A wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system to keep the correlation of data patterns among wavelength channels to the low level, preventing large XPM and XGM from occurring when the correlation is strong, and assuring a stable transmitting quality. The wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system for transmitting an optical signal constructed by a frame has any of (1) a frame phase changing circuit for mutually differing transmitting frame phases between at least two or more wavelength channels among a wavelength channel group transmitted through the same optical fiber transmitting line system, or (2) a scrambling circuit using a data scrambler based on a pseudo random pattern for mutually differing scrambling patterns between two or more wavelength channels among a wavelength channel group transmitted through the same optical fiber transmitting line, or (3) a dummy data generating circuit for mutually differing invalid data patterns between at least two or more wavelength channels in a wavelength channel group transmitted through the same optical fiber transmitting line when transmitting meaningless data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system, more particularly, to a wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system which is capable of reducing inter-channel correlation that may cause a serious transmission quality degradation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In these days, according to digital standardized information communication used for an optical fiber transmission system, there is widely utilized a frame synchronous communication system which is called an SONET (Synchronous Optical Network)/SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy)
According to the SONET/SDH standard, relative phase difference information between a data signal and a frame phase, what is called a pointer, is given to an overhead area in a frame and transmitted, thereby enabling the change in phase difference between the data signal and the frame phase.
Since signals transmitted from a plurality of different stations incur transmitting delay and jitter/wander, the frame phases are made various. Then, a receiving station exchanges a pointer so as to match the transmitted frame phases with a frame phase of the station reference. The all of frame phases based on the SONET/SDH standard are as same as the frame phase based on the station reference after the pointer exchanging process and therefore signal processes such as exchange can be executed easily.
According to the SONET/SDH standard, a scrambling/descrambling method for suppressing the sequence of the same symbol (such as 0,0,0,0 . . . or 1,1,1,1 . . . ) is also defined. Specifically speaking, it is defined to use a binary NRZ (Non-Return to Zero) format which is scrambled and to set to be equal to (1+X6+X7), a polynomial for generating a pseudo random (PRBS: Pseudo Random Bit Sequence) pattern which is used for scrambling. FIGS. 12 and 13 show a functional block of scrambling/descrambling and a constructional example of a PRBS pattern generator.
That is, referring to FIG. 12, based on the PRBS pattern which is generated by a PRBS pattern generator 131a, input data is scrambled by a gate circuit 131b on a transmitter 131 side, and the scrambled data is transmitted to a receiver 231 side via a transmitting line 500. Based upon the PRBS pattern generated by a PRBS pattern generator 231a, data scrambled by the gate circuit 231b is descrambled on a receiver 231 side.
Referring to FIG. 13, the PRBS pattern generator 131a comprises flip-flops 41 to 47 and a gate circuit 48, and generates the PRBS pattern on the basis of a bit rate clock and a frame pulse which are inputted and transmits the generated PRBS pattern to the gate circuit 131b.
Incidentally, according to a recent optical transmission system, the introduction of a so-called wavelength multiplex/demultiplex technique is started, whereby a plurality of channels having different wavelengths are transmitted in a single optical fiber, so as to respond to the increase in transmitting capacity demand.
As for one merit of the wavelength multiplexing method, it is exemplified to handle wavelength channels as if they were transmitted in an individual fiber. Therefore, the wavelength multiplexing technique is introduced and the capacity is increased, without drastically changing the SONET/SDH standard which took no account of the wavelength multiplex. As a result, generally, a plurality of SONET/SDH channels are simultaneously transmitted in a single optical fiber as an operating form in these days.
However, a problem might arise, when wavelength-multiplexing the SONET/SDH signal which took no account of the wavelength multiplexing transmission as it is. In particular, according to a conventional SONET/SDH system, there is a problem to have no guarantee on no correlativity for data among a plurality of wavelength channels which are transmitted in parallel in the optical transmitting line. In the case where the data among the parallel transmitted channels is strongly correlative, it is dangerous to cause the serious deterioration in transmission. This dangerous point will be described hereinlater.
It is known to degrade a signal waveform due to a non-linear phase modulating effect which is caused in the optical fiber upon transmitting the data in the optical fiber. According to the non-linear phase modulating effect, the refractive index of optical fiber is varied by depending on optical intensity, thereby phase modulating the optical signal which is propagated in the optical fiber. The phase modulating component is converted into an intensity modulating component by GVD (Group Velocity Dispersion: chromatic dispersion) in the optical fiber, and to thereby become a waveform distortion.
It is considered that there are a non-linear phase modulation caused by intensity change of a noticed channel itself (SPM: Self Phase Modulation) and a non-linear phase modulation caused by intensity change of a channel travelling in parallel (XPM: Cross Phase Modulation), respectively. Particularly, the XPM is phase modulation caused by a signal having no correlation with information which the XPM itself has, and thus the transmitting characteristic is deteriorated certainly.
The next description turns to a case of causing an abnormally large XPM. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a typical wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system. Referring to FIG. 11, a wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system comprises: a transmitting side including bit error rate measuring equipment 101, terminals 111 to 126, optical transmitters 131 to 146, and a multiplexer 150; and a receiving side including bit error rate measuring equipment 201, terminals 211 to 226, optical receivers 231 to 246, and a optical demultiplexer 250. Note that the optical transmitting line, which connects the transmitting side to the receiving side and comprises optical amplifiers 301 and 302 and optical fibers 401 and 402.
If normally operating the wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system, as shown in FIG. 14, data through which wavelength channels transmit has no correlation each other and data is never correlative. However, if all of the channels except for any noticed channel (referred to as λ3, herein) have the same data and same phase, as shown in FIG. 15, an abnormally large XPM occurs in the noticed channel. Although such a situation should be prevented as much as possible, there is a great of risk for the conventional apparatus to get into such a situation.
First, the frame phase matching is caused by matching the frame phase with the reference frame phase which is distributed from the station in a flow of the signal process. The data matching hardly occurs upon normal operation and, however, there is a possibility that the data matching is caused exceptionally, such as alarm transferring case.
A transmitter in the SONET/SDH system is defined to input dummy data into a data payload portion and continue to transmit the dummy data, even if no data to be communicated is inputted. This is the reason to continue to communicate the clock signal and communicate information in the overhead portion, which is stored into a portion other than the data payload.
There is a specific case of alarm transfer what is called an AIS-L based on the SONET/SDH standard. In this case, it is defined that the whole data payload portion is full of "1", scrambled normally, and transmitted. The data included in the data payload portion becomes a scrambling pattern itself. Consequently, transmitting patterns among the channels are the same and the correlativity is extremely strong.
As another problem which arises by making the frame phase similar, there is a cross gain modulation effect (XGM: Cross Gain Modulation) in an optical amplifier in these days. There is typically used a laser amplifier using an optical fiber, to which an active element (rare earth element such as erbium) is doped, as an optical amplifier. Since the amplifier amplifies a wave so as to collect light which has been wavelength-multiplexed as single light, the intensity change in any desired channel can be transferred to the intensity fluctuation of another channel. That is called a cross gain modulation effect (XGM) and has a close relation to a relaxation oscillation frequency in the laser amplifying system.
The transfer function has a low pass filter characteristic and the relaxation oscillation frequency is a cut-off frequency of low-pass filter. Specifically speaking, the relaxation oscillation frequency is equal to 1 to 3 kHz, in case of using a Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA).
Corresponding thereto, there is a problem how low frequency component is included in the transmitted signal. The frame frequency period of the SONET/SDH signal is equal to 8 kHz, so that the 8 kHz-frequency component must be transmitted without a problem. Although this value is finely over a value of the cut-off frequency, it is understood that there is no allowance for transmission.
If the frame phases among the channels are ununiform upon amplifying the wavelength-multiplexed light, it can be expected that the frame frequency components are made uniform and are not proportional to the number of channels, when seeing the ununiform frame phases as a whole. On the contrary, if the frame phases are made uniform, it is remarkably dangerous to transfer the intensity fluctuation to a channel of a channel except for the noticed channel.
Actually, if making a channel excluding the noticed channel have the same data and the same frame phase in an examining system as shown in FIG. 11, a serious bit error rate degradation is observed in the noticed channel.

Wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission system


A pointer for measuring instruments includes a fixing portion mounted on a drive shaft of a drive and an indicating portion supported on the fixing portion and extending therefrom in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the drive shaft. The indicating portion includes an EL element having a light-emitting surface extending over a substantially entire length of the indicating portion in the direction perpendicular to the drive shaft axis, at the light-emitting surface light being substantially uniformly distributed at least in the direction perpendicular to the drive shaft axis; a light-transmitting protective body covering at least the light-emitting surface; and an indicating tube. The surface of the portion of the indicating tube confronting at least the above light-emitting surface is arcuated in a circumferential direction of the direction perpendicular to the drive shaft axis. The pointer for measuring instruments is three-dimensionally illuminated with entirely uniform brightness, of high practical utility and producible at a low cost.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pointer for measuring instruments, and more particularly to a light-emitting pointer for measuring instruments, which is used in conjunction with the dial plate of a measuring instrument for vehicles such as an automobile to indicate a measured value on the dial plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various vehicles such as an automobile and the like are generally installed with measuring instruments for indicating measured values such as velocities of the vehicles, engine torques and the like.
Of these, measuring instruments of analog type include a dial plate with graduations, letters and the like formed thereon, and a pointer that cooperates with such graduations, letters and the like to indicate measured values. In a number of analog instruments, the pointer is so constructed as to be self-illuminated to enable the measured value to be readily recognized even in the darkness.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the construction of an essential portion of a conventional measuring instrument for vehicles with a self-illuminated pointer.
The measuring instrument generally designated at 61 in FIG. 11 includes a casing 63 comprising a printed substrate, a graduations, letters and the like-formed dial plate 65 disposed forwardly of the casing 63, a pointer 67, an internal 69 for rotary driving the pointer 67, sources of light 71 for illuminating the pointer 67, and a light-guiding plate 73 for guiding light from the sources of light 71 to the pointer 67.
The internal drive 69 comprises a main body 69a mounted on the casing 63 and having a coil (not shown) contained therein, and a drive shaft 69b protruding forwards from the main body 69a. The drive shaft 69b is circumferentially rotatably supported in the main body 69a and caused to rotate when the coil in the main body 69a is energized.
Each source of light 71 comprises, for example, an incandescent bulb and is supported on the casing 63 at a position spaced from the main body 69a of the internal drive 69.
The light-guiding plate 73 is formed from a synthetic resin material excellent in light transmission properties, e.g. transparent acrylic resin or the like and comprises light-receiving portions 73a located forwardly of the sources of light 71 and a light-guiding portion 73b extending from the respective light-receiving portions 73a over the main body 69a.
Each light-receiving portion 73a is of substantially hemispherical shape directed towards the source of light 71, a shaft hole 73c is formed at the area of the light-guiding portion 73b in front of the main body 69a, and the drive shaft 69b extends through the shaft hole 73c so that its front end is located forwardly of the light-guiding plate 73.
The light-guiding portion 73b has reflecting surfaces 73d formed at an inclination of substantially 45.degree. at positions close to the light-receiving portions 73a and close to the shaft hole 73c.
The pointer 67, like the light-guiding plate 73, is formed from a synthetic resin material excellent in light transmission properties and comprises a substantially cylindrical fixing portion 67a fitted over the front end of the drive shaft 69b and a long flat indicating portion 67b extending from the fixing portion 67a, in a radial direction of the drive shaft 69b.
At the front of the fixing portion 67a are formed two reflecting surfaces 67c each at an inclination of substantially 45.degree.. At the rear of the fixing portion 67a at a position substantially opposite one of the above reflecting surfaces 67c is formed a reflecting surface 67d at an inclination of substantially 45.degree.. The fixing portion 67a is covered with a light-leakage prevention cap 75.
The rear surface of the indicating portion 67b facing the dial plate is colored, e.g. red with hot melt to prevent leakage of light to the side of the dial plate 65 and to improve the viewability of the indicating portion 67b as the sources of light 71 are turned off.
With the thus constructed conventional measuring instrument 61, the light from the light source 71 falls on the light-receiving portion 73a and into the light-guiding plate 73. The light is subjected to irregular reflections inside the light-guiding plate 73 and reflected at reflecting surfaces 73d to be guided to the area around the shaft hole 73c, and further falls on the rear surface of the fixing portion 67a and into the pointer 67.
The light having entered the pointer 67 is then reflected at reflecting surfaces 67c, 67d to be guided to the indicating portion 67b, wherein the light is irregularly reflected so that the light is emitted forwards from the front surface of the indicating portion 67b to illuminate the pointer 67.
However, the conventional measuring instrument 61, in which light is guided from the light sources 71 to illuminate the pointer 67 has two drawbacks as mentioned below.
First, to guide light from the light sources 71 to the inside of the indicating portion 67b, the light-guiding plate 73 and the pointer 67 must be subjected to complicated processing so that they are provided with shapes such as the reflecting surfaces 67c, 67d, 73d and the like, resulting in the cost increased.
Second, most of the light incident on the rear surface of the fixing portion 67a and into the pointer 67, and reflected at reflecting surfaces 67c, 67d, moves straight inside the pointer 67 to the tip of the indicating portion 67b without being irregularly reflected at the area of the indicating portion 67b closer to the light-guiding plate 73 (the area on the root side of the indicating portion 67b).
Consequently, the indicating portion 67b becomes stronger in brightness at an area of the indicating portion 67b farthest from the leakage prevention cap 75 than at the area of the indicating portion 67b which is closer to the leakage prevention cap 75, making it difficult to illuminate the entire indicating portion 67b with uniform brightness.
Such being the case, in recent years a light-emitting pointer has been proposed in which an electroluminescence element (hereinafter abbreviated as EL element) is used to constitute the indicating portion.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the indicating portion of a heretofore-proposed light-emitting pointer, in which designated at 81 is the indicating portion, 83 a core and 85 an EL element.
The core 83, which is of column shape, is formed from a conductive metal such as decarbonized steel, and the EL element 85 is concentrically formed around the core.
As shown in FIG. 13, a section viewed in the direction of an arrow A in FIG. 12, the EL element 85 includes a circular insulating layer 85a, a fluorescent layer 85b, a transparent electrode film 85c and a light-transmitting, insulating protective layer 85d laminated in sequence around the outer periphery of the core 83 by a method such as dipping, calcination or the like.
The transparent electrode film 85c comprises, for example, an ITO (indium tin oxide) electrode, and in the indicating portion 81, the core 83 serves as one of the electrodes for the EL element 85 corresponding to the transparent electrode film 85c.
The indicating portion 81 is constructed so that, as a voltage is impressed between the core 83 and the transparent electrode film 85c, the fluorescent substance of the fluorescent layer 85b is excited to cause the entire fluorescent layer 85b to emit light at its surface, which light is then transmitted through the insulating protective layer 85d to be emitted outwardly of the indicating portion 81 so that the indicating portion 81 is as a whole illuminated.
The pointer of such construction has an advantage that, since the indicating portion 81 itself has a source of light that emits light at the surface with a uniform distribution of light, i.e., the EL element 85, the indicating portion 81 is entirely evenly illuminated with uniform brightness.
In addition, since in the pointer of such construction the surface of the indicating portion 81, i.e., the surface of the EL element 85 is arcuated circumferentially of the core 83, as compared with the pointer 67 in FIG. 11 having a flat indicating portion 67b that emits light only from its front surface, the indicating portion 81 is three-dimensionally recognized and makes an improvement in appearance and grade as well as in practical utility of the pointer.
With the pointer of the construction as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, however, since the EL element 85 has an arcuate surface configuration, to laminate each layer of the EL element 85, a method such as dipping, calcination or the like must be employed which is costly as compared with printing commonly used in the formation of a sheet-like EL panel. As a result, it has been impossible to realize a reduction in the cost for the part.


A motor vehicle lock including configured to pivot along a cinching path, including a first section and a second section, between an open position, a primary closed position, and a secondary closed position. A pawl moveable between a released state, disengaged from the catch, and an engaged state, engaged with the catch. A first cinching mechanism including a first engagement lever configured to engage and pivot the catch along the first section. A second cinching mechanism including a second engagement lever configured to engage and pivot the catch along at least a portion of the second section.

Motor vehicles may include a motor vehicle lock for any kind of closure element of a motor vehicle, such as a liftgate, a trunk lid, rear hatch, rear door, front hood, side door, or the like. The closure elements may be pivotable or slidable. Certain closures may close and open automatically, e.g. without the assistance of an operator. Vehicles generally include a seal or other type of weather proofing barrier positioned between the closure and the vehicle body to mitigate external elements such as moisture, precipitation, dirt, debris, and noise from entering the interior of the vehicle. The force applied to the closure, by a latch for example, must be sufficient to overcome pressure associated with the closure and the seal to provide a cinching function. Also, the vehicle may be equipped with a device or mechanism that may automatically release the latch, so the closure may move to an open position.
Often such vehicles include an additional drivetrain that may increase the size of the motor vehicle lock arrangement.


