Apparatus and method for filling spaced apart cavities with particulate material include a transport for moving the cavities along a path of travel. The cavities are partially filled with particulate material at an upstream location while applying vacuum underneath each cavity during such partial filling. The partially filled cavities are then completely filled with a downstream deposit of particulate material while applying vacuum to the upper sides of each cavity during such filling. The combination of vacuum applied underneath the cavity during partial fill and vacuum applied to the top sides of the cavity during complete fill produces approximately 100% cavity fill with minimal extraneous scatter of particulate material.

The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for accurately delivering precisely metered amounts of particulate material from dual station applicator wheels in a repetitive manner during high speed manufacture of particulate-filled articles of manufacture, and more particularly to precise and repetitive delivery of granular carbon from dual station applicator wheels into spaces presented during the manufacture of plug-space-plug cigarette filters.
Certain articles of manufacture such as carbon cigarette filters, individual-sized packets of granular food products or condiments, capsuled pharmaceuticals, ammunition and the like require repetitive placement of precisely metered charges of particulate matter at some location along the production-line procession of the articles. During high speed mass production of such articles it is difficult to achieve consistent accurate filling of the desired cavities with the granular particles. In the case of filling cigarette filter cavities with carbon, it is desirable to avoid excessive pulverization and scattering of the particulate material, while achieving as close to 100% fill of the cavities as possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,824, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a method and apparatus for delivering predetermined amounts of material, wherein a single metering wheel receives discrete amounts of material from a supply chute, with the discrete amounts of material being transferred from the metering wheel to a transfer wheel, and from the transfer wheel into spaces along a filter rod. As a result of the transfer of particles from one wheel to another, the pockets for receiving the particulate material in the transfer wheel must be larger than the pockets in the metering wheel. This arrangement makes it difficult to achieve 100% fill of the cavities in the article receiving particulate material from the transfer wheel.
According to the '824 patent, granular particles of carbon are drawn from a chute in communication with a reservoir into pockets on a rotating metering wheel. The rim of the metering wheel includes a plurality of equally spaced-apart pockets, each of which is defined by a radially directed, conical bore and a discrete screen at the base of the conical bore. The conical bore is convergent in the radially inward direction. A radially directed channel within the rim of the metering wheel communicates a backside of the screen with the interior of the metering wheel. A vacuum can be communicated from a stationary vacuum plenum in the interior of the metering wheel through the radial channel and screen such that any granular particles of the carbon that are adjacent the pocket in the metering wheel will be drawn into the conical bore of the pocket until it is filled.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dual station applicator wheels for filling cavities with metered amounts of particulate material


A protection arrangement protects an optical transmitter device with n optical transmit circuits or an optical receiver device with n optical receive circuits. It includes fault evaluating circuitry to detect a defective transmit/receive circuit, a spare transmit/receive circuit, and switching circuitry. Upon detection of a defective transmit/receive circuit by the fault evaluating circuitry, the fault evaluation circuitry controls the spare transmit/receive circuit and the switching circuitry to bypass the defective transmit/receive circuit with the spare transmit/receive circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection arrangement for optical transmitter and receiver devices.
2. Background Information
Such an arrangement is already known in the art, e.g. from the article "Decreasing survivable fibre network cost using optical switches" by Tsong-Ho Wu et al, Globecom 88, IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference and Exhibition, Hollywood, Fla., Nov. 28-Dec. 1, 1988, Volume 1, page 3.6.2 second paragraph. Therein, a so-called 1:p protection circuit means that p working circuits are protected by 1 spare circuit, i.e. when one of the working circuits is defective it is replaced by the spare one. In this article the protection arrangement includes a 1:3 electronic protection circuit and the latter protects a transmitter/receiver device which consists of three communication branches each comprising an optical transmitter and receiver circuit interconnected by an optical cable. The protection circuit includes a transmitter and a receiver circuit interconnected by an optical cable. Whenever one of the transmitter circuits or one of the receiver circuits of the transmitter/receiver device becomes defective the complete communication branch, i.e. the transmitter circuit, the receiver circuits, as well as the connecting optical cable, are bypassed by and replaced by the protection circuit.
A drawback of this known arrangement is that even when only one of either the receiver circuit or the transmitter circuit is defective, the other correctly working transmitter or receiver circuit, as well as the optical cable, are replaced together with the defective circuit.

Protection arrangement for an optical transmitter/receiver device


An expandable trailer having greatly improved operational simplicity and strength includes an expandable wall connected to slide rails mounted to the trailer chassis, which allows the expandable wall to be easily and efficiently translated between an open position and a closed position. An expandable enclosure is formed adjacent a trailer shell by the expandable wall and a plurality of panels hinged to the trailer shell.

Mobile enclosures such as trailers are used for almost innumerable purposes. A variety of such enclosures, such as mobile homes, tractor trailer rigs, and camping trailers, have evolved to meet various commercial and recreational needs. In many cases, the size of a trailer may be limited by factors such as, for example, laws and regulations limiting the size of vehicles allowed on the highways, the need for a compact storage volume, the limitations imposed by a garage or other structure in which the trailer is to be stored when not in transit, and a desire to minimize wind resistance during transit. However, trailers sized to accommodate these transit and storage considerations may not allow for the quantum of internal volume desired (or even necessary) for the trailer to perform its intended function, such as providing temporary living or work space when not in transit or storage.
Expandable trailers have evolved to overcome this problem. An expandable trailer is one that is repeatedly reconfigurable from a closed configuration to an open configuration. In the closed configuration, the trailer shell has outer dimensions suitable for transit or storage. In the open configuration, portions of the trailer are reconfigured to provide an expandable enclosure adjacent and connected to the trailer shell. Thus, in the open configuration, the trailer shell and expandable enclosure together provide the desired quantity of internal volume available for work and/or living space.
A common expandable trailer concept might be thought of as the box-within-a-shell concept. Under this concept, the expandable enclosure comprises a box having multiple sides which are permanently connected to each other. In the closed configuration the box is positioned within the shell, which minimizes the trailer's overall dimensions for transit or storage. When additional internal volume is needed, the box is moved out of the shell, usually in a direction lateral to the trailer's length.
One disadvantage associated with this concept is the amount of volume required to store the box within the shell in the closed position. The volume required may be so great, for example, that the trailer shell might not be usable at all when in the closed position. Moreover, this arrangement leads to inflexibility and interference difficulties with respect to the placement of items such as cabling, air conditioning ducts, appliances, and any other type of hardware mounted within the interior space of the shell. Additionally, because multiple panels (ceiling, floor, sides) forming the box are permanently joined together, the deployment mechanism must be able to move the weight of the entire box in and out of the shells. This often requires the use of devices such as rack and pinion mechanisms, which may jam if not in perfect alignment.
Another expandable trailer concept involves the placement of various hinged panels on or in the shell that can be pivoted into their various positions such as the ceiling, floor, side walls, and outermost wall of the expandable enclosure. A common problem with this concept is that the outermost wall of the expandable enclosure cannot be attached directly to the shell, unlike the other panels forming the expandable enclosure.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,142, issued to Hegedus, a panel must first be rotated into its ceiling position of the expandable enclosure, carrying the outermost wall with it as it moves, and only after the ceiling is in position can the outermost wall then pivot down or roll out from the ceiling panel. In addition, the hinged nature of the panel impairs its ability to to form a tight seal with the shell when the trailer is in its closed configuration. Another folding panel approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,181,844, issued to Winters. Winters does not have an outermost wall per se. Instead two arcuate sections are pivoted outward from inside the shell, and then panels stored within these sections are telescoped from their ends until they meet each other. At this point, the two arcuate sections form one continuous arcuate section that serves the same purpose as the side walls and outermost wall found on a box-like expandable enclosure. A disadvantage of the Winters approach is the amount of shell volume occupied by the two arcuate positions when in the stored or closed position, leading to many of the same difficulties as with the box-within-a-shell concept. A second disadvantage is that, where structural walls are required, separate sets of structural walls are required for the shell and for the expandable section, thus resulting in potential duplication of relatively heavy and large structural wall members.


A power control method for an RFID reader in a mobile terminal includes the steps of: checking a driving mode of a display in a standby mode where no power is supplied to the RFID reader; if the driving mode of the display is a sleep mode, maintaining the RFID reader in the standby mode, and if the driving mode of the display is an operation mode, checking an RFID menu interface; and if the RFID menu interface has no RFID automatic detection function settled therein, maintaining the RFID reader in the standby mode, and if the RFID menu interface has an RFID automatic detection function settled therein, supplying power to the RFID reader so that the RFID reader is switched to a read mode.

