A watercraft mounted on submarine hulls is taught which is capable of moving faster than a displacement vessel of the same length, while consuming equal or less fuel than would such a displacement vessel. The watercraft also has improved safety and stability characteristics, including the capability of operation in a raft configuration as well as the capability of beaching or parking in shallow water such that wave action does not affect the cabin occupants.

Two main objectives for transportation of personnel or cargo on water can be distinguished: economical transportation (heretofore slow) and fast transportation (heretofore not economically efficient). The types of watercraft in use may be summarized as (1) displacement vessels, (2) planing hulls, (3) hydrofoils, (4) submarines, (5) non-ships like hovercrafts or other airborne configurations. Usually, the above-listed vessels are mono-hulls, although in principle they all could be used in a twin-hull or multi-hull configuration.
The achievable speed of a displacement vessel is limited to a Froude number of 1.3 (sometimes also called Taylor coefficient), a number which is proportional to the square root of the waterline length of a vessel. The physical reason for this limitation is that the displacement vessel creates a disturbance with its bow, which turns--as does any disturbance in water--into a wave. If the displacement vessel tries to go faster than the so created wave, it would have to climb over this wave. Any attempt to do so requires addition of more power. However, as additional power is applied, most of the power contributes to increasing the amplitude of the created wave. The ship therefore tries to climb over an ever-increasing mountain of its own making. The harder it climbs, the higher the mountain grows. Therefore, a displacement vessel cannot go faster than the velocity of the surface wave it creates.
To overcome this barrier the hull design has to be changed. The planing hull is one such design which is capable of going faster than the surface wave that it creates. The planing hull is more akin to an airplane than to a ship; the difference is that the weight of a displacement vessel is supported by the buoyancy (static) forces, while the weight of a planing hull vessel is supported by the induced lift (dynamic) forces. The consequence is that these induced forces cause extraordinary power (fuel) consumption. The planing hull is therefore inherently not suitable for fuel efficient transportation. Similar arguments are true for hydrofoils and hovercrafts.
The submarine is not limited in speed by the surface wave of the water, as long as the submarine is at least 3 hull diameters below the surface. There are of course frictional and other resistance forces impeding the movement of a submarine, however such forces act also on any other watercraft. Non-military transportation of personnel or cargo by submarines was proposed as early as 1914 and cargo submarines were indeed used during that era, yet this mode of transportation did not gain wide acceptance. The reason for this failure can be labeled the "Volume Problem" for the purposes of the present discussion. If one were to transport bulk cargo having a specific gravity larger than unity, an argument could indeed be made for the feasibility of a cargo submarine. However for personnel transportation, where there must be sufficient space for the occupants to move around, the Volume Problem exists. This means the void space provided for moving about will result in buoyancy that needs to be compensated for by ballast. For a submarine, which needs to be capable of surfacing, this ballast is usually water. Once inside the ballast tanks, this water is dead weight and needs to be transported as, in effect, useless cargo. Transportation of weight in any vehicle causes fuel consumption. Consequently, a vehicle transporting personnel underwater will consume more fuel underwater than a displacement vessel on top of the water carrying the same payload, provided the speed required is less than the maximum hull speed of the surface vessel.
Consequently, it is tempting to combine the advantages of the surface vessel with the advantages of the submarine, the main goal being to avoid the hull speed limitation of the surface vessel. Such proposals have been made in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,744, issued to Thomas G. Lang, is one example. Lang discloses two elongated hulls that are totally submerged and that support the ship above the water line. Ballasting chambers are disclosed as a part of these hulls; therefore this design suffers from the Volume Problem. Additionally, it does not eliminate the hull speed limitation. The reason that this is true is that for large ships the connection between the underwater hulls and the cargo hull have to be able to carry a substantial load. Long teaches that the buoyancy increases as the connections are further submerged. In this respect they act by displacement of water. These voluminous connections are also necessary to avoid the "Stability Problem." Therefore, these connections will have a substantial volume, which creates a surface wave, and this introduces a hull speed limitation. Ironically, the hull speed limitation caused by the connections is worse than the surface vessel would have since the waterline length of the connections (which determines the hull speed) is shorter than the waterline length the surface ship would have, and consequently the hull speed of the connection is slower than the hull speed of the surface ship. Also, these connections add additional weight and cost compared to a displacement vessel. The problem pointed out here is called, for the purposes of the present description, the "Connection Problem." This problem is inherent to the concept of underwater supporting hulls and therefore not restricted to the above cited patent.
There is still another problem inherent to the concept of combining the advantages of the surface vessel with the advantages of the submarine--the fact that the center of gravity is located above the center of buoyancy, which is an unstable configuration. As soon as they are no longer exactly vertically aligned, the center of gravity will move downward while the center of buoyancy will move upwards. The consequences will be that one of the submarine hulls will move to the surface, causing the surface platform to list. As the surface platform lists, the vessel's center of gravity moves from an original position which was between the two hulls toward a position above the submerged hull. Once the center of gravity passes the vertical above the submerged hull, buoyancy of the submerged hull will cause it to move upwards while the vessel's center of gravity will continue to move downward, thereby capsizing the vessel. For the purposes of the present description this problem is called the "Stability Problem."

Fuel-efficient watercraft with improved speed, stability, and safety characteristics


An antenna assembly is disclosed which can minimize interference of antennas for communication services. The antenna assembly is suitable to minimize side-lobes and back-lobes interfering with each other in antennas used in a repeater for communication services. The antenna assembly includes a reflector having a structure capable of minimizing radiation patterns having front-to-back ratio (FTBR) characteristics, namely, back-lobes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna assembly, and more particularly, to an antenna assembly capable of minimizing interference of antennas for communication services.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a repeater for mobile communication services includes a receiver antenna (donor antenna) and a transmitter antenna (coverage antenna).
Such an antenna includes a radiator and a reflector.
The radiator radiates or absorbs radio waves to/from subscriber's terminals in a communication service area.
The reflector is attached to a rear side of the radiator, to reflect the radio waves radiated from the radiator to the subscriber's terminals, or to reflect the radio waves absorbed by the subscriber's terminals.
Each antenna of a conventional repeater for mobile communication services which has the above-mentioned configuration, exhibits radiation patterns having front-to-back ratio (FTBR) characteristics and front-to-side ratio (FTSR) characteristics as shown in FIG. 1, due to scattering waves occurring at the edge of the reflector of the antenna. The radiation patterns having FTBR characteristics are back-lobes, whereas the radiation patterns having FTSR characteristics are side-lobes.
For this reason, the receiver antenna and transmitter antenna of the conventional repeater radiate a large amount of waves in lateral directions and in a back direction. As a result, signal interference occurs between the receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna.
In order to suppress such signal interference occurring between the receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna, a sufficient isolability must be secured between the two antennas. In order to secure a sufficient isolability, the receiver antenna and transmitter antenna in the above-mentioned conventional repeater for mobile communication services are arranged such that they are directed in opposite directions (180°-spaced directions). Also, a certain obstacle is placed between the receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna. Alternatively, the receiver antenna and transmitter antenna are spaced apart from each other by a sufficient distance. That is, the conventional repeater must be designed, taking into consideration the signal interference occurring between the receiver antenna and the transmitter antenna. For this reason, there is a difficulty in installing the antennas.


A lithographic printing plate precursor capable of forming an image upon irradiation with an infrared laser comprising a support, a first layer containing as the main component an alkali-soluble resin and a second layer containing as the main component an alkali-soluble resin that is different from the alkali-soluble resin contained as the main component in the first layer in this order, and at least one of the first layer and the second layer contains a mixture comprising at least two kinds of infrared absorbing agents.

