In a system for detecting imminent or occurring rollovers in a vehicle having at least one rollover sensor for detecting a vehicle rollover and for emitting a corresponding signal, at least one rotational wheel speed sensor is provided which emits a signal corresponding to the respective rotational wheel speed to a control unit which is indirectly or directly connected with the at least one rollover sensor. The control unit is constructed such that a triggering signal can be generated for a safety system on the basis of the rollover signal, taking into account the at least one rotational wheel speed signal.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 100 00 550.0, filed Jan. 8, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a system for detecting imminent or occurring vehicle rollovers.
Various methods and systems are known for detecting vehicle rollovers. Most known methods are based on the analysis of different sensors, which directly indicate the rollover, such as rotation rate and acceleration sensors. As a rule, these sensors are arranged in a common housing and are analyzed by a common microprocessor, which processes the detected measured values and emits information obtained therefrom concerning an imminent or occurring rollover to an air bag control unit. The latter, in turn, triggers the corresponding safety systems, such as side air bags, frontal air bags and head air bags or belt tightening devices.
The disadvantage of known systems is their susceptibility to errors in detecting and analysis; as a result, faulty triggering of safety equipment can occur, due to erroneous rollover information, because of a faulty sensor or a defectively operating control device. A faulty algorithm or a faulty data transmission between the rollover sensor system and the air bag triggering unit may lead to a faulty triggering. In this context, repair work on a vehicle while the safety system is active is also problematic. When a rollover sensor is removed from a vehicle, a rotating rate may, for example, be generated which leads to the triggering of the safety system
One object of the invention is to provide a rollover detection system which reliably prevents faulty triggering of safety systems, for example, air bags.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the rollover detection system according to the present invention, in which information of rotational wheel speed sensors is also analyzed and used for examining the plausibility of a rollover signal. During a normal drive with a good road adherence, all four rotational wheel speeds are the same, or at least of the same order of magnitude. During cornering, slight differences occur which, however, can be corrected by way of steering angle information. During a beginning rollover, however, first two and, in the course of the rollover, all four wheels will lose contact with the ground. This information is utilized in the present invention. Because of the different points in time of the lifting-off of the wheels and of the different friction conditions of the powered and nonpowered wheels, rotational wheel speeds occur which cannot occur in the normal driving operation. As the result, this information can be utilized to evaluate the plausibility of the rollover signals, and faulty triggering of a safety system can be prevented.
According to various embodiments, it is possible to take into account different rollover sequences in stored algorithms. If a rollover, for example, precedes drastic brake application, when the wheels lift off the road surface, for example, an abrupt braking of the wheels can be observed. This information may also be utilized as additional information and can be processed in the algorithm.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the signal of at least one rotational speed sensor is used to evaluate the rollover signal. The control unit generates a triggering signal for a safety system first on the basis of the rollover signal, and thereafter takes into account the rotational wheel speed signals and decides on the basis of this plausibility examination whether the safety device should be triggered.
According to a preferred embodiment, rotational wheel speed sensors are provided on all wheels, so that, by way of the analysis of still more information, the current stability condition of the vehicle can be analyzed more precisely.
Vehicle rotation rate and/or acceleration sensors, for example, can be used as rollover sensors, as is generally known.
As mentioned above, when several rotational speed sensors are used, it is advantageous to take into account the information of a steering angle sensor or of another sensor which supplies additional information with respect to cornering. The rotational speed differences occurring during a cornering can then be compensated.
order to detect a defective microprocessor as a fault source, it is also advantageous to provide for all rollover sensors or for each rollover sensor a separate analyzing unit for analyzing the respective rollover signal, and to then connect this analyzing unit with the control unit. As a result, the plausibility information is obtained in a separate component (specifically the control unit) which is independent of the rollover sensor system, and thus of the sensor itself, and of the analyzing unit. An error in the arithmetic-logic unit of the microprocessor itself can therefore be detected and does not lead to a faulty triggering.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A memory system is described that provides error detection and correction after a failure of a memory component. Each block of data in the memory system includes an array of bits logically organized into R rows and C columns, including C-2 data-bit columns containing data bits, a row check bit column including row-parity bits for each of the R rows in the block, and an inner check bit column including X inner check bits. The inner check bits are defined to cover bits in the array according to a set of check vectors, wherein each check vector is associated with a different bit in the array and is an element of Res(P), a residue system. Moreover, each column is stored in a different memory component, and the check bits are generated from the data bits to provide block-level detection and correction for both memory errors and a failed memory component.

1. Field
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to error detection and correction mechanisms in computer memories. The disclosed embodiments also use a technique that facilitates error detection and error correction after a failure of a memory component in a computer system.
2. Related Art
Computer systems routinely employ error-detecting and error-correcting codes to detect and/or correct various data errors which can be caused, for example, by noisy communication channels and unreliable storage media. Some error codes, such as SECDED Hamming codes, can be used to correct single-bit errors and detect double-bit errors. Other codes, which are based on Galois fields, can be used to correct a special class of multi-bit errors caused by a failure of an entire memory component. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,296, entitled "ECC for Component Failures Using Galois Fields," by inventor Robert E. Cypher, filed 30 Oct. 2003 and issued on 7 Mar. 2007 (referred to as "the '296 patent"), which is incorporated herein by reference.
The operations described in the '296 patent are equivalent to operations on a class of polynomials with binary coefficients (referred to as "GF(2) polynomials") modulo a GF(2) polynomial that is irreducible (referred to as an "irreducible GF(2) polynomial"). However, having to use an irreducible polynomial significantly limits the possible polynomials that can be used as the generating polynomial for a code. This limitation makes it harder to guarantee a minimum Hamming distance for the code, and this lack of a guaranteed minimum Hamming distance can make the code less useful for detecting and correcting errors in memory components.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for detecting and correcting errors in a memory component without the shortcomings of existing techniques.

Single component correcting ECC using a reducible polynomial with GF(2) coefficients


An air/water valve assembly for use in an endoscope or other medical equipment is provided. The valve assembly includes a spool and a one-piece sealing member that includes a number of sealing rings. The spool can be injection molded, and the sealing member can be overmolded onto the spool. A spring, retainer, and housing are also included to form the valve assembly. As such, an air/water valve assembly may be made that can be used in a single medical procedure and then discarded in a cost-effective manner. Corresponding methods of manufacturing an air/water valve assembly are also provided.

Endoscopes are used in modern medical practices to allow a medical practitioner to look inside a hollow organ or body cavity of a patient. Using an endoscope, a patient's symptoms may be investigated (e.g., symptoms in the digestive system including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, gastrointestinal bleeding, etc.); a diagnosis may be confirmed (e.g., by performing a biopsy); or treatment may be provided (e.g., cauterizing a bleeding vessel, widening a narrow esophagus, clipping off a polyp, etc.).
Unlike other medical imaging devices, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ or cavity. During an endoscopic procedure, air and water are typically used to insufflate the organ or cavity being accessed and/or to irrigate the area and/or portions of the device (e.g., the optic head of the endoscope itself). The flow of air and water is typically controlled by the user of the device via a valve.

Disposable air/water valve for an endoscopic device


The present invention relates to extruded frozen pellets of sauce and a method for freezing pellets of sauce. This method includes dosing a layer of sauce onto a refrigerated surface, partially freezing the sauce on the surface to cause a generation of ice crystals and an increase in the viscosity of the unfrozen sauce, removing the partially frozen sauce from the surface, mixing the frozen and unfrozen sauce to form a shapeable sauce, forming the shapeable sauce into pellets, and freezing the pellets. The invention also relates to a method wherein the sauce is fully frozen in a thin layer and subsequently mixed with unfrozen sauce to form the shapeable sauce.

Frozen sauce is typically used in frozen ready meals or in catering services. Conventionally, the sauce is either dosed directly onto the meal and frozen together with it, or frozen into blocks separately. Frozen sauce may also be prepared in pellet form which is then used in meals made of individual frozen cubes of meat and vegetables. Such meals are usually prepared by pan-frying.
The prior art sauce pellets or portions are frozen in molds or by dosing droplets of sauce onto a very cold, i.e., below freezing temperature, surfaces. When freezing pellets in molds, substantial work is involved in filling, emptying and cleaning the molds. Freezing of sauce pellets by dosing onto a frozen surface results in flat and irregular pellet shapes.
When providing a frozen sauce it is important that once the sauce is thawed, it remains substantially unchanged compared to unfrozen sauce. For example, the viscosity of the sauce should not substantially change. The amount of starch in the sauce is determining for the viscosity of the sauce. If the sauce is subjected to too severe mechanical contact, the starch molecules will be damaged.
It is known to freeze liquid food products in ice-cream freezers, a process which is used in sorbet and ice-cream production. Ice-cream freezers are freezers that have cooling heat exchange surfaces with scrapers moving the food product to and from the cooling surfaces. Such freezers may not be suitable for the freezing of certain types of sauce as the freezing and scraping process can damage starch molecules in the sauce, resulting in a thawed sauce which has a lower viscosity than a similar sauce that has not gone through the ice-cream freezing process. This can require an extra step where starch must be added to the thawed sauce to increase the viscosity to desired levels.
The use of ice-cream freezers with scrapers may also be undesirable for sauces that contain particles or lumps of vegetables, meat or fish, because the scrapers provide a milling action that can produce more finely distributed particles which can result in a color change of the sauce.
It is an aim of the invention to provide a method for freezing pellets of sauce in a manner which does not substantially damage the starch molecules so that the re-heated sauce has substantially the same consistency as the sauce prior to freezing.


