Provided is an information retrieval method including: retrieving, by a computer, a name including input characters from a database for storing the name, an attribute word associated with the name, and a degree of relevance between the name and the attribute word; outputting the retrieved name as a candidate name; and extracting an attribute word associated with the candidate name, the extracting including: calculating a degree of independency indicating a degree of difference between the extracted attribute words, a degree of coverage indicating an extent to which the combination of the extracted attribute words covers the candidate names, and a degree of equality of a number of corresponding candidate names for each attribute word; and calculating a score of the combination of the attribute words based on at least one of the independency, the coverage and the equality to output the combinations of the attribute words to an output unit.

This invention relates to an information retrieval apparatus for retrieving user's desired data from a database.
There is known an information retrieval apparatus for a user to retrieve desired data from a database, in which the user inputs a part of a target name as characters, and the apparatus provides the user with data matching the input characters so that the user can select the data to finish the task.
As a typical one, there is a task of setting a destination in a car navigation system.
A car navigation system uses information retrieval interface as described above for retrieving POI (Point Of Interest) names and place names existing enormously on a nationwide scale so as to set a destination. In this information retrieval, the user first inputs a part of the POI name via a touch panel or a remote controller of the car navigation system. After that, when a retrieval button is pressed, a list of POI names including the character string input by the user is displayed, and the destination can be set when the user selects one of the listed POI names.
However, there is an enormous number of POIs on a nationwide scale, and hence the number of POI names matching the character string input as a part of the POI name by the user may be greatly large in many cases. Therefore, the user may be required to scroll or to do other operations for viewing all the candidates even when the list of the POI names is displayed. Thus, it may take the user a long period of time to find a desired POI.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-107173 discloses a technology of decreasing the number of candidate POIs by providing means for inputting a place name or a POI's category in addition to the means for inputting a POI name as a character string. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-202159 discloses a technology of changing an attribute for narrowing candidates of contents in content retrieval of a database, based on a retrieval strategy.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-234421 discloses a technology in a website retrieval apparatus as follows. If the number of items as a result of retrieval is larger than a predetermined number so that the items cannot be displayed on a screen, keywords included in the websites of the retrieval result are shown to the user so that the user can select the keyword. Thus, the websites are narrowed to ones including the keyword selected by the user.

Information retrieval apparatus, information retrieval system, and information retrieval method


Semiconductor devices are disclose that include a first doped region and a second doped region spaced apart from each other and defined within a same well of a semiconductor substrate. A gate insulating layer and a gate electrode are stacked on a channel region between the first and second doped regions. Spacers are on opposite sidewalls of gate electrode. A first surface metal silicide layer extends across a top surface of the first doped region adjacent to the spacer. A second surface metal silicide layer extends across a top surface of the second doped region adjacent to the spacer. At least one insulation layer extends across the semiconductor substrate including the first and second surface metal silicide layers. A first contact plug extends through the insulation layer and contacts the first surface metal silicide layer. A second contact plug extends through the insulation layer, the second surface metal silicide layer, and the second doped region into the well within the semiconductor substrate. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are disclosed.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and fabrication of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to semiconductor devices with transistors and related fabrication techniques.
A transistor can be formed on a semiconductor substrate to include a source region and a drain region defined in a well within the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode on a channel region between the source and drain regions. During operation, a well bias can be applied to the well, to increase the operational stability of the transistor. As integration densities increase, semiconductor device features continue to decrease and, consequently, the size of well pick up regions that can be used to apply well bias also continue to decrease.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of conventional transistors with a structure that can be used to apply well bias. Referring to FIG. 1, a well 2 is formed in a semiconductor substrate 1, and a device isolating layer 3 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 to define active regions. A gate oxide layer 4 and a gate electrode 5 are sequentially formed on the active region. Dopant ions are implanted into the active regions adjacent to both sides of the gate electrode 5 to form source/drain regions 6. The source/drain regions 6 are formed in the well 2 and are doped with different type dopants from that in the well 2. A transistor is formed from a gate electrode 5 and associated source/drain regions 6. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of transistors are formed on the well 2.
A single well pick up region 7 is formed in the well 2. The single well pickup region 7 is shared by the plurality of transistors shown in FIG. 1. A well bias voltage is applied through the well pick up region 7 to the well 2 below the plurality of transistors.
One potential drawback of this structure is that although a sufficient level of well bias may be applied to a portion of the well 2 that is below the transistor immediately adjacent to the well pick up region 7 (e.g., leftmost side of the FIG. 1), an insufficient level of well bias may be applied to a portion of the well 2 that is below the transistor further from the well pick up region 7 (e.g., rightmost side of the FIG. 1). More particularly, as the distance between a portion of the well 2 that is below a transistor and the well pick up region 7 increases, the cumulative resistance between that portion of the well 2 and the well pick up region 7 correspondingly increases. As a result, the well voltage below transistors which are spaced relatively far from the well pick up region 7 can become insufficient to maintain stable operation of those transistors, and can result in latch-up and/or deterioration in noise margin for those transistors.

Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same


An optical axis adjusting mechanism disposed on a laser ruler for adjusting an optical axis of the laser ruler is provided. The laser ruler includes a main bracket. The optical axis adjusting mechanism includes a main body rotatably assembled to the main bracket of the laser ruler with a shaft, and one or more adjusting elements for selectively rotating the main body about the shaft to adjust an optical axis of the laser ruler.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical axis adjustment device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical axis adjustment device that can properly determine a distance between the viewer and a target object.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A laser ruler is a laser based distance-measuring device, which is an important tool for measuring a distance in the modern industry. The laser ruler operates by measuring a time period in which a laser pulse or laser pulse sequence travels from a laser transmitter to a target object and travels back from the target object to a laser receiver. The distance between the laser ruler and the target object can be obtained by multiplying half of the time period by light speed. An example of the conventional laser based distance-measuring equipment, such as the laser ruler, is disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 417783, comprising a laser transmitter, a laser receiver perpendicular to the laser transmitter, a prism (or a reflective lens) disposed in front of the laser transmitter on the progressing path of a laser beam transmitted from the transmitter, for reflecting the transmitted laser beam toward the target object. Theoretically, laser beam reflected from the target object is parallel to the optical axis and is received by the laser receiver. By calculating the time period of traveling, a precise distance value is obtained. However, in fact, because the distance between the target object and the laser distance-measuring equipment is finite, a certain included angle between the optical axis of the transmitted laser beam toward the target object and that of reflected laser beam from the target object exists, resulting in an error in distance calculation. In order to avoid the error, position or angle calibration for the prism or the laser transmitter to make the reflected laser beam exactly aiming the center of the laser receiver is required. This indicates that the optical axis of transmitted laser beam reflected by the prism and that of laser beam reflected from the target object exactly intercrosses at the point of target object. Meanwhile, keeping the axis of the transmitted laser beam and that of received laser beam in the same spatial plane is essential.
A conventional adjustment mechanism for use in laser distance-measuring equipment, disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 417783, comprises a first connecting portion disposed on the main body of the laser distance-measuring equipment, a second connecting portion disposed on the laser transmitter, a pair of bolts disposed between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The second connecting portion is movably engaged with the first connecting portion by using a bolt. In doing so, depending on actual measurement condition and environment, a vertical and horizontal position of the second connecting portion relative to the first connecting position is adjusted by using the bolt, achieving the goal of adjusting the laser distance-measuring equipment. However, it is necessary to install a bolt at the both sides of the laser distance-measuring equipment (as shown in FIG. 5 in Taiwan Patent No. 417783), leading to a larger size of the laser distance-measuring equipment, especially in width, and inconvenience for carrying. Furthermore, the adjustment mechanism can simply calibrate one direction, not meeting the reality requirement for precision measurement in various condition and environment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an adjustment mechanism for calibrating 3-dimension direction of the laser distance-measuring equipment and capable of reducing the size of the laser distance-measuring equipment, to meet a tendency of size-miniaturizing and high precision for such equipment.

Optical axis adjusting device for use in a laser ruler


A blended staple fiber yarn having a high grade cotton yarn-like touch, hand and appearance and superior mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, flame resistance and scratching resistance is comprised of 30 to 80 parts by weight of extremely fine polyester staple fibers having a denier of 0.9 or less and 20 to 70 parts by weight of super high modulus staple fibers having a Young's modulus of 4000 kg/mm.sup.2 or more, and can be produced by a specific draft zone system spinning process in which individual filaments are drawn-cut and the resultant staple fibers are cohered to each other to form a spun yarn.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blended synthetic staple fiber yarn having a high grade cotton yarn-like touch, and a process for producing same.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Recent trends in public taste are toward the natural touch, hand and appearance of natural fiber articles, and accordingly, various attempts have been made to provide synthetic fiber articles having such a natural fiber article-like touch, hand, and appearance. Some of these attempts to provide synthetic fiber articles having a silk-like, wool-like or linen or ramie-like touch, hand, and appearance were successful, and a number of commercial articles having the above-mentioned natural fiber-like properties are in practical us.
Nevertheless, satisfactory results have not been obtained from attempts to provide synthetic fiber articles having a high grade cotton yarn-like touch, hand and appearance, and therefore, the development of the above-mentioned synthetic fiber articles is now underway.

Blended synthetic short fiber yarn fabric


A column packing system comprises a control unit provided with software for calculating the breakpoint where a movable adapter comes into contact with a settled bed of bed media. The calculated breakpoint is used by the control unit to determine how much further the movable adapter has to move into the column in order to achieve a desired amount of bed compression.