The progress of lasers in recent years has been remarkable and a high output and compact solid laser or semiconductor laser having a light emission region in the range from near infrared to infrared becomes easily available. These lasers are very useful as a light source for exposure in conducting the direct plate-making from digital data of a computer or the like.
A positive-working recording layer (hereinafter referred to as an image-forming layer) contains a binder resin soluble in an aqueous alkali solution and a dissolution inhibiting agent, which substantially decreases a solubility of the binder resin upon the interaction with the binder resin. Among them, the image-forming layer using an infrared laser for exposure preferably contains an infrared absorbing agent, for example, an infrared absorbing dye, which absorbs light and generates heat, in addition to the binder resin and the dissolution inhibiting agent.
Of the infrared absorbing agents, a cyanine dye is particularly preferably used as the infrared absorbing agent for the image-forming layer responding to an infrared laser, because it has also a function of the dissolution inhibiting agent.
However, in such a positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor for an infrared laser, there is a problem in that the difference between the dissolution resistance of the unexposed areas (image areas) to a developer and the solubility of the exposed areas (non-image areas) is yet insufficient under various using conditions, and an excessive development or an inferior development is liable to occur by the fluctuation of the using conditions.
Further, although an energy sufficient for an image-forming reaction can be obtained on the surface of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate precursor irradiated with a laser, diffusion of heat occurs. Particularly, in case of using a conventional aluminum support, there is a problem in that since the aluminum support has a good hest conductivity, the diffusion of heat to the support is severe and the energy cannot be sufficiently utilized for the image formation, resulting in low sensitivity.
In order to resolve such a problem, a method of providing an undercoat layer excellent in alkali solubility between the support and the image-forming layer has been proposed. In accordance with the method, after the imagewise exposure the undercoat layer excellent in alkali solubility is revealed in the exposed region by removal of the image-forming layer and an effect of smooth removal of an undesirable remaining film or the like with an alkali developer and an effect of efficiently restraining the diffusion of heat to the support due to the function of the undercoat layer as a heat insulating layer are achieved. As an image-forming material having a multi-layer structure, there is described a photosensitive image-forming material for an infrared laser comprising an upper layer having incorporated therein a conventional cyanine dye (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1).
However, from the standpoints of achieving high sensitivity regardless of variation on the light source of an exposure apparatus used for the image formation, obtaining a large allowance to fluctuation of concentration in the alkali developer (development latitude), and increasing storage stability of preventing, for example, the occurrence of aggregation of the infrared absorbing dye with the lapse of time, further improvements have been desired under the present situation.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-218914 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application")


A system uses video of a vehicle or other object to detect and classify an active turn sign on the object. The system generates an image stack by scaling and shifting a set of digital image frames from the video to a fixed scale, yielding a sequence of images over a time period. The system processes the image stack with a classifier to determine a pose of the object, as well as the state and class of each visible turn signals on the object. When the system determines that a turn signal is active, the system will predict an action that the object will take based on the class of that signal.

Perception systems such as those used in autonomous vehicles seek to capture information about other objects in an environment. When the object is another vehicle, in order to predict what action the vehicle is likely to take it is important that the perception system be able to identify an active turn signal on the vehicle. Similarly, a bicyclist's hand signal may indicate a direction that the bicycle will likely turn. Other objects may exhibit similar signals indicating intended movement.
Detection of turn signals on vehicles and other objects poses several challenges. For example, with respect to vehicles, one challenge is that the position of the turn signal may vary from vehicle to vehicle. For example, lateral (side of vehicle) indicators are not required in the United States and many other countries, but in fact many vehicles do have side-mirror-mounted turn signals. Another challenge is that many countries require amber-colored signals in the front and back of the vehicle, but amber-colored signals can often appear to cameras as white. Further, turn signal lights may be relatively small, and they often blink at frequencies that are difficult for video cameras to detect.
This document describes methods and systems that are directed to addressing the problems described above, and/or other issues.

Using captured video data to identify active turn signals on a vehicle


Systems and methods for quickly and easily getting information about, or included in, a paper document into a public or private digital page. One embodiment of an example system includes a scanner that generates scan information from at least a portion of a paper document and a processing system that receives the generated scan information from the scanner, accesses a database of digital documents, searches the database based on the received scan information, locates a digital document corresponding to the paper document, and sends either the digital content or a hyperlink to the digital content to a predetermined web page.

The use of printed books and documents (hereafter referred to as simply "documents") has been commonplace for many hundreds of years. Over the centuries, various tools and strategies have evolved to try to make more effective use of printed documents. These range from handwritten (or typed) notes on the contents of documents (either on the document itself or in a separate but related document), to highlighting passages in a document deemed to be of greater significance, to manually copying passages from a document (or using a scanning copier, despite the fact that copyrights are often so infringed), to the simple act of including a printed index at the end of a document to facilitate locating information on a specific topic. Many new tools and strategies are needed now that a document can be accessed in an electronic, searchable format such as a file on a local computer or a web page that can be accessed with a browser.
The relatively recent innovation of providing a searchable electronic copy of a document that can be accessed using a standard personal computer is quite powerful in increasing the ease with which the desired contents can be accessed and utilized. When a traditional index is provided in such a context, once an entry is found, a single click of the mouse can take the user directly to the desired entry in the electronic text. Once a relevant entry has been found, its location can be retained as a "bookmark" and filed according to the user's choice, making future access to the location in the electronic document quick and easy.
It is a problem that these very useful tools for working with electronic documents cannot be used with the vast existing reserve of printed books and documents. Even though there are tremendous advantages that accrue with access to an electronic version of a document, these are obviously only available when such an electronic version is available (and a computer is available to access the electronic document). Even in those instances where such an electronic version is available, this still does nothing to enhance the actual use of the paper document itself. Furthermore, when newer revisions and updated versions of either the paper or the electronic version of a document become available, the owner of a previous version generally has little recourse but to go and purchase a new, updated copy of the material.
As is well known in the art, by using traditional methods for document processing (such as, for example, a flatbed scanner combined with appropriate computer software for optical character recognition), a user can create an electronic version of a paper document. However, in addition to the fact that such a task is laborious, time-consuming, and generally error-prone, it usually involves infringement of the copyright held by the author of the textbook in question. Further, even when an electronic version of a document is thus created, it is still subject to the limitations mentioned above—a computer is required to make any use of the additional features offered, and no additional utility is provided for the paper document itself. Despite the prevalence of computers, and despite the advantages conveyed by searchable electronic versions of documents, the continued widespread preference for creating and using paper documents is a clear indication of how attractive they remain to the average user. The portability, convenience, ease of viewing, and even the "feel" of paper documents clearly retain a powerful appeal to most individuals.
Therefore, there exists a need to allow users to easily navigate between printed and electronic versions of documents. There also exists a need to allow users to easily access electronic document versions or links of a paper document or article.


The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.