As well-known in the art, RFID is an electronic device which is attached to or incorporated into an object, a living body and the like. Generally, the RFID includes an electronic chip (ubiquitous chip) for providing a computing function, an antenna for a wireless communication, and a sensor for detecting an ambient environment.
Recently, there have rapidly been proposed lots of models using a mobile terminal in which an RFID reader is incorporated therein. Such models read RFID data received from an RF tag attached to (or incorporated into) an object through the use of the mobile terminal, and transmit the read RFID data to a server for information management or the like, which is a host system at a remote location, to thereby provide desired services.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which a mobile communication system includes a mobile terminal having an RFID reader.
As shown, the mobile communication system includes an object 102 with an RFID tag attached thereto, a mobile terminal 104, a mobile communication network base station 106, a data network 108, and an information management server 110.
The mobile terminal 104, which incorporates an RFID reader therein, receives an RF signal from the RFID tag attached to the object 102 to read RFID data from the RF signal and modulates the RFID data into a signal suitable for wireless transmission. The modulated signal is then wirelessly transmitted to the information management server 110 via a mobile communication network, i.e., the mobile communication network base station 106 and the data network 108. In addition, the mobile terminal 104 transmits, to the RFID tag attached to the object 102, the RFID data provided from the information management server 110 via the data network 108 and the mobile communication base station 106, thereby allowing new RFID data to be written in the RFID tag of the object 102 or to update the RFID data written in the RFID tag of the object 102.
The information management server 110 serves to send and receive RFID data to and from the mobile terminal 104 via the data network 108 and the mobile communication base station 106. That is, the information management server 110 receives RFID data via the mobile communication network base station 106 and the data network 108 and transmits the RFID data to a subscriber address (e.g., IP address) transmitted along with the RFID data, or receives RFID data transmitted from a subscriber address and transmits it to the mobile terminal 104 via the data network 108 and the mobile communication network base station 106.
As described above, in order to read an RF signal from the RFID tag attached to the object by using the mobile terminal incorporating an RFID reader, in other words, in order for the mobile terminal to read an RFID signal, a user selects such a corresponding function as the RFID read mode, on a menu screen through an interface (multi-stage interface) having a tree structure, to make the mobile terminal be switched to the RFID read mode and then reads the RF signal from the RFID tag attached to the object. In this connection, the RFID read mode indicates a state where power is being supplied to the RFID reader. In modes other than the RFID read mode, no power is supplied to the RFID reader for preventing unnecessary power consumption.
However, since the above-described method switches the mobile terminal to the RFID read mode through the multi-stage interface on the menu screen, it has a problem that there is an inconvenience of use due to a user's frequent operation. As a result, this problem causes dissatisfaction of consumers of mobile terminal users on services.
To solve this problem of the prior art, a method for switching a mobile terminal to an RFID read mode by using a preset hotkey may be considered. However, this method cannot be a fundamental solution when considering the fact that it is difficult in reality to design a mobile terminal having a lot of functions such that all the functions can be accessed by respective hotkeys.
As another measure for solving the above-described problem of the prior art, a method for always supplying power to an RFID reader built in a mobile terminal, i.e., a method for allowing a mobile terminal to be continuously maintained in the RFID read mode, can be taken into account. This method, however, has another problem that power consumption is unnecessarily increased.
To overcome such problems of the prior art, "A mobile terminal having an adaptive power control function and a control method thereof" has been proposed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-26072. The power control method for a mobile terminal disclosed in this patent application will be discussed below.
First of all, it is checked whether a mobile terminal is in a folder open state, a flip open state, or a slid open state to identify whether the terminal is in an operating mode or in a standby mode. When the mobile terminal is in the standby mode, power supply to the RFID reader is interrupted, and when the mobile terminal is in the operating mode, power is supplied to the RFID reader.
In this patent application, when it is desired to switch the mobile terminal having an RFID reader to the RFID read mode, such switching is not implemented in a complicated multi-stage menu interface, and thus, the convenience of services utilizing RFID can be greatly increased. Moreover, when a folder, a flip, or a slide is in a closed state, power supply to the RFID chip is interrupted, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption required for executing the RFID read mode.
However, in this patent application, the procedure of checking whether the mobile terminal is in a folder open state, a flip open state, or a slid open state is performed during automatically switching the RFID reader from the standby mode to the read mode. Therefore, there is a lack of unified power control because different standards are applied depending on the design characteristics of the mobile terminal.
Another defect is that there is no control procedure for power saving after the switching of the RFID reader from the standby mode to the read mode.

Power supply control method for radio-frequency identification reader in mobile terminal


A multi-inverter air conditioner includes an outdoor heat exchanger having a refrigeration cycle, and a plurality of indoor heat exchangers connected to the outdoor heat exchanger by pipes and wire arrangements. Each indoor heat exchanger includes a control part for detecting a temperature of the respective pipe arrangement. Each pipe arrangement includes a pipe controller for opening the pipe. The outdoor heat exchanger comprises a control section for actuating the various pipe controllers and control parts for performing a test of the system. The outdoor heat exchanger further includes an input section for enabling a user to input a command signal to initiate the testing procedure, and a display section for displaying results of the test. During a test procedure, the temperatures of all pipe arrangements are detected before and after the refrigeration cycle has been actuated. If no temperature variation is detected in any of the pipe arrangements, the test procedure is terminated and a malfunction signal is displayed.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-inverter type air conditioner, and more particularly to a multi-inverter type air conditioner which can effectively test the pipe and the wire arrangements between an outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units, and a test method thereof.
2) Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional multi-inverter type air conditioner has an outdoor unit 10 and a plurality of indoor units 20a, 20b and 20c. Outdoor unit 10 is connected to indoor units 20a, 20b and 20c through pipe arrangements 30a, 30b and 30c and wires 40a, 40b and 40c. Pipe controllers 50a, 50b and 50c are installed at pipe arrangements pipes 30a, 30b and 30c for opening and closing the pipe arrangements. Test devices 22a, 22b and 22c for testing the pipe arrangements and the wires are installed at indoor units 20a, 20b and 20c, respectively. In the conventional multi-inverter type air conditioner, the pipe arrangements and the wires are tested as follows.
Firstly, in order to test the wire and the pipe arrangement connected with indoor unit 20a, the user operates indoor unit 20a by driving test device 22a. Then, when indoor unit 20a sends an operating signal through wire 40a to outdoor unit 10, outdoor unit 10 operates so that pipe controller 50a is turned on and other pipe controllers 50b and 50c are turned off. Accordingly, the refrigerant only flows through pipe arrangement 30a connected to indoor unit 20a, so the user can determine whether or not the pipe arrangement 30a and the wire 40a are in a normal condition by detecting the temperature of pipe arrangement 30a. If the pipe arrangement and wire are found to be in an abnormal condition, the user tests the operating condition of outdoor unit 10. If outdoor unit 10 is found to be operating in the normal condition, the operation of indoor unit 20a is stopped and other indoor units 20b and 20c are tested in the same manner mentioned above. In this manner, the condition of all pipe arrangements and wires between outdoor unit 10 and indoor units 20a, 20b and 20c can be tested.
However, in the conventional multi-inverter type air conditioner, since each indoor unit is provided with a respective test device, an incorrect operation of one or more of the test devices may occur due to a mistake by the user.
In addition, since the operating condition of the outdoor unit is also tested if the wires and pipe arrangements are in an abnormal condition, the test work is inconvenient and a lot of time is required.

Multi-inverter type air conditioner and test method thereof


A cyclic compound of the present invention has a molecular weight of 500 to 5000, and is represented by the following formula (1):

Conventional typical resist materials are polymeric resist materials capable of forming amorphous thin films. Examples thereof include a polymeric resist material such as polymethyl methacrylate, polyhydroxy styrene with an acid dissociation reactive group, or polyalkyl methacrylate. A line pattern of about 45 to 100 nm is formed by irradiating a resist thin film made by coating a substrate with a solution of such a polymer resist material with ultraviolet, far ultraviolet, electron beam, extreme ultraviolet (EUV), and X-ray or the like.
However, because polymeric resist materials have a molecular weight as large as about 10,000 to 100,000 and also wide molecular weight distribution, in lithography using a polymeric resist material, roughness occurs on a fine pattern surface; the pattern dimension becomes difficult to be controlled; and the yield decreases. Therefore, there is a limitation in miniaturization with lithography using a conventional polymeric resist material. In order to make a finer pattern, various low molecular weight resist materials have been proposed.
For example, an alkaline development type negative type radiation-sensitive composition (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2) using a low molecular weight polynuclear polyphenolic compound as a main component has been suggested.
As a low molecular weight resist material candidate, an alkaline development type negative type radiation-sensitive composition using a low molecular weight cyclic polyphenolic compound (For example, see Patent Documents 3 and 4, and Non Patent Document 1) as a main component has been suggested.

Cyclic compound, method for producing the same, radiation-sensitive composition, and resist pattern formation method


A thermoformed thermoplastic truck bedliner has at least one pair of under-cut load restraint pockets formed by portions of opposed bedliner sidewalls. The pockets are recessed from the sidewall so that a load restraining member such as a 2.times.4 beam may be pressed downwardly to be snapped into engagement with the pockets. The pockets support the boards in a horizontal orientation, with the wide dimension of the board extending from front to back within the liner to give greater board stiffness against loads shifting from front to back. The pockets may be formed in either under the rail bedliners or in over the rail bedliners. In an alternative embodiment, each under-cut pocket is formed in a cross shape such that a board may be positioned horizontally or vertically.

