An avionics display device having a stowable rotatable locking handle disposed therein for facilitating quick and easy installation and/or removal of the display device.

The present invention relates to aircraft instrument panels and more particularly concerns avionics displays and even more particularly relates to avionics displays with improved mounting capabilities.
In recent years there has been a trend in the avionics industry to consolidate numerous flight instruments into several multi-purpose display devices. A further trend has been to reduce the number of multi-purpose display devices by increasing the display area on each single display.
Historically, aircraft cockpits are usually quite crowded and allow very little room for maintenance workers to operate comfortably. In the past, it is often difficult for aircraft maintenance personnel to remove and or install avionics equipment in the aircraft instrument panel. This difficulty is exacerbated when the displays grow larger in size and weight.
Typically, the aircraft instrument panel includes therein some structual portions of the aircraft. Avionics mounts are attached to these structual portions, usually by screws, bolts, etc. The avionics equipment is then secured to the mount with screws, bolts, etc.
While this system of mounting avionics displays has enjoyed considerable use in the past, it does have several serious drawbacks. First of all, it is often difficult for the maintenance personnel to remove the avionics equipment because they must loosen the screws, etc. being careful to properly grasp the equipment etc. and then extract the equipment by using one hand to pull on the equipment and using the other to support its weight. Equipment is occasionally dropped by the maintenance personnel, either immediately after extraction or immediately before insertion because of the physical contortions they are often required to undergo because of the crowded and cramped nature of aircraft cockpits. When the equipment is these newer and larger avionics displays, which often are heavy and contain bulky and fragile cathode ray tubes or other displays screens, this can be extremely expensive. Thirdly, the maintenance personnel occasionally damage the panel or neighboring instruments when the tools which are used to loosen the screws or pry the equipment out come in contact with the panel or the neighboring instruments.
Consequently, there exists a need for improvement in the mounting of avionics display systems.

Avionics displays system with collapsible mounting handle


A novel high performance pressure sensitive adhesive composition is provided comprised of a phase separated graft copolymer comprised of a polymerized acrylic or methacrylic acid ester backbone having grafted thereon pendant polymeric moieties such as polystyrene or poly-alpha-methylstyrene in an amount of from 1.5 to 2.5 grafts per polymer chain on average.

The present invention is directed to a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprised of a polymerized acrylic or methacrylic acid ester backbone having grafted thereto pendant polymeric moieties.
Polymeric compositions are known which are comprised of backbone polymers having grafted thereto pendant polymeric moieties. The type of backbone polymer and graft polymeric moiety employed varies depending upon the desired characteristics of the end product. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,116; 3,832,423; 3,842,146; 3,862,077; 3,879,494; 3,928,255; 3,989,768; 4,085,168; 4,551,388; 4,554,324; 4,656,213; 4,693,776; 4,732,808; and 4,871,812 which disclose various types of such polymers which may or may not exhibit pressure sensitive adhesive properties.
Typical of the type of polymeric compositions disclosed in the above patents are compositions comprised of a backbone polymer such as an acrylic or methacrylic backbone polymer having attached thereto a graft polymer comprised of a polymerizable macromolecular monomer such as styrene or alpha-methylstyrene. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,324, among others, in this regard.
The acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,324 may be made from an acrylic ester and a polar acrylic monomer. The polar acrylic monomer can be one or a mixture of acrylic acid, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, itaconic acid, etc. The acrylic ester can be any aliphatic ester of acrylic acid. Such monomers are typically polymerized free radically by solution, suspension or emulsion polymerization. The acrylate portion of the copolymer is generally present in a generally high concentration and renders the polymer tacky. The polar monomer increases the ability of the adhesive to bond to a surface.
While such polymeric compositions have been found to have utility as pressure sensitive adhesives, one area that has not heretofore been addressed with much success is providing high performance pressure sensitive adhesives which may be suitable for use in high temperature environments (i.e., environments where the temperature exceeds about 250.degree. F.).
By way of example, the aerospace and automotive industries are experiencing an increased demand for adhesives with the capability to withstand temperature extremes of -200.degree. F. to as high as 400.degree. F. It has been found that typical acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives, while performing satisfactorily at temperatures as low as -45.degree. F., fail at temperatures of about 150-200.degree. F. (and sometimes at lower temperatures) as the adhesive becomes too soft and is unable to retain acceptable adhesive properties. Attempts have been made to enhance the performance of such adhesives by cross-linking procedures.
Presently, silicone pressure sensitive adhesives are known for their high performance characteristics including their ability to perform at temperatures as high as 500.degree. F. However, the range of end uses for such adhesives is much more limited than acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives. Unfortunately, acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives are not able to satisfactorily perform at the same high temperatures as silicone adhesives.
The problems which exist in prior art acrylic adhesive compositions in connection with high temperature stability results from the fact that as the temperature of use exceeds the glass transition or melt temperature of the reinforcing graft or "hard" segment of the polymer composition, both the "hard" segment and the "soft" acrylic polymer backbone tend to flow. Such flow tendency adversely effects the ability of the composition to serve as an adhesive at high temperatures.