An automated process (and system) for facilitating the creation of a frame based knowledge tree for use with a configuration system is provided. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a database induction module interacts with a user interface and a vendor provided database containing product information in the form of database files. The user sets induction preferences via a graphical user interface, and the induction module accesses product information from the client database files and automatically generates a frame based product knowledge tree in light of the user's preferences, where the frame based product knowledge tree is intended for use with a configuration system for configuring certain desired products, services, or other assemblages.

The growing trend of mass customization in the manufacturing community has accentuated the importance of configuration systems. Configuration systems facilitate the configuration of desired products, services, or other assemblages that require users to gather and assimilate disparate knowledge of makes, models, types, features, options, limitations, manufacturing constraints, etc. of a desired product/service (or group of the same) to be configured. In the manufacturing sector, for example, a configuration system can reconcile the complexities involved with configuring customizable products that conform to certain known manufacturing constraints. Through the use of configuration systems, a user can identify any potential manufacturing problems prior to the expenditure of funds.
Typically, configuration is facilitated through interaction by a user, via a user interface, with an inference engine that performs, for example, frame-based inferences to discern product knowledge stored in a knowledge base. The creation of the knowledge base containing the disparate product knowledge involves acquiring the product knowledge from numerous sources and encoding that knowledge using graphical user interface (GUI) tools.
Such GUI tools allow the user (typically, a knowledge engineer) to model the product knowledge in a tree like structure where each node of the tree is known as a frame. The attributes that describe and specialize the frame are represented using slots. The node at each level in a tree inherits properties from its parent node(s) and allows the user to override, extend or specialize these properties at the current level. The level in a tree at which certain attributes are placed depends on the generality of those attributes. For example, attributes that are common to a number of configurable items are placed closer to the top of the tree. Attributes that specialize a configurable item are placed at the lower levels of the tree. This process of creating a frame based knowledge tree is called the product knowledge design process and is implemented by knowledge engineers.
Typically, the process of creating a frame based knowledge tree includes the creation of product information files by acquiring the product knowledge from various product experts. These experts can include pricing experts, manufacturing process experts, product specification experts, customer service experts, etc. The process of amassing the disparate product knowledge, organizing that knowledge in some predetermined hierarchical system, and creating a frame based knowledge tree is very time consuming, cost intensive and requires the coordination of several individuals.

Method and apparatus for database induction for creating frame based knowledge tree


The present invention provides methods for generating mammalian T cell populations comprising antigen-specific CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells from freshly isolated CD4+CD25− T cells. The method comprises selecting CD4+CD25− T cells from a sample obtained from a mammalian subject; determining the MHC Class II type of the subject; inducing the generation of antigen-specific regulatory T cells by contacting the isolated CD4+CD25− T cells in a culture vessel with an induction agent for a time period sufficient to generate antigen-specific CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells; and selecting the CD4+CD25+ antigen-specific regulatory T cells by sorting the cells in the induction culture with a selection agent comprising at least one artificial multimeric MHC Class II/peptide complex that corresponds to the MHC Class II type of the subject.

Immune tolerance is central to the immune system's ability to differentiate between self and foreign proteins. Central tolerance is initially achieved during thymic selection by the deletion of self-reactive T cells. However, central tolerance is incomplete, and further immune regulation is required in the periphery. Peripheral mechanisms of T cell regulation include the induction of anergy, activation induced cell death, and regulatory T cells.
Within the CD4+ T lymphocyte cell population, three categories of regulatory T cells have been described: TH3 cells, Type 1 regulatory (Tr1) cells, and CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells ("Treg"). TH3 cells function via the secretion of TGF-β and can be generated in vitro by stimulation in the presence of IL-4 or in vivo through oral administration of low dose antigens (Chen et al., Science 265:1237-1240, 1994; Inobe et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 28:2780-2790, 1998). Type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1) suppress T cells through the production of IL-10 and TGF-β and are derived by stimulation of memory T cells in the presence of IL-10 (Groux et al., Nature 389:737-742, 1996; Groux et al., J. Exp. Med. 184:19-29, 1996). CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are thought to function as a regulator of autoimmunity by suppressing the proliferation and/or cytokine production of CD4+CD25− T cell responder cells at the site of inflammation.
CD4+CD25+ Treg cells are known to be present in both humans and mice and are characterized by expression of CD25 (for review, see Sakaguchi et al., Immunol. Rev. 182:18-32). Treg cells isolated from human peripheral blood are highly differentiated memory cells based on their FACS staining characteristics and short telomere length and historically are thought to be derived from the thymus (Taams et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 32:1621-1630, 2002; Jonuleit et al., J. Exp. Med. 193:1285-1294, 2001). In humans, Tregs are believed to represent 1-3% of all CD4+ T cells and require activation to induce suppressor function. The suppressive function of these Treg cells is mediated via cell-cell contact and is abrogated by the addition of IL-2 (Baecher-Allan et al., J. Immunol 167:1245-1253, 2001).
The Treg population is reduced in autoimmune-prone animals and humans (see Salomon et al., Immunity 12:431-440, 2000; Kukreja et al., J. Clin. Invest. 109:131-140, 2002). Mice carrying the X-linked scurfy mutation develop a multi-organ autoimmune disease and lack conventional CD4+CD25+regulatory T cells (Fontenot et al., Nat. Immunol. 4:330-336, 2003; Khattri et al., Nat. Immunol. 4:337-342, 2003). It has been shown that the gene mutated in these mice is FoxP3 which encodes a member of the forkhead/winged helix family and acts as a transcriptional repressor (Schubert et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276:37672-37679, 2001). In mice, FoxP3 has been shown to be expressed exclusively in CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and is not induced upon activation of CD25− cells. However, when FoxP3 is introduced via retrovirus or via transgene expression, naïve CD4+CD25− T cells are converted to Treg cells (Hori et al., Science 299:1057-1061, 2003). In humans, it has been noted that mutations in FoxP3 lead to a severe lymphoproliferative disorder known as IPEX (immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) syndrome, characterized by lymphoproliferative disease, insulin-dependent diabetes, thyroiditis, eczema and death at an early age (see Wildin et al., J. Med. Genet. 39:537-545, 2002).
Due to their low frequency in peripheral blood, freshly isolated human CD4+CD25+ T cells with suppressive function are difficult to isolate and expand. In the autoimmune NOD mouse model, in which mice are transgenic for a single T cell receptor, one group of investigators has recently isolated naturally occurring antigen-specific Treg cells from mouse spleen and lymph nodes, expanded the cells and demonstrated that transfer of these cells to the diabetic prone NOD mouse can suppress the development of diabetes (Tang et al., J. Exp. Med. 199:1455-1465, 2004, Masteller et al., J. Immunol 175:3053-3059, 2005; Tarbell et al., J. Exp Med 199:1467-1477, 2004). This approach demonstrates the therapeutic benefit of Treg transfer to treat autoimmune disease. However, the approach used in the NOD mouse model is not therapeutically applicable to human subjects, due to the requirement that a large number of rare CD4+CD25+ T cells (approximately 4% of circulating T cells) be isolated from the peripheral blood. Further, this mouse model contains a single fixed T cell receptor (TCR) and does not address the problem of following TCR repertoire evolution or identifying antigen-specific T cells in complex systems where a polyclonal T cell response is present. Similar studies have not been possible in human subjects due to the low frequency of antigen-specific Treg cells circulating in the peripheral blood, especially with respect to autoreactive T cells.
Given the important role CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells play in immune tolerance, there is a need to develop methods for generating, selecting and expanding human antigen-specific regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cells from the peripheral blood of a subject in need thereof for use in the treatment and/or prevention of autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions and for the prevention of graft rejection in a recipient following solid organ or stem cell transplantation.

Methods of generating antigen-specific CD4+CD25+regulatory T cells, compositions and methods of use

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason


A method of producing a hydrogen storage material including the steps of: forming a magnesium-nickel melt having up to 50 wt % nickel; adding up to 2 wt % of a refining element to the melt under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, the refining element having an atomic radius within the range of 1-1.65 times the atomic radius of magnesium, such as at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Na, K, Ba, Ca, Sr, La, Y, Yb, Rb and Cs; and solidifying the melt to produce the hydrogen storage material.

