A process and product comprising collagen and demineralized bone particles. The product may contain a maximum of 20% by weight inorganic materials. The product may densified by compression. Additional osteogenic factors, mitogens, drugs or antibiotics may be incorporated therein. Inorganic materials may be bound to the organic matrix via precoating with a calcium or hydroxyapatite binding protein, peptide or amino acid. The materials also display long lasting drug release characteristics.

The repair of osseous defects involves either non-resorbable or resorbable prosthetic structures. The resorbable structures or materials either support the ingrowth of adjacent bone and soft tissue or actively induce the formation of new bone. This active formation of new bone, termed osteoinduction, occurs only in the presence of demineralized bone matrix or in the presence of protein extracts from such matrix, or a combination of both materials. Particles or powders produced from demineralized bone matrix possess greater osteogenic potential per unit weight due to their increased surface area, than blocks or whole segments of demineralized bone.
Other method of repairing damaged or missing osseous tissue or bone have also been explored. Replacement or support with nonresorbable materials, such as biocompatible metals, ceramics, or composite metal-ceramic materials, offers one method of clinical treatment. Some of these materials, such as metal grade titanium, can promote osteocoinduction at their surface, thus leading to a stable, continuous interface with bone. Caffessee et al Journal of Periodontology, Feb. 1987 utilizing a "window" implantation technique, established that nonabsorbable ceramics, such as hydroxyapatite, fail to stimulate tissue, even when placed in osseous defects. Resorbable ceramics, such as tricalcium phosphate, display better conduction of mineralized tissue into the resorbing graft material when placed in osseous defects. Unlike demineralized bone matrix, tricalcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite fail to stimulate induction of new bone when placed in non-osseous tissue. The addition of tricalcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite to demineralized bone matrix or to the extracted bone-inducing proteins actually inhibits the osteogenetic potential of these established osteoinductive compositions (see Yamazaki et al. Experimental Study On the Osteoindustion Ability of Calcium Phosphate Biomaterials with added bone Morphogenetic Protein Transations of the Society For Biomaterials pg 111, 1986.
Aside from the documented inability of hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate ceramic materials to independently induce osteogenesis, recent clinical findings indicate that osteointegration of inorganic particles is highly dependent on the ability of those particles to remain fixed in a definite position, preferably near a bony interface. Hence, the immobility of the particles is a prerequisite for involvement with new bone formation (See Donath, et. al., A Histologic Evaluation of a Mandibular Cross Section One Year After Augmentation with Hydroxyapatite Particles Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology vol 63 No. 6 pp. 651-655, 1987.
Nevertheless, numerous compositions have been derived to create clinically useful bone replacement materials. Cruz U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,437 describes artificial ivory or bone-like structures which are formed from a complex partial salt of collagen with a metal hydroxide and an ionizable acid, such as phosphoric acid. With regard to the metal hydroxide, this composition stresses the use of a polyvalent metal cation in the metal hydroxide, such as calcium hydroxide. Calcium phosphate may be added to the complex collagen salt. Cruz also recites the addition of fibers and ions to increase hardness and structural strength, but does not document or make claims with regard to these specific improvements. Cruz does not mention or claim these compositions to be osteoinductive or osteoconductive, nor does he mention their behavior in-vivo.
Thiele, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,128, recites a process of degrading and regenerating bone and tooth material and products. This process involves first demineralizing bone or dentin, converting the demineralized material into a mucopolysaccharide-free colloidal solution by extraction with sodium hydroxide adding to the resultant solution a physiologically inert foreign mucopolysaccharide, gelling the solution, and then remineralizing the resulting gel. Thiele et al indicate this material to be biocompatible and totally resorbable, thus replaced by body tissue as determined by histiologic analysis the gel material produced by this process is reported to completely replace destroyed bone sections created in experimental animals. The patentees do not indicate any ability by the material to induce new bone. The ultimate fate of these materials in-vivo, or their ability to stimulate the formation of new bone in non-osseous implant sites is not described. The patentees do not describe or quantify the strength properties of these material. Nevertheless, since they are described as gels, one can assume their strength to be low.
Urist In U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,753, describes a process of extracting and solubilizing a Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP). This is a glycoprotein complex which induces the formation of endochrondral bone in osseous and non-osseous sites. This partially purified glycoprotein, which is derived from demineralized bone matrix by extraction, is lyophilized in the form of a powder. Urist describes the actual delivery of BMP in in-vivo testing via direct implantation of the powder, implantation of the powder contained within a diffusion chamber, or coprecipitation of the BMP with calcium phosphate. While Urist describes the induction of new bone after the implantation of one of these forms of BMP in either osseous or non-osseous sites, Urist fails to address the intrinsic physical strength properties of any of these delivery forms. Lyophilized powders and calcium phosphate precipitates, however, possess little if any, physical strength. Furthermore, more recent investigators (see aforementioned Yamazasaki, et al) indicate that calcium phosphate ceramics, such as tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite, when present in high concentrations relative to the BMP present, may actually inhibit the osteogenic action of the BMP.
Jefferies in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,394,370 and 4,472,840 describes bone graft materials composed of collagen and demineralized bone matrix, collagen and extracted Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP). Also described is a combination collagen, demineralized bone matrix, plus extracted bone morphogenetic proteins. Jefferies describes an anhydrous lyophilized sponge conjugate made from these compositions which when implanted in osseous and non-osseous sites, is able to induce the formation of new bone. The physical strength of these sponges is not specified in the disclosure, however, reports of the compressive strength of other collagen sponges indicates these materials to be very weak and easily compressible (much less then 1 kiliogram load needed to affect significant physical strain in compression or tension).
Smestad in U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,760 assigned to Collagen Corporation, describes a nonstress-bearing implantable bone prosthesis consisting of demineralized bone or dentin placed within a collagen tube or container. As the patentee indicates, this bone prosthesis can not be used in stress-bearing locations clinically.
Glowacki et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,7550 apparently assigned to Collagen Corporation and Harvard University describe plastic dispersions of aqueous collagen mixed with demineralized bone particles for use in inducing bone in osseous defects. This graft material, as described exists in a gel state and possesses little physical strength of its own. Its use, therefore, must be restricted to defects which can maintain sufficient form and strength throughout the healing process. Furthermore, with time, the demineralized bone particle suspended within the aqueous collagen sol-gel begin to settle under gravitational forces, thus producing an nonhomogeneous or stratified graft material.
Seyedin, et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,094, describes the purification of a protein factor, which is claimed to be different than Urist's BMP molecule, responsible for the induction of chondrogenic activity.
Bell, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,097, assigned to Massachusettes Institute of Technology, describes a bone equivalent, useful in the fabrication of prostheses, which is composed from a hydrated collagen lattice contracted by fibroblast cells and containing demineralized bone powder. As this prosthetic structure is also a hydrated collagen gel, it has little strength of its own. The patentee mentions the use of synthetic meshes to give support to the hydrated collagen lattices to allow handling. Nevertheless, there is no indication of the clinical use of the material or measurement of its total physical strength.
Ries, et.al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,553, describes a method for producing a bone substitute material consisting of collagen and hydroxyapatite and partially crosslinked with a suitable crosslinking agent, such as glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde. The order of addition of these agents is such that the crosslinking agent is added to the aqueous collagen dispersion prior to the addition of the hydroxyapatite or calcium phosphate particulate material. The resultant dispersion is mixed and lyophilized. The patent lacks any well known components which are known osteogenic inducers, such as demineralized bone matrix or extracted bone proteins.
Caplan, et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,327, describes a method for treating implants such as biodegradable masses, xenogenic bony implants, allografts, and prosthetic devices with soluble bone protein to enhance or stimulate new cartilage or bone formation. These structures may then be crosslinked to immobilize the soluble bone protein or retard its release. While the osteogenic activity of these implants are described in detail, their physical strength is not mentioned.
The above review of the prior art reveals that none of the bone prosthetic materials which claim the ability to induce new bone formation (osteoinductive materials) possess high strength characteristics. Furthermore, of those materials which are described with enhanced strength, these materials consist solely of a crosslinked conjugates of collagen and inorganic mineral, which lacks the ability to stimulate the induction of new bone.
It is especially relevant that none of the above references address the need to bind the dispersed particulate or inorganic phase to the organic carrier matrix (i.e. collagen). As will be described below, the treatment of demineralized bone matrix or particles or inorganic particles, prior to complexation with an organic biopolymer, such as collagen, is extremely important in determining the physical strength characteristics of the bioimplant.
Furthermore, the ability to orient protein or peptide particles in a stable fashion within organic or natural polymeric matrixes permits the ability to release drugs, bioactiveproteins, and bioactive peptides in a controlled fashion.


