A projection control apparatus for controlling a projection apparatus is configured to: receive a video signal including a plurality of color components; extract, as control information, information of a specific color component for each frame of the received video signal; generate, frame by frame, projection control information for controlling operation of the projection apparatus based on the extracted control information; and provide the generated projection control information to the projection apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection control apparatus and a projection control method for controlling a projection apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a general method of controlling projection illuminance of a projection apparatus includes a system of changing display luminance of a projection device. To perform the control frame by frame, control of performing an operation in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal is necessary. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-189458 (hereinafter, "Document 1") realizes the frame-by-frame control of the display luminance by controlling the luminance of frame-by-frame images to display the images. Another method of controlling the projection illuminance of the projection apparatus includes a system of changing the luminance of a lighting optical unit (projection light source). Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-76611 (hereinafter, "Document 2") describes a projector that changes the luminance of the lighting optical unit based on mode information indicating one of still image display and moving image display.
However, in an apparatus that needs to project only a desired frame unlike in a three dimensional measurement apparatus that needs to project a frame-by-frame video, the power is wasted in the conventional example in which the projection light source is continuously lit in each frame. In a projection apparatus used for three dimensional measurement, asynchronous control is performed when the control is not performed in frame synchronization. Therefore, real-time control cannot be performed, and redundant time is generated. The time prevents high-speed measurement. Video data is calculated to control frame-by-frame luminance in Document 1. However, frame-by-frame control cannot be performed using control information other than the video data. Therefore, the frame-by-frame control cannot be performed not only for a projection device, but also for other peripheral devices. In Document 2, the luminance of the light source is changed according to only the mode information unrelated to the frames.

Projection control apparatus and projection control method


A microwave resistant mixing device that is particularly useful for food preparation utilizing a motor which includes a moving mixing arm or paddle. The motor is further provided with a coupling for detachably mechanically linking the mixing arm to the motor. A housing provides a wall that forms a chamber to contain the motor. The housing also is constructed with an opening that provides access to the mixing arm coupling of the motor. A first shield prevents microwaves from entering the housing chamber through the housing wall. A second shield prevents microwaves from entering the housing chamber through the opening in the housing wall.

The present invention relates to a novel microwave resistant mixing device.
Microwave ovens are quite common in households and commercial food preparation establishments. Although microwave ovens are capable of cooking foods, most users only employ microwave ovens to defrost or reheat foods. This is believed due to the fact that cooking in a microwave oven usually requires attendance by the user to stop the cooking process, open the door of the microwave oven, stir the food being cooked and restart the cooking process during short intervals of time.
Microwave cooking also requires that containers be constructed of certain materials to prevent heating and destruction of those containers while the cooking process takes place. Also, early microwave ovens were constructed with glass-encased magnetrons. Any conductive metallic material placed in a microwave in such early microwave ovens endangered such glass-encased magnetrons. That is to say, metallic material in such ovens reflected a portion of the microwaves causing heat buildup, resulting in destruction of the glass-encased magnetron. Since 1980, however, microwave ovens have been constructed with ceramic-encased magnetrons that are capable of withstanding the extra heat generated by metallic items in the microwave. The only precaution necessary would be to insulate metallic members from the metallic housing of the microwave oven, which is simply achieved by the placement of a glass tray or plate beneath the metallic member.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,400,401, 4,406,860, 4,406,861, and 4,409,454 show microwave oven containers which employ non-metallic jars that are used in microwaves oven in the canning process.
A mixing device which is compatible with a microwave oven would be a notable advance in the food processing industry.


To compensate for nonlinear distortions in analog optical communication transmission systems, caused by laser chirps and the chromatic dispersion of the optical fiber, an equalizer in the form of an LC component is known, whose capacitance is formed by a variable capacitance diode. If this equalizer is to be adjusted for considerable signal distortions (long transmission path length), it must operate at great capacitance, which reduces its bandwidth. In order to be able to equalize large bandwidth signals (e.g. 600 MHz) containing considerable distortions, the invention indicates an LC chain circuit with LC components of the known type, as the equalizer. Further developments of this solution concern the appropriate polarizing of the variable capacitance diode and maintaining the frequency response constant, when adjusting the equalization.

Such a circuit is known from Electronics Letters of Feb. 28, 1991, Vol. 27, No. 5, pages 421 to 423. It is an LC component, whose capacitance is formed by coupling a capacitor in parallel with the capacitance of a variable capacitance diode (called "varactor"). Its capacitance depends on the blocking voltage existing therein, which is composed of a suitable bias voltage, and the signal voltage at the inlet to the circuit. Due to the dependence of the capacitance on the signal voltage, the signals have a voltage-dependent delay.
Tests have shown that sufficient equalization, which does not attenuate the signals too much, is only possible with the known LC component if the signals to be equalized are not too large, on the one hand, and the bandwidth of the signals to be transmitted is not too large, on the other. The nonlinear distortions being experienced by a signal that is optically transmitted over an optical fiber path, and which are to be equalized by the named circuit device, are caused to a large extent by the so-called "laser chirp", i.e. a spurious wave length fluctuation of the optical signal, which is a function of the amplitude of the electrical signal to be optically transmitted, and the waveguide dispersion of the optical fiber being used, and its length. The greater this effect, the larger the nonlinear distortions experienced by the signal.
It was shown that a satisfactory signal transmission is possible with a laser emitting at a wavelength of 1550 nm, which has a relatively small "laser chirp", with a standard single-mode optical fiber and an equalizer of the above named type, if the length of the optical fiber is not longer than 12 km and the bandwidth of the signals to be transmitted is not larger than 450 MHz. If signals are to be equalized, which have traversed a longer than 12 km optical fiber length, the known equalizer only offers the possibility of adjusting the bias of the capacitance diode correspondingly low, which, however, lowers the limit frequency of the equalizer, i.e. the maximum frequency of the signals transmitted without any attenuation. In other words: if the known equalizer is able to equalize considerable signal distortions, its limit frequency is so low, that it is too small to transmit broadband signals, such as e.g. the signals of the cable TV frequency band, which extend to 450 MHz.

Equalizer for optically transmitted analog information signals


A color signal processing device for processing a carrier chrominance signal is arranged to produce a first sampling signal by sampling the carrier chrominance signal according to a sampling clock signal synchronized with a reference phase of the carrier chrominance signal and a second sampling signal which is of a sampling phase opposite to that of the first sampling signal and to form baseband signals conforming to a color signal by using the first and second sampling signals. This arrangement enables the device to process the color signal without causing any signal deterioration that tends to result from DC fluctuations of the carrier chrominance signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color signal processing device arranged to convert a carrier chrominance signal temporarily into color-difference signals and to modulate the color-difference signals back into the carrier chrominance signal after performing various color signal processing actions on the color-difference signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital process is performed on a composite video signal consisting of a luminance signal and a carrier chrominance signal for noise reduction, etc., by using, for example, a field memory, etc. The process can be advantageously carried out by demodulating the luminance and chrominance signals into baseband signals.
In this instance, the composite video signal is demodulated through the following two different processes:
(1) the signal is separated into the luminance signal (hereinafter referred to as Y signal) and the carrier chrominance signal (hereinafter referred to as C signal). PA1 (2) the C signal is demodulated into a color signal.
Through the above-stated process (2), baseband color-difference signals are obtained in a digital signal form in the following manner: two different sampling clock signals which are phase-locked to the color burst signal of the carrier chrominance signal are used for directly analog-to-digital (hereinafter referred to as A/D) converting the carrier chrominance signal.
The above-stated processes are described below in further detail by taking a color TV signal of the NTSC system as an example:
The color TV signal of the NTSC system is first separated into the Y and C signals. The separated C signal is A/D converted according to a sampling clock signal of a frequency which is four times as high as the frequency of the color burst signal. At that instant, if the sampling clock signal is accurately phase-locked to the color burst phases of 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree., sample data sampled at the timing synchronized with the phase of 180.degree. can be regarded as a color-difference signal B-Y and sample data sampled in synchronism with the phase of 270.degree. as a color-difference signal R-Y. Then, the carrier chrominance signal can be demodulated into two different color-difference signals by distributing and separating these sample data according to the clock signal of a subcarrier frequency fsc.
Further, color-difference signal components are modulated into the C signal in the following manner: sample is obtained at a sampling time synchronized with the phase of 0.degree. by inverting the polarity of the sample data obtained at the sampling time synchronized with the phase of 180.degree.. Another sample data is obtained at a sampling time synchronized with the phase of 90.degree. by inverting the polarity of the sample data obtained at the sampling time synchronized with the phase of 270.degree.. Then, the sample data thus obtained are digital-to-analog (hereinafter referred to as D/A) converted in the order of the phases of 180.degree., 270.degree., 0.degree. and 90.degree..
For example, assuming that the sample data which is obtained by A/D converting the C signal at the sampling time synchronized with the phase of 180.degree. is D180, the sampling data D0 which is obtained by inverting the polarity of the sample data obtained at the sampling time synchronized with the phase of 0.degree. can be expressed as follows: EQU D0 = -(D180 - Dce)
wherein Dce
represents the DC offset value of the C signal.
In a case where the value Dce of the above-stated formula fails to coincide with the center value of the digital data of the C signal, it indicates a phase distortion occurred in the modulated C signal. In that case, color signal deterioration results from variations taking place in hue during the processes of modulation and demodulation. This has presented a problem.
Further, in some cases, a color signal for characters, figures or a title is added to the color-difference signals after the C signal is temporarily converted into the color-difference signals. In such a case, the color represented by the color signal for the characters or the title tends to vary according to phase fluctuations taking place in the sampling clock signal used in forming the color-difference signals from the C signal or in the clock signal used in forming the C signal from the color-difference signals.
Further, the two color-difference signals which are formed in the above-stated manner are sometimes used in obtaining a still picture signal. For this purpose, one-field amount of the two color-difference signals, for example, is stored in a memory. Then, the one-field amount of color-difference signals is repeatedly read out to obtain a still image. In this instance, a skew distortion must be prevented and the carrier chrominance signal must be kept continuous. To meet these requirements, the conventional color signal processing device has necessitated the use of a complex arrangement.

