The method of constructing a hull for ocean profiling or gliding vehicles which reduce the energy required to make vertical excursions. Composite materials are used in constructing the hull, specifically a fiber reinforced matrix, wherein the choice of the fiber material and orientation allows a balance of strength and elastic properties optimized for oceanic profilers and gliders thereby allowing operations with minimum energy expenditure.

This invention relates to oceanographic instrumentation, and more particularly to autonomous devices which cycle vertically and repeatedly between the surface and a desired depth in the ocean.
To observe the ocean environment there is a class of deep submergence vehicles that move freely (no physical connection to surface or bottom). Some profile vertically between the surface and resting in stable equilibrium at depth, i.e., "profilers." Others do not seek a stable equilibrium depth, instead they cycle vertically continuously, i.e., "gliders." It is desirable that these vehicles, with their observational payload, be small and inexpensive. In the case of profilers, the vehicle should be capable of hundreds of profiles moving efficiently between a stable equilibrium depth, typically 2000 meters (m), and the surface over a period of several years. Gliders are in continuous motion and it is desirable to cycle vertically many hundreds of times with minimum work expended.
Commonly profiler and glider designs use a metal hull, typically an aluminum alloy, with an active buoyancy mechanism having a pump or displacer powered by an on-board energy supply. An example of a profiler is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,856 (Webb). An example of a glider is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,847 (Webb). Most cylindrical, metallic, pressure resistant hulls designed to operate at substantial depth have an increase in buoyancy as depth is increased, i.e., their compressibility is less than sea water.
The goal of the present invention is to minimize the energy required for vertical excursions by using a hull design in which the compressibility, pressure resistance, and buoyancy can be independently optimized.
The invention embraces two similar vehicle types. Those that have a static stable equilibrium at depth, commonly called profilers, and those that are in continuous vertical motion, typically gliders. Both vehicle classes benefit from a compressibility optimized for minimum energy expenditure and maximum buoyancy.


A film-forming apparatus and method comprising a film-forming chamber for supplying a reaction gas, a cylindrical shaped liner provided in the film-forming chamber, a straightening vane provided above the liner for the reaction gas to pass through, wherein the outside of the film-forming chamber connects the inside of the liner via a substrate transfer portion provided at the wall of the film-forming chamber by moving the straightening vane from the position that the straightening vane closes the upper opening of the liner. A substrate supporting portion provided in the liner, for supporting the substrate before the film-forming to move the substrate in a vertical direction, a substrate transfer unit capable of moving inside the film-forming chamber through the substrate transfer portion, wherein the substrate is transferred between the substrate supporting portion and the substrate transfer unit.