This invention relates to thermoformed thermoplastic truck bedliners in general and to bedliners with structure for engaging load restraing members in particular.
Although long used in agricultural and commercial applications, pick-up trucks with open cargo beds have also become increasingly popular as personal and family vehicles. The commercial vehicle owner, although concerned with performnance and cost effectiveness of the vehicle, often considers the vehicle as a traveling company advertisement or symbol. A neat and well-maintained vehicle is more likely to favorably impress customers. Owners of personal vehicles, while concerned with functionality and efficiency, are also concerned with pride of ownership, personal image, and outward appearances. In addition, the automotive enthusiast desires to maintain his vehicle in as close to a "like new" condition as possible.
Truck bedliners of plastic or rubber are commonly employed to protect the pick-up truck cargo bed. These truck bedliners are available in a wide variety of configurations to suit the wide variety of available trucks. One-piece thermoformed thermoplastic truck bedliners provide a cost effective means of protecting the truck cargo bed.
To facilitate the handling of cargo, many truck cargo boxes have features which stabilize and control shifting of cargo in the truck box. For instance, the box may have stake holes along the upper peripheral edges so that boards may be inserted into the sides of the truck box, so extending the sides to retain light-weight, high-volume loads. Some truck boxes have supports on the side walls for horizontal boards, so that wide loads may be supported above the interiorly extending truck wheel wells on horizontal boards.
Some trucks have features formed into the sides of the truck to support a plank or "2.times.4" board so it extends upright across the width of the bed. Boards extending across the floor of the bed of the cargo box are useful to prevent the shifting of cargo as the truck accelerates and brakes.
Truck bedliners have been developed which extend existing features in truck cargo boxes and which provide features such as horizontal board pockets for use in truck boxes that lack them. For instance, one type of truck bedliner provides a series of board slots formed by vertical ribs which extend into the interior of the cargo box. These series of board slots allow a vertical 2.times.4 board to be adjustably positioned among the slots to secure the load into place.
Bedliners come in two general types, so-called "over-the-rail" liners which extend up and cover the upper edges of the cargo box, and so-called "under-the-rail" liners in which side-walls of the liner terminate under the upper flanges or rails of the cargo box.
Board holder pockets have been used for a number of years to support boards horizontally to prevent shifting of cargo. Board holder pockets, however, open upwardly, and hence retain the possibility that a board held therein may be rotated or shifted out of the pocket if subjected to an upwardly-directed force.
A thermoformed truck bedliner is needed which will accept commonly sized timbers to extend across the truck bed and which will support the timbers against loads applied by shifting cargo.

Bedliner with pockets for load restraint


A testing system measures central angles of filter segments of a color wheel. The color wheel includes a color filter, which includes three sector-shaped filter segments and a motor for driving the filter segments to rotate. The testing system includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor emits light toward the color filter and receives light reflected back by the color filter, and generates an impulse signal according to intensity changes of the light reflected back by the color filter. The impulse signal includes a plurality of boundary impulses corresponding to boundaries formed between adjacent filter segments. The processor calculates central angles of the filter segments according to relationships between the boundary impulses.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to testing systems for testing color wheels, and particularly to a testing system for precisely measuring central angles of filter segments of a color wheel, and an angular position of a timing mark on the color wheel.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a color wheel 10 of a projector system is shown. The color wheel 10 includes a round color filter 100, a mounting portion 200, a motor 300 and a timing mark 400 adhered to a sidewall of the mounting portion 200. The color filter 100 is composed of three sector-shaped filter segments, i.e. red, green and blue filter segments 102, 104, 106. Because people perceive different colors with different reaction times, central angles of the red, green and blue filter segments 102, 104, 106 are designed to be different from each other. The timing mark 400 is arranged on the sidewall of the mounting portion 200.
In operation of the projector system, the color filter 100 and the timing mark 400 are driven by the motor 300 to rotate together. The central angles of the filter segments 102, 104, 106 and the angular position of the timing mark 400 relative to the filter segments 102, 104, 106 can be detected to help the projector system recognize positions of the filter segments 102, 104, 106. That is, the central angles of the filter segments 102, 104, 106 and the timing mark 400 help the projector system know which color is being shown in a display of the projector system at a given time. Therefore, the central angles of the filter segments 102, 104, 106 and the angular positions of the timing mark 400 are important parameters, which influence an image-forming quality of the projector system. If the central angles of the filter segments 102, 104, 106 and the actual angular position of the timing mark 400 relative to the filter segments 102, 104, 106 deviate seriously from predetermined central angles of the filter segments 102, 104, 106 and a predetermined angular position of the timing mark 400, the image-forming quality of the video will be greatly degraded.


A method of controlling acceptance of a call by a network node in a communication network having a required quality of service includes the steps of determining an infimum of a function of the probability of the node being overloaded if the call if accepted and determining from that infimum the effective bandwidth of the calls to the node if that call should be accepted and determining a corresponding quality of service. The corresponding quality of service is then compared with a quality of service that is required for satisfactory operation of the network. If the quality if maintained or exceeded then the call is accepted for the node.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a communication network, particularly, but not exclusively, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
2. Related Art
ATM networks are controlled to allow statistical multiplexing of calls which enables more calls to be carried than if Synchronous Transfer Mode (STM) methods are used.
Each node or resource in a communication network will have a certain carrying capacity. The capacity comprises an ability for that node to carry a certain number and type of calls. A call comprises a number of connections each connection being a logical end to end link. In order to prevent a node being overloaded it is necessary to control the acceptance of calls by the node and this is achieved by Connection Acceptance Control (CAC) methods.
The revenue generation from any telecommunication network is closely linked to the number of calls allowed onto the network. Therefore, a CAC algorithm needs to be chosen which will maximise the number of calls admitted to the network, whilst maintaining call Quality of Service (QoS), and considering the network resources available. Of additional importance is the speed with which the CAC algorithm makes call acceptance decisions, as this impacts on the subjective customer perception of the service provided.
The QoS of a network or a node of a network depends on various parameters or sets of parameters. The parameters include the probability of the loss of a particular cell of data as it travels through the network, called the cell loss probability (a cell being a time division of the multiplexing scheme containing the packet of data, which is 48 bytes/octets of information and 5 bytes/octets of control information); cell delay which is a measure of the delay a cell experiences as it passes through the network; and cell delay variation which is a measure of the differences in the cell delay times of different cells.
Present CAC methods utilise a procedure called convolution. Convolution based methods are accurate but require considerable computational power and, even then, take a long time causing delays in call set-up on the network which may be unacceptable for certain types of call or services. This problem becomes more and more significant as the mixture of calls becomes more varied. For example, a Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (BISDN) could carry calls carrying voice data, digital TV data, digital high definition TV data, teleconferencing data, and multimedia data. The data will have different characteristics, for example it could be constant bit rate or variable bit rate and the bandwidth required may also be different, for example, a voice call might require 64 kbps, but a video call might require 140 Mbps. Each node in the network will be able to carry either a certain number of identical connections with the same bandwidth requirements, for example, all voice or, as is more likely, a certain number of different types of calls with different bandwidth requirements, for example, both voice and video.
The rate of a cell stream within a call may also be statistically varying. The statistical variations of the cell stream are often modelled by distributions such as Normal, Guassian, on-off or Bernoulli. A moment generating function of a particular distribution is a way of summarising the behaviour of the distribution in terms of its statistical variation.
In his paper "A Congestion Measure for Call Admission and Traffic Engineering for Multi-Layer Multi-Rate Traffic" (International Journal of Digital and Analog Communication Systems, Volume 3, No. 2, June 1990, UK pp 127-135) Joseph Y. Hui discusses the use of the Chernoff bound to derive a relationship between a quality of service parameter and the traffic carried by a resource in a network. This relationship can be used in a connection admission control method, which is potentially faster than known convolution methods.

Method and apparatus for controlling a communications network

British Telecommunications public limited company


A contactless IC card includes a reference voltage circuit, a judging circuit for monitoring a reference voltage that is outputted from the reference voltage circuit, and a power supply stabilization, unit. The judging circuit judges whether the reference voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage. When the reference voltage does not reach the predetermined voltage, the power supply stabilization unit supplies energy to the power supply to suppress a steep increase in the power supply voltage, thereby stabilizing the power supply in the contactless IC card and suppressing deterioration of the signal quality.