Apparatus for the demodulation of a carrier chrominance signal into color difference signals


This invention relates to methods and compositions of controlling cell distribution within a bioartificial organ by exposing the cells to a treatment that inhibits cell proliferation, promotes cell differentiation, or affects cell attachment to a growth surface within the bioartificial organ. Such treatments include (1) genetically manipulating cells, (2) exposing the cells to a proliferation-inhibiting compound or a differentiation-inducing compound or removing the cells from exposure to a proliferation-stimulating compound or a differentiation-inhibiting compound; exposing the cells to irradiation, and (3) modifying a growth surface of the BAO with ECM molecules, molecules affecting cell proliferation or adhesion, or an inert scaffold, or a combination thereof. These treatments may be used in combination.

This invention relates to methods and compositions for controlling growth of cells encapsulated in a bioartificial organ.
Bioartificial organs xe2x80x9cBAOxe2x80x9d are devices which contain living cells and are designed to provide a needed metabolic function to a host.
The cells encapsulated in BAOs supply one or more biologically active molecules to the host that may be used to prevent or treat many clinical conditions, deficiencies, and disease states.
For example, BAOs containing insulin secreting cells may be used to treat diabetes. Similarly other diseases such as hypoparathyroidism and anemia may be treated by using cells which secrete parathyroid hormone and erythropoietin, respectively.
Bioartificial organs may also be used to supply biologically active molecules for the treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington""s disease, Parkinson""s disease, Alzheimer""s disease, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome-related dementia. Additionally, lymphokines and cytokines may also be supplied by BAOs to modulate the host immune system. Other biologically active molecules which may be provided by bioartificial organs include, catecholamines, endorphins, enkephalins, and other opioid or non-opioid peptides that are useful for treating pain. Enzymatic deficiencies may also be treated by using BAOS. Alternatively, the biologically active molecule may remove or eliminate deleterious molecules from the host. For example, a BAO may contain cells which produce a biologically active molecule that can be used to xe2x80x9cscavengexe2x80x9d cholesterol from a host.
Various xe2x80x9cmacrocapsulexe2x80x9d BAOs are known. See, e.g., Aebischer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,881), Dionne et al. (WO 92/03327), Mandel et al. (WO 91/00119), Aebischer (WO 93/00128). BAOs also include extravascular diffusion chambers, intravascular diffusion chambers, intravascular ultrafiltration chambers, and microcapsules. See, e.g., Lim et al., Science 210:908-910 (1980); Sun, A. M., Methods in Enzymology 137: 575-579 (1988); Dunleavy et al. (WO 93/03901) and Chick et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,661).
Because the cells encapsulated in the BAO provide the needed metabolic function, it is desirable that those cells optimally supply the biologically active molecule that effects that function. Typically, differentiated, non-dividing cells may be preferred over dividing cells for use in BAOs because they allow for the optimal production of the desired biologically active molecule. For example, many differentiated, non-dividing cells produce a greater quantity of a desired therapeutic protein than dividing cells because the expression of differentiation specific genes and cell division are thought to be antagonistic processes. Wollheim, xe2x80x9cEstablishment and Culture of Insulin-Secreting xcex2 Cell Lines,xe2x80x9d Methods in Enzymology, 192, p. 223-235 (1990). Cellular replication capacity decreases as cells differentiate. In many cases, proliferation and differentiation are mutually exclusive. Gonos, xe2x80x9cOncogenes in Cellular Immortalisation and Differentiation,xe2x80x9d 13, Anticancer Research, p. 1117 (1993).
The use of differentiated tissue is advantageous because the functional properties of tissue desired for incorporation into a BAO have most often been defined by the properties of differentiated tissue in vivo. Another advantage to the use of differentiated, non-dividing cells is that the cell number within the BAO will remain relatively constant. This, in turn, leads to more predictable results and stable dosage for the recipient host. Additionally, differentiated cells are better suited for use in BAOs which encapsulate more than one cell type secreting biologically active molecules. In such BAOs, if dividing cells are used, different cell types may grow at different rates, resulting in the overgrowth of one cell type. By using differentiated, non-dividing cells, the relative proportions of two or more synergistic cell types can be more readily controlled.
Although in many instances the use of differentiated cells is advantageous, there have been various problems associated with utilizing differentiated cells directly isolated from mammals.
First, there is the potential contamination of the isolated tissue which may require that the tissue taken from each animal be subjected to costly and time-consuming testing to assure that it is pathogen-free.
Second, tissue can be damaged during isolation due to the use of mechanical or enzymatic isolation procedures in the isolation process. The mechanical manipulations are not always easily standardized, resulting in variability between isolations.
Third, ischemia may occur during isolation causing tissue damage.
Fourth, reproducible yields may be difficult because of variations in tissue donors. For example, the age, sex, health, hormonal status of the source animal can affect the yield and quality of the tissue of interest.
Fifth, sometimes there is not enough source tissue to meet the projected demand for the BAO. This occurs for example, in a case where the source tissue comes from a small sized organ or where the ultimate need for tissue amounts is high. If the source of the isolated tissue is human, there is frequently a severe shortage of donor tissue.
Sixth, in some cases, it is desirable to genetically modify the cells used in the BAO. Non-dividing tissue to date has been difficult to genetically modify in vitro and the yields and properties of the modified cells may be uncertain. Thus, because of the foregoing problems, while the use of differentiated, non-dividing cells is desirable, a need exists for a method of producing and maintaining differentiated, non-dividing cells for encapsulation in BAOs.
Because of these problems, dividing cells and cell lines have been favored for use within BAOs to provide the needed biological function. One important advantage in using dividing cells is that such cells may be grown to large numbers in vitro and screened for pathogens and banked. This allows an almost unlimited supply of tissue for lower production costs. Selection schemes such as cell sorting or cloning may be applied to the cell bank to develop subpopulations with improved characteristics. Additionally, dividing cells and cell lines are more amenable to genetic engineering than differentiated, non-dividing cells. The ability to introduce heterologous recombinant DNA allows many new possibilities for the alteration of the function or phenotype of cells to be encapsulated in the BAO. This in turn provides for a greater diversity of therapeutic uses for BAOs.
However, as discussed supra, the disadvantages in encapsulating continuously dividing cells in a BAO include poor regulation of cell numbers in the device that may result in less predictability in production of the desired biologically active molecule.
While in most cases it may be desirable to limit or minimize cell growth within the BAO, in other cases, e.g., where the BAO is implanted in a xe2x80x9chostilexe2x80x9d environment, it may be desirable to allow the cells to proliferate slowly to maintain cell numbers in the BAO.
There is another problem associated with encapsulating cells in general. A variety of cell types have cell adherent properties such that cells tend to adhere to each other and form dense agglomerations or aggregates, especially if there is no adequate substrate available for the cells. Such cell clusters may develop central necrotic regions due to the relative inaccessibility of nutrients and oxygen to cells embedded in the core, or due to the build up of toxic products within the core. The necrotic tissue may also release excess cellular proteins which unnecessarily flood the host with xeno-proteins or other factors which are detrimental to the surviving cells, e.g., factors which elicit a macrophage or other immune response. This problem may be exacerbated when cells are encapsulated in a BAO with a semipermeable membrane jacket because of diffusional constraints across the membrane. Often less oxygen and fewer host supplied nutrients are available within the BAO. In addition, waste products may accumulate in the BAO.
These dense cellular masses can form slowly into dense colonies of cell growth or form rapidly, upon the reassociation of freshly-dispersed cells or tissue mediated by cell-surface adhesion proteins. Cells or tissues with a high metabolic activity may be particularly susceptible to the effects of oxygen or nutrient deprivation, and die shortly after becoming embedded in the center of a large cell cluster. Many endocrine tissues, which normally are sustained by dense capillary beds, exhibit this behavior; islets of Langerhans appear to be particularly sensitive when encapsulated.
There is a need to have a method and composition for controlling the growth of encapsulated cells which combines the various advantages of both proliferating cells and differentiated, non-dividing cells. The present invention provides methods and compositions whereby cells can be proliferated and expanded indefinitely in vitro and where the balance between proliferation and differentiation can be controlled when the cells are encapsulated within the BAO so that the device performs in the desired manner. This invention thus allows regulation of the cell number within the BAO and may therefore provide improved regulation of the output level of the capsule. This invention also provides methods for controlling the growth of cells by controlling cell location within the BAO, thereby reducing the formation of undesirable necrotic cell cores in the BAO. Controlling the cell number and cell location within the BAO also provides the advantage of facilitating optimization of the BAO membrane and other device paramaters to the particular encapsulated cell type. This is because the required device characteristics are more readily determined for a fixed cell population than for a dividing cell population in the BAO. Additionally, long term delivery of biologically active molecules can be achieved.
The present invention addresses the foregoing problems by providing methods and compositions for controlling the distribution of cells (i.e. cell number or cell location in the BAO, or both) when encapsulated in a BAO. The methods and compositions of this invention include (1) methods and compositions for modification of the cells that are encapsulated within the BAO and (2) methods and compositions for modifying the growth surfaces within the BAO.
Methods and compositions for cellular manipulation include genetic alteration of the cells with a gene which encodes a product that influences cell proliferation or differentiation. The treatment may comprise providing a chemical compound or growth factor which inhibits proliferation or induces differentiation. Alternatively, the treatment may comprise removing from the growth medium a chemical compound or growth factor which stimulates proliferation or inhibits differentiation. The treatment may be before or after encapsulation in the BAO, preferably before encapsulation. Additionally, cell proliferation may be controlled by irradiation.
Methods and compositions for growth surface modification include coating at least one growth surface within the BAO with one or more extracellular matrix molecules (xe2x80x9cECMxe2x80x9d). The ECMs may be coated directly onto the luminal surface or any inner support within the BAO, or onto microsphere carriers (xe2x80x9cmicrocarriersxe2x80x9d). Cells or cell-seeded microcarriers may additionally be suspended in a matrix material that physically inhibits cell proliferation. Further, the matrix material may be derivatized with chemical or peptide derivatives.
In addition, a growth surface of the BAO can be modified by chemical treatment to inhibit cell attachment or to enhance cell attachment to the BAO""s luminal surface. Further, the growth surface can be modified by addition of an inert scaffold prior to cell loading. The scaffold physically inhibits cell outgrowth and provides additional sites for cell attachment. It is to be understood that the various methods and compositions for cell modification and for growth surface modification are not mutually exclusive and may be used in combination.


