Method for the production of C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors useful for the treatment of diabetes and related diseases. and intermediates thereof. The C-aryl glucosides may be complexed with amino acid complex forming reagents.

Approximately 100 million people worldwide suffer from type II diabetes [non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)], which is characterized by hyperglycemia due to excessive hepatic glucose production and peripheral insulin resistance, the root causes of which are as yet not clearly understood. Hyperglycemia is considered to be the major risk factor for the development of diabetic complications, and is likely to contribute directly to the impairment of insulin secretion seen in advanced NIDDM. Normalization of plasma glucose in NIDDM patients would be predicted to improve insulin action, and to offset the development of diabetic complications. An inhibitor of the sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT2) in the kidney would be expected to aid in the normalization of plasma glucose levels, and perhaps body weight, by enhancing glucose excretion.
Hyperglycemia is a hallmark of type II diabetes; consistent control of plasma glucose levels in diabetes can offset the development of diabetic complications and beta cell failure seen in advanced disease. Plasma glucose is normally filtered in the kidney in the glomerulus and actively reabsorbed in the proximal tubule. SGLT2 appears to be the major transporter responsible for the reuptake of glucose at this site. The SGLT specific inhibitor phlorizin or closely related analogs inhibit this reuptake process in diabetic rodents and dogs resulting in normalization of plasma glucose levels by promoting glucose excretion without hypoglycemic side effects. Long term (6 month) treatment of Zucker diabetic rats with an SGLT2 inhibitor has been reported to improve insulin response to glycemia, improve insulin sensitivity, and delay the onset of nephropathy and neuropathy in these animals, with no detectable pathology in the kidney and no electrolyte imbalance in plasma. Selective inhibition of SGLT2 in diabetic patients would be expected to normalize plasma glucose by enhancing the excretion of glucose in the urine, thereby improving insulin sensitivity, and delaying the development of diabetic complications.
Ninety percent of glucose reuptake in the kidney occurs in the epithelial cells of the early S1 segment of the renal cortical proximal tubule, and SGLT2 is likely to be the major transporter responsible for this reuptake. SGLT2 is a 672 amino acid protein containing 14 membrane-spanning segments that is predominantly expressed in the early S1 segment of the renal proximal tubules. The substrate specificity, sodium dependence and localization of SGLT2 are consistent with the properties of the high capacity, low affinity, sodium dependent glucose transporter previously characterized in human cortical kidney proximal tubules. In addition, hybrid depletion studies implicate SGLT2 as the predominant Na+/glucose cotransporter in the S1 segment of the proximal tubule, since virtually all Na-dependent glucose transport activity encoded in mRNA from rat kidney cortex is inhibited by an antisense oligonucleotide specific to rat SGLT2.
SGLT2 is a candidate gene for some forms of familial glucosuria, a genetic abnormality in which renal glucose reabsorption is impaired to varying degrees. None of these syndromes investigated to date map to the SGLT2 locus on chromosome 16. However, studies involving highly homologous rodent SGLTs strongly implicate SGLT2 as the major renal sodium-dependent transporter of glucose and suggest that the glucosuria locus that has been mapped encodes an SGLT2 regulator. Inhibition of SGLT2 would be predicted to reduce plasma glucose levels via enhanced glucose excretion in diabetic patients.
C-aryl glucosides, a class of SGLT2 inhibitors, have been observed to act as orally active antidiabetic agents. In particular, these C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors have been found to be useful for treating or delaying the progression or onset of diabetes, especially type I and type II diabetes, including complications of diabetes such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and delayed wound healing, and related diseases such as insulin resistance and impaired glucose homeostasis (IGH), hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, elevated blood levels of fatty acids or glycerol, obesity, hyperlipidemia including hypertriglyceridemia, Syndrome X, hypertension, atherosclerosis and related diseases, and for increasing high density lipid levels. The conditions, diseases, and maladies collectively referred to as "Syndrome X" (also known as Metabolic Syndrome) are detailed in Johannsson, J. Clin. Endrocrinol. Metab., 82, 727–34 (1997).
Such C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors may be used alone or to complement existing therapy treatments, including sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, metformin, and insulin, and to avoid the potential side effects typically associated with the use of these other agents. Further details about the C-aryl glucosides and derivatives thereof, may be found in PCT World Application WO 01/27128-A1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,126, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/151,436, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/117,914, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A method of producing C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors which provides a telescoped or one-pot operation, or optionally a multi-vessel reaction, and which minimizes the production of intermediates during production of the final product for improved yield and purity would be desirable. It would further be useful for such a method to be stereoselective in operation, to allow for the production of a substantially enantiomerically pure product. Such a method could be applied to the preparation of compounds including but not limited to 1-C-(4′-ethyldiphenylmethane-3-yl)-β-D-glucopyranose, 1-C-(6-methyl-4′-(methylthio)diphenylmethane-3-yl)-β-D-glucopyranose, 1-C-(6-chloro-4′-ethoxydiphenylmethane-3-yl)-β-D-glucopyranose. Also desirable is a method of forming crystalline complexes of the compounds synthesized.

Methods of producing C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors


An X-ray simulating system for a radiotherapy planning disclosed by this invention includes an acquiring unit for acquiring an image showing a diseased part, a detecting unit for detecting the shape of the diseased part on the basis of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit, a calculating unit for calculating simulation data for radiation on the basis of first data including data related to the shape of the diseased part detected by the detecting unit and second data including data related to radiation conditions in radiotherapy, and a supplying unit for supplying the simulation data calculated by the calculating unit to a radiation therapy apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray simulating method and system for a radiotherapy planning for obtaining radiotherapy simulation data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In radiotherapy, generally, a therapy planning is made prior to execution of the therapy, and the therapy is executed on the basis of the therapy planning to obtain effective clinical results. Such a radiotherapy planning essentially includes at least a process of acquiring correct geometrical information concerning a diseased part (focus) and a process of determining proper radiation conditions on the basis of the geometric information (a radiotherapy simulation data determination process).
A typical example of an apparatus for use in the radiotherapy planning is an X-ray simulator, and an X-ray simulator of this type is basically an X-ray imaging apparatus. A conventional X-ray simulator will be described below with reference to FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, this conventional X-ray simulator is an apparatus capable of setting an X-ray tube 10 and an X-ray image acquiring unit 20 at desired positions where they oppose each other with a patient 30 sandwiched therebetween. The X-ray generator 10 comprises an X-ray tube 12 and a limiting unit 14. The limiting unit 14 is constituted by at least an X-ray diaphragm, a simulation collimator (wire collimator) and a simulation scale.
The X-ray image acquiring unit 20 generally comprises a system for acquiring a fluoroscopic image and a system for acquiring a radiographic image. The fluoroscopic image is a TV image used as a positioning image for confirming a position for radiographing an X-ray film image. The radiographic image is an X-ray film image used as an image for obtaining geometrical data of a diseased part. Images of a diseased part 32, the wire collimator, and the simulation scale are formed on the X-ray film image. Note that the patient 30 is placed on a tabletop 40.
The X-ray generator 10 and the X-image acquiring unit 20 of the X-ray simulator are set to oppose each other in POSITION "A" as shown in FIG. 1, and an X-ray film image 50 of a patient at POSITION "A" is acquired while a fluoroscopic image is observed. Subsequently, the X-ray generator 10 and the X-ray acquiring unit 20 of the X-ray simulator are set to oppose each other in POSITION "B" as shown in FIG. 1, and a radiographic image (X-ray film image) 52 of the patient 30 at POSITION "B" is acquired while the fluoroscopic image is observed. The X-ray radiation directions are different from each other by a predetermined angle such as 90.degree. at POSITION "A" and POSITION "B".
On the X-ray film image 50 acquired at POSITION "A", a diseased part image 50A, an image of a portion except for the diseased part, and reference images such as a wire collimator image 50B and a simulation scale image 50C are formed. On the X-ray film image 52 acquired at POSITION "B", a diseased part image 52A, an image of a portion except for the diseased part, and reference images such as a wire collimator image 52B and a simulation scale image 52C are formed.
An operator obtains geometrical information of the diseased part 32 by observing the X-ray film images 50 and 52 while referring to the fluoroscopic images at POSITION "A" and POSITION "B". In this case, the operator observes the X-ray film images 50 and 52 by associating the diseased part images 50A and 52A, the images of the portion except for the diseased part, and the reference images such as the wire collimator images 50B and 52B and the simulation scale images 50C and 52C, respectively formed on the X-ray film images 50 and 52, with one another.
On the basis of the geometrical information of the diseased part 32, the operator forms simulation data for radiotherapy, which determines radiation conditions such as the type, the radiation field, and the radiation direction of rays for use in the therapy. This simulation data is supplied to a radiation therapy apparatus such as Linear accelerator, and the radiation therapy apparatus executes radiotherapy on the basis of the input simulation data.
As described above, the X-ray simulator used in a conventional radiotherapy plan simply provides X-ray film images for obtaining geometrical information of a diseased part. An operator obtains geometrical information of a diseased part from the X-ray film images and forms radiotherapy simulation data on the basis of the geometrical information of the diseased part. The operator forms the radiotherapy simulation data for determining radiation conditions by manually operating an instrument such as the limiting unit 14 of the X-ray simulator or an instrument such as a limiting unit of a radiation therapy apparatus, or by manually operating a patient table of the X-ray simulator or that of the radiation therapy apparatus.
This manual operation is constituted by a plurality operations. Therefore, formation of the radiotherapy simulation data is difficult and incorrect. For example, a limiting aperture is determined by the eye on the basis of geometrical information of a diseased part. Therefore, a trial-and-error operation must be performed a large number of times to determine an optimal radiation field capable of minimizing a radiation dose to a normal part of a patient. If the number of operation times is small, on the other hand, the operation precision is degraded.