As the world's population expands and economic activity increases, there are ever increasing signs that increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are warming the earth causing climate change. While the eventual depletion of the world's oil and fossil fuel energy sources will inevitably require other economic energy sources to be found, the more noticeable signs of global warming have increased pressures for global energy systems to move away from carbon rich fuels whose combustion produces carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gases.
Hydrogen energy is attracting a great deal of interest and is expected to eventually be a replacement for petroleum based fuels. However, there are still several technical issues and barriers that must be overcome before hydrogen can be adopted as a practical fuel, the main obstacle being the development of a viable hydrogen storage system. While hydrogen can be stored as a compressed gas or a liquid, the former occupies a large volume and the latter is energy intensive to produce, reducing any environmental benefits. In addition, both gaseous and liquid hydrogen are potentially dangerous should the pressure storage vessels be ruptured.
A safer, more compact method of hydrogen storage is to store it within solid materials. When infiltrated with hydrogen at relatively low pressures, metals and inter-metallic compounds can absorb large quantities of hydrogen in a safe, solid form. The stored hydrogen can be released when required by simply heating the alloy. Storage of hydrogen as a solid hydride can provide a greater weight percentage storage than compressed gas. However a desirable hydrogen storage material must have a high storage capacity relative to the weight of the material, a suitable desorption temperature, good kinetics, good reversibility and be of a relatively low cost.
Pure magnesium has sufficient theoretical hydrogen carrying capacity at 7.6 wt %. However the resulting hydride is too stable and the temperature must be increased to 278° C. for the hydrogen to be released. This desorption temperature makes such materials economically unattractive. A lower desorption temperature is desirable to not only reduce the amount of energy required to release the hydrogen but to enable the efficient utilisation of exhaust heat from vehicles to release the hydrogen. Compared to pure magnesium, the compound Mg2Ni has a reduced hydrogen storage capacity of 3.6 wt % but, importantly, the temperature required for hydrogen release is decreased to less than that of pure magnesium. The mechanism of hydrogen storage is believed to involve the formation of (solid) hydride particles, i.e. MgH2 and Mg2NiH4 in the microstructure.
Recently, thixotropic casting techniques followed by partial remelting and quenching have been used [Y.-J. Kim, T.-W. Hong: Materials Transactions 43 (2002) 1741-1747] to produce hypoeutectic Mg—Ni alloys consisting of magnesium rich dendrides surrounded by refined Mg—Mg2Ni eutectic. These alloys absorb large amounts of hydrogen, similar to pure magnesium and display only a single hydrogen absorption plateau in the pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) curve, i.e. not separate plateaus for each phase. It is believed that the nickel and/or Mg2Ni phase acts as a catalyst, improving the kinetics of hydrogen transfer into the magnesium rich solid phases via MgH2 formation.
This realisation has encouraged research [See review by S. Orimo and H. Fuji, Applied Physics A 72 (2001) 167-186] using nano technology and powder metallurgy techniques to produce materials with large internal interfacial areas. These techniques are attractive because they result in large interface areas and they introduce crystallographic defects such as dislocations and twins, which could distribute potential catalysts throughout the microstructure, enabling them to have a widespread influence on the kinetics of the reaction. Unfortunately nano-scale powder metallurgy techniques offer limited control over the crystallographic structure of the phases (ie. interfaces, twins etc), the powder would be highly explosive and would be prohibitively expensive for large-scale mass production of commercial hydrogen storage components. None of the research reported to date considers methods by which higher performance hydrogen storage components can be produced using lower cost processes more applicable to mass production.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a castable MgNi alloy with improved hydrogen storage capabilities.
Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction.


A microelectronic capacitor is formed by nitrating the surface of a conducting electrode on a microelectronic substrate. The nitrated surface of the conductive electrode is then oxidized. The nitrating and oxidizing steps collectively form a film of silicon oxynitride on the conductive electrode. A tantalum pentoxide film is then formed on the oxidized and nitrated surface of the conductive electrode. The tantalum pentoxide film may then be thermally treated in the presence of oxygen gas. High performance microelectronic capacitors are thereby provided.

Microelectronic capacitors are becoming increasingly important in microelectronic devices. For example, microelectronic capacitors are widely used in integrated circuit memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. Moreover, as the integration density of memory devices continues to increase, memory devices having larger per-unit area capacitance are often needed to compensate for the reduced capacitor size. Thus, much research has been performed to obtain larger capacitance in submicron devices.
As is well known to those having skill in the art, a capacitor includes first and second spaced-apart conductive electrodes with a dielectric therebetween. The first conductive electrode is often referred to as a storage electrode and the second conductive electrode is often referred to as a plate electrode.
Efforts have been made to obtain larger capacitance in microelectronic capacitors by increasing the dielectric constant of the dielectric. Many materials have been investigated for their high dielectric constant. For example, tantalum pentoxide (Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5) has been widely used but has produced problems of unacceptably large leakage current in thin films thereof.
FIGS. 1A-1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional microelectronic capacitor including a tantalum pentoxide dielectric during intermediate fabrication steps. As shown in FIG. 1C, a capacitor is formed on a semiconductor substrate 11 and is preferably formed on an interlayer insulation layer 13 on the semiconductor substrate 11. A contact hole 14 in the interlayer insulation layer 13 may be provided. Storage electrode 15 may extend through the contact hole 14 to contact a microelectronic device in the semiconductor substrate 11 (not shown). A nitride film 17 is formed on storage electrode 15 for purposes which will be described below. A dielectric film 19 comprising tantalum pentoxide is then formed on nitride layer 17. A plate electrode 20 is formed on dielectric film 19 to complete the capacitor.
Referring again to FIGS. 1A-1C, a method of fabricating a conventional integrated circuit capacitor will now be described. As shown in FIG. 1A, an insulation material is deposited on a semiconductor substrate 11 having a transistor or other active device (not shown) therein. Then, a contact hole 14 and an interlayer insulation layer 13 are formed, for example, by etching the insulation material to expose the face of the semiconductor substrate 11. For example, the source region of a transistor (not shown) may be exposed. A conductive material is then deposited on the interlayer insulation layer 13. The conductive material fills the contact hole 14. The conductive material is then etched to form the storage electrode 15 over the contact hole 14. The conductive material may include for example silicon, polysilicon, amorphous silicon, and/or other conventional conductive materials.
Referring now to FIG. 1B, a silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) film 17, also referred to herein as a nitride film, is formed on the storage electrode 15. The nitride film 17 acts as an oxygen barrier. The nitride film 17 may be formed by nitrating the surface of the storage electrode 15 using ammonia. As is well known, the purpose of the nitride film 17 is to reduce, and preferably prevent, the growth of an oxide film between the storage electrode 15 and the dielectric film which is subsequently formed.
Referring now to FIG. 1C, a dielectric film 19 is formed. Dielectric film 19 is preferably tantalum pentoxide. The semiconductor substrate 11, including the dielectric film 19 is then thermally treated using dry oxygen (O.sub.2). The dry O.sub.2 treatment reduces or prevents leakage current from increasing due to oxygen vacancies in the dielectric film 19. The dry O.sub.2 treatment is preferably performed at 800.degree. C. for 30 minutes. A plate electrode 20 is then formed on tantalum pentoxide film 19 using conventional methods.
Unfortunately, it has been found that an ammonia (NH.sub.3) radical is produced on the surface of the nitride film 17 which may cause damage to the dielectric film 19 and thereby increase the leakage current. Moreover, since the thickness of the dielectric film 19 and the nitride film 17 generally determine the capacitance of the capacitor, the nitride film 17 should be thin. Accordingly, limitations on the thickness of the nitride film 17 may prevent the complete suppression of the growth of the oxide film between the storage electrode 15 and the dielectric film 19. This oxide film therefore increases the thickness of the dielectric film 19 and may reduce the overall capacitance of the capacitor.

Microelectronic capacitors having tantalum pentoxide dielectrics and oxygen barriers


The apparatus is a gyratory crusher in which all the wear parts can be removed and replaced from the top of the crusher, thus eliminating the need to remove large, heavy parts from below the crusher. This is accomplished by constructing the crusher so that the eccentric and the piston assembly can be lifted up and out sequentially. The piston assembly then includes all the wear parts within the lowest assembly, the hydraulic support, so that those parts can be replaced without access to the underside of the crusher. If necessary, the hydraulic support within which the piston assembly is held can also be removed from above the crusher.