Epitaxial growth technique is conventionally used to produce a semiconductor device such as a power device (e.g., IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor)) requiring a relatively thick crystalline film.
In the case of vapor phase epitaxy used in an epitaxial growth technique, a wafer is placed inside a film-forming chamber maintained at an atmospheric pressure or a reduced pressure, and a reaction gas is supplied into the film-forming chamber while the wafer is heated. As a result of this process, a pyrolytic reaction or a hydrogen reduction reaction of the reaction gas occurs on the surface of the wafer so that an epitaxial film is formed on the wafer. The gas generated by the reaction, as well as the gas not used, is exhausted through the outer portion of the chamber. After the epitaxial film is formed on the wafer, the substrate is carried out from the chamber. Another substrate is then placed into the chamber, and then an epitaxial film will be formed on that substrate.
In order to produce a thick epitaxial film in high yield, a fresh reaction gas needs to be continuously brought into contact with the surface of a uniformly heated wafer to increase a film-forming rate. Therefore, in the case of a conventional film-forming apparatus, a film is epitaxially grown on a wafer while the wafer is rotated at a high speed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-108983).
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of a conventional film-forming apparatus using an epitaxial growth technique. It refers to a state in which the substrate is carried out (or placed into) the chamber.
As shown in FIG. 4, a film-forming chamber 201 has a belljar-shaped body 302 arranged on a base plate 301 in the film-forming apparatus 200. A base plate cover 303 is arranged and is detachable from the base plate 301. The base plate cover 303 has a shape and size that can cover the whole of the base plate 301.
The base plate cover 303 may consist of, for example, quartz. The base plate 301 is connected to the belljar-shaped body 302 via a flange 210. The flange 210 is sealed with packing 211. During the vapor-phase growth reaction, the temperature will be very high in the film-forming chamber 201. Therefore, flow channels 203 for circulating cooling water are provided in and around the periphery of the chamber 201 to prevent the thermal deterioration of the flange 210 and pipe 212 (which will be described later).
A supply portion 205 for supplying a reaction gas 204 is positioned in the belljar-shaped body 302. The discharge portion 206 is positioned in the base plate 301. The resulting process gas, after the reaction, and the process gas not used in the reaction are exhausted out of the film-forming chamber 201 through the discharge portion 206.
The discharge portion 206 is connected to a pipe 212 via the flange 210. The flange 210 is sealed with packing 214.
A liner 202 is positioned in the film-forming chamber 201. A rotating shaft 216 and a rotating cylinder 217 positioned on the top of the rotating shaft 216 are arranged in the liner 202. A susceptor 208 is attached to the rotating cylinder 217. The rotating shaft is rotated and as a result the susceptor 208 will rotate via the rotating cylinder 217. During the vapor-phase growth reaction, a substrate 207 is placed on the susceptor 208, and then the substrate 207 will be rotated with the rotation of the susceptor 208.
The liner 202 includes an upper opening into which a shower plate 215 is fitted to act as a gas straightening vane having the function of uniformly supplying the reaction gas 204 onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate 207. The reaction gas 204 flows through the shower plate 215 and flows downward toward the surface of the substrate 207. As a result, a pyrolytic reaction or a hydrogen reduction reaction occurs on the surface of the substrate 207 so that an epitaxial film is formed on the surface of the substrate 207.
The substrate 207 is heated by a heater 209 positioned in the rotating cylinder. The heater 209 is supported by an electrically conductive arm-like busbar 220. The busbar 220 is supported by the heater base 221 positioned at the opposite side of the heater 209, the busbar 220 and a rod electrode 223 are connected by the connecting portion 222. Electricity is conducted from rod electrodes 223 through the busbar 220 to the heater 209. The temperature of the substrate 207 is measured by a radiation thermometer 224a, 224b.
After the epitaxial film is formed, the process gas in the film-forming chamber 201 is replaced with hydrogen gas or inert gas. The substrate 207 is then carried out the film-forming chamber 201.
The liner 202 has a substrate transfer port 246 and the belljar-shaped body 302 has a substrate transfer port 247. A transfer chamber (not shown) is adjacent to the film-forming chamber 201. When the substrate 207 is carried out the film-forming chamber 201, the substrate 207 is moved upwards by a substrate supporting portion (not shown) in the rotating cylinder 217. A transfer arm 248 of a transfer robot is inserted into the film-forming chamber 201 via the substrate transfer ports 246 and 247. The substrate 207 is then transferred from the substrate supporting portion to the transfer arm 248, and carried out the film-forming chamber 201 through the substrate transfer ports 246 and 247.
When the next substrate 207, on which an epitaxial film would be formed, is carried into the film-forming chamber 201, the transfer arm 248 with the substrate 207 placed upon is inserted into the film-forming chamber 201 through the substrate transfer port 246 and 247. Next, the substrate 207 is transferred from the transfer arm 248 to the substrate supporting portion. The position of the substrate supporting portion is lowered, as a result, the substrate 207 is placed on the susceptor 208.
In a conventional film-forming apparatus 200 the following problems can occur.
The reaction gas 204 passes through the shower plate 215 into the inside of the liner 202 and flows downward toward the surface of the substrate 207. The liner 202 includes the substrate transfer port 246 connected to the substrate transfer port 247. The reaction gas 204 enters into this space formed by the transfer ports 246 and 247 (see FIG. 4) hereinafter referred to as the space C. As a result, it takes a long time for the gas to completely exit after epitaxial film-forming.
It is a possibility to introduce inert gas from the side of the substrate transfer port 247 to prevent the reaction gas 204 remaining in the space C. However, there are concerns that the efficiency of the epitaxial reaction will change as a result of the inert gas.
If the substrate 207 used is large in diameter, accordingly the space C tends to be large. In this situation the amount of reaction gas 204 in the space C increases. Therefore, the above-mentioned problem will become more serious.
The present invention has been made to address these issues. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a film-forming apparatus and a film-forming method that can reduce the possibility of the reaction gas entering and remaining in the space.
Other challenges and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the following description.


A method of controlling a deceleration rate of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) includes measuring an applied regenerative braking torque (RBT) during a threshold regenerative braking event (RBE), and automatically applying an offsetting friction braking torque (OFBT) from a hydraulic braking system during the threshold RBE to provide the vehicle with a substantially constant deceleration rate. An HEV having a regenerative braking capability includes a friction braking system adapted to selectively apply an OFBT to slow the HEV in one manner, an energy storage system (ESS), an electric motor/generator, and a controller having a braking control algorithm or method. The method anticipates an impending let up in the RBT based on a plurality of vehicle performance values including a threshold vehicle speed, and selectively activates the friction braking system to apply the OFBT when the impending let up in the RBT is greater than a threshold.