An image forming apparatus includes a switching unit that can switch polarities of potentials of an intermediate transfer member generated at a primary transfer part and a secondary transfer part in synchronization, and a control unit that executes adjustment processing in which a potential having a polarity opposite to the polarity upon the transfer is generated at least one of the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part, in which the control unit controls the switching unit in a manner that, in a case where the adjustment processing is performed in a course of continuous image formation on a plurality of transfer materials conveyed to the secondary transfer part, a timing for generating the potential having the opposite polarity corresponds to a timing at which toner images are not transferred at both of the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that employs an electrophotographic system, an electrostatic recording system, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, for example, as an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system, an image forming apparatus that adopts an intermediate transfer system in which, after a toner image formed on a photosensitive member is primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer member, the toner image is secondarily transferred onto a transfer material such as paper has been proposed. In general, a primary transfer member is provided for a primary transfer part, and a secondary transfer member is provided for a secondary transfer part. Voltages from independent power sources are applied to the primary transfer member and the secondary transfer member, respectively and potentials for primary transfer and secondary transfer are respectively generated at the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-137733 proposes an image forming apparatus that adopts the intermediate transfer system and that causes a current to flow in a circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer member from the secondary transfer part and performs both primary transfer and secondary transfer. In this case, an endless belt having a conductivity at which a current can flow in the circumferential direction is used as the intermediate transfer member, and a voltage is applied to the secondary transfer member to cause the current to flow through the belt.
In addition, up to now, the image forming apparatus executes various adjustment processes for an image quality adjustment, a status check, and the like. For example, when images are continuously formed, the image forming processing may be temporarily interrupted to perform the adjustment processing in a case where a certain condition (processing execution condition) is met. In this case, after the adjustment processing is ended, the image forming apparatus resumes the interrupted image formation. As an example of the adjustment processing, processing of periodically supplying toner to a cleaning unit has been proposed to suppress turn-up or the like of a cleaning blade that removes toner from the photosensitive member. Since the toner is periodically supplied to the cleaning unit, lubrication between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive member is realized (hereinafter, this processing may also be referred to as "discharge processing").
A timing for executing the discharge processing is generally determined on the basis of a number of sheets subjected to image formation, a printing ratio, or the like. The image forming apparatus temporarily interrupts the image forming processing when the processing execution condition (discharge processing execution condition) set by using the above-described number of sheets subjected to the image formation, the printing ratio, or the like as an index is met, and forms on the photosensitive member a toner image to be supplied to the cleaning unit. This toner image is supplied to the cleaning unit without being transferred to the intermediate transfer member while a potential generated at the primary transfer part is set to have the opposite polarity with respect to the polarity upon the primary transfer. The image forming apparatus then resumes the image formation after the discharge processing is ended.
According to the configuration in which the power sources are respectively provided for the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part, it is possible to generate potential having predetermined polarities at the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part by independently controlling respective voltages and currents. With such configuration, in a case where the adjustment processing such as the discharge processing is executed, the potential having a predetermined polarity can be independently generated at the primary transfer part irrespective of the polarity of the potential generated at the secondary transfer part, and the adjustment processing can be executed.
However, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-137733, since the respective polarities of the potentials generated at the primary transfer part and the secondary transfer part cannot be independently controlled, it is difficult to execute the adjustment processing.


A method for the mass production of human coagulation Factor VII. The method includes a) providing an expression vector carrying i) a dihydrofolate reductase promoter devoid of one or more CCGCC repeat sequences from the GC-rich region thereof and a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene operably linked thereto and ii) a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter and a human coagulation Factor VII gene operably linked thereto; b) obtaining a transformed host cell line containing the expression vector; and c) culturing the transfected host cell in the presence of a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor to select cells which express human coagulation Factor VII with high efficiency; and d) adding sodium butyrate to the selected host cells.

Coagulation factor VII (FVII) is a precursor of serine protease that causes blood to clot in the coagulation cascade where it activates coagulation factor X or factor IX. FVII, produced in the liver, is a glycoprotein which consists of a single chain with a molecular weight of 50,000 Da. When decomposed into two chains by different proteases, among which are factor Xa, factor XIIa, factor IXa and thrombin, FVII is itself activated into an active form, FVIIa. FVII is also activated to FVIIa by binding to tissue factors and negatively charged phospholipid A (Nemerson et al, Thromb. Res, 1985, 40:351˜358). In the presence of tissue factor and calcium ions, FVIIa activates factor X into factor Xa which, in turn, convert prothrombin into thrombin with the aid of factor Va in the presence of calcium ion and phospholipid, performing coagulation.
Factor VII, consisting of 406 amino acids, is cleaved at the peptide bond between arginine 152 and isoleucine 153 to form factor VIIa in which the light chain (152 amino acids) and the heavy chain (254 amino acids) are held together by a disulfide bond. The light chain comprises one gamma carboxyl glutamic acid domain (Gla) and two EGF (epidermal growth factor) domains while the heavy chain is responsible for serine protease activity.
In order for Factor VII to be fully functional, it must be subjected to gamma-carboxylation of 10 n-terminal glutamic acid residues, which is a vitamin-K dependent process (Hagen et al, Natl. Acad. SC. U.S.A, 1986, 83:2412˜2416). This Gla-domain is known to be involved in binding factor VII to the cell surface containing the tissue factor (Sakai et al, J. Biol Chem, 1990, 265:1890˜1894).
To date, there are two approaches to the production of factor VIIa. In one approach, factor VII is isolated and purified from plasma and activated to VIIa (Broze et al, J. Biol. Chem, 1980, 225:1242˜1247). The other is a genetic engineering technique in which animal cells transformed with a DNA sequence of factor VII are cultured to produce factor VII (European Patent Application No: 86302855.1).
The plasma-derived factor VIIa suffers from the disadvantage of having a low production yield and lacking consistency in supply. A particular problem with this factor lies in the risk it poses to the safety of the body. In contrast, the genetic recombinant product is considered to overcome the demerits of the plasma-derived product.
However, animal cells from which factor VII is produced by genetic recombination generally have a low expression level, so that only low productivity can be guaranteed. Hence, in order for factor VII to be used as a therapeutic agent, it is necessary to secure a cell line in which the factor can be stably produced on mass scale. In this context, an expression vector that has high expression efficiency is indispensable.

Method for mass production of factor VII/VIIA


A gripper bar conveyor mechanism for transferring sheets to be printed from one rotating impression cylinder to another in a multiple color rotary offset printer of the type having sets of impression cylinders and corresponding blanket cylinders for rolling contact with the sheets to be printed therebetween. The gripper bar conveyor mechanism includes a transferrable gripper bar activatable for releasably securing sheets to be printed in a fixed orientation with respect to the transferrable gripper bar. The registration projection is affixed to the transferrable gripper bar. A registration pocket is adjustably affixed to each of the impression cylinders for temporarily receiving the registration projection of the gripper bar and thereby holding the gripper bar in a desired position with respect to the impression cylinder. A conveyor band is attached to the gripper bar and is operably connected to the rotary offset press for moving the gripper bar from one impression cylinder to the next. The registration projection is engaged in the registration pocket at each of the impression cylinders during a portion of the impression cylinder rotation which is sufficient to initialize rolling contact of the sheet to be printed in proper registration between the impression cylinder and the corresponding blanket cylinder at each set of impression and blanket cylinders.

Rotary offset printing machines have been used for a number of years. The basic mechanisms, principles, and steps of operation for modern rotary printers include chemically forming an image on a thin metal image plate. The thin image plate therearound is attached around the circumference of a plate cylinder. Ink and a water solution are applied by rollers to the respective chemically treated areas that are to form an image on the image plate as it rotates with the plate cylinder. The plate cylinder rolls the image plate against a blanket cylinder offsetting a reverse image around the circumference of the blanket cylinder. A sheet of print paper or other material to be printed is fed into the press and gripped by an impression cylinder. The impression cylinder pulls the paper into rolling contact between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. Under rolling pressure between the two cylinders, the image is imprinted from the blanket cylinder onto the paper. The imprinted image is the reverse of that on the blanket cylinder so that it is appears as originally formed on the image plate. After the paper is imprinted, it is removed from the impression cylinder gripper and transferred either to a collection tray if printing is finished, or to another impression cylinder, if additional colors or images are to be applied. The subsequent impression cylinder grips the print paper from a transfer gripper and rolls the paper against a subsequent blanket cylinder for additional printing.
In multi-color offset printers, each color is applied as a series of minute dots or patterns. It is extremely important to precisely locate or register the paper as it is gripped by each of the impression cylinders, so that each subsequent matrix of colored dots can be properly located and coordinated with respect to other color dots to form the desired image. Quality printing requires precise location of the dots within thousandths of an inch of each other. An error in alignment of a few thousandths of an inch can produce a blurred image or an image with improperly mixed and overlapping color dots.
In the past, multiple color offset rotary printers accomplished this precise registration through careful attention to the transfer of the paper using precisely manufactured fixed diameter transfer cylinders. Usually, the transfer cylinders are large enough to carry two sheets of print paper spaced end-to-end around the circumference of the cylinder. The rotation of the transfer cylinders had to be carefully timed with respect to the rotation of the impression cylinders so that the paper when picked up by the transfer cylinders from one of the impression cylinders was carried around the transfer cylinder at precisely the correct speed and distance so that it was gripped by a subsequent impression cylinder precisely in the correct location for registration. The grippers for each impression cylinder had to be adjusted until the dots were printed precisely at the desired location.
The use of transfer cylinders has been important because of the extreme criticality of precise registration. The cylinders, once formed, have a fixed diameter and can be rotated through gears at a fixed speed. Repeatable transfers are thus made possible. However, this structure is complex and expensive. Further, it introduces associate problems. For example, smearing can result because the printed surface of the paper being transferred is directed inward on each transfer cylinder. Thus, the printed surface of the sheet faces outward toward the blanket cylinder when it is gripped by the next impression cylinder. Special coatings, special non-stick screens, and even complex systems for air cushioning the paper as it is carried around the transfer cylinder have been employed in order to minimize this smearing problem.
The cost of manufacturing multiple color offset printers has been very high because of the complexity of multiple transfer gripping mechanisms, large precision-built transfer cylinders, and non-smear mechanisms. Further, because of the need to properly adjust registration of the paper as it is received by each impression cylinder, transferred to each transfer cylinder and then received by each subsequent impression cylinder, the time and expense to set up any given multiple color offset printing job has been substantial. It is not uncommon for an operator to spend a considerable amount of time setting up a job and to use over five hundred (500) trial printing sheets before proper registration is obtained for all of the color impression cylinders. As a result, multiple color offset rotary printing has not been economically feasible for most small printing jobs requiring less than several thousand copies.