Columns used in liquid chromatography typically comprise a tubular body enclosing a porous chromatography media through which a carrier liquid flows, with separation taking place by material collection between the carrier liquid and solid phase of the porous media. Typically, the porous media is enclosed in the column as a packed bed, typically formed by consolidating a suspension of discrete particles, known as slurry that is pumped or poured or sucked into the column, usually from one end. Consolidating of the slurry into a packed bed is achieved by compressing the slurry so that it is packed into a volume which is less than the volume that it would have occupied if it had sedimented under the influence of only gravity to form a sedimented bed. The efficiency of subsequent chromatographic separation relies strongly on the liquid distribution and collection system at the fluid inlet and outlet of the packed bed, and on the compression of the packed bed. If the compression of the compressed bed is too low then chromatographic separations performed on the bed suffer from "tailing". If the compression of the compressed bed is too high then chromatographic separations performed on the bed suffer from "leading". If the compression is optimum then the separation peaks formed during use exhibit neither leading nor tailing and are substantially symmetrical. The optimum degree of compression required for a column is determined experimentally for each column size (width or diameter), bed height and bed media.
Prior to any separation process, the bed has to be prepared starting from the slurry of particles that has to be introduced into the column. The process of bed formation is called 'the packing procedure' and a correctly packed bed is a critical factor influencing the performance of a column containing a packed bed. The goal of the packing procedure is to provide a bed compressed by the optimum amount of compression—the optimum compression factor. Large scale columns are preferably prepared by injecting into the column, through a central slurry nozzle, a predetermined volume of a slurry having a specified concentration of media particles. Once the predetermined volume of slurry has been injected into the column it may be compressed by moving a movable adapter down the longitudinal axis of the column towards the bottom of the column, normally at a constant speed, e.g. 1 cm per minute. The excess liquid during this procedure is removed at the column outlet, while the particles are retained by means of a filter material, a so-called 'bed support', with pores too small to allow the particles to pass though. The packing process is complete once the packed bed has been compressed by the optimum amount. The packing process is considered as being successful if the compressed bed allows for a good and robust chromatographic performance quantified in terms of the residence time distribution over the bed. However, producing such an optimally compressed bed is not easy to achieve in practice. Bed packing has hitherto been regarded as an art rather than a science and the quality of the final packed bed is dependant on the skill of the operator controlling the filling of the column. One reason for this is that it is difficult to ensure that the actual slurry concentration fed in the column is exactly the same as the specified concentration used in the calculation of how much slurry should be fed into the column. During filling and the subsequent packing of the column, the operator manually selects and adjusts the packing parameters such as flow rates, adapter speed of advancement and bed compression, and has to judge the point when the adapter starts compressing the bed. This point is used to calculate how much further the adapter must move in order to obtain the required amount of compression. Mistakes in the selection of any of these packing parameters may lead to a poorly performing column. It is particularly difficult to judge by eye when compression of the bed actually starts and a significant error at this point makes it impossible to obtain an optimally compressed bed.
As used herein and in the appended claims: the term "fluid system" is intended to designate the apparatus in which liquid is either introduced to or withdrawn from a cell at a zone approximately transverse the direction of flow through the cell. The term "cell" is intended to include the terms "vessel" and "column", as well as any other structure utilised by practitioners of the separation arts, to effect a separation, and/or reaction, and/or catalysation, and/or extraction of components from an admixture by bringing the admixture into contact with solid or liquid exchange media, known as the packed bed. "Cross-sectional zone" (or region or portion) refers to a region within a cell bounded by cross sections of the cell-oriented transverse (typically approximately normal) the longitudinal direction of flow through the cell. "Longitudinal direction of flow" refers to the direction of flow from an inlet towards an outlet within a cell. "Longitudinal" is used consistently to designate the dominant flow path of fluid through a cell without regard to direction. "Flow connection system" refers to a system of channels or paths that connect two points in a fluid circuit. "Distribution system" refers to structures through which fluids are introduced to a cell and "collection system" refers to structures used to collect fluids from a cell, in each instance from a cross-sectional zone.
"Sedimented bed height" refers to the height of a bed of bed media particles which is obtained when a bed of media particles is formed after a slurry of media particles is allowed to sediment under the influence of gravity only—such a bed is called a "sedimented bed". "Settled bed height" refers to the height of a bed of bed media particles that is obtained when a bed of media particles is formed after a slurry of media particles is forced to sediment under the influence of gravity and an additional downward force exerted on the bed particles, for example by the flow of fluid through the bed caused by the descent of a movable adapter towards the bed and/or liquid pumped through the bed—such a bed is called a "settled bed".

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated packing system and method for chromatography columns


An ultrasound transmitting and receiving device that can determine whether a contact state between a probe and a bolt is normal without relying on the skill of an operator is provided. The ultrasound transmitting and receiving device includes a probe control unit, an auxiliary storage device, and a contact state determination unit. The probe control unit causes a probe to transmit ultrasound to a bolt, and causes the probe to receive an echo of the transmitted ultrasound. The auxiliary storage device stores one or more pieces of comparison data to be compared with echo data indicating the echo received by the probe. The contact state determination unit compares the echo data with the comparison data, and determines a contact state between the probe and the bolt based on a comparison result.

There is a bolt axial force measurement device that measures an axial force of a bolt using a probe that emits ultrasound (for example, Patent Literature 1). By managing the tightening of bolts depending on axial force values using ultrasound, variation in the axial force values can be reduced. Reduction in variation in the axial force values is expected to lead to reduction in the weight and cost of bolts and performance improvement of a tightener.
However, in order to measure the axial force of a bolt using a probe, it is necessary to determine whether a contact state between the probe and the bolt is normal. A determination as to whether the contact state between the probe and the bolt is normal has conventionally relied on a judgment by a skilled operator.

Ultrasound transmitting and receiving device and computer readable medium storing ultrasound transmitting and receiving program


A switch module includes a multilayer substrate including an antenna terminal, a ground terminal, and a high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal, as external connection terminals. A common-port-side circuit, a switch circuit, and a switching-port-side circuit are provided between the antenna terminal and the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal. A first wiring portion connects a second inductor that defines a portion of the switching-port-side circuit to the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal. When the multilayer substrate is viewed in plan, a first inductor, the second inductor, and via electrodes connected to the ground terminal are arranged between the first wiring portion, and second and third wiring portions and a capacitor which are connected to the antenna terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to switch modules that transmit and receive a plurality of communication signals using a common antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, due to multi-band communication in cellular phones and the like, communication apparatuses have reached a level where they can transmit and receive a plurality of signals having different frequencies using a common antenna. Hence, communication apparatuses have increasingly used a switch module that connects a plurality of communication circuits to a common antenna through switching (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-271420).
FIG. 5A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a general circuit configuration of such a switch module.
Referring to FIG. 5A, a front end circuit FEC includes a switch circuit SW, a common-port-side circuit 104, and switching-port-side circuits 107A to 107H. As external connection terminals, the switch circuit SW also includes an antenna terminal ANT, a power supply terminal Vdd, control terminals Vc1 to Vc4, a low-frequency-side transmission terminal LTx, a high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx, transmission/reception signal terminals TRx1 to TRx6, and a ground terminal GND.
The switch circuit SW includes a common port PIC01 and switching ports PIC11 to PIC18, and is configured to be capable of switching among the switching ports PIC11 to PIC18 so that the switching ports PIC11 to PIC18 may be connected to the common port PIC01. The common-port-side circuit 104 is connected between the antenna terminal ANT and the common port PIC01 of the switch circuit SW. The switching-port-side circuits 107A to 107H are respectively connected between the switching ports PIC11 to PIC18 and the low-frequency-side transmission terminal LTx, the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx, and the transmission/reception signal terminals TRx1 to TRx6.
In the front end circuit FEC, the common-port-side circuit 104 includes a capacitor which is connected to the antenna as a shunt, a first inductor which is connected in series with the antenna, and a second inductor which is connected to the first inductor as a shunt. The common-port-side circuit 104 is formed as an electrostatic damage protection circuit to prevent intrusion of static electricity from the antenna into the common port PIC01 of the switch circuit SW.
The switching-port-side circuit 107A, which is connected to the low-frequency-side transmission terminal LTx, is formed as a low pass filter that removes the harmonic components of a low-frequency-side transmission signal. The switching-port-side circuit 107B, which is connected to the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx, is formed as a low pass filter that removes the harmonic components of a high-frequency-side transmission signal.
The front end circuit FEC described above is usually formed as a switch module using a multilayer substrate. The circuit elements of the switch circuit SW, the circuit elements of the common-port-side circuit 104, the circuit elements of the switching-port-side circuits 107A to 107H, and the like are formed using electrode patterns which are formed on the top surface and bottom surface of the multilayer substrate and inside the multilayer substrate and using surface mount components which are surface mounted on the multilayer substrate.
FIG. 5B is a plan view illustrating, using dotted lines, the major portions of electrode patterns within the multilayer substrate of a switching module according to an existing configuration when the multilayer substrate is viewed from the mounting surface side thereof.
A multilayer substrate 111 illustrated in FIG. 5B, which defines the front end circuit FEC described above, includes external connection terminals provided on the mounting surface with which the multilayer substrate 111 is to be mounted on an external substrate. The multilayer substrate 111 includes a plurality of via electrodes (not illustrated) and pattern electrodes provided within the substrate.
In the multilayer substrate 111, the antenna terminal ANT and the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx are arranged next to each other with the ground terminal GND therebetween. A pattern electrode 112 that is connected to the antenna terminal ANT and forms part of a capacitor is arranged close to an electrode pattern 113 that is connected to the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx and forms a lead wiring line.
In recent years, external connection terminal patterns have become very fine due to a reduction in the size of switching modules and, hence, the antenna terminal ANT and the high-frequency-side transmission signal terminal HTx are arranged close to each other in an increasing number of cases. As a result, there have been cases in which the circuit elements and lead wiring line of the common-port-side circuit are arranged close to, and are coupled through an electromagnetic field to, the lead wiring lines of the switching-port-side circuits, whereby the isolation characteristics of the switch module are degraded.
In particular, when the capacitor of the common-port-side circuit is capacitively coupled to the lead wiring lines of the low pass filters of the switching-port-side circuits, attenuation in the attenuation bands of the low pass filters becomes small, whereby the amounts of removed harmonic components become small.