Advances in cell-replacement therapy for Type I diabetes mellitus and a shortage of transplantable islets of Langerhans have focused interest on developing sources of insulin-producing cells, or β cells, appropriate for engraftment. One approach is the generation of functional β cells from pluripotent stem cells, such as, for example, embryonic stem cells.
In vertebrate embryonic development, a pluripotent cell gives rise to a group of cells comprising three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) in a process known as gastrulation. Tissues such as, for example, thyroid, thymus, pancreas, gut, and liver, will develop from the endoderm, via an intermediate stage. The intermediate stage in this process is the formation of definitive endoderm. Definitive endoderm cells express a number of markers, such as, HNF-3 beta, GATA4, MIXL1 CXCR4 and SOX17.
Formation of the pancreas arises from the differentiation of definitive endoderm into pancreatic endoderm. Cells of the pancreatic endoderm express the pancreatic-duodenal homeobox gene, PDX1. In the absence of PDX1, the pancreas fails to develop beyond the formation of ventral and dorsal buds. Thus, PDX1 expression marks a critical step in pancreatic organogenesis. The mature pancreas contains, among other cell types, exocrine tissue and endocrine tissue. Exocrine and endocrine tissues arise from the differentiation of pancreatic endoderm.
Cells bearing the features of islet cells have reportedly been derived from embryonic cells of the mouse. For example, Lumelsky et al. (Science 292:1389, 2001; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) report differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to insulin-secreting structures similar to pancreatic islets. Soria et al. (Diabetes 49:157, 2000; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) report that insulin-secreting cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells normalize glycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.
In one example, Hori et al. (PNAS 99: 16105, 2002; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) disclose that treatment of mouse embryonic stem cells with inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (LY294002) produced cells that resembled (3 cells.
In another example, Blyszczuk et al. (PNAS 100:998, 2003; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) reports the generation of insulin-producing cells from mouse embryonic stem cells constitutively expressing Pax4.
Micallef et al. reports that retinoic acid can regulate the commitment of embryonic stem cells to form Pdx1 positive pancreatic endoderm. Retinoic acid is most effective at inducing Pdx1 expression when added to cultures at day 4 of embryonic stem cell differentiation during a period corresponding to the end of gastrulation in the embryo (Diabetes 54:301, 2005; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Miyazaki et al. reports a mouse embryonic stem cell line over-expressing Pdx1. Their results show that exogenous Pdx1 expression clearly enhanced the expression of insulin, somatostatin, glucokinase, neurogenin3, P48, Pax6, and HNF6 genes in the resulting differentiated cells (Diabetes 53: 1030, 2004; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Skoudy et al. reports that activin A (a member of the TGF-β superfamily) upregulates the expression of exocrine pancreatic genes (p48 and amylase) and endocrine genes (Pdx1, insulin, and glucagon) in mouse embryonic stem cells. The maximal effect was observed using 1 nM activin A. They also observed that the expression level of insulin and Pdx1 mRNA was not affected by retinoic acid; however, 3 nM FGF7 treatment resulted in an increased level of the transcript for Pdx1 (Biochem. J. 379: 749, 2004; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Shiraki et al. studied the effects of growth factors that specifically enhance differentiation of embryonic stem cells into Pdx1 positive cells. They observed that TGF-β2 reproducibly yielded a higher proportion of Pdx1 positive cells (Genes Cells. 2005 June; 10(6): 503-16; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Gordon et al. demonstrated the induction of brachyury+/HNF-3beta+ endoderm cells from mouse embryonic stem cells in the absence of serum and in the presence of activin along with an inhibitor of Wnt signaling (US 2006/0003446A1; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Gordon et al. (PNAS, Vol 103, page 16806, 2006; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) states "Wnt and TGF-beta/nodal/activin signaling simultaneously were required for the generation of the anterior primitive streak".
However, the mouse model of embryonic stem cell development may not exactly mimic the developmental program in higher mammals, such as, for example, humans.
Thomson et al. isolated embryonic stem cells from human blastocysts (Science 282:114, 1998; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Concurrently, Gearhart and coworkers derived human embryonic germ (hEG) cell lines from fetal gonadal tissue (Shamblott et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:13726, 1998; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Unlike mouse embryonic stem cells, which can be prevented from differentiating simply by culturing with Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF), human embryonic stem cells must be maintained under very special conditions (U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,806; WO 99/20741; WO 01/51616; incorporated herein by reference in their entirety).
D'Amour et al., describes the production of enriched cultures of human embryonic stem cell-derived definitive endoderm in the presence of a high concentration of activin and low serum (Nature Biotechnology 2005; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Transplanting these cells under the kidney capsule of mice resulted in differentiation into more mature cells with characteristics of some endodermal organs. Human embryonic stem cell-derived definitive endoderm cells can be further differentiated into Pdx1 positive cells after addition of FGF-10 (US 2005/0266554A1; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
D'Amour et al. (Nature Biotechnology—24, 1392-1401 (2006); incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) states: "We have developed a differentiation process that converts human embryonic stem (hES) cells to endocrine cells capable of synthesizing the pancreatic hormones insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide and ghrelin. This process mimics in vivo pancreatic organogenesis by directing cells through stages resembling definitive endoderm, gut-tube endoderm, pancreatic endoderm and endocrine precursor en route to cells that express endocrine hormones".
In another example, Fisk et al. reports a system for producing pancreatic islet cells from human embryonic stem cells (US2006/0040387A1; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). In this case, the differentiation pathway was divided into three stages. Human embryonic stem cells were first differentiated to endoderm using a combination of sodium butyrate and activin A. The cells were then cultured with TGF-β antagonists such as Noggin in combination with EGF or betacellulin to generate Pdx1 positive cells. The terminal differentiation was induced by nicotinamide.
In one example, Benvenistry et al. states: "We conclude that over-expression of Pdx1 enhanced expression of pancreatic enriched genes, induction of insulin expression may require additional signals that are only present in vivo" (Benvenistry et al, Stem Cells 2006; 24:1923-1930; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Cyclins have been implicated in beta cell function. For example, Lilja et al report that Cdk5 is present in the insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cell (J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 276, Issue 36, 34199-34205, Sep. 7, 2001; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Lilja et al states "Cdk5 is present in β-cells and acts as a positive regulator of insulin exocytosis."
In another example, Marzo et al states "Cdk4 knockin mice have significantly increased beta cell mass and are physiologically functional, indicating that Cdk4 is a potential target for pancreatic beta cell mass regeneration in Type 1 diabetes" (Diabetalogia, Vol. 47, Number 4, 686-694, Apr. 1, 2004; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
In another example, Ubeda et al report that inhibition of cyclin-dependant kinase 5 activity protects pancreatic beta cells from glucotoxicity (J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 281, Issue 39, 28858-28864, Sep. 29, 2006; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
In another example, Wei et al report Cdk5-dependent regulation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (Nature Medicine 11, 1104-1108 (1 Oct. 2005); incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
In another example, Vanderford et al state "MafA is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor expressed within the beta cells of the pancreas and is required to maintain normal glucose homeostasis as it is involved in various aspects of beta cell biology. MafA protein levels are known to increase in response to high glucose through mechanisms that have yet to be fully characterized. We investigated whether discrete intracellular signaling events control mafA expression. We found that the general kinase inhibitor staurosporine induces mafA expression without altering the stability of the protein. Inhibition of the MAP-kinase JNK mimics the effects of staurosporine on the expression of mafA. Calmodulin kinase and calcium signaling are also important in stimulating mafA expression by high glucose. However, staurosporine, JNK, and calmodulin kinase have different effects on the induction of insulin expression. These data reveal that MafA levels are tightly controlled by the coordinated action of multiple kinase pathways." (Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (2008), doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2008.10.001; incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Therefore, there still remains a significant need to develop methods for differentiating pluripotent stem cells into pancreatic endocrine cells, pancreatic hormone expressing cells, or pancreatic hormone secreting cells. The present invention provides methods to increase the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage.

Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells


Methods and compositions are described for treating water- and hydrocarbon-producing subterranean formations with a relative permeability modifier at concentrations below those conventionally used in the art, while not substantially impacting the treatment fluid's performance. Treatment fluids described herein comprise a base fluid, a relative permeability modifier comprising a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic polymer, and a companion polymer interacting synergistically with the relative permeability modifier such that the treatment fluid is operable to reduce the water permeability or to increase an aqueous fluid injection pressure of at least a portion of a subterranean formation by more than the relative permeability modifier or the companion polymer acting alone at like concentration. The water permeability reduction and/or the aqueous fluid injection pressure increase can be more than additive. Methods described herein comprise placing such treatment fluids in at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating at least a portion of a water- and hydrocarbon-producing subterranean formation with a relative permeability modifier, and, more specifically, to improved treatment fluids and methods for use thereof in which concentrations of the relative permeability modifier are appreciably below those conventionally used in the art, while not substantially impacting the treatment fluid's effectiveness to reduce the water permeability or to increase an aqueous fluid injection pressure of the treated portion of the subterranean formation.
The unwanted production of water from hydrocarbon-producing wells constitutes a considerable technical problem and expense in oilfield operations. When a subterranean formation contains water in significant amounts, water's higher mobility often allows it to flow to a well bore penetrating the formation by way of natural and manmade fractures and high permeability zones. If the ratio of recovered water to recovered hydrocarbons becomes sufficiently large, the cost of separating the water from the hydrocarbons and disposing of it can become a barrier to continued production. This can lead to abandonment of a well penetrating a subterranean formation, even when significant amounts of hydrocarbons remain therein.
In order to reduce the undesired production of water from hydrocarbon-producing subterranean formations, aqueous-soluble polymer systems containing crosslinking agents have been utilized in the art to enter water-containing zones of the formation and block the flow of water therefrom. Selective placement of these crosslinked polymers in a subterranean formation and stability therein represent significant technical challenges that have somewhat limited their use. A more recent strategy to reduce water production from a subterranean formation has been to utilize agents known as relative permeability modifiers. Such relative permeability modifiers are capable of significantly reducing the flow of water from a subterranean formation while having a minimal effect on the flow of hydrocarbons. The use of relative permeability modifiers does not necessitate the use of zonal isolation techniques that are often employed with crosslinked polymers.
Relative permeability modifiers can also be used to pre-treat a subterranean formation and divert the flow of a subsequently added aqueous treatment fluid therein. Diversion of the treatment fluid flow in such cases is primarily accomplished by increasing the injection pressure of the treatment fluid. Unless diverted, the injected aqueous treatment fluid often takes the path of least resistance through the subterranean formation by flowing through high permeability pathways from the injector and can bypass the desired treatment zones. In applications such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, aqueous fluid chemical flooding techniques are frequently used. Unless the chemical flood is diverted to a desired subterranean zone, lower than expected oil production will be realized. Similar effects can be observed when aqueous treatment fluids (e.g., acidizing fluids, scale removal fluids, and the like) are used in treating subterranean formations having significant water permeability.
From an economic standpoint alone, it would be desirable to decrease the volume of treatment fluid being placed in a subterranean formation and/or to reduce the amount of relative permeability modifier being used in a treatment fluid, while not substantially impacting the treatment fluid's downhole performance for controlling water flow or increasing the aqueous fluid injection pressure of subsequently added treatment fluids.

Treatment fluids containing a relative permeability modifier and a companion polymer interacting synergistically therewith and methods for use thereof


A hair care composition suitable for use as a shampoo comprises;. (a) at least one surfactant; PA1 (b) at least one water-insoluble end-functionalized quaternary silicone polymer capable of dissolving in said at least one surfactant; and PA1 (c) a cationic deposition polymer.

Conventional silicone-containing hair care compositions, e.g. conditioning shampoos, frequently give rise to static build-up on hair which results in the problem known as `fly-away`; that is, hair which looks fluffy and resists combing control.
Typically, such silicone-containing hair care compositions of the prior art are opaque systems and it is known that such silicone-containing opaque systems give rise to flyaway or loss of combing control of hair.
GB-A-2161172 for example describes a shampoo system comprising a quaternised polymer and organofunctional silicone. However the silicones disclosed for use in that system are water-soluble "comb" polymers and give rise to hair care compositions which are opaque or cloudy in appearance. A "comb" polymer, for the purposes of the description, is a long chain silicone polymer wherein functional groups are found scattered at various points, often randomly, along the length of the chain. Furthermore, such water-soluble silicone comb polymers have limited conditioning and non-flyaway efficacy, since their water-solubility leads to poor deposition from aqueous based shampoo compositions.
Similar disadvantages are encountered with other water-soluble silicone comb polymers also known in the art, for example the quaternary silicone polymers that are disclosed in GB-A-2157168 and GB-A-2144329.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.


A prosthesis for implantation in an animal or human subject, said prosthesis comprising a first component for attaching to a radius bone in use and a s second component for attaching to an ulna bone in use, the prosthesis further comprising a linkage for linking the first and second components substantially rigidly with respect to one another in use. Preferably the prosthesis is configured to allow the linkage to move relative to the first and/or second components and be retained substantially rigidly at a selected position in normal use, such that the first and second components can be retained substantially rigidly relative to one another in normal use.

The problem of bone tumours in the human population has been well known for many years and a number of treatment options are available for dealing with this problem in humans, including limb salvage surgery, sometimes involving implantation of bone replacement implants. Bone cancers are common in dogs, often occurring at the distal part of the radius. However, although bone tumours such as osteosarcomas have been known about in the animal kingdom for many years, to date there is very little option except for amputation of the limb containing the bone tumour or euthanasia. Bone replacement implants that have been used in humans are not considered suitable for use in animals as animal joint loading patterns are different. For example, implants that are used in human upper limbs are not suitable for the forelimb of a dog, as the forelimbs are weight bearing. Furthermore, there can be little or no feedback from the animal subject.
There is a need for a cost effective treatment system for treating animals with bone tumours, in particular distal radial disease, and in particular distal radial disease in canines.


A spectrum channel sharing system may coordinate a shared usage of one or more spectrum channels between a first communication system and a second communication system. The first communication system may transmit a request to the second communication system to clear communication traffic associated with the second communication system from a spectrum channel. The first communication system may then initiate a communication session on the spectrum channel after the communication traffic associated with the second communication system has been at least partially cleared from the spectrum channel.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to communication systems and, more particularly, to sharing spectrum channels.
2. Related Art
In communication systems, spectrum assignments are typically static with only a single user, technology, system, or service being licensed to exclusively use a spectrum channel in a specific geographic area. For example, a television channel may be assigned to a broadcaster exclusively for its broadcast services and no other service may use that channel in the broadcaster's assigned area. This static model is adequate when there are more available channels than different users desiring channel assignments. However, as the number of spectrum users has grown over the years, there are often more users now than available unique spectrum assignments, thus creating a spectrum shortage.
In some scenarios, the user assigned to a spectrum channel may not utilize the channel in every location or at all times throughout the day or night. During the idle times, or beyond the user's application service range, the assigned spectrum channel goes unused. Thus, the use of these static channel assignments may result in at least a portion of the available spectrum being idle at various times or in various areas. These idle spectrum situations lower the overall level of spectrum utilization.