Gripper bar conveyor for multiple color offset rotary printing press


An apparatus (20) for uniformly processing substrates (25) having a surface with a center (80) and a peripheral edge (85). The apparatus (20) comprises (i) a process chamber (30) having a gas distributor (55) for distributing process gas in the process chamber (30); (ii) a support (75) for supporting a substrate (25) in the process chamber (30); (iii) a plasma generator for forming a plasma from the process gas in the process chamber (30); and (iv) a focus ring (90) in the process chamber (30). The focus ring (90) comprises (a) a wall (95) surrounding the substrate (25) to substantially contain the plasma on the substrate surface, and (b) a channel (100) in the wall (95). The channel (100) has an inlet (105) adjacent to, and extending substantially continuously around the peripheral edge (85) of the substrate surface. The inlet (105) of the channel (100) has a width w sized to allow a sufficient amount of process gas to flow into the channel (100) to maintain substantially equal processing rates at the center (80) and peripheral edge (85) of the substrate surface.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for uniformly processing a substrate and reducing particulate contamination of the substrate, the invention being particularly useful in plasma processes.
In semiconductor fabrication processes, process gases are used to deposit material upon, etch, or clean semiconductor substrates. Semiconductor processes are typically carried out in an enclosed process chamber having gas distributors for distributing process gas in the chamber. One problem with conventional process chambers is their relative inability to achieve a uniform distribution or concentration of reactive process gas species across the substrate surface, particularly at the peripheral edge of the substrate. The distribution of reactive process gas species across the substrate affects the uniformity and rate of processing of the substrate. For example, a process chamber 10 having a single process gas distributor 11a positioned directly above the substrate 12, as shown in FIG. 1, causes an asymmetric distribution of reactive process gas across the substrate 12, with the concentration of reactive process gas highest at the center 13 of the substrate and lowest at the peripheral edge 14 of the substrate. Conversely, a process gas distributor 11b positioned around the peripheral edge 14 of the substrate causes the concentration of reactive process gas to be highest at the peripheral edge 14 of the substrate and lowest at the center 13 of the substrate. The concentration of reactive process gas across the substrate 12 can also vary when the flow of process gas across the surface of the substrate is unrestrained, such as for example, when the process gas can freely flow around the peripheral edge 14 of the substrate 12.
The concentration gradient of reactive process gas across the substrate 12 can be reduced using process gas containment structures to contain the flow of process gas on the substrate 12. For example in plasma processes, it is known to use a focus ring 15 around the substrate to maintain a more uniform distribution of the reactive process gas on the surface of the substrate 12. However, one problem with conventional plasma focus rings is that the process gas stagnates at the portion 16 of the focus ring 15 adjacent to the peripheral edge 14 of the substrate 12 to form contaminant particles 17 that flake off and contaminant the substrate 12, as shown in FIG. 1. It is difficult to non-destructively detect the contamination during the processing of the substrate, and it is only in the final processing stages when the fully processed semiconductor substrates are worth between $50,000 to $100,000 each, that the contaminants are discovered, and the entire substrate is rejected.
Several conventional methods are used to reduce particulate contamination of the substrate. In one method, the process chamber and the components therein are periodically cleaned to remove the deposits formed on the components using plasmas of corrosive gases, such as NF.sub.3 plasmas. However, the corrosive plasmas erode the processing components and limit the life of the process chamber. Also, the cleaning process step increases the down time of the apparatus and reduces process throughput.
Another solution to the particulate contamination problem taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,918 to Gupta, et al., involves a final processing step of raising the focus ring above the substrate and flowing inert gas in the chamber to flush out the contaminant particulates accumulated in this region. However, mechanical stresses resulting from raising and lowering of the focus ring can dislodge the deposits formed on the focus ring to form additional contaminant particulates in the process chamber. Also, the steps of raising and lowering the focus ring lengthens overall processing time and reduces process efficiency.
Thus, there is a need for a substrate processing apparatus capable of maintaining a substantially uniform concentration of reactive process gas across the substrate surface, and in particular, at the peripheral edge of the substrate. There is also a need for an apparatus and method that reduces formation of particulate contaminants in the process chamber.

Process gas focusing apparatus and method


Disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for security protection against threats to network identity providers. Techniques include identifying a first request from a client for access to a secure network resource; redirecting the client to an identity provider. The identity provider may be configured to authenticate the client and provide the client with data signed using a first identity provider key. Further techniques include identifying a second request from the client, the second request including a doubly-signed version of the data, verifying the doubly-signed version of the data using a second identity provider key corresponding to the first identity provider key and a second client key corresponding to the first client key; and allowing, conditional on a result of the verifying, the client to access the secure network resource.

Computer systems often include a variety of secure resources to which access is limited in order to improve system security. Access to such resources is often managed using identities, which are granted specific permissions or privileges to access, edit, or utilize the secure resources. While restricting access to secure resources using permissions may improve the security of a system, the identities and permissions may become cumbersome to manage in large or dynamically changing systems. As the size of systems and the number of users working remotely increases, management of a system's identities becomes even more difficult. Other security measures such as multi-factor authentication or single sign-on schemes may add additional complexity to credential management.
Identity management services may manage identities for an organization so that the organization does not have to protect, store, and manage a large number of individual identities. While providing a valuable service to large organizations, these identity providers could present a significant security risk to the organization if the identity provider is compromised. For example, if an attacker compromises an identity provider, the attacker may be able to effectively create an identity with any level of privileges within the organization's system. Thus, a compromised identity provider may have the potential to cause great harm to an organization.
Accordingly, in view of these and other deficiencies, technological solutions are needed for analyzing and grouping identities for security protection against threats to network identity providers. Solutions should be able to prevent an attacker from gaining access to an organization's system by merely compromising an identity provider.

Security protection against threats to network identity providers


This invention provides a liquid crystal display panel, a source driver in the liquid crystal display panel comprises an amplifier whose amplification coefficient is adjustable, the amplifier can adjust a received data signal based on a currently selected amplification coefficient, and output the adjusted data signal to a data line that is currently signally-connected with the amplifier, moreover, the currently selected amplification coefficient is inversely proportional to a rate at which the data line charges a current signally-connected sub-pixel unit. For the case that the rate at which the data line charges the sub-pixel unit is relatively low, a relative large amplification coefficient can be selected, thereby nonuniform brightness of the display image caused by a low charging rate of the sub-pixel unit can be avoided; for the case that the rate at which the data line charges the sub-pixel unit is relatively high, a relatively small amplification coefficient is selected, thereby unnecessary power consumption can be saved. This invention further provides a display device comprising such a liquid crystal display panel and a driving method for use in such a liquid crystal display panel.