The present invention is to drive a hydraulic pump and a generator motor by an engine, electrically charge a battery by a generator operation of the generator motor, and assist the engine through driving the generator motor by electric power of the battery. On the premise of the configuration above, when a deviation between a target rotation speed of the engine and an actual rotation speed of the engine is equal to or more than a preset value, and when a residual amount of fuel is equal to or less than a preset value, it is considered to be engine failure or an operation state which is directly connected to the engine failure and an engine assisting action is automatically stopped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid working machine using both engine power and electric power.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art will be described taking an excavator which is a preferred example of the present invention as an example.
The excavator is, as shown in FIG. 3, formed by rotatably mounting an upper rotating body 2 on a crawler type lower traveling body 1 and attaching a working attachment 3 to the upper rotating body 2.
The working attachment 3 is formed of a boom 4 capable of raising and lowering, an arm 5 attached to an edge of the boom 4, a bucket 6 attached to an edge of the arm 5, and a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8 and a bucket cylinder 9 which are hydraulic actuators for driving the boom, the arm and the bucket.
As a rotation actuator for rotating the upper rotating body 2, a hydraulic motor and a rotation motor serving as an electric actuator are used in the case of a hydraulic excavator and in the case of a hybrid excavator respectively.
The hybrid excavator having a driving mode of so called a parallel type is known (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-12274).
In this type, a hydraulic pump and a generator motor for performing a generator operation and a motor operation are connected in parallel to an engine serving as a common power source, and a hydraulic actuator is driven by the hydraulic pump. Meanwhile, a rotation motor is driven by the generator operation of the generator motor or an electric storage device.
The electric storage device is electrically charged by the generator operation of the generator motor. The generator motor timely performs the motor operation by discharge power of the electric storage device so as to assist the engine.
For example, in a machine in which engine speed sensing (ESS) control is performed, in correspondence with reduction in rotation speed of the engine, the assist control for controlling assisting force is performed in addition to power reducing control of the pump.
Irrespective of the ESS control, at the time of high load imposed, that is when only the engine is not enough to impose the load, there is a case where a shortage thereof is supplemented by an assisting action.
As mentioned above, in the hybrid excavator in which the generator motor performs the engine assisting action, the assist control is performed without any conditions other than assist conditions such as the rotation speed of the engine and the load. Therefore, even in the case where the assisting action is not required (and wasteful), that is in the case where the engine is stopped by overload or the like (engine failure) and in the case where the engine would clearly be stopped (including running out of fuel), the assisting action is still continued.
In this case, since wasteful consumption of stored power and over discharge are caused, it is not only unpreferable in view of saving energy, but also to decrease the life of the electric storage device.

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


A method for the realisation of electrical connections is set forth, characterized in that it consists in providing at least two conducting elements (1) which are provided with connection lips (2); removing a number of these connection lips (2) depending on the desired connections; applying the conducting elements (1), which are mutually electrically insulated, one above the other; and applying the remaining connection lips (2) to connectors (7) depending on the desired connections.

It is known that electrical connections can be realized by joining the concerned electrical conductors in a branch box by means of wire connectors. According to another known technique the conductors are joined to each other by screwing them in clamps. These techniques offer the inconvenience that only a limited number of connections is possible because of the generally limited space which is available in similar branch boxes.
According to a more recent technique, use is made of electrical conductors which are joined to each other solely by using plugs and counterplugs. This technique, which offers the advantage that a wiring can be installed, which is quickly applied and easy to change, offers the inconvenience that still a cumbersome wiring in the branch boxes must be realized.

Method for the realisation of electrical connections, as well as a distribution device and elements used herewith


Processes for automatic registration between a solid circuit die and electrically conductive interconnects, and articles or devices made by the same are provided. The solid circuit die is disposed on a substrate with contact pads aligned with channels on the substrate. Electrically conductive traces are formed by flowing a conductive liquid in the channels toward the contact pads to obtain the automatic registration.

Integration of solid semiconductor dies with printing techniques combines the computational prowess of semiconductor technology with the high-throughputs and form-factor flexibility of web-based processes. However, a major hurdle in the flexible hybrid electronics manufacturing is the registration of semiconductor dies to printed traces on moving webs. Typical alignment mechanisms of wafer-based semiconductor devices may not be readily transferred to web-based processes.

Automatic registration between circuit dies and interconnects


A two-phase thermodynamic system includes a porous microstructure sheet to increase an aggregate thin-film evaporation area of a working fluid. The porous microstructure sheet may be disposed at a liquid-vapor boundary of the working fluid. The porous microstructure sheet has “micro” pores through which the working fluid flows from a liquid flow path on one side of the porous microstructure sheet to a vapor flow path on the other side of the porous microstructure sheet. Individual pores induce the working fluid to form thin-film evaporation regions. The porous microstructure sheet may have a pore density so as to increase an aggregate thin-film evaporation area of the working fluid. In this way, the overall thermal resistance across all liquid-vapor interfaces (menisci) of the working fluid is substantially decreased over conventional vapor chamber.

Heat pipes and vapor chambers can be efficient tools for absorbing and dissipating heat that is emitted from external sources located adjacent to designated evaporator regions. The absorbed heat causes a working fluid to evaporate from a liquid phase into a vapor phase which stores the absorbed heat in latent form at a slightly lower temperature. The vapor phase of the working fluid then flows to condenser regions, where it condenses back into the liquid phase, causing the stored latent heat to be released and dissipated into an ambient environment. The condensed liquid is returned back to the evaporator regions, for instance via capillary forces and pressure gradients, so as to continue this cycle. Due to the thermodynamically spontaneous phase-change processes of evaporation and condensation respectively absorbing and releasing latent heat, heat pipes and vapor chambers behave as highly efficient passive thermal conductors so long as evaporator regions remain adequately wetted.
Various wicking structures have been designed that exploit capillary action to continuously absorb liquid into various solid structures as it condenses at the condenser regions, and to then draw the absorbed liquid back to the evaporator regions. Exemplary wicking structures include channel-type wicking structures that are etched into the inner surfaces of the vapor chamber to induce capillary forces that draw the liquid back to the evaporator regions. Unfortunately, channel-type wicking structures are not designed to decrease the overall thermal resistance across all liquid-vapor interfaces (menisci) at evaporation regions of the device. For example, although efficient at returning liquid to evaporation regions, channel-type wicking structures are not suited for increasing a thin-liquid-film evaporation area within the evaporation regions. This is because the channel-type wicking structures typically include relatively wide channels (e.g., 100 microns or more) so as not to unduly increase fluid resistance that restricts liquid flow from the condenser region to the evaporator region. Thus, a majority of the liquid-vapor boundary that is formed within such channel-type wicking structures will be an intrinsic meniscus region—which has a relatively higher thermal resistance than thin-film evaporation regions.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Two-phase thermodynamic system having a porous microstructure sheet to increase an aggregate thin-film evaporation area of a working fluid


A metal-graphite brush for supplying electricity to a coil wound around a core provided at a rotor of a motor is made of sintered material having porosities at a surface and inside thereof, and the porosities is infiltrated with a conductive liquid having a boiling point higher than that of water.