X-ray simulating method and system for radiotherapy plan


Provided are a method, system, and program for making resources available for access to a client. A list is provided indicating a plurality of resources to make available for access to clients over a network and the list is processed to determine resources. Attributes of the resources are determined and reference codes are generated for the determined resources based on the determined attributes. The reference codes are associated with the resources for which the codes were generated. In response to receiving a request to one reference code from the client, a determination is made from the resource associated with the requested reference code and returning the determined resource to the requesting client.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system, and program for making objects available for access to a client over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Java** Remote Method Invocation (RMI) system, developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc., provides a framework in which objects on separate computers may communicate over a network. RMI is a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) mechanism that may be implemented using more than a single transport protocol. In the Java RMI framework, an object on a server is represented on a client system by a stub or proxy object. Applications running on the clients can call a local method on the proxy object that causes the corresponding method on the remote object to be invoked. When a proxy method is invoked, the proxy object communicates with the RMI runtime system on the server side and the proxy object communicates parameters to the remote object. The JVM including the remote object may lie on a remote system or the same system including the proxy object. The proxy object then receives the result of the method invocation and returns the value (if any) to the caller.
In distributed computing environments, services and clients running in different machines or address spaces may utilize RMI to allow clients to access remote services in another address space, such as a remote server. When accessing a remote service using RMI, the client may receive objects from the service (the service might also receive objects from the client), yet not have loaded the classes needed to manipulate the received objects. For instance, when the client receives return values (or exceptions), the client needs the class definitions for such received objects to use the data received from the remote server. The RMI specification provides for dynamic class loading (also known as network class loading or remote class loading) of the class definitions for the objects received from remote services that are not locally available at the client. This includes the dynamic downloading of remote classes needed by the client to use any object passed in RMI calls for which the class is not locally available. Once all necessary classes are downloaded from the remote address space, the client can then execute or otherwise manipulate objects returned by the remote service in response to the RMI call.
In the prior art, the client will download the classes in a file conforming to the Java Archive Format (JAR) file format or download the classes individually if they are not packaged in a JAR file, which is a file format based on the ZIP file format and is used to aggregate many files. JAR files are used to encapsulate multiple files into a single file that contain class files and other resources associated with a Java applet, application or component. The remote server would provide the client the classes needed for dynamic downloading in one or more JAR files.
The client invokes a class loader to download the class files the client needs, which may be packaged in JAR files, from an Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server. A codebase is the location encoded as a URL from where the class loader downloads the needed class files. The codebase URL is associated with a serialized stream of bytes that indicates from where the class represented by those bytes can be loaded. Codebases are required for dynamic class loading to work. The process by which the client may download the bytecodes of classes to run programs not previously installed on the client is referred to as dynamic class loading. The process may begin with the client requesting a reference to a named remote object. Additionally, the reference may be provided to the client as the return value of a remote call or as a parameter of a callback method. An RMI registry returns a proxy to the remote object, also known as a stub or proxy object, to the requesting client. The proxy object may also be retrieved using mechanisms other than the RMI registry. In certain situations, if the client can locate the class definition for the stub instance in the client JVM CLASSPATH, then the client will load the class locally. If the client cannot load the class locally, then the client will request the class definition using the codebase, which is a URL annotated to the serialized bytestream representing the stub instance so that the client may dynamically download the class files, which may be included in a JAR file, that includes the classes the client needs to invoke remote methods on the remote object. Additionally, objects other than proxy objects might be received by a client and require class files that the client must dynamically download.
One complication in the above process is that the administrator must take certain actions to ensure that a URL is identified for each JAR that might need to be downloaded. In the prior art, this often requires the server administrator to explicitly specify the codebase (e.g., by setting a system property). This is often referred to as setting the codebase. The administrator may also register the remote object with an RMI registry. The codebase is annotated to the bytestream of the remote object when it is serialized for transport. This process to make a JAR file available to a client class loader using an HTTP server is the source of many problems in implementing a network system that makes use of RMI.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide improved techniques for making programs and classes available to clients in a network.

Method, system, and program for making objects available for access to a client over a network


In a cell switched network such as an ATM network, a connection admission ntrol system is provided to establish connections which guarantee user requested end-to-end cell transmission delay bounds. The subject system uses, a bit stream approach to model the worst case cell generation pattern of a connection and provides mechanisms to construct new bit streams after the original ones are delayed, multiplexed, demultiplexed, or filtered within a network. Given arriving bit streams at a queueing point, a system is provided to obtain the worst-case cell queueing delay which is used to check if a connection can be established with the requested delay bounds. In one embodiment, the subject system uses the CBR/VBR traffic models as defined in the ATM Forum Traffic Management Specification Version 4.0 to derive the worst-case bit stream for a connection and calculates the worst case queueing delay based on the conventional static priority First In First Out, or FIFO, cell transmission scheduling at switches. The subject invention provides a simple and efficient way to support real-time CBR/VBR services as defined by the ATM Forum over existing ATM networks without requiring a sophisticated cell transmission scheduling mechanism at switches.

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is a cell switched technology for transferring data over high speed digital communication networks. Unlike Synchronous Transfer Mode (STM) used in today's telecommunication networks, which uses static time division multiplexing to carry multiple connections over a physical transmission link, ATM allows data cells of multiple connections to dynamically share time slots of a transmission link. This dynamic sharing of transmission bandwidth increases a network's efficiency in carrying variable bandwidth traffic, but it also makes it difficult to provide guaranteed quality of service, or QoS, to connections due to contention from multiple connections for the same transmission bandwidth. One commonly used QoS measurement is the end-to-end cell transmission delay. To provide this type of QoS guarantee, a connection must transfer all cells generated at a source to a destination within a user requested delay bound. End to end cell transmission delay bound is usually needed for transferring real-time traffic, such as interactive audio/video signals, over a network.
One way of providing guaranteed QoS communication in an ATM network is to use the Constant Bit Rate, or CBR, service. The CBR service is provided via rate control at sources which limits the maximum rate that data cells can be injected into a network for a connection, and connection admission control (CAC) using peak bandwidth allocation to limit the aggregated bandwidth of all CBR connections over a transmission link not to exceed the link bandwidth. However, rate control and peak bandwidth allocation alone can not automatically guarantee QoS for CBR connections due to traffic distortions within a network. Specifically, due to cell jitter introduced at upstream nodes, cells of a CBR connection may arrive at a switching node in a network at a higher rate than they are generated at the source for a certain period of time. This fluctuation in cell rates may cause aggregated cell rate exceed the link bandwidth, resulting in unpredictable queueing delays for CBR cells. To provide guaranteed QoS for CBR connections, more sophisticated CAC mechanisms than peak bandwidth allocation are needed to calculate worst-case queueing delays for CBR connections and make sure that the worst-case delays do not exceed the delay bounds requested by applications.
In addition, CBR is not always a suitable service for providing real-time communication. Real-time traffic such as encoded video signal has variable bandwidth. It causes over-reservation of network resources if one assigns a connection with a bandwidth equal to the peak rate of the traffic. The Variable Bit Rate (VBR) service as defined by the ATM Forum is more suitable for bursty real-time traffic. The traffic model for a VBR connection is described by a peak cell rate (PCR), a sustainable cell rate (SCR), and a maximum bursty size (MBS). A VBR connection is allowed to inject up to MBS cells into a network at a rate of PCR under a constraint that the average cell rate does not exceed SCR. In other words, a connection is allowed to generate traffic at a higher rate for a certain period of time if it did not use up the average bandwidth allocated to it. The VBR service can support bursty real-time communication better than the CBR service. However, no good CAC mechanisms are known so far to provide hard real-time guarantees for VBR connections. A more detailed description of the CBR/VBR services can be found in a document entitled "ATM Forum Traffic Management Specification Version 4.0" authored by the ATM Forum, April 1995.
In the subject invention, we introduce a bit-stream traffic model to describe the worst-case traffic pattern of a CBR or VBR connection and a mechanism to obtain the worst-case queueing delay based on the model. This worst-case queueing delay is then used for connection admission control.