This invention deals generally with gyratory crushers, and more specifically with a gyratory crusher for which all regular service and parts replacement can be accomplished from above the crusher.
Gyratory crushers are well established machines that are used for crushing rocks, ore, and other materials. They are very large and their basic structure comprises a bowl shaped as a cone with the wider end of the cone near the top of the crusher. A conical head assembly is located on the axis of the bowl, and the head assembly is oriented so that its smaller dimension is at the top of the crusher. To perform the crushing action, independent motions are applied to the conical head assembly. The first is rotation and the second is gyration.
In the typical gyratory crusher, large material is fed into the top between the large opening of the bowl and the small end of the head assembly where the volume is largest. The gyration of the head assembly is furnished by an eccentric drive, the rotation is driven by a gear, and vertical support and minor vertical adjustment is furnished by a hydraulic support. All these parts are located at the bottom of the crusher at the bottom of the conical head assembly. The combination of the rotation and the gyration applies forces that crush the pieces of material, and they fall lower into the reduced space within the bowl as they are reduced in size. Ultimately the material leaves the crusher through openings at the bottom of the crusher.
The hydraulic support assemblies on most gyratory crushers are large, heavy hydraulic cylindrical casings with robust bronze bushings, and they are located below the head assembly and the eccentric and gear drives. To service the wear parts of such a hydraulic support, it needs to be removed from the crusher, and to do this the assembly must be unbolted from the crusher frame and lowered onto a cart or other device which can move it out from beneath the crusher. This procedure is dangerous and time consuming because it requires personnel to be beneath the crusher to guide the movement of the hydraulic support while the crusher and the hydraulic support are being supported. Working below the crusher can expose personnel to hazards such as a poor visibility, poor communication, falls and tripping, high dust exposure, and rock falls.
It would be very beneficial to have a gyratory crusher that did not require access below the machine for scheduled and emergency service of the hydraulic support assembly and for removal of the eccentric drive, and other equipment.


The present invention provides a structure of a liquid crystal module, which includes a backlight module, a mold frame mounted on the backlight module, a liquid crystal display panel mounted on the mold frame, an adaptor mounted to the backlight module, and a bezel mounted on the adaptor. The adaptor includes a connection board and a positioning board perpendicularly connected to the connection board. The connection board is mounted to the backlight module. The liquid crystal display panel is positioned against the positioning board. The bezel is fixedly connected to the positioning board. Through the arrangement of the adaptor for positioning the liquid crystal display panel, the distance between an edge of an opening of the bezel that is mounted to the adaptor and an edge of a black matrix of the liquid crystal display panel can be kept constant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal display, and more particular to a structure of a liquid crystal module.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal display (LCD) has a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and is thus widely used. Most of the LCDs that are currently available in the market are backlighting LCDs, which comprise an enclosure, a liquid crystal panel arranged in the enclosure, and a backlight module that is arranged in the enclosure. The operation principle of the liquid crystal panel is that with liquid crystal molecules being interposed between two parallel glass substrates, application of electricity is selectively carried out to control the liquid crystal molecules to change direction in order to refract out light emitting from the backlight module for generating images. Since the liquid crystal panel itself does not emit light, light must be provided by the backlight module in order to normally display images. Thus, the backlight module is one of the key components of an LCD. The backlight module can be classified in two types, namely a side-edge backlight module and a direct backlight module, according to the position where light gets incident. The direct backlight module comprises a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light-emitting diode (LED), which is arranged at the backside of the liquid crystal panel to form a planar light source that directly provides lighting to the liquid crystal panel. The side-edge backlight module comprises an LED light bar, serving as a backlight source, which is arranged at an edge of a backplane to be located rearward of one side of the liquid crystal panel. The LED light bar emits light that enters a light guide plate (LGP) through a light incident face at one side of the light guide plate and is projected out of a light emergence face of the light guide plate, after being reflected and diffused, to pass through an optic film assembly to form a planar light source for the liquid crystal panel.
Referring to FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display module generally comprises a backlight module 100, a mold frame 300 arranged on the backlight module 100, a liquid crystal display panel 500 arranged on the mold frame 300, and a bezel 700 arranged on the liquid crystal display panel 500. The backlight module 100 comprises: a backplane 110, a backlight source 130 arranged in the backplane 110, a reflector plate 150 arranged in the backplane 110, a light guide plate 170 arranged on the reflector plate 150, and an optic film assembly 190 arranged on the light guide plate 170. The mold frame 300 carries and supports the liquid crystal display panel 500. The bezel 700 is secured to the backplane 110 of the backlight module 100 to form a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display panel 500 that is conventionally used (as shown in FIG. 2) comprises a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate 502, a color filter (CF) substrate 504 that is arranged opposite to and bonded the TFT substrate 502, and liquid crystal (not shown) arranged between the TFT substrate 502 and the CF substrate 504. A black matrix (BM) 508 is arranged along an outer circumference of a displaying zone of the TFT substrate 502. In assembling a liquid crystal display with the conventionally known structure of the liquid crystal module, the liquid crystal display panel 500 is assembled to the backlight module 100 (as shown in FIG. 3). Due to the factor of assembling tolerance, the liquid crystal display panel 500 may be shifted leftward or rightward, or upward or downward, with respect to the backlight module 100. After the bezel 700 is set, the width of the portion of the black matrix 508 of the liquid crystal display panel 500 that is exposed in the opening of the bezel 700 may be inconsistent due to the liquid crystal display panel 500 being shifted, causing an influence on the performance of the displaying zone of the liquid crystal display device.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A display device is assembled so that access to the main PCB assembly is simplified. The rear housing covers the assembly; and once removed only the top shield has to be removed to expose the top of the main PCB assembly. After the top is removed the stand and bottom bracket can be easily removed, to gain access to the bottom of the main PCB assembly. This display device allows for the testing, repairing, and replacing of individual components of the main PCB without having to remove any of the side PCB assemblies. This allows repairs to be made in less time, at a lower cost, and increases the market competitiveness of the display device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and, more specifically, to a display device that simplifies the repair or the replacement of individual components of the main printed circuit board.
2. Background Art
A display device is generally constructed using a stand, a front housing, and a rear housing. The housings contain a cathode ray tube (CRT) and a printed circuit board (PCB). The increasing performance demands for display devices, resulting from widespread use of multi-media applications, has led to the development of various techniques to increase the overall quality of display devices. One method of enhancing monitor performance has been to supplement the main printed circuit board with additional side mounted printed circuit boards. This has resulted in display devices becoming bulkier and heavier while the internal components of the display devices have become even more intricate. Research targeted at improving the assembly and design of monitors is shown, by way of example, in: U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,640 to Latasiewicz entitled Display Mounting Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,274 to Mac Donald entitled Readout and Circuit Board with Test Access, U.S. Pat. No. 5, 122,928 to Lo entitled Monitor Housing, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,545 to Wang entitled Monitor Shell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,629, to Korinsky entitled Electronics Chassis and Method of Manufacture Therefor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,974 to Ohkoshi entitled Display Tube Assembly and Mounting Process Thereof and U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,240 to Rodeffer entitled Self-Locking Housing Including Tabs that Bear Against the Sides of the Printed Circuit Board.
I have observed that the trend of increasing the size of display devices while using the intricate components necessary to increase performance has increased the difficulty of making repairs. The increasing difficulty is largely due to the increasing effort and care necessary to disassemble a monitor. This is especially true when the main printed circuit board must be tested or repaired. The main printed circuit board is typically located in the bottommost interior portion of the display device. Thus, to access the main PCB, one has to remove the rear housing, the side-mounted PCB assemblies, and the shields or guards that are also built into some display devices, and the multi-bracketed frame or stand assembly must be disassembled prior to removing the main PCB. Only after removing the main PCB can the board be turned over and the bottom soldered to repair and replace individual circuit components. I expect that a display device that simplified access to the main PCB would reduce the time necessary to make repairs, lower the cost of repairs, and increase the market competitiveness of the display devices.


One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of ultrasonography, utilizing a gel comprising a reverse phase polymer which facilitates the transmission of high-frequency sound waves. Further, the inherent properties of the reverse phase polymer result in increased adhesion at higher temperatures, thereby helping to maintain the desired position of the ultrasound probe until the user intends to adjust the probe's position. In certain embodiments, the method is utilized in a medical procedure in which stability of an ultrasound probe or transducer in an intended desired position can improve the outcome or increase the efficiency of the procedure. In certain embodiments, the gel further comprises an additive to increase the ultimate adhesion of the gel. In still other embodiments, the gel can be used on the skin, on a protective sheath encasing an ultrasound probe, or between the sheath and the probe, or any or all of them.