By use of a motor having a brush, electricity is supplied through the brush sliding on a commutator. Specifically, a coil wound around a core of a rotor is connected to the commutator, and when electricity is supplied to the coil, the rotor starts to rotate by virtue of the forces of attraction and repulsion applied from a permanent magnet provided in a housing so as to face the rotor.
In the motor having the above configuration, because the brush and the commutator is solid, when the motor is operated, the brush slides on the commutator depending on roughness of each surface of the brush and the commutator. Microscopically, the brush slides on the commutator with contacting to the commutator at three points, and these points are changed depending on each slide. Thus, by use of the motor having a brush, mechanical loss and electrical loss occur. Specifically, the mechanical loss includes such as wear on the brush and the commutator caused by the slide, and the electrical loss occurs when a contact voltage is reduced.
On the other hand, a known metal-graphite brush, which is applied to a vehicle, is made by mixing graphite particles and copper particles in a binder and sintering the mixture. (JP2001-298913A).
A known method for manufacturing such metal-graphite brush is as follows. First, natural graphite particles, as a base material, and a phenol resin solution, as a binder, are mixed. Next, a lubricant, such as molybdenum disulfide, is added to the mixture. Then, the mixture is sintered in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere at a temperature within a range of from 700 to 800° C. In this case, the film of dissolved phenol resin formed on the surface of the graphite particles is carbonized by a process of reduction sintering so as to become amorphous graphite. This amorphous graphite is used as a binder in order to bind graphite particles. In addition, because a part of the organic substances, originally included in the solution of phenol resin, sublimate as a carbon dioxide, or as water vapor, many porosities are formed on both the surface and the interior of the sintered material. By virtue of the hygroscopic property of the graphite particles, the metal-graphite brush, which is made of the graphite particles by the method described above, can absorb moisture in the atmosphere, as long as the metal-graphite brush is left in atmospheric air.
If the metal-graphite brush described above is attached to a motor, when the metal-graphite brush is operated, the temperatures of the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and of the commutator rise. Accordingly, moisture, originally contained in inner porosities located near the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush, starts to vaporize. Then, the vaporized moisture gathers on the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and the commutator. Therefore, because a coefficient of sliding friction between the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and of the commutator is lowered by the vaporized moisture, in other words, because of the effects of gaseous lubrication, the degree of wears on the metal-graphite brush can be reduced.
However, when such motor having the metal-graphite brush is applied to the vehicle, because of heat in the engine room, temperatures at the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and of the commutator may rise to 100 degree Celsius or more. In this case, because moisture, originally contained in inner porosities located near the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush, starts to vaporize rapidly, the vaporized moisture may not exist on the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and the commutator. Thus, the metal-graphite brush slides on the commutator without the vaporized moisture on each of the slide surfaces, as a result, a coefficient of sliding friction between the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and of the commutator is increased. Thus, when the motor having a metal-graphite brush is used at a high temperature, especially at 100 degree Celsius or more, the metal-graphite brush wears quickly, as a result, duration of life of the motor having a metal-graphite brush is shortened.
To avoid such problems, another process for making a metal-graphite brush is disclosed in, for example JP2004-173486A. In this process, porosities formed on the surface or inside of the sintered material of the metal-graphite brush are infiltrated with liquid having a boiling point higher than that of water. According to this invention, even when the motor is used under a temperature of 100 degree Celsius or more, moisture infiltrated inner porosities located near the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush does not completely vaporize, and the vaporized moisture exists on the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and the commutator. Thus, a coefficient of sliding friction between the slide surfaces of the metal-graphite brush and of the commutator can be reduced, as a result, the degree of wear on the metal-graphite brush can be decreased.
Further electrical loss occurs when such metal-graphite brush is used in the motor. Specifically, the contact voltage of the metal-graphite brush is significantly reduced comparing to a contact voltage of a known metal brush. For example, when the metal-graphite brush including copper powder at 60% or more by weight and having relatively high current density is used, its contact resistance becomes 50 mΩ, and contact voltage between the brush and the commutator is reduced at from 0.4V to 0.5V.
To avoid such reduction of the contact voltage, another process for making a metal-graphite brush is disclosed in, for example JP05-236708A. Instead of copper powder, this a metal-graphite brush includes a conductive staple metal fiber, a compounding short fiber in which a conductive metal film is provided on a surface in a longitudinal direction of the carbon fiber; and a compounding short fiber, in which the conductive metal film is provided on a surface in a longitudinal direction of a conductive staple metal fiber and a surface in a longitudinal direction of the carbon fiber; in order to reduce the contact resistance of the brush.
As mentioned above, when the porosities of the metal-graphite brush are infiltrated with liquid having a boiling point higher than that of water, because of the effects of gaseous lubrication, even when the brush is used under a temperature of 100 degree Celsius or more, degree of mechanical wear of the brush can be reduced. However, in such metal-graphite brush, electrical loss has not been considered. For example, when the glycol type liquid or the glycol ether type liquid is used as liquid which infiltrates the porosities of the brush, because the glycol type liquid and the glycol ether type liquid has insulating property, electrical loss will be further enhanced.
Further, when the liquid having insulating property is applied to the slide surfaces, because electric resistance is enhanced as mentioned above, sparks may frequently occur on the surface of metal-graphite brush, as a result, degree of mechanical wear on the metal-graphite brush may be further increased.
On the other hand, when the metal-graphite brush uses the conductive staple metal fiber instead of copper powder, mechanical loss and electrical loss are not sufficiently improved comparing to another known metal graphite brushes.
Thus, a need exist to provide a metal-graphite brush or a motor having the metal-graphite brush by which mechanical loss and electrical loss can be preferably improved.

Metal-graphite brush and motor including metal-graphite brush


This heat-insulating piston has a piston head comprising a piston head base portion consisting of a ceramic material, a heat-insulating member jointed to the piston head base portion and consisting of a whisker fired member of the same ceramic material as that of the piston head base portion, and a laminate jointed to the surface of the heat-insulating member that faces the combustion chamber, as well as to the surface that slides and consisting of the same ceramic material as that of the heat-insulating member. The heat-insulating member is stably jointed to the piston head base portion and laminate by utilizing the same ceramic material for the heat-insulating member, piston head base portion and laminate, whereby the strength of the piston head can be improved. Furthermore, the heat-insulating capability of the piston can be improved, while the thermal capacity of the laminate is made small, whereby the suction efficiency can also be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-insulating piston for a heat-insulating engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional heat-insulating piston as shown in FIG. 4 has been disclosed. In FIG. 4, a mounting boss portion 28 formed at the center of a heat base portion 21 is fitted into a mounting hole 31 formed in the center of a piston skirt portion 22, and the two members are fixed together by means of a metal flow 29. In this example, a stepped portion 32 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of a ring portion 24 that constitutes the upper portion of the sliding surface of a piston, and the head base portion 21 is locked onto this stepped portion 32 at the outer circumferential portion 33 thereof. In addition, the ring portion 24 is fixed to the piston skirt portion 22 in a pressed state via a sealing member 27. Furthermore, a heat-insulating layer 23 is provided in the cylindrical bore portion constituted by the head base portion 21 and ring portion 24, and a thin plate 25 formed of a ceramic material is placed on the surface of the heat-insulating layer 23 that faces a combustion chamber. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 26 denotes a layer of heat-insulating air.
A heat-insulating piston having a structure similar to the above-described one is disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,291 (refer to the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 302164/1988) filed by the applicant of the present invention. The structure of the heat-insulating piston so disclosed will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 5. The piston comprises a piston head 41 having at its central portion a boss 44 and formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to that of a ceramic material, and a metallic piston skirt 42 having at its central portion a mounting hole 52 into which the mounting boss 44 is fitted. In addition, the mounting boss 44 of the piston head 41 is set fixedly in the central mounting hole 52 in the piston skirt 42 by means of a metal ring 51 as a metal flow.
A buffer member 48 consisting of a heat-insulating gasket is inserted in a pressed stage between the piston heat 41 and piston skirt 42 at the central portion where the two members are brought into contact with each other. In addition, a layer 49 of heat-insulating air is also formed between the piston head 41 and piston skirt 42. A thin plate portion 45 of a ceramic material which is formed to an extremely small thickness so as to reduce the thermal capacity of the surface of the heat-insulating piston is provided on the piston head 41 via a heat-insulating member 43 of high porosity formed of ceramic whiskers so that the thin plate portion faces the combustion chamber. A ceramic ring 46, the material of which is the same as that of the ceramic thin plate portion 45 is fitted around the outer circumferential portion of the thin plate portion 45, and the ceramic thin plate portion 45 and ceramic ring 46 are joined to each other at a contact portion by chemical vapor deposition.
A stepped portion 56 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the ceramic ring 46, and the outer circumferential portion of the piston head 41 is fitted in the ceramic ring 46 so as to contact the stepped portion 56 of the ring 46. The heat-insulating member 43 is sealed in a space defined by the ceramic thin plate portion 45, ceramic ring 46 and piston head 41, and this heat-insulating member 43 consists of whiskers of potassium titanate, zirconia fiber or the like. Since the piston head 41 is set in a pushed state in the piston skirt 42, the outer circumferential portion of the piston head 41 is pressed against the stepped portion 56 of the ceramic ring 46, and the ceramic ring 46 against the circumferential portion of the piston skirt 42. A gasket consisting of a carbon seal 47 for ensuring sealing between the ceramic ring 46 and piston skirt 42 is inserted therebetween.
It is very difficult to ensure satisfactory heat-insulating characteristics for a heat-insulating engine member such as a piston that utilizes a ceramic material as a heat-insulating or heat-resisting material. Since the ceramic material is exposed to the high temperature heat in the combustion chamber, it receives a thermal shock. Therefore, it is necessary that the member consisting of a ceramic material be formed to a preferable strength. If the thickness of the ceramic material constituting the wall is increased for the heat-insulating purpose, the thermal capacity of the wall becomes large. Accordingly, in a suction stroke, the suction air receives a large quantity of heat from the combustion chamber to cause the temperature of the suction air to increase, so that this heat adversely affects the air suction operation. As a result, the suction efficiency decreases, and the air suction operation stops. In contrast, in an expansion stroke, the heat-insulating characteristics must be improved.
The heat-insulating piston structure, disclosed in the afore-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,291 and constructed as above to solve these problems, has excellent heat-insulating characteristics, can set to the lowest possible level the thermal capacity of the surface member of the piston head which faces the combustion chamber the temperature in which becomes high due to combustion gas to which the combustion chamber is exposed, can improve suction and cycle efficiencies, and does not give rise to a problem of strength of the surface of the piston head even when it receives a thermal shock. In this piston structure, thermal resistance, corrosion resistance and deformation resistance can be improved, and stable mounting can be ensured. Moreover, the pressure applied to the piston head during an explosion stroke can be received in a preferable condition, whereby an improved sealing capability can be ensured between the piston head and piston skirt.
However, in the above heat-insulating piston structure, the heat-insulating material interposed between the piston head base portion and the ceramic thin plate portion placed on the side of the combustion chamber consists of whiskers or fibers of mullite, alumina, potassium titanate, zirconia or the like, while the ceramic thin plate portion and ceramic ring consist of silicon nitride. This difference in the constituent of the relevant members causes the following drawback. Since the materials used for the heat-insulating material and the ceramic thin plate portion and ceramic ring that surround the heat-insulating material are different, there will be a difference in the thermal expansion between the heat-insulating material and the surrounding ceramic thin plate portion and ceramic ring as the temperature changes. Therefore, in a case where the relevant members are joined to each other at joint portions by virtue of chemical vapor deposition or coating, no strength for holding the heat-insulating material in position can be ensured when a difference in the thermal expansion occurs between the relevant members, and the heat-insulating material and the ceramic thin plate and ceramic ring are separated from each other at the joint portions, or cracks develop at the joint portions.