IC cards with CPUs featuring security functions, personal identification functions and the like are broadly divided into "IC cards with contacts" which communicate data with a reader/writer via contacts, and "contactless IC cards" which perform data transmission by electromagnetic induction or the like. Among these IC cards, contactless IC cards which transmit data via radio have greater durability because they do not need a connecting terminal to connect to an external device. Further, such contactless IC card rectifies received waves using a rectifier to generate a DC power supply that is required to activate the integrated circuit, eliminating the need of batteries, whereby it is effective in miniaturization of the system and reduction of the costs.
The conventional contactless IC card includes an analog circuit, a CPU, or a memory on one integrated circuit (for example, refer to "A 13.56 MHz CMOS RF Identification Transponder Integrated Circuit WithA Dedicated CPU" (Shoichi Masuiet al., ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 162–163, FIG. 9.1.1 (Feb. 16, 1999)). There are also contactless IC cards to which a power supply voltage is supplied with stability even when a relative position between a reader/writer and the IC card varies (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 3376085, FIG. 3).
The operation of such contactless IC card will be described with reference to FIG. 9. A contactless IC card 1 comprises a coil antenna L1 and a semiconductor integrated circuit 2. The semiconductor integrated circuit 2 comprises a rectifier 3, a shunt regulator 4, a demodulator 5, a modulator 6, a digital signal processing unit 7, a linear regulator 8, and a reference voltage circuit 9. As the rectifier 3, a full-wave rectification circuit that employs diodes D1 to D4 as shown in FIG. 10 is used.
A signal that is received by the coil antenna L1 is rectified by the rectifier 3 to generate a power supply voltage VDDA. The demodulator 5 demodulates RX (receiving) data which is superimposed upon the power supply voltage VDDA. The RX data is transferred to the digital signal processing unit 7, which is constituted by a CPU or a memory. The modulator 6 modulates an impedance between ends of the coil antenna L1 in accordance with TX (transmission) data that is generated by the digital signal processing unit 7. As the reference voltage circuit 9, a band-gap reference circuit as shown in FIG. 11 is used. This circuit generates a reference voltage Vref. In the case of band-gap reference circuit, this circuit generates, for example, the reference voltage Vref=1.2V.
As the linear regulator 8, a regulator circuit that employs an operational amplifier as shown in FIG. 8 is used. In the case of linear regulator as shown in FIG. 8, a power supply voltage VDDD having a value of Vref×(1+R1/R2) is generated as an output. For example, when it is assumed R1=R2, VDDD=2.4V. The power supply voltage VDDD is a power supply voltage for the digital signal processing unit 7.
The shunt regulator 4 is a circuit that prevents the power supply voltage VDDA from increasing above a breakdown voltage. It is assumed here that the communication standard is ISO14443 TYPE B. According to this standard, the carrier frequency is 13.56 MHz, the data rate is 106 kbps, the data transmission from the reader/writer to the contactless IC card is done by means of the 10% ASK modulation, and the data transmission from the contactless IC card to the reader/writer is done by means of the BPSK modulation.
The power that is supplied to the contactless IC card is decided based on the intensity of a magnetic field that is applied to the card coil. Usually, when the card becomes closer to the reader/writer (not shown), the intensity of the magnetic field is increased, whereby the power that is supplied to the semiconductor integrated circuit 2 is increased. The supplied power is converted into a DC voltage by the rectifier 3. Here, when the load to the semiconductor integrated circuit 2 is fixed, the power supply voltage is increased in proportion to the supplied power. The breakdown voltage of a transistor which is manufactured in the present semiconductor process is about 5V when the thickness of the gate oxide film is 10 nm. When the power supply voltage VDDA is increased above the breakdown voltage, the transistor would be broken.
The shunt regulator 4 that consumes an unnecessary power is employed to suppress an increase of the power supply voltage VDDA. For example, when the power supply voltage is increased above 4V, the shunt regulator 4 consumes excess energy and, as a result, the increase of the power supply voltage VDDA can be reduced. Further, the capability of the shunt regulator 4 is adjusted suitably to demodulate a modulated signal by the demodulator 5.
The conventional contactless IC card is constructed as described above and, since there is no need for a connecting terminal to connect to an external device, it has greater durability, and further, as the batteries are not required, this is effective in miniaturization of the system or reduction of the costs. However, this conventional IC card has the following problem. The linear regulator 8 cannot supply the power supply voltage VDDD earlier than start-up of the reference voltage circuit 9. This is because when the reference voltage Vref=0V, the voltage output from the above-mentioned linear regulator 8 becomes a power supply voltage VDDD=0. The start-up of the reference voltage circuit 9 takes time of above 100 μsec. For the above-mentioned reasons, when the energy that ought to be supplied to the power supply voltage VDDD is supplied to the power supply voltage VDDA, the potential of the power supply VDDA is increased, and when the power supply voltage voltage VDDA is increased above the breakdown voltage, the device would be broken. Such breakage of the device presents a more serious problem when the size of the digital signal processing unit 7 is larger, because the power supply voltage VDDA is increased more.
In order to suppress such increase of the power supply voltage VDDA, it is possible to increase the capacity of the shunt regulator 4, but when an ASK signal is to be demodulated, the demodulator 5 detects variations in the power supply voltage VDDA to demodulate RX data and, thus, when the capacity of the shunt regulator 4 is simply increased, the amount of variations in the signal is reduced, whereby the demodulation of the ASK signal by the demodulator 5 becomes difficult.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method of generating corrected fluorescence data of concentrations of a targeted fluorophore in tissue of a subject includes administering first and second fluorescent contrast agents to the subject, the first contrast agent targeted to tissue of interest, the second agent untargeted. The tissue is illuminated with light of a first stimulus wavelength and first data is acquired at an appropriate emissions wavelength; the tissue is illuminated at a second stimulus wavelength and second data is acquired at a second emissions wavelength associated with the second agent, the first and second emissions wavelength differ. Difference data is generated by subtracting the second data from the first data. A system provides for stimulus and capture at multiple wavelengths, with image storage memory and subtraction code, to perform the method. Corrected data may form an fluorescence image, or is used to generate fluorescence tomographic images.

Fluorescence-based medical imaging has been proposed for detecting and mapping tumor, and other abnormal, tissues in organs such as, but not limited to, breast and brain; in particular fluorescence-based imaging is believed to be useful in identifying abnormal tissues during surgery so that a surgeon may remove more abnormal tissue while avoiding damage to nearby normal tissues.
A fluorophore is a compound, synthetic (like Fluorescein), naturally occurring, a byproduct of metabolism of a prodrug, or, like Protoporphyrin IX, both naturally occurring in tissue and a byproduct of metabolism of a prodrug, that may be present in mammalian tissue. Each molecule of fluorophore has the ability to absorb one or more photons of light of a first, or stimulus, wavelength, thereby raising the molecule to an excited energy state; the molecule may then drop to another energy state by emitting at least one photon of light at one or more second, or emission, wavelengths. The stimulus wavelength is typically shorter than the emissions wavelength. The stimulus and emissions wavelengths may be in the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared portions of the spectrum.
Typical fluorescence-based medical imaging systems have an imaging optical system adapted to focus light at the emissions wavelength onto a photodetector array. Such systems have a stimulus light source that provides light that includes the stimulus wavelength but excluding the emissions wavelength. The stimulus light source may be a laser, a light-emitting diode, or a lamp, typically combined with a stimulus wavelength-selective device such as a band-pass filter for eliminating stray emissions-wavelength light. The stimulus light source is arranged to provide light to the tissue, in some systems directly and in others through lenses of the optical system. Typically, the optical system has a receiving wavelength-selective device, such as a long-wavelength-pass receiving filter that blocks light at the stimulus wavelength, for excluding stimulus light from the detector while allowing fluorescence emissions-wavelength light reach the detector. Images captured from the photodetector array typically are processed by an imaging processing system, and prepared for presentation on a display system.
Systems are known that can be adapted for fluorescence-based imaging of different fluorophores. In typical systems, both the stimulus wavelength-selective device and the receiving wavelength-selective device are replaceable to adapt the system for use with different fluorophores. In one such system type, both stimulus and receiving wavelength-selective devices are on rotary disk mounts that may have a clear or neutral-density device in a different position on the disk than the receiving device, such that white light images may also be obtained. In a particular embodiment, a stimulus-filter disk has filters adapted for white light and two or more stimulus filters, with each stimulus filter adapted for operation with a different fluorophore; similarly the receiving-filter disk has filters adapted for white light and two or more receive filters, with each receive filter adapted for operation with a different fluorophore. In other systems, separate stimulus light sources may be provided for white light imaging and for use with each desired fluorophore.
Existing fluorescence-based imaging systems often suffer from a lack of contrast, in part because some normal tissue constituents are fluorophores, and in part because fluorophores administered as contrast agents to tissue are concentrated in tissue to varying degrees. In particular, some exogenous fluorophores bound to tissue-selective molecules, such as antibodies, may merely be more strongly retained by abnormal than normal tissues, leaving a substantial background level of fluorophore in normal tissue that may obscure visibility of fluorophore concentrations in abnormal tissue.
Diffuse-optical fluorescence tomography (FTI) systems are known. In order to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of fluorescent emissions in tissue, these systems typically are adapted to acquire either a sequence of images, or a sequence of light emissions data at specific points on a surface of the tissue, with each image or light emissions datum captured with light applied to different points on the tissue surface either by scanning a light source or by applying stimulus wavelength light sequentially through optical fibers and optodes positioned at specific points on tissue surface. These systems typically construct a voxel-based three dimensional model of light propagation and fluorescent emissions in the tissue and solve for light scattering, absorbance, and fluorophore concentration at each voxel. Voxel-based modeling and parameter reconstructions require good contrast in images for proper reconstruction.
Planar fluorescent imaging (PFI) and FTI are useful in physiological studies of small animals, and in the diagnosis and treatment of various lesions, including malignant lesions of the breast, in larger organisms including humans.