The measurement of volume flows or mass flows in the intake system of motor vehicle internal combustion engines plays a significant role in reducing pollutant emissions. Therefore, an ultrasonic flow meter for measuring a flow rate of a fluid flowing in a primary flow direction is described. The ultrasonic flow meter has at least two ultrasonic transducers, the ultrasonic transducers being capable of emitting and/or receiving ultrasonic waves at an angle α to the primary flow direction which is different from 90°. Furthermore, the ultrasonic flow meter has at least one guide element which is entirely or partially situated in the fluid. This guide element diverts at least one part of the flowing fluid in such a way that in the diversion, a velocity component is transferred to at least one part of the flowing fluid perpendicular to the primary flow direction. Guide vanes or displacers in particular are described as guide elements. In addition, turbulators may be provided on the guide elements, the turbulators generating a longitudinal fluid bed along the guide elements and thus causing the flow of the fluid to have a better contact with the guide elements when flowing around them. This reduces turbulences within the ultrasonic flow meter. Compared to the devices known from the related art, the ultrasonic flow meters described are distinguished by an improved signal-to-noise ratio and accordingly by a higher measuring precision.

British Published Patent Application No. 2 101 318 describes an ultrasonic flow meter in which two ultrasonic transducers are mounted on opposite sides of a pipe through which a fluid (112) flows. The transducers are situated slightly offset with respect to one another, so that ultrasonic waves emitted by one transducer and received by the second transducer propagate at an angle to the flow direction of the fluid which is different from 90°.
In addition to the system described in British Published Patent Application No. 2 101 318, ultrasonic flow meters are also known in which ultrasonic waves emitted by an ultrasonic transducer are initially reflected one time or multiple times before they are received by a second ultrasonic transducer situated on the same side of the pipe through which the fluid flows as the first ultrasonic transducer. Such systems are described, for example, in European Published Patent Application No. 0 477 418, in British Published Patent Application No. 1 541 419 and in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 59100820. In European Published Patent Application No. 0 477 418 A1, a unit made up of two ultrasonic transducers and one reflector system is integrated into a coherent unit which may be installed in a measuring tube.
FIG. 1 shows the operating principle of these measuring systems corresponding to the related art. A fluid 112, for example, air, flows through a flow pipe 110 in an essentially laminar flow at a flow velocity VFL 114. Two ultrasonic transducers 116 and 118 are mounted on opposite sides of flow pipe 110 in such a way that first ultrasonic transducer 116 is able to emit ultrasonic waves, which may be received by second ultrasonic transducer 118, these ultrasonic waves propagating at a velocity VUL 120 at an angle α to flow velocity 114 which is different from 90°. In the system depicted here, the ultrasonic waves of ultrasonic transducer 116 propagate toward ultrasonic transducer 118 at a velocity VUL,1 which is higher than in an unmoving fluid 112 due to the motion of fluid 112 at velocity 114.VUL,1=VUL+VFL·cos α  (1)
VUL stands for the propagation velocity of the ultrasonic waves in an unmoving fluid. In contrast, if ultrasonic waves are emitted by ultrasonic transducer 118 and received by ultrasonic transducer 116, these waves propagate at a velocity VUL,2 which is lower than propagation velocity VUL in unmoving fluid 112.VUL,2=VUL−VFL·cos α  (2)
Comparing a propagation time t1 which a signal needs from ultrasonic transducer 116 to ultrasonic transducer 118 with a propagation time t2 which an ultrasonic signal needs from ultrasonic transducer 118 to ultrasonic transducer 116 allows flow velocity VFL 114 of the fluid to be determined:
                              v          FL                =                              L                                          2                ·                cos                                                                                α                                ·                      (                                          1                                  t                  1                                            -                              1                                  t                  2                                                      )                                              (        3        )            A similar calculation of flow velocity VFL may also be performed for reflection systems such as described in EP 0 477 418 A1, for example.
The systems described in the related art, however, all have the problem that angle α in FIG. 1 must be sufficiently small for a successful flow measurement, but at least substantially smaller than 90°. This results in the problem that it is not possible to fit the surfaces of ultrasonic transducers 116, 118 flush to the inside surface of flow pipe 110. Protrusions 122 are thus formed in flow pipe 110 in the area of ultrasonic transducers 116, 118, which result in turbulences and flow separations. These turbulences cause pressure fluctuations and may result in interfering signal contributions which are superimposed on the actual ultrasonic signals as noise.
Another disadvantage of these turbulences and flow separations is that contaminants or particles such as dust, oil, or water droplets contained in the flowing medium tend to be deposited in the turbulence zones. One possible remedy is to insert wedge-shaped adaptor elements which fill up protrusions 122 of flow pipe 110 but are permeable to ultrasonic waves. However, the disadvantage here is that the layer thickness of the wedge-shaped adaptor elements varies over the cross section of an emitted ultrasound beam. This makes resonance adjustment for efficient ultrasound injection into the flowing medium difficult. Furthermore, such a construction responds sensitively to structure-borne noise injected into flow pipe 110.

Ultrasonic flow meter including guide elements


A process for treating solutions of a hydroxylammonium salt containing excess acid which comprises:. a) mixing the hydroxylammonium salt containing excess acid with a hydroxylammonium solution containing free hydroxylamine to produce a solution of the hydroxylammonium salt substantially free of excess acid, PA0 b) contacting a portion of the solution of the hydroxylammonium salt substantially free of excess acid with a weak base ion exchange resin to produce the hydroxylammonium solution containing free hydroxylamine, and, PA0 c) recycling the hydroxylammonium solution containing free hydroxylamine to step a).. The process minimizes the decomposition of the hydroxylammonium salt solution and produces high purity hydroxylammonium nitrate solutions without directly contacting excess nitric acid with ion exchange resins. In addition to hydroxylammonium salts, the process can be used to treat any nitrate salt of an anine weak base which contains excess nitric acid.