Heat-insulating piston with middle section of less dense but same material


A modified electron beam welding process effects welding of joints between superalloy materials by inserting a weldable shim in the joint and heating the superalloy materials with an electron beam. The process insures a full penetration of joints with a consistent percentage of filler material and thereby improves fatigue life of the joint by three to four times as compared with the prior art. The process also allows variable shim thickness and joint fit-up gaps to provide increased flexibility for manufacturing when joining complex airfoil structures and the like.

This invention relates to electron beam welding and, more particularly, to a modified electron beam welding process for joining superalloy materials.
Nickel-base or Cobalt-base superalloys are alloys containing about 50% or more by weight of nickel, plus alloying elements that are added to improve the mechanical and physical properties of these alloys. These materials are typically used in aircraft and industry gas turbine components and other applications that require good strength, creep resistance, fracture toughness, and other mechanical properties at elevated temperatures for extended periods of time.
Single crystal nickel-base superalloys, like Rene N5, that contain greater than 10% refractory elements are generally viewed as unweldable. However, use of a low heat input welding process such as laser or electron beam has produced crack free weld joints over a very narrow range of welding conditions. One drawback to these beam processes is the directional grain growth in the fusion zone that forms a distinct dendritic boundary in the center of the weld zone. This type of grain structure makes the joint vulnerable to centerline cracking and results in poor fatigue strength. For example, the fatigue life of electron beam welded N5 material at 1200xc2x0 F. and 0.9% strain fails at about 100 cycles, which is much lower than that of the base metal. Weld property levels in this range can result in catastrophic failure of the weld joint during operation in a gas turbine.
Alternative processes have been developed for welding the Rene N5 material to overcome the centerline cracking problems. Among them, a wire feed electron beam welding process and a gas tungsten arc welding process (TIG) were the best performers in improving fatigue life of the joint. The wire feed electron beam process adds a ductile filler metal through an automatic wire feeder during electron beam welding. Because of the increased ductility of the weld metal, the fatigue life of the wire feed EB joint was greatly improved. It was evident, however, that this process was limited by the joint thickness. Lack of penetration defects often occurred when the joint thickness was increased to 0.3 inches. The TIG welding process also used a ductile filler metal. This multi-pass arc process completely changed the directional grain structure in the weld zone and also introduced ductile filler metal into the weld metal. This high heat input arc welding process, however, caused relatively large airfoil distortions and increased the risk of lack of fusion defects in the weld. Often, the amount of distortion prohibited the use of the TIG process as the primary welding process for complex airfoil structures.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method of electron beam welding a joint between superalloy materials includes the steps of inserting a weldable shim in the joint and heating the superalloy materials with an electron beam. The shim may be formed of a superalloy material. For a 0.3 inches thick joint, the heating step preferably comprises powering the electron beam with a voltage between 100-130 kV and a current between 25-35 mA at a speed of 20-30 ipm. With this method, the heating step can be completed in a single pass.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method of welding a joint gap up to at least 0.040 inches between superalloy materials includes the steps of inserting a shim in the gap and heating the superalloy materials with an electron beam. The joint gap in fact may be up to 0.100 inches.


A network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing circuit-switched (CS) voice calls to a mobile terminal operating in a packet-switched (PS)-only network. A control node such as an EPC node in an SAE/LTE PS-only network is modified to mimic the messaging functionality of a Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN). The EPC node is connected to an MSC/VLR in a CS network through a Gs interface. The EPC node registers the terminal with the MSC/VLR and provides a VLR TMSI to the terminal. When the MSC/VLR receives an incoming CS voice call for the terminal, the MSC/VLR notifies the EPC node, which sends a paging message to the terminal. To set up the CS voice call, the terminal sends a paging response directly to the MSC/VLR.

This invention relates to communication systems. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the invention is directed to a network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing voice calls to a mobile terminal operating in a packet-switched-only network.
Wireless networks today, such as second-generation (2G) GSM networks, third-generation (3G) networks, and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) support Packet-Switched (PS) services and/or Circuit-Switched (CS) services. A user in a 2G or 3G network may use either CS services such as speech, or PS services such as Internet Access. The availability of CS and PS services also depends on the terminal. Some devices such as Laptop PC-cards are PS-only devices, while other devices such as older GSM phones without GPRS support are CS-only devices. A user in a PS-only network may use only PS services, although Voice-over-IP (VoIP) is emerging. New wireless networks such as Wimax support only PS and not CS. New standards for PS-only networks are also being investigated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in a feasibility study for System Architecture Evolution/Long Term Evolution (SAE/LTE). The SAE portion of this study is focused on a new core network, while the LTE portion of the study is focused on a new radio network.
General information regarding 2G and 3G networks may be found in the technical specification 3GPP TS 23.060, v.6.13.0. Further information about the Gs interface may be found in the technical specification 3GPP TS 29.018, v. 6.4.0. Further information about SAE/LTE networks may be found in the technical specification 3GPP TS 23.882, v. 1.2.3. Each of these technical specifications is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Many users, however, prefer CS voice service because the quality of CS voice service is in many cases superior to PS voice quality. Operators may also prefer CS voice services because operators must heavily invest to provide VoIP services.
Some existing networks contain both a CS part and a PS part of the network. An interface known as the Gs interface provides co-ordination between a Mobile Switching Center/Visitor Location Register (MSC/VLR), which handles CS traffic in the CS part of the network, and a Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN), which handles PS traffic in the PS part of the network. The Gs interface is used by the MSC/VLR for paging the mobile terminal for CS services, for exchanging location information between the CS part and the PS part, and for conveying some CS-related procedures through the SGSN. The Gs interface makes it possible for a mobile terminal supporting both CS and PS services to connect to both services via the PS domain. The Gs interface enables a mobile terminal using a combined CS and PS network to send some messages only to the PS part to save radio transmissions. The PS part then informs the CS part of needed information through signaling to ensure that both the CS and PS parts of the network have the same information about the mobile terminal.
When a mobile terminal is operating in a PS-only network, there are several reasons why the mobile terminal cannot receive CS voice calls. First, there is no mechanism for registering the mobile terminal with an MSC. Second, even if the mobile terminal was registered with an MSC/VLR, there is no signaling mechanism for forwarding paging messages from the MSC/VLR to the mobile terminal. Thus, the mobile terminal cannot be alerted when a CS voice call is incoming. Additionally, the mobile terminal itself lacks the functionality for using more than one radio technology at the same time. Although some high-end mobile terminals are capable of supporting more than one network technology, they cannot use more than one radio technology at the same time because battery consumption or interference issues make it technically impossible. Low-end terminals, where cost is an important issue, are often not designed with this capability due to cost constraints. Thus, the terminal is restricted to using either PS-only data services or CS-only voice services, but not both at the same time. Therefore, if the mobile user is using a PS-only data service, the user cannot receive any CS voice calls.
It should also be noted that networks providing both CS and PS services (such as GSM or WCDMA), generally have better coverage than PS-only networks (such as WLAN). However, PS-only networks generally offer higher bandwidths, perhaps even 100 times higher, than networks providing both CS and PS services. This higher bandwidth can be very useful for applications such as IPTV, video, downloading from the Internet, and the like. When a mobile terminal is using a PS service in a PS-only network, it is technically feasible to maintain the PS service when moving to a combined CS/PS network, if the two networks are operated by the same operator, and if the operator has chosen to implement the network in this way. In the combined CS/PS network, the same radio access technology is utilized for both CS and PS services, and the mobile terminal can receive CS voice calls while running the PS service. However, in most cases, some PS bandwidth capability will be lost. From the bandwidth perspective, it would be beneficial for the terminal to continue to use the PS-only network, but the drawback is that any incoming CS calls to the mobile terminal are lost.
What is needed in the art is a network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing voice calls to a mobile terminal that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention provides such a network node, method, and mobile terminal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing voice calls to a mobile terminal in a packet-switched-only network