Arrangements for high output power laser sources and optical fiber amplifiers are disclosed. In one arrangement, an optical fiber section which is doped with erbium, is coupled with one or two mirror elements, such as fiber Bragg gratings, to form a DBR or DFB fiber laser. The optical fiber section receives energy at one end from a pumping laser and lases at one or more selected wavelengths. This output light, along with energy from the pumping laser, is transmitted through the second end of the optical fiber section to an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, which boosts the laser output even higher. The gain of the optical fiber section may be further increased by co-doping the section with erbium and ytterbium. With co-doped optical fiber sections, high power output fiber optical amplifiers and laser sources, in the form of DBR and DFB fiber lasers, which can accept the pumping energies of a plurality of pumping lasers, can be created with properly selected WDM coupler and WDM coupler/isolator devices.

The present invention is related to the field of laser amplifiers and sources for fiberoptic networks and, more particularly, to lasing elements created in a doped optical fiber.
One of the devices which has recently enhanced the use of fiberoptic networks has been the erbium-doped fiber amplifier. In the erbium-doped fiber amplifier, the light at one wavelength from a pumping laser is combined in a section of erbium-doped optical fiber with the message signal at a second wavelength. The pumping laser provides the energy for a gain in the message signal as it passes through the erbium-doped optical fiber section. The erbium-doped fiber amplifier is compatible with a fiberoptic network since the amplifier is mostly optical fiber.
On the other hand, light sources for fiberoptic networks have heretofore been mostly semiconductor devices, such as laser diodes, light-emitting diodes, and other semiconductor laser sources. A new type of laser source is a rare-earth doped optical fiber section with wavelength-selective reflectors at the ends of the section to define a lasing cavity. As in the case of the erbium-doped fiber amplifier, a pumping laser supplies energy to the doped fiber section at one, or multiple, wavelengths. The fiber section lases at one, or multiple, different output wavelengths. While seemingly compatible with fiberoptic networks, this laser source has a relatively low output power and the advantages of this laser source have yet to be appreciated.
In many fiberoptic networks, WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexed) networks, in particular, a large number of laser sources for signal generation are required. Since the wavelength of an optical signal is used to direct the signal from its source to its destination, each user typically has a laser source operating at a specific wavelength which could be different from those of other laser sources. A laser source having a fixed and precise output wavelength is very desirable. An emerging standard is the Dense WDM proposed by the ITU, the International Telecommunications Union, in which the separation between communication channels in only 0.8 nm in wavelength, or 100 GHz in frequency. Thus the constraints for a light source with a very narrow output linewidth, i.e., the wavelength of the output signal, are even tighter.
The present invention allows for the full exploitation of the compatibility of these fiber amplifier and lasers mentioned above with fiberoptic networks. With the present invention, the output power of the fiber amplifier and lasers is increased so that the performance of fiberoptic networks using these devices is increased. Laser sources with high output power and the precise output wavelengths are presented to meet the requirements of WDM and dense WDM networks. Furthermore, the output power of fiber amplifiers is increased so that the applicability of these devices in fiberoptic networks is enhanced.

High output fiber amplifier/lasers for fiberoptic networks


The instant invention relates to a process to produce low sulfur diesel products through the hydrodesulfurization of low nitrogen diesel boiling range feedstreams in the presence of solid acidic materials.

Currently, there exists a need to reduce the sulfur and aromatics content of motor fuels, in particular diesel, to meet current environmental emission regulations. New "ultra-low-sulfur" diesel specifications are being implemented in the United States Europe and Japan. Under these new regulations, it is proposed that the sulfur level in diesel fuels be reduced to below 0.005 wt. % sulfur, while future regulations may go below this maximum sulfur level. Therefore, many methods have been proposed for producing low sulfur diesel fuels such as, for example, using high pressure reactors, feed undercutting, reducing run lengths, and utilizing high activity hydrodesulfurization catalysts.
However, each of these methods has certain drawbacks. For example, while both the sulfur and aromatics content of diesel boiling range feedstreams from which diesel motor fuels are derived can be reduced to a satisfactory level through the use of catalytic treatments, the catalytic treatments are severely impeded by nitrogen-containing compounds present in the feedstream. Further, conventional hydrodesulfurization catalysts are typically not efficient at removing sulfur from compounds where the sulfur atom is sterically hindered such as those sulfur atoms in multi-ring aromatic sulfur compounds.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0029162 describes methods for desulfurization of naphtha feedstocks having a boiling range from 50° F. (10° C.) to 450° F. (232° C.). The methods include optionally contacting a naphtha feedstock with an acidic material to remove nitrogen compounds, contacting at least a portion of the resulting stream under hydroisomerization conditions with a zeolite having an alpha value between 1 and 100, and then performing a selective desulfurization on at least a portion of the hydroisomerized stream. The methods produce gasoline with improved octane, by a mechanism which appears to at least partially involve converting straight chain olefins into branched olefins. It is believed that this improves octane both because branched olefins are less likely to become saturated, and because any saturation of branched olefins that does occur still results in a branched paraffin, which has a higher octane value than the corresponding straight-chain paraffin.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0023190 also describes methods for desulfurization of naphtha feedstocks having a boiling range from 50° F. (10° C.) to 450° F. (232° C.). The methods include optionally contacting a naphtha feedstock with an acidic material to remove nitrogen compounds, contacting at least a portion of the resulting stream under hydroisomerization conditions with a zeolite, and then performing a selective desulfurization on at least a portion of the hydroisomerized stream. The methods also produce gasoline with improved octane by a mechanism which appears to at least partially involve converting straight chain olefins into branched olefins.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0023191 describes methods for desulfurization of naphtha feedstocks having a boiling range from 50° F. (10° C.) to 450° F. (232° C.). The methods include optionally contacting a naphtha feedstock with an acidic material to remove nitrogen compounds, and then contacting the feedstock with a supported catalyst including at least one medium pore zeolite, at least one Group VI metal, and at least one Group VIII metal. The methods produce gasoline with improved octane, by a mechanism which appears to at least partially involve converting straight chain olefins into branched olefins.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,265 provides a process for deep desulfurization of gas oils. The process requires the use of a catalyst that includes a Group VIB metal, a Group VIII metal, and phosphorous.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,768 provides a process for improving the desulfurization of petroleum feeds containing hindered dibenzothiophenes. The method includes treating a petroleum feed with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst under hydrodesulfurization conditions and with a solid acid catalyst under isomerization and/or transalkylation conditions.
What is needed is a process that provides further improvement in the speed and efficiency of removal of sulfur from diesel feedstocks.