The present invention relates to a process for treating solutions of a hydroxylammonium salt containing excess acid. More particularly, the present invention relates to the production of highly pure aqueous solutions of hydroxylammonium nitrate of high concentrations.
Hydroxylammonium nitrate has several commercial applications, such as in the purification of plutonium metal, as one component of a liquid propellant, and as a reducing agent in photographic applications. In some of these applications a highly purified form of the compound is required, especially when it is to be employed in propellant formulations where the hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) solution is stable in an aqueous solution, but must be substantially free of excess acids as well as transition metal elements, such as iron and copper.
High purity hydroxylammonium salt solution such as hydroxylammonium nitrate can be produced in an electrochemical process described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,073 issued Jul. 18, 1989 to R. L. Dotson et al. The process feeds nitric acid to the cathode compartment of an electrochemical cell having a separator between the anode and cathode compartment. The catholyte is electrolyzed at a temperature below about 50.degree. C. and a cathode half-cell potential at from about -0.5 to about -3 volts to produce a hydroxylammonium nitrate solution. This solution is acidic, containing an excess of nitric acid.
Neutralization of the excess acid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,394, issued Nov. 6, 1990 to R. L. Dotson et al. The excess acid can be neutralized by mixing hydroxylamine vapor or nitric oxide with the hydroxylammonium nitrate containing excess acid. The excess acid in the solution is converted to hydroxylammonium nitrate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,394 further teaches that the excess acid can be reduced by contacting hydroxylammonium nitrate containing excess acid with a basic anion exchange resin. Preferably the anion exchange resin has a pKa in the range of 5 to 9.
However, direct contact of a basic anion exchange resin with a hydroxylammonium nitrate solution containing excess nitric acid results in oxidation of the resin by the nitric acid with accompanying decomposition and loss of capacity.

Process for treating aqueous solutions of hydroxylamine salts containing excess acid


To provide a PTFE composite fiber having remarkably improved thermal bonding property, PTFE cotton-like materials which can be used for producing a non-woven fabric by thermal bonding method, processes for production thereof, a process for producing a split yarn, a process for producing a monofilament and a process for producing a multifilament having loop and/or branched structure.. A thermofusing resin layer is provided on the surface of the PTFE fiber. After lamination of the PTFE film and the thermofusing resin film, uniaxial stretching is carried out at a temperature between the melting points of the respective films.

The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibers have a low friction coefficient and are excellent in heat resistance, chemical resistance, electric insulation, hydrophobic property and air permeability. The PTFE fibers have been used, for example, as a bag filter by forming into a woven fabric or a felt-like non-woven fabric. However, in case of the felt-like non-woven fabric, there was a problem that falling of fibers occurs easily because there is no bonding between them. Once the PTFE fibers are sintered, no bonding occurs even if re-melting is carried out. The reason for that is that the bonding is difficult because a melt viscosity of PTFE is as high as from 10.sup.10 to 10.sup.13 poises.
Therefore, when the above-mentioned PTFE fibers once sintered are bonded in the molten state, there is no way other than applying a big pressure, and as a result, shape as a fiber becomes irregular.
From the reason mentioned above, the method of producing a non-woven fabric from the PTFE fibers once sintered is limited. Namely, there have been no way other than simply intermingling the PTFE fibers by needle punching method or water jet needling method.
An object of the present invention is to provide the PTFE composite fiber having remarkably improved thermal bonding property, PTFE cotton-like materials which can be used to produce a non-woven fabric by thermal bonding, processes for production thereof, and processes for producing a split yarn, a monofilament and a multifilament having loop and/or branched structure.


A backpack which includes a frame and a cover. The frame has a first frame element which is connected with a first portion of the cover and a second frame element which is connected to a second portion of the cover. The second frame element is pivotably arranged on the first frame element at a region lying between an upper region and a lower region of the first frame element.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a backpack.
2. Background Art
Backpacks are convenient means for the transport of items and are used more and more in daily life. Due to their flexible cover material, backpacks have a low weight and only minimally impede movement of the wearer. Moreover, backpacks can adjust their volume to the transported items due to the flexible material, so that in general an empty backpack occupies less volume than a full backpack.
The flexible material of a backpack, however, also limits its range of applications. Therefore, big backpacks for carrying heavy loads frequently have covers that are provided with a frame to achieve a better distribution of the load on the shoulder and the back. In some constructions, rigid parts of the backpack make sure that the backpack does not directly contact the back of the wearer, in order to promote ventilation of the back and reduce sweating. However, a backpack that includes a frame typically has a higher weight.
A further disadvantage of the flexible cover material of a backpack is that its contents are less protected than in a container made from a rigid material. The flexible material also leads to problems during packing of a backpack, in particular with big and heavy items, since the opening of a backpack is not rigid. For instance, putting a folder into the backpack usually requires a particular handling in order to create an appropriate shape of the opening of the backpack. These problems also arise whenever an item has to be gripped with two hands during packing. In this case, the help of a second person is frequently needed to hold the backpack open.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,761 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,629 describe backpacks that have a hard shell made from substantially rigid material. A rigid backpack is, however, inconvenient to carry on the back and has a higher weight than a backpack made of flexible material. In addition, the described backpacks are assembled from several elements, which render their manufacture, handling, and storage more complicated.
Furthermore, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0061844 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,348 describe backpacks which consist of a hard shell and a lid which are connected at the bottom side of the backpack. This leads to a large opening, which also does not have to be kept open with the hands. However, the backpack has to be laid down for packing, otherwise its content may drop out.
Given the foregoing, what is needed is a backpack which provides in particular protection of its contents and which can be easily packed.


An on die thermal sensor (ODTS) of a semiconductor memory device includes a high voltage generating unit for generating a high voltage having a voltage level higher than that of a power supply voltage of the semiconductor memory device; and a thermal information output unit for sensing and outputting a temperature as a thermal information code, wherein the thermal information output unit uses the high voltage as its driving voltage.

As operating speed of semiconductor memory devices increases, swing ranges of signals which are interfaced between the semiconductor memory devices become narrower in order to minimize delay time required for transferring the signals.
A unit memory cell of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device includes a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor performs a switching operation and the capacitor stores electric charges, i.e., data. The data have a logic level "HIGH" or a logic level "LOW" according to the electric charges stored in the capacitor.
Because of a characteristic of the capacitor, the electric charges are gradually reduced as time passes. Accordingly, a refresh operation which refreshes the stored data in the memory cell at every predetermined period is required to continuously maintain the stored data in the memory cell.
There is power consumption due to the refresh operation performed by a DRAM controller. Accordingly, in a battery operated system under a low power circumstance, it is important to reduce the power consumption due to the refresh operation.
One way to reduce the power consumption due to the refresh operation is to change a period of the refresh operation in response to temperature. In a DRAM device, a time period during which the data of the memory cells can be maintained increases as the temperature decreases. After dividing the temperature into a plurality of regions, if an operating frequency of the refresh operation is lower under a low temperature region, it is possible to reduce the power consumption. Accordingly, it is required to detect the temperature of the DRAM device to lower the operating frequency of the refresh operation.
In addition, the DRAM device generates increasing heat as integration levels and operating speeds are increased. This heat raises an internal temperature of the DRAM device so as to disturb a normal operation of the DRAM device, thereby causing a fault of the DRAM device. As a result, it is required to detect the temperature of the DRAM device to output the detected result.

On die thermal sensor of semiconductor memory device


A rotary apparatus for a polygon mirror has: a sleeve; a rotation shaft which is inserted into the sleeve; the polygon mirror which is fixed to the rotation shaft; a yoke which is fixed to the rotation shaft; permanent magnets which are fixed to the yoke; and a stator which is fixed to the sleeve, and which is opposed to the permanent magnets. Tapped portions are formed in a part of the outer circumference of the rotation shaft, and a part of the inner circumference of the sleeve, respectively. The tapped portions are temporarily engaged with each other in a process of inserting the rotation shaft into the sleeve. The rotation direction of the rotation shaft in a driving process is identical with that of the rotation shaft in the inserting process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary apparatus and a laser beam printer having a rotary apparatus, and more particularly to a rotary apparatus for rotating a polygon mirror or the like, and a laser beam printer having such a rotary apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a rotary apparatus is requested to conduct high-speed or high-accuracy rotation. For example, a laser beam printer requires a high-accuracy rotary apparatus for a polygon mirror. Such a rotary apparatus must be designed so as to prevent the polygon mirror from dropping off during a rotating process.
For example, JP-A-4-107313 discloses a rotary bearing which has a hydrodynamic bearing, and in which a concave portion is disposed in a rotation shaft, a projecting member that is to be fitted into the concave portion in a contactless manner is disposed on a sleeve, and the projecting member has a shape that, when the rotation shaft is fitted into the sleeve, is easily deformed, and that is caught in the pulling out direction, thereby preventing the rotation shaft from dropping off.
In this structure, a rotary member attached to the rotation shaft is prevented from being lifted up more than needed from a fixing member, or being pulled out thereof.
In the apparatus of JP-A-4-107313, however, the projecting member must have an elastic shape, and hence must be thinned, so that the durability is reduced. When the projecting member is made of a material different from that of the sleeve or formed as a part separate from the sleeve, the number of production steps and the production cost are increased. Moreover, the rotation shaft is hardly pulled out of the sleeve, and hence the rotation shaft and the sleeve must be replaced together with new ones in a repairing process or the like.