A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of (i) polymerizing conjugated diene monomer by employing a lanthanide-based catalyst to form a reactive polymer, and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with a nitro compound.

Lanthanide-based catalyst systems that comprise a lanthanide compound, an alkylating agent, and a halogen source are known to be useful for producing conjugated diene polymers having high cis-1,4-linkage contents. The resulting cis-1,4-polydienes have a linear backbone, which is believed to provide better tensile properties, higher abrasion resistance, lower hysteresis loss, and better fatigue resistance than those of analogous polymers prepared with other catalyst systems such as titanium-, cobalt-, and nickel-based catalyst systems. Therefore, cis-1,4-polydienes made with lanthanide-based catalyst systems are particularly suitable for use in tire components such as sidewall and tread.
However, due to the linear backbone structure, one disadvantage of cis-1,4-polydienes prepared with lanthanide-based catalyst systems is that the polymers exhibit relatively high cold flow, which can cause problems during storage and transport. The high cold flow also hinders the use of automatic feeding equipment in rubber compound mixing facilities. Another disadvantage of cis-1,4-polydienes prepared with lanthanide-based catalyst systems is that they give relatively high compound Mooney viscosity, which can adversely affect the processability and scorch safety of the rubber compounds. Furthermore, in the art of making tires, it is desirable to employ elastomers that give reduced hysteresis.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a method for producing lanthanide-catalyzed cis-1,4-polydienes that give reduced cold flow, improved processability, and reduced hysteresis.

Polymers functionalized with nitro compounds


Circuits and methods for performing multilevel power amplification using multiple different supply voltages or states are disclosed. In some embodiments, power amplifiers are provided that switch between three or more supply voltages or states.

As is known in the art, achieving both high efficiency and high linearity in radio frequency (RF) power amplifier systems is a longstanding challenge. One means of improving efficiency in such systems is an architecture wherein the power amplifier system is switched with discrete transitions among a set of operating states. For example, this includes an RF amplifier system in which the drain bias voltage for the one or more power amplifiers provided as part of the RF power amplifier system is dynamically selected from more than one possible source or level (e.g., selected from among multiple discrete supply voltages.)
A range of power amplifier systems exist in which the drain bias for one or more power amplifiers forming the power amplifier system is provided via dynamic selection from among a plurality of sources. For example, some systems dynamically select drain bias voltages from among a discrete set of input supply voltages and then provide additional regulation to provide a continuously-varying drain voltage (e.g., for partially realizing a desired envelope in the output). Other prior art systems directly exploit discrete drain levels, including "class G" amplifiers, multi-level LINC (MLINC) Power Amplifiers, Asymmetric Multilevel Outphasing (AMO) Power Amplifiers, and Multilevel Rackoff amplifiers.

Method and apparatus for multilevel power amplification


A method of generating a simulation model of a predefined fabrication process according to a sample conductive feature includes receiving a geometry configuration and layout design of the conductive feature. A circuit-level simulation model of the sample conductive feature based on the geometry configuration of the sample conductive feature is generated. A hardware processor converts the circuit-level simulation model of the sample conductive feature into at least a first layout bias rule corresponding to a first set of predetermined criteria of the layout design and a second layout bias rule, different from the first layout bias rule, corresponding to a second set of predetermined criteria of the layout design.

In the course of Integrated Circuit (IC) development, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component or line that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. At the same time, the scaling down process also increases the significance of process-induced inconsistency of the components, between their actual sizes and shapes as manufactured in a real IC and those as designed in an Electronic Design Automation (EAD) tool.

Method of generating a simulation model of a predefined fabrication process

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


The invention relates to a countercurrent sniffing leak detector (1) with a mass spectrometer (3) as the detector, with a high-vacuum pump (4) or high-vacuum pump stage (14) through which flows a test gas in countercurrent, with a sniffing hose (7) connected to the outlet side of the high-vacuum pump, respectively high-vacuum pump stage, and with a choke maintaining the pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure in the inlet region (8) of the sniffing hose (7) and the pressure in its outlet region (9); to improve the sensitivity and response time it is suggested that at least one segment of the sniffing hose (7), preferably the entire sniffing hose (7), is dimensioned such that the desired choking is achieved.

The invention relates to a countercurrent sniffing leak detector including a mass spectrometer as a test gas detector, a high-vacuum pump or high-vacuum pump stage through which a test gas flows in countercurrent, a sniffing hose connected to the outlet side of the high-vacuum pump, or high-vacuum pump stage, respectively and a choke maintaining the pressure difference between atmospheric pressure in the inlet region of the sniffing hose and the pressure in the outlet region of the sniffing hose.
In order to attain in a leak detector of this type a short response time as well as high detection sensitivity, it is suggested that the sniffing hose is implemented such that the desired choking is achieved.
Through this measure it is achieved that the maximum allowed gas stream always passes through the sniffing hose. Since the leaks which are of interest in the helium test gas leak detection are on the order of magnitude of 10.sup.2 mbars/l/sec, it is ensured that the entire test gas stream escaping from a potentially present leak, is suctioned in and is transported into the leak detector. This results in a high detection sensitivity. Since, moreover, the flow rate in the sniffing hose, dimensioned according to the invention, is relatively high, a short response time also results. The cited advantages are attained especially well if the sniffing hose has a uniform diameter over its entire length so that it effects overall the desired choking. However, to solve the posed task it is already sufficient if only a relatively large segment of the sniffing hose, for example 50 or 75% of its length, has a choking function while the remaining segment conducts the gas to be investigated to the leak detector without significant resistance.
Sniffing leak detectors are known per se from DE-B-24 41 124. In this version of prior art described in this document, in the inlet region of the sniffing hose a choke is provided. The sniffing leak detector according to Patent Claim 1 of the cited document comprises a choke which is disposed directly in front of the mass spectrometer detector. In both versions it is unavoidable that a portion of the test gas streaming from a potentially present leak is carried into the inlet of the leak detector.


Improved processes for extracting polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biomass containing the polyhydroxyalkanoate including the steps of: combining the biomass containing the polyhydroxyalkanoate with a solvent selected from lower chain ketones, and mixtures thereof to form a biomass liquor wherein the biomass liquor comprises less than about 25% water; mixing the biomass liquor for from about 10 to about 300 minutes at a temperature in the range of from about 70° C. to about 120° C.; separating the polyhydroxyalkanoate from the biomass liquor to form a PHA-enriched liquor, wherein the separating occurs at a temperature of at least about 40° C.; mixing the PHA-enriched liquor with water to form precipitated polyhydroxyalkanoate and an impure solvent liquor, wherein the water is mixed with the PHA-enriched liquor in the ratio of from at least about 0.4-1 parts of water to one part solvent; and recovering the precipitated polyhydroxyalkanoate from the impure solvent liquor. Optional treatment with oxidizing agents or mild surfactant or mild bleach is used to enhance color and odor.