Solid acid assisted deep desulfurization of diesel boiling range feeds

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company


A system and method for effectively increasing the amount of data that can be stored in the main memory of a computer, particularly, by a hardware enhancement of a memory controller apparatus that detects duplicate memory contents and eliminates duplicate memory contents wherein the duplication and elimination are performed by hardware without imposing any penalty on the overall performance of the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data compression, such as implemented in memory systems of computing devices, and more particularly, to an improved memory controller and associated memory management system for effectively increasing the amount of data that can be stored in the main memory of a computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditionally, as shown in FIG. 1, a computer system 10 including a processor device (CPU) executes an Operating System (O/S) 12 natively on the computer hardware that is adapted for executing basic computer system functions in addition to controlling execution of one or more programs or processes. The computing system further includes two types of memory: a 'real' memory 15 that comprises the available memory that a processor, O/S and memory management hardware actually sees and addresses, and, an actual physical memory 20 (e.g., IC chips plugged into the computer) that is of a fixed size. It is understood that real memory is backed (mapped) onto part of the physical memory, and although not shown, and may be part backed by non-volatile storage media, (e.g., one or more hard disk drives) allowing virtual memory size to exceed real (physical) memory size. A process executing in the computer system 10 will thus have an associated real address space 15 that is the logical view of how a process is stored in memory.
As further shown in FIG. 1, the O/S and memory management hardware includes a memory controller 30 providing an indirection mechanism comprising a translation table or like device implementing address mapping function. For example, a translation table 25 is used to map one or more real memory blocks "Block A" and "Block B" as shown in FIG. 1, to respective physical memory blocks 21A and 21B in a one-to-one correspondence. As shown in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, thus two physical memory blocks are mapped to two more real memory blocks.
Thus, in view of FIG. 1, for purposes of discussion herein, it is apparent that the unit of access to memory is a block. The addresses provided to the memory controller including translation table 25, are called real addresses. A real address (or a real block number) is used to access a real memory block. The memory controller uses the indirection mechanism to store data in physical memory and, it is noted that a real memory block may get mapped to one or more physical memory blocks. Physical memory blocks are accessed by using physical memory addresses (or physical block numbers). As implied, a physical memory block can be the same size or smaller than a real memory block.
The use of physical memory thus requires implementation of the memory management hardware implementing a memory mapping unit or like translation table 25 that maps program addresses or pages to corresponding physical memory addresses or pages in physical memory. It is a function of the O/S 12 to ensure that the data and process a program is currently using is resident in real physical memory.
In prior art literature, particularly, in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2007/0038837, there is disclosed a system for identifying at least two virtual pages that store identical data; causing each of the at least two virtual pages to correspond to one shared physical page, where said shared physical page stores identical data; and that services a memory request comprising an access of one of said virtual pages by accessing the shared physical page. This system enables multiple virtual addresses to map to the same physical location in memory if it has been determined that they are all intended to access the same data. Virtual addresses are identified and correspondence information (such as from a translation table) is changed in order to ensure that they all correspond to the same physical location, thus freeing up memory. The identification process may examine most commonly used pages, may use hash functions to create signatures for pages and compare those signatures. A count is maintained as to how many virtual addresses currently correspond to the location address, and where, if that number is greater than one, the location is set to be read-only.
Further, U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2007/0050423 discloses an intelligent duplicate management system for identifying duplicate electronic files that implements a hash-sieve process that expresses many existing approaches to duplicate detection. The first hash function could be, for example, the size of the block, and the resulting buckets are, hence, the groups of same-size blocks. The next hash function could be the identity, in which case a byte-to-byte comparison is performed, and the resulting buckets are then the groups of identical blocks, hence, indicating the groups of duplicate files.
A further prior art solution, found in the reference to Kulkarni, et al., entitled "Redundancy Elimination Within Large Collections of Files", Proceedings of the USENIX 2004 Annual Technical Conference, June 2004, discloses Redundancy Elimination at the Block Level (REBL) which leverages the benefits of compression, duplicate block suppression, and delta-encoding to eliminate a broad spectrum of redundant data in a scalable and efficient manner. REBL uses super-fingerprints, a technique that reduces the data needed to identify similar blocks while dramatically reducing the computational requirements of matching the blocks: it turns O(n2) comparisons into hash table lookups.
A further solution, found in the reference to Carl A. Waldspurger entitled "Memory Resource Management in VMware ESX Server", in Proceedings of the 5th Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation Boston, Mass., USA Dec. 9-11, 2002 describes a complete software solution for identifying page copies by their contents. That is, in the "Vmware" product described, pages with identical contents can be shared regardless of when, where, or how those contents were generated by malting use of a hash value to summarize a page's contents and that is used as a lookup key into a hash table containing entries for other pages that have already been marked copy-on write (COW). VMware studies show a sharing (duplication) percentage of up to 67% among Virtual Machines.
It would be highly desirable to provide a system and method for detecting duplications of main memory content and eliminating them in order to be able to store a larger amount data in main (physical) memory. Moreover, it would be highly desirable to provide a system and method that performs the duplication detection and elimination solely in hardware and without imposing any penalty on the overall performance of the computing system.

System and method for content replication detection and elimination in main memory

International Business Machines Corporation


Apparatus for inspecting a container for variations that affect commercial acceptability of the container that includes a light source for directing diffuse polarized light energy through a container while the container is rotated about its axis. A first camera is disposed to receive diff-use polarized light energy transmitted from the light source through a portion of the container, so that the first camera receives an image of the container portion in which opaque variations appear dark against an otherwise bright background. A second camera receives light energy transmitted from the light source through substantially the same portion of the container, and includes a polarizer at cross-orientation to the polarizer at the light source. The second camera receives a bright image of stress variations in the container, which alter polarization of the diffuse polarized light energy passing through the container, against an otherwise dark background. An image processor is coupled to both of the cameras to scan associated images of the container portion viewed by the cameras for detecting and distinguishing between and among variations in the container.

In the manufacture of transparent containers such as glass bottles and jugs, various types of anomalies can occur in the sidewalls, heels, bottoms, shoulders and/or necks of the containers. These anomalies, termed "commercial variations" in the art, can affect commercial acceptability of the containers. It has heretofore been proposed to employ electro-optical inspection techniques for detecting commercial variations that affect the optical properties of the containers. The basic principle is that a light source is positioned to direct light energy onto the container, and a camera is positioned to receive an image of the portion of the container illuminated by the light source. The light source may be of uniform intensity, or may be configured to have an intensity that varies across one dimension of the light source. Commercial variations in the portion of the container illuminated by the light source are detected as a function of light intensity in the image of the illuminated container received and stored at the camera.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,493, 4,378,494, 4,378,495 and 4,601,395, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present application, disclose inspection techniques in which glass containers are conveyed through a series of positions or stations where they are physically and optically inspected. At one optical inspection station, a glass container is held in vertical orientation and rotated about its central axis. An illumination source directs diffuse light energy through the container sidewall. A camera, which includes a plurality of light sensitive elements oriented in a linear array parallel to the vertical axis of the container, is positioned to receive light transmitted through a vertical strip of the container sidewall. The output of each element in the linear array is sampled at increments of container rotation, and event signals are generated when the magnitude of adjacent signals differ by more than a preselected threshold. An appropriate reject signal is produced and the container is sorted from the conveyor line.
A problem is encountered in the manufacture of glass containers from recycled glass in that materials having different thermal expansion characteristics can become mixed in a single container. For example, it has been found that clear cookware, having very low thermal expansion characteristics, can become mixed with the glass for recycling. Any unmelted particles of the cookware that appear in the container create stress points on cooling that can fracture or become sites for later failures. Other inhomogeneities that can appear in the glass and cause stress variations include stones or bits of refractory material from the glass forehearth or spout. It is thus necessary to provide a method and system for detecting stress and opaque non-stress variations in the containers. However, space is limited in the existing inspection systems, and the various inspection stations in the systems in place cannot readily accommodate additional inspection apparatus.
It has heretofore been proposed to employ crossed polarizers for detecting stress variations in the sidewalls of containers. Light energy directed through the crossed polarizers, and through a container positioned between the crossed polarizers, normally presents a dark field at the imaging camera in the absence of stress variations in the container sidewalls. However, a stress variation alters polarization of the light energy passing through the container sufficiently to present a bright spot at the camera against the otherwise dark background, indicative of the stress variation. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,656, assigned to the assignee hereof, which discusses such technology by way of background, and which proposes to employ infrared light energy and infrared polarization filters to reduce the background effects of ambient light.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for inspecting transparent glass articles, particularly glass containers, for commercial variations that affect optical characteristics of the containers. A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the described character that are particularly well suited for detecting both stress variations and opaque variations (stress and non-stress) in the container. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the described character for detection of stress and opaque non-stress variations in containers at a single inspection station, using a single light source. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the described character that are economical to implement and reliable over an extended operating lifetime. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the described character that are adapted to be implemented at a single inspection station of an existing container inspection system.

Optical inspection of transparent containers using two cameras and a single light source


A permanently magnetizable rotor having a central rotor structure including a rotor shaft supporting a cylindrical backiron. The rotor further includes a multi-pole structure comprising circumferentially alternating pole elements, and a rotor cover extending longitudinally over the multi-pole structure. The rotor additionally includes an endcap including an engagement surface positioned in engagement with an end of the backiron. The endcap defines first and second anti-rotation features for preventing circumferential rotation of one or more of the pole elements about the backiron. The first anti-rotation feature is configured differently than the second anti-rotation feature and each anti-rotation feature defines a torque transmitting feature for transmitting a torque from different locations on the multi-pole structure.

Electric motors including rotors comprising permanent magnets, such as brushless DC motors, commonly include a rotor core or backiron supporting a plurality of separately formed magnets. In a known construction of the rotors, the magnets are adhesively retained to the backiron in the axial, radial and circumferential directions, where the adhesive may be the only means of retaining the magnets to the backiron. The magnets may be surrounded by a magnet rotor cover that fits tightly over an outer surface of the magnets and that operates as a secondary means of retaining the magnets in the axial and radial directions, but does not prevent movement of the magnets in the circumferential direction. For example, the rotor cover may extend longitudinally over the magnets and be formed over the axial ends of the magnets to provide a radial and axial retention of the magnets. Additionally, an endcap may be located to cover the ends of the magnets to prevent damage to the material forming the magnets along the edges where the rotor cover is formed over the axial ends. However, the rotor cover and endcap do not provide a positive retention mechanism for retaining the magnets in a circumferential direction to prevent the magnets from rotating around the backiron in the event of failure of the adhesive.
The magnets may also be located at predetermined circumferential locations by various features. For example, the backiron may be formed with small tabs located between adjacent magnets and thus prevent rotation of the magnets around the backiron if the adhesive should fail. However, the use of such features affects the manufacturing process, the resulting motor performance, and the complexity of the backiron design. One or more of the features described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,463, which patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Rotor including anti-rotation feature for multi-pole structure


The invention relates to an adjustable optical amplitude and phase modulator using a non-linear optical loop mirror having two control inlets and a signal inlet. In a preferred embodiment, a single clock signal is split into two and applied to the two control inlets. The invention also relates to a soliton regenerator including said optical modulator. In an important variant, said modulator receives a soliton bit train on its signal inlet at a bit rate f.sub.s, and on its control inlets it receives a clock signal at half that frequency f.sub.c =f.sub.s /2. In an advantageous embodiment, said clock signal is applied with a phase shift of .pi. between the two control inlets, so as to minimize the effects of collisions between solitons. The invention is applicable to long distance telecommunications by optical fiber.

