied voltage is zero, the gate-to-drain capacitance is initially reduced. However, since the gate-to-drain capacitance is determined by the capacitance of the depletion layer generated in the substrate (1), as the applied voltage increases the gate-to-drain capacitance similarly increases. The net effect is that the gate-to-drain capacitance remains unchanged, as if the gate-oxide-film thickness had not been increased.
FIG. 4 illustrates another conventional MOS structure for reducing the gate-to-drain capacitance. In this embodiment, region (51) of the gate oxide film (5) is thicker than the rest of the oxide film (5). As in the structure of FIG. 3, the structure of FIG. 4 cannot effectuate reduced gate-to-drain capacitance.
FIG. 5 illustrates yet another conventional MOS structure for reducing the gate-to-drain capacitance. In this embodiment, p-type diffusion regions (9) are formed underneath the gate electrodes (6) on the surface portion of the n substrate (1). Capacitance between the gate and the drain in the impurity diffusion region is negligible. Consequently, capacitance of the structure is decreased due to reduction of capacitance between the gate and the drain. However, due to reduced area of the n-type substrate (1) interposed between the channel regions (2), junction-FET effect occurs. This phenomenon results in a problem of increased on-resistance, R.sub.DS (on)

MOS device having reduced gate-to-drain capacitance


The present invention is directed to a container apparatus and method for packaging contoured articles, particularly contoured articles containing hazardous substances. The container apparatus comprises a base member, upstanding sidewall members foldably emanating from the edges of the base member, and an article retaining member foldably emanating from the top edge of at least one of the sidewall members. The article retaining member is positionable toward and into the inner region of the container so as to form an acute angle with the sidewall from which it emanates. The article retaining member further includes an article retention edge to engage, stabilize, and prevent undesired movement of the contoured article(s) housed within the interior region of the container apparatus. In particular, the article retaining member prevents migration of the contoured articles in a vertical plane, in a horizontal plane, and in a rotational direction. Preferably, the container apparatus is constructed from a substantially unitary paperboard blank, and may include a dividing member for compartmentalizing the inner region of the container apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a container for packaging articles and, more particularly, to a container for releasably retaining contoured articles containing hazardous substances.
2. Background Art
Containers for packaging articles have been known in the art for many years. In particular, containers have long been used in the storage and transportation of hazardous materials. Typically, these containers comprise a base, four sidewalls attached to the base, and a lid. In addition, because hazardous articles require some degree of stabilization to comply with certain hazardous materials shipping regulations, these prior art containers have utilized different ways to stabilize the hazardous material containing articles. For instance, some of these prior art devices have relied upon the tight fit of the articles inside of the container for a secure fit. Others, in contrast, have used a divider to apportion the interior of the container into different sections. Still others have used cross sectional inserts into which holes are cut to match the size of the hazardous material containing articles.
Although these and other prior art containers have worked well, they have failed to protect hazardous material containing articles from impact imparted upon the top of the article when the container is jarred, impacted, or flipped during transportation and movement. Thus, it is a goal in the art to provide a container which stabilizes hazardous material containing articles in compliance with the United Nations Hazardous Materials Standards. Specifically, it is desirous to provide a container which prevents hazardous material containing articles from moving in the horizontal, vertical, and rotational planes, thus preventing both impact imparted to the top, bottom and sides of the articles from outside, as well as to prevent impact imparted from one article to another.
Furthermore, it is a goal in the art to provide a container apparatus of the kind specified which allows for great ease in loading and unloading hazardous material containing articles into and out of the container--for greater safety and speed in handling and transporting the articles.
Moreover, it is generally a goal in the art to provide a container apparatus of the kind specified above which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, as well as simple to assemble.
Finally, it is always a goal in the art to provide a container apparatus constructed from a substantially unitary blank of material so as to minimize the material waste associated with manufacturing such containers from blank configurations.

Container and method for packaging contoured articles


The invention relates to a composite structure (11) formed by a plurality of layers (13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23) including an optical fiber (25) for structural monitoring purposes which is at least partly embedded in said structure (11), incorporating a protective cover (27) in those areas of its embedded part susceptible to needing repair, and to a process for repairing said embedded optical fiber comprising the following steps: identifying the optical fiber area in need of repair, removing material until reaching the cover (27), extracting said area, removing the protective cover (27), repairing the optical fiber (25), relocating the repaired area in the structure and returning the removed material.