With the development of the display product technology, people's requirement on appearance and size of the display product becomes higher and higher, there are also more and more applications of narrow frame design of the thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. At present, most TFT-LCD panels adopt Dual Layer design or Dual Gate design to narrow the frame.
In a liquid crystal display panel of Dual Layer design, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to narrow the frame, a wiring 02 between the source driver (IC) 01 and the data line Data is arranged on different metal layers, i.e., the wiring 02 connecting a data line Data whose serial number is an even number (also called an even numbered data line) is located on a metal layer, the wiring 02 connecting a data line Data whose serial number is an odd number (also called an odd numbered data line) is located on another metal layer. Due to different metal materials used and layer thickness between different metal layers, the resistance between adjacent wirings 02 may be different, consequently, the rates at which adjacent data lines Data charge adjacent sub-pixel units 03 that are signally-connected with them are inconsistent, thereby resulting in bright and dark stripes, i.e. V-Line flaw, on the liquid crystal display panel in image display.
In a liquid crystal display panel of Dual Gate design, as shown in FIG. 2, in order to narrow the frame, the number of the data lines Data is half reduced, two adjacent columns of sub-pixel units 03 constitute a group of sub-pixel unit column, each group of sub-pixel unit columns share a data line Data located between the two columns of sub-pixel units 03, in this way, the data line Data needs to charge the two adjacent columns of sub-pixel units 03 alternately, and the polarity is opposite, the charging order is as shown by arrows in FIG. 3. From FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 it can be seen that in two columns of sub-pixel units 03 connected with a data line, there is always a column of sub-pixel units whose polarity needs to be reversed when the data line charges it, while the polarity of the other column of sub-pixel units does not need to be reversed when the data line charges it, consequently, the rates at which the same data line Data charges respectively two adjacent columns of sub-pixel units 03 that are signally-connected with it are inconsistent, thereby also resulting in bright and dark stripes, i.e. V-Line flaw, on the liquid crystal display panel in image display.
Therefore, how to solve the problem of nonuniform display image of the liquid crystal display panel caused by inconsistency of the rate at which the data line charges the sub-pixel units is a technical problem to be solved by the skilled person in the art.

Driving method of a liquid crystal display panel, a liquid crystal display panel and a display device

HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A method is disclosed such that when a call is being set up from or to a mobile (or fixed) pre-paid subscriber, a portion of the value in the subscriber's pre-paid account is withdrawn to cover the cost of the call. Preferably, the amount withdrawn is large enough to cover the cost for a call of typical duration (e.g., 4 minutes). At call set up, for example, in an Intelligent Network, this amount is withdrawn from the account and allocated to the call being set up. If this amount is not completely used up, the remainder is returned to the pre-paid account. If, however, the allocated amount is depleted before the call is completed, a second allocation or withdrawal from the account is requested for that call. If the value left in the account is large enough to cover the second withdrawal request, a second amount is withdrawn and allocated to cover the ongoing call. If needed, additional withdrawals can be made to cover the ongoing call until it is completed. Once the call is completed, any remainder of the allocated amount is returned to the pre-paid account. Consequently, a pre-paid subscriber can have a plurality of parallel ongoing calls, and because the amount in the pre-paid account is being monitored and accounted for before or while the calls occur, there is no risk that these calls will not be covered by the amount in the pre-paid account.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of telephony accounting and, in particular, to a method for use by telephone system operators to ensure that pre-paid subscribers can pay for simultaneous telephone calls.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, most mobile telephone subscribers pay for their mobile calls after they receive a monthly bill from their service provider (commonly referred to as "post-paid" accounting). This process of monthly accounting requires a substantial amount of administrative support in order for the service provider to collect the call data, calculate the costs for the calls, send bills to the subscribers, etc. Use of these post-paid accounting systems typically requires the service providers to check into their subscribers' creditability, and ultimately trust the subscribers to pay their bills on time.
The concept of pre-paid accounting has been recently introduced into the mobile telephony market. Generally, the following two mobile pre-paid accounting approaches have been introduced: (1) the Intelligent Network (IN) approach; and (2) the Call Detail Record (CDR) approach.
An Intelligent Network is a mobile network architecture that relocates specific services and databases from switches to one or more network control and decision points. Such a network architecture contains Service Switching Points (SSPs) or switches with bearer and basic service control capabilities, Service Control Points (SCPs) or elements with advanced service control capabilities, and a Service Management System (SMS) that controls the deployment of services and associated service data. A more detailed description of mobile IN architectures is given in "Cellular Radio Systems" by D. M. Balston and R. C. V. Macario, published by Artech House, Inc. (1993).
Using IN technology for pre-paid mobile telephony accounting, a subscription for each pre-paid customer is stored in a subscriber database in a system's IN node. Each subscription field in the IN node contains certain information such as, for example, the number of charging units (to be used for the payment of a call), dates (e.g., when the charging units or subscription will expire, when announcements are to be played, etc.), and other subscriber related information (e.g., tariff class, lists of barred and allowed numbers, and other restrictions and information about subscribers). This subscriber information can be stored in the IN's Service Control Function (SCF), an external database (e.g., a Service Data Function or SDF), or both. The charging units can be any unit value, as long as the unit is fully convertible between monetary value, time value, and meter pulses (described below).
For mobile systems using the CDR approach for pre-paid accounting purposes, the call data records are collected similar to those in conventional billing systems. However, a difference between the post-paid and pre-paid CDR approaches is that the pre-paid CDR approach maintains a dedicated pre-paid account in a database for each mobile subscriber. When a call has been made and a resulting CDR is being processed by the system, the cost of the call is calculated and deducted from the amount in the subscriber's account. If the account reaches zero (or a negative value) the pre-paid system orders the mobile network to bar the subscriber from making additional calls. A dedicated service number to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) subsystem can be associated with such an accounting system, which a service subscriber can call and request the account's balance (e.g., a bank-by-phone machine).
A CDR accounting system can handle parallel calls (e.g., during multi-party calls, call forwarding, or call holding), because the cost of these calls can be calculated after the calls' completion. However, because of the delay in the delivery of the CDR, there is an obvious risk that the subscribers will run up charges for more calls than their account will cover.
The basic problem that has to be solved is to determine how to control the value of a pre-paid account while calls are ongoing. In an IN solution, pre-paid calls are routed in the network to the Service Switching Function (SSF). The SSF then signals the SCF to inform the SCF about the call. In this signalling message, the SSF sends, for example, the A-number (calling party number), B-number (called party number), location information, and other relevant information to the SCF. The SCF, which recognizes the A-number (B-number) as belonging to an IN subscriber, determines whether the calling party (called party) subscriber is allowed to make (receive) that call (considering the pre-paid account's value). This determination can be made in the SCF after retrieving the charging unit information, and expiration and subscription dates, etc.
If the SCF determines that the call can be allowed, the SCF sends the number of remaining charging units in the account to the SSF to be used for charging of the call, and the call is connected. When the called party answers the call, the SSF starts counting meter pulses (with each meter pulse equal to one charging unit).
If the call is disconnected before all of the charging units in the account are used up, the number of charging units used for that call is transferred back to the SCF, which deducts that amount from the amount in the account. On the other hand, if the call's duration is long enough so that the number of meter pulses counted in the SSF equals the number of charging units that were transferred from the SCF, then the call is disconnected and the account value is set to zero.
A big problem with the existing pre-paid approaches is that when a call is to be set up, all of the value of the account is made available to cover the cost of that call. During the call, this value is depleted continuously, but there is no practical way to view this depletion in real-time. Using an existing IN technology approach, the node where the pre-paid account is stored will not know how many charging units have been used, until the call has been completed and the number to be deducted from the account has been transferred from the SSF. Consequently, during the call, the value of the account reflects a value which is larger than the actual remaining value. If another call is set up at this time, a value larger than the actual value will be made available for this call.
For example, if a pre-paid subscriber sets up a call, the number of charging units remaining in the subscriber's account (e.g., 100) will be copied to the SSF. The SSF sets up the call and starts the process of counting meter pulses. If, however, during this ongoing call, the subscriber desires to set up another call (e.g., a conference call), the system's multi-party service function is used to set up the call. Since the exact value in the account is not known outside the process in the SSF associated with the original call, the only value known is the original value (100) which is still stored in the SCF. This original value is copied a second time to the SSF to start a new process in the SSF associated with the new call. Unfortunately, unless conference calls are not allowed, this recopying of the original value can be repeated as many times as there are connections (x) to be made in the conference call. Therefore, every connection (x) made in the conference call can deplete the original (100) charging units. In this example, the pre-paid subscriber will thus be able to call for x*100 charging units, although the pre-paid account only had 100 charging units to start with.
The same problem occurs if a pre-paid subscriber uses call forwarding, since the multiple call processes involved can be simultaneously depleting the original charging units in the account. For example, with the service called "Call Forwarding on Busy" (CFB) this double-charging can occur each time the subscriber is involved in a call and another party makes an incoming call. Also, if the pre-paid subscriber uses Call Forwarding Unconditional (CFU), Call Forwarding on Not Reachable (CFNRc), or Call Forwarding on No Reply (CFNRy), the same double-charging problem can arise if there is an ongoing forwarded call and the subscriber makes an outgoing call. The same problem can occur if the pre-paid subscriber uses the Call Hold function, makes two outgoing calls, and then toggles between them.
Another situation where parallel transactions and double-charging can occur, is when a recurring subscription fee or other type of payment is made to an external system (e.g., billing system, bank, credit card service provider, etc.) and deducted from the pre-paid account. If a call is ongoing while the payment is being made, the system will not know whether the amount to be deducted will be covered or not, until the ongoing call is completed.