For soliton transmission with in-line amplification (by EDFA), the problems that remain to be solved are known:
1) Gordon-Haus jitter which causes uncertainty concerning the arrival times of signal bits; and PA1 2) the accumulation of noise due to spontaneous emission being amplified in the optical amplifiers. PA1 1) synchronous modulation with filtering, D1=H. Kubota and M. Nakazawa, (1983), "Soliton transmission control in time and frequency domains", ILS J. Quantum Electronic, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 2189-2197, July 1993, demonstrates the theoretical advantage of the method by calculation. No practical solution is recommended, but reference is made to an experimental transmission at 10 Gbit/s over 1 million kilometers in D2=Nakazawa et al. (1991), "Experimental demonstration of soliton data transmission over unlimited distances with soliton control in time and frequency domains", Electronics Letters, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp. 729-730, Apr. 29, 1993.
Various solutions have been proposed and described in the following documents which are expressly incorporated in the present application as descriptions of the prior art:
Document D2 teaches the use of an LiNO.sub.3 optical modulator for performing synchronous modulation of solitons, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. The problem with that solution is that the signal rate to be regenerated cannot exceed 20 to 30 Gbit/s (10 Gbit/s in document D2). The LiNO.sub.3 modulator MOD is controlled by an electronic control signal generated in a clock circuit from the in-line soliton signal. The clock recovery means comprise: an optical coupler C5 for extracting a portion of the optical signal propagating between the inlet F1 and the outlet F2; a clock extractor circuit CLKX; a delay line for providing a delay DEL; and an amplifier GM for providing the control power necessary for operating the LiNO.sub.3 modulator MOD. FIG. 2 also shows: an inlet optical amplifier (EDFA) for overcoming the insertion losses of the regenerator circuit; birefringent polarization control devices (PC); and a bandpass filter BP for narrowing the spectral distribution of energy in the solitons. Some of those accessories are to be found in the preferred embodiments of the invention as described below.
A system is also known for regenerating an optical signal in the form of a train of bits constituted by light pulses for "1" bits and by lack of pulses for "0" bits at predetermined moments known to a clock: D3=J. K. Lucek and K. Smith, (1993), "All-optical signal regenerator", Opt. Lett., Vol. 18, No. 15, pp. 1226-1228, Aug. 1, 1993.
Other documents are helpful in obtaining a better understanding of the present invention and are presented briefly with a summary of their contributions for this purpose. Those documents are also expressly incorporated in the present application as descriptions of the prior art:
D4=K. Smith and J. K. Lucek, (1992) "All-optical clock recovery using a mode locked laser", Elect. Lett. 28 (19), p. 1814, Sep. 10, 1992. That document describes all-optical clock recovery from a soliton signal by locking the modes of an optical fiber ring laser by injecting said soliton signal into the ring.
D5=L. E. Adams et al., (1994) "All-optical clock recovery using a mode locked figure-eight laser with a semiconductor nonlinearity", Electron. Lett., Vol. 30, No. 20, pp. 1696-1697, Sep. 29, 1994. That document teaches the use of a mode locked laser for all-optical clock recovery. All-optical clock recovery can be used in soliton regenerator apparatus using an optical modulator of the invention to provide the control signal(s) of said optical modulator.
D6=P. L. Frangois and T. Georges, (1993) "Reduction of averaged soliton interaction forces by amplitude modulation", Optics Lett. 18 (8), p. 583, Apr. 15, 1993. That document describes comparison by computer simulation of three methods of soliton signal modulation: 1) amplitude modulation only; 2) applying alternating phases (.+-..pi.) to successive solitons; and 3) amplitude modulation with the application of alternating phases to successive solitons. The first method is effective only for resetting the time positions of soliton pulses for the purpose of eliminating Gordon-Haus jitter. The second method is effective for obtaining a reduction in interaction forces (collisions) between adjacent solitons on the propagation waveguide. The third method obtains simultaneously the advantages of both the preceding methods.
D7=K. Uchiyama et al., (1992) "Ultrafast polarization-independent all-optical switching using a polarization diversity scheme in the nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM)", Electron. Lett., Vol. 28, No. 20, pp. 1864-1866, Sep. 24, 1992. That document shows the use of a NOLM as a switch, which is made insensitive to the polarization of the light in the signal to be switched. This is obtained by using a polarization-maintaining fiber which is cut and twisted through 90.degree. at the midpoint of the NOLM loop. The principle thereof is shown in FIG. 4.
By way of example, the loop of the NOLM is constituted by a PANDA polarization-maintaining fiber having two holes. By 90.degree. rotation between the axes A1 and A2 halfway along the propagation path, the fast axis of the lefthand portion becomes the slow axis of the righthand portion of the loop shown in FIG. 4 (and the left slow axis becomes the right fast axis). The fiber of the loop (L) is polarization dispersive, i.e. the speed of light propagation within the fiber is different for polarization that is in alignment with the fast axis and for polarization that is orthogonal to the fast propagation axis, i.e. the slow axis of the fiber. It is necessary to overcome polarization dispersion, and this is done by using two identical lengths of fiber having their polarization-maintaining axes A1 and A2 in a mutually orthogonal disposition, thus having the effect of cancelling polarization dispersion.
To make the system independent of the polarization of the switched signal, the polarization of the control signal which is injected into the loop L via the coupler C2 on the control inlet fiber F3 is injected at 45.degree. to the two orthogonal axes A1 and A2. In the same manner as above, the effects of polarization dispersion cancel.
D8=French patent application FR 94/15555 of Dec. 23, 1994 in the name of Alcatel N. V. and entitled "Dispositif de regeneration en ligne d'un signal transmis par solitons via la modulation synchrone des solitons a l'aide d'un miroir optique non-lineaire" Apparatus for in-line regeneration of a signal transmitted by solitons by synchronous modulation of the solitons using a non-linear optical mirror!. In the opinion of the Applicant, that document, still unpublished at the date of the present application, is the closest document in the prior art for assessing the contribution of the present invention.
The apparatus described in D8 regenerates solitons in line by synchronous modulation of the solitons using a non-linear optical mirror (NOLM) as an optical modulator, the NOLM modulator being controlled by a clock signal recovered from the soliton signal by clock recovery means which may be all-optical means or electro-optical means. The NOLM includes an inlet coupler C1 which may be a 50/50 coupler or an asymmetrical coupler. Said inlet coupler C1 may be a 2.times.2 or a 3.times.3 coupler. In a particular embodiment, the regenerator system also includes a plurality of optical amplifiers and a plurality of filters referred to as "guiding" filters. As in the context of the present invention, the intended application is optical telecommunications over great distances by means of solitons.
Like D4, document D8 teaches the use of optical clock recovery by locking the modes of a loop fiber laser in a NOLM operating independently of the polarization of the control signal in application of the teaching of D7, but used as an optical modulator and not as an optical switch (as disclosed in D3 and D7).
The optical modulator taught by document D8 is mainly an amplitude modulator, but inevitably it introduces a component of phase modulation of greater or smaller magnitude, depending on the relative amplitude and waveform of the control signal injected into the NOLM. Said phase modulation is not detrimental in itself, but since it is not possible to optimize it independently, the phase modulation introduces a "chirp" effect, meaning that the amount of phase modulation depends on the frequency of the modulated wave, thus having a harmful effect on the spectral composition of solitons modulated in this way.
D9=Hak Kyu Lee et al., "A walk-off balanced NFLM switch controlled by 1.5 .mu.m pulses for high bit rate 1.3 .mu.m telecommunications", Proc. 21st Eur. Conf. on Opt. Comm. (ECOC '95), Brussels, p. 401. Document D9 teaches the use of two control inlets in a NOLM to avoid phase slip ("walk off") between the control signal and the signal to be switched. In that case the NOLM acts only as a switch (as in D3 and in D7) and not as a modulator (as in D8 and in the present invention). The clock signals presented to the control inlets are not phase-shifted as in that prior art.

Adjustable optical amplitude and phase modulator, and a soliton regenerator including such a modulator


The present invention provides a UL data transmission method in a wireless communication system, including determining, by the UE, UL virtual resources allocated to the UE by the eNB according to Downlink Control Information (DCI) used for scheduling UL physical resources sent from the eNB to the UE; determining, by the UE, the UL physical resources used for transmitting the UL data after frequency hopping processing in a preset frequency domain when determining that the UL data needs to be processed with frequency hopping processing according to the DCI, if the UL virtual resources allocated to the UE locate at UL sub-frames in a non-aggregation K of any wireless frame, and locate at the preset frequency domain; bearing, by the UE, the UL data and feeding the UL data back to the eNB utilizing the determined UL physical resources which are processed with the frequency hopping processing and used for transmitting the UL data. With the present invention, the PUSCH channel resource collision may be avoided, the frequency diversity gain may be maximized, and the PUSCH performances may be enhanced.