Ultrasonography
Ultrasonography, also known as sonography, is a technique used in medical imaging in which high-frequency sound waves (typically between 1 and 20 MHz) are reflected off internal organs and the echo pattern is converted into a picture of the structures beneath the transducer. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.
Ultrasound examinations can help to diagnose a variety of conditions and to assess organ damage following illness. Ultrasound is used to help physicians diagnose symptoms such as pain, swelling and infection. Ultrasound is a useful way of examining many of the body's internal organs and conditions, including but not limited to the: heart and blood vessels, including the abdominal aorta and its major branches (for example, for abdominal aortic aneurism); liver; gallbladder; spleen; pancreas; kidneys; bladder; uterus, ovaries, and unborn child (fetus) in pregnant patients; ectopic pregnancy; eyes; thyroid and parathyroid glands; scrotum (testicles); and breast. Ultrasound is also used to diagnose a variety of heart conditions and to assess damage after a heart attack or other illness.
In addition, ultrasound is increasingly used to guide medical procedures such as those involving needle puncture. Examples include, but are not limited to; needle delivery of anesthesia; placement of central venous catheters; placement of pulmonary artery catheters; needle biopsy and fine needle aspiration; amniocentesis; femoral catheter placement; and, egg harvesting. In these and other applications, a sterile coupling gel is often used. The ultrasound transducing surface is coated with a sterile or non-sterile gel, and then the transducer may be placed in a sterile fragile sheath. The outer surface of the sheath, or the surface of the patient's skin, is then coated with sterile ultrasound gel.
Conventional methods for targeted delivery of local anesthesia have been utilized with varying success for decades. A traditional method includes assessing needle location using the tactile feedback (clicks, pops) that the needle generates as it penetrates tissue adjacent to the desired nerve site. Another method attempts to correctly locate the anesthesia needle using paresthesia, the abnormal neurological sensations that results when the needle touches the intended nerve.
A slightly more advanced method to guide anesthesia delivery which has largely supplanted the older methods of clicks, pops or paresthesia is that of nerve stimulation. In this method, an insulated needle is attached to an electrically charged live wire. As the needle approaches the nerve, the patient will experience an involuntary movement caused by the electrically charged needle stimulating the desired nerve once it is sufficiently close to the nerve.
In addition to being unreliable in correctly identifying the nerve, these conventional procedures are fairly slow and can be unsafe to the patient due to the need for multiple and/or incorrectly placed injections. Ultrasound guided delivery of anesthesia provides a more effective, safer and faster alternative to these conventional approaches.
Central venous catheter line placement has also been traditionally executed using a 'feel' approach. Certain anatomical landmarks such as bones are used to identify the location of the jugular vein. However, obesity, vascular disease, hypotension, and many other factors can create a unique set of challenges in correctly identifying the location for even the most experienced healthcare provider. The American College of Emergency Physicians has recognized the importance of this skill by including it in the 2001 policy statement "Use of Ultrasound Imaging by Emergency Physicians" (Ann. Emerg. Med. 2001; 38:469-70), which calls ultrasound-guided central venous access one of the "primary applications for emergency ultrasound."
In performing needle biopsy, such as breast biopsy, ultrasound guidance has proven quite valuable. After placing an ultrasound probe over the site of the breast lump and using local anesthesia, the radiologist guides a biopsy needle directly into the mass. Tissue specimens are then taken using either an automatic spring-loaded or vacuum-assisted device (VAD). Ultrasound is most often used to guide breast biopsy when a breast abnormality is visible on ultrasound. When it is necessary to do an open surgical biopsy, a guide wire first is passed directly into the mass. This procedure also may be guided by ultrasound.
Other broad applications of sonography include phonophoresis and wound healing. Phonophoresis (also known as sonophoresis or ultrasonophoresis) is the movement of a medication or other substance through the skin by the application of sonic radiation to the medicament placed upon the skin. In wound healing, ultrasound plays a role because it has been well established that ultrasound by itself can speed up the healing process in open wounds.
More recently, the use of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for therapeutic purposes, as opposed to imaging, has received significant attention in the medical community. HIFU therapy employs ultrasound transducers that are capable of delivering 1,000-10,000 W/cm2 to a focal spot, in contrast to diagnostic imaging ultrasound, where intensity levels are usually below 0.1 W/cm2. A portion of the energy from these high intensity sound waves is transferred to the targeted location as thermal energy. The amount of thermal energy thus transferred can be sufficiently intense to cauterize undesired tissue, or to cause necrosis of undesired tissue (by inducing a temperature rise to beyond 70° C.) without actual physical charring of the tissue. Tissue necrosis can also be achieved by mechanical action alone (i.e., by cavitation that results in mechanical disruption of the tissue structure). Further, where the vascular system supplying blood to an internal structure is targeted, HIFU can be used to induce hemostasis. The focal region of this energy transfer can be tightly controlled so as to obtain necrosis of abnormal or undesired tissue in a small target area without damaging adjoining normal tissue. Thus, deep-seated tumors can be destroyed with HIFU without surgical exposure of the tumor site.
Ultrasound Coupling Gels
Sound waves are poorly transmitted by air and thus require a coupling mechanism for proper transmission. This coupling mechanism is commonly a viscous fluid or gel which, due to its physical and acoustic properties, acts to displace air, fill contours between the piezoelectric transducer and the body, and enable successful transfer of the acoustic energy. Many ultrasound coupling gels exist in the market place in both sterile and non-sterile forms. Sterile ultrasound gels include Sterile Aquasonic® 100 (Parker Labs, Inc., Orange, N.J., 07050), Ultra/Phonic™ (Pharmaceutical Innovations, Newark, N.J.), UltraBio Sterile (Sonotech, Bellingham, Wash., 98225) and Sonogel-Sterile (Sonogel Vertriebs GmbH, D-65520 Bad Camberg). Sterile ultrasound gels are typically provided in single-use individually wrapped sterile foil pouches of 20 g each. The UltraBio product (U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,630 to Larson et al.) describes an in vivo biocompatible, bioeliminating sterile diagnostic ultrasound imaging couplant and lubricant.
Some ultrasound applications, for example fetal ultrasound, desire the ability to continuously move and reposition the ultrasound probe in order to gain multiple images at multiple angles of multiple sites. Other ultrasound applications, such as but not limited to the ultrasound guided procedures described above, desire the ability to move the ultrasound transducer until an optimal position is located, and then desire the probe to remain stable in this position until the user intentionally adjusts the position of the probe. In these applications, the ultrasound probe is commonly held in one hand of the caregiver while the procedure requiring guidance is performed with the other hand. Current ultrasound coupling gels generally exhibit a slippery or low friction state and thus leave the probe susceptible to unwanted movement, potentially leading to loss of visualization of the target site, the need to relocate the site, misguided or repeat punctures and an overall decrease in safety, effectiveness and procedure efficiency.
Efforts to utilize adhesive or bioadhesive coupling agents have been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,878 to Montecalvo et al. describes a solid, multipurpose, flexible, ultrasonic, biomedical couplant hydrogel in sheet form to facilitate transfer of ultrasound energy to and from a patient. Also described is a method of attaching the sheet to skin to hold the couplant gel in place during an exam, which constitutes a band of pressure sensitive adhesive bonded to plastic foam, such as foamed rubber, that is located along the outer perimeter of the sheet. The hydrogel sheet described is not adhesive in and of itself, but depends on sufficient perspiration to make the gel somewhat tacky. The adhesive border, so described, is not acoustic self-coupling, therefore restricting ultrasound scanning to areas exclusive of those covered with adhesive covered foam. The level of adhesion of the hydrogel sheet is fixed and the tacky surface is only between the skin and the sheet. It is meant to cling to the skin while the transducer moves freely on top of it. It is not intended to aid in the maintenance of the probe's final position, but rather to improve ease of handling by being easily applied to and removed from the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,699 to Smith describes adhesive hydrogel films or sheets as acoustic coupling media attachable to the active face (transducer) of ultrasound instruments (such as probes or scanheads) and to the inner face of latex, polyurethane or other polymeric probe covers; thereby, enabling the transfer of acoustic energy between an ultrasound probe and an object of interest when used in conjunction with a gel or liquid ultrasound couplant on the skin surface. The adhesive hydrogel comprises acoustic transmission media and is adhesive on both sides of the film. Such adhesive hydrogels films are so comprised as to render desirable levels of acoustic transmission with acceptable low levels of acoustic artifacts, distortion and attenuation. The invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,699 allows for an adhesion between the probe surface and the inner face of a probe cover. The invention does not aid in the effort of helping to secure or fix the probe in an intended desired position. Nor does the invention describe a gel which varies in adhesion and viscosity over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,877 to Orr et al. describes a contact medium structure attachable to externally applied medical diagnostic devices for providing self-adherence of a medical device to the skin of a patient thereby eliminating the need for retaining belts or similar means. A contact medium is described that is inherently adhesive, hydrophilic, skin compatible, ultrasonic compatible and pressure sensitive to facilitate self-adhesion of the medical device to the patient's skin. The device of Orr et al. necessitates the use of a flexible support element which must be manually set in place to fix the ultrasound probe in its desired position. The inherently adhesive contact medium has a fixed adhesion. It does not allow for easy positioning of the transducer followed by a natural and automatic inherent increase in adhesion and viscosity to assist in holding the transducer in the desired position. Because the invention utilizes the flexible support element which holds a mesh-reinforced hydrogel film in place, it is not conducive to ultrasound guided procedures such as needle guided procedures as previously discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,888 to Hon et al. details the use of a strong adhesive on the abdomen of a patient that forms a solid bond with the skin in order to secure the transducer to the patient. U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,966 to Hon et al. describes an adhesive layer applied to the surface of a disc-shaped transducer base in contact with the skin. Such an adhesive in these patents is sufficiently strong to maintain the transducer in place on the patient without the use of a belt. However, such a system is difficult to remove because the adhesive would bond to the skin of the patient and require the use of solvents for the removal of the transducer from the patient. The inherently adhesive contact medium has a fixed adhesion. It does not allow for easy positioning of the transducer followed by a natural and automatic inherent increase in adhesion and viscosity to assist in holding the transducer in the desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,323 to Hon et al. describes the use of a hydrogel layer present on the lower surface of a fastening pads for attachment to the patient. The hydrogel is a mild adhesive which is sufficiently strong to provide the necessary fixation forces to fix the transducer support plate on the patient, but does not form a strong bond with the skin of the patient. The hydrogel is easily removed from the skin of the patient without the use of solvents. This hydrogel requires the use of an additional fastening pad, and does not experience the increase in adhesion over time that first allows positioning before aiding in anchoring the transducer in the desired position. It is also not suitable for guided injection procedures due to the use of the fastening pad.
In light of the aforementioned problems with current techniques, it would be advantageous to have an ultrasound coupling gel which initially allows for easy movement and positioning of the ultrasound transducer, and then inherently increases in viscosity and adhesion over time, assisting in fixing the probe to the skin in the desired position, all the while providing for consistent contact with the patient's skin to allow for proper transmission of the wave signal. Additionally, it would be advantageous to have the aforementioned product which allows for unimpeded ultrasound guided procedures such as needle injection, and the ability to intentionally remove or reposition the transducer if desired even after ultimate adhesion has been achieved.