Method for handling parallel transactions on telephone pre-paid accounts


A multi-cylinder engine intake and exhaust having a plurality of independent exhaust passages each connected to an exhaust port in a respective one of a plurality of cylinders, a collecting pipe connected to downstream ends of the plurality of independent exhaust passages, and a volume-enlarged portion provided downstream with respect to the collecting pipe. Each of at least a downstream portion of each of the plurality of independent exhaust passages and at least an upstream portion of the collecting pipe is formed such that a cross-sectional area thereof gradually decreases toward a downstream direction. The volume-enlarged portion is formed such that a cross-sectional area thereof is relatively increased so as to cause a positive pressure wave of exhaust gas reaching the volume-enlarged portion to be reflected and converted to a negative pressure wave.

Heretofore, in the field of engines for automobiles and others, developments on an intake and exhaust system for increasing engine power output have been promoted.
For example, the following Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses an intake and exhaust system with a turbo supercharger (turbocharger), wherein the system comprises a plurality of independent exhaust passages connected to respective cylinders in a mutually independent manner, a collecting portion provided upstream of the turbocharger and at which the independent exhaust passages are merged together, and a valve provided in the collecting portion and capable of changing a cross-sectional area of each of the independent exhaust passages. In this system, when the cross-sectional areas of the independent exhaust passages is reduced by the valve, exhaust gas of a certain cylinder being in an exhaust stroke is ejected from an associated one of the independent exhaust passages into the collecting portion at relatively high speed, so that a so-called "ejector effect" can be expected in which a negative pressure generated around the ejected gas flow is applied to the remaining independent exhaust passages. Upon exerting the ejector effect, exhaust gas in the remaining independent exhaust passages is sucked toward a downstream direction, so that it becomes possible to increase an amount of gas to be supplied to the turbocharger, and thereby improve engine power output.

Intake and exhaust system for multi-cylinder engine


An electronic storage apparatus comprises a biometrics information inputting section, a collation section for comparing and collating collation biometrics characteristic information and reference biometrics characteristic information with each other, an authentication result retention section for retaining, where it is recognized that the collation biometrics characteristic information is that of an owner, the result of the authentication, a secret information outputting section capable of outputting secret information of the owner stored in a secret information storage section to the outside, and an authentication result deletion section for deleting, when an unused state detection section detect that the secret information outputting section is in an unused state, the result of authentication retained by the authentication result retention section, whereby the security strength of a card type storage medium is raised and the electronic storage apparatus can be used more easily by a user.

In recent years, popularization of IC cards has been and is proceeding in various types of industry and business and various fields regardless of whether they are of the contact type and the contactless type such that, for example, a contact type IC card is used as a credit card or a contactless type IC card is used as a commutation ticket for an electric car. An IC card has an integrated circuit (IC: Integrated Circuit) built therein and is advantageous in that, when compared with a magnetic card of the type which stores information in a magnetic section thereof, the storable data capacity is great, that forgery thereof is difficult, and so forth. Further, a contactless type IC card has a characteristic that contactless communication is possible, and so forth. Thus, IC cards having various functions can be implemented by incorporating circuits for implementing various functions into the IC cards.
It is to be noted that the contactless type IC card is formed by embedding contactless interface antenna in the form of a coil therein, and induced electromotive force is generated by radio waves transmitted from a transmission antenna of an IC card reader to convert the received radio waves into electric energy to drive the IC.
In such a conventional IC card as described above, generally a password authentication method is used to authenticate that a user of the IC card is a legal user. In particular, secret information (for example, an ID (Identification) number, a password and so forth) of an owner stored in an IC memory of an IC card is normally protected against accessing thereto (protect setting). Then, when a user tries to use the IC card, a request to input a password is issued to the user, and, if an inputted password is coincides with the password set in advance, then it is authenticated that the user of the IC card is the owner of the IC card.
Then, only in the case wherein it is authenticated that the user of the IC card is the owner of the IC card in this manner, the IC card is set such that the secret information stored in the IC memory thereof can be read out from the IC card reader (protect cancellation), and the secret information is transmitted in accordance with a request from the IC card reader. It is to be noted that cancellation of protect of an IC card is sometimes called retention of a result of authentication in an IC card.
However, such a conventional password authentication method of an IC card as described above has essential vulnerability in security that a human being itself cannot be identified. In other words, the conventional password authentication method has a subject in that, where so-called "impersonation" is performed using a legal password acquired by means of an illegal procedure such as leakage of a password, analysis of a password or the like, prevention of illegal use of an IC card by an illegal user is difficult.
Therefore, also for an IC card, it is demanded to enhance the authentication strength in the personal identification by introducing biometrics authentication which is a collation technique for identifying a pattern of a fingerprint or the like which is part of the body.
However, since basically the size of a contact type IC card is prescribed by a standard or the like, for example, if a contact type IC card is not formed such that the thickness thereof remains within a predetermined thickness (for example, 0.78 mm), then it cannot be used with an existing IC card reader or IC card reader/writer cannot. The size of a circuit and a device which can be incorporated in such a contact type IC card is limited, and in the present situation, it is difficult to incorporate an intricate function such as a function for fingerprint authentication or the like in an IC card itself.
Further, also regarding an IC card of the contactless type (hereinafter referred to as contactless type IC card), there is the possibility that, if a circuit part for implementing an authentication function is disposed in the proximity of an antenna for a contactless interface, then noise may be generated and obstruct communication with the IC card reader. Also, there is the possibility that, if many chips and so forth are provided in a card, then generation of electromotive force may be obstructed by an influence of the chips and sufficient electromotive force may not be obtained. Therefore, it is impractical to incorporate a circuit for implementing biometrics authentication in such a contactless type IC card as described above.
Further, after authentication of an owner of an IC card is performed by an authentication function, it is necessary to retain a result of the authentication in the IC card at least until communication between the IC card and the IC card reader is started (in other words, it is necessary to keep the IC card in a state wherein secret information can be read out from the IC card using the IC card reader).
However, from the IC card which is in such a state wherein it retains a result of authentication as just described, secret information can be freely read out using the IC card reader. Consequently, for example, if the IC card is lost while it is in the state wherein a result of authentication is retained therein, then there is the possibility that the IC card may be used by a person by whom the IC card is acquired. Therefore, there is a subject that, if a result of authentication of an IC card is retained for a long period time in the IC card, then this increases the vulnerability in security of the IC card.
It is to be noted that, while it is a possible idea to provide an IC card with a timer function so that a result of authentication set in the IC card is deleted after a predetermined period of time elapses, there is a subject that it is difficult to set the preset value for the timer to an optimum value. In particular, if the preset value of the timer is excessively short, then a result of authentication is deleted before communication between the IC card and the IC card reader starts and the IC card cannot be used. On the other hand, if the set value of the timer is excessively long, then the security of the IC card degrades similarly as in the case wherein a timer is not set. In this manner, there is the possibility that it becomes very difficult for the user to use the IC card becomes.
The present invention has been made in view of such subjects as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic storage apparatus, an authentication apparatus and an authentication method which raise the security strength of a card type storage medium and can be used easily by a user.