A non-impact dot printer such as an LED printer, records grey levels of each dot by pulse width modulating the exposure on-time for each LED. The on-time of each LED for each exposure is controlled by comparing a count, representing an exposure time, with a second time changing count. The time changing count changes in accordance with clock periods of varying periodicity that are determined in accordance with human perception response criteria. This allows for the need for fewer data bits to define grey scale and exposure correction information reducing the number of data lines otherwise required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-impact dot printer for printing halftone or continuous tone information and the like with small pixels (dots).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various non-impact recording or printer heads for use as dot printers are known. Examples of such heads include an electrostatic printer head, an LED (light emitting diode) array printer head, ink-jet printer head, thermal printer head, etc. While the invention will find utility with regard to non-impact printers in general, discussion will be made herein with regard to LED printer heads with which the invention is particularly suited.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,010 an LED printer is described in which a series of LED's arranged in a straight line are selectively activatable for brief periods to form dot-like images on a recording surface. One feature of this printer is that the signal pulses to all the selected LED's causing same to be activated during any one PEL period (picture element period or dot line period) are symmetrical about a center line. The term used to describe this arrangement of signals is "center pulse width modulated." The reasons for arranging such signals in this manner are described in the patent. In one embodiment of a printer head described in this patent, grey scale recording is achieved by having a digital comparator associated with each LED. At one input to the comparator, there is provided the data in the form of a plurality of digital data bits representing an exposure on-time for that LED for that PEL period. At a second input to the comparator, an input from an up/down counter is provided that is rapidly changing in accordance with signals emitted from a high speed clock. As the counter output value decreases towards zero at some point in time a match is sensed by the comparator between the two inputs of the comparator (in accordance with its operating criterion). The LED then turns on and remains on for a very brief duration until a subsequent sensing of a match by the comparator occurs during a count-up phase of the counter. The above patent notes that the data may be adjusted to provide also for exposure balancing of the LED's. This is desirable where non-uniformity in illumination from LED to LED on the printer head may be expected. While the patent notes that a programmable clock may be employed to adjust the time period for each clock pulse, the clock periods will nevertheless be uniform after any such adjustment.
A problem with the above is that it does not efficiently cover as much exposure space as might be desirable for grey level recording. Assuming one employs six data bits to define each pixel, 63 levels of grey may be recorded (not including white, i.e., no activation.). However, these 63 levels must be recordable within a time period comprised of at most 126 uniform clock periods plus a minimum established time, T.sub.MIN. Where the clock periods are of relatively short duration, the 63 levels of grey may not provide the desirable range of grey levels. On the other hand, where the clock periods are of relatively longer duration, adequate extremes of grey may be recorded but fine differences in grey level recording particularly desired at relatively lower grey values will be lost.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to overcome the deficiencies described in the prior art.

Dot printer and method for grey level recording and circuit for use in same


A method of encapsulating a device is disclosed. Spacer particles are randomly located in a device region to prevent a cap mounted on the substrate from contacting the active components when pressure is applied to the cap, thereby protecting the active components from damage. The spacer particles comprise a base and an upper portion, the base being at least equal to or wider than the upper portion.

FIG. 1 shows an OLED device 100. The OLED device comprises a substrate 101, and one or more organic functional layers 102 formed between first and second electrodes 104 and 106. The electrodes can be patterned to form, for example, a plurality of OLED cells to create a pixelated OLED device. OLED cells are located in the device region where the cathodes and anodes overlap. Bond pads 110, which are coupled to the first and second electrodes, are provided to enable electrical connections to the OLED cells.
To protect the OLED cells from components of the environment such as moisture and/or air, a cap 112 encapsulates the device. The active materials of the OLED cells are sensitive and can be easily damaged due to mechanical contact with, for example, the cap. To prevent damage to the OLED cells, a cap or package is used. The package provides a cavity 114 between the cap and OLED cells. The cavity allows for the placement of desiccant materials to cope with finite leakage rate of the device.
The demand for thin and flexible devices requires the use of thinner components, such as the cap and the substrate. Decreasing the thickness of the cap reduces its mechanical stability, making it more prone to bending, which can cause the cavity to collapse, thereby damaging the OLED cells. Spacer particles 116 are provided in the device region to prevent the cap from contacting the active components, thereby protecting them from damage.
However, the spherical shape of spacer particles exposes the edges of the electrode layer 106 in regions such as region 118, to react with atmospheric components such as moisture and gases (e.g., oxygen). The penetration of atmospheric components into the interior of the OLED may result in the formation of impurities at the electrode-organic material interface. These impurities may cause separation of the electrode from the organic layer. Dark, non-emitting spots may appear at the areas of separation around the spacer particles due to the lack of current flow.
As evidenced from the foregoing discussion, it is therefore desirable to provide an OLED device having improved packaging, particularly those formed on thin or flexible substrates.

Encapsulation of electroluminescent devices with shaped spacers

Agency for Science, Technology and Research


Provided is a plated steel material which can be used for an automobile, a household appliance, a building material, and the like and, more particularly, to a zinc alloy plated steel material having excellent corrosion resistance after being processed and a method for manufacturing the same.

A zinc plating method for inhibiting corrosion of iron by cathodic protection has been widely used in manufacturing a steel material having high corrosion resistance, due to having excellent protection performance and economical efficiency. In particular, a hot-dip galvanized steel material forming a plated layer by immersing a steel material into molten zinc is involved with a relatively simple manufacturing process and relatively low product costs, compared to an electrogalvanized steel material, and thus, a demand for the hot-dip galvanized steel material in an automobile, a household appliance, a building material, and the like, is increasing.
The hot-dip galvanized steel material may have characteristics of sacrificial corrosion protection, in which zinc having relatively low oxidation-reduction potential is corroded before iron is corroded such that corrosion of the steel material is inhibited when exposed to a corrosive environment. In addition, corrosion resistance of the steel material may be improved by forming a dense corrosion product on a surface of the steel material to block the steel material from an oxidizing environment as the zinc of a plated layer is oxidized.
However, due to air pollution and deterioration of a corrosive environment increased due to advancement of the industry and strict regulations on resource and energy saving, there is an increasing need for developing a steel material having better corrosion resistance, compared to the conventional galvanized steel. As a part of the above, various studies have been conducted into a technology of manufacturing a zinc alloy-based plated steel material to improve the corrosion resistance of the steel material by adding elements such as aluminum (Al) and magnesium (Mg) to a zinc plating bath. As a representative zinc alloy-based plated steel material, studies have been actively conducted into a technology of manufacturing a Zn—Al—Mg-based plated steel material in which Mg is additionally added to a Zn—Al plating composition system (Patent Document 1).
Meanwhile, when cracking occurs in a plated layer when a galvanized steel material is processing-molded, the plated layer deteriorates the corrosion inhibiting effect and facilitates the sacrificial protection of the plated layer of the area in which the cracking has occurred, thereby reducing corrosion resistance. Accordingly, there is increasing demand for resolutions for reducing the deterioration of the corrosion resistance after processing.
(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-332555

Zinc alloy plated steel material having excellent corrosion resistance after being processed


An integrated circuit thermal conduction module comprises a substrate having a chip-carrying surface and at least one integrated circuit chip on the substrate. A deformable, liquid-impermeable, thermally conductive film or foil extends over an upper surface of the chip. A piston has a lower surface which urges and conforms the film against the chip upper surface and which contains at least one open channel permitting coolant passage and contact with the film for conveying heat from the chip without direct contact between the coolant and chip. Preferably, the piston has a central passageway extending along the longitudinal axis for channeling the coolant through the piston, and has a plurality of channels extending radially outwardly from the central passageway along the lower face for directing coolant beneath the piston.