Method for the production of a high performance pressure sensitive adhesive


In a device for determining a position of a bit error in a bit sequence, a check matrix is used which has a predefined number of rows and a predefined number of columns. The check matrix includes a plurality of square submatrices having a submatrix row number and a submatrix column number corresponding to the predefined number of rows or the predefined number of columns of the check matrix. The device for determining then includes a unit for receiving a bit sequence and a unit for identifying a syndrome using the check matrix and the received bit sequence. Furthermore, the device includes a unit for establishing a position of a bit error in the received bit sequence, wherein the unit for establishing is adapted to identify a syndrome bit and a syndrome bit group in the syndrome, and wherein the unit for establishing is further adapted to determine the position of the bit error in the received bit sequence using information on a position of the syndrome bit or the syndrome bit group in the syndrome, information on a relationship between the syndrome bit and the syndrome bit group, and a submatrix row number or a submatrix column number of a submatrix.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical engineering, and the present invention relates particularly to a device and a method for determining a position of a bit error in a bit sequence.
2. Description of the Related Art
Errors occurring when transmitting data or storing data should be corrected as far as possible. Often errors can be assumed to occur rather infrequently. In this case, it is useful to implement a coding algorithm that is able to correct a maximum number of single bit errors in a specific data unit.
The problem of the single bit error correctability is usually solved by the implementation of a suitable coding algorithm. Mostly, linear codes are used for that. They can be implemented in hardware in a particularly convenient manner.
In a systematic code, k information bits a1a2 . . . ak are complemented by n−k check bits ak+1ak+2 . . . an to generate a code word c=a1a2 . . . an of the length n. This yields
  c  =                              a          1                                  a          2                                  a          3                        …                                                            a          k                            ︸                  information                                                              bits                                                                                a                          k              +              1                                                      a                          k              +              2                                          …                                                                          a            n                                    ︸                      check                                                                          bits                              .
The set C of all code words is a subspace of Fn2, wherein F2={0,1} defines the binary field. If C⊂F2n is a linear subspace of F2n with the dimension k, this is referred to as a (binary systematic) linear (n,k) code. Here, only the binary codes will be discussed. Particular attention will be paid to codes in which n and k are arbitrary. For illustrative reasons, an exemplary linear (n,k) code with n=7 and k=4 is used.
A linear (n,k) code can be described unambiguously by its parity check matrix H. The parity check matrix H is a binary (n−k)×n matrix of the rank n−k. It has the form H=(A, In−k), wherein In−k denotes the (n−k)×(n−k) unit matrix. The unit matrix has ones in the main diagonal and otherwise zeroes. The row vector CεF2n is a code word when, and only when, equation (1)HcT=0  (1)applies. Here cT represents the transpose of c. If c is a row vector, then cT is a column vector.
In the following, the common nomenclature is adopted. If v=(v0, v1, . . . , vn−1) is a row vector, then the transpose vT of v represents the corresponding column vector
      v    T    =      (                                        v            0                                                            v            1                                                ⋮                                                  v                          n              -              1                                            )
In this context, vεF2n and vTεF2n. Furthermore, if A is an m×n matrix, then the transpose of A, indicated by AT, is the n×m matrix whose jth column is the transpose of the j-row of A for 1≦j≦m. For example, if
      A    =          (                                    110                                                011                              )        ,            then                                              A        T              =          (                                    10                                                11                                                01                              )
Furthermore, this description uses the sign "+" as an indication of an XOR operation. This means that 0+0=0, 0+1=1, 1+0=1 and 1+1=0.
As an example, a linear (7,4) code is used which is characterized by its parity check matrix in equation (2)
                    H        =                  (                                                    1011                                            100                                                                    1101                                            010                                                                    1110                                            001                                              )                                    (        2        )
It is to be noted here that the first four columns of H are formed by the matrix A, whereas the last three columns are formed by the unit matrix I3. c=(1,1,0,0,1,0,0) can be shown to be a code word, because HcT=(0,0,0)T yields the zero vector.
The coding of a linear code can be performed as follows. If H=(A, In−k) is the parity check matrix of a binary linear (n,k) code, then the k×n matrixG=(Ik,AT)is referred to as canonical generator matrix of the code. The coding of a message a=a1a2 . . . ak into the corresponding code word c=a1a2 . . . akak+1 . . . an is realized via a matrix multiplicationaG=cEquivalently also:
                                          a            1                                          a            2                              …                                                                          a            k                          ︸                    information                                                  bits                                          A      T        =                                          a                          k              +              1                                          …                                                                          a            n                          ︸                    check                                                  bits              .
Based on the continued example, this will be explained in more detail. For the parity check matrix H from equation (2), the corresponding 4×7 matrix
  G  =      (                            1000                          111                                      0100                          011                                      0010                          101                                      0001                          110                      )  may be identified as corresponding generator matrix.
The message (a1, a2, a3, a4)εF24 is coded into the code word c byc=(a1,a2,a3,a4)G=(a1,a2,a3,a4,a1+a3+a4,a1+a2+a3,a1+a2+a3)
Equivalently, given the information bits a1a2a3a4, the corresponding check bits may be calculated according to
                    (                              a            1                    ,                      a            2                    ,                      a            3                    ,                      a            4                          )                    ︸                  information                                                              bits                                (                                    111                                                011                                                101                                                110                              )        =            (                                    a            1                    +                      a            3                    +                      a            4                          ,                              a            1                    +                      a            2                    +                      a            4                          ,                              a            1                    +                      a            2                    +                      a            3                              )              ︸              check                                                  bits
It is to be noted here that the parity check matrix H from equation (2) has the same number of ones in each of its three rows. This feature is desirable for an efficient hardware implementation of the coding scheme. This is due to the fact that the calculation of each of the n−k check bits requires the same number of XOR operations (i. e. has the same logical depth). Another desirable property is that H is "sparsely occupied". A binary matrix is called "sparsely occupied" when it contains relatively few ones. Furthermore, the decoding can be described as follows, wherein x and y represent two binary vectors. The Hamming distance d(x, y) between x and y is the number of coordinates in which x and x differ. The Hamming weight w(x) of x is the number of coordinates of x that are not zero.
Obviously therefore w(x)=d(x,0) and d(x,y)=w(x−y). For example, if x=(0,1,0,0,0,1), then w(x)=2.
Definition. Let C be a code. The number
  d  =            min                        u          ,                      v            ∈            C                                    u          ≠          v                                d                    (                  u          ,          v                )            is called minimum distance of C.
Lemma 1. The minimum distance of a linear code C is the smallest Hamming weight from all non-zero code words. This results in
  d  =            min                        0          ≠          c                ∈        C                        w                    (        c        )
Theorem 1. If H is the parity check matrix of a linear code, then the code has the minimum distance d when, and only when, all d−1 columns of H are linearly independent and some d columns are linearly dependent. In other words, the minimum distance d equals the smallest number of columns of H summing up to 0.
At this point, the above example is continued: consider the parity check matrix H from equation (2). Any three columns of H are linearly independent, whereas four columns have to be linearly dependent. In this way, the associated linear code has a minimum distance of d=4.
Theorem 2. A linear code with even minimum distance d can simultaneously correct (d−2)/2 errors and detect d/2 errors.
Assume that a message aεF2k is coded into a code word cεF2n, which is then transmitted via a disturbed channel (or is stored in a memory). The vector yεF2n is received. If, during transmission (or storage), there are less than └(d−1)/2┘ errors, then the correct code word c may be reconstructed from y. At this point, the so-called syndrome of y becomes helpful.
Definition. Let H be the parity check matrix of a linear (n,k) code C. Then the column vector S(y)=HyT of the length n−k is called syndrome of yεF2n.
By the definition of the parity check matrix H (cf. equation (1)), yεF2n is a code word when, and only when, S(y) is the zero vector.
Theorem 3. For a binary code, the syndrome equals the sum of the columns of H in which the errors have occurred.
Thereby S(y) is called syndrome, because it gives the symptoms of errors.
Especially the single error correction will be discussed. In this case, the above theorem assumes a simple form:
Theorem 4. A single bit error occurs when, and only when, the syndrome equals a column of H. The position of this column corresponds to the error position.
This is again demonstrated by means of the continued example: again consider the linear (7,4) code defined by the parity check matrix
  H  =      (                            1011                          100                                      1101                          010                                      1110                          001                      )
Assume that the vector y=(1,0,1,0,0,0,1) is received. The syndrome is calculated as follows:
      S              (      y      )        =            Hy      T        =          (                                    0                                                1                                                1                              )
The syndrome S(y) matches the second column vector of H and thus indicates that the second coordinate of y is defective. This allows to identify the correct code word c=(1,1,1,0,0,0,1) and the information bits to 1110.
The most direct and also most hardware-saving implementation of a linear code is realized by means of the so-called check matrix (parity check matrix) of the code. The matrix entries are bits. For a single bit error correction, it is possible to structure the matrix so that each column of the matrix contains, for example, exactly three ones and otherwise zeroes. One exception are only the last columns of the check matrix, which preferably form a unit matrix and only need to contain one 1, respectively.
However, the conventional approaches of the single bit error correction have the disadvantage that, with the help of the syndrome and the check matrix, there has to be a comparison as to which column of the check matrix matches the syndrome in order to be able to determine the position of the occurred bit error therefrom.

Device and method for determining a position of a bit error in a bit sequence


A process for the production of a vulcanized elastomer composition, said process consisting in producing an aqueous dispersion containing at least latex with a small particle size and a filler having undergone a mechanical working stage and conventional vulcanization ingredients, in drying said dispersion and then vulcanizing it in a mould under pressure without subjecting said dried aqueous dispersion to mechanical working.

This is a continuation of international application PCT/EP02/08188, which was published in French on Feb. 20, 2003, as international publication WO 03/014208 and which claims priority of French application 01/10479 filed Aug. 3, 2001.
The present invention relates to elastomer compositions obtained by deposition and drying of an aqueous dispersion containing at least latex, a filler and conventional vulcanization ingredients, and by vulcanization under pressure.
Since the very beginning of the 20th century, carbon black has been the dominant filler for rubber mixtures conventionally used in the tire industry due to the outstanding reinforcing properties which it imparts to the mixtures. Such reinforcement brings about a change in the uncured and cured properties of the mixture. The presence of a filler in particular results                when uncured:—in an increase in viscosity,        when cured:—in an increase in resistance to any deformation,         —in a major increase in hysteresis,         —in an improvement of limit values and wear resistance.
Patent application FR 2 588 008 proposes, in order to obtain a filler-polymer composition from latex, impregnating the filler with at least one latex emulsion in such a manner as to bring about at least partial coagulation of the latex polymer by dehydration of the latex. The content of dry polymer relative to the filler varies between 25 and 100%. Silane may be added in the form of an aqueous emulsion. Masterbatches produced in said manner disperse the filler more effectively.
However, the enhanced mechanical properties of an elastomer composition obtained from elastomers and fillers processed in the solid phase in internal mixers or roll mills are generally attributed to the significant mechanical working imparted to the mixture during the production thereof The very nature of a latex makes it possible to dispense with required significant mechanical working in order to mix a filler and a latex. It would seem, however, that filler-polymer compositions which have adequate mechanical properties for use in a tire have never been obtained in this manner.
The object of the invention is to be able to gain the advantage of the reduced energy consumption associated with the production of latex-based filler-polymer compositions while obtaining the adequate mechanical properties of compositions as they are conventionally produced in the tire industry.

Elastomer compositions based on filled latex

Conception Et Développement Michelin S.A.


A control device of an elevator improving the speed control performance by performing feedforward compensation. The control device includes a model torque calculating section which calculates, based on a speed instruction value for an electric motor, a model torque instruction value of the electric motor, a storage section which stores the relationship between the speed-dependent loss torque of the electric motor which varies due to variations in the rotation speed of the electric motor and the rotation speed of the electric motor, a speed-dependent loss torque calculating section which calculates, based on a detected value of the rotation speed of the electric motor, a speed-dependent loss torque value correlated to the detected value, and a driving torque calculating section which calculates a torque instruction value by adding the speed-dependent loss torque value correlated to the detected value to the model instruction value.

Model reference follow-up control using mechanical inertia has been proposed as the speed control of a motor which drives an elevator. In this model reference follow-up control, acceleration torque components produced during the acceleration and deceleration of an elevator are compensated for in a feedforward manner (refer to Patent Literature 1, for example).