In the existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a DL (Downlink) transmission technology is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) while a UL transmission technology is based on Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA). The LTE system uses two types of frame structure, i.e., frame structure type 1 adopting Frequency-Division Duplex (FDD) and frame structure type 2 adopting Time Division Duplex (TDD). Frame structure type 2 includes seven kinds of different frame structure configurations. The proportion of DL sub-frames in each kind of frame structure configuration is fixed, ranging from 40% to 90%. As shown in FIG. 1, sub-frames identified with "D" are DL sub-frames, sub-frames identified with "U" are UL sub-frames and sub-frames identified with "slashes" are special Sub-frames.
The DL data sub-frames Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) are used for transmitting DL data, and Acknowledgement (ACK)/Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) information corresponding to the PDSCH is fed back with Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) of UL control sub-frames. Downlink Control Information (DCI) corresponding to the DL data is borne by a CCE (Control Channel Element) aggregation on a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). Existing mapping method of ACK/NACK corresponding to the PDSCH include an implicit mapping method and an explicit mapping method. Where, the implicit mapping method includes:
First, positions of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) sub-frames for feeding back the ACK/NACK information are determined according to positions of PDSCH sub-frames. Then, specific resources positions of the ACK/NACK information which is fed back in the corresponding PUCCH sub-frames are determined according to a position of the first CCE in the CCE aggregation of the DCI information bearing the DL data. The above implicit mapping method directly indicates the resource positions of the ACK/NACK without extra information. Thus, overheads are saved and resources utilization rate is enhanced.
In order to further meet the requirement of enhancing data speed, a conception of Carrier Aggregation (CA) is introduced into version 10 (Rel-10) of the LTE. Multiple continuous or discontinuous bandwidth carriers are aggregated into system bandwidth up to 100 Mhz. Specifically, in the LTE Rel-10 system, the UE may be configured with multiple Component Carriers (CC)s. An evolved Node B (eNB) notifies the UE of a number of a Primary CC (PCC) and numbers of aggregated Secondary CCs (SCC)s through high-level signaling. At the same time, along with the development of actual network deployment and system operations, in the future evolution of the Time Division (TD)-LTE system, the problem that different CCs adopts different sub-frame configurations becomes an important problem needing to be taken into account in the evolution of the TD-LTE system.
When the multiple CCs configured for the UE are in different frequency bands, and the frame structure configuration of at least one CC is different from the frame structure of other CCs, how to design a timing relationship between PDSCH of a DL data sub-frame and UL control information, and more specifically how to design the timing relationship between the PDSCH and the ACK/NACK information becomes a key issue to be solved when the carrier aggregation technologies of different bands adopt different frame structure configurations.
At present, on the basis of rational technical analysis, there are mainly two potential technical routes.
The first method for feeding back the ACK/NACK is on an assumption that all UEs supporting a carrier aggregation technology of different bands and characteristics of different frame structure configurations include at least two Power Amplifiers (PA)s and Radio frequency (RF) circuits. When all CCs of the UE are in two different bands and the frame structure configurations in any different band are the same, while the frame structure in different bands is different, the eNB designates a CC for feeding back ACK/NACK information for each UE in each band through the high-level signaling. Each band continues to use an existing timing relationship between the PDSCH and UL ACK/NACK in its band according to its different frame structure configurations. As shown in FIG. 2, the problem of the first method lies in that the costs of the Rel-11 terminals are greatly enhanced, and the realization and markets of the Rel-11 products are restricted. Meanwhile, how to support the power control of cell edge users with limited power and UL ACK/NACK is also a problem to be solved by the first method.
As for the problems of the first method, the second method merely sending the UL ACK/NACK information on a single PCC to ensure that even low-end users with only one PA in the Rel-11 system still can benefit from the carrier aggregation technology of different bands with different frame structure configurations, and continue to use the existing power control mechanism of the UL ACK/NACK information.
In the second method, the typical method is designing a new timing relationship between the PDSCH and UL ACK/NACK. However, a scheduler needs to use a new scheduling policy for allocating and scheduling resources, i.e., the method needs to change the existing scheduler algorithms.
The second method further includes an improved method: The UE determines positions of public UL sub-frames according to the frame structure configurations of configured CCs, searches for and determines a unique and backward compatible frame structure configuration according to the positions of the public UL sub-frames, and at last, maps the specific timing relationship between the PDSCH and UL ACK/NACK out one by one on the PCC configured by the UE according to the determined backward compatible frame structure configuration. The UE uses the above method for effectively supporting the carrier aggregation of Bands of different frame structure configurations and implementing coexistence and performance optimization of different communication systems without limiting the number of amplifiers of the UE. As shown in FIG. 3, when the UE configures two different CCs on two different frequency bands, one of the CC is the PCC adopting frame structure configuration 1, and the other is SCC adopting frame structure configuration 2. The UE decides to feed back the ACK/NACK information corresponding to the PDSCH on the PCC and SCCs adopting the timing relationship between the PDSCH and ACK/NACK defined by frame structure configuration 2 according to the above method.
For the convenience of description, UL sub-frames in any wireless frame are divided into two categories according to whether the ACK/NACK information of Rel-11 is borne. One of the categories specifically indicates UL sub-frames for transmitting the ACK/NACK information of different frame structure configurations on different CCs, and this category is called type I UL sub-frames, and the other UL sub-frames are called type II UL sub-frames. Here, Rel-11 ACK/NACK specifically indicates the ACK/NACK information generated when different CCs adopt different frame structure configurations. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, when the cell adopts frame structure 1 on the PCC while adopts frame structure 2 on the SCC, sub-frame 2 and sub-frame 7 in any wireless frame are type I UL data sub-frames, while both sub-frame 3 and sub-frame 8 are type II UL data sub-frames.
As for the wireless frame including the type I and type II UL data sub-frames, the ACK/NACK loads of the type I UL data sub-frames are different from those of the type II UL data sub-frames, resulting in that the UL overheads of the two kinds of UL data sub-frames are different. In the type II UL data sub-frames, since the ACK/NACK causes a relatively light load, thus much more resources are used for transmitting the UL data. That is to say, compared with the type I UL sub-frames, the PUSCH of the type II UL sub-frames occupies much more resources. As shown in FIG. 4, the loads of the ACK/NACK of sub-frames 7 and sub-frame 8 are different, resulting in that the UL overheads of two continuous sub-frames are different. Specifically, in sub-frame 8, the ACK/NACK causes a relatively light load, the PUSCH R1 area taken as PUSCH is used for transmitting the UL data, while in sub-frame 7, the ACK/NACK causes a relatively heavy load, the frequency domain which is identical with the PUSCH R1 area in sub-frame 8 is taken as the PUCCH and used for transmitting the control information. At present, in the UL data transmission of the PUSCH, a frequency hopping method may be used for transmission according to system settings. In sub-frame 8, the PUSCH R1 area is also taken as the PUSCH. The frequency domain resources occupied by the UL data may fall into area 403 in FIG. 4, and may collide with the frequency resources occupied by other UL data in this area after the UL data in this area is processed with the frequency hopping. That is to say, PUSCH402 after the frequency hopping processing may collide with PUSCH401.

Method for UL data transmission in wireless communication system


Olefins are polymerized with a catalyst system composition comprising a nickel compound and an aromatic carboxylic acid wherein there is a heteroatom linkage between the aromatic moiety and the carboxylic acid functional group. The novel catalyst system composition can be heterogeneous or homogeneous. This composition allows the production of one or more olefin polymers which have a very high molecular weight.

This invention relates to novel catalyst systems and processes for the polymerization of mono-1-olefins.
A variety of catalyst systems, both homogeneous and heterogeneous, have been utilized to convert mono-1-olefins, such as ethylene, into polymeric products of high molecular weight. The use of some nickel catalysts, combined with phosphorous compounds, to oligomerize and polymerize mono-1-olefins is known in the art. Unfortunately, these catalyst systems for polymerization of mono-1-olefins, are not high productivity catalyst systems and do not produce a high molecular weight polymerization product.
Because of the increasing importance that ploymers are playing in the chemical industry, processes which make even slight improvements in the availability of novel desired polymers over existing catalyst systems and processes are highly desirable.


A tunnel may have a housing with an entrance, an exit, and a pathway extending from the entrance to the exit through the housing. The tunnel may be used for performing operations, such as cleaning operations within the tunnel. A conveyor may be configured to move articles through the housing along the pathway. One or more detectors may be configured at discrete locations along the pathway. One or more curtains may be configured between the entrance and the exit of the housing to partition the pathway into two or more segments. One or more sensors may be configured in each curtain. The one or more sensors may be detectable by the one or more detectors to determine the presence, position, orientation, or other characteristic of each curtain.

Tunnels may be used for passing articles through, such as during a washing operation (e.g., wash ware such as crockery, pots, glasses, cutlery and other articles may be passed through a tunnel forming a warewasher). Such tunnels may be used in commercial applications and may further be used in combination with a conveyor which transports articles through the tunnel (e.g., vehicles may be conveyed through a tunnel forming a car wash). Tunnels may be used for inspection of items including luggage and packages passing through an x-ray inspection tunnel.
Curtains have been used in tunnels to create a partition between different operations performed within the tunnel, or to partition the entrance and/or exit of the tunnel. Such use has the effects including improving performance of the operations performed within the tunnel, increasing safety of those around the tunnel, and/or optimizing performance. Yet, the prior art lacks the ability to ensure the adequate installation, placement, and/or orientation of curtains before tunnel use.
Therefore, it would be desirable to optimize curtain placement and/or orientation within the tunnel in order to improve performance and safety of the operations performed within the tunnel.