Bit stream based connection admission control system

Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Center America, Inc.


In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multi-layered structure includes:                a) a water-impermeable substrate;        b) a first layer on at least one surface of the substrate comprising a water-based tie-layer composition;        c) a second layer formed over the first layer, wherein the second layer is a water-based ink-receptive composition includes:                    i) a multivalent metal salt; and            ii) a hydrophilic binder polymer;                        d) a third layer including at least one water-based ink composition deposited in a single pass by an inkjet printing process, wherein the water-based ink composition includes an anionically stabilized, water-dispersible pigment; and        e) additional layers deposited over the one or more ink layers and exposed second layer, the additional layers selected from one or more of the following compositions:                    i) an opaque white layer;            ii) a protective layer; and            iii) an adhesive layer, further includes a continuous protective plastic or paper layer adhered thereto.

High speed digital inkjet printing systems have recently found much success in competing with traditional analog printing presses in applications such as commercial printing and publishing. In particular inkjet printing systems which employ water-based pigment inks can rival the print quality and productivity of printing systems which are based on analog impact printing, such as lithography, gravure, and flexographic printing processes. The ability of digital inkjet printing systems to cost-effectively print either short run lengths or continuously variable information offers distinct advantages over analog impact printing processes which require the presses to be idled in between print jobs in order to change over the printing plates or cylinders. More recently, high productivity inkjet printing systems have targeted decor and package printing with the same advantages. However, décor and package printing, unlike commercial printing and publishing, commonly employ water-impermeable plastic substrates in addition to paper-based substrates. Plastic substrates are particularly challenging for water-based inks due to the difficulty in getting the inks to wet and adhere to such substrates, which are typically designed and chosen to repel or otherwise present a barrier to water. Although solvent-based and radiation curable (UV-curable) inkjet inks have been used with some success on plastic substrates, they are limited to certain types of inkjet printing systems, such as piezoelectric drop-on-demand systems, and come with health, safety, and environmental concerns compared to water-based inks.
When water-based inkjet inks useful for high speed digital inkjet printing, especially inks that comprise more than about 80 wt % water and less than about 10-15 wt % of organic co-solvents, are deposited on commonly available plastic substrates used for décor and packaging applications, the ink drops tend to either bead up or flow across the surface of the substrate, resulting in image quality artifacts known as mottle, coalescence, and intercolor bleeding. In addition, water-based inks with levels of co-solvents greater than about 10-15 wt % are very difficult to completely dry, resulting in a sticky or tacky ink layer.
WO 2009/113097 A2 discloses a process for printing on a plastic film with water-containing inks. However, the water-containing inks disclosed in this publication are intended for flexographic or offset printing, and are not suitable for high speed inkjet printing due to their high viscosities. There is no teaching as to how these types of inks can be modified for use in a high speed inkjet deposition system.
Another approach to printing directly onto hydrophobic impermeable substrates with water-based inkjet inks is disclosed by Higgins, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 8,398,226. This process employs water-based inks comprising certain stimuli-responsive additives to permit direct printing onto untreated impermeable plastic. These inks rely, for example, on a thermal phase-change of an incorporated microgel, which causes the inks to rapidly viscosify when a heated ink is deposited onto a relatively cool substrate. In practice the inks need to be kept at an elevated temperature in a low viscosity state prior to printing, and the substrate needs to be held below the phase-change temperature of the water-based ink containing the microgel additive. This imposes additional and expensive constraints on the overall printing system.
Water-based pigment inks suitable for printing directly onto a vinyl medium for signage or display applications are disclosed in WO 2011/028201 A1. However, these inks contain mixtures of dispersed polymer particles that require the printed substrate to be heated above 50° C. to melt and fuse the inks to the vinyl medium. The temperatures required for the fusing step are problematic in that many water-impermeable plastic substrates useful for packaging and décor applications are prone to wrinkling or melting at temperatures as low as 50° C.
Another method for printing on plastic films with water-based pigment inks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,500,264 B2. This method involves the steps of depositing water-based inks onto an untreated plastic film and heating the plastic film surface to 40° C. or greater. The inks further comprise "a silicone surfactant, an acetylene glycol surfactant, a pyrrolidone derivative, and a thermoplastic resin." However, as the examples in this patent clearly demonstrate, when the inventive inks are deposited on a representative plastic film at ink coverages greater than about 60 to 70%, the "bleeding" between colors or the image non-uniformity of solid areas ("mottling") is judged as "bad". This severely limits the applicability of this method for most packaging applications for which much higher ink coverages are desired.
U.S. Publication No. 2014/0160211 A1 discloses a method for printing with water-based ink compositions onto a non-absorptive medium while simultaneously heating the medium. The water-based inks further comprise thermoplastic resin particles and first and second co-solvents with specified boiling points and surface tension properties. With many water-impermeable plastic substrates, especially very thin flexible films used for packaging applications, the application of heat while printing can adversely affect the dimensional stability of the film, leading to poor color-to-color registration.
U.S. Publication No. 2013/0187998 A1 discloses water-based inkjet inks with improved scratch resistance that comprise polymer particles and a hydroxyl amine compound that are intended to be printed directly onto non-absorbent polypropylene substrates, such as a non-woven fabric. A key limitation of this method is that the ink drops are between 60 pL and 120 pL, which is much too large to meet the print quality and resolution requirements for many applications, and the viscosity of the ink is greater than 4 mPa-s, which further limits the rate at which ink drops are deposited.
Yet another approach to printing onto impermeable substrates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,076,394. This method utilizes the combination of a reactive fixing fluid and water-based inks comprising a specific co-reactive polymer species. When such inks are deposited on substrates which have been pre-treated with the reactive fixing fluid, the inks are claimed to rapidly increase in viscosity, or gel, thereby immobilizing the ink drop. There are several problems with this approach. First, the fixing fluids useful in this printing system comprise boric acid, borax, or copper sulfate, which are problematic in certain food packaging applications. Second, inks comprising the exemplified co-reactive polymer species are limited to those which comprise specific co-solvent humectants, and which require effective levels of the co-reactive polymer species, the combination of which results in inks with viscosities greater than about 10 mPa-s, making them disadvantaged for high speed inkjet depositions systems.
The use of an adhesion layer between an impermeable substrate and an ink-printable layer is disclosed in WO 2012/102737 A1. However, these layers are formed using melt extrusion or co-extrusion processes, and are intended for printing with either UV-curable or latex inkjet inks. As noted above, UV-curable inks are undesirable for health and safety reasons, and latex inks require a secondary heating and fusing step which is problematic for thin, low-melting substrates.
EP 2692536 A1 also discloses the use of an adhesion-promoting layer for use on polyolefin packaging films in combination with an ink-receptive layer suitable for water-based inks. An undesirable feature of this solution is that it is limited to polyolefin substrates to which an adhesion-promoting layer has been formed by either a co-extrusion or lamination process. Further, the exemplified ink-receptive layers are each relatively thick, e.g., 10 micrometers, which can adversely affect the cost and performance of very thin film structures.
EP 2617577 A1 discloses a solution to improving the adhesion of a water-based inkjet ink when printed onto hydrophobic polyolefin films. One option includes surface treating the polyolefin film to introduce polar hydrophilic groups, for example with a corona or plasma treatment discharge process, followed by depositing a water based inkjet ink onto the surface treated polyolefin film. Also disclosed is a second surface treatment, e.g., corona or plasma discharge, after inkjet recording, followed by the application of a protective over coating which contains a wax. When the inks contain specific co-solvents the protective overcoat is not required, and when the protective overcoat is employed, the first surface treatment is not required. In either embodiment, a separate ink-receptive layer is neither required nor disclosed with this system. However, the present inventors have found that hydrophilic surface treatments, such as corona or plasma discharge are insufficient to control lateral ink spread on impermeable films when water-based inkjet inks are deposited thereon, especially in areas of high ink coverage, as will be illustrated and disclosed in more detail below.
A "fixer fluid" comprising a cationic polymer and a high boiling organic co-solvent for use as a pre-coating for printing onto vinyl substrates with "anionic aqueous inks" to enable printing on non-porous substrates is disclosed in WO 2014/042652 A1. However, as disclosed hereinafter, the use of high-boiling organic co-solvents is undesirable, and ink-receptive fixer layers comprising cationic polymers are not suitable for high speed printing with anionically stabilized water-based pigment inks.
To overcome these problems and limitations of printing onto water-impermeable substrates with water-based inkjet inks, particularly those comprising anionically stabilized pigments, the surface of the substrate is pre-coated with water-based ink-receptive compositions comprising multivalent metal salts and hydrophilic binders. Dannhauser and Campbell, in U.S. Publication No. 2011/0279554 A1, disclose an inkjet receiving medium suitable for high speed inkjet printing which includes a substrate having a topmost layer coated thereon comprising a water soluble salt of a multivalent metal cation and a hydrophilic polymer binder. However, even the step of applying a water-based layer comprising multivalent metal cations, such as those disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2011/0279554 A1, to an impermeable plastic substrate can still be problematic due to the poor wetting and adhesion characteristics of most untreated plastic surfaces by water-based coating fluids. A further problem that has been encountered is that non-volatile co-solvents known as humectants that are commonly added to inkjet inks cannot absorb into the impermeable substrates, which can lead to a prolonged sticky or tacky feel to the surface of the dried ink layers. Yet another problem that is encountered is insufficient layer-to-layer adhesion or intra-layer cohesion when such printed films are further post-coated or laminated to produce the final multi-layered package or article. Thus there is a need for an improved method of forming multi-layered printed images with water-based inkjet inks on impermeable substrates which addresses the problems and limitation listed above.
In addition to the aforementioned objectives, in view of the overall health, safety, and environmental considerations of the manufacturing processes and intended applications of the present invention, especially for flexible film food packaging and labels, it is an overarching objective of this invention to use water-based tie-layers, water-based ink-receptive layers, and water-based pigment inks, which contain less than 15 wt % of organic co-solvents and which do not contain radiation curable sensitizers, initiators, monomers, or oligomers.