A monoclonal antibody specific to a human placenta-derived coagulation inhibitor is disclosed. The antibody is produced by culturing a hybridoma which secretes it. A human placenta-derived coagulation inhibitor can be purified by using the monoclonal antibody as an immunoadsorbent. The human placenta-derived coagulation inhibitor can be immunologically assayed by using the monoclonal antibodies.

i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monoclonal antibody specific to a substance derived and purified from a human placenta and having anticoagulant activity (hereinafter abbreviated as "PCI"), a hybridoma secreting the monoclonal antibody, and utilization of the monoclonal antibody.
ii) Description of the Prior Art
The cell fusion technology has been developed rapidly since the report of Keller and Milstein [Nature, 495-497 (1975)]. It has been known that a hybridoma obtained by fusing mammalian spleen cells and myeloma cells secretes various antibodies depending on the characteristics of the spleen cells employed. It has also been attempted to form a hybridoma, which secretes a monoclonal antibody against various biological substances such as proteins and hormones, by effecting cloning based on the characteristics of the hybridoma and also to secrete the monoclonal antibody [E. Dale Servier et al., Clinical Chemistry, 27(11), 1797-1806 (1981)]. In the meantime, the present applicant previously succeeded in isolating and purifying a substance having anticoagulant activity (PCI) from a human placenta and applied for a patent thereon (European Patent Application Publication No. 0217341). PCI is a substance which has the following properties and is useful as a medicine.
(1) Molecular weight (SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, reduced state): 34,000 .+-.2,000. PA1 (2) Isoelectric point (isoelectric column electrophoresis using an ampholyte): 4.7 .+-.0.1. PA1 (3) Stability: PA1 (4) Effects: PA1 (5) Analysis of amino acids: The existence of aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, 1/2 cystine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, histidine, lysine and arginine is recognized by the analysis of amino acids.
(a) Inactivated by a heat treatment at 50.degree. C. for 30 minutes. PA2 (b) Stable in a pH range of 4-10. PA2 (c) Stable in plasma at 37.degree. C. for 30 minutes. PA2 (a) Capable of prolonging the recalcification time. PA2 (b) Capable of prolonging the prothrombin time. PA2 (c) Capable of prolonging the activated partial thromboplastin time.
One example of preparation of PCI will be described subsequently in Example 1. It may be summarized as follows.
A placenta homogenate is first prepared from the human placenta and then subjected to centrifugation. The homogenization is effected in the following manner. After cutting off the amnion and the like from the placenta, the placenta is washed thoroughly with a physiological saline, followed by homogenization by the use of a Waring blender and "Polytron" (trade mark; manufactured by Kinema SA). The thus-obtained homogenate was subjected to centrifugation, thereby obtaining a supernatant and sediment. The resulting placenta homogenate sediment is washed thoroughly with a buffer and is then subjected again to centrifugation to obtain a washed sediment, followed by extraction. Namely, the thus-obtained sediment of the placenta homogenate is immersed in a buffer, which contains a chelating agent such as EDTA, EGTA, oxalic acid, citric acid, sodium nitrilotriacetate or phosphoric acid, and/or another buffer containing a surfactant such as "Triton X-100", Lubrol (trade mark), SDS, deoxycholic acid or the like. After allowing it to stand overnight at 4.degree. C.-8.degree. C., the mixture is centrifuged to collect a supernatant as an extract. Here, the extraction may be carried out by using both chelating agent and a surfactant.
The supernatant is subjected further to ultracentrifugation at 50,000 to 100,000 .times. g to obtain a microsome fraction as a sediment. After washing the microsome fraction, it was extracted with a chelating agent and/or a surfactant in the same manner as described above and the resultant extract was subjected to ultracentrifugation to collect a supernatant as an extract.
The thus-obtained extract is subjected to ammonium sulfate fractionation. The ammonium sulfate fractionation is effected in the following manner. First, solid ammonium sulfate is added to 35% of its saturated concentration to the extract, followed by centrifugation to collect a supernatant. Ammonium sulfate is then added to the supernatant until its concentration reached 85% of its saturated concentration, followed by centrifugation to collect a sediment.
The resulting ammonium sulfate fraction is then purified by known isolation and purification procedures including, for example, dialysis, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, adsorption chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography, isoelectric point column electrophoresis, affinity chromatography using lectin or an antibody, and the like either singly or in combination, thereby obtaining PCI. For example, a fraction obtained by subjecting the chelating agent and/or surfactant extract to ammonium sulfate fractionation is dialyzed thoroughly. The resulting dialyzate is then eluted in accordance with the linear concentration gradient method in which "DEAE-Toyopearl" (trade name) is used. After an active fraction thus obtained is dialyzed, it is caused to pass through "Blue Sepharose" (trade name; product of Pharmacia AB). The active fraction is then concentrated and subjected to gel filtration through "Sephadex G-100" (trade name; product of Pharmacia AB), thereby to obtain PCI.
PCI is however contained only in a trace amount in the placenta, and no sufficient specific binding is established with PCI in various chromatographic techniques which are employed routinely. It is hence difficult to obtain PCI in a highly pure form. Moreover, such conventional procedures require many steps and are unable to achieve any satisfactory recovery rate.
It has therefore been desired to develop a specific purification process for obtaining high-purity PCI easily at a high recovery rate. In order to use PCI as an anticoagulant, it has also been desired to elucidate the mechanism of the action of PCI and further to develop a high-sensitivity assay for PCI as a method for measuring its blood level.


A locking device is provided for a cooling fan assembly. The assembly includes a central hub. A plurality of blades are operatively connected to and configured to selectively rotate around the central hub. A blade ring is fixedly connected to respective outermost radial portions of the plurality of blades. The blade ring may be annularly-shaped and defines at least one blade ring slot. The locking device is configured to selectively prevent the plurality of blades from rotating. The locking device includes a movable member and an actuation device for moving the movable member. The movable member is slidable relative to the blade ring between two positions, an unlocked position that substantially permits the plurality of blades to rotate and a locked position that substantially prevents the plurality of blades from rotating.

A vehicle may employ a cooling fan to cool various components of the vehicle, for example, the engine. A cooling fan assembly typically includes a plurality of blades. An electric motor may be used to power or drive the fan, that is, rotate the plurality of blades. When the electric motor is idle, the plurality of blades may continue to rotate, which is sometimes referred to as "wind-milling."


A package for storing a fragile article includes a plurality of panel integrally connected to one another a fold lines. Pairs of two of the panels oppose one another in a spaced relation wherein the panels form a partial enclosure. A first tab connects to about an open end surface of the enclosure and has a slotted surface formed therein which provides a first retention surface for a portion of the article. A second tab connects about second open end surface and has a shelf with a slotted surface formed therein which provides a second retention surface for another portion of the article and a complete enclosure is so formed wherein the article is retained in suspended manner in a spaced relation from each of the panels.

The present invention relates generally to packages for shipping compact discs and other fragile articles through the mail, and more particularly to an inexpensive yet protective package for shipping compact discs.
Optical storage media need safe, inexpensive, reliable and environmentally-friendly containers in which to protect such media during storage and transport. Currently, packages for storing and transporting compact discs (CDs), digital variable discs (DVDs) and related optical storage media includes a hinged, optically transparent plastic container and one or more printable inserts to identify the contents of the media, known as a jewel case. A central hole in the media frictionally engages a complementary pedestal that includes resilient members that extend from one of the inner surfaces of the container.
Paper inserts are inserted into the cases to display the information within the case. Jewel packages have been a popular choice in satisfying some of these needs due in part to their ability to prevent contact between the data-containing portion of the disc and the adjacent container wall, in effect suspending the disc away from its connection point at the resilient pedestal. Such cases have drawbacks in manufacturing costs, as additional raw materials, both paper and plastic are required and shipping can become prohibitively expensive, especially when multiple units are being shipped. Further, addition of large quantities of non-degradable plastic packaging to landfills and consequent impact on the environment also deter against conventional jewel package use as a media container. Similarly, due to the inability of conventional plastics, with nonporous surfaces and low surface tensions to hold printing inks, large quantities of paper are typically consumed to provide surfaces upon which information germane to the data on the disc can be placed. The manufacture of a separate insert for printed text, graphics and related information (collectively referred to herein as printed indicia), which is necessary to provide the user with information pertaining to the disc and its contents, constitutes a significant part of the overall package. Many additional steps are required to prepare, print and package these inserts to ensure compatibility with the jewel package. This drives up packaging costs and has adverse effects on the environment as additional sheets of printed material must be included in the packaging of the disc.
To alleviate some of these concerns, prior art efforts have created jewel packages out of paper products and similar printable materials or made the packages out of different types of plastics. While the prior art solves some of the safety and environmental concerns, the current art remains comparatively expensive to manufacture, as multiple separate components must be assembled, or numerous cutting, folding and adhesion steps are required. Paper-based devices have stressed the need for containers that permit printed matter to be placed directly on the disc container.
The nature of these devices has thus far not been acceptable due to unwanted contact with a media side of the disc as well as the inability of the container itself to withstand repeated storage and shipping use. Thus, a need exists for a jewel package that is inexpensive to manufacture, including the ability to accept text and graphics printed directly on the surface of the package. A further need exists for a package that can satisfy the aforementioned needs within the confines of article protection, reduced environmental impact and expense considerations.