A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) utilizes multiple sources of energy in order to improve fuel economy while reducing certain vehicle emissions. Typically, an HEV includes a rechargeable energy storage system (ESS), usually a battery or battery pack having a relatively high energy density, with the ESS being electrically connected to at least one of the multiple energy sources. The multiple energy sources most often include a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor/generator. However, other HEV designs may alternately employ a fuel cell and/or another power source in place of the internal combustion engine in order to further reduce vehicle emissions.
In a typical "mild" hybrid design in particular, an energy conversion system, which is usually configured an internal combustion engine, provides the power necessary for propelling the HEV, with the engine being configured to shut off when the mild HEV is idle or at a standstill. In this manner fuel is conserved, particularly during stop-and-go traffic conditions. When a driver depresses an accelerator pedal to launch a mild HEV, an electric drive motor connected to an auxiliary battery provides an initial burst of power lasting through an interval required for cranking and starting the engine. The drive motor is not used to power the vehicle independently of the engine, as would a conventional or "full" HEV. However, a mild HEV may still be configured to provide regenerative braking and/or idle stop capabilities.
Regenerative braking is used on certain mild HEV as a means of capturing braking energy to further optimize fuel economy. A controller can select a first rotational direction of the electric motor/generator as needed to allow that device to act as a generator during a braking event. Acting as a generator, the ESS can be recharged while a negative torque is applied to the road wheels, thus slowing the HEV. Likewise, during normal driving operations the controller can select a second rotational direction of the electric motor/generator to allow that device to act as an electric motor for powering various systems aboard the HEV in conjunction with the ESS. Because regenerative braking improves overall fuel economy, it can be desirable to maximize both the magnitude and the duration of the regenerative braking during a given regenerative braking event.
In an automatic transmission aboard an HEV, a hydrodynamic torque converter assembly can provide a variable slip fluid coupling between an input shaft of the transmission and the power source or sources. Within certain torque converter assemblies, a lockup-style torque converter clutch (TCC) can be selectively engaged above a threshold speed, usually around 30 to 35 miles per hour (mph), in order to lock the pump/impeller and turbine members of the torque converter assembly. In this manner, slip is prevented at higher vehicle speeds.
Below this threshold speed, the TCC is disengaged to allow an increasing amount of slip to occur across the torque converter assembly. Coinciding with a fully-opened TCC at relatively low vehicle speeds, usually approximately 6 mph or less, a transition out of an active regenerative braking event occurs as the HEV is slowed to a standstill, or when the HEV is abruptly accelerated. When this occurs, the direction or sign of the total driveline torque, i.e., the sum of the engine torque and any transient electric motor torque supplied to the engine shaft from the motor/generator in its electric motor mode, transitions from a negative torque value to a neutral torque value or a positive torque value. Under certain circumstances, the transition or "let up" may produce a perceptible reduction in the vehicle deceleration rate.

Vehicle deceleration rate control method and apparatus


The present disclosure provides nanocrystals(s) containing silicone capping agent(s). Dispersions containing the nanocrystal(s) and at least one of silicone monomer(s), silicone pre-polymer(s), and silicone polymer(s), and optionally additionally containing a solvent are also described. Cured dispersions, compositions of nanocrystal(s) and LEDs and related structures containing the composition(s) are provided in the present disclosure.

The silicone material family has a unique combination of properties: they are optically transparent from infra-red (IR) to visible to ultra-violet (UV) spectrum; they are thermally stable; and their low viscosity makes them suitable for a variety of processing techniques. This unique combination of properties is desirable for many electronic and optical applications such as high brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LED), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), solar cells, lasers etc.
Silicones typically have refractive index less than 1.6, and in many cases less than 1.55. For many of the above mentioned applications, high refractive index is desired to couple light in and out of the device more efficiently. For example, in an HBLED the mismatch of the refractive index of the active materials, which is ˜2.6, and that of the silicone encapsulant, results in some emitted light being trapped inside the chip and reduces overall efficiency of the device. Improving the refractive index of the silicone materials while preserving other properties is critical to many applications.
Inorganic materials, such as metal oxide, typically have higher refractive index than most polymers. However these materials are generally rigid and difficult to process. By combining nanocrystals of these materials with a silicone matrix it is possible to create nanocomposites that possess high refractive index, high clarity, and maintain the thermal stability, processability, and mechanic properties of the silicone materials.
Nanocrystals and Capped Nanocrystals
The present disclosure provides nanocrystals comprising metal oxides selected from zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium oxide, zinc oxide, yttrium oxide, and niobium oxide and mixtures and alloys thereof. Said nanocrystals having high bulk refractive indexes, typically larger than 1.9 in the visible spectrum, as well as exceptional transparency. Said nanocrystals have diameters much smaller than the wavelength of the actinic light, or smaller than one tenth of the actinic wavelength, to minimize light scattering.
The potential incompatibility between the inorganic nanoparticles and silicone polymers may lead to agglomeration, which can cause loss in the optical transparency and severely limits its use in optical applications. The presently disclosed nanocrystals may be capped with at least one capping agent. The at least one capping agent of presently disclosed capped nanocrystals may also be referred to as capping ligand or capping group. These capping agent or capping agents can be attached to the surface of the nanocrystals to provide desired properties when dispersed into solvents, monomers, polymers, or mixtures thereof.