Ultrasonography using time- and temperature-sensitive variable adhesion coupling gels


The invention relates to a control device (10) for at least one electromechanical brake booster of a brake system of a vehicle having an electronics device (32) that is designed to compare a provided sensor signal (38) relating to a differential path (d) between a valve body (12), displaced by a controlled motor, of the electromechanical brake booster and an input rod (14) of the brake system with a specified normal value range, such that, if the sensor signal (38) relating to the differential path (d) lies outside the specified normal value range, the electronics device (32) is in addition designed to define a maximum limit value for a target quantity relating to a target motor torque to be carried out by the motor, at least taking into account the sensor signal (38), in such a way that, at least during a specified time interval after the defining of the maximum limit value, at most an actual motor torque corresponding to the defined maximum limit value can be carried out by the controlled motor. The present invention also relates to an electromechanical brake booster for a brake system of a vehicle, to a brake system for a vehicle, and to a method for operating an electromechanical brake booster of a brake system of a vehicle.

In DE 10 2014 211 551 A1, an electromechanical brake booster and a method for operating an electromechanical brake booster are described. The electromechanical brake booster has a valve body that can be displaced by its motor and has an input rod, such that the valve body, displaced in a braking direction in a displacement movement, can be displaced up to a differential path that is equal to a limit differential path relative to the input rod, and the input rod is subsequently capable of being displaced in a co-displacement movement in the braking direction. However, if a retaining force that is above a specified threshold value counteracts the co-displacement movement of the input rod in the braking direction, then at least one buffer element situated on the input rod and/or on the valve body is deformed in such a way that the differential path is increased above the braking differential path. As soon as the differential path exceeds the braking differential path, the operation of the motor of the electromechanical brake booster is interrupted for at least a specified time interval.

Control device and method for operating an electromechanical brake booster


A printed circuit board includes a signal layer and a voltage source layer. The signal layer includes a connecting area. The voltage source layer includes an isolation area corresponding to the connecting area. The isolation area is used for preventing interference caused by a pulsing current in the connecting area from affecting the voltage source layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board having an isolation area for reducing signal interference between two layers.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as PCB) 10 includes a signal layer 11, a voltage source layer 12, and a ground layer 13, as shown in FIG. 3. The signal layer 11 is used as a layout for signal lines. A connecting area 112 is provided on the signal layer 11. A switch element 111 is positioned in the connecting area 112. The voltage source layer 12 is divided into a plurality of voltage areas 121, 122, 123 according to different voltage values. The connecting area 112 is positioned entirely in the voltage area 122.
The switch element 111 turns on and off periodically when receiving pulse signals, enabling current flowing through the connecting area 112 to be a pulsing current. However, the voltage in the area 122 of the voltage source layer 12 becomes unstable because of an interference caused by the pulsing current flow in the connecting area 112.
Therefore, a PCB having an isolation area for reducing signal interference is desired to overcome the above described deficiency.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


Liquid laundry detergent compositions including a Diallyldialkylammonium Chloride (DADMAC) Acrylamide co-polymer, and a surfactant system comprising at least one non-ionic surfactant (NI) and at least one linear alkylbenzene sulfonate anionic surfactant (LAS) where the composition has a turbidity of about 50 NTUs or less. The NI is at least about 30 percent by weight of the surfactant system and the LAS is less than about 40 percent by weight of the surfactant system. The surfactant system can also include alcohol ethoxysulfate (AES).

Many consumers have adopted the use of fabric softeners as part of their laundry procedure. Fabric softeners can provide superior garment appearance; excellent tactile characteristics, such as fabric feel and softness; fabric softness; reduction, removal or prevention of creases or wrinkles in garments; ease of ironing; garment shape retention and/or shape recovery; and fabric elasticity.
Typical softeners are often cationically charged polymers which do not interact well with common detergent compositions comprising anionic surfactants. Nevertheless, various "2-in-1 detergent compositions" that provide both cleaning and fabric softening benefits have been introduced to the market with varying success. Some of the known 2-in-1 detergent products have a cloudy appearance apparently caused by insoluble light-scattering materials. In some products, the cloudiness is so pronounced that the product has a light transmittance of less than 50%.
Commonly used surfactants include mixtures of non-ionic alcohol ethoxylates and anionic surfactants selected from linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acids, neutralized fatty acids, secondary alkane sulfonates, and alcohol ethoxy sulfates. Many commercially popular detergents contain a cocktail of these surfactants to achieve cleaning results.
Diallyldialkylammonium Chloride (DADMAC) polymers are utilized in many commercial fabric softener products. DADMAC polymers present similar formulation challenges as other cationic polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,263,544 reports that when DADMAC polymers are incorporated in liquid laundry detergent, they produce two-phased opaque products. The patent suggests that a stable detergent composition having softener can be made where the detergent comprises (a) from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a benefit agent, wherein said benefit agent is a perfume microencapsulate; (b) from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a non-polysaccharide based deposition polymer, the deposition polymer comprising one or more cationic monomeric units and one or more non-ionic monomeric units; (c) from about 1 to about 25% by weight of the composition of a detersive surfactant; (d) from about 0.0001 to about 20% by weight of the composition of a laundry adjunct; and (e) a cellulase enzyme; and (f) the balance a carrier comprising water. However, many consumers desire "free and clear" laundry products that do not contain perfumes and other adjuncts that can irritate sensitive skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,949,498 discloses laundry compositions containing mixtures of one or more anionic surfactants and one or more cationic polymers that deliver an unexpectedly high level of conditioning to fabrics and which are substantially transparent for aesthetic reasons. Preferably, the compositions yield softening parameters of greater than 40, with Polymer JR 30M being the exemplified cationic softening agent. The preferred ratio of cationic polymertotal surfactant is less than about 1:4, whereas the preferred ratio of cationic polymer:anionic surfactant will be less than about 1:5, and the preferred ratio of cationic polymer:non-ionic surfactant will be less than about 1:5.
The inventor has found that when DADMAC Acrylamide co-polymer was added to existing commercially transparent and perfume free detergent formulations containing a mixture of non-ionic and anionic surfactant, the detergent compositions became cloudy, indicating instability, especially when the detergent compositions contained greater than about 16% water. It is possible that the cloudiness is a consequence of turbidity associated with the precipitation of anion-cation complexes arising from the interaction of the cationic polymer with anionic surfactants. The cloudiness associated with such precipitation is undesirable as a consumer may be misled by the cloudiness as to the quality of the product. For example, a consumer may consider a product which turns cloudy during the course of usage to be of poor quality. A consumer may even conclude that the product has gone bad and may dispose of still-usable product.
There remains a need for laundry detergent compositions having fabric softening effects, which are transparent and free of perfumes. In particular, there remains a need for laundry detergent compositions which are stable and provide superior cleaning and fabric care benefits. Moreover, it is desirable that such laundry detergent compositions have greater than about 20% water. There is particularly a desire for a detergent comprising DADMAC Acrylamide Co-polymer, where the composition is stable and has a clear appearance.