The present invention relates to an organophosphonium derivative of the mean general formula (1), where n is a number comprised between 4 and 20, preferably between 5 and 10, m is a number between 0 and 10, preferably between 0 and 1, and Y is an anion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to organophosphonium derivatives, to their preparation method and to their use as uncoupling agents. The invention relates to these uncoupling agents with view to use within the scope of control of bacterial biomass in aqueous systems, in particular in a waste water treatment plant, as well as to the use of these agents and to a method for using these agents. The uncoupling activity of a molecule consists in acting on the bacterial cell energetics so as to reduce the biomass production of waste waters while keeping the purifying activity of the bacterial cell by biological degradation of organic molecules. The details of the biochemistry and of the mechanisms involved in the respiration of cells are for example discussed in the publication "Biochemistry", 3rd edition, author: Lubert Stryer, editor: W. H. Freemen & Company, New York, USA, 1998 and also in the publication "General Microbiology", 3rd edition, authors: Roger Y. Stanier, Michael Doudoroff and Edward A. Adelberg, editor: Macmillan, 1971.
2. Description of the Related Art
The uncoupling activity of a molecule on bacterial growth is in fine expressed by overconsumption of oxygen induced by unbalance of the bacterial energetics.
This uncoupling activity of a molecule is of interest for an application in a waste water treatment plant, designated subsequently by the French abbreviation STEP, in the case when it allows significant reduction at the source of the production of activated sludges.
The production of biomass and therefore of activated sludges in the treatment of waste waters, originates from the consumption of nutrients in the waste waters. By a respiratory process, the nutrients are oxidized and this releases energy which may be used by micro-organisms within the scope of cell division. Now, the consumption of nutrients induces a flow of protons at the bacterial membrane by the phenomenon of oxidative phosphorylation; this flow will establish a proton gradient which itself operates proton pumps which allow synthesis of ATP (Adenosine TriPhosphate) from ADP+P. ATP provides energy to the cell during cell processes (including cell division).
If this energy release could be avoided, this would lead to a decrease in biomass generation by inhibiting energy production. The uncoupling corresponds to the inhibition of the formation of energy supplies in the form of ATP. An uncoupling agent reduces the energetic yield of the combustion of carbon while increasing the proportion of carbon oxidized into CO2. The uncoupling is therefore expressed by less production of biomass and by greater consumption of oxygen.
The bacterial biomass produced during waste water treatment is expensive to remove and therefore a decrease in the biomass leads to a reduction in the costs of removal.

Organophosphorus derivatives and use thereof as uncoupling agents

Abstract: The invention also relates to a method for preparing same, and to a method for controlling the growth of bacterial biomass in an aqueous system, including adding to said aqueous system or contacting said aqueous system with an efficient amount of an uncoupling agent selected from an organophosphonium derivative as defined above.


An apparatus is disclosed which is capable of conditioning any of a variety of utility service AC power inputs having distortion and noise into a clean AC power signal at the output by using symmetrical topology. The present invention is capable of maintaining a constant voltage amplitude at the output while the input utility voltage amplitude varies, and attenuates any distortions present at the input. The present invention first comprises a boost converter comprised of four semiconductor switches in parallel with a diode bridge to convert the incoming AC signal into a DC signal which is stored on two storage capacitors. Secondly, using a buck inverter, the stored DC signal is reconverted into a clean AC signal applied to the output. Input and output filters are used to help clean the signal, and chokes are used to help separate damaging signals produced by the converter and inverter from the storage capacitors. Appropriate control circuits for operating the semiconductor switches in the boost converter and buck inverter are also disclosed.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of electric utility power conditioning, and more particularly to power conditioners which involves a) maintaining voltage amplitude on the output to the load constant while an input utility voltage amplitude varies, and b) attenuating any distortions present in the input utility voltage waveform to the output.
The universality of the power conditioner of the present invention is in its ability to condition electric power delivered by different electrical services like 208/120 V dual phase service with two phases having phase shifts of 120 or 240 degrees; 240/120 V split phase service with two phases having phase shifts of 180 degrees; or single phase service with any voltage like 200 V, 208 V, 220 V, and 240 V. The frequency of any service can be any frequency used in the world, namely 50 or 60 Hz nominally, but generally in the range of 45 to 66 Hz.
2. Related References
Related references in the present invention's field include power supplies, power conditioners, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Three patents have been found which are closely related to this subject.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,800 to Divan describes an electronic circuit which acts as a single phase power conditioner or UPS for only one type of electrical service - single phase with one grounded conductor (neutral). The main disadvantage of using this circuit is that output voltage shall be always smaller than the input voltage. This is a significant problem because the majority of power related problems are undervoltages and sags. Because the purpose of the power conditioner is to regulate the output at nominal nominal service value, like 120 V or 208 V, the conditioner will not be able to do it alone when input voltage is below nominal, undervoltage. Divan suggests using a transformer to amend this problem, see FIG. 4, but this greatly diminishes the value of the invention because the transformer's weight and size far exceed the weight and size of the electronic portion of the device. The use of the transformer also increases cost to such an extent that the smaller number of power semiconductor switches claimed in this invention versus similar purpose instruments does not provide for a total cost advantage. Regardless of these disadvantages, Divan can not be used for dual phase and other services, and therefore can not be a universal service conditioner/UPS.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,861 to Johnson et al. describes an invention almost identical to Divan's with capacitors C1 and C2 used instead of the active switches S1 and S3 used in Divan's invention. This invention has all the same disadvantages as Divan's plus one more. In Divan's invention, the waveform of the input current has limited control by switches S1 and S2 in such a way that the current can be sinusoidal in waveform and therefore input power factor values close to unity can be realized. Conversely, in Johnson's invention, the input circuit acts as a regular rectifier with capacitive filter, C1 and C2. It is well known that the input power factor of such a circuit is low, generally in the range of 0.4 -0.6. The current waveform is very distorted from sinusoidal and therefore there are large current harmonics which cause significant overheating of neutral conductors in the building wiring. This is one of the most frequent causes of building fires.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,822 to Higaki describes an AC-AC power supply acting as a power conditioner. This invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,151 to Okado. Okado's problem was that high frequency switching noise was generated on both output power conductors, compared to the grounded input conductor of Higaki's FIG. 2. Higaki's invention eliminated this high switching frequency component but left other signals on both output power conductors shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D. Those signals have sharp edges which contain high frequency harmonics that cause different problems in connected loads, like computer malfunction, magnetic component overheating, etc. All loads are designed to operate from sine waveform voltages on any power carrying conductors. Therefore this invention can hardly be used alone as a power conditioner, but only in conjunction with an isolation transformer which can eliminate this problem called "common mode voltage" Because of this disadvantage, Higaki can not be applied for universal service applications.

Symmetrical universal AC-AC power conditioner


A control system for a rotor assembly includes a plurality of sensors configured to detect a lead-lag rate of each rotor blade of a plurality of rotor blades rotatable around a shaft and a flight control computer configured to generate lead-lag compensation signals based on the detected lead rate and lag rate of each rotor blade to control each rotor blade.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the art of rotary wing aircraft and, more specifically, to rotor systems for rotary wing aircraft.
Lead-lag is the forward and backward in-plane motion of the blades of an articulated rotor. The lead-lag dynamics of rotor blades tend to be very lightly damped because the primary damping force is caused by the drag, which is much lower than the lift forces. Two lead-lag rigid dynamical modes that tend to be under-damped are "regressive" and "progressive" lead-lag modes. The progressive lag mode occurs when the center of mass of the rotor is moving around the shaft in the same direction as the rotor rotation. The regressive lag mode occurs when the center of mass of the rotor is moving in the opposite direction as the rotor rotation. A phenomena known as "ground resonance" occurs when the frequency of the regressive lag mode becomes too close to the frequency of a coupled body-landing gear mode.
To provide sufficient damping for these lead-lag modes, supplementary mechanical dampers are typically used. These mechanical dampers are usually sized to prevent ground resonance. Lead-lag dampers tend to increase rotor system cost and decrease performance because they are complex, heavy, cause high hub drag, and require maintenance.

Compensating for lead-lag in rotor system


A measurement system is described, comprising a sampling clock unit, a travelling wave sampler circuit and at least a first analog-to-digital converter and a second analog-to-digital converter. The sampling clock unit is configured to generate a sampling timing for the travelling wave sampler circuit. The travelling wave sampler circuit is configured to receive an input signal. The travelling wave sampler circuit is further configured to provide at least a first time-discrete intermediate signal and a second time-discrete intermediate signal and to sample the first and the second time-discrete intermediate signal with the same sampling timing. The first analog-to-digital converter and the second analog-to-digital converter are configured to receive the first time-discrete intermediate signal sampled and the second time-discrete intermediate signal sampled, respectively. The first analog-to-digital converter and the second analog-to-digital converter are configured to output a first digitized output signal and a second digitized output signal, respectively. Further, a method for operating a measurement system is described.