Plastics such as polyesters are typically produced from petrochemical sources by well-known synthetic means. These petrochemical-based polymers take centuries to degrade after disposal. Concern over plastic waste accumulation in landfills has resulted in the recent movement toward using biodegradable polymers instead.
Synthetic biodegradable polymers, also commonly referred to as "bioplastics," have not enjoyed great success in the marketplace due to their high production cost. However, advances in biotechnology have led to less expensive means of production. Specifically, biodegradable aliphatic copolyesters are now often produced by large-scale bacterial fermentation. Collectively termed polyhydroxyalkanoates or "PHAs", these polymers may be synthesized in the bodies of natural or recombinant bacteria fed with glucose in a fermentation plant. Like their petrochemical precursors, the structural, and in turn mechanical, properties of PHAs may be customized to fit the specifications of the desired end product. However, unlike their petrochemical precursors, PHAs degrade both aerobically and anaerobically.
PHAs are enormously versatile, and as many as 100 different PHA structures have been identified. PHA structures may vary in two ways. First, PHAs may vary according to the structure of the R-pendant groups, which form the side chain of hydroxyalkanoic acid not contributing to the PHA carbon backbone. Second, PHAs may vary according to the number and types of units from which they are derived. For example, PHAs may be homopolymers, copolymers, and terpolymers. These variations in PHA structure are responsible for the variations in their physical characteristics. These physical characteristics allow PHAs to be used for a number of products which may be commercially valuable.
However, in order to have any type of commercially marketable PHA bioplastic product, there is a need for identifying microbial organisms that are capable of producing significant quantities of desirable PHA and to identify an efficient process for separating such PHAs from the residual biomass. Improved learnings on the biology of PHA biosynthetic pathways has allowed for the use of microbial organisms to produce significant quantities of PHA.
Numerous solvent-based and other types of extraction techniques are known in the art for extracting PHAs from bacteria and plants (biomass). Solvent-based systems (including those utilizing acetone, ketones, alone and in combination with other solvents), mechanical systems, and combinations thereof may be used for extracting PHA. However, known solvent-based systems are often inefficient and may be difficult to implement with the physical characteristics of certain PHAs (problems with gelling, degradation, etc.) More popular are two-solvent systems, but these two-solvent systems are often expensive due to the duplicated cost of solvent and may also create additional recovery steps when seeking to recover/reuse both solvents.
Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient and cost-saving process for extracting the PHA materials from biomass. Such a process would preferably involve recyclable solvents that are preferably environmentally friendly. In addition, such a process is preferably suitable to large-scale, continuous production of PHA materials.

Process for the solvent-based extraction of polyhydroxyalkanoates from biomass


A light detection and ranging system includes synchronously scanning transmit and receive mirrors that scan a pulsed fanned laser beam in two dimensions. Imaging optics image a receive aperture onto an arrayed receiver that includes a plurality of light sensitive devices. A phase offset may be injected into a scanning trajectory to mitigate effects of interfering light sources.

Scanning LIDAR systems typically scan laser light pulses in a field of view and measure round-trip time-of-flight of reflections to determine distances to reflection points in the field of view. When a scanning LIDAR system detects light from sources other than itself, errors may occur in measurements. For example, ambient light can cause errors, especially if very bright. Also, for example, other sources of pulsed laser light may cause measurement errors in scanning LIDAR systems.


An algorithm for deriving improved navigation data from the autofocus results obtained from selected image blocks in a wide-beam synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image. In one embodiment the navigation error may be approximated with a vector of low-order polynomials, and a set of polynomial coefficients found which results in a good phase error match with the autofocus results. In another embodiment, a least squares solution may be found for the system of equations relating the phase errors at a point in time for selected image blocks to the navigation error vector at that point in time. An approach using low sample rate backprojection (150) initially to select suitable image blocks, and full sample rate backprojection (156) for the selected image blocks, followed by full sample rate backprojection (164) for the image, using the improved navigation solution, may be used to reduce the computational load of employing the algorithm.

1. Field
One or more aspects of embodiments according to the present invention relate to improving the quality of synthetic aperture radar images and more particularly to methods for generating navigation profiles resulting in improved image quality.
2. Description of Related Art
Ground penetration radar (GPR) typically operates at low frequency because higher frequencies have a significantly diminished ability to penetrate the ground. When operated from a platform, such as an aircraft, capable of carrying only a small antenna, the low frequency, i.e., long wavelength, results in a wide antenna pattern.
The use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) makes it possible to generate radar images with high spatial resolution using a small antenna on a moving platform. SAR signal processing techniques accomplish this by combining the signals received by the moving antenna at various points along its path in such a way as to simulate the operation of a larger antenna, having dimensions comparable to those of the path of the small antenna.
To construct sharp SAR images it is necessary to have more accurate information about the path of the antenna than may be available, for example, from a path estimator based on a global positioning system receiver and on an inertial navigation system (a GPS/INS system). Prior art systems may generate improved images using an autofocus algorithm after first dividing the image into sub-images, or image blocks, and then finding values of the second order range corrections for which the focus is best. These systems may, if large image blocks are used, suffer from discontinuities at the boundaries between image blocks. If small image blocks are used, then some may contain low quality targets and the results of the autofocus algorithm may be poor.
Therefore, there is a need for a new solution to refocus SAR images.

Wide beam SAR focusing method using navigation solution derived from autofocus data


The invention described herein relates to methods for treating a patient having a plurality of HLA-negative cancer cells or cancer cells with reduced HLA expression with IFN-alpha in an amount sufficient to expand and/or activate immune cells such that the activated and/or expanded immune cells kill one or more of HLA-negative cancer cells or the cancer cells with reduced HLA expression.

The therapeutic efficacy of conventional cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, are limited for a large number of cancers. For example, chemotherapeutic agents are generally considered ineffective in treating brain metastases from solid tumors because the drugs cannot penetrate the intact blood brain barrier.
Moreover, chemotherapeutic agents may cause considerable side effects on healthy cells in patients. Allen T M. (2002) Cancer 2:750-763. Further, cancer recurrence in cancer patients is often associated with surgery and radiotherapy, which can lead to higher mortalities in cancer patients. Clarke M, et al. (2005) Lancet 366 (9503):2087-106.
Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an important therapy for cancers, particularly for advanced and refractory cancers. Compared to the conventional therapies, immunotherapy demonstrates great potential for cancer treatment with significantly higher specificity and efficacy. Since immunotherapy uses the patients' own immune system to destroy cancer cells, it has little or no side effects that are often associated with traditional treatment. The use of genetically modified T-cells for cancer treatment is one of the most noted cancer immunotherapies. Couzin-Frankel J. (2013) Science 20342(6165):1432-3. Activated cancer-specific T-cells can kill cancer cells by recognizing the specific antigens or peptides expressed on the cells.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art to develop a novel cancer immunotherapy with improved efficacy.

Methods of treating cancer with interferon wherein the cancer cells are HLA negative or have reduced HLA expression

MAYO FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH


A network bus for interconnecting a plurality of medical devices is described in which the devices are provided with modules adapted to communicate along the bus. Some of the devices are capable of assuming control over the bus with network master modules. A self-configuring capability is provided with which several network master capable medical devices automatically determine which network master is to take over control over the network bus and each individually is capable of controlling and operating the network. Each network master capable device has an extended network management module with which automatic master selection is achieved. This is done by monitoring or observing network communications for particular objects. Once such an object has been detected, a network master capable device is automatically selected to take over control on the basis of its priority. The selected network master module in turn monitors the network bus for objects indicative of another medical device which has a higher priority, while other connected master network capable medical devices continue to monitor the network bus to detect whether the current master is de-activated or fails to operate as master. The extended network module thus automatically enables another network master capable device to take over control over the network bus.

This invention generally relates to a bus used to control and connect various medical endoscope related devices used in an operating room environment such as can be encountered in hospitals, clinics and doctors offices. More specifically this invention relates to a method and apparatus for accommodating and connecting devices having different network master capabilities to a bus in a seamless and reliable manner during use of the network and bus in a surgical procedure.
In a co-pending patent application entitled xe2x80x9cSystem For Centrally Monitoring and/or Controlling At Least One Unitxe2x80x9d filed by D. Chatenever, K. Irion, P. Novak and H. -Uwe Hilzinger with Ser. No. 09/180,692 on Nov. 11, 1998 and owned by the same Assignee as this application, a bus for connecting various medical devices for a surgical procedure is described. In one embodiment in this application, devices having different network mastering capabilities is described. The device having the network master capability with the highest priority is assigned to control the network and bus so that only one device will serve as a network master.
The bus described in this co-pending patent application is a modified CAN (Controller Area Network) bus used in automotive and industrial applications. The CAN bus is suitable for real-time operation and permits a multi-tasking master structure.
Publications relevant to central monitoring and/or controlling endoscopic devices are known such as from the European Patent EP 0 319 762 A1 or its German equivalent DE 37 41 833 C1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,584, the International patent WO 95/22363, the Japanese Patent A-62-46182 and the German Utility Model U1 92 18 173. The devices described in these systems are connected and controlled by a master computer via an interface such as described in the above EP ""762 patent or via a network as described in the above ""173 utility model. EP 0 568 081 A1 relates to the examination and/or treatment of eyes.
In a modular communication system for central and sterile operation of medical devices such as endoscopes, endoscopic cameras, insulators irrigators and suction devices and the like, their connection to, or disconnection from, a network may occur throughout a surgical procedure. Some of the devices have network master capability and others are slaves under the operation and control of the network masters. The network masters must do the network configuration and monitoring as well as control. The network master capable devices can, furthermore, have different network mastering capabilities built into them. It is, therefore, important that the engagement of a network master capable device with the network occurs in a seamless manner without interrupting an on-going use of a medical device and thus impart a high level of reliability to the network and the surgical equipment. This becomes particularly important when the network extends across a wide area encompassing different operating locations where various medical procedures may be simultaneously in progress with different patients.
With a network mastering system in accordance with the invention medical devices having network master capabilities built into them can be conveniently connected to or disconnected from a communication network used to interconnect the devices and an automatic network configuration can be established.
This is achieved in accordance with one technique of the invention by employing a bus communication layer that is coupled to various devices as the case may be. A multi-master processing module, that can be identified as the XNM module for xe2x80x9cExtended Network Managementxe2x80x9d, is incorporated to enable the communication layer to automatically re-configure itself in accordance with the network master associated with the medical device that has the highest priority.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an automatic master selection module for use with a communication layer associated with a bus in a network that connects to or is coupled to various medical devices used in a medical procedure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for selecting one of a multiple of network masters to operate and control communications over a network system connected to medical devices used in a medical procedure.