Rotary apparatus including a rotation shaft and sleeve having tapped portions, and laser beam printer having the same


A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product code for temporal, event-based video fingerprinting. In one embodiment, events in video content are detected. The video content comprises a plurality of video frames. An event represents discrete points of interest in the video content. A set of temporal, event-based segments are generated using the events. Each temporal, event-based segment is a segment of the video content covering a set of events. A time series signal is derived from each temporal, event-based segment using temporal tracking of content-based features of a set of frames associated with the each temporal, event-based segment. A temporal segment based fingerprint is extracted based on the time series signal for the each temporal, event-based segment to form a set of temporal segment based fingerprints associated with the video content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to a data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing video. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for extraction and robust matching of segment based temporal video fingerprints for near-duplicate video identification and video piracy detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
As on-line digital content proliferates, and more and more people continue to access on-line media, there is a growing need to identify copyrighted content. For example, owners of copyrighted audio and video content are interested in identifying and removing unauthorized copies of their copyrighted content on social network and content sharing sites. Social network and content sharing sites permit users to post content, such as music, photos, and videos for viewing by other users of the website. Social network and content sharing sites include, without limitation, YouTube®, Facebook®, and MySpace®. The users of these social network and content sharing sites frequently utilize pirated movies, images, and/or television (TV) shows.
The owners of copyrighted audio and video content are also interested in identifying authorized appearances of their content in order to ensure the owners of the copyrights are compensated appropriately for each occurrence of the copyrighted content. For example, an owner may wish to ensure appropriate compensation is paid for each time that a particular song is played on the radio.
Advertisers on the other hand are interested in monitoring the appearances of their advertisements on television, radio, and/or the Internet, for example, in order to make sure advertising content is aired the appropriate number of times. These applications share in common the need to identify copies or near-duplicates of known copyrighted digital media, such as audio and/or video, from among a repository of unknown media, online videos, radio, and/or television.
Currently available solutions for identifying and protecting copyrighted content include watermarking and fingerprinting. Watermarking inserts a visible or invisible watermark into video content, which identifies the rightful owner of the content. The watermarking technology is designed so that the watermark is automatically transferred to any exact copies of the video as well as to any derivative content that is created based upon the watermarked piece of original content. Any such copies or derivative works, whether authorized or unauthorized, can be identified by scanning for the presence of the watermark embedded within the copied or derivative video content.
However, even though watermarks are designed to be difficult to remove without destroying the video content itself, watermarks can be defeated and removed. If a watermark is successfully removed, the video content becomes permanently unlocked and unauthorized duplication or derivation can no longer be monitored and/or detected via the watermark.
Due to the problems with watermarks, another approach, referred to as content-based fingerprinting and matching of content, has recently been gaining momentum because content-based fingerprinting does not rely on the presence of any watermark in the video content. With this approach, the entire piece of content is considered a "pseudo-watermark", and is summarized into one or more unique fingerprints that characterize the unique audio-visual aspects of the content. To identify whether two pieces of content are copies or derivatives of each other, the content-based fingerprints for the two pieces of content are compared. If the content-based fingerprints are sufficiently similar, the two pieces of content are declared copies, near-duplicates, or derivatives.
Content-based video fingerprinting includes audio-based fingerprinting methods, which uniquely characterize the audio track or the speech in a video. Content-based fingerprinting is also based on the extraction of key frames from the video, and using their visual characteristics to create visual key frame-based fingerprints. The collection of these frame-based fingerprints is then used to describe each video. The frame-based visual features can be global or local in nature. In other words, the frame-based visual features can be extracted from the entire frame or from one or more regions of a frame.
The content-based fingerprinting typically requires similar fingerprints that are invariant with respect to many common editing operations and image/video processing transformations. Common editing operations include, without limitation, cuts, splices, and/or re-ordering. Image/video processing transformations include, without limitation, cropping, scaling, aspect ratio changes, video re-capturing or re-compressing, global illumination changes, color space conversions, color reductions, data corruption and addition of noise.
Currently available content-based fingerprinting approaches work in varying degrees of success with respect to the range of plausible video transformations that are observed in video copies, primarily due to the fact that the successful matching of fingerprints requires complex frame alignment in addition to a robust frame-based fingerprinting technique. The frame-based fingerprinting technique should be invariant to most transformations.
Content-based fingerprinting becomes inaccurate and unreliable in the presence of frame alignment problems and missing or incorrectly sampled frames. Any image processing transformation that changes the visual appearance of the frames sufficiently can also defeat the frame-based matching approaches. In other words, current content-based fingerprinting is typically unable to detect copies and derivative video content where the video sample has been subjected to editing operations.

Temporal segment based extraction and robust matching of video fingerprints


A method for operating at least one automated vehicle, including the steps: detecting road users by sensors with the aid of the at least one automated vehicle and/or with the aid of sensor systems in an infrastructure; ascertaining predicted traffic routes for the road users with the aid of a computing device based on defined criteria; transmitting control data corresponding to the predicted traffic route to the automated vehicle; and operating the automated vehicle according to the control data.

The field of driver assistance systems and of automated driving has markedly gained in importance in the automotive industry. With the introduction of standard tests, such as the Euro NCAP 2018 testing guidelines, functions such as anticipatory pedestrian protection and autonomous emergency braking assistance will be part of the standard equipment in all vehicle classes within a foreseeable time. Additionally, the equipment rate of vehicles with driver assistance functions for the combined transverse and longitudinal guidance will steadily increase in the future. These will have a high availability, in particular, on expressways and well-designed rural roads and will thus allow relaxed driving outside of urban areas.
Sensors such as radar, ultrasound, video cameras, LIDAR, etc. detect the vehicle surroundings in the process. With the aid of this surroundings detection, road users and infrastructure in the surroundings of the vehicle may be identified. Further technologies, such as the navigation system and GPS-based localization systems, are already standard equipment in many new vehicles.
Another class of driver assistance systems is the so-called parking assistance functions, which are presently available in initial series vehicles. Several of them even today allow the parking process to be controlled via a special app on the smart phone.
However, the detection ability of sensor systems installed in the vehicle is limited with respect to the surroundings perception in complex scenarios, as they frequently exist in inner-city scenarios. This may result in a limited availability of highly automated systems. For example, hidden areas and/or nearby objects in the surroundings of the vehicle may result in a limited surroundings identification with the aid of the described sensor systems. A large number of objects situated within a limited space may even further limit the surroundings identification.
One option for obtaining pieces of information about the surroundings is technologies for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, which are in the process of being developed and will be part of the standard equipment in all vehicles in the medium to long term. In the near future, communication technologies will even enable a real time transmission of data.
At the present point in time, LTE is the worldwide standard for mobile communication. It is already available worldwide in many regions and allows transmission rates of up to 300 MBit/s or, in its latest version, 4G/LTE+ up to 4,000 MBit/s. At the same time, the successor 5G is already waiting at the starting blocks. It will enable mobile communication in real time with transmission rates of up to 10,000 MBit/s and with latencies <1 ms.
Since the launch of the first iPhone®, the smart phones now equipped standard with these technologies have replaced the desired cell phones within a very short time. Regardless of age, almost every adult today has a smart phone. Even less expensive models are now equipped with GPS, Bluetooth and LTE technology.
Driver assistance systems and systems for automated driving carry out calculations to estimate the development (prediction) of the traffic situation. Based on this estimation, the system decides the appropriate behavior of the vehicle in the form of, e.g., a trajectory. Behavior models are stored to carry out the prediction of the situation for the individual road users. These behavior models include pieces of information about the movement options of different object types and evaluate their interaction with other road users as well as the jointly used infrastructure. For example, a vehicle is able to move much more quickly than pedestrians, whereas a pedestrian is able to stop almost immediately. Each prediction of the situation becomes more uncertain with increasing prediction time. The uncertainty is essentially due to two factors:                On the one hand, the pieces of information about the other road users detected with the aid of the vehicle's own surroundings sensor system may be noisy and/or incomplete.        On the other hand, a prediction based on behavior models is only possible with a limited anticipation of the future. This is due to the number of possible behavior options which a road user is able to perceive within a very short time.
In conventional systems, all these calculations take place without more detailed pieces of information, which also cannot be detected via the installed sensor system.
European Patent No. EP 2 911 926 B1 describes a method in which vehicles collect pieces of surroundings information, an exchange of the pieces of surroundings information across multiple vehicles being provided.
German Patent Application No. DE 102 10 546 A1 describes a method for automatic vehicle guidance in which infrastructure data are wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle, and commands for the vehicle guidance are calculated based on the infrastructure data. It is provided in the process that the infrastructure data for at least one section of the route immediately situated ahead are loaded into a vehicle's own memory, that the instantaneous position of the vehicle is continuously determined with the aid of a precise positioning system, and that the commands are calculated based on the position data and the stored infrastructure data.

Method for operating at least one automated vehicle


A body-insertable apparatus which can make the volume smaller by simplifying a mechanism taking in or throwing out predetermined fluid is realized. The body-insertable apparatus has a configuration having, in a housing, a balloon member, a communication adjusting mechanism, a control circuit, and a power source part and forms a storage chamber by the balloon member and an outer circumferential member (sheet holding substrate and part of the housing) covering the outer surface of the balloon member. In the body-insertable apparatus, a first communication pipe communicated with the inner space of the balloon member and a second communication pipe communicated with the outer space are formed. The communication adjusting mechanism communicates the first communication pipe with the second communication pipe based on an electric current output from the control circuit. The inner space of the balloon member is communicated with the outside of the body-insertable apparatus. The outside fluid is flowed into the storage chamber via an inlet with the contracting operation of the balloon member.