Package for transporting a fragile article


The present invention relates to a S1PR4-targeting composition for preventing or treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and, more particularly, to a pharmaceutical composition and a health functional food composition, both comprising a sphingolipid compound which serves as a functional inhibitor against S1PR4, showing prophylaxis and therapy of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The sphingolipid compound of the present invention is expected to be applied as a leading material effective for the prevention or treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as it has the effect of reducing the infiltration of inflammatory cells into hepatic tissues and suppressing fibrosis and decreases a level of liver injury (ALT), inflammation in hepatic tissues, the expression of a fibrosis-related gene.

Myriocin, isolated from Cordyceps fungi, has been known for various pharmacological activities thereof for a long time and has been found to be effective in preventing the onset of non-alcoholic fatty acid liver disease (NAFLD) (Yang et al., Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 2009; 19435851, Kurek et al., Liver Int. 2014; 24106929, Kasumov et al., PLos One. 2015; 25993337). However, experimentation on animals has shown that this substance caused death from severe digestive disorders at 10 times a normal dose due to the low safety margin thereof. For this reason, the substance has not developed into a drug. In addition, sphingolipid compounds containing myriocin have been considered to have low development potential as drugs due to the low solubility thereof in water.
However, FTY720 (Fingolimod) developed from myriocin derivatives has been approved to have an indication to relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), which is a degenerative neurological disease that often occurs in western young people. Efforts to develop drugs based on sphingolipids are ongoing. FTY720 is an oral drug, which acts as a modulator of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptors expressed in lymphocytes and various neuron cells on the immune system to reduce recycling and migration of pathogenic lymphocytes to the central nervous system.
Meanwhile, FTY720 acts non-selectively on subtypes of S1P receptors (S1P1, S1P2, S1P3, S1P4 and S1P5), resulting in problems due to lymphocyte reduction (lymphopenia) in blood or severe side effects centered in the cardiac circulatory system such as bradycardia and arrhythmia. Thus, there is a need for the development of a therapeutic agent having selectivity for the S1P receptor.
Therefore, as a result of extended efforts to develop an independent compound selectively acting on the S1P subtype receptor among sphingolipid compounds, the present inventors have found that the compound according to the present invention specifically binds to the S1P4 receptor present in macrophages and thus acts as an functional inhibitor (antagonist), thereby exerting effects of preventing or treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Based on this finding, the present invention has been completed.

UNIVERSITY OF ULSAN FOUNDATION FOR INDUSTRY COOPERATION


A customizable mechanism is provided for determining and reporting the overall reachability of a user based on the current statuses of a variety of network elements associated with the user, such as devices or applications that a user may use to communicate with others. The system can evaluate customizable reachability rules to determine an overall reachability status for the user. The system provides for distribution of reachability status and presence statuses of network elements to authorized subscribers.

With the advent of increasing network and processing capabilities, individuals often use multiple devices or applications for communication. For example, one person may have cell and home phones, email, and an instant messaging service to use for communicating with others. In certain systems, a central management service can manage or monitor individual devices associated with various users.

Providing an aggregate reachability status


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for creating memory barriers in a Direct Memory Access (DMA) device. A memory barrier command is received and a memory command is received. The memory command is executed based on the memory barrier command. A bus operation is initiated based on the memory barrier command. A bus operation acknowledgment is received based on the bus operation. The memory barrier command is executed based on the bus operation acknowledgment. In a particular aspect, memory barrier commands are direct memory access sync (dmasync) and direct memory access enforce in-order execution of input/output (dmaeieio) commands.

In conventional multiprocessor (MP) systems, multiple processors have access to a common shared memory. To improve the performance of these systems, the storage models for ordering of storage accesses is weakly consistent. Weakly consistent means that the order in which accesses are performed by the processor, the ordering in which these accesses are performed on the processor bus, the order in which accesses are performed with respect to another processor or mechanism, and the order in which these accesses are performed in storage may all be different.
The weakly consistent storage model places on a software program the responsibility to ensure the ordering of accesses to storage that is shared among two or more processors and/or mechanisms. In a conventional symmetric multiprocessor (SMP), several means are provided to allow a software program to enforce ordering of storage access to shared memory. For example, on the PowerPC®, a plurality of memory barrier instructions are provided, such as "SYNC" (also sometimes referred to as "heavy-weight SYNC"), "lightweight SYNC," and "EIEIO" (Enforce In-order Execution of I/O). Generally, the SYNC instruction creates a memory barrier. That is, on a given processor, any load or store instructions ahead of the SYNC instruction in the program sequence must complete with respect to all other processors and mechanisms, before any instruction after the SYNC instruction can be executed.
A lightweight SYNC creates a memory barrier that provides the same ordering function as the SYNC instruction, except that a load caused by an instruction following the lightweight SYNC may be performed before a store caused by an instruction that precedes the lightweight SYNC, and the ordering does not apply to accesses to I/O memory (memory-mapped I/O). The EIEIO instruction creates a memory barrier that provides the same ordering function as the SYNC instruction except that ordering applies to accesses to I/O memory. The EIEIO also orders stores.
In a conventional MP system, execution of memory barrier instructions is limited to tightly coupled processors, which places an additional workload on the control processors (i.e., processing units (PUs)) to manage other non-symmetric processors and/or devices within a heterogeneous MP system. In some cases, this limitation can also limit the ability of a non-symmetrical processor to manage system resources since the storage ordering cannot be controlled.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and/or system for providing memory barrier instructions that addresses at least some of the problems and disadvantages associated with conventional systems and methods.

Memory barriers primitives in an asymmetric heterogeneous multiprocessor environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for improving performance of networking applications which receive network data from a computer network and which are executable on any one of a plurality of data processing means. The proposed method comprises the steps of establishing a data transfer connection between a first data processing means of the plurality of data processing means and the computer network; sending data on the data transfer connection by means of a given networking application of a plurality of networking applications, the given networking application running on a second data processing means of the plurality of data processing means; determining a quality measure of the data transfer connection from the sent data; and moving the given networking application to the first data processing means if the quality measure meets a predefined criterion.

In connection with computer networks, e.g. within an enterprise, it is be considered common practice to deploy servers with multiple data processing means—hereinafter also referred to as processors or CPUs—and network interface cards (NICs) to enable the server to deal with higher network traffic and higher processing load. Due to the hardware and the software architecture of these servers in the above-mentioned situations there are a number of issues which can impair the overall performance of networking applications running on the server. For instance, any data handled by a processor on a computer is first brought from the main memory to the processor's cache after which the processor will proceed to work on the data. This may involve multiple read and write procedures. After the processor has finished processing a given amount of data, said data is written from the cache back to main memory. This is much faster than accessing the main memory for every access to the data and dramatically improves performance of the computer in general.
However, on a system with more than one processor, if different processors have to work on the same data, that data will have to be moved from the cache of one processor to the main memory of the computer and from there to the cache of the other processor. This can introduce delays which can have a negative effect on overall system performance. Furthermore, on a prior art system with multiple processors, every network interface card is programmed to interrupt a particular processor when there is data arriving from the computer network, e.g. in the form of an incoming data packet. The respective NIC then hands over the data packet to the processor which will continue to process the packet across various networking layers, e.g. network, transport, session, or presentation layers, until the data is finally placed into the data buffer of the recipient application (application layer). However, as a NIC is programmed to interrupt a particular CPU, and the packet that it receives from the computer network may be destined to an application that is running on a different CPU, the data received from the computer network will have to be transferred to the cache of the processor that is actually running the application. As illustrated above, this will introduce delays, which in turn affect system performance.

Method and apparatus for improving performance of networking applications

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Methods for improved cable modem ranging in a data-over-cable system. One method includes receiving a value that characterizes how equipment in the network is configured. Using this characteristic value, a cable modem may estimate loss in its upstream path from a measurement of a downstream signal and thereby estimate its initial transmit level during ranging. Launching at a proper initial transmit level may ensure that range request messages arrive at the cable modem termination system with sufficient strength to be detected and hence ameliorate ranging. Another method collects difference between these estimated initial transmit levels and the final transmit levels that succeeded in evoking a response from the cable modem termination system. The collected differences are analyzed and the result of the analysis is passed to cable modems to adjust their estimated initial transmit levels. These methods may shorten a cable modem's time for ranging and may decrease collisions on the upstream path when many cable modems try to range simultaneously.