This invention relates to an apparatus for cooling integrated circuit chips and, in particular, to a circuit module which utilizes a liquid cooled film to extract heat from the upper surfaces of the chips.
The use of integrated circuit chips has increased dramatically over the years. Although chip size has decreased and power usage is more efficient than in the past, the practice of mounting multiple, closely spaced chips in modules has required that more emphasis be placed on cooling systems to remove the relatively high density power dissipated by the chips. Liquid coolants are commonly employed in high density applications. One problem associated with cooling integrated circuit chips mounted on a substrate is that some of the chips may be tilted or bent and otherwise may have height variations between chips. It is desirable that any cooling system accommodate slightly different chips orientations while providing approximately equal cooling to each chip site.
The prior art has suggested various systems for cooling high powered integrated circuit chips, including those in which multiple chips are arrayed in modules. Previous thermal conductive modules (TCMs) have utilized pistons contained in water cooled housings which contact the chip. Some systems have incorporated water cooled bellows to cool the chip. Such systems are exemplified by IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 11, pp 4759-4761 (April 1986). Another chip cooling arrangement is suggested in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 27, No. 1B, pp. 494-495 (June 1984) in which a copper structure having an internal radial water cooling pattern is conformally interfaced using a layer of a metal alloy with a single semi-conductor chip.
Other systems for cooling high powered chips utilize a cooled foil to cover a plurality of chips. One of such systems, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,032, uses a piston to hold the foil against each chip and a liquid coolant which flows around the piston to remove heat conducted through the foil. Another system which utilizes a heat conductive foil over the integrated circuit chips is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,146. IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 29, No. 7, p. 2887 (December 1986) discloses yet another system which utilizes a metal heat sink carried on a flexible seal for each chip which is spring loaded downwardly against the chip. The upper surface of the heat sink carries fins and is cooled by a jet of coolant.
In a system disclosed in a recent patent issued to the assignee of this application, Chrysler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,207, the coolant is carried to each chip through the central bore of a piston which is space away from the chip by a spacer having radial vanes. However, this system uses a dielectric coolant which contacts the chips directly and is not suitable with aqueous coolants because of problems of corrosion and short circuiting of the chips.
Although these systems are suitable in many ways, many require their components to be made to high mechanical tolerances and, consequently, are relatively expensive. This is especially true of those systems employing pistons in thermal conduction modules which form part of the path for heat transfer. Furthermore, the power density of multiple chip modules is expected to increase dramatically, particularly as systems approach very large scale integration (VLSI) densities in bipolar technology. This will require even higher thermal conductance between the chip and the coolant, which prior systems may not be able to accommodate. The use of water based coolants is desirable in this regard. Furthermore, it is necessary that the cooling system be reliable, relatively low in cost to manufacture, and easily replaceable in the field.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies in the prior art, and the requirements of new integrated chip technology, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high performance cooling system for integrated circuit chips.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an integrated circuit chip cooling system which utilizes components made to relatively low mechanical tolerances.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an integrated circuit chip cooling system which utilizes a water base coolant which does not contact the chips themselves to protect them from corrosion and other problems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cooling system for integrated circuit chips which are tilted, bent, or have chip-to-chip height variations without stressing the connection between the chip and the chip substrate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multiple chip cooling system in which equal cooling is provided at each chip site.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an integrated circuit chip cooling system which provides a high conductance thermal path between the chip and the coolant.

Apparatus for indirect impingement cooling of integrated circuit chips

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed herein is a Radio Frequency (RF) modulator. The RF modulator includes a Chrominance-to-Luminance (C/L) delay compensation unit for receiving a video signal and compensating for a time delay between the chrominance and luminance signals of the video signal, and a modulation unit for receiving the video signal, which is compensated for by the C/L delay compensation unit, and an audio signal and converting the video and audio signal into a preset frequency-band RE signal. The C/L delay compensation unit and the modulation unit are packaged in a single package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a radio frequency modulator that is provided in a set-top box for receiving satellite broadcast signals or in a cable broadcasting receiver and, more particularly, to a radio frequency modulator, which can not only overcome the problem of the degradation of image quality by compensating for a chrominance-to-luminance delay, but also enable different channels to be recorded and watched at the same time and a stereo broadcast to be listened to.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a Radio Frequency (RF) modulator is a device that is provided in a satellite broadcasting receiver (set-top box) or cable broadcasting receiver based on broadcasting methods different from a sky wave broadcasting method. The RF modulator functions to convert received satellite or cable broadcast signals into the channel signals of sky wave broadcasting so that a satellite or cable broadcast can be received by a television.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual view of a typical RF modulator 13. The RF modulator 13 is implemented using a single independent semiconductor package. The RF modulator 13 functions to receive a video signal (VIDEO in) and an audio signal (AUDIO in) that are received by a corresponding receiver and converted into base-band signals, to add the signals, to receive power (MOD B+) and control signals (SCL and SDA), and to output an RF signal in a preset sky wave broadcasting channel band (e.g., channel 3 or 4 band). The channel band of the RF output signal is set by each individual country. The RF modulator 13 is connected to a first switching means 11 that is placed between an RF input terminal (RF input) and an RF output terminal (RF output) and is switched on/off by the control signal (SDA), and a second switching means 12 that is placed between the output terminal of the RF modulator 13 and the RF output terminal (RF output) and is switched on/off by the control signal (SDA).
In the above-described structure, when the operating power (MOD B+) is on, one of an RF signal either received by an antenna and an RF modulated signal obtained by the RF modulator 13 can be selected and output using the control signal (SDA) In contrast, when the operating power (MOD B+) of the RF modulator 13 is off, the first switching means 11 is turned on, and, therefore, the RF signal received by an antenna is output to the output terminal (RF output).
The RF modulator 13 is implemented using an oscillation circuit, a frequency conversion circuit and a filtering circuit, and modulates the base-band video and audio signals to a preset RF-band carrier. Accordingly, the conventional RF modulator 13 outputs only single, fixed channel-band signals.
Meanwhile, as viewers' desire to watch high-quality images and listen to high-quality sound is increasing, plenty of research into the improvement of image and sound quality is being carried out.
In the meantime, the number of homes having two or more televisions is increasing, in which case different viewers may watch different televisions, so that broadcasts that the viewers desire to watch may be different from each other. Accordingly, there is a tendency that a set-top box for receiving a cable or satellite broadcast is developed to transmit video signals of different channels at the same time.
Therefore, there has been the necessity for an RF modulator capable of supporting the above-described viewers' demands.


Information usable in determining the quality of time produced by a clock of a processing environment is obtained. The information is obtained directly by an application program absent use of a supervisor service, such as an operating system or operating system service. The application program invokes an instruction that returns a parameter block that includes the information.

Processing environments have various timing facilities, including time of day (TOD) clocks that are used to provide a high resolution measure of real time suitable for the indication of date and time of day. Processes within a processing environment rely on the time produced by these timing facilities to ensure reliable and accurate execution of the processes within the processing environment.
Various protocols have been developed to handle different aspects relating to the timing facilities. For example, time protocols have been developed to manage the synchronization of time between different clocks within and outside of the processing environment.
As a further example, protocols have been developed that enable control programs (e.g., non-application level programs) to obtain information concerning the quality of time produced by the timing facilities. For instance, in the current zSeries® servers, offered by International Business Machines Corporation, the LPAR hypervisor has direct access to time quality information. However, this information is not directly available to application programs. If an application program desires this information, it invokes supervisor services to obtain the information. This is costly, inefficient, and requires additional overhead.

Directly obtaining by application programs information usable in determining clock accuracy