High refractive index silicone nanocomposites


An image processing method includes, calculating a partial distance between a pixel of interest in an image and each of reference pixels, sequentially calculating a total distance between the pixel of interest and each of the plurality of the reference pixels based on the partial distance, determining a shortest total distance among the total distances that have been already calculated, in the sequential calculation of the total distance, and categorizing the pixel of interest based on the reference pixel corresponding to the shortest total distance, wherein, if the partial distance between the pixel of interest and a specific one of the reference pixels to be calculated is equal to or greater than the shortest total distance in the sequential calculation of the total distance, the calculation of the total distance between the pixel of interest and the specific one of the reference pixels to be calculated is omitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the region segmentation of an image, and in particular, relates to an image processing method and an image processing apparatus for segmenting an image into regions based on an attribute.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique for segmenting an image into a plurality of regions to have the same attribute such as color, texture, or coordinates, a region segmentation technique is used. The segmented regions allow an encoding process, image processing, and image recognition with respect to each segmented region. Thus, it becomes possible to implement new applications in various image processing apparatuses. In recent years, an embedded system often performs image processing, and therefore, a faster region segmentation technique for the embedded system is receiving attention.
Conventionally, various techniques are proposed regarding the region segmentation of an image. Some techniques for segmenting an image into regions by clustering pixels are disclosed in the publication of Japanese Patent No. 5127738 and the following dissertations 1, 2, and 3.
Dissertation 1: Tse-Wei Chen, et al., "Photo Retrieval based on Spatial Layout with Hardware Acceleration for Mobile Devices," IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, vol. 10, no. 11. pp. 1646-1660, November 2011.
Dissertation 2: Radhakrishna Achanta, et al., "SLIC Superpixels Compared to State-of-the-Art Superpixel Methods," IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 34, No. 11, pp. 2274-2282, November 2012.
Dissertation 3: C. Y. Ren and I. Reid., "gSLIC: a real-time implementation of SLIC superpixel segmentation," Technical Report University of Oxford, Department of Engineering, 2011.
The technique in the publication of Japanese Patent No. 5127738 is an algorithm for speeding up clustering. This technique first compares a processing target pixel with representative data in a cluster to which a neighboring pixel belongs, and if the distance in a color space between the processing target pixel and the representative data is small, causes the processing target pixel to go with the cluster to which the neighboring pixel belongs.
The technique in dissertation 1 implements a photograph search system based on the content of an image, using hardware for conventional "k-means clustering". This technique achieves the speeding up of the calculation of a distance, using hardware having a high degree of parallelism.
The technique in dissertation 2 generates small regions termed superpixels, using an algorithm termed "Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC)" for speeding up clustering. This technique limits the search range for the nearest representative data and therefore needs only a smaller amount of calculation than conventional "k-means clustering".
The technique in dissertation 3 is a technique for implementing a graphics processing unit (GPU) by improving the algorithm termed "SLIC" in dissertation 2. This technique limits the search range for the nearest representative data to 3×3 pixels to speed up the processing.
Clustering is a technique essential for image recognition and machine learning. As described above, a clustering algorithm is a technique often used in the region segmentation of an image. When clustering is performed, representative data in each cluster may be obtained, and a pixel (hereinafter referred to as "input data") may be assigned to the representative data. In this case, it is necessary to search for the nearest representative data by calculating the distance between the input data and each of a plurality of pieces of representative data.
If clustering is implemented in an embedded system, the degree of parallelism of hardware and the circuit size vary depending on the amount of calculation required to calculate the distance between the input data and each of the pieces of representative candidate data. To reduce the circuit size, various countermeasures to achieve a lightweight algorithm for clustering or reduce the amount of calculation are desired.
The publication of Japanese Patent No. 5127738 discusses a technique for comparing input data of interest with a cluster to which neighboring input data belongs, and discontinuing a calculation based on a threshold. In dissertation 1, the speeding up is achieved using hardware having a high degree of parallelism. In dissertations 2 and 3, the algorithm is sped up. However, even if the above conventional art is used, to cluster high resolution image data at high speed, the amount of calculation for calculating the distance is great.

Image processing method and image processing apparatus for segmenting image into regions


A disinfection system and method for contact lenses that ensures that a disinfection liquid maintains its strength until the moment it is used. The system includes a lens case specially adapted to receive a prepackaged disposable container of disinfection liquid, the opening of which is provided with a tear-off seal to be removed immediately before use. The disposable container contains an amount of disinfection liquid suitable for one disinfection procedure for a set of contact lenses. The use of the disposable container system obviates bacterial growth in the container of the lens case.