With the explosive growth of the Internet, many customers have desired to use the larger bandwidth of a cable television network to connect to the Internet and other computer networks. Cable modems, such as those provided by 3Com Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., and others offer customers higher-speed connectivity to the Internet, an intranet, local area networks ("LANs") and other computer networks via cable television networks. These cable modems currently support a data connection to the Internet and other computer networks via a cable television network with a data rate of up to 30+ Mbps which is a much larger data rate than can be supported by a modem used over a standard telephone line.
When a cable modem is connected to a data-over-cable system, it must first gain access to the system by undergoing an initialization procedure before it is permitted to transmit data. A part of the initialization procedure includes a ranging process to determine the appropriate transmission parameters for its data transfer. This process involves sending a ranging message at an appropriate time interval, referred to as initial maintenance interval. Because the cable modem does not know beforehand the loss between it and a cable modem termination system ("CMTS"), the cable modem initially transmits at a minimum specified level and then increases the level throughout the ranging process. The ranging process is performed so that the cable modem does not transmit at levels that can overdrive station equipment and cause impairments to other channels. After transmitting the ranging message, the cable modem awaits an acknowledgement from the CMTS. If the cable modem receives no acknowledgement from the CMTS, the cable modem raises its power level and transmits a ranging message again. This process is repeated until the modem receives an acknowledgement from the CMTS, at which time the cable modem moves into the next phase of ranging, known as station maintenance.
A typical cable modem, however, has no prior network knowledge of the data-over-cable system when the initial ranging process is performed. The cable modem is, therefore, typically unable to select the proper transmit level on the first attempt. It may in fact take many attempts to select the proper transmit level if the required transmit level is sufficiently high or the increments for increasing the power level are small. In addition, since initial maintenance intervals are contention regions, i.e. multiple modems can attempt ranging within the interval, cable modem ranging messages may collide and be ignored by the CMTS, resulting in multiple attempts at transmission at a given power level before the CMTS receives a ranging message. These factors can lead to long ranging times, especially when there are many cable modems attempting to range.
It is, therefore, desirable to improve the ranging phase of a cable modem, by reducing the time for the cable modem to range.

Method for improved cable modem ranging in a data-over-cable system


An optical pickup device has an astigmatism element, a polarization setting element, and a polarizer. The astigmatism element converges laser light reflected on a disc in a first direction and a second direction to form a first focal line and a second focal line. The polarization setting element makes polarization directions of light fluxes different from each other, the light fluxes being obtained by dividing a light flux of the laser light transmitted through the astigmatism element into two by a straight line parallel to the first direction. The polarizer transmits light having polarization directions obtained by inverting the polarization directions set by the polarization setting element with respect to the straight line parallel to the first direction, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup device, and more particularly to an optical pickup device for recording/reproducing with respect to a recording medium having laminated recording layers.
2. Disclosure of Related Art
In recent years, the capacity of an optical disc has been increased. An increase in the capacity of an optical disc is realized by forming a plurality of recording layers in the disc. For instance, there has been commercialized a multilayer disc having two recording layers on one surface thereof, such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or a Blu-ray disc. An optical disc having three or more recording layers is advantageous in further increasing the capacity thereof.
However, forming a plurality of recording layers in a disc has a problem that reflection light from a recording layer other than a targeted recording layer to be reproduced may be entered into a photodetector, with the result that a reproduction signal may be deteriorated. This problem is known as a so-called interlayer crosstalk resulting from stray light. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an arrangement for smoothly suppressing/removing stray light, in the case where a plurality of recording layers are formed in a disc.
As a method for removing stray light, for instance, there is proposed a method, wherein a pinhole is formed in front of a photodetector. As other methods for removing stray light, there are proposed a method, wherein a forward light blocking plate and a rearward light blocking plate are disposed in front of a photodetector, and a method using a polarized optical element.
However, in the method, wherein a pinhole is formed in front of a photodetector, stray light as well as reflection light from a targeted recording layer to be reproduced may reach to the photodetector through the pinhole . In this method, there is a problem that a small distance between recording layers may increase the amount of stray light passing through the pinhole, which obstructs proper removal of interlayer crosstalk. The method, wherein a forward light blocking plate and a rearward light blocking plate are disposed, has a problem that the use efficiency of reflection light may be lowered to about 50%, because a half of the reflection light from a targeted recording layer to be reproduced is blocked. In the method using a polarized optical element, many optical components for removing stray light are required, which causes an increase in the cost.


The design and construction of past piston assemblies having a wrist pin bolted to a connecting rod have excessive weight and structural components, and requires more complex machining techniques and tooling. The present invention overcomes these problem by providing a piston assembly (30) with a wrist pin (36) attached to a piston member (32). Thus, the length of the leg members (80) are short and do not require a portion surrounding the wrist pin (36). The results being reduced piston member (32) and piston assembly (30) weight and lower inertia, a simplified forging or casting process, a more easily machinable cavity (86) within the piston member (32) and a higher quality piston assembly (30).

The last several years has seen an increasing emphasis being placed on the design of engines to make them more compact, lighter and yet with improved fuel economy, efficiency, reduced emissions, greater service life and increased power output per cylinder. As present day engines are converted or upgraded, the piston assembly is subject to even higher combustion chamber pressures and temperatures.
Attempts have been made to overcome the effects of higher combustion chamber pressures by altering the design of the piston member to include perforated gussets and increased cooling ribs. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,422 issued to David E. Brann on Mar. 5, 1985. A piston and a carrier member are removably attached together and retained by a snap ring. A trunnion pin is positioned within a pair of struts members in the carrier member and is bolted to the connecting rod. Thus, the struts surround the pin and are in rotational relationship thereto.
Another example of a piston assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,644,853 issued to Robert A. Russell et. al. on Feb. 24, 1987 wherein a piston assembly has a head member and a skirt member being connected with a pin which is bolted to a connecting rod. The piston head member includes a piston pin connecting section having a pair of arms encircling the pin and structurally connecting the pin to the piston head member in a generally conventional manner.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,057, issued to William D. Guenther on Mar. 22, 1977, discloses a piston assembly. The piston assembly includes separate head and skirt portions. The head portion includes a generally tubular-shaped bearing member having a wrist pin positioned therein and the wrist pin being bolted to the connecting rod. The bearing member, although having an opening therein, extends cylindrically around the pin a sufficient distance to insure that the head portion and the pin remain connected during operation of the piston assembly.
Each of the above described patents discloses a high performance piston assembly. In the structures described, the components are heavy, include excessive structural material and increase the complexity of the engine design by contributing to increased inertia, stresses and weight. For example, each of the pistons include a pair of struts or connecting members which surround or at least partially surround the wrist pin.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Piston assembly having a wrist pin bolted therein


System and method for efficiently detecting packet format from a control channel. A preferred embodiment comprises the use of a slot counter (for example, slot counter 1310) to count the number of slots received (perhaps at a buffer, such as buffer 1305) since the last successfully demodulated packet. Using the slot counter, the number of demodulation attempts can be reduced. For example, if slot counter is one, then a single slot format decode is attempted. If slot counter is two, then a single and dual slot format decode is attempted. Additionally, channel quality can be used to determine likely channel formats. Furthermore, when multiple control channels are used, decoding information regarding one control channel can assist in determining the slot format of another.

In many modern digital wireless communications systems, such as CDMA2000 (a third generation code-division multiple access (CDMA) based wireless communications system), one or more control channels are used to send control information from a base station (BS) to a mobile station (MS). The information on the control channel(s) may be used to provide information related to data channels, wake-up from a control hold mode, and so forth.
In a CDMA2000 wireless communications system, up to two Forward-Link Packet Data Control Channels (FPDCCH) may be used to send control information to a MS in order to decode a Forward-Link Packet Data Channel (FPDCH) amongst other things. The two FPDCCH channels are code-division multiplexed and is associated with one of two FPDCHs. A single FPDCH is also time-division multiplexed and serves packet data to users. At any given time, each FPDCH can be allocated to one user. The duration of time of a single allocation can be 1, 2, or 4 time slots, with each time slot being 1.25 milliseconds (ms) in duration. The length of a single allocation may be dependent upon many factors, including channel conditions, amount of contention, and so on.
The two FPDCCH channels and the two FPDCH channels match one another in slot format and duration. In other words, if the first FPDCCH is allocated to a user for one time slot, then the second FPDCCH and the two FPDCH channels are also allocated for one time slot. When a number of time slots have been allocated to a particular user, the FPDCH is then populated with user data and the assigned FPDCCH is populated with control information.
A MS needs to continually monitor the FPDCCH in order to ensure that it receives information intended for it. To do so, the MS usually needs to decode both of the FPDCCH channels, read the contents, and determine if data on the associated FPDCH is intended for it. If the MS ID on the FPDCCH matches its own, then the MS attempts to decode the FPDCH.
A straightforward implementation that is commonly used to decode the FPDCCH is to have the MS decode each time slot as if the time slot were part of a one slot, two slot, and four slot allocation format. This decoding is required since the MS has no prior knowledge of the particular format that is being transmitted on the FPDCCH. This implies that, for example, in a four slot allocation example, by the time the MS decodes a fourth time slot and knows for sure that the MS ID of the intended recipient of the FPDCCH and the FPDCH, it had to have decoded the four time slots a total of 12 times (4 time slots*3 decode operations per time slot).
One disadvantage of the prior art is due to the requirement that each time slot be tested for each of the three possible formats, a significant amount of processing power and overhead is expended. For each time slot, two out of the three tests will be shown to be false. Therefore, it takes mobile stations additional processing power in order to perform the testing and at the same time, perform other needed operations. The additional processing power may result in a greater overall cost for the mobile station due to the need for a processing unit with greater capabilities.
A second disadvantage of the prior art is that the additional testing results in the consumption of additional battery power, thereby shortening battery life of a mobile station or requiring a larger battery with greater capacity. This may involve the addition of more weight or the use of more advanced (more expensive) battery technology.