An interferometric profiler includes an opening adapted to receive a removable compensating element in the reference arm. The compensating element is mounted on a holder adapted for slidable engagement within the opening. A retaining mechanism keeps the holder firmly in place in the opening. The reference mirror of the profiler is mounted on a slidable stage urged away from the compensating element by a spring-loaded mechanism. A knob is provided to manually push the stage inward to its operating position proximate to the compensating element. A stop ensures that the travel of the stage is limited to a safe distance from the compensating element and a lock is provided to releasably hold the stage in place during use. Multiple objectives with different magnifications may be coupled to the module for alternative use according to the needs of particular applications. An illumination module may also be coupled to the reference-arm module.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the general field of optical profilometry. In particular, the invention relates to interferometric measurements conducted through a transmissive medium in the sample and the use of a compensating element in the reference arm of the interferometer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Interferometric optical systems are widely used to measure surface features because of their speed, accuracy and flexibility. Often the sample surface is tested through a transmissive medium, such as the glass of a biological-sample slide or the package of an electronic device (micro-electro-mechanical systems—MEMS, for example). Similarly, samples placed in an environmental chamber to study the effects of pressure, temperature, humidity and/or reactants are normally tested through a dispersive medium. Also, some parts of devices are operated while immersed in a liquid medium, such as objects used in biology and ink-jet printing, and hard-drive sliders that fly in a lubricating medium. Performing high lateral-resolution metrology on such parts cannot be accomplished using conventional methods.
These transmissive fixed media tend to degrade the interferometric measurement because of dispersion and aberration effects. Moreover, longer working-distance optics are required to accommodate the additional distance to the test surface when such a protective layer is present in the sample. Therefore, when a transmissive fixed layer is present in the path of the measurement beam, an equivalent compensating element in the path of the reference beam of the interferometer has been used in the past to minimize the dispersion, aberration and interference effects of the transmissive layer. While this solution is normally acceptable for low magnification systems (less than about 10×), it has been found to be unacceptable at higher magnifications where all system defects tend to become more and more significant. Even the use of an objective specifically corrected for the aberrations introduced by the transmissive layer was surprisingly found not to improve significantly the quality of the fringes produced by conventional interferometric profilers.
Co-owned U.S. Ser. No. 11/003538 describes an advance in the art of usage of compensating elements by combining such an element with a collimated light and an aberration-corrected objective with a long working distance. This combination was found to produce a greatly improved fringe contrast in the measurement of a sample surface through a dispersive element. When the dispersive element consists of a fixed cover with substantially consistent characteristics from sample to sample, the compensating element is a plate that matches the optical characteristics of the dispersive element. When the dispersive element varies, the compensating element consists of a variable-thickness transmissive element embodied in a pair of half-cube prisms adapted to slide along the beam-splitting plane, thereby permitting the adjustment of the optical path-length through the splitter in the reference-beam direction while retaining unchanged the optical path-length in the test-beam direction.
Inasmuch as the compensating plates described in Ser. No. 11/003538 need to be changed to vary the thickness of the compensating element to match the properties of the dispersive element in the sample, it is crucial that a mechanism be provided that permits the exchange of plates without affecting the calibration and optical performance of the system, or the integrity of both the compensating plate and the optics within the module where the plates are installed.
Another challenge arises from the fact that for many applications the compensating element is very close to the surface of the reference mirror and, therefore, the process of installation or removal can easily cause damage to either or both elements. In order to avoid these problems, prior-art compensating plates were installed as permanent fixtures in the reference arm of the interferometer. Thus, as a further advancement of the concept described in Ser. No. 11/003538, this invention describes a modular housing and a mechanism suitable for the rapid and safe installation and removal of different compensating plates of different thickness.

Mounting mechanism for compensating optics in interferometer


A flywheel device has at least two inertial masses which can rotate relative to one another against the action of elastic elements of a damping device, one of which inertial masses, namely the output-side inertial mass which is farther from a drive system, such as for example the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, is guided both radially and axially by way of a bearing arrangement with respect to the input-side inertial mass. The bearing arrangement has at least one axial plain bearing and one radial plain bearing. Both plain bearings guide the output-side inertial mass with respect to the input-side inertial mass with a clearance, the size of which is determined so that when a wobbling motion is introduced from the crankshaft to the input-side inertial mass, the output-side inertial mass, under the effect of centrifugal forces, can perform a self-stabilization. The radial plain bearing, to bring it as close as possible to the crankshaft, is engaged in the vicinity of the end of the hub of the output-side inertial mass, which end faces the crankshaft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flywheel device which has at least two inertial masses which can rotate relative to one another. The inertial mass device also comprises a damping device which damping device comprises elastic elements which elastic elements act against the rotation of the inertial masses with respect to one another. The output side inertial mass is guided both radially and axially by a bearing arrangement with respect to the input side inertial mass, which bearing assembly comprises at least one axial plain bearing and at least one radial plain bearing. The input side inertial mass can be, for example, connected to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine.
2. Background Information
German Patent No. 34 11 092 C2 describes a known inertial mass device which has two inertial masses which can rotate relative to one another against the action of elastic elements which are in the form of coil springs of a damping device. One of these inertial masses, namely the output-side inertial mass, is guided by means of a bearing arrangemt both radially and axially with respect to the input-side inertial mass, whereby the bearing arrangement has an axial plain bearing and a radial plain bearing. While the axial plain bearing is clamped between the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and an axial center or pilot stud which is realized on the second inertial mass, the radial plain bearing is located between a hub which is realized on the input-side inertial mass and faces the output-side inertial mass and the above-mentioned center stud, and therefore surrounds the axial plain bearing.
As explained in greater detail in the descriptive portion of this above-mentioned patent, the two inertial masses are axially clamped together or are axially biased toward one another. Consequently, wobbling movements which occur on the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine are transmitted not only to the input-side inertial mass which is fastened to this crankshaft, but also to the output-side inertial mass which, as indicated above, comes in contact with the crankshaft via the axial plain bearing, namely on account of the clamping under an axial force. The radial plain bearing between the two inertial masses is thereby protected, of course, because there are no sharp edges on it, but the wobbling movements are transmitted without filtration to the output-side transmission shaft, which results in undesirable loads in the transmission.
German Patent No. 35 15 928 A1 describes a known radial plain bearing which is located between two inertial masses which are movable in relation to one another. This plain bearing is located at a significant axial distance from the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, so that, on account of the above-mentioned axial distance, wobbling movements which are applied to the end of the crankshaft facing the inertial mass device make themselves felt to a significant extent on the radial plain bearing perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the inertial masses, and accordingly the radial plain bearing is exposed to significant surface pressures. This problem is also basically encountered in the German patent discussed above, but the surface pressure on the radial plain bearing is counteracted by the axial clamping of the two inertial masses, although as mentioned above, that has its own additional disadvantages.