A body-insertable apparatus for taking in body fluid of a patient has been proposed. Specifically, the body-insertable apparatus has a configuration having a capsule-shaped sheathing case, a storage chamber arranged in the sheathing case and having the function of being communicated with the outside of the body-insertable apparatus and of storing body fluid, and a taking control mechanism controlling taking fluid in the storage chamber, wherein the taking control mechanism performs predetermined control upon reaching a predetermined position in a body such as a patient to take in body fluid so that the taken body fluid is stored in the storage chamber.
A conventional body-insertable apparatus has a configuration in which in order to generate a suction force for taking in body fluid, a negative pressure is generated by abruptly changing the volume of a storage chamber with the action of a spring member. Specifically, the conventional body-insertable apparatus incorporates a piston which functions as part of the outer wall portion (a member defining the outer circumference of a region holding a stored target) of the storage chamber, is supplied with a resilient force by a predetermined spring member in the direction in which the volume of the storage chamber is increased, and is supplied with a tension canceling the resilient force by a predetermined fixed string. In such configuration, the piston provided in the body-insertable apparatus is moved according to the resilient force supplied by the spring member when the fixed string is cut based on the function of the taking control mechanism. The volume of the storage chamber is increased with the movement of the spring member to generate a negative pressure in the storage chamber. A suction force is generated so that the body fluid or the like of a body is flowed into the storage chamber (for instance, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. H02-36848).
A body-insertable apparatus which directly supplies medication to an affected portion in a body by application of the above mechanism has been also proposed. Such body-insertable apparatus according to the above configuration employs a configuration in which medication is previously held in a storage chamber and a spring member supplies a resilient force in the direction in which the volume of the storage chamber is decreased. The resilient force of the spring member acts on a piston by cutting a fixed string. The medication held in the storage chamber is discharged with decrease in the volume of the storage chamber.
The conventional body-insertable apparatus must have the spring member for changing the volume of the storage chamber and has the problem of making the body-insertable apparatus larger. Such problem will be described below.
The body-insertable apparatus of the configuration having the spring member must secure a region housing the spring member therein. To minimize such region, a general body-insertable apparatus employs a configuration in which the spring member is held in the most compressed state before performing a body fluid taking or a medication discharging. The general spring member has the maximum compressibility of only about 70%. A region of at least about 30% of the entire length of the spring member must be secured for housing the spring member. The body-insertable apparatus having the spring member increases the volume by the region housing the spring member. The load of a body into which the apparatus is introduced becomes larger.
The present invention has been made in view of the above and an object of the present invention is to realize a body-insertable apparatus which can make the volume smaller by simplifying a mechanism taking in or discharging predetermined fluid.

Body-insertable apparatus and manufacturing method thereof


The instant invention pertains to viscous fluid coupling organopolysiloxane compositions comprised of (A) at least one organopolysiloxane fluid that has the general formula R.sup.1.sub.a R.sup.2.sub.b SiO.sub.[4-(a+b)]/2 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group, R.sup.2 is an aryl group, a+b has the value of 1.95 to 2.05, and b/(a+b) has the value of 0.05 to 0.30; and (B) 0.01 to 5 weight parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of component (A) of a compound with the general formula ##STR1## wherein each R.sup.3 is independently selected from an alkyl group and C has the value of 0 to 2. The viscous fluid coupling organopolysiloxane compositions of the instant invention are capable of withstanding long-term use and under high-temperature, high-shear conditions with little increase or decrease in viscosity and almost no torque fluctuation.

Organopolysiloxane fluids have been widely used for viscous fluid coupling because this application requires a fluid that exhibits such properties as a suitable viscosity, a high flash point, stability against oxidative and thermal degradation, and a low viscosity variation as a function of temperature.
However, due to the heat that develops as a result of the severe shear and friction that are generated in fluid coupling service, an organopolysiloxane fluid used by itself will deteriorate. For example, it will suffer from a viscosity rise or gelation after a particular period of time, and as a consequence it will lose its fluid-coupling function.
In response to this, the addition of various types of oxidation inhibitors to organopolysiloxane fluids has been investigated for the purpose of suppressing this deterioration. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Number Sho 55-18457 [18,457/1980] and U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,702 teach that dimethylpolysiloxane compositions having a small viscosity increase at high temperatures can be obtained by adding to dimethylpolysiloxane fluids a dimethylpolysiloxane with a low degree of polymerization that has been modified by an aromatic amine compound.
In each of the dimethylpolysiloxane compositions produced by the above-described methods, the aromatic amine-modified dimethylpolysiloxane undergoes a rearrangement reaction with the base oil dimethylpolysiloxane fluid under high temperatures in combination with high shear forces. This results in a decline in the viscosity of the dimethylpolysiloxane fluid itself. Thus, the application of such compositions to viscous fluid coupling is encumbered by a decline in the torque transmission ratio and a loss of fluid-coupling function.
Moreover, the cost of these methods is driven up by the complex procedure that is required in order to synthesize the aromatic amine-modified dimethylpolysiloxane.
It is an object of the instant invention to show a viscous fluid coupling organopolysiloxane composition that is capable of withstanding long-term use under high-temperature, high-shear conditions with little increase or decrease in viscosity and almost no torque fluctuation.

Organopolysiloxane composition for viscous fluid coupling


The disclosed technology provides for multi-dimensional data randomization in a memory cell array using circular shifts of an initial scrambling sequence. Data addressed to a first row of a data array is randomized using the initial scrambling sequence and data addressed to each row of the memory cell array is randomized using a scrambling sequence that is equal to a circular shift of the initial sequence.

Certain memories used in digital systems can experience data loss if too many physically-proximate data bits in the memory have the same bit value and surround a bit of opposite value. That is, if too many bits in physical proximity are zeros, data loss can occur for a one bit stored near the zeros. Similarly, if too many bits in physical proximity are ones, data loss can occur for a zero bit stored near the ones. To mitigate data loss in these types of memories, memory controllers may implement data randomization, also referred to as "data scrambling." The data scrambling mechanisms use reproducible pseudo-random modifications to change data written to memory, and to change the data back to the original data when read from the memory. By changing the data, the mix of ones and zeros is changed in an attempt to reduce the number of like-bits in physical proximity.


An interior trim substrate and method of making same uses a corrugated synthetic fiber liner having upper and lower sides. An upper synthetic fiber liner is bonded to the upper side of the corrugated liners and a lower synthetic fiber liner is bonded to the lower side of the corrugated synthetic fiber liner. In this way, an all synthetic fiber headliner substrate which is or can be made 100% recyclable, is formed.

The present invention relates, in general, to substrates used for interior trim and especially to headliner substrates for motor vehicles, and in particular, to a new and useful headliner substrate and process for making the same, where the entire article of manufacture is made of synthetic fibers such as, but not limited to polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), and nylon that enables it to be 100% recyclable or can be made 100% recyclable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,943 and 5,134,014, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/755,283 filed Nov. 22, 1996, which are all incorporated here by reference, disclose methods, structures and materials for composite substrates of the type to which the present application relates.
Substrates for interior trim are known to be manufactured from various natural and synthetic fibers. In particular, headliners are known which are made from corrugated fiberboard and thermoplastic composites. The composite may include an upper kraft paper layer and intermediate thermoplastic film layer (e.g. polyester or polyethylene), an inner kraft liner, an inner thermoplastic layer, and a corrugated fiberboard medium.
It is also known to use fiberglass in a headliner for its strength, dimensional stability and acoustic absorption characteristics. Further, it is also known to use polyurethane foam sandwiched between two glass mats for its strength and dimensional stability of the glass mats and for acoustical enhancement of the foam. It is also known to use polyester mat sandwiched between glass mats again for its strength and dimensional stability as well as for its acoustical enhancement. Finally, attempts have been made to use only polyester mats, however, dimensional stability and structural rigidity could not be maintained without incurring exorbitant costs or without using glass mats to increase the rigidity and dimensional stability of the overall product. In today's market, there is no one product that can currently meet the stringent demands of the automotive industry, which are a low cost, lightweight interior trim substrate with superior acoustical performance and moldability while passing the dimensional stability and transverse strength requirements while also being 100% recyclable.
The main reason to develop an all synthetic fiber headliner is because it can meet all the aforementioned requirements while still providing the ability for the entire headliner to be 100% recyclable. Current attempts to develop an all synthetic fiber interior trim substrate has been supplied using a thick mat of high melt polyester fibers mixed with low melt PET fibers called binder fibers. This mat is then thermoformed in a hot molding die, then transferred to a marriage tool where a polyester non-woven cosmetic cover material is bounded to the polyester fiber substrate. Please see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/755,283 for details concerning these dies and tools.
In some processes, the mat is preheated with hot air blowing or radiating heat through the substrate. During the heating process, the low melt PET binder fibers soften whereby binding together the high melt PET fibers. The temperature is not high enough to soften the high melt fibers. The composite is then placed into a molding die in conjunction with the polyester cosmetic covering material and formed and bonded simultaneously. This system yields a 100% polyester headliner which is 100% recyclable. Also, due to the fibrous nature and high loft of the substrate, it performs very well as sound absorber and has excellent molding.
Currently in the automotive industry, fibrous material such as fiberglass is considered the benchmark for sound absorption. However, due to the potential undesirable characteristics of the glass fibers during the processing of the substrate as well as in the final product, the automotive industry is attempting to eliminate fiberglass type products as an interior trim substrate. Resinated cotton or shoddy and phenolic impregnated polyester fibers both have proven to be effective sound absorption substrates; however, both products use phenolic resin as a strengthening and binder agent which are considered to be undesirable due to the formaldehyde and odor this product produces as well as its non-recyclable characteristic. Synthetic fibers are seen as a major alternative to eliminate the undesirable effect of fiberglass and phenolic impregnated fibers.
Cost is the major prohibitive issue in today's all polyester interior trim substrate. Polyester fibers are very expensive compared to other substrates available on the market. Furthermore, in order to attain a substrate thickness of 15-20 mm (as required for superior sound absorption), a very thick mat must be used prior to compression, otherwise, there will not be enough pressure to bond enough binder fibers together, resulting in a headliner that will not have the integrity to pass the automotive specifications for transverse strength as well as through the environmental chambers. As a result, in order to enable the current product to pass the specification, the percentage of binder fibers which as double the cost of the matrix fibers must be increased and simultaneously the amount of mass must be increased. Although this product became a salable product that is 100% recyclable, the product is neither cost effective nor light weight. This leads to the primary reason for the present invention.