In the state of the art, oscilloscopes sample an analog input signal at regular time intervals successively in time so that different samples of the analog input signal are obtained in a successive manner. Typically, the analog input signal is forwarded to several sample-and-hold devices (sampler) wherein the sample-and-hold devices each receive a respective clock signal for sampling purposes. The several clock signals used for sampling have different phases wherein these clock signals may be provided by different sampling clocks. Each of the sampling clocks as well as the samplers themselves cause some jitter (inherent jitter) which cannot be avoided, for instance the inherent jitter is about 100 fs. In addition, the jitter occurring within the different samples is uncorrelated since several sampling signals or rather different sampling clocks are used. The inherent jitter of a sampling clock may also be called jitter noise floor.
It might be interesting to measure the jitter of a certain device under test, in particular a signal of the device under test. However, the jitter of the device under test may be lower than 100 fs and, thus, it is lower than the inherent (uncorrelated) jitter of the oscilloscope used for sampling the signal of the device under test.
Accordingly, the oscilloscopes known in the state of the art cannot be used for measuring the jitter of the analog input signal itself due to the (different) inherent jitter(s) related to the sampling clock(s).
So far, the inherent clock jitter of the oscilloscopes is already reduced by using low phase-noise oscillators for generating the respective clock signal for sampling. However, this technique can only reduce the clock jitter as it is not possible to reduce the phase noise to zero or at least insofar that the jitter of a device under test can be measured by using the oscilloscopes of the state of the art.

Measurement system and method for operating a measurement system


In a V type engine comprising a catalyst in each of banks, when a fuel cut requirement on the basis of a traction control is generated, cylinders in which the fuel is cut are controlled to be switched between right and left banks. For example, when a requirement for a fuel cut with respect to two cylinders, at first, after the fuel cut of two cylinders are performed in the right bank for a predetermined time, the fuel cut of two cylinder are performed in the left bank for a predetermined time and this operation is repeated during a continuing time of the fuel cut. Accordingly, a thermal damage due to the fuel cut can be prevented from concentrating only to one catalyst.

The present invention relates to a torque down control apparatus for an engine, more particularly to a technology which reduces an amount of fuel injection from an injector to a cylinder so as to temporally lower an output torque of an engine.
Conventionally, a traction control system (hereinafter, referred to as a TCS) for achieving a running stability of an automotive vehicle by forcibly reducing a drive torque of a drive wheel at a time of slippage of the automotive vehicle is known.
Methods for forcibly reducing a drive torque of a drive wheel include a method for reducing an output torque of an engine by cutting a fuel supply to the engine (refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 3-246334).
In the above TCS, in order to avoid generation of a shock and to change smoothly a drive torque of a drive wheel in accordance with a state of a slippage, it is desirable to change a number of cylinders into which the fuel supply is cut at every one cylinder.
The above method can be applied to a V type engine in which an exhaust manifold is provided at every cylinder in the right and left banks and an independent catalyst for each of the banks is provided at a gathering portion of each of the exhaust manifolds. In this case, it is desirable to change the number of cylinders into which the fuel supply is cut one by one.

Torque down control apparatus for an engine


Sunflower seed, plants and oil are described which have a total level of saturated fatty acids equal to 6% or less relative to the total fatty acid content, a total level of stearic acid less than 1% of the total fatty acid content, and a total level of palmitic acid less than 3% of the total fatty acid content.

This invention relates to a novel sunflower (Helianthus spp.) plant, to products obtained from the novel plant and to methods of producing the sunflower products.
The cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a major worldwide source of vegetable oil. In the United States, approximately 4 million acres are planted in sunflowers annually, primarily in the Dakotas and Minnesota.
The very rapid expansion over the last decade of acreage planted in sunflower in the United States is due in part to several important developments in the field of sunflower breeding and varietal improvement. One significant development was the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility and genes for fertility restoration, a discovery that allowed the production of hybrid sunflowers. The hybrids thus produced were introduced during the early 1970's.
A description of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and genetic fertility restoration in sunflowers is presented by Fick, "Breeding and Genetics," in Sunflower Science and Technology 279-338 (J. F. Carter ed. 1978), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Sunflower oil is comprised primarily of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. While other unusual fatty acids exist in plants, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids comprise about 88% of the fatty acids present in the world production of vegetable oils. (Harwood, J. L., Plant Acyl Lipids: Structure, Distribution and Analysis, 4 Lipids: Structure and Function, P. K. Stumpf and E. E. Conn ed. (1988)). Palmitic and stearic acids are saturated fatty acids that have been demonstrated in certain studies to contribute to an increase in the plasma cholesterol level, a factor in coronary heart disease. Vegetable oils high in unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic acids, may have the ability to lower plasma cholesterol according to recent studies. Saturated fatty acids also have higher melting points in general than unsaturated fatty acids of the same carbon number, which contributes to cold tolerance problems in foodstuffs and can contribute to a waxy or greasy mouthfeel. It is also known that food products made from fats and oils having less than about 3% saturated fatty acids will typically contain less than 0.5 gram saturated fat per serving and as a result can be labeled as containing "zero saturated fat" under current labeling regulations. Thus, for a number of reasons it is desirable to produce a sunflower oil having low levels of palmitic and stearic acids and high levels of oleic or linoleic acids.
Prior to the present invention there were no naturally occurring sources of low saturated fatty acid sunflower oils. The generally accepted pathway of fatty acid biosynthesis in plants is that palmitic and stearic acids are the products of the beta ketoacyl-ACP synthetase system which includes three isozymes which are referred to as KAS I, II and III. Stearoyl-ACP acid is desaturated to oleic acid which is esterified to phosphatidylcholine then sequentially desaturated to linoleic and linolenic acids (Stymne, S. and Stobart, A. K., Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis, 9 The Biochemistry of Plants: A Comprehensive Treatise 175-214 (1987) and Stumpf, P. K., Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids in Higher Plants, Oil Crops of the World 38-62 (1989). Previously published research in sunflower has emphasized generally the alteration of the percentage of oleic or linoleic acids. The relative proportions of oleic and linoleic acids can be environmentally influenced (Kinman, M. L., and F. R. Earle., "Agronomic Performance and Chemical Composition of the Seed of Sunflower Hybrids and Introduced Varieties," Crop Science 4:417-420 (1964); Putt, E. D., B. M. Craig, and R. B. Carson. "Variation in Composition of Sunflower Oil from Composite Samples and Single Seeds of Varieties and Inbred Lines, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 46:126-129 (1969); Seiler, G. J., "Variation in Oil and Oil Quality of Wild Annual Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Populations in a Uniform Environment," 10th International Sunflower Conference, Mar. 14-18, 1982. Surfers' Paradise, Australia. p. 212-215; Seiler, G. J., "Effect of Genotype, Flowering Date, and Environment on Oil Content and Oil Quality of Wild Sunflower Seed," Crop Science, 23: 1063-1068 (1983); Seiler, G. J., "Interrelation of Fatty Acids in Oil of Wild Annual Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)" Proceedings of the XI International Sunflower Conference. Mar. 10-13, 1985. Mar del Plata, Argentina. p. 529-534; or have been shown in certain genotypes to be inherited in stable manner (Soldatov, K. I., "Chemical Mutagenesis in Sunflower Breeding," International Proceedings, 7th International Sunflower Conference, Krasnodar, U.S.S.R., 27 June-3 July, 1976. International Sunflower Association Vlaardingen, p. 352-357, The Netherlands; Karachenko, L. N., "Genotypic and Phenotypic Mechanisms Ensuring Regulation of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Sunflower Seeds," Fiziologiya Rastenii (Russian) 26: 1226-1232 (1979); Fick, G. N., "Breeding and Genetics," Sunflower Science and Technology, Carter, Jack F. (ed.). 1978. Urie, A. L., "Inheritance of Very High Oleic Acid Content in Sunflower," Proc. Sunflower Research Workshop. Bismarck, N.D. 1 February, 1984. National Sunflower Association. Bismarck, N.D. p.9-10; Miller, J. F. and D. C. Zimmerman. "Inheritance of High Oleic Fatty Acid Content in Sunflower." Proc. Sunflower Research Workshop. Fargo, N.D. 26 January, 1983. National Sunflower Association. Bismarck, N.D. p. 10; Urie, A. L., "Inheritance of High Oleic Acid in Sunflower." Crop Science 25:986-989 (1985); Simpson, B. W. and D. L. George, "Potential for Selection of Fatty Acids on a Single Seed Basis in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)." Proceedings of the XI International Sunflower Conference, Mar. 10-13, 1985. Mar del Plata, Argentina. p 791-796; Miller, J. F., D. C. Zimmerman, and B. A. Vick, "Genetic Control of High Oleic Acid Content in Sunflower Oil," Crop Science 27:923-926 (1987); George, D. L., B. W. Simpson, and C. M. McLeod. "Proposed Development of a High Linoleic Acid Sunflower Hybrid." Proceedings of the 12th International Sunflower Conference. Jul. 25-29, 1988. Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. p 448-453; Simpson, B. W., C. M. McLeod and D. L. George. "Selections for High Linoleic Acid Content in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)." Aust. J. of Exper. Agric. 29:233-239 (1989). Recent research has claimed that the level of palmitic acid in sunflower oil can be increased to as high as 40.2% of the total oil (Ivanov, P, D. Petakov, V. Nikolova, and E. Pentchev, "Sunflower Breeding for High Palmitic Acid Content in the Oil." Proceedings of the 12th International Sunflower Conference. Vol II. Jul. 25-29, 1988. Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. p 463-465). The invention disclosed here pertains to the proportion of palmitic and stearic acids relative to the other major fatty acids in sunflower oil: oleic and linoleic acids.

Sunflower products having lower levels of saturated fatty acids