Flywheel device with a system of plain bearings


An architecture for a post regulator control circuit that utilizes an advance trigger signal to trigger the post regulator ramp. This advance trigger signal anticipates the beginning and end of a power cycle, and can be used to drive all of the secondary rectifier switches with optimal timing to minimize both cross conduction and body diode conduction. The architecture can be used to cascade an arbitrary number of post regulators. The present invention provides to the auxiliary outputs the full range of regulation available to the main output even in light load conditions. Rather than sensing the beginning or end of the power cycle, the present invention anticipates the beginning and end of the power cycle using the pulse train generated by the feedback loop for the main output. This allows the circuit to prepare the switches for the beginning of the power cycle and avoids problems encountered with inherent propagation delays in the circuit. Using the advance trigger signal, all of the switches may be driven with precise timing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to a power system and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing post-regulation for a switch mode power supply with multiple outputs.
2. Description of Related Art
Integrated circuits continue their trend toward higher transistor densities and smaller feature sizes. As the technology for the various devices drifts toward different power supply requirements, various low voltage standards have been established. While early xe2x80x9clogic circuitsxe2x80x9d used 5V, today""s devices require 5V, 3.3V, 2.8V, 2.5V, 2.0V, 1.8V, 1.5V, 1.2V, 0.9V and others. Consequently, mixed low voltage systems have become commonplace. The packaging density and thermal demands have likewise continued to grow with each new generation of product. As a result, there is a need for power converters with high density, high efficiency, and multiple outputs with independent regulation, to energize these systems.
Another demand for a multiple output power converter is flexibility. Because few applications need exactly the same combination of output voltages and output currents, a successful catalog product should address a broad set of applications. This versatility can be achieved through adjustable output voltages and flexible output loading.
During the development of power supplies with the needed flexibility, several approaches have been suggested in the prior art. Some approaches have used linear regulation, but such a technique results in low efficiency especially if wide input voltage variations are present and is limited to power converters in which the load current of the auxiliary output is relatively low. A magnetic amplifier output regulator has also been used as a means for regulating more than one output of a switching supply. However, the magnetic amplifiers tend to be bulky, expensive, lossy (especially where the switching frequency is high), and have a limited control range in that minimum delay times reduce the maximum achievable output voltage for the auxiliary outputs. Cross regulation is another approach that has been suggested. This approach uses the winding ratios in the transformers to set the ratio between the main output and the auxiliary output. The drawbacks of cross regulation techniques include poor regulation, poor resolution in ratio selection, and no independent output adjustment. Yet another approach has been to connect one or more buck converters to the output of the main converter to deliver independently regulated outputs. However, this approach results in noise reflected back to the main output. This noise problem can be avoided if the auxiliary outputs are derived from the pulsating voltage at the secondary side of the transformer rather than from the output of the main converter. This most recent approach is commonly referred to as switching post regulation.
Phase modulation techniques have also been applied to switching post regulators to regulate the auxiliary outputs. Both leading edge and trailing edge modulation techniques have been suggested in the prior art. While trailing edge modulation (leading edge synchronization) is a viable option, it complicates the use of primary-peak-current-mode control of the main output. During trailing edge modulation, the termination of the post-regulator pulse results in a current signal in the primary switch with a peak value that does not necessarily occur at the end of the duty cycle pulse. This can result in current control instabilities. Similarly, primary-side peak current limit can be complicated with trailing edge modulation, using either peak current control or voltage mode control because there are two current peaks in the inductor current making it hard to detect the proper peak to use for current limit. Leading edge modulation (trailing edge synchronization) simplifies primary-side peak current limit by assuring that the current level at the end of the power delivery cycle is at its peak value.
A typical example of a leading edge modulation approach is a secondary side post regulator controller for DC to DC multiple output converters manufactured by Cherry Semiconductor Corporation (now a part of ON semiconductor) and identified under the product No. CS5101. A description of this product is found in Cherry Semiconductor Corporation""s xe2x80x9cSecondary Side Post Regulator for AC/DC and DC/DC Multiple Output Convertersxe2x80x9d dated March 1997 and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth at length. The post regulator control circuit ensures that the trailing edges of the main and auxiliary outputs are synchronized. A ramp is generated and triggered at the start of the main power delivery cycle and the turn-on of the synchronous switch. Depending on the error of the output voltage of the auxiliary output, a delay between the start of the main power cycle and the turn-on of the synchronous switch is generated. Leading-edge modulation of the auxiliary outputs is achieved. While good efficiency figures, good regulation, and low output noise can be achieved with this scheme, there is still a control circuit propagation delay between the detection of the start of the power cycle and the turn-on of the controlled forward rectifier. This limits the range of the auxiliary outputs because of the duty cycle loss of the auxiliary outputs with respect to the main output. This problem becomes worse as the switching frequency is increased. Use of the noisy secondary winding waveform to synchronize and trigger the ramp can also cause undesirable jitter or instability.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a prior art leading edge modulation power converter is illustrated. This circuit is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,747 to Rinne et al. entitled xe2x80x9cPost Regulation Control Circuit for a Switch Mode Power Supply with Multiple Outputs,xe2x80x9d issued Apr. 24, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth at length. Rinne et al. teaches resetting the ramp generator by detecting the end of the power cycle. Rinne et al. also displays diode rectified main outputs in the preferred embodiments. While the Rinne approach offers advantages in increasing the regulation range of the post regulator, the post regulator is unable to maintain regulation during periods of light load on the diode-rectified main output because of the reduced duty cycle and discontinuous inductor current for the main output. Furthermore, though the use of diode rectifiers does not require drive timing for the main output, the efficiency of the converter is compromised when such diode rectifiers are used. For the diode-rectified converter disclosed by Rinne et al, discontinuous inductor current cannot be avoided at load currents near zero. Discontinuous mode will occur below the critical load current point because the diode rectifiers cannot allow negative current to flow. Thus, in discontinuous mode, the voltage transfer function becomes dependent on load. As the load on the main output decreases toward zero, the duty cycle must be reduced to maintain regulation of the main output. This reduction in duty cycle reduces the width of the power cycle available to the post regulators, eventually causing them to lose regulation. For a more detailed description of continuous vs. discontinuous mode, see the textbook entitled Modern DC-to-DC Switchmode Power Converter Circuits by Severens and Bloom, dated 1985 and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth at length.
Furthermore, Rinne et al. does not address the timing and drive of the main output rectifiers for the case where synchronous rectifiers are used in the main output. Rinne et al. also teaches sensing the end of the power cycle by sensing a noisy secondary winding voltage. As a result, this noise may undesirably couple into the post regulator ramp generator.
What is needed in the art is a post regulator architecture for a power converter that offers full regulation range even during periods of light load on the main output. The architecture should provide means for synchronizing and providing a precise drive for all of the secondary rectifier switches in both outputs. The architecture should eliminate the noise coupling problems found in the prior art while providing an efficient and inexpensive regulation of the main and auxiliary outputs.
The present invention is an architecture for a post regulator control circuit that utilizes an advance trigger signal to trigger the post regulator ramp. This advance trigger signal anticipates the beginning and/or end of a power cycle, and can be used to drive all of the secondary rectifier switches with optimal timing to minimize both cross conduction and body diode conduction. The architecture can be used to cascade an arbitrary number of post regulators. The present invention provides to the auxiliary outputs the full range of regulation available to the main output even in light load conditions. Rather than sensing the beginning or end of the power cycle, the present invention anticipates the beginning and/or end of the power cycle using the pulse train generated by the feedback loop for the main output. This allows the circuit to prepare the switches for the beginning of the power cycle and avoids problems encountered with inherent propagation delays in the circuit. Using the advance trigger signal, all of the switches may be driven with precise timing. Because the advance trigger is not subject to the high currents or leakage inductance ringing associated with the power train operation, it provides a signal with much lower noise and more predictable timing.


The invention provides a broadcasting signal receiver which can prevent a failure in reserved recording. A microcomputer decodes a VCR+code of a program desired to be recorded by reservation, which is inputted by way of a remote commander or the like, to obtain data of program starting and ending times and channel information. A channel indicated by the channel information is selected by a tuner circuit, and program table data is extracted from a character broadcasting signal multiplexed in a video signal by a decoder. It is discriminated whether or not one of the program starting times of programs included in the program table data coincides with the program starting time obtained by decoding of the VCR+code. A result of the discrimination is displayed on a monitor television. Only when it is discriminated that a coincident program starting time is present, the data of the program starting and ending times and the channel information are written into a reservation memory and registered for reservation. Recording is started when the program label (program starting time) extracted from the video signal by the decoder coincides with the program starting time of the reservation memory.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a broadcasting signal receiver which can be suitably applied to a video tape recorder which can reserve recording using, for example, a VCR+code (Video+code).
2. Description of the Related Art
A video tape recorder has been proposed which performs reserved recording using a starting time of a program, obtained by decoding of a VCR+code, as a program label. In a video tape recorder of the type mentioned, a VCR+code inputted is decoded to obtain a program starting time (starting date, hour and minute), a program ending time and channel information. The data obtained are written into a reservation memory.
Then, when a single program is written in the reservation memory, a channel of the program is selected and a program label (program starting time) is extracted from a character broadcasting signal or the like multiplexed in a broadcasting signal. Then, it is discriminated whether or not the program label thus extracted coincides with the program label (program starting time) written in the reservation memory. When coincidence is discriminated, recording is started.
On the other hand, when a plurality of programs are written in the reservation memory, channels of the programs are successively selected at intervals of several seconds. Then, a program label (program starting time) is extracted from a character broadcasting signal or the like multiplexed in a broadcasting signal of each selected channel, and it is discriminated whether or not the program label coincides with the corresponding program label (program starting time) written in the reservation memory. When coincidence is discriminated, recording is started with the selected channel.
In a video tape recorder which performs reserved recording using a starting time of a program obtained by decoding of a VCR+code as a program label as described above, for example, when the starting time of a program is changed, although the program label inserted in a broadcasting signal is not changed, the starting time obtained by decoding of the VCR+code is changed so that it may be a starting time after changed. Consequently, the program label inserted in the broadcasting signal does not coincide any more with the program label (program starting time) written in the reservation memory based on a VCR+code inputted after the change of the broadcasting time, resulting in failure in starting of recording. This is a problem of the video tape recorder.