Blind detection of packet data control channel


An imaging device includes a substrate, lower electrodes formed on the substrate, an organic layer formed on the lower electrodes and generating electric charges in response to irradiation with light, an upper electrode formed on the organic layer and transmitting the light, a protective film formed on the upper electrode, and a patterned organic film formed on the protective film. The protective film is composed of at least one layer and has a total thickness of 30 to 500 nm. The protective film of a single layer type has an internal stress of −50 MPa to +60 MPa in the whole of the protective film.

The present invention relates to an imaging device which has an organic layer (photoelectric conversion layer) generating electric charges in accordance with received light and converts a visible light image to electrical signals. The invention more specifically relates to an imaging device capable of suppressing adverse effects of any defect in a protective film for protecting an upper electrode (counter electrode).
Solid-state imaging devices (so-called CCD sensors and CMOS sensors) in which photodiode-containing pixels are arranged on a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon (Si) chip and signal charges corresponding to photoelectrons generated in photodiodes of the respective pixels are acquired in CCD and CMOS readout circuits are widely known as image sensors utilized in, for example, a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a camera for a cellular phone and a camera for an endoscope.
In recent years, a solid-state imaging device including an organic photoelectric conversion layer which uses an organic material and generates electric charges in accordance with received light has been studied.
A solid-state imaging device having an organic photoelectric conversion layer includes pixel electrodes formed on a semiconductor substrate having signal readout circuits formed therein, the organic photoelectric conversion layer formed on the pixel electrodes, a counter electrode (upper electrode) formed on the organic photoelectric conversion layer, a protective film formed on the counter electrode for protecting the counter electrode, color filters and the like.
In the solid-state imaging device, a bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrodes and the counter electrode to cause excitons generated in the organic photoelectric conversion layer to be separated into electrons and holes, and signals corresponding to electric charges of the electrons or holes transferred to the pixel electrodes according to the bias voltage are acquired in CCD or CMOS signal readout circuits.
In such a solid-state imaging device having an organic photoelectric conversion layer, the organic photoelectric conversion layer is known to deteriorate due to, for example, moisture and oxygen, and various methods for suppressing the deterioration of the organic photoelectric conversion layer have been proposed (see JP 2004-165512 A and JP 2006-245045 A).
JP 2004-165512 A discloses an organic photoelectric conversion element which includes an organic layer disposed between two electrodes, one of which is translucent, and generating electric charges in response to irradiation with light, the organic layer having a surface protective layer formed on its surface, and the surface protective layer including an inorganic sealing layer formed by a vapor deposition process and a resin layer formed on the inorganic sealing layer. The inorganic sealing layer has an internal stress of −1 GPa to +1 GPa. In this case, the positive value indicates tensile stress and the negative value indicates compressive stress.
JP 2006-245045 A discloses a photoelectric conversion layer-stacked solid-state image pickup element in which a protective layer made of an inorganic material is formed on a transparent counter electrode and which makes use of an organic semiconductor.
It is disclosed that the inorganic material making up the protective layer is silicon oxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride and the protective layer is formed by plasma CVD.

Imaging device and method for manufacturing imaging device


A logic apparatus comprises a first single-electron device formed of a first conductive island, two first tunnel barriers with the first conductive island interposed, first and second electrodes, and a first charge storage region, and a second single-electron device formed of a second conductive island, second tunnel barriers with the second island interposed, third and fourth electrodes, and a second charge storage region, the first electrode of the first single-electron device being connected to the third electrode of the second single-electron device being connected to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a logic apparatus and a logic circuit using a single-elemental device which utilizes charging effect of a single elemental charge.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device (LSI) is designed according to the function before manufacture, and fabricated by integrating transistors and wiring on a semiconductor chip. For this reason, after manufacture, the LSI cannot change its structure and function. For this reason, many kinds of LSI have been made according to a use.
In contrast, there have been developed a general-purpose chip including LSI such as gate array capable of adding an operation process function met for use with a user after having shipped. However, the degree of freedom of the design of the chip is extremely low. In conventional gate arrays, a user must perform a manufacturing process to form wiring for connecting gates. Therefore, semiconductor manufacturing processes such as evaporation, exposure, developing, and so on is needed. For this reason, a user must have semiconductor production facility.
From such situation, in late years, design concept as referred to as reconfigurable computing (for example, Sueyoshi et al., "information processing" vol. 40 No. 8, page 778) attracts attention as guiding principle of a system design of the next generation. This reconfigurable computing is a technology that can change an operation process function of LSI by a simple operation according to the use desired by a user, if a general purpose semiconductor chip is prepared.
The reconfigurable computing technology differs from a conventional gate array technology that it does not need a semiconductor manufacturing process such as wiring, and enables a change of a logic operation by a simple method such as changes of a program.
If LSI that the reconfigurable computing is possible can be realized, remarkable improvement of process yield can be expected by producing a small kind of basic LSI in large quantities and changing them in many kinds of functions by a simple method.
It is necessary for realizing the reconfigarable computing to provide a function that make an optimized operation store in a logical element as a minimum configuration element for performing a logic operation and rewrite it according to a use. Nonvolatile memories such as EEPROMs have been made research as a logic element to use in the configurable computing (Kume, "Oyo Butsuri" Vol. 65, No. 11, page 1114).
In a flash memory using flash memory cells as EEPROM, when electrons are injected into a floating gate electrode, the threshold of MOSFET increases. Under a certain gate bias condition, it is possible to control ON/OFF of a current by an injection state of electrons. Also, the injected charges can be removed by setting a bias condition properly.
As described above, EEPROM has been looked at as a logic element of an advanced system to which a reconfigurable computing can be applied by virtue of the programmability. However, EEPROM includes problems such as a high drive voltage and an insufficient holding time.
Further, EEPROM can control only ON/OFF of a current, so that optimization of a system (a program) must be performed by merely switching of ON/OFF of the current. For this reason, a great number of elements are required in the formation of a programmable function block.
The object of the present invention is to provide a logic device enabling a reconfigurable computing which can expect high yield by using logic elements having a low drive voltage and a good holding characteristic.


A linear regulator circuit includes: a power switch having a first terminal coupled to an input voltage, a second terminal coupled to an output voltage, and a control terminal; an error amplifier, controlling the control terminal of the power switch according to a comparison between a feedback signal related to the output voltage and a reference signal; a first node, coupled between the error amplifier and the power switch; a transistor, coupled to the first node to provide a current path; and a body control unit, coupled between the input voltage and a body of the transistor, wherein when a change occurs in the input voltage, the body control unit controls a body voltage of the transistor to adjust a current in the current path, to correspondingly control a voltage of the first node, such that the control terminal of the power switch responds to the change.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a linear regulator circuit, in particular a linear regulator circuit wherein a control terminal of a power switch can quickly respond to a variation in the input voltage by means of a body control unit coupled between the input voltage and a body of a transistor.
Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a prior art linear regulator circuit 10 for converting an input voltage Vin to an output voltage Vo, wherein a power switch 11 is coupled between the input voltage Vin and the output voltage Vo, and an error amplifier 12 compares a feedback signal Vr which relates to the output voltage Vo (for example, the feedback signal Vr is generated from a divided voltage of the output voltage Vo) and a reference signal Vref, to generate an output controlling a control terminal 111 of the power switch 11, such that the power switch 11 operates to convert the input voltage Vin to the output voltage Vo.
Please refer to the waveforms of the input voltage Vin and the output voltage Vo shown at the right side of FIG. 1. When there is a noise (transient variation) in the input voltage, it can cause corresponding noises in the output voltage, to degrade the quality of the output voltage (poor power supply rejection ratio (PSRR)). For a better PSRR, U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,946 proposes a solution; however, the solution requires a large current source and a large capacitor, which increases the cost of the circuit and needs a larger circuit area.
In view of the demerit of the prior art, the present invention provides a linear regulator circuit for solving the above problem.