Multilayered structure with water-impermeable substrate


A battery-powered vacuum cleaner is provided with a battery pack that generates heat and is capable of efficiently cooling the battery pack. The battery pack of the battery-powered vacuum cleaner is cooled by a vacuum cleaner cooling method. The battery-powered vacuum cleaner comprises a battery pack (3) including a plurality of secondary batteries, a battery pack container (2) containing the battery pack, a motor (7) driven for operation by power supplied by the battery pack, a fan (5) driven by the motor to suck air, a dust cup (9) for separating dust from air sucked therein by the fan and storing the dust separated from the sucked air, a housing (1) containing the battery pack container, the motor, the fan and the dust cup, and provided with a first suction opening (30) through which external air is sucked, a first airflow duct (32) for guiding the air sucked in by the fun through the dust cup to the motor, and a second airflow duct (36), for guiding air for cooling the battery pack through the battery pack, joined to the first airflow duct at a junction (34) on the upstream side of the fan.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery-powered vacuum cleaner powered by a battery, such as a lithium ion secondary battery or a nickel metal hydride secondary battery, and a method of cooling the battery-powered vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat radiating structure for a battery pack, and a method of cooling the battery pack.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are schematic sectional views of a conventional vacuum cleaner. A battery pack container 2 formed in a casing (housing) 1 of the vacuum cleaner. The battery pack container 2 is formed of a concave wall continuous with the casing 1, and a removable cover fastened with a screw to facilitate changing a battery pack 3. The battery pack 3 contained in the battery pack container 2 is formed by bundling a plurality of secondary batteries in a heat-shrinkable tube. The battery pack 3 supplies power to a motor 7 having an output shaft holding a fan 5, and a control circuit for controlling the motor 7. The battery pack 3 generates heat due to the internal resistances of the batteries 4 and the resistances of the wires connecting the batteries 4 when the vacuum cleaner operates. To drive the motor 7, the battery pack 3 needs to supply a high current and generates heat energy at a high rate. Excessive temperature rise in the batteries 4 must be avoided to operate the batteries 4 at high charge-discharge efficiency, i.e., to discharge the largest possible amount of energy stored in the batteries 4. Therefore the battery pack 3 generating heat must be cooled. A side wall, on the side of a dust cup 9, of the battery pack container 2 is provided with slits 10 to facilitate cooling the battery pack 3. Air used for sucking dust is guided to the motor 7 to cool the motor 7, and then the air passed the motor 7 is guided so as to flow through the vicinity of the battery pack container 2. The battery pack 3 is formed by bundling the cylindrical secondary batteries 4 in the heat-=shrinkable tube, and wiring lines are extended fro the battery pack 3. The air containing dust and sucked through a hose 14 by the fan 5 is guided into the dust cup 9, the air flows through a filter 17 outside the dust cup 9, and the thus filtered air is guided to the vicinity of the motor 7 to air-cool the coils and the components of the motor 7. The air used for air-cooling the motor 7 is discharged outside through a discharge openings 12 formed in an end all of the housing 1. Wheels 19 and 20 are attached to the bottom wall of the casing 1.
In this conventional vacuum cleaner, the air sucked by the fan 5 and cooled the motor 7 is guided to the battery pack container 2 to cool the battery pack 3. The battery pack 3 cannot be efficiently cooled because the air heated by heat generated by the motor 7 is used for cooling the battery pack 3.

Battery-powered vacuum cleaner and method of cooling battery-powered vacuum cleaner


An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which is controlled by a control unit, includes a connector, an ignition coil assembly, an igniter and a capacitor. The connector is electrically connected with the control unit, and includes an input terminal, which is electrically connected with the control unit to receive an ignition signal outputted by the control unit. The connector also includes a ground terminal, which is connected with a ground. The igniter includes a switching device that switches a coil current supplied to the ignition coil assembly based on the ignition signal received from the control unit through the connector. The igniter also includes a Zener diode that serves as a protection element of the switching device. The capacitor is provided in parallel with the Zener diode between the input terminal and the ground terminal to form a parallel circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine having an igniter.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an ignition apparatus having an igniter has been disclosed to control ignition timing of an internal combustion engine (hereinafter, referred as an engine) by controlling primary current of the ignition coil assembly (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H6-317243).
As shown in a circuit diagram in FIG. 6, in the ignition apparatus, a switching device 100, which regulates switching a coil current supplied to an ignition coil assembly 400, is connected with a Zener diode 200, which is a protection element for protecting an igniter 300 from an external surge. The igniter 300 includes the switching device 100 and the Zener diode 200.
Specifically, a cathode of the Zener diode 200 is connected to an input terminal 10, to which an ignition signal is inputted, and an anode of the Zener diode 200 is connected to a ground (GND) terminal 20, which is connected to a ground. Here, the ignition signal is inputted to the switching device 100 through the input terminal 10. A battery terminal 30 is connected to a battery. In the above connection state, a voltage-clamp function of the Zener diode 200 protects the switching device 100 from being applied with a high voltage even when the external surge is generated.
Recently, in some cases, the ignition apparatus having the igniter is mounted above a corresponding one of cylinders of the engine. Therefore, a length of a signal wire electrically connecting between the ignition apparatus and an engine control unit (ECU) may be increased, and as a result, a wire capacity of the signal wire may become larger.
In this state, a positive potential is selectively stored in the wire capacity by rectification of the Zener diode 200 in a circuit with the Zener diode 200 as shown in FIG. 6 when a radio current is generated around the signal wire by a strong electric field due to a broadcast station and a radio equipment. Then, a potential level, which is supposed to indicate a low level of an ignition input signal inputted to the ignition apparatus through the input terminal 10, is falsely increased to exceed a proper value for the low level of the ignition signal. Then, the igniter 300 falsely turns on the switching device 100 based on a false signal with the false potential level, and this may result in falsely operating the ignition apparatus.

Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engine


A paint color is specified from a computer graphics picture by displaying a computer graphics picture suitable for the impression of a desired paint color on a display unit, obtaining color information on displayed colors in two or more designated regions on the displayed picture, and searching and selecting a paint color having color information approximate to the color information on the display colors from a database previously storing color information on a plurality of paint colors.