The invention concerns a disinfection system for disinfection of contact lenses and comprising a sealed disposable package containing a suitable amount of disinfection liquid to disinfect a set of contact lenses.
Users of contact lenses are aware that, at best, contact lenses are to be cleaned and disinfected daily to avoid trouble in use.
In practice, disinfection of contact lenses takes place in that a disinfection liquid from a container is poured into a specially designed lens case in which the cleaning process takes place. The lens case consists of a lens holder with a lens basket usually secured to the underside of the lens case lid as well as a container to receive disinfection/neutralization liquid onto which the lid may be screwed. When the contact lenses have been placed in the lens baskets, the lens case lid is screwed on the case, whereby the lens baskets with the contact lenses are immersed into the disinfection liquid in the container and are thereby cleaned.
Various types of liquids are used for cleaning contact lenses, depending on the cleaning system used by the user. One of the systems comprises the use of two liquids, the method comprising first immersing the lenses into hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2), which is a very strong disinfecting and cleaning liquid. After the disinfection, the lenses are immersed into a neutralization liquid, and then the contact lenses are ready for use. Sometimes the users of this system forget how far they have gone in the cleaning process, and since the neutralization liquid has the same color as the hydrogen peroxide solution, the user may be easily mistaken or his memory may be at fault, and consequently there have been several cases where the user, believing that the lenses had been neutralized, has then inserted them in the eye directly from the hydrogen peroxide solution, which is very painful.
To avoid such unfortunate actions, DK Patent No. 168 746 B1 proposes a cleaning system where the contact lenses are immersed into a two-compartment case with hydrogen peroxide, but where the case contains a third compartment which communicates with the two compartments and in which a soluble tablet containing a neutralization agent (catalase) is placed. The gradual dissolution of the tablet neutralizes the hydrogen peroxide solution so that the contact lenses will be disinfected and neutralized when the tablet has been dissolved completely after a certain period of time. However, a drawback of this disinfection system is that sometimes the user forgets to place the tablet in the case, so that the contact lenses are inserted without having been neutralized. Another risk is that the user inserts the contact lenses before the tablet has been dissolved completely and the hydrogen peroxide solution has not been neutralized completely.
Today, all-in-one liquids have been developed for simultaneous cleaning, disinfection and insertion of contact lenses, the idea being to take the lens directly from the disinfection liquid and to insert it in the eye. The disinfection agent in these liquids is relatively weak, since otherwise, it would disturb the environment of the eye and cause allergic reactions, because the lenses are not neutralized before being inserted. The all-in-one liquids are supplied in containers/bottles containing up to 360 ml, sufficient for two months, consumption, if the lenses are disinfected daily. In practice, 360 ml are frequently enough for more than two months, as the user saves or just uses the contact lenses at intervals. Health authorities have generally recommended smaller container sizes, corresponding to one month's consumption, it being desired to reduce the risk of bacterial growth in the container. Frequently, the container is stored in bathrooms with many bacteria and fungi, and the users frequently forget to screw the lid onto the container after use. An American study (Donzis) has shown bacterial growth in 11-66% of the containers.
The bacterial growth in the containers reduces the effect of the disinfection agent, weak as it is, so that its disinfecting effect is already reduced before it gets into contact with the contact lenses. The disinfection of the contact lenses will thus be incomplete, whereby the eye will be liable to infection.
The conclusion has been that the safest form of a package of all-in-one liquids is a disposable bottle, commonly called a unit dose, having a ml content corresponding precisely to that needed for one disinfection procedure. Such containers containing 15 ml are known, but are relatively expensive, and their bottle-like shape enables the user to use one half and to save the rest for the next day, which involves a risk of bacterial growth.
The previously mentioned lens case is used for disinfecting contact lenses with the all-in-one liquids and is thus a decisive element of the actual disinfection process. Because of the ability of bacteria to form their own protecting bio film, it is difficult to keep the lens case clean, and today it is therefore recommended to exchange the case as frequently as every month.
Exchange every three months is perhaps acceptable, if the user uses a strong disinfection agent, e.g., 3% hydrogen peroxide, which, however, requires neutralization of the disinfection agent and the lens before the lens is inserted.
Studies (Donzis) have shown that bacterial growth in lens cases differs significantly, depending on the disinfection agent used, within three weeks, use of a new case. If the hydrogen peroxide system is used, there is no bacterial growth within the first three weeks. If, however, all-in-one systems are used, growth occurs in 25% of the cases within the first 21 days. Thus, with bacterial growth in the case, the situation is quite different when using a so-called all-in-one system as the disinfection system.
The conclusion of the study is that if an all-in-one disinfection system is used, it is very important to maintain the effect of the disinfection agent during storage in the container by the user. Further, it is very important to use a sufficient and correct amount of a disinfection agent to disinfect the contact lenses. In addition, the lens case is to be exchanged, or sterilized in another manner to avoid reducing the effect of the disinfection agent in relation to the lens with the consequent risk of eye infection.
EP A1 381 616, EP A1 401 163 and FR A1 2 674 217 disclose disposable systems for cleaning contact lenses.
EP A1 381 616 concerns a disposable system for cleaning contact lenses, which comprises a first container to receive contact lenses and a second container containing a sterilization or disinfection agent. The first container has a means to pierce the lid on the second container when the second container is folded over the first container. The container with contact lenses contains a catalyst to degrade the sterilization agent.
EP A1 401 163 concerns a disposable system comprising two pairs of containers. The first pair contains a sterilization agent, and the second pair contains a neutralization agent. Contact lenses are cleaned by first placing the lenses in their respective containers with a sterilization agent and then transferring the lenses to the containers with a neutralization agent. The system may be provided with a lid, if the lenses are to be stored in the system for an extended period of time. Further, the system may be provided with a spoon-like means to handle the lenses.
FR A1 2 674 217 concerns a disposable container containing a cleaning liquid. In use, the lid of the container is removed by breaking a fragile area, and then the lenses are placed in the liquid. The lid may be applied to the container again.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,698 discloses a contact lens container which is constructed with a base member having at least one compartment and provided with a laterally projected flange around the perimeter of the base member, a reusable adhesive is deposited on the projecting flange and a cover sheet member, extending at least across the full length and width of the compartment, is releaseably united to the base member at the flange by the adhesive and thus forming a fluid-tight seal.
These disposable systems have a number of drawbacks:
The lenses are to be handled either by the fingers or by a spoon-like means, which makes handling risky and lens damage likely. PA1 The disposable systems are restricted either to all-in-one liquids or to two-liquid disinfection systems. PA1 The disposable systems are made of a fragile material, which makes them mechanically unstable during transport (risk of leakage). PA1 It is likely that the lenses are discarded together with the disposable system, as the lenses are difficult to see when they are present in the liquid.