A process for producing a photosensitive resin printing plate, which comprises the steps of developing a photosensitive resin which has been exposed to light, with a composition comprising a developer for a photosensitive resin and a hydrogen-abstracting agent which can abstract hydrogen atoms from a compound upon irradiation with an active radiation, and thereafter, irradiating the surface of an obtained cured plate with an active radiation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developer for a photosensitive resin printing plate comprising a hydrogen-abstracting agent and a process for producing a photosensitive resin printing plate using said developer which printing plate is broadly used as a printing plate for letterpress printing (said production process being referred to as a plate-making process or plate-making in some cases hereinafter).
2. Related Art
A photosensitive resin printing plate is generally obtained by an exposure step in which only the photosensitive layer of a relief portion is cured by a radical polymerization reaction caused by irradiation with an active radiation and a development step subsequent to the exposure step in which development step the uncured resin in other portions than the relief portion is dissolved in and removed with a given washing solution (developer) or swollen with and dispersed in the washing solution and then mechanically removed, thereby allowing only the cured portion to appear as a relief on the surface of the printing plate.
In general, with a photosensitive resin which is cured by a radical polymerization reaction, a vanishment reaction of a radical active species is caused competitively with a propagation reaction of the radical active species, and hence, when the reaction rate is increased to heighten the sensitivity of the resin, it becomes difficult to increase the degree of polymerization which is governed by the concentration of an initiator. In order to obtain a relief suitable for printing, and in order to obtain the necessary sensitivity (reaction rate) for efficiently and simply carrying out the plate-making works, it is necessary for the photosensitive resin to contain a given amount of an initiator. However, there is a limit in degree of polymerization of resin and hence unreacted substance remains even after the resin has been cured, whereby the surface of a printing plate obtained has a tackiness.
The process for producing a photosensitive resin printing plate is generally carried out in four steps of exposure, development, post-exposure and drying, and the post-exposure is a step of further irradiating the printing plate with an active radiation in order to cure the unreacted substance present in and on the cured plate obtained after the development to thereby increase the mechanical strength of the printing plate and reduce the surface tackiness of the printing plate. However, even the printing plate after the post-exposure step is not necessarily sufficiently free from the surface tackiness.
When a printing plate having a great tackiness is used in printing, there are such problems as poor workability in attaching the plate to and detaching the plate from a plate cylinder, adhesion between plates to each other or attachment of dust to the plates during storing the plates, adhesion of paper powder to the plate during the printing, paper-picking during the printing and the like. In particular, when paper powder adhesion and paper-picking are caused owing to the tackiness of the plate during the printing, it is necessary to discontinue the printing and clean the plate, so that the working efficiency is remarkably decreased.
As a method of solving the above problems, there have been adopted a method in which the photosensitive resin plate is irradiated with an active radiation while the plate is immersed in a liquid during the post-exposure step (a post-exposure-in-water method), a method in which the post-exposure is effected in an inert gas to accelerate the polymerization reaction on the surface of the photosensitive resin layer, a method in which a coating material such as various rubber latexes, saran latex or the like is coated on the photosensitive resin plate to lower the surface tackiness, a method in which an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent are used alone or in admixture to subject the photosensitive resin plate to chemical treatment, a method in which the above methods are combined, and the like. As a kind of coating method, there is proposed a method of removing the surface tackiness in which such a phenomenon is utilized that when a specific compound having a higher alkyl group is previously incorporated into the photo-sensitive resin composition the compound is deposited as crystals on the surface of the printing plate after the plate-making (JP-A-61-120,142).
However, these methods are insufficient in the effect per se, or though in some cases they have any effect, the handling of reagents used becomes a problem. Specifically, (1) the coating method is disadvantageous in that the coating layer is peeled off during the printing, and is insufficient in maintenance of the effect. (2) With some kinds of photosensitive resin compositions, even when the post-exposure is effected in an atmosphere from which oxygen is intercepted such as in a liquid or in an inert gas (referred to hereinafter as the poor oxygen post-exposure), the tackiness removal is insufficient in some cases. (3) In the treatment method using an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent, in general, it is necessary to pay attention to the handling of reagents used and to subject the apparatus contacting the treating solution to rust prevention processing.
In particular, the poor oxygen post-exposure (2) is a method intending that by intercepting oxygen and efficiently carrying out the radical polymerization of the polymerizable double bond in the composition, the resulting prepolymer is three-dimensionally cross-linked, thereby increasing the mechanical strength and simultaneously therewith diminishing the unreacted (namely uncross-linked) prepolymer as much as possible to reduce the tackiness. However, when the photosensitive resin composition contains a large amount of such a prepolymer that the number of polymerizable double bonds in one molecule is 2 or less, the printing plate obtained from the photosensitive resin composition can have mechanical strength increased by the poor oxygen post-exposure, but shows insufficient tackiness-removing effect, and when the photosensitive resin composition contains a large amount of such a prepolymer that the number of polymerizable double bonds is more than 2, it is necessary for the printing plate obtained therefrom to be irradiated with an active radiation for a very long time to achieve a sufficient tackiness removing effect.
That is to say, in the plate-making process used at present, it is difficult to allow all the terminal double bonds of the prepolymer to react and even if all of them should have reacted, a plate quite free from tackiness would not be obtained in many cases. Accordingly, in order to more sufficiently remove the tackiness of the photosensitive resin composition containing such a prepolymer, it is effective to three-dimensionally cross-link the prepolymer by utilizing the reaction of the double bonds and other means together.
As the three-dimensional cross-linking based on other reactions than the reaction of double bonds, JP-B-56-16,182 discloses a method which comprises abstracting hydrogen from the main chain of a prepolymer which has reacted with another prepolymer or the unreacted monomer at the terminal double bonds, thereby producing a radical of the prepolymer, and then cross-linking the main chains of the prepolymers with one another through the reaction of the said radicals. Specifically, the surface layer of a radically polymerizable resin cured product is impregnated with a hydrogen-abstracting agent which can abstract a hydrogen atom from a compound upon irradiation with an active radiation and thereafter the impregnated portion of the cured product is irradiated with an active radiation having a wavelength of 300 nm or less, preferably 200 to 300 nm, thereby removing the surface tackiness of the radically polymerizable resin cured product.
JP-B-56-16,182 illustrates, as specific examples of impregnating the surface layer of the radically polymerizable resin cured product with a hydrogen-abstracting agent, a method comprising dissolving of the hydrogen-abstracting agent in ethanol, isopropanol or a water/ethanol (1/4) mixture and immersing the cured product in the resulting solution or spraying the surface layer of the cured product with the said solution by means of a sprayer.
However, when the cured product is impregnated with a hydrogen-abstracting agent by the above-mentioned method, the surface tackiness removal effect is sufficiently recognized, but it follows that a separate step of impregnating the plate produced by conventional process with the hydrogen-abstracting agent is required, whereby the number of steps for making a plate is increased and the plate-making process is complicated, to thereby decrease the production yield and require a new equipment, resulting in an increase of the plate-making cost.
Moreover, an organic solvent such as alcohols has a low flash point and hence in the above-mentioned method, the handling of the organic solvent is difficult and such an expensive equipment as an explosion proof type dryer, a forced exhauster or the like becomes necessary.

Developer for photosensitive resin printing plate and process for producing photosensitive resin printing plate


Aspects of the invention provide a projector for displaying an image on a projection surface. The projector can include a test pattern projecting unit that projects a predetermined test pattern on the projection surface, a focus changing unit that moves a focal point of the projector, an imaging unit that performs imaging the projected test pattern to generate a shot image, an indicator value calculating unit that calculates an indicator value relating to a focus state of the shot image varying with movement of the focal point, and a focus adjustment unit that performs focus adjustment for focusing the focal point on the projection surface using the indicator value. The test pattern including a first kind and a second kind of density areas alternately arranged and having different density with each other, and at least the first kind of density areas include a narrow area and a broad area.

Aspects of the invention can relate to a projector for displaying images on a projection surface such as a screen, and specifically, to a technology of performing automatic focus adjustment.
Related art automatic focus adjustment technology for projectors, for example, can include a technology of repeating imaging of test patterns displayed on a projection surface, such as a screen and performing frequency analysis of shot images while moving the focal point and focusing it on a position where the largest amount of high frequency components are contained within the shot images. In this related art technology, the processing time increases in the case of performing frequency analysis with software, while the cost increases in the case of performing frequency analysis using dedicated hardware.
Further, in order to speed up the processing and suppress the cost, related art automatic focus adjustment technology can use contrast differences between light and dark points within a shot image to focus a focal point on a position where the contrast difference becomes largest. See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei-8-292496. Further, a similar automatic focus adjustment technology can use sum of squares of brightness differences between adjacent pixels within the shot image in place of the contrast differences. See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei-6-3577. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-241874 is also an example of related art.