In recent years, product appeal (product power) has been further requested for industrial products, particularly for automobiles. The product appeal is a quality of appearance and the design image of a paint color lies in the quality.
In the process of an automobile design, a designer of an automobile decides the paint color, and then it is necessary to accurately communicate the design image of a paint color along the concept of the type of an automobile designed by the designer to a designer of the paint maker for manufacturing paints.
When a paint color is a solid color having no directional property, a designer of an automobile can accurately communicate the design image of a paint color to a paint maker by using various color sample books in common. However, because a metallic color which changes color depending on the viewing angle is not included in color sample books, a designer of an automobile may use an image picture as a communication tool. The image picture shows the image of a paint color as one picture along the concept of the type of an automobile to which a designer of an automobile applies a paint color.
A specific example of the image picture is the underwater photo shown in FIG. 2. This photograph, which looksup at the sea surface from the seabed, expresses a change of colors from the blue of redness with low brightness up to the blue of yellowness with a high brightness. To embody these images as paint colors, a designer at a paint company designs a paint color in accordance with their experience and know-how.
Thus, various pictures are used as image pictures. However, to develop a paint color by understanding images obtained as paint colors from those pictures, a designer must search a color stored in the designer's brain which was experienced in the past out of colors in a specified plurality of regions in the pictures in accordance with their highlight and shade colors. This search requires years of experience and craftsmanship in order to understand a picture of a designer of an automobile and prepare the paint color having a color tone the same as the picture.
As a case of searching a color from RGB values of a point specified in a digital picture, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 121558/1995 discloses a technique for obtaining RGB values from a specific point in a display means for displaying a picture, searching a data holding means and simply obtaining the name of the color. However, a method for searching a color changes with the viewing angle.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 269411/1999 discloses a technique in which RGB values from a computer graphics picture are acquired and converted into tri-stimulus value, an approximated color is searched from the database with which the tri-stimulus value of a plurality of paint formulations is stored, and a technique of asking for paint formulation by CCM is indicated. However, this technique requires previous measurement and calculation in order to convert RGB values into XYZ of a color measurement value. Therefore, it is necessary to previously prepare color characteristics of the device used (digital camera, scanner, and monitor) (they are referred to as color profiles) and an immense amount of time is required. Moreover, when a reflectance exceeds 100% (white solid), such as a high-brightness and high-chroma metallic paint color, the brightness (value Y of XYZ or L* of L*a*b*) exceeds 100. However, in the case of the digital gradation of a monitor that is generally used, values to be taken for each channel of RGB values are integers of 0 to 255. Therefore, a dynamic range is very narrow compared to the brightness of a color measurement value. Therefore, to estimate a high-brightness high-chroma metallic paint color having a wide dynamic range from RGB values having a narrow dynamic range, a desired paint color may not be obtained because a large error occurs.
The following two Japanese documents are representative of the background of the present invention:
(1) "Tanoshiku manabu JAVA di hajimeru gazo shori programming" (Picture processing programming started with merrily learning JAVA) by Mikio Sugiyama, issued by Kabushiki Kaisha D ART, Dec. 20, 2002, pp. 144-150; and
(2) "Shin JAVA gengo nyumon/Senior hen" (New Java language guide/senior edition) by Haruhiko Hayashi, issued by SOFTBANK Publishing Inc., Mar. 20, 2002, pp. 542-543.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for specifying a paint color of an industrial product, particularly a metallic paint color having a high design characteristic from a digital image picture for showing the quality sense of a color exhibited by a customer.

Method for specifying paint color from computer graphics picture


An apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display is provided with a first supporter for supporting a first substrate with the state of restraining the displacement in a surface direction of the first substrate on a first surface plate, a second supporter for supporting a second substrate with the state of restraining the displacement in a surface direction of the second substrate on a second surface plate, a pressurized for press-welding the first and second substrates by pressing the first and second surface plates, and a position-aligning mechanism for performing an alignment between the first and second substrates while the pressing means presses the first and second surface plates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display by bonding two transparent substrates in a vacuum, and particularly, to an apparatus and a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, which makes it possible to easily perform an alignment with high precision in a short time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display, there has been a method having the steps of forming a sealing material between two substrates and injecting a liquid crystal into the inside thereof as described below. Hereinafter, this manufacturing method is referred to as "a first prior art". FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to the first prior art.
First, two substrates are provided. On one surface of one substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) is formed in an array shape. Hereinafter, this substrate is referred to as "a TFT substrate". On one surface of the other substrate, a color filter (CF) is formed. Hereinafter, this substrate is referred to as "a CF substrate". Thereafter, an orientation film is formed on both the TFT substrate and the CF substrate (step S1). Next, spacers are formed on the surface of the CF substrate on which the CF is formed (step S2a), and a sealing material having an injection hole in part is formed in a rectangular shape on the surface of the first substrate (the TFT substrate) on which the TFT is formed (step S2b). Thereafter, the surfaces of the second substrate (the CF substrate) and the first substrate on which the CF and the TFT are respectively formed are opposed to each other, and then superposed one on another (step S3). Subsequently, these are heated so that the sealing material formed in the first substrate is burned (step S4).
Thereafter, the superposed first and second substrates are cut and divided into the predetermined number of panels (step S5). Then, a liquid crystal is injected into the inside through the injection hole provided in the sealing material (step S6). Thereafter, the injection hole is sealed (step S7). And then, a cleaning of the panel is performed in order to eliminate contamination made by the liquid crystal injection and the like (step S8). Thereafter, a polarizing plate is attached thereon, and a driving circuit and the like are installed, thereby a liquid crystal display is completed.
However, in the first prior art, there is a problem that there are too many steps.
Therefore, recently, in the standpoint of reducing the number of steps, a manufacturing method having the steps of dropping a liquid crystal in a TFT substrate and bonding the TFT substrate and a CF substrate in a vacuum has been developed and known. Hereinafter, this manufacturing method is referred to as "a second prior art". FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to the second prior art.
First, as in the first prior art, two substrates are provided. After that, an orientation film is formed on both a first substrate (a TFT substrate) and a second substrate (a CF substrate) (step S11). Next, spacers are formed on the surface of the second substrate on which the CF is formed (step S12a), and a sealing material composed of a photo-curable resin is formed in a rectangular shape on the surface of the first substrate on which the TFT is formed (step S12b). Thereafter, a liquid crystal is dropped inside of the sealing material in the first substrate, and the surfaces of the second substrate and the first substrate on which the CF and the TFT are respectively formed are opposed in a vacuum and aligned, and pressed each other, and then the vacuum is ventilated (released to the atmosphere), so that the second substrate and the first substrate are fixed by an atmospheric press (step S13).
Next, the sealing material is irradiated by ultraviolet rays to become a semi-cured state (step S14). Subsequently, the sealing material is heated to be thermally cured (step S15). Then, the bonded first and second substrates are cut and divided into the predetermined number of panels (step S16). Thereafter, a polarizing plate is attached thereon, and a driving circuit and the like are installed, thereby a liquid crystal display is completed.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the structure of an apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display used in the second prior art.
In the conventional apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, there is provided with a vacuum chamber 111, and a first surface plate 112 and a second surface plate 113 are provided within the vacuum chamber 111 in parallel to each other. In the vacuum chamber 111, there are provided with a vacuum suction opening 111a and a vacuum exhaust opening 111b. The material for the first surface plate 112 is, for example, ceramics, and an electrode (the first substrate sucker) 114 for electrostatic suction of a first substrate 131 is padded in the surface opposite to the second surface plate 113. Likewise, the material for the second surface plate 113 is, for example, ceramics, and an electrode (the second substrate sucker) 115 for electrostatic suction of a second substrate 132 is padded in the surface opposite to the first surface plate 112. Also, in each of the first surface plate 112 and the second surface plate 113, inhalation holes (not shown) and the like for vacuum suction of the first substrate 131 and the second substrate 132 are provided.
Furthermore, the lower surface of the first surface plate 112 is connected to the upper end of a first surface plate-connecting pedestal 125, and the lower end of the first surface plate-connecting pedestal 125 is connected to a position-adjusting table 126. On the position-adjusting table 126, there is provided with a motor (not shown), which enables the first surface plate-connecting pedestal 125 to move straight in two directions perpendicular to each other (X direction and Y direction) and to rotate in a circumferential direction (θ direction) having the central axis as a rotating axis. Therefore, the position of the first surface plate 112 and the first substrate 131 is adjusted by the position-adjusting table 126.
Further, there is provided with a pressing motor 127, which moves the second surface plate 113 in a vertical direction to press the second surface plate 113 and the first surface plate 112 each other. The pressing motor 127 is fixed to a fixing member 128a. Also, outside of the vacuum chamber 111, there are provided with an alignment camera 130 for detecting positions of alignment marks 133 and 134 respectively provided in the first substrate 131 and the second substrate 132, and an ultraviolet rays source 135 irradiating ultraviolet rays to a photo-curable resin 143 for tacking applied between the substrates. Also, a second surface plate-supporting member 129, which supports the second surface plate 113 against the first surface plate 112 in parallel, is supported to a fixing member 128b.
In addition, in the second prior art, although the CF substrate and the TFT substrate are pressed with superposed state in a vacuum, an alignment between the second substrate 132 (the CF substrate) and the first substrate 131 (the TFT substrate) is performed before being pressed. At this time, the gap between the second substrate and the first substrate is from about 0.2 to 0.5 mm. Further, the gap between the CF substrate and the TFT substrate, after being pressed by atmosphere (referred to as "an atmospheric press"), is about 5 μm.
According to the second prior art, in comparison to the first prior art, there are advantages that the number of steps can be reduced, and because there is no process step of injecting a liquid crystal followed by superposing the substrates, the contamination therefrom can be prevented, and the material for sealing a hole thereafter is not needed.
Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-66163 publication discloses a substrate-bonding apparatus, which bonds two substrates in a vacuum chamber by pressing the surface plates while checking the position of a mark using a recognition camera with the state of sucking the substrates to the surface plates by an electrostatic chuck.
However, in the second prior art, since the alignment is performed between the alignment marks provided in each of the substrate before pressing the surface plates, there is a problem that misalignment occurred by later pressurization needs to be corrected.
Also, in the substrate-bonding apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-66163 Publication, although the alignment is performed by fixing the substrates to the surface plates by the electrostatic suction, if the alignment is performed during the press, thrust is exerted in the direction parallel to a surface of the substrate, and if this thrust exceeds friction force having electrostatic suction and pressurizing force as drag, the position of the substrates is displaced. Therefore, it becomes necessary to precisely correct the misalignment plural times, and the number of steps increases. Further, in the worst case, there is a problem that the correction itself cannot be performed.