Disclosed is a ballast for a underwater diving belt, the ballast including a metal core covered with a coating, and a unit for the assembly thereof to a belt strip. The coating is in the form of an add-on shell consisting of at least one shell part made of a plastic material and held around the metal core by a fastener.

A ballast is a heavy body which is used to ballast/load an element, this with the aim, in particular, of increasing the mass thereof.
In underwater diving, ballasts are used by divers to immerse themselves correctly.
This ballast is, for example, produced by means of a underwater diving belt, also commonly designated "lead belt" or "ballast belt".
Such a belt conventionally comprises a belt strip which is held around the waist of the diver by a quick fixing system. To ensure the ballast, ballasts are distributed over the length of this belt strip.
The ballasts in question can consist of a part made of raw lead. But, these ballasts, which are standard, are not very successful and fragile.
The ballasts can also consist of a part comprising a metal core (made of lead, for example) which is covered by a coating, generally a plastic coating.
The coating is generally deposited by immersing the metal core in the coating material which is in liquid form; this material is then frozen around the metal core to form the coating.
These "coated" ballasts are more respectful of the environment and more resistant.
But, such a coating technique requires a lot of handlings of heavy products; the method implemented takes time and it is relatively expensive.
In addition, the coating obtained generally comprises a solid colour, with reduced possibilities of aesthetic choice and personalisation; it gives no choice either to the surface condition.
Furthermore, the close assembly between the metal core and the coating complicates and limits the recycling possibilities of such "coated" ballasts.
Consequently, it would be useful to be able to have ballasts which have a greater aesthetic variety, but also to facilitate the placement of the coating on the metal core.


An air conditioning system includes an indoor heat exchanging unit, an outdoor heat exchanging unit, a compressor forming a closed loop together with the indoor and outdoor heat exchanging units to compress refrigerant, and a compressor driver to drive the compressor. The air conditioning system also includes an outdoor temperature sensor to sense outdoor temperature, a high pressure sensor to sense a pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a low pressure sensor to sense the pressure of the refrigerant introduced into the compressor, a bypass pipe to connect a refrigerant pipe disposed between the indoor heat and outdoor heat exchanging units with a refrigerant pipe disposed in an influx part of the compressor, a bypass valve to open and close the bypass pipe, and a controller to open the bypass valve when the pressure sensed by the low pressure sensor is a predetermined target low pressure or is below the predetermined target low pressure, and to close the bypass valve when the pressure sensed by the high pressure sensor is over a predetermined target high pressure, under a condition in which the outdoor temperature sensed by the outdoor temperature sensor is a predetermined reference temperature or is below the predetermined reference temperature during a heating operation. Thus, the air conditioning system and a control method thereof, is improved in heating effect while performing a heating operation under a condition in which the outdoor temperature is low.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioning system and a control method thereof, which is improved in a heating effect while performing a heating operation under a condition in which an outdoor temperature is low.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air conditioning system employs a refrigerating cycle to condition state quantity such as room temperature and humidity of a residential building or an official building. That is, the air conditioning system repeats compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation of refrigerant, so that heating is achieved by heat radiation due to the condensation in winter, and cooling is achieved by heat absorption due to the evaporation.
One type of air conditioning system is a gas engine-driven heat pump (GHP) type air conditioning system, which uses driving force of a gas engine to drive a compressor, and recovers waste heat of the gas engine. The GHP type air conditioning system substitutes for an electric motor-driven heat pump (EHP) type air conditioning system. In the EHP type air conditioning system, there exists a problem of a disequilibrium between demand and supply of electric power according to a cooling demand increase in summer.
A conventional air conditioning system has the following problems while performing a heating operation under the condition that outdoor temperature is low.
First, when heating is performed at a low outdoor temperature, pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (i.e., a high pressure part) and pressure of the refrigerant introduced into the compressor (i.e., a low pressure part) are all low even though the gas engine is rotated at a maximum speed. This means that an amount of the circulated refrigerant is small, which causes a heating effect of the air conditioning system to be lowered.
Second, in the conventional air conditioning system, the heating effect depends on adjustment of an outdoor expansion valve. Therefore, the heating effect has a limit when the outdoor temperature is low. In the case of the GHP type air conditioning system, the heating effect may be adjusted by controlling a cooling water valve to adjust cooling water heated by waste heat of the gas engine. The allowable adjustment is limited.

Air conditioning system and control method thereof


An wafer positioning system comprises a wafer handling chamber with a vacuum sealable opening catching wafers. At least one processing chamber disposed adjacent to the wafer handling chamber has an opening catching wafers, sealed with a gate. A wafer transfer robot with a tray disposed in the wafer handling chamber transports wafers into the processing chambers. A signal receiver is disposed on the front end of the tray. When the tray passes below a wafer, the signal receiver detects wafer position, generating a wafer position signal. A control module receives the wafer position signal through the signal receiver and compares the wafer position signal with a predetermined position signal to correct any misalignment of the wafer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wafer positioning systems, and in particular to an on-line wafer positioning system having signal receiver to detect wafer position.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
Semiconductor manufacturing processes include processes such as oxidation, diffusion, lithography, etching, CVD, and others. To integrate related processes in a single system and process and transfer wafers quickly in a vacuum environment avoiding contamination, automatic semiconductor manufacturing equipment is critical.
Multi-process chambers require less space, have a shortened production period, and consume less vacuum system resources. A general multi-process chamber design, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a front end wafer handling chamber 14 connecting the transfer system of the factory and transferring wafer carriers to a load lock chamber 16 via robots 18. Further, a wafer handling chamber 20 is disposed in the center of the machine, in which a wafer transfer apparatus 22 is disposed and further comprises a wafer transfer robot 28. Outside the wafer handling chamber 20, a plurality of processing chambers 24 and cooling chambers 25 are disposed to load/unload wafers. The wafer transfer robot 28 is controlled by optical detection through a position point 32 of a position stage 34 (only partially shown). Moreover, through the wafer transfer robot 28, wafers 30 can be moved from the load lock chamber 16 to the processing chambers 24 to execute various processes or from the processing chambers 24 to the cooling chambers 25 to be cooled.
Wafers 30 are supported by a tray 26 and move between processing chambers 24 by the wafer transfer robot 28 in the wafer handling chamber 20. Due to mechanical loss, the wafer transfer robot 28, however, may cause displacement of the wafer position and is incapable of accurate, wafer positioning in the processing chambers. Such displacement may create process instability and malfunction of the vacuum clamp head. Due to the vacuum state of the wafer handling chamber, the machine must stop product processing and break vacuum to conduct the maintenance, interrupting production and possibly damaging wafers. Furthermore, if horizontally mis-positioned, the wafer transfer robot 28 may lose horizontal stability, thus generating vibration, further damaging wafers and the wafer carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,297 discloses a system and method of wafer position detection on a wafer transfer robot. A transparent area is disposed above the transfer channel between the wafer handling chamber and the processing chamber. Utilizing an optical sensor and a reflective device disposed on the wafer transfer robot to determine the distance between the wafer and the edge of the tray of the wafer transfer robot, wafer position accuracy can be determined. In a conventional system, however, only relative wafer position can be detected.

Wafer positioning systems and methods thereof

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A neural network comprising a plurality of neurons in which any one of the plurality of neurons is able to associate with itself or another neuron in the plurality of neurons via active connections to a further neuron in the plurality of neurons.