Method and apparatus for medical imaging using differencing of multiple fluorophores


An information processing method of the invention comprises generating first relational data representing a relation between a document and a user by referring to access logs generated in response to accesses to documents; and generating second relational data representing a relation between documents, between users and between the documents and the users by using the first relational data. By the second relational data as stated above, the relation between the users though the documents can be represented. That is, it becomes easy for a user having referred to a specific document to recognize another user referring to the same specific document.

Hitherto, a document created by a person was stored only in a private personal computer (PC), but at present, a file sharing system is used in which the document can be mutually used among persons belonging to the same department or performing the same work. Although the file sharing system is often realized as a basic function of an operating system (OS) such as, for example, Windows (trade mark of Microsoft Corp.), it is often implemented as a groupware system in which work environment in the office is integrated by combing communication tools such as mail, bulletin board system, and schedule management. Incidentally, here, a document file will be considered as a file.
In the document file sharing system, it can be said that not only documents can be mutually referred to among collaborative workers, but also mutual communication is realized through the documents. As means for communication, face-to-face conversation or telephone has highest real-time characteristics, and communication through the mail or documents has low real-time characteristics. However, the communication through the mail or documents has a merit that the same information can be transferred to many persons at once, and as the Internet becomes common, the chance of its use is increased.
The communication through documents starts from a point where ideas are collected into a document. The created document is stored in a document sharing system, and is made open to other users. Then, a collaborative worker reads the document, creates another document or updates the document, and stores it again in the document sharing system. By repeating this operation, the communication through the document is realized. In this communication, there is a feature that ideas of many persons are more easily reflected than creation of the document by one person, more ideas are packed, and the document with less error by mutual check is created. In this meaning, the merit by the collaborative work can be sufficiently utilized.
A problem of this communication is that a collaborative worker does not readily notice that the document is open to the public. Although the problem is resolved when it is notified to participants by mail or the like that the information has been registered or updated, this is not welcomed, because mails to be received are increasing in recent years. The user cannot deal with many mails and there is a possibility that he or she fails to read such a mail. Besides, because a sender restricts the range of notification, there is a problem that a person's potential chance of newly entering the communication is lost.
On the other hand, when persons are in the same office, it is possible to know, to some extent, who is interested in what and is in what work state now. This is due to informal communication made in the interim of the work. When persons are close to each other, the chance of coming in contact with each other, in addition to the work, is increased, and the conversation about topics other than the work is increased. When a person is usually exposed to such information, he or she notices that the information created by other collaborative workers can be utilized, and there occurs a chance that the information being shared is secondarily used. However, the environment in which the informal communication can be performed does not always exist.
As related art in this field, there is an instant message service in the Internet. Although various application programs for instant messages are used, the application program has a function to indicate whether another user is connected to the network, and the state of the user, for example, he or she is on the job or on a break. Besides, it is proposed to provide notification of the state of not only a person but also an object.
US2002-169826 discloses a system of providing notification of the state of a document such as update. JP-A-7-234843 discloses an example of a case where a document is used jointly. In this publication, when a collaborative work is performed through a shared document, there is adopted such a contrivance that the history of the collaborative work can be held in a place different from a storage area for the document. According to the system of this publication, as long as the place where an objective document is held is known, the state of the work relating to the document can be grasped.
As stated above, in the conventional document sharing system, the registered document can be merely referenced from the collaborative worker, and there is no contrivance to provide notification of the existence of the information. Besides, a relation between users through documents does not become clear.

Information processing technique relating to relation between users and documents


Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing object-oriented infrastructure-as-code platform (“OOIACP”) and its functionalities. In various embodiments, an OOIACP may receive a request to perform a function from a requesting device. The OOIACP includes a declarative configuration language (“DCL”)-based infrastructure-as-code (“IAC”) software tool that provides structure and data functionalities and a wrapper tool that provides algorithm and sequence functionalities to the IAC software tool to convert the IAC software tool into an object-oriented programming (“OOP”)-based IAC system. The OOIACP uses a run command to perform the requested function, by identifying classes within a class hierarchy associated with the requested function, and initiating a set of procedures in each identified class. Each class and subclass within the class hierarchy has one or more predefined class behaviors, and each subclass inherits class behaviors of classes to which it belongs and of any intermediate subclasses.

Conventional infrastructure-as-code ("IAC") software tools (such as Terraform®, or the like) enable provisioning of web services or functions. Such conventional IAC systems, however, are single threaded process systems that are not scalable. Accordingly, such conventional IAC systems, although having some desirable characteristics, are, by themselves, inadequate for use in implementing Internet of Components ("IoC") functionalities.
Hence, there is a need for more robust and scalable solutions for implementing infrastructure-as-code ("IAC") functionalities, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing object-oriented infrastructure-as-code platform ("OOIACP") and its functionalities.

Object-oriented infrastructure-as-code platform (OOIACP)


Embodiments relate to a method for forming reliable interconnects by the use of a device layer that can serve as a barrier or an etch stop layer, among other applications. The device layer is UV resistant in that its dielectric constant and stress remain stable or relatively stable when subjected to UV curing.

The fabrication of integrated circuits (ICs) involves the formation of features on a substrate that make up circuit components, such as transistors, resistors and capacitors. The devices are interconnected, enabling the IC to perform the desired functions. Interconnections are formed by forming contacts and conductive lines in a dielectric layer using, for example, damascene techniques. A damascene structure, for example, includes a via or contact hole in a lower portion and a trench which is generally wider than the contact hole in an upper portion. The via serves as a contact to a device while the trench contains the conductive line for connecting the device to, for example, other devices.
As critical dimensions (CD) continue to shrink, RC delay contributed by back-end-of line (BEOL) interconnect becomes more and more significant. In the effort to introduce lower k dielectrics for BEOL interconnect, materials such as porous ultra low k (ULK) inter level dielectric (ILD) and lower k SiCxNyHz Cu barrier material have been proposed. With the use of ULK dielectrics, UV curing is required. UV curing is used to form pores to lower the dielectric constant of the film. Additionally, UV curing enhances the mechanical strength of the film.
However, conventional SiCxNyHz films have been found to be unstable when exposed to UV. For example, exposure to UV has been found to cause the dielectric constant of the SiCxNyHz film to increase, the film stress to convert from compressive to tensile, and even cracking of the film which negatively impacts performance and reliability.
From the foregoing discussion, it is desirable to provide a method for forming a Cu barrier with low dielectric constant and high UV resistance.


Techniques, systems and material are disclosed for thermochemical regeneration of biomass into renewable engineered fuel, storage of the renewable engineered fuel, respeciation of the renewable engineered fuel and transport. In one aspect, a method includes generating low density hydrogen fuel from biomass dissociation at a first location of a low elevation. The low density hydrogen fuel is self-transported in a pipeline to a second location at a higher elevation than the first location by traveling from the first location to the second location without adding energy of pressure. A high density hydrogen carrier is generated at the second location of higher elevation by reacting the low density hydrogen fuel with at least one of a carbon donor, a nitrogen donor and an oxygen donor harvested from industrial waste. The high density hydrogen carrier is delivered to a third location of a lower elevation than the second location while providing pressure or kinetic energy.

This application relates to devices, techniques and materials related to biofuels.
Engineered fuel such as pure hydrogen and methane gases are difficult and costly to store and transport. For example, compressors needed to pressurize hydrogen and/or methane and other products can involve sizeable capital expenditures, large expenditures for electricity and attendant production of greenhouse gases, and high operating costs. Further, the pipelines for transporting the pressurized hydrogen and/or methane often incur costly maintenance and repair costs.
In addition to the compressed-gas fuel form, hydrogen can be converted to cryogenic liquid or slush for storage. Liquid hydrogen is generally stored at −420° F. (−252° C.) at atmospheric pressure and often transported through unprotected delivery lines, parts of which can be damaged due to atmospheric water vapor condensation and freezing. Storage and transport of cryogenic methane face similar costs.
Moreover, the high cost of storage and transport for hydrogen and methane is met with low energy density. For example, a gallon of cryogenic liquid methane at −256° C. provides an energy density of 89,000 BTU/gal about 28% less than a gallon of gasoline. Liquid hydrogen at −252° C. provides only about 29,700 BTU/gal or 76% less than gasoline.

Engineered fuel storage, respeciation and transport


A ceramic honeycomb structure includes a honeycomb body having an array of interconnecting webs bounded by a skin. The interconnecting webs define an array of longitudinal cells having diagonal corners. Fillets are formed only in diagonally opposed corners traversed by lines perpendicular and/or substantially perpendicular to the skin.