Surfactant compositions for improved transparency of DADMAC-acrylamide co-polymers


A bearing system in a refiner for making pulp, where the raw material is refined in a refining gap between at least one pair of refining members (22, 24) rotating relative to one another, where at least one of said refining members (24) is supported by an axially movable and rotary shaft (26 ). The bearing system comprises a combined hydrostatic/hydrodynamic axial bearing arrangement and consists of a cylindric housing (32) with at least one rotary cylindric piston (30), which is mounted on the rotary shaft (26) for rotating together with the same. At least one outer and one inner concentric ring cylinder (200, 202 and, respectively, 210, 212) are arranged to abut one of the end surfaces of the rotary piston (30), so that a sealing gap is formed. The inner and the outer ring cylinder are axially movable but not rotary and are supported by a stationary ring piston (29 and, respectively, 33) located between said ring cylinders, and the area of the cavity (213 and, respectively, 214) formed between the inner and the outer ring cylinder is greater toward the ring piston (29 and, respectively, 33) than toward the end surface of the rotary piston (30). Channels (246 and, respectively, 248) are provided for supplying said cavity with a hydraulic pressure medium.

In connection with refiners or grinders which have relatively rotatable refining members defining a refining gap, during passage of the raw material or pulp through that gap, considerable axial forces are produced which act against the refining members which have been set at desired refining gap distances therebetween. This invention thus precisely relates to a refiner of the rotating disc type for refining papermaking pulp and the like in which the raw material which is to be refined or treated in some way is passed through such a refining gap defined by a pair of axially adjustable refining discs rotating relative to each other. These refining discs thus rotate relative to each other in a plane which is perpendicular to the shafts associated therewith. Thus, at least one of the refining discs is axially adjustable and mounted on a rotary shaft, which, in turn, in response to the pressure acting on the disc itself, is axially movable with the adjustable refining disc. The pulp or raw material itself can be wooden chips, bagasse, fiber suspensions or similar-type materials which are fed to the central portion of the refining gap, through which this material is radially accelerated by the action of centrifugal force generated by rotation of the discs themselves. The thus-processed material is then discharged after the refining operation through a peripheral opening between the discs into a surrounding casing.
Axial movement of the rotary shaft must be controlled in order to maintain the predetermined refining gap between the refining discs. The size of the gap varies depending upon the intended use of the refiner. In conventional pulp refiners, for example, the gap normally has a dimension of between about 0.1 and 1 mm, while in refiners for waste paper the gap size can be as large as about 2.5 min. In connection with other applications, the refining gap may be as small as about 0.05 mm. Pulp refiners of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,233; 4,253,233; 4,283,016; 4,378,092; and 4,801,099.
The rapid acceleration of material through the narrow refining gap creates axial pressure forces, which tend to separate the refining discs from each other, thereby widening the refining gap, as a result of which the efficiency of the refiner can be seriously deteriorated.
When the refiners or grinders are part of a closed or pressurized system, for example, where they are used in the treatment of a liquid slurry, additional forces must be supplied to the drive mechanism which are greater than the axial pressure forces acting upon the discs. This additional force is required not only to drive the discs in order to obtain the desired refining or grinding, but also to drive the discs against the liquid friction or hydraulic brake forces acting on the discs, so that additional axial load variations on the rotary shaft are obtained.
When the effect of these forces on the axial position of the rotary shaft are not effectively controlled, the refiner will break down. Furthermore, the resistance against these pressure forces increases substantially with increasing diameter of the discs.
Because of the increasing demand of refining systems having high capacities, which thus require large diameter refining discs, for example of the magnitude of 150 cm or greater, the absorption of these axial pressure forces has become a widely recognized problem.
Newly developed refiners have a disc diameter of between about 165 and 170 cm, a rotational speed of between about 1500 and 3600 rpm, and a power of between about 15,000 and 50,000 kW.
In order to better appreciate the enormous axial loads or pressure forces which are acting on the rotating shaft, one can imagine that a disc with a diameter of 150 cm rotating at 1,800 rpm develops a centrifugal force corresponding to about 2,800 g, which force then accelerates the material through the refining gap. This centrifugal force can apply an axial load of about 100 tons to the shaft itself, which load must therefore be taken up by the bearing structure. At a refining disc speed which is twice as high, i.e., of 3,600 rpm, the centrifugal force increases by a factor of four, according to Newton's law of force and motion. The centrifugal force thus increases to about 11,200 g, in which case the axial load on the rotating shaft can increase to about 200 to 400 tons. In connection with present bearing designs, such abnormally high axial loads must be distributed by use of a complicated bearing system, which requires a plurality of bearings and servomotors, with a resulting increase in the dimensions, as well as in the manufacturing costs of the refiner.
One example of a bearing structure of the aforesaid type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,308, which discloses a bearing system with combined axial and radial bearings supporting the rotating shaft. Each of these bearings is coupled to a servomotor for taking up the axial pressure forces acting on the rotating shaft. Other examples of such bearing designs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,118,800; 3,212,721; 4,073,422; and 3,276,701. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,463 proposes yet another solution of the aforesaid problems.
The common feature of the state of art as set forth in the patents referred to above is that the hydraulic pistons in the servomotors for thrust bearings are non-rotary. U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,099 (Reinhall), however, proposes the use of one or more hydraulic rotational pistons, which are rigidly connected to the rotary shaft, and which entirely replace present systems with expensive and complicated axial, roller and/or block bearing systems. The bearing system utilizing rotating pistons according to Reinhall comprises one or more cylinder pistons mounted on the rotary shaft for rotating along with the shaft in a pressure chamber, which is formed in a stationary cylindrical housing, in which the piston(s) can be axially displaced. In this patent the axial piston displacement takes place by means of a pressure medium, which is supplied to at least one end of the piston(s) in a controlled manner, in order to continuously counteract the varying axial pressure forces acting on the movable rotary shaft, and in order to maintain the predetermined size of the refining gap.
This system, however, requires a plurality of sealing devices located at the inlets of the rotary shaft in the stationary cylindrical pressure housing as well as between the circumference of the rotating piston and the cylinder housing for its operation. These circumferential sealing devices are exposed to the vibrations of the rotating shaft which are caused by the bias of the refining elements and/or by the non-uniform distribution of the material over the surface of the refining elements. In order to prevent breakdowns, it is therefore necessary to maintain relatively large radial gaps at these sealing surfaces. The size of these gaps must therefore exceed the magnitude of the maximum radial vibrations. As a result, substantial amounts of the pressure medium supplied to the piston housing are lost as leakage through the radial sealing gaps. Furthermore, at the necessarily high relative hydraulic pressures of from about 100 to 400 bar, considerable energy and large, expensive pump installations are required.


A printing apparatus determines whether to execute reservation printing with respect to a print job according to a print job type or a protocol used to transfer the print job. Accordingly, even when the printing apparatus receives a print job that is not designated for the reservation printing, the printing apparatus can perform reservation printing or printing without reserving the print job depending on the print job.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reservation printing in which a print job is received and printing is performed based on the print job after a print instruction of the print job is received.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-223891 receives a print job from an external device, and reserves the print job until a print execution instruction is input on an operation panel. After a user inputs the print execution instruction on the operation panel, the printing apparatus executes printing based on the print job. In such a printing apparatus, the user can designate color printing or change the number of copies by using the operation panel after the print job is reserved.
There are two types of printing systems, a first printing system and a second printing system. In the first printing system, a printer driver installed in an external device such as a personal computer (PC) generates a print job, and transmits the print job to a printing apparatus. In the second printing system, an external device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal instructs a print service to print a file. The print service generates a print job according to the instruction, and transmits the print job to a printing apparatus. The second printing system enables various files to be printed without a printer driver in the external device.
Although the second printing system enables the printing to be performed without a printer driver, there is a case where the print service cannot designate a print setting that can be designated by the printer driver. In such a case, the user cannot use the print setting, which can be designated by the printer driver. Consequently, the printing cannot be performed according to the print setting originally intended by the user.
The conventional printing apparatus has dealt with such a problem by awaiting designation of the print setting, which cannot be designated by the print service, from the user through the operation panel while reserving the print job issued by the print service. This enables the user to use the print setting, which cannot be designated by the print service, thereby enhancing user-friendliness.
In the conventional printing apparatus, however, when a function of reserving a print job (hereinafter referred to as reservation printing) is in operation, all of print jobs are reserved. Consequently, a print job of a user who does not intend to use the reservation printing is also reserved.
In some instances, a printer driver may designate reservation printing. However, when the printing apparatus reserves the print job only designated for reservation printing, the print job issued by the print service cannot be reserved. That is, the printing apparatus can reserve either all the print jobs or the print job only designated for reservation printing.

Printing apparatus, printing control method, and storage medium for reservation printing