Existing neural networks are typically based on a single interpretation of Hebbian learning. This basic, Hebbian concept is often stated as "Neurons that fire together wire together". The defacto interpretation is that wiring together is effected via the synapse that connects the two neurons together. The strength of the connecting synapse is modified or weighted to reflect the importance/probability of the presynaptic neuron firing concurrently with the postsynaptic neuron, or vice versa.
Using the concept, neural networks have been developed that associate a number of input neurons to a number of output neurons via synapses. The input neurons define the input states; and the output neurons define the desired output states.
Thus nearly all existing neural networks are based on the concept of three layers: an input neuron layer, a hidden neuron layer, and an output neuron layer. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are illustrations of existing neural networks.
Training of such neural networks is accomplished, in its most basic form, by applying a specific input state to all the input neurons, selecting a specific output neuron to represent that input state, and adjusting the synaptic strengths or weights in the hidden layer. That is, training is conducted assuming knowledge of the desired output. After training has been completed, the application of different input states will result in different output neurons being activated with different levels of confidence. Thus recognition of an input event depends on how close the original training states match the current input state.
Such neural networks typically require extensive, repetitive training with hundreds or thousands of different input states, depending on the number of desired output neurons and the accuracy of the desired result. This results in practical networks of the order of only 10,000 input and output neurons with as many as 10 million interconnecting synapses or weights representing synapses (current existing neural networks are very small in size as compared to the capacity of the human brain which has 1012 neurons, and 1016 synaptic connections).
Furthermore, existing networks are trained on the basis of generating predefined output neurons, and can subsequently recognise inputs that closely resemble the training sets used for input. Existing neural networks are not capable of independent learning as they are trained using prior assumptions—the desired goals are represented by the output neurons. Existing neural networks are not capable of expressing or recollecting an input state based on the stimulus of any output neuron in the output layer.
Existing neural networks are trained on the basis of applying independent input states, to the network, in which the order of training is typically insignificant. On completion of extensive, repetitive training, the output neurons are not significantly dependent on the order in which input states are applied to the network. Existing neural networks provide outputs that are based entirely on the current input state. The order in which input states are applied has no bearing on the network's ability to recognise them.
Existing neural networks may have some or all of the following shortcomings:    1. they require prior training, based on predetermined or desired output goals—they do not learn;    2. they can only recognise input states (objects) similar to the input states for which they have been trained;    3. they are highly computational, and therefore slow;    4. they are computationally restricted to represent only a relatively small number of neurons;    6. they need retraining if they are to recognise different objects;    7. they cannot express or recall an input object by applying a stimulus to the output neurons;    8. they are based on concurrent stimuli of all input neurons;    9. they are not creative and they cannot express or recollect events; they can only identify/recognise events for which they have been trained;    10. they assume neurons that fire concurrently or in quick succession, are linked synaptically but do not distinguish one from the other or the order of neuron firing; and    11. each hidden layer neuron can receive inputs from multiple input neurons concurrently.

Neural networks with learning and expression capability


The present disclosure provides a binding backplane and a manufacturing method thereof, a backlight module and a display device. The binding backplane includes: a substrate; a first trace layer on the substrate; a planarizing layer on a side of the first trace layer away from the substrate; a second trace layer on the planarizing layer and including a connecting portion and a binding portion; a surface protective layer on the second trace layer away and exposing the binding portion; and a conductive reflection structure on a side of the surface protective layer close to the substrate, wherein the conductive reflection structure includes a grounding portion, a distance between a surface of the grounding portion away from the substrate and the substrate is not greater than a distance between a surface of the binding portion away from the substrate and the substrate.

Among the flat panel display devices, the liquid crystal display device occupies a dominant position in the product market due to its characteristics such as small volume, low power consumption, relatively low manufacturing cost, and no radiation. The liquid crystal display device generally comprises a liquid crystal panel that does not emit light itself, and a backlight module disposed on a back side of the liquid crystal panel to provide backlight for the liquid crystal panel. How to reduce the thickness of the backlight module, increase the production yield, and reduce the manufacturing cost has always been the main direction of research and development by those skilled in the art.

Binding backplane and manufacturing method thereof, backlight module and display device


The invention relates to novel aromatic compositions consisting of HLA molecules, which two different potential perfume carriers are assigned. The invention aims at developing novel aromatic compositions consisting of HLA molecules based on the selection of alleles of genes which are relevant from an olfactory viewpoint and subsequent processing thereof. According to the invention, the aromatic compositions are produced by selecting one allele amongst known class I HLA alleles, which differs in at least one characteristic from other alleles of HLA class I molecules and which is present in less than 5% of individuals of the world population; the protein that is coded for by the selected allele undergoes assembly in the presence of β2-microglobulin (β2m); the formed HLA class I molecules are purified with the bonded peptides and fragmented with the protease, and the odor-active substances resulting from fragmentation are added as individual components or as a mixture to a cosmetic preparation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new perfume compositions, each assigned to two different potential scent carriers (partners).
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of scents of different provenience are known from the state of the art; these scents have been and will be used to have a positive influence on the presumably inadequate natural body odor by means of more or less pleasant smelling essential oils, perfumes or soaps. In recent years, it has become known that genetic factors may be responsible for an individual's natural body odor and thus also for his or her attractiveness to other partners. Specific studies on volunteers (Am. J. Hum. Genet. 61, 505–51 (1997)) have shown that the choice of partners might be influenced by odors by way of polymorphic genes of the major histocompatibility complex ((MHC=major histocompatibility complex; HLA=human leukocyte antigen)). HLA genes are in a range of approximately 4 million base pairs (bp) on human chromosome 6. So far attempts to make an unambiguous olfactory assignment of molecules to the development of a specific individual odor have not been successful. However, there are signs that MHC molecules play a causal role in the creation of a specific individual odor profile (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 2210–2214, 1997; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 1522–1525, 1999).

Aromatic composition consisting of HLA molecules


A method of identifying a subject having cancer who is likely to be responsive to a treatment compound, comprising administering the treatment compound to the subject having the cancer; obtaining a sample from the subject; determining the level of a biomarker in the sample from the subject; and diagnosing the subject as being likely to be responsive to the treatment compound if the level of the biomarker in the sample of the subject changes as compared to a reference level of the biomarker; wherein the treatment compound is Compound 1, Compound 2, or Compound 3.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Normally, plasma cells produce antibodies and play a key role in immune function. However, uncontrolled growth of these cells leads to bone pain and fractures, anemia, infections, and other complications. Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy, although the exact causes of multiple myeloma remain unknown. Multiple myeloma causes high levels of proteins in the blood, urine, and organs, including but not limited to M-protein and other immunoglobulins (antibodies), albumin, and beta-2-microglobulin, except in some patients (estimated at 1% to 5%) whose myeloma cells do not secrete these proteins (termed non-secretory myeloma). M-protein, short for monoclonal protein, also known as paraprotein, is a particularly abnormal protein produced by the myeloma plasma cells and can be found in the blood or urine of almost all patients with multiple myeloma, except for patients who have non-secretory myeloma or whose myeloma cells produce immunoglobulin light chains with heavy chain.
Skeletal symptoms, including bone pain, are among the most clinically significant symptoms of multiple myeloma. Malignant plasma cells release osteoclast stimulating factors (including IL-1, IL-6 and TNF) that cause calcium to be leached from bones, thereby causing lytic lesions; hypercalcemia is another symptom. The osteoclast stimulating factors, also referred to as cytokines, may prevent apoptosis, or death of myeloma cells. Fifty percent of patients have radiologically detectable myeloma-related skeletal lesions at diagnosis. Other common clinical symptoms for multiple myeloma include polyneuropathy, anemia, hyperviscosity, infections, and renal insufficiency.
Current multiple myeloma therapy may involve one or more of surgery, stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy, immune therapy, and/or radiation treatment to eradicate multiple myeloma cells in a patient. All of the current therapy approaches pose significant drawbacks for the patient.
In the last decade, novel therapeutic agents, in particular immunomodulatory drugs such as lenalidomide and pomalidomide, significantly increased the response rates and prolonged progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in multiple myeloma patients. However, persistent levels of residual disease that are below the sensitivity of bone marrow (BM) morphology, protein electrophoresis with immunofixation, and light chain quantitation exists in some patients with multiple myeloma, even after these patients have achieved complete response (CR), and may eventually cause relapse of the disease.
There exists a significant need for safe and effective compounds and methods for treating, preventing and managing multiple myeloma, including for patients whose multiple myeloma is newly diagnosed or refractory to standard treatments, while reducing or avoiding the toxicities and/or side effects associated with the conventional therapies.

Methods for treating multiple myeloma and the use of companion biomarkers for 4-(4-(4-(((2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolin-4-yl)oxy)methyl)benzyl)piperazin-1-yl)-3-fluorobenzonitrile