The present invention relates generally to ceramic honeycomb structures, and in particular to honeycomb structures such as honeycomb flow-through catalyst substrates and wall-flow particulate filters.
Soot particles are removed from diesel exhaust typically using a wall-flow honeycomb filter. FIG. 1 shows a prior-art ceramic honeycomb structure in the form of a wall flow filter 100. An array of parallel, straight cells 104 adapted for fluid flow runs axially along the length of the honeycomb filter 100. The cross-section of the cells 104 is typically square. The cells 104 are defined by an array of interconnecting porous webs 106 running along the length of the honeycomb filter 100 and intersecting with the skin 105 of the honeycomb filter 100. The cells 104 are end-plugged with filler material 107 in a checkerboard pattern at the end faces 108, 110 of the honeycomb filter 100. Diesel exhaust 112 enters the honeycomb filter 100 through the unplugged ends of the cells 104 at the end face 108, flows from one cell 104 to another through the porous webs 106, and emerges through the unplugged ends of the cells 104 at the end face 110, with the porous webs 106 retaining a portion of the soot particles. The efficiency of the honeycomb filter 100 is directly proportional to the amount of soot particles retained by the porous webs 106 with each pass of the exhaust.
As the soot particles accumulate on the porous webs, the effective flow area of the honeycomb filter decreases. This decreased effective flow area creates a pressure drop across the honeycomb filter, which leads to a gradual rise in back pressure against the diesel engine. When the pressure drop becomes unacceptable, thermal regeneration is used to remove the soot particles trapped in the honeycomb filter. During thermal regeneration, excessive temperature spikes can occur, producing thermal stress in the honeycomb filter 100. If the thermal stress exceeds the mechanical strength of the honeycomb filter 100, the honeycomb filter 100 can crack. This is particularly a concern where the honeycomb filter 100 is made of a low tensile strength material, such as ceramic.
Ceramic honeycomb flow-through catalyst substrates have the general honeycomb structure of filter 100, but do not incorporate end plugs of filler material 107 in the channels of the honeycombs. Thus they operate to treat engine exhaust gases as the exhaust flows directly through the channels of the substrates. While such flow-through substrates do not require regeneration to remove trapped particulates, they are nevertheless subjected to substantial stresses during catalytic reactor assembly and in the course of use. Further, advanced catalyst substrates typically incorporate porous webs 106 of very slight thickness, e.g. thicknesses in the 25-150 μm range, rendering them less mechanically durable than thicker-walled substrates.
Providing honeycomb substrates and filters with sufficient mechanical strength to withstand thermal shocks and filter regeneration without decreasing the performance of the honeycomb substrates and filters is challenging because mechanical strength and pressure drop tend to be inversely coupled. For example, for a honeycomb filter having a given effective flow area and pressure drop, the general approach to improving the mechanical strength of the honeycomb filter has been to thicken the porous webs. This modification has the advantage of increasing the thermal mass of the honeycomb filter but it creates a different problem in that web thickening reduces the effective flow area of the honeycomb filter. This reduction in the effective flow area of the honeycomb filter results in increase in pressure drop across the honeycomb filter, even before soot particles accumulate on the porous webs. To minimize the increase in pressure drop across the honeycomb filter, the porosity of the webs may be increased such that the effective flow area of the modified honeycomb filter is close to the given effective flow area. However, increasing the porosity of the webs is problematic in that it produces a corresponding decrease in the thermal mass of the honeycomb filter.
From the foregoing, there is an ongoing desire to improve the resistance of ceramic honeycombs such as honeycomb filters and catalyst substrates to cracking failure under mechanical loads and/or thermal regeneration that does not problematically increase pressure drop across the honeycomb structures in use.

Crack-resistant ceramic honeycomb structures


An inspection lamp for detection of a fluorescent material which absorbs electromagnetic energy in a specific excitation frequency band and which emits electromagnetic energy in a specific fluorescent emission frequency band within the visible light spectrum. The lamp includes a bulb housing, a light source within the bulb housing, and a dichroic filter. The dichroic filter is adapted to transmit electromagnetic radiation in the excitation frequency band of the fluorescent material and reflect electromagnetic radiation in the fluorescent emission frequency band of the material.

Leak detection, materials detection, and qualitative non-destructive testing are well suited to techniques employing fluorescence detection. These techniques rely upon the unique physical property of various materials to fluoresce when excited by certain wavelengths of visible or ultraviolet ("UV") light.
It is a well-known phenomena that electromagnetic energy within the near ultraviolet spectrum of approximately 315 to 400 nanometer wavelengths produces fluorescence in certain materials. That is, the fluorescent materials absorb radiated energy at the near UV or blue wavelengths and re-radiate or emit it at a longer wavelength in the visible spectrum. Thus, when fluorescent material absorbs electromagnetic energy in a specific excitation frequency band in a specific wavelength range, the material can emit electromagnetic energy in a characteristic fluorescent emission frequency band within the visible light spectrum. This phenomena has enabled inspection and detection techniques in which fluorescent dyes, inks or pigments are illuminated by lamps selectively filtered to emit only ultraviolet radiation (invisible to the human eye), and then re-radiate with a high luminescence in the visible spectrum.
For example, the slow leakage of refrigerant from an air conditioning system is difficult to locate by any other means, because the refrigerant escapes as an invisible gas at such low rate and rapid diffusion that the concentration of refrigerant in air near the leak site is difficult to differentiate from that surrounding any other location along the system circulation lines. However, by infusing into the circulating system a small amount of fluorescent dye which is soluble in the refrigerant, the dye is carried out of the system with the refrigerant, and glows brightly at the leak site when the area is swept with a UV lamp.
Currently available inspection lamps employ high intensity light sources operating at very high temperatures to generate a sufficient photon flux for detection applications, and utilize filters to absorb the undesirable wavelengths. These filters are often colored glass which transmit some wavelengths and absorb others. The filters are subjected to significant thermal stress attributed to the high temperature light source and the filter's absorption of light energy. Because of the thermal stress problem, the selection of appropriate materials for a filter are limited. The colored glass filters that are commonly used do not optimize the transmittance of the desirably narrow ultraviolet frequency bandwidth needed to maximize the fluorescence of a particular material.
Another problem with currently available inspection lamps is the tendency for UV colored glass filters to permit transmittance of lower wavelength visible light. These wavelengths interfere with the human eye's perception of light emitted from the fluorescing material. This is a significant limitation in applications where fluorescing material is expected in low concentrations, as in the refrigerant leak example.
Thus, there is a need for an inspection lamp that utilizes a high intensity light source and a filter which will transmit specific wavelengths, while reflecting those which are undesirable. By reflecting undesirable visible light, and transmitting invisible UV light, such a filter can simultaneously maximize a desired transmittance while greatly reducing thermal stress on the filter. A lamp must also be safe to the user and constructed to withstand the rough handling to which it may be exposed. An inspection lamp is also needed that permits the easy substitution of customized filters for differing applications.

Inspection lamp with thin-film dichroic filter


A system for processing a signal is provided. The system includes a differential amplifier receiving a radio-frequency input signal at a first differential input. A rectifying device such as a transistor has a control terminal that is coupled to an output of the differential amplifier and an output that is coupled to a second differential input of the differential amplifier. The second differential input of the differential amplifier receives a low frequency feedback signal from the output of the rectifying device, such as by damping the frequency response at the output of the rectifying device using a capacitor and a current source coupled to the output of the rectifying device.