The intensive introduction of advanced composites in primary structures has become a fundamental process of structural optimization (based on weight savings and the improvement of mechanical properties), one of the top priorities in the design and manufacture of a new generation of aircrafts. The introduction of an effective structural monitoring system capable of predicting the failure of load paths in a structure designed according to damage tolerance criteria would allow optimizing its design and, accordingly, reducing its weight.
Optical fiber sensors can be effectively used to measure thermomechanical deformation and even to detect damage events operating both alone in passive structural monitoring systems and in combination with other devices, forming active monitoring systems. One of their main advantages is their capacity to be embedded in composite structures, being intimately integrated into the structures.
However, one of the drawbacks of this integration is the difficulty that the repair of these optical fiber lines has once they are embedded. Optical fiber has extremely small dimensions and is fragile in handling with the tools normally used in repairing composites, therefore the possibilities of accessing it once it is embedded are very slim. This is incompatible with the reparability requirements needed when the structural health and maintenance criteria are bound to the correct working of the network of sensors integrated in the structure.
The present invention is aimed at solving this drawback.

Composite structure with embedded optical fiber and a process for its repair


A surface acoustic wave device includes first and second surface acoustic wave resonator filters connected in parallel to each other. The first double-mode surface acoustic wave resonator filter has resonance frequencies f1L and f1H and the second double-mode surface acoustic wave resonator filter has resonance frequencies f2L and f2H, where f1H=f2L. A Q factor of a resonance mode of one of the first and the second double-mode surface acoustic wave resonator filter is less than that of the other surface acoustic wave resonator filter, or an energy transmittance of the reflectors in at least one of the first and the second surface acoustic wave resonator filters ranges from about 12% to about 28%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave device for use as, for example, a band pass filter and, more particularly, to a surface acoustic wave device having a first surface acoustic wave resonator filter connected in parallel to a second surface acoustic wave resonator filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of surface acoustic wave devices including a plurality of surface acoustic wave resonator filters that are connected in parallel to one another have been proposed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-334476 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a surface acoustic wave device including a plurality of IDT electrodes that are provided on a quartz substrate and a first surface acoustic wave resonator filter including the IDT electrodes that is connected in parallel to a second surface acoustic wave resonator filter also including the IDT electrodes. Herein, filter characteristics of the parallel-connected surface acoustic wave resonator filters are shifted towards each other to achieve a wide-band filter characteristic of a surface acoustic wave device.
FIG. 10 shows an example of a filter characteristic of such a known surface acoustic wave device.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-58585 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) discloses a surface acoustic wave device that is similar to the surface acoustic wave device disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, the relationship of filter characteristics of parallel-connected surface acoustic wave resonator filters disclosed in Patent Document 2 differs from that in Patent Document 1. That is, with reference to FIG. 11, a first characteristic and a second characteristic of the surface acoustic wave resonator filters are shown by dashed lines A and B, respectively. The overall filter characteristic of the surface acoustic wave device is shown by a solid line. As can be seen from the dashed lines A and B, each surface acoustic wave resonator has three different resonance points of a longitudinal mode. In the surface acoustic wave device in Patent Document 2, two resonance points on the high frequency side of one surface acoustic wave resonator filter are brought into coincidence with two resonance points on the low frequency side of the other surface acoustic wave resonator filter. Thus, the overall filter characteristic of the surface acoustic wave device is obtained.
To construct a longitudinally coupled surface acoustic wave resonator filter, a plurality of surface acoustic wave resonator filters are connected in parallel on a piezoelectric substrate, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, as is well known. Such a structure decreases an impedance of the surface acoustic wave filter. In addition, a wide-band filter characteristic is achieved by shifting the filter characteristics of the surface acoustic wave resonator filters towards each other, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.
Unfortunately, although a wide-band filter characteristic is achieved by shifting the filter characteristics of the first and second surface acoustic wave resonator filters towards each other, an undesired ripple is produced in the overall filter characteristic.
On the other hand, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, overlapping of a plurality of resonance points in the filter characteristics of the first and second surface acoustic wave resonator filters suppresses the undesired ripple. However, even in this design, a ripple occurs sometimes due to variations in manufacturing under some design conditions. That is, the ripple may occur if the overlapped resonance points are offset and a continuity of the phase is lost. In particular, in the case of a high Q factor of the resonance point, namely, in the case of a steep change in the phase, a slight offset of the overlapped resonance points significantly shifts the phase, thereby generating a ripple.