All synthetic fiber interior trim substrate


Naphthenic process oils are made by blending one or more naphthenic vacuum gas oils in one or more viscosity ranges with a high CA content ethylene cracker bottoms, slurry oil, heavy cycle oil or light cycle oil feedstock to provide at least one blended oil, and hydrotreating the at least one blended oil to provide an enhanced CA content naphthenic process oil. The order of the vacuum distillation and blending steps may be reversed.

Process oils are obtained in the refining of petroleum, and are used as plasticizers or extender oils in the manufacture of tires and other rubber products. Process oils may be classified based on their aromatic carbon content (CA), naphthenic carbon content (CN) and paraffinic carbon content (CP), as measured for example according to ASTM D2140. Distillate Aromatic Extract (DAE) process oils contain considerable (e.g., about 35 to 50%) CA content, and have been used as process oils for truck tire tread compounds and other demanding rubber applications. However DAEs also contain benzo[a]pyrene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH compounds, also known as polycyclic aromatics or PCA) that may be classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. For example, European Council Directive 69/2005/EEC issued Nov. 16, 2005 prohibited the use after Jan. 1, 2010 of plasticizers with high PAH content.
High viscosity naphthenic oils have been used as DAE process oil substitutes. However, due to the generally lower CA content of naphthenic oils compared to that of DAEs, some rubber compound reformulation may be required to recover or maintain acceptable performance. Also, a variety of test criteria may need to be satisfied following reformulation. For tires, the test criteria may include wet grip (tan delta at 0° C.), rolling resistance (tan delta at 60° C.), skid resistance, dry traction, abrasion resistance and processability. This long list of potential test criteria has made it difficult to find suitable replacements for DAE process oils.
Accordingly, there remains an ongoing need for materials that can replace DAE process oils and thereby reduce or minimize PAH content, without unduly compromising the performance of rubber formulations employing such replacement materials compared to formulations employing a DAE process oil.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A positive active material for an alkaline secondary battery having a core layer containing nickel hydroxide and a conductive auxiliary layer which coats the surface of the core layer, wherein the conductive auxiliary layer contains a cobalt oxyhydroxide phase and a cerium dioxide phase, and the active material contains lithium.

As a positive electrode of an alkaline secondary battery, an unsintered electrode obtained by filling a paste containing an active material into a nickel foam substrate is used. In this case, since nickel hydroxide, which is an active material in a discharged state, is low in electric conductivity, cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) having high electric conductivity is often utilized as an electroconductive additive in order to increase the utilization factor of the active material. For example, a powder of cobalt oxide (CoO), cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)2), or cobalt oxyhydroxide is added to a paste containing an active material. Cobalt oxide and cobalt hydroxide are oxidized into cobalt oxyhydroxide at the time of initial charge, and cobalt oxyhydroxide acts as an electroconductive additive. Further, the surface of the nickel hydroxide particles may be coated with a cobalt compound.
Cobalt oxyhydroxide is stable in a normal battery operating voltage range and insoluble in an alkaline electrolyte solution. However, when a positive potential approaches a negative potential by overdischarge of a battery or a battery is in a state of reverse charge, cobalt oxyhydroxide is reduced, resulting in a decrease in an oxidation number of cobalt (Co) and a reduction in electric conductivity. If cobalt oxyhydroxide is further reduced into cobalt hydroxide, it is eluted into an electrolyte solution, and does not serve as an electroconductive additive.
From this situation, an attempt to inhibit the reduction of cobalt oxyhydroxide is made. For example, in Patent Document 1 is proposed a constitution in which antimony or the like is added to an oxidized compound of cobalt. However, although a lot of substances to be added to an oxidized compound of cobalt are described in Patent Document 1, only a few substances of these substances, such as magnesium and aluminum, are actually evaluated for the change in the battery capacity as experimental data, and these descriptions do not allow presumption as to the characteristics exhibited by other substances.
In Patent Document 2 is described a nickel positive electrode for an alkaline secondary battery, which has nickel hydroxide and a divalent or higher cobalt compound which coats the surface of nickel hydroxide, and contains a compound such as calcium in a coating layer thereof. It is described that the oxygen generation overvoltage increases by containing a compound such as calcium.
On the other hand, in order to increase the capacity of the active material itself, an attempt to utilize γ type nickel oxyhydroxide is made. In a common alkaline secondary battery, nickel hydroxide (the oxidation number of Ni is 2) turns into β type nickel oxyhydroxide (the oxidation number of Ni is 3) by charging. The oxidation number of Ni of γ type nickel oxyhydroxide is about 3.5 to 3.7, and therefore a battery capacity can be theoretically increased.
However, since γ type nickel oxyhydroxide has a crystal structure in which alkali metal ions or water molecules are incorporated into a space between layers thereof, and has a larger volume than β type nickel oxyhydroxide, a swelling phenomenon of a positive electrode occurs if γ type nickel oxyhydroxide is produced in charging, and the positive electrode absorbs an alkali electrolyte solution retained in a separator to cause internal resistance of a battery to increase, and hence there is a problem that the cycle life of the battery is shortened.
In order to solve this problem, in Patent Document 3 is proposed a positive active material for an alkaline secondary battery principally made of Ni(OH)2, including nickel hydroxide having an oxidation number of Ni larger than 2 and including a higher cobalt compound containing a first alkali cation on the surface of nickel hydroxide, in which nickel hydroxide having an oxidation number of Ni larger than 2 contains a second alkali cation. In the examples, a nickel hydroxide compound containing about 0.7% by mass of lithium ions is disclosed. It is described that by the effect of inclusion of alkali ions in nickel hydroxide, the alkali cation concentration in the electrolyte solution is not changed even when γ type nickel oxyhydroxide is produced during charging.
Further, in Patent Document 4 is described active material particles made of composite particles, in which a surface layer principally made of a higher cobalt compound of cobalt having an oxidation number larger than +2 is provided on the surface of core layer particles principally made of higher nickel hydroxide, wherein lithium is solid solution in the active material particles in an amount which corresponds to 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of lithium as simple substance. It is described in Patent Document 4 that by incorporating lithium into a crystal of nickel hydroxide, the active material particles are stable even when the oxidation number of Ni is +3.2 to +3.4.

Positive active material for alkaline secondary battery, method for manufacturing the same and alkaline secondary battery


Perfusion media are disclosed providing excellent cell density, titer and product quality for production of a therapeutic protein in a perfusion process.

Proteins such as those intended for pharmaceutical applications can be manufactured using either a batch, fed batch method or a perfusion method. The present invention is directed to perfusion processes, including those used for manufacture of therapeutic proteins.
Perfusion processes for manufacturing therapeutic proteins are sensitive to changes in the composition of culture media, temperature, accumulation of metabolic wastes, and bioreactor physico-chemical parameters. Inadequate or fluctuating conditions affect protein posttranslational modifications such as its glycoprofile, the latter being known to correlate with pharmacokinetic properties.
Perfusion processing is desirable over fed-bath processing because it enables production of more product in a given period of time with improved cost of goods. Hence it is desirable to overcome the challenges of developing suitable feed conditions that will support a perfusion process.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,773 and EP 1,781,802 disclose production of the fusion protein TNFR-IG using a fed batch process in which feed media are prescribed having specified concentrations of amino acids and/or inorganic ions.