Envelope detectors are known in the art. Envelope detectors can be used to generate an output signal representing the envelope level or amplitude of a high frequency input signal. This can be used in many applications, such as demodulating an amplitude modulated input signal, detecting the strength of a received radio frequency (RF) signal, detecting the level of a generated RF signal for use in amplitude leveling loops, detecting the level of a generated RF signal for use in an amplitude feedback loop such as in a polar modulator, or for other suitable applications.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior art envelope detector 100. Envelope detector 100 comprises rectifying transistor 101, capacitor 102, resistor 103, holding capacitor 104, bias current source 105, optional DC offset replica circuit 106, and optional subtracting amplifier 107. Rectifying transistor 101 is configured to receive at a first terminal a bias voltage through resistor 103 and an input RF signal through capacitor 102. The first terminal of rectifying transistor 101 can be the gate if rectifying transistor 101 is a field-effect transistor (FET), the base if rectifying transistor 101 is a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), or other suitable control terminals for other devices.
A second terminal of rectifying transistor 101 is connected to holding capacitor 104 at an output node 108 and provided a bias current from bias current source 105. The second terminal of rectifying transistor 101 can be the source if rectifying transistor 101 is a FET, or the emitter if rectifying transistor 101 is a BJT. Holding capacitor 104 is selected such that the response time of the voltage at output node 108 is substantially slower than the period of frequency of the RF input. By using a nonlinear rectifying transistor 101, the average voltage at output node 108 can respond to the amplitude of the input RF signal.
Output node 108 can have a DC voltage even when the RF input amplitude is zero. For instance, if rectifying transistor 101 is a FET, the DC voltage at output node 108 can be approximately one threshold voltage below the bias voltage applied to the gate of rectifying transistor 101 when the RF input amplitude is zero. This DC offset can be detrimental if a small amplitude of the RF input is to be measured. Optional DC offset replica circuit 106, which can contain replicas of rectifying transistor 101 and bias current source 105, can be used to replicate this DC voltage. Optional subtracting amplifier 107 can then be used to remove this offset voltage from the output signal representing the detected envelope.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of curve 201 showing a typical response of a prior art envelope detector, such as envelope detector 100. Curve 201 depicts the voltage output, such as the output of subtracting amplifier 107, versus an RF input amplitude, such as the amplitude of the RF input signal coupled to rectifying transistor 101. This curve can typically be linear for a sufficiently large input amplitude, but can deviate from this linear response when the input amplitude is small. This nonlinearity can have an effect similar to an offset voltage, such that the extrapolated response of the high input amplitude range crosses the x axis at a non-zero point 202 while the actual response begins to curve. This effect can be caused when rectifying transistor 101 is not receiving a large enough signal amplitude for the transistor to operate as a nonlinear device, and can cause the average voltage output by the envelope detector to be nearly independent of the input RF signal amplitude until the amplitude reaches a sufficient level so that the rectifying device begins to behave in a nonlinear fashion.
There are at least two different sources of offset, as shown by curve 201. One is caused by the DC bias point of the detector output not typically being zero, so that even when there is no RF input, the voltage at 108 is nonzero. This offset can be corrected using a replica circuit to generate the same DC value using like circuitry and subtracting this off of the detected value.
Nevertheless, curve 201 will remain at zero even for a small nonzero input amplitude, due to the signal level being too small to activate the nonlinearity of transistor 101. The detector output DC does not change until the amplitude gets large enough so that transistor 101 becomes nonlinear and begins to re-bias the voltage 108 in response to changes in input amplitude.
This offset voltage effect can be detrimental when very small input signals must be detected. The offset voltage can also degrade performance of systems even when the input RF amplitude is typically high enough that the envelope detector is operating in the linear region, because the output in this region is proportional to the input amplitude minus the effective offset voltage. In systems such as polar feedback loops, it can be necessary that this offset voltage be nearly zero. An RF amplifier could be used to increase the amplitude of the RF input signal presented to the envelope detector in order to reduce this effect, but the application of an RF amplifier in this manner can cause other issues, such as saturation of the RF signal when higher amplitudes are present, and nonlinearity of the input to output response of the amplifier.

Low offset envelope detector and method of use


A stop assembly for a valve is disclosed. Two stop rings are interfitted by meshing teeth and driven by a valve stem. In one embodiment, an escutcheon provides a mounting for one of the ring members as well as a stop surface for contact with both rings. The stop assembly provides a stop for maximum rotation of a valve member, as well as an adjustable temperature stop function.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates primarily to valves which control the mix of hot and cold water. The invention appears best suited to providing a valve wherein the full hot limit of the valve can be easily adjusted.
B. Description of the Art
It is desirable to conserve energy by setting water temperature maximum at the lowest temperature acceptable to the user. Because of differences and variability in water heater systems, and differences in consumer preferences, only a rough adjustment can be made at the factory. The final adjustment must be made after the valve is installed. This is preferably something that can be changed from time to time without requiring the disassembly of the valve components and without the need for special tools and special plumbing skills. This might be particularly desirable in an apartment building so that an adjustment can be made when new tenants move in.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,880; 4,423,752; 4,813,455 and German patent 28 15 990 show various stop systems for valves. These systems rely upon a radial projection from a rotatable valve stem abutting against a projection from the valve housing or cap. However, these systems either do not allow for easy temperature adjustment or involve other complex multicomponent devices, or require use of parts which are susceptible to wear or breakage.
Thus, it can be seen that a need exists for an improved valve stop system.


An example method includes displaying, via a visualization device and overlaid on a portion of an anatomy of a patient viewable via the visualization device, a virtual model of the portion of the anatomy obtained from a virtual surgical plan for an orthopedic joint repair surgical procedure to attach a prosthetic to the anatomy; and displaying, via the visualization device and overlaid on the portion of the anatomy, a virtual guide that guides at least one of preparation of the anatomy for attachment of the prosthetic or attachment of the prosthetic to the anatomy.

Surgical joint repair procedures involve repair and/or replacement of a damaged or diseased joint. Many times, a surgical joint repair procedure, such as joint arthroplasty as an example, involves replacing the damaged joint with a prosthetic that is implanted into the patient's bone. Proper selection of a prosthetic that is appropriately sized and shaped and proper positioning of that prosthetic to ensure an optimal surgical outcome can be challenging. To assist with positioning, the surgical procedure often involves the use of surgical instruments to control the shaping of the surface of the damaged bone and cutting or drilling of bone to accept the prosthetic.
Today, virtual visualization tools are available to surgeons that use three-dimensional modeling of bone shapes to facilitate preoperative planning for joint repairs and replacements. These tools can assist surgeons with the design and/or selection of surgical guides and implants that closely match the patient's anatomy and can improve surgical outcomes by customizing a surgical plan for each patient.

Virtual guidance for orthopedic surgical procedures


A wasteful consumption of electric energy supplied to charge a battery is reduced when the battery is charged with a low charging efficiency due to a high battery temperature. The battery, typically comprising nickel-hydrogen secondary cells, is prevented from being deteriorated due to a high battery temperature after the battery is charged. While the battery is being charged, the battery is cooled by a battery cooling unit to prevent the charging efficiency from being lowered. If the battery temperature rises above a predetermined temperature, a contactor is opened to temporarily stop the charging of the battery, and the battery is cooled by the battery cooling unit. After the battery is charged, the battery is cooled if the battery temperature is high.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery charging apparatus for controlling the charging of a battery and/or the temperature of the battery, and more particularly to a battery charging apparatus suitable for use on an electric vehicle that is propelled by electric energy supplied from a battery as an energy source.
2. Description of the Related Art
As well known in the art, while a battery is being charged, the temperature of the battery increases due to a chemical reaction that occurs in the battery solution. When the battery temperature rises above a predetermined value of +50.degree. C. (which varies depending on the type of the battery), the battery suffers an irreversible deterioration in the form of a reduction in the capacity of the battery.
In order to avoid such a temperature-dependent irreversible deterioration, there have heretofore been proposed two temperature control processes that can be carried out during the charging of a battery.
According to the first temperature control process, when the temperature of a battery rises above a predetermined value while the battery is being charged, the charging of the battery is temporarily stopped, and the battery is cooled by ambient air. When the battery temperature drops below the predetermined value, the charging of the battery is resumed.
According to the second temperature control process, when the temperature of a battery rises above a predetermined value while the battery is being charged, a forced-cooling unit is operated to cool the battery with forced air, and the battery is continuously charged.
The first temperature control process is effective to prevent the battery from being deteriorated due to a rise in the battery temperature. However, from the standpoint of a battery charging efficiency (a portion, stored as a charge in the battery, of a charging current that is supplied to the battery), the first temperature control process suffers the following problems:
As the battery temperature goes higher and the battery is charged more closely to the fully charged state, the battery charging efficiency becomes lower, making the battery chargeable less efficiently. When the battery charging efficiency is lower, excessive electric energy is consumed by an electric decomposition of the electrolytic solution of the battery, resulting in an increase in the battery temperature. Stated otherwise, when the battery is charged more closely to the fully charged state, i.e., when the SOC (State of Charge) of the battery is high, the battery is charged at a high temperature, and a large amount of charging electric energy is wasted.
The second temperature control process allows the battery to be continuously charged, but is not optimum from the standpoint of a battery charging efficiency because the temperature at which the forced-cooling unit is turned on is the same as a constant temperature set for preventing the battery from being deteriorated.
Nickel-hydrogen secondary cells of a battery exhibit so-called soak-back characteristics according to which the battery temperature rises after it the battery has stopped being charged. The temperature rise after the battery has been charged cannot be prevented by the first and second temperature control processes.


A vibrating element as an element on which a base part, a supporting part extending from the base part, and adjustment electrodes as mass adjustment parts are provided and a semiconductor substrate as a circuit element are provided, and the adjustment electrodes are placed in locations not overlapping with the semiconductor substrate in a plan view, the supporting part and the semiconductor substrate are connected, and thereby, the vibrating element is mounted on the semiconductor substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic device, an electronic apparatus and a mobile unit using the device, and a method of manufacturing the electronic device.
2. Related Art
In related art, as an example of an electronic device, a vibrating device that senses acceleration, an angular velocity, or the like has been known. The vibrating device includes a vibrating element as a sensor element as an example of an element and a circuit element having a function of driving the vibrating element.
Further, as the vibrating device, a sensor device including a gyro vibrating reed (also referred to as "gyro element") as a vibrating element and a semiconductor substrate (circuit element) provided with a circuit element housed in a package is disclosed in JP-A-2011-179941.
In the vibrating device having the configuration, the vibrating element is mounted to be superimposed on the semiconductor substrate. Further, in adjustment of the vibration frequency of the vibrating element, a laser beam is used for removing at least a part of a mass adjustment part (an electrode or the like) provided on the vibrating element.
However, in the above described vibrating device, the laser beam used for adjustment of the vibration frequency of the vibrating element can be transmitted through the vibrating element and applied to the semiconductor substrate (circuit element). In the case where the laser beam transmitted through the vibrating element is applied to the semiconductor substrate, the laser beam can damage the semiconductor substrate (circuit element).