A primary database's log records are used to update a second database that has a different encoding scheme than the log record and the primary database. This encoding scheme, for example, may involve compression, encryption, or another data transformation. First, a stale encoded data record from the second database is identified. This data record is one whose counterpart in the primary database has been updated in the primary database and where update has been logged. The stale data record is modified to reflect its contents as encoded by the first encoding scheme rather than the second. Then, the logged change is applied to update the modified record. The updated record is then decoded and subsequently re-encoded according to the second encoding scheme. This record is then stored in the second database replacing the stale second data record.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the storage and maintenance of data in databases. More particularly, the invention concerns the use of a primary database's log records to update a secondary database that has a different encoding scheme than the primary database.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases & Log Records
Computers are especially useful to store, search, and analyze large amounts of data, too immense for hand recording. Computer databases typically store data using a nonvolatile storage device such as magnetic disk drive, magnetic tape, and/or various optical storage formats.
Adding data to a database is non-complicated, since the data can simply be appended to the database. However, it is more complicated to change data, insert data, or delete data. These functions are aided by using log records. One function of log records is to store "updates" to the database, where one or more data records are changed. Log records also store "insertions" to the database, where one or more data entries are inserted into the database. Likewise, log records store "deletions" to the database, where one or more data entries are deleted from the database. As an example, one well known logging technique is "write ahead logging".
Another beneficial component of most databases is a buffer, comprising a fast-access volatile memory that first receives any changes to the database. In some systems, such as DB2 databases, changes stored in the buffer are not brought to the log record until the user issues a "commit" instruction. At this point, the buffered database changes are stored in the log record and deleted from the buffer. Such a buffer may be known as a "log buffer".
Data Compression
In addition to log records, data compression is another feature that improves the efficiency of databases. Rather than simply storing data exactly as received from a user, data can be stored in a compressed format. Often, this compression is achieved by substituting shorter codes for lengthier data that frequently occur in the database. As a simple example, each occurrence of the address "1000 Maple Street" may be represented in the database by "*". The stored database is therefore considerably shorter, since each occurrence of "1000 Maple Street" is reduced to "*". Translations between expanded data and compressed codes are stored in a "compression/decompression dictionary".
Data compression is frequently applied to the database as well as its log records. The database and the similarly compressed log records are entirely compatible with each other, both exhibiting reduced storage space by virtue of their compression.
A number of situations can arise, however, where log records of one format must be applied to data compressed with a different format. One situation occurs when reorganizing data by creating a separate reorganized copy of the data, called a "shadow" copy. If the shadow copy is created with a different encoding scheme, compatibility problems arise when applying log records of the original copy to update the shadow copy. A similar compatibility problem occurs in systems that maintain synchronized data replicas having different encoding schemes. Still another example is the use of log records having one format to recover data from an image copy that was originally made when a different compression format was in effect.
As shown above, a number of compatibility issues result from copying, reorganizing, or otherwise modifying an original database while continuing to log changes to the original database. Many systems address this problem by simply taking the data off-line, modifying it as desired, rebuilding the compression/decompression dictionary, and then rewriting the data to storage. This is an extremely time consuming process, however, and many database management systems ("DBMSs") cannot tolerate such lengthy periods of data unavailability. For example, data must be available constantly in DBMSs such as ATMs, catalog sales, stock brokerage, businesses with data users spanning many time zones across the world, etc.
For these DBMSs, any database modification must be performed while the original data remains on-line, and changes are logged to the first database. These systems, then, are still perplexed when attempting to use the first database's log records to update the non-compatible second database.