Apparatus and method of manufacturing liquid crystal display


A junction FET having a large gate noise margin is provided. The junction FET comprises an n− layer forming a drift region of the junction FET formed over a main surface of an n+ substrate made of silicon carbide, a p+ layer forming a gate region formed in contact with the n− layer forming the drift region and a gate electrode provided in an upper layer of the n+ substrate. The junction FET further incorporates pn diodes formed over the main surface of the n+ substrate and electrically connecting the p+ layer forming the gate region and the gate electrode.

Generally, a semiconductor element available for high power application of several watts or higher is referred to as a power semiconductor element. Specific on-resistance and a blocking voltage of the power semiconductor element are in a trade-off relationship determined by a band gap of a substrate material. Therefore, in order to exceed performance of a silicon (Si) element widely used as the power semiconductor element, a substrate material having a larger band gap than silicon can advantageously be used. Particularly, silicon carbide (SiC) has advantages that the band gap is about three times larger than that of silicon, both p-type and n-type conductivities can be easily achieved, and an oxide film can be formed by thermal oxidation, and therefore, is attracting increasing attention as a promising material for a high performance metal insulator semiconductor field effect transistor (MISFET).
However, the oxide film formed over the silicon carbide substrate has a significant problem. That is, when silicon carbide is subjected to thermal oxidation, carbon remains in the oxide film to form a high-density interface state. This causes significant degradation in channel mobility and significant increase in the specific on-resistance of the MISFET. The carbon remaining in the oxide film also causes degradation in reliability of the oxide film and seriously hinders achievement of the MISFET.
A junction field effect transistor (FET) is a semiconductor element having a structure that solves the problem of the interface of the oxide film. The junction FET is a type of an element using a pn junction as a gate to control a channel. As in a case where silicon is used as a base material, generally, the junction FET is a normally-on type, which is off-state only when a negative voltage is applied to the gate. Note that, since the normally-on type power semiconductor element only has a limited variety of applications for fail-safe reasons, a normally-off type power semiconductor element is generally desirable.
The normally-off type junction FET made of silicon cannot have a high blocking voltage. However, a normally-off type junction FET made of silicon carbide can have the high blocking voltage by reducing a channel. This is because the pn junction in silicon carbide has a high built-in potential of about 2.5V, and therefore, the channel can be closed even if a negative voltage is not applied to the gate.
As described above, a normally-off type high-performance element free from the problem of the interface state of the oxide film can be provided by the junction FET made of silicon carbide as a base material. Note that, an example of such a normally-off type silicon-carbide junction FET is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-134547 (Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, for the power semiconductor element made of silicon carbide as a base material, a buried channel structure has been proposed as a means for avoiding the problem of the gate oxide film while maintaining the MIS structure. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a buried channel MISFET. A reference symbol 30 denotes an n+ substrate forming a drain region, a reference symbol 29 denotes an n− layer forming a drift region, a reference symbol 28 denotes a p layer forming a body region, a reference symbol 27 denotes a p+ layer forming a lead of the body, a reference symbol 26 denotes an n+ layer forming a source region, a reference symbol 31 denotes a buried n layer, a reference symbol 32 denotes an oxide film (a gate insulating film), a reference symbol 34 denotes a gate electrode, a reference symbol 33 denotes a source electrode, and a reference symbol 35 denotes a drain electrode.
In an ordinary MISFET, a channel is formed in an interface between the p layer 28 forming the p body region and the oxide film 32. However, in the structure shown in FIG. 26, the thin buried n layer 31 is inserted between the p layer 28 forming the p body region and the oxide film 32, thereby locating the channel at a distance from the interface with the oxide film 32. As a result, carriers flowing through the channel are less affected by the interface state, and therefore, the channel mobility is improved. Note that, an example of the buried channel structure is disclosed in "1.8 mΩcm2, 10 A Power MOSFET in 4H-SiC", Proceedings of International Electron Device Meeting 2006 (Non-Patent Document 1).

Semiconductor device with large blocking voltage


A method for analyzing the content of perchlorate in a sample matrix comprising the steps of extracting the sample matrix and applying it to a reverse phase column, followed by elution with a mobile phase. The reverse phase column optionally has a protein coating deposited thereon.

Perchlorate is an anion that exists in the environment as a part of other compounds, paired with cations such as in ammonium, potassium, or sodium perchlorates. Ammonium perchlorate, which comprises the bulk of manufactured perchlorate, is used as an oxygen-adding component in solid fuel propellant for rockets, missiles, and fireworks. Because of its limited shelf-life, inventories of ammonium perchlorate must be periodically replaced. Thus, large volumes of the compound have been disposed of since the 1950's.
Recent studies have shown that perchlorate can affect the thyroid gland, and, therefore, affect metabolism, growth, and development. Due to these studies, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed perchlorate on its Contaminant Candidate List for further study and potential regulatory action. Both California and Nevada have set action levels of eighteen parts per billion for perchlorate under their drinking water regulations. In a report published in January of 2002, the EPA have set a proposed action limit for perchlorate at 1.5 parts per billion. Because current regulatory actions regarding perchlorate have begun and future regulatory actions regarding perchlorate appear certain, regulatory agencies have focused upon testing methods for perchlorate.
Perchlorate is currently detected and quantified using ion chromatography. The two steps to this process are: (1) extraction and separation of perchlorate from all other species in a sample, and (2) measurement of the separated perchlorate against suitable standards. There are problems associated with obtaining low levels of perchlorate in certain types of samples using the standard ion chromatography configuration. Interferences caused by a large amount of anionics other than perchlorate within a sample can lead to false positives and/or reduced detection limits. The federal EPA method suggests that pretreating the sample through dilution can potentially assist with these problems, but the dilution may cause a reduction of the concentration of the target analyte to the point where it becomes undetectable. These problems are especially problematic in samples obtained from sources that contain extremely complex matrices of components, such as seawater. In practice, this current detection method is capable of relatively low detection levels of perchlorate in samples with low levels of ionic interferences. However, prior to the present invention, no known analysis method or device can meet the proposed action limit being considered by the EPA mentioned above.
The method of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the ion chromatography method by use of reverse phase liquid chromatography, coupled with a mass spectrometric detection method.
Liquid chromatography is a technique for separating the individual compounds that exist in a subject sample. In employing the technique, the subject sample is carried in a liquid, called a mobile phase. The mobile phase carrying the subject sample is caused to migrate through a media, called a stationary phase. Different compounds will have differing rates of migration through the media, which effects the separation of the components in the subject sample. Liquid chromatography is commonly performed with reusable columns or with disposable cartridges, both of which are usually cylindrical, in which the media bed is bounded axially by porous plates, or plates containing defined flow paths, through which the mobile phase will flow. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,035 to McDonald et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,708 to Leavesley)
A significant element in the LC system is the column. A typical column usually consists of a piece of steel tubing which has been packed with a "packing" material. The "packing" consists of either particulate material "packed" inside the column, or a monolithic porous phase. It usually consists of silica-or polymer-based particles, which are often chemically bonded with a chemical functionality. When the sample is carried through the column (along with the mobile phase), the various components (solutes) in the sample migrate through the packing within the column at different rates. Because of the different rates of movement, the components gradually separate as they move through the column. Differential migration is affected by factors such as the composition of the mobile phase, the composition of the stationary phase (i.e., the material with which the column is "packed"), and the temperature at which the separation takes place. Thus, such factors will influence the separation of the sample's various components. A more detailed description of the separation process can be found, among other places, in Chapters 2 and 5 of Introduction to Modern Liquid Chromatography (2d ed. 1979) by L. R. Snyder and J. J. Kirkland, which chapters are incorporated by reference herein.


Extracted geothermal fluid (which may comprise geothermal liquid or brine) is used to operate a power plant by applying the extracted geothermal fluid to a vaporizer containing pre-heated working fluid for producing vaporized working fluid and from which heat depleted geothermal fluid is extracted. A portion of the heat depleted geothermal fluid is applied to a pre-heater containing liquid working fluid for producing the pre-heated working fluid, and for producing further heat depleted geothermal fluid. The vaporized working fluid is expanded in a turbogenerator for generating power and producing expanded vaporized working fluid; and, the expanded vaporized working fluid produced by the turbogenerator is condensed into liquid working fluid that is pre-heated. The portion of said heat depleted geothermal fluid that is not applied to said pre-heater and the further heat depleted geothermal fluid are separately re-injected into the ground.