Electronic storage apparatus, authentication apparatus and authentication method


The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a compressible printing layer, comprising a vulcanizing step comprising a first heating process in which one surface of a compressible printing layer including an unvulcanized compressible layer containing microcapsules is heated by bringing the one surface of the compressible printing layer into contact with the surface of at least one heated metal roll while applying tension to the compressible printing layer, and a second heating process in which the other surface of the compressible printing layer is heated by bringing the other surface of the compressible printing layer into contact with the surface of at least one heated metal roll while applying tension to the compressible printing layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a compressible printing layer and a manufacturing method of a blanket for printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Four manufacturing methods of a compressible layer of a compressible rubber blanket, which is an example of the blanket for printing, are known to the art, including (1) a method using an impregnated paper sheet, (2) a salt leaching method, (3) a foaming agent method, and (4) a microcapsule method. In recent years, a blanket equipped with a compressible layer manufactured by the microcapsule method attracts attentions.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 6-1091 discloses a method of manufacturing a compressible rubber blanket including at least one reinforcing layer. It is disclosed that a compressible layer comprising an oil resistant rubber mixture and microballoons contained in the oil resistant rubber mixture, said microballoon being formed of a methacrylonitrile-acrylonitrile copolymer having a thermal deformation temperature not lower than 120° C. and a pressure resistance of 40 kg/cm2, is made integral with a surface rubber layer, followed by vulcanizing simultaneously the compressible layer and the surface rubber layer under temperatures not lower than 120° C. so as to manufacture a compressible rubber blanket.
Concerning the vulcanizing method, the Japanese patent document quoted above teaches under the paragraph [0032] that a rubber blanket provided with an unvulcanized compressible layer is wound around a metal drum, and the metal drum is put inside a double-walled can having a steam of 150° C. introduced on the outside so as to heat the rubber blanket and finish the vulcanization.
However, if a rubber blanket provided with an unvulcanized compressible layer is wound around a metal drum, a high pressure in the thickness direction is applied to that portion of the rubber blanket which is positioned on the inner circumferential side. As a result, a buckling deformation is generated in the microcapsule contained in the rubber blanket on the inner circumferential side so as to increase the nonuniformity in the thickness of the compressible layer in the longitudinal direction. The nonuniformity in the thickness of the compressible layer brings about nonuniformity in the compressibility of the blanket so as to cause nonuniformity in the printability.
It should also be noted that, if the vulcanization is carried out by the method described under the paragraph [0032] of the Japanese patent document quoted above, the heat transmission to the rubber blanket is carried out substantially completely through the air, with the result that the heat diffusion rate to the rubber blanket is lowered so as to prolong the vulcanizing time.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent No. 2670188 discloses a manufacturing method of a compressible printing layer. According to the Japanese patent document quoted above, a plurality of thermoplastic microballoons having a melting temperature not lower than 135° C. are uniformly dispersed into the entire region of an elastomer matrix. Then, the surface of a base fabric layer is coated in a uniform thickness with the elastomer matrix containing the microballoons so as to form a coated base fabric layer. Further, the coated base fabric layer is subjected to a vulcanizing treatment at 80 to 150° C. for 1 to 6 hours so as to fix the positions of the thermoplastic microballoons having the high melting point within the matrix and, thus, to form a compressible layer. It is taught that the microballoons impart a uniform compression characteristics to the compressible layer.
It is taught in column 12, lines 42 to 50, of the Japanese patent document quoted above that, in the manufacturing method outlined above, the vulcanizing treatment is carried out by hanging the unvulcanized compressible layer within a furnace, by a continuous curing method such as a drum wrapping method or a rotocuring method, or by a curing method using a double belt press.
However, if the vulcanizing treatment is carried out by the hanging method, the heat transmission to the compressible layer is carried out through the air so as to lower the heating rate of the compressible layer, with the result that a long time is required for the vulcanizing treatment. In addition, force is exerted to the compressible layer at the fulcrum for supporting the compressible layer so as to make it difficult to render uniform the thickness of the compressible layer.
Also, if the vulcanizing treatment is carried out by the drum wrapping method, the thickness of the compressible layer is rendered nonuniform and a long vulcanizing time is required for the reason described above.
Further, in the rotocuring method, the vulcanizing treatment is carried out while applying pressure to the compressible layer, with an unvulcanized compressible layer held between a heated metal roll and a metal belt. On the other hand, in the double belt press method, the vulcanizing treatment is carried out while applying pressure to the compressible layer, with an unvulcanized compressible layer held between two heated belts. Each of these vulcanizing methods gives rise to the problem that it is difficult to make uniform the thickness of the compressible layer because it is difficult to maintain constant the pressure applied to the compressible layer.
Further, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 6-59749 discloses a manufacturing method of a compressible blanket for printing. It is disclosed that a compressible intermediate layer prepared by dispersing microcapsules formed of, for example, an acrylonitrile-vinylidene chloride copolymer into an elastomer material is vulcanized for 1 to 12 hours under temperatures lower than the melting point of the microcapsule, e.g., at about 110 F (43° C.) to 170 F (70° C.), so as to fix the microcapsules within the elastomer material. In the method disclosed in the Japanese patent document quoted above, the vulcanization is carried out under low temperatures and, thus, used is an ultra vulcanization accelerator such as dithiocarbamate. Also, in the method disclosed in the Japanese patent document quoted above, cloth and a surface rubber layer are attached to the vulcanized compressible intermediate layer, followed by carrying out an essential vulcanizing treatment under temperatures of 132° C. to 160° C. so as to obtain a final product. In other words, the vulcanizing treatment is carried out in two stages in the method disclosed in the Japanese patent document quoted above.

Manufacturing method of compressible printing layer and manufacturing method of blanket for printing


Duct fittings can be formed or assembled from two or more components including a collar and a clamp. The clamp and the collar can be assembled and/or mated together to form the duct fittings. The collar can have a first annular portion to which a first layer of a multilayered duct is attached or connected. The collar also can include a second annular portion that can include splines to which a second layer of the multilayered duct is attached. The splines can accommodate or form fluid passageways. The clamp can be located on top of the second layer and can include attachment mechanisms securing the clamp to a support surface.

Single-layered and multilayered ducts are sometimes used in a variety of applications. For example, multilayered ducts are sometimes used in aircraft or other vehicles to provide passageways for various fluids such as air, fuel, or the like. Providing duct fittings for mating two or more duct portions together, supporting the ducts, and/or for sealing a termination of the duct at a termination point can pose various problems.
In particular, because the multiple layers of a multilayered duct may need to be isolated from other atmospheres, providing a fitting that allows passage of fluids through the fitting often requires specifically-tailored duct fittings. Because the duct fittings may be attached to support surfaces, the duct fittings, in addition to having fluid passageways formed therein, can include support or attachment mechanisms. These support or attachment mechanisms may need to be located in a specific orientation with respect to a support surface. Meanwhile, the duct fittings may be welded to the ducts to seal the ducts and to provide the fluid passageways described herein.
If the duct is not welded or otherwise attached or connected to the duct fitting in an appropriate orientation, the duct fitting and/or the duct may be scrapped or require rework before the duct fitting can be secured to the support surface. Similarly, because the duct fitting may need to be precisely located with respect to the fluid passageways and/or attachment mechanisms, bulky and/or expensive tooling may be required or desired to allow precise placement of the duct fitting with respect to the ducts.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.


A flip-flop, and a frequency divider and an RF circuit using the flip-flop. The frequency divider, which receives a first signal and generates a second signal by dividing a frequency of the first signal, including a plurality of flip-flops that each latch and output a signal based on the first signal; and at least one switch unit that is switched in response to a control signal to modify a signal transfer path between the plurality of the flip-flops, wherein a different number of flip-flops are activated in response to each first and second status of the control signal so that the frequency of the first signal is divided by different multiples.

1. Field of the General Inventive Concept
The present general inventive concept relates to a flip-flop, a frequency divider, and a radio frequency (RF) circuit, and more particularly, to a flip-flop, a frequency divider, and a radio frequency (RF) circuit that support a multi-band signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a wireless communication system includes a digital or analog baseband circuit that processes information such as actual voice sound, audio data, video data, etc., and radio frequency (RF) circuit processing signals that are transmitted and received with high frequency. As is well known in the art, the baseband circuit and the RF circuit may be separately realized using chips, respectively, wherein the RF circuit converts baseband signals provided by the baseband circuit into high frequency RF signals. A conventional RF circuit to support a multi-band signal will be described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional RF circuit 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the conventional RF circuit 10 requires various RF dividers to support a multi-band signal.
The conventional RF circuit 10 of FIG. 1 receives a baseband signal B/B Sig generated in a baseband circuit (not illustrated) and converts the baseband signal B/B Sig to a high frequency RF signal. The conventional RF signal 10 includes a phase locked loop (PLL) 11 that receives a reference clock signal CLK and outputs an oscillation signal fo, which may be a high frequency oscillation signal, and at least one frequency divider. The at least one frequency divider may be a first frequency divider 12 and a second frequency divider 13 which are serially connected to each other. For example, the first frequency divider 12 and the second frequency divider 13 may respectively be divide-by-two frequency dividers that divide a frequency of an input signal by two and output the signal with the divided frequency. Also, the conventional RF circuit 10 may include a first drive circuit 14 generating a low band signal LB to support the frequency band of about 800-900 MHz and a second drive circuit 15 generating a high band signal HB to support the frequency band of about 1700-1900 MHz.
In the conventional RF circuit 10 of FIG. 1, the oscillation signal fo passes through the first frequency divider 12 and the second frequency divider 13 which are serially connected to each other, and thus the frequency of the oscillation signal fo is converted to fo/2 or fo/4. The oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/4 is provided to the first drive circuit 14 to generate a low band signal LB, and the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/2 is provided to the second drive circuit 15 to generate a high band signal HB. The first drive circuit 14 generates the low band signal LB by mixing the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/4 with a baseband signal B/B Sig. Also, the second drive circuit 15 generates the high band signal HB by mixing the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/2 with a baseband signal B/B Sig.
The conventional RF circuit 10 generates a fo/2 frequency signal and a fo/4 frequency signal using two divide-by-two frequency dividers that may be generally realized using two flip-flops. That is, only two divide-by-two frequency dividers that are serially connected to each other are included in the conventional RF circuit 10, and thus the number of flip-flops is reduced accordingly, and the surface area of chips can be reduced and the load capacitance at the output of the PLL 11 can be reduced. However, when generating a frequency signal fo/4, to generate a low band signal, division processes are performed twice by the divide-by-two frequency dividers, and thus out-band phase noise is decreased compared to a case where only one division process is performed using a divide-by-four frequency divider.
In general, a close-in phase noise of an operational frequency of a frequency divider is very small compared to an oscillation signal fo, and thus noise caused by the frequency divider may be neglected. However, it is difficult to maintain out-band phase noise, which is far away from the operational frequency, to be smaller than the phase noise of the oscillation signal fo. Accordingly, the out-band phase noise needs to be maintained small in order to support a multi-band signal.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating another conventional RF circuit 20. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the conventional RF circuit 20 includes a PLL 21 outputting an oscillation signal fo, which may be a high frequency oscillation signal, and at least one frequency divider. The at least one frequency divider may be a first frequency divider 22 and a second frequency divider 23 that are connected parallel to each other. For example, the first frequency divider 22 may be a divide-by-four frequency divider that divides a frequency of an input signal by four and outputs the signal with the divided frequency, and the second frequency divider 23 may be a divide-by-two frequency divider that divides a frequency of an input signal by two and outputs the signal with the divided frequency. Also, the conventional RF circuit 20 may include a first drive circuit 24 generating a low band signal LB and a second drive circuit 25 generating a high band signal HB.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first frequency divider 22 receives an oscillation signal fo and converts its frequency to fo/4, and provides the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/4 to the first drive circuit 24. Also, the second frequency divider 23 receives an oscillation signal fo and converts its frequency to fo/2, and provides the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/2 to the second drive circuit 25. The first drive circuit 24 mixes the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/4 with a baseband signal B/B Sig to generate a low band signal LB. Also, the second drive circuit 25 mixes the oscillation signal having its frequency converted to fo/2 with a baseband signal B/B Sig to generate a high band signal HB.
The conventional RF circuit 20 of FIG. 2 generates a fo/2 frequency signal and a fo/4 frequency signal using a divide-by-two frequency divider and a divide-by-four frequency divider that may be generally realized using two flip-flops, respectively. Unlike in FIG. 1, the conventional RF circuit 20 uses individual frequency dividers for each band, and thus the out-band phase noise can be reduced. Also, in the conventional RF circuit 20, the divide-by-four frequency divider is activated to generate the low band signal LB and operates at a frequency fo/4, and thus the power consumption can be reduced compared to when the first frequency divider 12 of FIG. 1 operates at a frequency fo/2.
However, the divide-by-four frequency divider is generally realized using four flip-flops, and thus the number of flip-flops is increased compared to the case of FIG. 1, which is disadvantageous in terms of reducing the surface area of the chips. Also, in terms of the output of the PLL 11, two frequency dividers are arranged parallel and thus the load capacitance is increased.