Application of log records to data compressed with different encoding scheme

International Business Machines Corporation


A sheet registration mechanism for aligning a sheet moving along a substantially planar transport path relative to such transport path in a plurality of orthogonal directions (e.g., the cross-track and in-track directions and remove skew). The mechanism comprises a first roller assembly having a first urging roller mounted for rotation about an axis lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the transport path, and substantially perpendicular to the direction of sheet travel along the transport path. A second roller assembly has a second urging roller mounted for rotation about an axis lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the transport path, and substantially perpendicular to the direction of sheet travel along the transport path. A third roller assembly has a third urging roller mounted for rotation about an axis lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the transport path, and substantially perpendicular to the direction of sheet travel along the transport path. The third urging roller is also movable along its axis of rotation in a direction transverse to the transport path. A control, operatively associated respectively with the first, second and third roller assemblies, selectively controls rotation of the first and second urging rollers to align a moving sheet in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the transport path, and selectively controls rotation of the third urging roller and transverse movement of the third urging roller to respectively align such moving sheet in the direction of travel along the transport path and in the direction transverse to the transport path.

The present invention relates in general to a mechanism for registering sheets, for example transported seriatim along a travel path, and more particularly, to a sheet registration mechanism which aligns individual sheets in a plurality of orthogonal directions (e.g., cross-track, in-track, and skew directions relative to the sheet travel path).
In conventional reproduction apparatus, such as printers and copier/duplicators, for example, information is reproduced on receiver members. Typically, the receiver members are cut sheets of plain paper or transparency material. Such receiver member material is transported through the reproduction apparatus in association with various process elements of the reproduction apparatus to have an information reproduction formed thereon. It is important in forming the desired information reproduction that the association of the receiver member be accurately registered relative to the process elements to generate a reproduction which is acceptable to the user.
In recent advanced reproduction apparatus, a method of operation has been provided wherein multiple images can be sequentially placed on a single receiver member. For example, supplemental information can be added to base information to be copied. The supplemental information may be, for example, of a different color from the base information so that the supplemental information stands out on the reproduction. Alternatively, the supplemental information may be a highlight strip overlying the base information to accentuate a portion of the base information. In such instances of placing multiple sequential images on a receiver member, alignment of the receiver member as it travels on each pass through the reproduction apparatus is even more critical than it is when only one information image is to be placed on the receiver member.
In order to accomplish desired registration of the receiver member, the reproduction apparatus transport includes various mechanisms acting on the receiver member to align the member, moving along the transport path, in a plurality of orthogonal directions, at various points throughout the path. Such mechanisms may include, for example, friction roller assemblies or drive belts associated with guides and gates. While such arrangements are generally effective in aligning a transported receiver member, extreme care is required in handling the receiver member to prevent damage due to excessive forces moving the member into contact with the guides and gates. Additionally, to align the receiver member in the plurality of orthogonal directions (e.g., the cross-track and in-track directions and remove skew), a complex arrangement is required where the various alignment actions take place sequentially with the member being handed off from one alignment element to the next. This results in a relatively extensive assembly which requires considerable time to accomplish the entire alignment function.
Several recent arrangements have been disclosed which address the reduction of the overall assembly for aligning a transported member in several orthogonal directions (i.e., the cross-track, in-track, or skew directions). U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,084 (issued Jan. 17, 1989, in the names of Koike et al) shows a transport roller assembly which is mounted such that at a selected time such roller assembly is movable by a cam and follower mechanism in a lateral direction to provide cross-track alignment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,892 (issued Feb. 21, 1989, in the name of Calhoun) shows a sheet transport assembly where a roller assembly pair is axially movable to bring an in-track edge of a sheet to a predetermined position for cross-track alignment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,384 (issued Jan. 7, 1992, in the name of Moore) describes an arrangement where selectably controllable drive rolls cooperating with sheet skew and lead edge sensors drive and deskew sheets. None of the apparatus disclosed in these patents accomplishes alignment of a transported member in all of the orthogonal directions as defined above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,442 (issued Mar. 10, 1992, in the names of Kamprath et al) shows a registration apparatus having independent variable speed drive roller assemblies which are supported by an assembly movable transversely to the direction of sheet movement. While the apparatus of this patent can accomplish alignment of a transported member in the cross-track, in-track, and skew directions, it is of a complex nature requiring the entire apparatus to be moved in the transverse direction.