Disinfection system for disinfection of contact lenses


An ion exchange resin tower including a tank, a supply line, an output line, and a plurality of sampling tubes is provided. The supply line guides a liquid into the tank, such that an ion exchange occurs between the liquid and the ion exchange resin in the tank. The processed liquid is guided out of the tank via the output line. The sampling tubes are disposed on a sidewall of the tank to sample the liquid flowing through the resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-quality detection device and a method for detecting the lifetime thereof, and more particularly, to an ion exchange resin tower and a detection method of the lifetime of the resin therein.
2. Description of Related Art
A water purification system is capable of removing impurities in water, including suspensions, particles, organics, microorganisms, electrolytes, and gases, etc., to improve the resistance of the pure water to a limit level, so as to ensure the high water purity. Generally, the resistance of pure water is substantially greater than 18 MΩ-cm, the higher the resistance is, the fewer the ions in the water are, that is, the higher the water quality is.
An ion exchange resin tower is a unit of the water purification system for removing ions from the water effectively. For example, a cation exchange resin is used to exchange cation functional groups with cations in the water, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, so as to reduce the concentration of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in water. During the ion exchange process, the resin gradually adsorbs Ca2+ and Mg2+ and accumulates them to reach a certain amount to become saturated, and thus it cannot perform ion exchange any more, and at this time, the resin must be renewed, regenerated or replaced.
The lifetime of the resin is affected by many variations, for example, quality of pre-processed water, water flow in resin and so on. Therefore, if the resin is renewed according to the lifetime suggested by the manufacturer, it may be done prior to the saturation, and thus increasing the cost. Therefore, acquiring the exact time for the resin to get saturated is surely beneficial for reducing the cost.
As for the method of measuring the saturation of the resin, a method for obtaining the saturation of a resin by a probe disposed in a tank is provided in the prior art, in which the probe is used to detect the resistance of the water there around, when the resistance is lower than a certain default value, it indicates that the resin is saturated and fails to perform ion exchange, so the resin must be renewed.
However, as the probe is located in the tank, merely the saturation of the resin can be determined through using the resistance of the water, but the water cannot be sampled for further analysis about other chemical properties or physical properties. If the contaminations in the water cannot be detected by the probe, the deterioration of water quality caused by the contaminations that cannot be detected through the conventional method as well.