Power plants operating on geothermal fluid have been constructed in many countries throughout the world. The physical properties of extracted geothermal fluid, such as its temperature, pressure, flow rate and chemical capacity, are important factors that determine the design of the power plant. Power plants operating in geothermal fields where the temperature of the extracted geothermal fluid is under 200.degree. C. typically utilize an organic working fluid such as one of the Freons, n-pentane, isopentane, etc. In such plants, the extracted geothermal fluid is applied to a vaporizer containing organic fluid which is vaporized and supplied to a turbogenerator wherein expansion takes places generating electricity. The exhaust from the turbogenerator is applied to a condenser, typically air cooled, to produce a condensate that is returned to the vaporizer by a cycle pump to complete the organic fluid cycle. Typically, heat depleted geothermal fluid produced by the vaporization of the organic fluid is disposed of in a re-injection well that returns the heat depleted geothermal fluid to the ground.
In order to increase the thermodynamic efficiency of such a power plant, the heat depleted geothermal fluid produced by the vaporizer is first passed through a pre-heater producing further heat depleted geothermal fluid which is then disposed of by re-injection. While this approach is advantageous in that additional heat is extracted from the geothermal fluid thus increasing the generating capacity of the power plant, serious problems will arise when the mineral content of the extracted geothermal fluid exceeds certain limits. That is to say, some geothermal fluids have such a high concentration of minerals, such as silica, that incipient precipitation occurs within the pre-heater and/or in the piping that connects the pre-heater to the re-injection well, and/or, even in the well bore of the re-injection well itself. For obvious reasons, this is not acceptable. As a result, the use of pre-heaters is often precluded to the detriment of generating capacity.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved geothermal power plant and method for using the same which provides a measure of control over incipient precipitation in the components of a power plant.

Geothermal power plant and method for using the same


An image display apparatus includes a display unit configured to display an image, an information acquisition unit configured to extract a target image and a comparison image, to cut first and second regions from the extracted target image, to cut third and fourth regions from the extracted comparison image, and to obtain an image feature quantity of each of the first to fourth regions, a comparison unit configured to perform comparison of the image feature quantities of the first region and the third region, and to perform comparison of the image feature quantities of the second region and the fourth region, and a feature quantity setting unit configured to perform weighting to the first region and the second region based on the comparison result of the comparison unit, and to obtain an image feature quantity of the entire target image based on the result of weighting.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus and a method of controlling an image display apparatus.
2. Related Art
In the related art, in an image display apparatus, such as a projector, display control, such as dimming or luminance expansion processing, is performed based on a feature quantity of an image to be displayed (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 4432933). A projector described in Japanese Patent No. 4432933 performs appropriate luminance expansion processing and dimming corresponding to the feature quantity of the image, thereby increasing contrast of the image and suppressing halation of the image.
On the other hand, an image displayed on the image display apparatus may be attached with information other than the image. For example, in order to compensate for the difference between a display aspect ratio of the image display apparatus and an aspect ratio of an input image, a letter box image attached with black bands on the upper and lower sides or the right and left sides of an image may be displayed. A subtitle may be attached to an image. In this case, when obtaining a feature quantity of an image, additional information, such as a black band or a subtitle, is likely to affect a feature quantity. However, in order to increase display quality of an image by luminance expansion processing or dimming, it is preferable to use a feature quantity of an original input image other than the additional information as a reference. For this reason, there is a demand for a technique which obtains a feature quantity of an image in spite of an influence of additional information.

Image display apparatus and method of controlling image display apparatus


In some embodiments, a system includes a trusted network, an untrusted network, on-board equipment on-board a moving object, one or more first security devices on-board the moving object and communicatively connecting the on-board equipment and the untrusted network, and a security device bank communicatively connecting the trusted network and the untrusted network. The security device bank includes a common bus or the local network and one or more second security devices connected to the common bus or the local network.

An urban rail communication-based train control (CBTC) system is responsible for the safe and efficient control of the trains. An advantage of a CBTC system is that increased reliability and closer spacing between trains is achievable during train operations. In a CBTC system, automatic train operation, protection, and supervision are often provided by central computers. These computers are responsible for the efficient routing of the trains and protection the trains from collision with other trains and derailing due to misaligned points (rail switches). The computer equipment on-board a train is directly responsible for adhering to the movement authority limits established by the control computers, reporting the position of the train, and for safely controlling the train propulsion system and the passenger doors. The components of the CBTC system are interconnected through a data communication system (DCS). The DCS must ensure that there is sufficient security in place to allow the safe, efficient operation of the CBTC system.