Automatic focus adjustment for projector


A sensor network includes a plurality of sensors and a base station for sending a series of data acquisition requests to the sensors. Each data acquisition request has an index. Each sensor has a synchronization calculation module and an internal clock. The sensors are adapted and configured to receive the series of data acquisition requests and record a timestamp of receipt for each data acquisition request. The sensors also store a predefined time interval related to the plurality of data acquisition requests so that the sensor can calculate a time to start collecting data based upon the series of data acquisition requests, the timestamps, the indices, and the predefined time interval. In an alternative embodiment, the base station only sends a general request for data acquisition and a synchronization sensor module receives the general request and, in turn, sends the series of data acquisition requests to the sensors.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The subject disclosure relates to communication in sensing, monitoring and control systems, and more particularly to synchronizing wireless devices used on board aircraft without sending timestamp data.
2. Background of the Related Art
In recent years, the aerospace industry has been actively working on using wireless communication as a replacement or augmentation for wired data connections in aircraft systems. Some benefits of wireless as opposed to traditional wired sensors include weight and complexity reductions, simplified installation and maintenance, easier system reconfiguration as well as better diagnostic capabilities. Additionally, new sensing technologies and aircraft subsystems are enabled by utilizing wireless technology, which eliminates additional design and installation costs and limits the additional wiring weight.
Mechanical and structural health monitoring and diagnostic systems particularly benefit from wireless technology. At present, wider use of such systems is hampered by the increased cost and complexity of the required wiring, which can often outweigh the potential gains. If no additional wiring were necessary, such systems might be more readily used, which would lead to significant improvements in maintenance costs and in aircraft reliability.
Most sensing and control systems require some degree of synchronicity between different elements. For example, a mechanical diagnostic system may acquire vibration data from multiple sensors. For correct interpretation of multi-dimensional vibration data, it is necessary to make sure that the acquired signals correspond to the same intervals in time. The synchronization is typically achieved in one of two ways. The first approach is to devise a method to make sure that all sensors start their data acquisition at the same time. The second approach is to have all sensor nodes measure their local time according to well synchronized clocks.
The two approaches to synchronization are in fact equivalent. If it is possible to command several sensor nodes to perform a certain task starting at the same time, then the task may involve starting or resetting their clocks. If clock resets are done simultaneously, then the clocks will be closely synchronized for some time provided their rates do not differ too much. On the other hand, if the clocks are tightly synchronized, then the sensors may be commanded to perform the task of interest, such as to start data acquisition, at particular time values according to their clocks. In other words, the respective sensor's reading can be correlated in such a way that the readings correspond to the same physical time instance.
Several techniques for synchronization of wireless devices are known and typically involve exchanges of time-stamped messages. Based on known send and receive times of sent messages, offsets and rate differences may be estimated between the clocks of those devices. For example, see "Protocols and architectures for wireless sensor networks" by Holger Karl and Andreas Willig, (published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. in the year 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. See also U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/941,226, filed on Nov. 8, 2010 and entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING WIRELESS DEVICES and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/799,087, filed on Apr. 16, 2010 and entitled SYNCHRONIZING WIRELESS DEVICES, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Some common approaches rest on the assumption that propagation and processing delays of the messages are symmetric and statistically constant in time. That is, it is assumed that any random delays in delivering a message from wireless node N1 to the wireless node N2 are distributed in the same way as message delivery delays from wireless node N2 to wireless node N1, and this statistical distribution is stationary in time. Furthermore, the accuracy of the resulting clock synchronization depends on the variability of message delivery delays. Generally, as the variance of message delivery delays gets larger, so does the synchronization error. Therefore, for synchronization to be accurate in this approach, it is desirable to have as little variance in message delivery delays as possible.

System and method for synchronizing wireless devices without sending timestamp data


A system for tracking resource parameters includes a resource having an associated memory tag; a parameter sensing element sensing a parameter of the resource; and a memory tag reader/writer. The system is configured to store information gathered from the parameter sensing element on the memory tag.

In supply chain management or other logistics applications, it may be desirable to monitor the location, environment, and usage of resources. This additional information can be used for more efficient resource allocation, to verify the authenticity and condition of goods, and for verification of the compliance of vendors and consumers with warranty conditions.
Ideally, this information would be collected without manual intervention and securely stored within the resource or its packaging. Upon receiving an authenticated demand, the information would be transmitted in a manner that allows verification of its legitimacy. In this way, the information associated with the resource is confirmable both in its connection to the particular resource and in authenticity.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.


A propulsion system includes a first torque producing arrangement including an electric machine configured to a first energy source supplying electrical energy to the electric machine. The system also includes a second torque producing arrangement having an engine connected to a second energy source configured to supply gaseous fuel to the engine. The system has a hydrogen production system having an electrolyzer, a water source, a hydrogen dispensing and loading system, and a connection to an electricity grid. Hydrogen is loaded to the second energy source when the electrolyzer is electrolyzing the water. The engine further connects to a third energy source configured to supply a non-hydrogen fuel to the engine. The system has a controller electrically connected to the motor and the engine capable of selecting the propulsion component and the fuel source.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle propulsion system with selectable energy sources and its method of use.
2. Background Art
Today it is becoming increasingly desirable to reduce the use of gasoline to fuel transportation. A number of alternative fuel sources have begun to emerge. However, the variations of applications to which vehicles are generally put are typically satisfied only by inclusion of a gasoline powered internal combustion engine. A significant consideration is the ability to travel up to several hundred miles in one day. However, for most applications, a vehicle travels no more than about thirty miles a day.
As a consequence, hybrid and conventional vehicles capable of using an alternate energy source for propulsion technologies often combine propulsion technologies with gasoline powered engines for the few occasions when long distance travel is needed. Alternate propulsion technologies include electric motors and internal combustion engines fueled by different sources of energy. The different sources of energy are often constrained by the ability to store energy on the vehicle. One example of such a constraint is an energy battery that can act as a source of energy for an electric motor in the vehicle. For the energy battery to provide sufficient energy to power the vehicle for thirty miles every day, it must be relatively large. The problem is that the incremental cost of the large energy battery makes it a limited option for the average consumer. Many energy batteries used in vehicles today provide only about six miles of daily travel, according to the Environmental Protection Agency cycle driving method.
While many energy batteries used in vehicles today recharge from regenerative braking, it is desirable to have a method of completely recharging, such as plug-in recharging capabilities that use a standard household electric service provided from a commercial electrical grid.
An alternative source of energy that can be stored on a vehicle is hydrogen. Gaseous hydrogen is currently used in vehicles having a fuel cell or hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,136 describes a hybrid drive arrangement having a thermal engine that can be operated on a fuel containing hydrocarbons, and is capable of generating hydrogen. The hydrogen is stored in a device on the vehicle. The source of hydrogen fuel for this vehicle is methanol passed through a reformer located on the vehicle. Reformer technology, and in particular the membranes on reformers, is an expensive option and subject to high maintenance needs. In addition, using methanol as an onboard fuel source would require fuel stations to have sources of methanol in addition to gasoline. This is not very economical for the service station providers.
What is needed is a hybrid vehicle propulsion system that is relatively inexpensive, relatively easy to use, and has controls, fuels, and propulsion components that cooperate to reduce the use of gasoline to fuel transportation, while having a gasoline-powered propulsion system available for certain transportation needs.

Vehicle propulsion system with selectable energy sources and method of use


The present invention concerns a clutch with structural friction plates, especially of carbon-carbon, comprising a drive flywheel, a first driving plate forming a first non-clutching interface with the flywheel, at least one pair of driven plates connected to an output shaft, and a driving plate being interposed between each pair of driven plates. A second driving plate and a thrust plate form a second non-clutching interface with the second driving plate. A casing has a mechanism operable to apply pressure to the thrust plate and is provided with bars fitted into radial recesses of the driving plates and being fixed to the flywheel. A packing-up device eliminates the play at at least one of the non-clutching interfaces and the device presses the driving plate against the adjacent part.

Carbon-carbon friction clutches of this type, used mainly at present in competition vehicles, have many advantages over conventional clutches, in particular very high resistance to large stresses, low wear under high stress and reduced mass and inertia.
However, these clutches are subject to the problem that the clutch comes free less well than conventional clutches with organic linings.
Thus, two supplementary structural driving plates, on the flywheel side and the thrust plate side, are needed in such clutches since the friction only acts at the carbon-carbon interfaces. As a result there are two additional regions of play in the disengaged position.
Considering the example of a conventional single plate clutch, the friction interfaces are cast iron-to-organic material and the play is distributed between the flywheel/driven plate interface and the driven plate/thrust plate interface.
In the case of clutch with structural plates and called a "single-plate" clutch by analogy, the play is distributed over four interfaces, namely the flywheel/first driving plate non-clutching interface, the first driving plate/driven plate clutching interface, the driven plate/second driving plate interface and the second driving plate/thrust plate interface.
With the same total play only half as much play results at the two friction clutching interfaces and, as a result, there is additional wear and residual friction leading to unsatisfactory disengagement.
The object of the invention is to provide a structural plate clutch which, apart from the inherent value of these plates, especially carbon-carbon plates, namely being made in one piece, and their inherent properties which are considerably superior to those of conventional plates, has means referred to as packing-up which are reliable and simple, while comprising a limited number of components, which enable the play to be better distributed.

Clutch with structural plates, especially of carbon-carbon