Ion exchange resin tower and detection method of lifetime of resin therein


A multi-language attraction communication device is provided wherein a guest selects a particular language file corresponding to an audio file coordinated with at least one entertainment activity. The communication device includes a memory for storing multiple language files for at least one entertainment activity and a processor. The processor is configured to access the memory, in response to a selected language file for the at least one entertainment activity, and to communicate the language file for review by a guest in real time coordination with the at least one entertainment activity. A method of providing audio to guests at an entertainment activity is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter described herein relates generally to devices and methods for access to audio tracks provided at themed entertainment parks.
2. Related Art
Theme parks are an integral part of global tourism. On any given day, a theme park, in any location, may welcome a large number of international visitors that may not be fluent in the language of the host country where the park is located. Also, the park may also have guests, both foreign and domestic, who are hearing impaired. All of these guests are, unfortunately, unable to understand the audio provided and therefore unable to experience the attractions to the full extent that they were designed and intended to be experienced.
The intended experience of theme parks, such as Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, includes a real-time combination of audio and action. To achieve this experience, numerous entertainment attractions have computer controlled audio files arranged to coincide in real time with the entertainment action. For example, the Cat in the Hat attraction provides audio tracks synchronized with the ride so that visitors experience, from audio and the action, the story of the Cat in the Hat. Accordingly, it is evident that the audio tracks play a crucial role on delivering the full experience required to fully enjoy the attraction.
Currently, most guest accessed communication systems at theme parks provide only self-paced audio tours from a pre-programmed database that is contained on a park owned and maintained "rental unit". These systems do not interact with the ride control systems of the theme park and thus do not provide an adequate substitute for the intended attraction experience as experienced by guests using the primary audio program that is broadcast by loudspeaker in the attraction. In some cases there are guest accessed communication devices that do interact with simple sensor driven events, but these rudimentary systems are not integrated into the master ride and show system, instead they are simply playing back a self contained pre-recorded track at an approximate physical location on the "rental unit". Generally, current guest accessed communication devices are single purpose devices that solely provide an alternate language or hearing impaired output. Typically these devices are expensive to produce, unwieldy, and must be rented from the park's operator at risk of financial expense and upkeep with frequent loss, damage and pilferage.
Accordingly, to date, no suitable device or method exists for providing a fully coordinated audio and timed electronic interpretive experience to those who speak a language that is different from that of the host country in which the business is located, or for those who are hearing impaired.

Attraction multilanguage audio device and method


This invention relates to a PEG-modified HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor), namely HGF modified by polyethylene glycol. The PEG-modified HGF of the invention has a prolonged clearance in vivo, effectively exhibits its physiological activity for a long period of time, and has the same physiological activity as HGF, which makes it possible to reduce the dose and relieve the side effects of the same.

HGF is a unique cytokine having various activities not limited to controlling growth of hepatocytes, and growth of various epithelium cells, but also extended to enhancing motility of cells, and inducing morphogenesis with constructing three dimensional tissue. HGF takes a main role in generation or regeneration of tissues and organs as a mitogen, a motogen and a morphogen.
HGF is a heterodimeric protein comprising an .alpha. chain having a molecular weight of about 69 kD and a .beta. chain having a molecular weight of about 34 kD, and having a molecular weight 82-85 kD as a whole.
HGF acts as a growth factor for promoting growth of not only hepatocytes, but also renal tubule epithelial cells, keratinocytes, melanocytes, alveolar epithelial cells type II, gastric mucosal epithelial cells, vascular endthelial cells, and other epithelial cells.
HGF shows an activity for promoting growth of normal cells, but shows an activity for suppressing the proliferation of tumor cells (Tajima, H. et al., FEBS Lett., 291, 229, 1991).
HGF also shows an activity for enhancing motility of various epithelial cells such as MDCK cells (normal epithelial cells of renal tubule) and a motogen activity such as scattering colony of cultured said cells.
HGF is reported to have an activity of inducing morphogenesis of MDCK cells (Montesano, R. et al., Cell, 67, 901, 1991).
HGF inhibits leakage of a soluble enzyme from cultured hepatocytes prepared from an animal treated by carbon tetrachloride, a typical toxic substance to liver. These results show that HGF has an anti-hepatitis activity in vitro. HGF is also reported to have an anti-hepatitis activity in vivo (Takehara, T. et al., Biomed. Res., 12, 335, 1991).
HGF is also reported to enhance the activity of Na-K-ATPase in renal tubule epithelial cells and has been suggested to enhance renal functions (Ishibashi, T et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 182, 960, 1992).
Problems in administering HGF in vivo are fast clearance in vivo and that HGF originating from non-human species may have an antigenicity.
One of the effective ways to solve the problems is modifying the protein with a PEG reagent to delay the clearance and to reduce the antigenicity (Yoshimoto, T. et al., Jpn. J. Cancer Res., 77, 1264, 1986; Japanese patent application KOKAI 56-23587, 1981; Japanese patent application KOKAI 61-178926, 1986; Abuchowski, A. et al., Cancer Biochem. Biophys., 7, 175, 1984; Japanese patent application KOKAI 62-115280, 1987).
As described above, HGF has various biological activities and development of HGF derivatives as pharmaceutical agents is expected. It is considered important to develop a pharmaceutical composition for use in a method of treatment, comprising administration to a patient an effective amount of HGF for treating hepatic diseases, treating renal diseases, promoting growth epithelial cells, treating cancer, reducing side effects of anti-cancer reagents, treating lung diseases, treating gastric and duodenal diseases, treating cerebral and nerval injury, increasing platelets, treating hypoptoteinemia, healing wounds, increasing hemopoietic stem cells, restoring hair, and in skin cosmetics, but it is necessary to administer several ten .mu.g/kg to several mg/kg of HGF to have enough activities, and the administration amount may be relatively higher than other physiologically active protein. High dose may be disadvantageous because of unexpected side effects and high cost to manufacture a pharmaceutical product.
The most important problem to be solved is to improve the clearance in vivo, since it is reported that half life time of HGF in blood is quite short (.alpha. phase: about 2 minutes, .beta. phase: about 20 minutes). But a pharmaceutical composition for use in a method comprising administration of an effective amount of PEG-modified HGF having improved pharmacokinetics in vivo and improved activities to a patient for treating hepatic diseases, treating renal diseases, promoting growth epithelial cells, treating cancer, reducing side effects of anti-cancer reagents, treating lung diseases, treating gastric and duodenal diseases, treating cerebral and nerval injury, increasing platelets, treating hypoptoteinemia, healing wounds, increasing hemopoietic stem cells, restoring hair, and in skin cosmetics, has not been reported.
The subject of the present invention is to provide a PEG-modified HGF that can maintain bioactivities in vivo for a longer time to reduce the amount of administration, and has a specificity to targeting organ.