Method of manufacturing a protein by perfusion in media with a low amino acid concentration


Methods and systems for enhancing and/or improving one's memory are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented memory assistance system is comprised of a client and a memory assistance server. The memory assistance server includes a signal processing server to receive and process media signals (e.g., audio, video, or photographs) and associated data received from the client. The signal processing server includes a variety of servers or services for processing signals and/or data. Each signal processing server or service identifies characteristics of the received media signal that are relevant to aiding a user in recalling and/or reinforcing an existing memory of a particular event or fact. In addition, the memory assistance server includes presentation logic to generate one or more media clips from the received media signal. Furthermore, the presentation logic determines a time and medium to present one or more media clips to a user so as to aid the user in recalling and/or reinforcing one or more existing memories of a particular event or fact.

Memory is the ability of a person to store, retain, and subsequently recall information, such as events (episodic memories) and facts (semantic memories). Memory researchers have identified a variety of memory problems and have made attempts to label or categorize the memory problems based on their characteristics or symptoms. For example, one category of memory problems—referred to simply as "forgetting"—involves the inability to recall events or facts. For example, when someone hears a song on the radio that he or she is familiar with, and he or she cannot recall the name of the singer at that particular moment in time, he or she is experiencing a memory problem involving "forgetting." There are several memory problems that fall within the category of "forgetting." One such problem is referred to as "transience." Transience involves the fading of memories over time. Another memory problem within the category of forgetting—referred to as "absent-mindedness"—involves shallow processing, for example, forgetting to do things. A third memory problem falling under the category of forgetting is referred to as "blocking." Blocking involves the inability to temporarily recall a fact or event that is known to be within one's memory, such as in the example provided above involving the singer.
Another category of memory problems involves what is referred to as "distortion." Distortion occurs not when memories cannot be recalled, but when memories are recalled incorrectly. For example, "misattribution" is a memory problem that occurs when one correctly recalls a particular event or fact, but attributes it to an incorrect source. "Suggestibility" is a memory problem involving implanting or associating incorrect memories with a proper memory. Finally, a memory problem referred to as "bias" involves distorting or unconsciously influencing a memory.
Memory researchers have suggested some solutions to some of these memory problems. For instance, through memory research, it has been shown that the more time spent "rehearsing" a particular memory, the better the encoding of the memory. This is particularly true if the rehearsal takes place soon after the event. Furthermore, periodically refreshing one's memory about a given event or fact reduces the chance that the memory will be forgotten in time (transience), or will be perturbed due to memory bias. Unfortunately, very few tools that simplify and enhance these memory-improving processes exist.
There are some well-known tools that help people store and recall information. For example, calendar and scheduling software applications exist to help people recall appointments, meetings, anniversaries, birthdays and other time-related events. Similarly, contact management software applications exist to help people recall contact information, such as telephone numbers and addresses for business contacts, friends and family members. However, most of these tools are designed to serve as substitutes for one's memory as opposed to enhancing one's memory. In fact, to a certain extent, depending on such devices to recall certain information (e.g., phone numbers) may actually diminish one's ability to recall the information from his or her memory. Accordingly, new tools are needed to both enhance and augment one's memory.

Memory assistance system comprising of a signal processing server receiving a media signal and associated data relating to information to be remembered and processing the input signal to identify media characteristics relevant to aiding user memory


An apparatus for adjusting an internal voltage includes a device characteristic detection circuit which detects a device characteristic, compares the device characteristic with an external clock, and generates a comparison signal, and an internal voltage adjustment circuit which receives an adjustment code generated based on the comparison signal, adjusts a level of an internal voltage, and generates a level-adjusted internal voltage.

1. Technical Field
The inventive concept relates to an apparatus and system for adjusting an internal voltage, and more particularly, to an apparatus and system for adjusting an internal voltage, which perform trimming on a voltage while a wafer probing test process.
2. Related Art
To minimize power consumption in mobile apparatuses, efforts to lower operation voltages of circuits have been consistently made. Although the entire power consumption in the mobile apparatuses is reduced through reduction in the operation voltages, the circuits constituting the mobile apparatus may be susceptible to even a small voltage difference. Thus, the circuits which are driven on the basis of a fine voltage difference may abnormally operate by a small voltage difference.
For example, the devices constituting the circuits included in the mobile apparatuses may have different operation characteristics according to the operation voltages, and thus an internal voltage needs to be set depending on the operation characteristics.

Apparatus and system for adjusting internal voltage


A system and method for protecting a rotorcraft from entering a vortex ring state, the method including monitoring a vertical speed of a rotorcraft, comparing the vertical speed to a vertical speed safety threshold, and performing vortex ring state (VRS) avoidance in response to the vertical speed exceeding the vertical speed safety threshold. The performing the VRS avoidance includes determining a power margin available from one or more engines of the rotorcraft, limiting the vertical speed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin exceeding a threshold, and increasing a forward airspeed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin not exceeding the threshold.

There is potential for rotorcraft to get into a dangerous area of the flight envelope where vertical performance is compromised if excessive vertical velocities are developed at low airspeeds. Traditionally, aircraft flight manuals have warned aircrew about this flight condition called vortex ring state (VRS) and pilot training has taught them to avoid entering such situations. Operationally, it is not always apparent to the aircrew that VRS is about to occur, especially in poor visibility, at times of high workload (such as approach to landing) or if auxiliary systems such as autopilots are mishandled and cause inadvertent changes in forward or vertical speed. The onset of VRS can result in control limitations and restricted ability to arrest the high descent rates.

System and method for protection against vortex ring state


Apparatus for deflection of a beam of light includes a case, which is configured to be positioned in a path of the beam, and a liquid, which is contained within the case. An array of plates is disposed across a surface of the liquid. The plates are configured to rotate on the surface about respective axes, which are mutually parallel and are spaced apart by a predefined pitch. An actuator is configured to drive a rotation of the plates about the respective axes so as deflect the beam that is incident on the plates.

Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) are optical components with micro-structure patterns that modulate the phase of incident beams of optical radiation. (The term "optical radiation" is used in the present description and in the claims, interchangeably with the term "light," to refer to electromagnetic radiation in any of the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared spectral ranges.) DOEs may operate on either transmitted or reflected radiation (or both). The optical effect of the DOE depends on the spacing and depth of the diffractive micro-structure pattern.
A diffraction grating is a type of DOE with a periodic structure that diffracts incident light into multiple, distinct beams by either transmission through or reflection from the grating. The beams correspond to diffraction orders of the grating, which emanate from the grating at angles θm determined by the grating pitch d and the wavelength λ of the incident light: θm=sin−1(mλ/d). The fraction of the incident optical power that is emitted into a given diffraction order is referred to as the efficiency of the grating for that order.
The efficiency of a grating for a particular order at a particular wavelength can be optimized by appropriate choice of the blaze angle θB, which is defined as the angle between the facets of the grating and the surface plane of the grating. For example, in a transmission grating, when the blaze angle is chosen such that the angle at which the beam is refracted at the facets is equal to the diffraction angle of a particular diffraction order, the light will be diffracted into that order with high efficiency.


A one way clutch has a retainer for receiving a sprag intervening between an outer ring and an inner ring. The retainer includes a cylindrical structural body; a stepped flange which radially protrudes from one end of the structural body so that it communicates with a spot facing hole and inner periphery of the outer ring; a sprag receiving groove formed to be cut toward the flange for receiving the sprag; and an elasticity imparting groove formed to an axial direction of the structural body. The flange prevents reduction in the strength of the retainer due to the provision of the sprag receiving groove in the retainer and hence prevents damage of the retainer such as cracking. A remaining portion located at the position corresponding to the elasticity imparting groove imparts elasticity to the retainer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a one way clutch which is incorporated between a driving shaft and a driven shaft of e.g. motor vehicle, general industrial machine, etc., and has a function of transferring only power in a one way rotation of the driving shaft to the driven shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a one way clutch is provided with a retainer for receiving a sprag intervening between an outer ring and an inner ring. The sprag is pushed by a ring-shaped spring from outside toward inside in a radial direction of the retainer so that it is held by the retainer.
An example of the retainer is a retainer 30 as shown in FIG. 27.
The retainer 30 has a plurality of sprag receiving grooves 32 cut in an axial direction from the one end of an cylindrical structural body 31. Sprags (not shown) are mounted in the respective sprag receiving grooves 32.
The one way clutch is required to shorten its axial length for the purpose of miniaturizing. Therefore, the wall thickness (T1) of a remaining portion 33 formed by the sprag receiving grooves 32 of the retainer 30 must be reduced.
However, the one way clutch provided with the retainer with the remaining portion having a reduced wall thickness has the following defects.
(1) Since the wall thickness of the remaining portion is small, the strength of the retainer is lowered. Therefore, while the retainer is used for a long time, the remaining potion will suffer from damage such as crack. Thus, the retainer is likely to be not able to effect smooth operation.
(2) When the sprag slips owing to excess load, it vigorously hits on the retainer. Therefore, while the retainer is used for a long time, the remaining portion will suffer from damage. Thus, the retainer is likely to be not able to effect a smooth operation.
(3) If the wall thickness of the remaining portion is increased so that the remaining portion does not suffer from damage, the elasticity of the retainer is reduced and its size will be increased, thereby making it impossible to miniaturize the one way clutch.