Flip-flop, frequency divider and RF circuit having the same


A piston assembly for use with an MR fluid damper. The piston assembly has a piston core and a flux ring positioned in a desired alignment with the piston core so that the flux ring forms an annular flow gap the piston core. The flux ring is secured to the piston core in the desired alignment by a plurality of projections extending across the flow gap between an inner surface of the flux ring and an outer surface of the piston core. The projections are molded through flux ring holes intersecting the inner and outer surfaces of the flux ring. A method for making the piston assembly is also described and claimed.

The present invention relates to a magneto-rheological (xe2x80x9cMRxe2x80x9d) fluid damper, and more particularly, to a linearly-acting MR fluid damper suitable for vibration damping in a vehicle suspension system.
MR fluids are materials that respond to an applied magnetic field with a change in Theological behavior (i.e., change in formation and material flow characteristics). The flow characteristics of these non-Newtonian MR fluids change several orders of magnitude within milliseconds when subjected to a suitable magnetic field. In particular, magnetic particles noncolloidally suspended in fluid align in chain-like structures parallel to the applied magnetic field, changing the shear stress on adjacent shear surfaces.
Devices such as controllable dampers benefit from the controllable shear stress of MR fluid. For example, linearly-acting MR fluid dampers are used in vehicle suspension systems as vibration dampers. At low levels of vehicle vibration, the MR fluid damper lightly damps the vibration, providing a more comfortable ride, by applying a low magnetic field or no magnetic field at all to the MR fluid. At high levels of vehicle vibration, the amount of damping can be selectively increased by applying a stronger magnetic field. The controllable damper lends itself to integration in vehicle suspension systems that respond to vehicle load, road surface condition, and driver preference by adjusting the suspension performance.
In some applications, linearly-acting MR fluid dampers use a piston assembly that moves within a damper body tube having a cylindrical reservoir that separates a volume of MR fluid into a compression chamber and an extension chamber. The piston assembly has a piston core positioned within a flux ring to form an annular flow gap therebetween. Relative motion between the damper body tube and the piston assembly is dampened by a flow of the MR fluid through the flow gap from one chamber to another caused by the relative motion.
Alignment of the flux ring is critical for optimum performance. Ideally, the piston assembly should move freely within the reservoir in the damper body tube without friction or binding. In addition, the radial width and concentricity of the annular flow passage must be precisely set and maintained along the axial length of the passage throughout the operation to ensure optimum, predictable control of the damping. Consequently, the flux ring must be correctly aligned with the piston core.
Attachment elements have been suggested to provide flux ring alignment with nonmagnetic bridge elements. In particular, perforated end plates are aligned above and below the flux ring and piston core. These attachment elements have several potential problems. First, the attachment elements increase the length of the piston assembly. Consequently, less travel distance is available for the piston to move within the cylindrical reservoir of the damper body tube. Second, the attachment elements require tight manufacturing tolerances in order to correctly align the flux ring to the piston core. Third, such attachment elements often include tabs or other projections that increase the drag as the piston moves, which may be undesirable. Fourth, the attachment elements have numerous components and require manufacturing operations such as spot welding. Therefore, such attachment elements are costly to manufacture and time consuming to assemble.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved piston assembly suitable for use in a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper.
The present invention addresses the above need by providing an improved piston assembly for a linearly-acting MR fluid damper. The piston assembly of the present invention confines a flux ring within the functional length of the piston assembly without significantly restricting fluid flow, thereby providing optimum performance with minimal piston length. Further, the part count of the piston assembly is reduced; and the piston assembly is easier to assemble in a desired alignment. Thus, the piston assembly of the present invention is of a simpler construction than known damper pistons that can be manufactured for less cost.
According to the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiment, the present invention provides a piston assembly for use with an MR fluid damper. The piston assembly has a flux ring positioned in a desired alignment with a piston core to form an annular flow gap between the flux ring and the piston core. The piston core is secured to the flux ring in the desired alignment by a plurality of projections extending across the flow gap between an inner surface of the flux ring and an outer surface of the piston core. Thus, the flux ring is secured on the piston ring without using expensive, high precision attachment components; and the piston assembly is able to utilize its full length, thereby providing optimum performance with a minimum of length piston.
In one aspect of the present invention, the projections are molded through attachment passages in the flux ring. In a further aspect of the invention, the attachment passages are holes intersecting the inner and outer surfaces of the flux ring.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for making a piston assembly for use with an MR fluid damper. The method comprises first, fixing a piston core and a flux ring in a desired alignment forming a flow gap therebetween; and then, forming a plurality of projections in the flow gap between the flux ring and the piston core to secure the flux ring on the piston core in a desired alignment.