Electronic device, electronic apparatus, mobile unit, and method of manufacturing electronic device


Compounds, tautomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds are disclosed, wherein the compounds have the structure of Formula I,

Dementia results from a wide variety of distinctive pathological processes. The most common pathological processes causing dementia are AD, cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CM) and prion-mediated diseases (see, e.g., Haan et al., Clin. Neurol. Neurosurg. 1990, 92(4):305-310; Glenner et al., J. Neurol. Sci. 1989, 94:1-28). AD is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment and cognitive dysfunction. AD affects nearly half of all people past the age of 85, the most rapidly growing portion of the United States population. As such, the number of AD patients in the United States is expected to increase from about 4 million to about 14 million by 2050.
In addition, it has been determined that BACE1 knock-out mice had markedly enhanced clearance of axonal and myelin debris from degenerated fibers, accelerated axonal regeneration, and earlier reinnervation of neuromuscular junctions compared with littermate controls. These data suggest BACE1 inhibition as a therapeutic approach to accelerate regeneration and recovery after peripheral nerve damage. (See Farah et al., J. Neurosci., 2011, 31(15): 5744-5754).
Insulin resistance and impaired glucose homoeostasis are important indicators of Type 2 diabetes and are early risk factors of AD. In particular, there is a higher risk of sporadic AD in patients with Type 2 diabetes and AD patients are more prone to Type 2 diabetes. It is believed that BACE1 levels may play a critical role in glucose and lipid homoeostasis in conditions of chronic nutrient excess. Consequently, the inhibition of BACE1 activity may also be important for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Specifically, BACE1 inhibitors may be potentially useful for increasing insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and liver. (See Meakin et al., Biochem. J. 2012, 441(1):285-96.)
Likewise, inhibition of BACE2 is proposed as a treatment of Type 2 diabetes with the potential to preserve and restore β-cell mass and stimulate insulin secretion in pre-diabetic and diabetic patients. (WO2011/020806). BACE2 is a β-cell enriched protease that regulates pancreatic β cell function and mass and is a close homologue of BACE1. Pharmacological inhibition of BACE2 increases β-cell mass and function, leading to the stabilization of Tmem27. (See Esterhazy et al., Cell Metabolism 2011, 14(3): 365-377). It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for BACE2 inhibitors that are useful in the treatment and/or prevention of diseases associated with the inhibition of BACE2. (WO2011/020806).
Aminodihydrothiazine or thioamidine compounds are described in WO 2010/038686 as useful inhibitors of the β-secretase enzyme. The invention is directed to novel thioamidine compounds and their use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including AD, as well as the treatment of diabetes and obesity.

Abstract: wherein the variables R1 and R2 are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: Corresponding pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment, methods of synthesis, and intermediates are also disclosed.


Efficient techniques for computation of texture coordinates using scaled conversion operations for a 3D graphics pipeline utilizing a scaled floating point to integer instruction and a scaled integer to floating point instruction to significantly reduce memory requirements. A parallel array VLIW digital signal processor is employed along with specialized scaled conversion instructions and communication operations between the processing elements, which are overlapped with computation to provide very high performance operation. Successive iterations of a loop of tightly packed VLIWs are used allowing the graphics pipeline hardware to be efficiently used.

Floating point to integer and integer to floating point conversions are typically implemented by software routines in numerical processors that support both floating point and integer numbers. For example, for 3D graphics, the texture coordinates (S, T) are specified by values of floating point numbers between 0.0 and 1.0. These coordinates are typically interpolated by a rasterizer, which then stores red, green, blue and alpha (RGBA) values to a frame buffer and the interpolated texture coordinates are stored in a texture buffer. The alpha value defines a transparency measure with alpha equal 1 being opaque and alpha equal 0 being fully transparent. When compositing two images, the resulting color is a linear combination of red, green and blue (RGB) and alpha values of the pixels.
A typical 3D graphics application consists of both transforms and lighting, and rasterization. An efficient implementation of the 3D graphics pipeline can be achieved by the use of different data types between texture coordinate interpolation and texture mapping calculations, hence the need for rapid conversion between data types. In order to increase performance of the implementation of the transform and lighting portion of the 3D pipeline, it has been recognized that efficient scaled conversion operations are especially important.

Processor efficient transformation and lighting implementation for three dimensional graphics utilizing scaled conversion instructions


The invention provides methods of treating autophagy mediated diseases and disorders and related pharmaceutical compositions, diagnostics, screening techniques and kits. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of determining whether a subject suffers from, or is at risk of developing, and autophagy mediated disease state and/or condition by evaluating LC3 levels.

Autophagy is a homeostatic process highly conserved in eukaryotic cells where it acts as a cytoplasmic biomass quantity and quality control system (Mizushima et al., 2008; Yang and Klionsky, 2010). Its functions encompass programmed cell survival and cell death, normally skewed toward cell survival (Kroemer and Levine, 2008) through provision of energy and nutrients and ridding the cytoplasm of toxic macromolecular aggregates, faulty organelles (Mizushima et al., 2008; Yang and Klionsky, 2010) and invading microorganisms (Deretic and Levine, 2009; Levine et al., 2011).
The cell-autonomous antimicrobial defense functions of autophagy, demonstrated initially in the case of streptococci (Nakagawa et al., 2004) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Gutierrez et al., 2004; Harris et al., 2007; Ponpuak et al., 2010), have been extended to a wide variety of microbes with a caveat that most highly adapted pathogens have evolved specific protective mechanisms against autophagic elimination of microbes (Deretic and Levine, 2009; Gannage et al., 2009; Kyei et al., 2009; Lee et al., 2009; Orvedahl et al., 2007; Yoshikawa et al., 2009). Other studies have uncovered orderly intersections between autophagy and innate (Chaturvedi et al., 2008; Cooney et al., 2010; Delgado et al., 2008; Huang et al., 2009; Sanjuan et al., 2007; Shi and Kehrl, 2010; Tang et al., 2010; Travassos et al., 2009; Xu et al., 2007; Yano et al., 2008) and adaptive immunity (Blanchet et al., 2010; Lee et al., 2010; Munz, 2009; Nedjic et al., 2008; Paludan et al., 2005), T cell development, differentiation and homeostasis (Jia and He, 2011; Nedjic et al., 2008), and inflammatory responses (Cadwell et al., 2010; Jounai et al., 2007; Levine et al., 2011; Saitoh and Akira, 2010). Autophagy suppresses endogenous, cell-autonomous promoters of inflammation (Mathew et al., 2009; Orvedahl et al., 2010).
Specific autophagic factors, such as Atg5-Atg12, have been shown to inhibit RIG-I signaling (Jounai et al., 2007) whereas Atg9, have been reported to negatively regulate trafficking, assembly and activation of TBK-1 (TANK-binding kinase 1), which, among its key functions, controls type I interferon response elicited by intracellular double stranded DNA (Saitoh et al., 2009). In the context of anti-inflammatory function, recent studies indicate that autophagy plays an inhibitory role in inflammasome and IL-1β activation by mechanisms that involve mitochondrial homeostasis (Nakahira et al., 2010; Zhou et al., 2011) or potentially direct effects (Harris et al., 2011). Finally, a number of genetic links have been found in human populations between autophagy and idiopathic inflammatory (Consortium, 2007; Craddock et al., 2010) or infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (Che et al., 2010; Intemann et al., 2009; Singh et al., 2006; Singh et al., 2010), with significant inflammatory components and tissue damage.
Given the interconnectedness of autophagy and immunity, it is likely that the immune manifestations of autophagy are affected not only by the induction of autophagy but also by the completion of the autophagic pathway. The formation of the autophagic organelles of the sensu stricto autophagy pathway (also referred to as macroautophagy) depends on multiple sources of membrane or regulatory factors (Tooze and Yoshimori, 2010). The key stages of autophagy however are not restricted to the formation of autophagosomal membranes and include the sequestration of the earmarked cargo by the autophagic adaptors (Bjorkoy et al., 2005; Kirkin et al., 2009; Thurston et al., 2009; Wild et al., 2011), and the less understood process of the maturation of autophagic organelles into autolysosomes where the captured material is degraded (Korolchuk et al., 2011; Liang et al., 2008; Matsunaga et al., 2009; Zhong et al., 2009).
Thus, autophagy is directly implicated in cancer, type II diabetes, neurodegenerative syndromes such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g. Crohn's disease), type II diabetes, infections (such as tuberculosis and HIV (I and II)/AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C), and a variety of disorders associated with aging. A better understanding of how autophagic mechanisms are implicated in the aforementioned diseases could prove critical to preventing or treating these maladies.
The references which are cited above are presented after Example 2 of the present specification.

Methods of treating autophagy-associated disorders and related pharmaceutical compositions, diagnostics, screening techniques and kits