Security device bank and a system including the and SD security device bank


A solid oxide fuel cell that directly utilizes a flame according to the present invention has a solid oxide substrate, a cathode electrode layer formed on one surface, and an anode electrode layer 3 formed on the opposite surface and a platinum mesh is embedded in the entire surfaces of the solid cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer. An oxide layer covers the entire periphery of the solid oxide substrate from the end part of the cathode electrode layer to the end part of the anode electrode layer. Due to the platinum mesh and the oxide layer, thermal shock due to rapid heating by a flame is alleviated and cracking in the solid oxide substrate is prevented from occurring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell applicable to a power generating apparatus and, more particularly, to a solid oxide fuel cell, having a simple structure that does not require hermetic sealing, in which a cathode electrode layer and an anode electrode layer, each having a current collecting electrode, are formed on a solid oxide substrate, wherein power can be generated by directly exposing the fuel cell to a premixed gas combustion flame produced by burning, the thermal shock due to rapid heating by a flame is alleviated, and cracking at the periphery of the substrate is prevented from occurring.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel cells so far developed can be classified into various types according to the method of power generation, one being the type of solid oxide fuel cell that uses a solid electrolyte. In one example of the fuel cell that uses a solid electrolyte, a calcined structure made of yttria (Y2O3)-doped stabilized zirconia is used as an oxygen-ion-conducting solid oxide substrate. This fuel cell comprises a cathode electrode layer formed on one surface of the solid oxide substrate and an anode electrode layer on the opposite surface thereof, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the cathode electrode layer, while a fuel gas such as methane is supplied to the anode electrode layer.
In this fuel cell, the oxygen (O2) supplied to the cathode electrode layer is converted into oxygen ions (O2−) at the boundary between the cathode electrode layer and the solid oxide substrate, and the oxygen ions are conducted through the solid oxide substrate into the anode electrode layer where the ions react with the fuel gas, for example, a methane gas (CH4), supplied to the anode electrode layer, producing water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2), and carbon monoxide (CO). In this reaction process, the oxygen ions release electrons, and a potential difference therefore occurs between the cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer. When lead wires are attached to the cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer, the electrons in the anode electrode layer can flow into the cathode electrode layer via the lead wires, and the fuel cell thus generates electric power. The operating temperature of this fuel cell is about 1,000° C.
However, such a type of solid oxide fuel cell requires the provision of separate chambers, one being an oxygen or oxygen-containing gas supply chamber on the cathode electrode layer side and the other a fuel gas supply chamber on the anode electrode layer side. Then, the fuel cell is heated to the driving temperature by a heater provided outside the separate chamber. However, if heated rapidly, cracking occurs in the solid oxide fuel cell and the generation of power is no longer possible, therefore, it has been necessary to gradually heat the fuel cell, when it is started, over a long period of time. Furthermore, as the fuel cell is exposed to oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at high temperatures, it has been difficult to increase the durability of the solid oxide fuel cell.
On the other hand, there has been developed a fuel cell of the type that comprises a fuel cell fabricated by forming a cathode electrode layer and an anode electrode layer on opposite surfaces of a solid oxide substrate, and that generates an electromotive force between the cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer by placing the fuel cell unit in a fuel gas mixture consisting of a fuel gas, for example, a methane gas, and oxygen. The principle of generating an electromotive force between the cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer is the same for this type of fuel cell as for the above-described separate-chamber type fuel cell but, as the whole fuel cell can be exposed to substantially the same atmosphere, the fuel cell can be constructed as a single-chamber type cell to which the fuel gas mixture is supplied, and this serves to increase the durability of the fuel cell.
However, in this single-chamber fuel cell also, as the fuel cell has to be operated at a high temperature of about 1,000° C., there is the danger that the fuel gas mixture may explode. Here, if the oxygen concentration is reduced to a level lower than the ignitability limit to avoid such danger, there occurs the problem that carbonization of the fuel, such as methane, progresses and the fuel cell performance degrades. In view of this, there has been developed a single-chamber fuel cell that can use a fuel gas mixture whose oxygen concentration is adjusted so as to be able to prevent the progress of carbonization of the fuel while, at the same time, preventing an explosion of the fuel gas mixture.
The fuel cell so far described is of the type that is constructed by housing the fuel cell in a chamber having a hermetically sealed structure, on the other hand, and there is proposed an apparatus that generates power by placing a solid oxide fuel cell in or near a flame and thereby holding the solid oxide fuel cell at its operating temperature by the heat of the flame.
The fuel cell used in the above-proposed power generating apparatus comprises a zirconia solid oxide substrate formed in a tubular structure, a cathode electrode layer as an air electrode formed on the inner circumference of the tubular structure, and an anode electrode layer as a fuel electrode formed on the outer circumference of the tubular structure. This solid oxide fuel cell using the solid electrolyte is placed with the anode electrode layer exposed to a reducing flame portion of a flame generated from a combustion device to which the fuel gas is supplied. In this arrangement, radicals, etc. present in the reducing flame can be utilized as the fuel, while air, as an oxygen-containing gas, is supplied by convection or diffusion to the cathode electrode layer inside the tubular structure, and the solid oxide fuel cell thus generates electric power.
The above-described single-chamber fuel-cell obviates the necessity of strictly separating the fuel and the air as was the case with conventional solid oxide fuel cells, but instead has to employ an air-sealing construction. Further, to increase the electromotive force, a plurality of flat plate solid oxide fuel cells are stacked one on top of another and connected together using an interconnect material having high heat resistance and high electrical conductivity so as to be able to operate at high temperatures. As a result, the single-chamber fuel-cell device constructed from a stack of flat plate solid oxide fuel cells has the problem that the construction is not only large but also costly.
Furthermore, in operation, the temperature is gradually raised to the high operating temperature in order to prevent cracking of the solid electrolyte fuel cells, therefore, the single-chamber fuel-cell device requires a significant startup time, thus causing extra trouble to operate.
In contrast, the above-proposed solid oxide fuel cell of tubular structure employs a construction that directly utilizes a flame and this type of fuel cell has the characteristic of being an open type, the solid electrolyte fuel cell not needing to be housed in a hermetically sealed container. As a result, this type of fuel cell can reduce the startup time, is simple in structure, and is therefore advantageous when it comes to reducing the size, weight, and cost of the fuel cell. Further, as a flame is used directly, this type of fuel cell can be incorporated in a conventional combustion apparatus, or an incinerator or the like, and is thus expected to be used as a power supply apparatus.
However, in this type of fuel cell, as the anode electrode layer is formed on the outer circumference of the tubular solid oxide substrate, radicals due to the flame are not supplied, in particular, to the lower half of the anode electrode layer, and effective use cannot be made of the entire surface of the anode electrode layer formed on the outer circumference of the tubular solid oxide substrate. This has degraded the power generation efficiency. There has also been the problem that, as the solid oxide fuel cell is directly and unevenly heated by the flame, cracking tends to occur due to rapid changes in temperature.
In view of the above situation, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-139936, for example, proposes a power generating apparatus using a solid oxide fuel cell as a handy power supply means, wherein improvements in durability and power generation efficiency and reductions in size and cost are achieved by employing a solid oxide fuel cell of the type that directly utilizes a flame produced by burning a fuel, and by making provisions to apply the flame over the entire surface of the anode electrode layer formed on a flat plate solid oxide substrate.
The solid oxide fuel cell used in the above-proposed power generating apparatus has a flat plate solid oxide substrate circular or rectangular in shape, a cathode electrode layer 2 as an air electrode formed on one surface of the substrate, and an anode electrode layer as a fuel electrode formed on the surface opposite to the one surface. The cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer are constructed so as to be arranged in opposition to each other via the solid oxide substrate.
As the solid oxide fuel cell is formed in a flat plate shape, the flame produced by a combustion device can be applied uniformly over the anode electrode layer of the solid oxide fuel cell, that is, compared with the tubular type, the flame can be applied more evenly. Furthermore, with the anode electrode layer disposed facing the flame, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, radicals (OH, CH, C2, O2H, CH3), etc. present in the flame can be easily utilized as the fuel to generate power based on the oxidation-reduction reaction. Further, the cathode electrode layer is exposed to an oxygen-containing gas, for example, air and, therefore, the cathode electrode layer can be maintained in an oxygen-rich condition.
By the way, for the solid oxide fuel cell used in the power generating apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-139936, it has been proposed that the metal meshes or the metal wires be embedded or fixed at least in or to one of the anode electrode layer and the cathode electrode layer of the solid oxide fuel cell in order to prevent the power generating performance of the solid oxide fuel cell from degrading even if cracking occurs due to it being exposed directly to the flame.
As described above, one solid oxide fuel cell is formed on one solid oxide substrate, however, there may be the case where a plurality of fuel cells are formed on one solid oxide substrate as the solid oxide fuel cell and further the case where the solid oxide fuel cell is formed on each of a plurality of solid oxide substrates having a small area and the individual fuel cells are electrically connected to each other via wires to form a single fuel cell. In these cases also, it has been proposed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-71628, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-63692, etc., that the metal meshes or the metal wires be embedded or fixed at least in or to one of the anode electrode layer and the cathode electrode layer of each fuel cell in order to prevent the power generating performance of the solid oxide fuel cell from degrading even if cracking occurs.
As described above, in the solid oxide fuel cell used in the so far proposed power generating apparatus, the metal meshes or the metal wires are embedded or fixed at least in or to one of the anode electrode layer and the cathode electrode layer of the solid oxide fuel cell in order to prevent the power generating performance of the solid oxide fuel cell from degrading even if cracking occurs due to being exposed directly to the flame. This means that because of the presence of the metal meshes or the metal wires, the individual fuel cells cracked and disintegrated in pieces are electrically connected in parallel as a result, therefore, the generation of power is not affected over the whole of the solid oxide fuel cell.
However, even in the case where the metal meshes or the metal wires are provided in each electrode layer, the individual fuel cells cracked and disintegrated in pieces are electrically connected in parallel by the metal meshes or the metal wires and the ability to generate electric power is maintained but, as described above, at the periphery part of the solid oxide substrate 1, the substrate surface is exposed with a predetermined width, therefore, there has been the problem that cracking occurs also in the periphery part of the solid oxide substrate on which none of the electrode layers is formed and, as a result, the solid oxide fuel cell cannot be used any more.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a solid oxide fuel cell having a simple structure, that does not require hermetic sealing, in which a cathode electrode layer and an anode electrode layer are formed on a solid oxide substrate, wherein electric power can be generated by directly exposing the fuel cell to a premixed gas combustion flame produced by burning, measures are taken to prevent cracking in the periphery part of the solid oxide substrate, the thermal shock due to rapid heating by the flame is alleviated, and cracking of the entire substrate is prevented from occurring.

Solid oxide fuel cell directly utilizing flame


According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system accesses transaction documents. A unique code is generated for each transaction for one or more products, wherein the unique code is associated with a transaction document including transaction information and each product is associated with a product code. The system stores the unique code and corresponding one or more product codes associated with each transaction, and accesses one or more transaction documents based on an identifier of at least one product associated with a corresponding transaction of the one or more transaction documents. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for accessing transaction documents in substantially the same manners described above.

1. Technical Field
Present invention embodiments relate to accessing transaction documents, and, in particular, to accessing receipts for retail transactions.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When a customer purchases items at a retail store, a point of sale (POS) system typically scans the Universal Product Code (UPC) or other barcode of the items and generates a receipt, typically a paper receipt. The customer may have to save the receipt and provide it to the retailer or manufacturer in order to return the item or have an item under warranty repaired. Further, an original receipt or a gift receipt may be required to return an item received as a gift. However, storing numerous paper receipts may be overwhelming, and typically leads to receipts becoming lost, and items becoming un-returnable.


A golf ball having a good rebound and excellent flight performance can be obtained using a golf ball composition which includes a diene polymer containing not more than 1.5% of components having a molecular weight of 30,000 or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf ball composition from which golf balls having an especially good rebound and an outstanding flight performance can be obtained. The invention also relates to a golf ball formed using such a composition.
2. Prior Art
In order to confer golf balls with an excellent rebound, various improvements have hitherto been carried out, not only on the ball construction, but also on the materials from which the ball is formed.
For example, in order to develop a polymeric material having high thermal properties (e.g., thermal stability) and mechanical properties (e.g., tensile modulus, flexural modulus), JP-A 2000-313710 discloses a catalyst composition which is capable of producing a conjugated diene polymer having a high cis-1,4 structure content in the microstructure and having a narrow molecular weight distribution. JP-A 2002-282393 and JP-A 2002-338737 describe solid golf balls having a good flight performance, in which balls a solid core has been formed using a polybutadiene rubber obtained with, for example, the catalyst composition described in JP-A 2000-313710.
Other prior art relating to the present invention is disclosed in, for example, JP-A 2002-239034, JP-A 2003-154033, JP-A 2003-190333, JP-A 2003-225327, JP-A 2005-089551, JP-A 2005-111049, JP-A 2007-222196, JP-A 2008-161345, U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,920, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,244,194. However, from the standpoint of the rebound and other properties of the golf ball, further improvements are desired in such prior art.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf ball composition from which golf balls having a good rebound and an excellent flight performance can be obtained. A further object is to provide a golf ball formed using such a composition.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.