Magneto-rheological fluid damper piston-flux ring attachment


A rotating assembly of a mechanical seal includes a retainer, a pair of compression rings, a shaft sleeve, a first rotating seal ring and a second rotating seal ring. The retainer includes a plurality of spring members and a plurality of slide legs longitudinally extended in opposite directions to define limiting spaces where the compression rings are correspondingly restricted. The compression rings are located at opposite sides of the retainer between which the spring members are arranged. In assembling, the retainer, the compression rings, the first rotating seal ring and the second rotating seal ring are assembled on the shaft sleeve. Spring forces of the spring members can actuate the compression rings to push the first rotating seal ring and the second rotating seal ring in the opposite directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical seal, and, particularly, to a mechanical seal with a retainer holding two compression rings by engaging blocks and engaging with two rotating seal rings by a plurality of slide legs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring initially to FIG. 1, a conventional rotary machine such as a pump system has a shaft 9, which may be used to stir liquids contained in a housing such as a liquid tank. In rotating operation, the rotary machine functions as a stirring apparatus of the housing for example. The rotary machine generally includes a mechanical seal for keeping the stirred liquids within the housing.
Typically, the mechanical seal includes a gland 7 and a rotating assembly 8. The gland 7 permits extension of the shaft 9 and mounts the shaft 9 on equipments such as the said housing. The rotating assembly 8 is securely mounted on and rotated with the shaft 9 while being received in the gland 7. The gland 7 includes a shaft bore 70, a fluid inlet 71, and a fluid outlet 72. The shaft bore 70 longitudinally extends through the body of the gland 7 for the rotating assembly 8 and shaft 9 to pass through. The fluid inlet 71 and fluid outlet 72 both communicate the outside of the gland 7 and the shaft bore 70 for gas or a coolant to be guided into and out of the shaft bore 70 through the fluid inlet 71 and the fluid outlet 72. Besides, two stationary seal rings 73 are oppositely received in the shaft bore 70 at two ends thereof, and longitudinally sandwiched between the gland 7 and rotating assembly 8, with both of the stationary seal rings 73 being able to move longitudinally.
The rotating assembly 8 includes a retainer 81, a pair of compression rings 82, a pair of O-rings 83, a pair of rotating seal rings 84 and a shaft sleeve 85. The retainer 81, the compression rings 82, the O-rings 83 and the rotating seal rings 84 are mounted and assembled on an outer periphery of the shaft sleeve 85. There are a series of spring members 810 provided on each of two longitudinally opposite sides of the retainer 81 for bias forces of the spring members 810 to oppositely push the two compression rings 82 outwards relative to the retainer 81. Besides, a plurality of pins 811 are also sandwiched between the retainer 81 and the compression rings 82 for preventing the compression rings 82 from revolving about the shaft 9. Two side surfaces of each compression rings 82 are respectively in contact with the corresponding spring members 810 and the corresponding rotating seal ring 84. The O-rings 83 are disposed between the compression rings 82 and the rotating seal rings 84 for providing sealing effects therebetween. Each of the rotating seal rings 84 closely abuts one of the stationary seal rings 73. Furthermore, the shaft sleeve 85 is mounted on the shaft 9 and rotated therewith.
When the shaft 9 rotates, the stationary seal rings 73 in the shaft bore 70 of the gland 7 elastically abut against the rotating seal rings 84 of the rotating assembly 8. In long-term use, there are abrasions occurring between the stationary seal rings 73 and the rotating seal rings 84 of the rotating assembly 8. The bias forces of the spring members 810 ensure no gap existing between the stationary seal rings 73 and the rotating seal rings 84 by successively pushing the rotating seal rings 84 through the corresponding compression rings 82. Consequently, the bias forces of the spring members 810 can reduce the possibilities of liquid leakage in the interior of the mechanical seal.
The conventional mechanical seal has several drawbacks in manufacture. In the installing process, the spring members 810 must be disposed between each side of the retainer 81 and the corresponding rotating seal rings 84 without any positioning member before the whole rotating assembly 8 is completely fixed on the shaft 9. The primary problem in such a structure is the difficulty in assembling or maintaining due to the fact that the spring members 810 may be easily fallen off from the retainer 81. Disadvantageously, this may result in a low efficiency in assembly of the above-mentioned elements of the mechanical seal. Moreover, convenience in assembly is especially important for repair or replacement of the rotating seal rings 84 due to the said abrasions thereof.
Another problem naturally occurring during use of such a mechanical seal is due to the fact that liquids contained in the housing may permeate through a clearance existing between the compression ring 82 and the rotating seal rings 84. With the structure shown in FIG. 1, because the spring members 810 for pushing the rotating seal rings 84 at two sides of the retainer 81 are isolated, there is no assistant effect provided by the spring members 810 to prevent the compression rings 82 from revolving about the shaft 9. In this circumstance, the liquid pressure can press the O-ring 83 and the compression ring 82 to be moved backward to the retainer 81, and thus can further compress the spring members 810 to be retracted. Consequently, the rotating seal rings 84 cannot exactly abut against the corresponding stationary seal rings 73. Disadvantageously, the possibility of leakage in such a mechanical seal is increased.
Another conventional mechanical seal in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,853 and titled "SECONDARY CONTAINMENT SEAL" discloses a retainer with a cylindrical outer circumferential and an inner wall, and an annular disk element with several apertures is arranged along a central portion of the inner wall. Therefore, a plurality of springs can be inserted in the apertures and sandwiched between a pair of discs disposed on two sides of the annular disk element, with the said springs oppositely pushing two rotating seal rings to respectively abut two stationary seal rings through the said pair of discs. However, in order to retain the discs and rotating seal rings within the retainer, there should be an internal groove adjacent to each end of the retainer for receiving a snap ring with a radially extending wall. As a result, the invention disclosed in the said cited patent provides a complex structure and an assembly process that are still inconvenient for processing the repair or replacement of the rotating seal rings. Furthermore, in operation, the retainer of this cited structure has to suffer a large torque and a revolving movement of the discs. Besides, still another conventional mechanical seal disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,495, titled "DUAL-COOLED SLIDE RING SEAL," provides a structure similar to the last cited patent and also has the same problem of inconvenience in assembly.
Another US patent titled "SELF-CONTAINED ROTARY MECHANICAL SEALS" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,618 shows another conventional mechanical seal mounted on a shaft for rotating therewith and including a lug holder, a plurality of lugs, a plurality of belleville washers, a contact washer, and a carbon seal washer. The lug holder is radially fixed around the shaft, with the lugs extending from the lug holder and parallel to the shaft. The belleville washers are radially surrounded by the lugs and axially compressed between the lug holder and the contact washer to create a spring force urging the carbon seal washer forwards into abutting against a seal seat. Regarding to this conventional invention, what is characterized is that a plurality of tines extending from the lugs in a direction perpendicular to the lugs and concentric to the shaft is provided while several shoulders radially extend from the carbon seal washer. Besides, the shoulders are dimensioned for engagement with the lugs and tines. In detail, a distance of a gap between two adjacent tines of two different lugs is not smaller than a length of the shoulder, so that the shoulder can pass through the gap and received between the said two different lugs. Although convenience in assembly for mechanical seal is improved by this conventional invention, the belleville washers and contact washer are still easy to fall out of the space defined by the lugs once the carbon seal washer is removed. And this is inconvenient for repair or replacement of the carbon seal washer as well. Furthermore, because the carbon seal washer directly abuts against the tines, the shoulders may be easily damaged due to axially pushing force of the belleville washers. Hence, there is a need for a further improvement over the conventional mechanical seal.


The invention concerns a sealing zone between two microstructure substrates. Said sealing zone comprises at least the following parts: on a first wafer level (20), a lower edging (22A) made of an adhesive material capable of causing the first substrate (20) to adhere to a sealing material, said sealing material being adapted to spontaneously diffuse jointly with the material of the second wafer level (30); on said lower edging (22A), a layer of said sealing material; and on said layer of sealing material, a protuberance (36) formed on said second wafer level (30) containing a certain amount of sealing material. The invention is applicable to microstructures comprising vacuum-operated components.

The accelerometer disclosed in French patent No. FR 2 558 263 may be cited as one example of this kind of microstructure. The accelerometer comprises, within a thin layer, a first portion cut out from said thin layer and a second portion consisting of the remainder of the thin layer, the first portion being connected to the second by means of flexible beams allowing this first portion, called the "sensitive" portion, to move with a certain amplitude in the plane of the thin layer. This device is used to measure the accelerations of any system to which it is attached, by means of an electrical capacitance variation caused by said movement.
To minimize the cost of microtechnology fabrication of this kind of accelerometer, it is necessary for the basic die to have as small a surface area as possible. This implies that said sensitive portion, which serves as a seismic mass, is very small (its mass is conventionally of the order of 1 mg). Moreover, the space around it is evacuated to eliminate collisions with air molecules, which would cause unwanted accelerations of the seismic mass that would become more and more of a problem as the seismic mass became smaller and smaller.
In the case of this kind of microcomponent, and many others, it is therefore necessary to be able to maintain a vacuum in an enclosure formed within the microstructure and within which the microcomponent is placed. In the context of the invention, it will be assumed that at least two "substrates" each containing a wall portion of said enclosure are assembled together to form the microstructure or a portion of the microstructure.

Method and zone for sealing between two microstructure substrates


A baby bottle for feeding an infant is adapted to store baby formula powder in a nipple cavity separated from fluid in the bottle by a seal plate. The seal plate is dislodged by manual pressure applied to at least one seal plate release button integrated into a collar of the baby bottle, to permit the formula powder to mix with the fluid when the bottle is to be used for feeding.

Many infants require bottle feeding because they cannot be breastfed, require supplemental nutrition, or due to parental choice. Consequently, many designs and configurations for baby bottles have been invented. Some of the bottles are designed to store baby formula powder and fluid such as water separately so that a need to hand mix baby formula in a challenging environment or a need to refrigerate, then reheat, pre-mixed baby formula is avoided. A baby bottle that stores baby formula powder and fluid such as water separately is convenient and advantageous in many instances. For example it: greatly ameliorates the often challenging and time consuming task of preparing baby formula for consumption when traveling or when outside the home; simplifies supplying infant nutrition at daycare; permits preparation ahead of time for a busy day at or away from home; and greatly reduces the time required to prepare mixed formula. This convenience should also extend to assembling a bottle prior to use and cleaning the bottle after use. In addition, some baby bottles tend to leak if they are tipped over or jostled about in a carrier bag or the like, which can be frustrating and inconvenient.