Toshikazu Nakamura and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.


A pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit comprises a first integrator (g m1) with a first feedback capacitor (C1), a second integrator (gm1) with a second feedback capacitor (C2) and a comparator (A0) having a first input (V1) connected to the output of the first integrator (gm1) and a second input (V2) connected to the output of the second integrator (gm2). A connection path comprising a resistor (R2) is established from the output of the first integrator (gm1) to an input of the second integrator (gm2). The first and second feedback capacitors (C1, C2) have capacities with a non-linear factor X(V) and a circuit with an inversely non-linear factor X−1(V) is arranged in the connection path between the output of the first integrator (gm1) and said input of the second integrator (gm2). The PWM circuit may form path of a Class-D amplifier.

In most Class-D amplifiers some form of pulse-width modulation (PWM) is applied. A PWM signal can be constructed feed-forward by simply comparing the input signal Vsig with a triangular reference wave Vref as shown in FIG. 1. Usually the frequency of the reference wave Vref is much higher than that of the input signal Vsig.
Ideally, the spectrum of the PWM signal does not contain harmonics of the modulating signal, which means it can be considered ideal in terms of distortion. However, this is only true if the reference wave Vref has sufficient linearity, i.e. the slopes of the reference wave Vref need to be perfectly straight.
Many Class-D amplifiers use an integrating feedback loop to provide power supply rejection and correction of switching errors in the output stage. An example of such a feedback loop is shown in FIG. 2. The operation of this loop is described in detail in Berkhout, M. "An Integrated 200W Class-D Audio Amplifier", IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 38, no. 7, pp. 1198-1206, July. 2003, [1], which is herewith incorporated in the application by reference. The loop has two integrators configured around amplifiers gm1 and gm2. The two integrators realize a second-order loop transfer. The output signal VPWM of the amplifier is a square wave pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal. The load RO is connected to the amplifier by means of a low-pass LC-filter (L0, C0). The output voltage VPWM is converted to a current IPWM by feedback resistor R1 and injected into the virtual ground of the first integrator gm1. This yields a triangular wave V1 at the output of the first integrator gm1. A reference clock signal osc is converted to a square wave current Iosc that is injected into the virtual ground of the second integrator gm2. This yields a second (reference) triangular wave V2 at the output of the second integrator. The triangular wave signals V1 and V2 are fed to the non-inverting and inverting inputs of a comparator A0. When the triangular waves intersect the comparator output pwm changes state and the output VPWM of the amplifier switches yielding the desired PWM signal. Note that the peaks of signal V2 coincide with the edges of signal osc and the peaks of signal V1 coincide with the edges of signal pwm. The input signal VI is converted to a current IIN by V-I converter gm0 and injected into the virtual ground of the first integrator gm1.
FIG. 3(a) shows the triangular wave signals V1 and V2 at zero input yielding a 50% PWM duty-cycle (see signal pwm). FIG. 3(b) shows the same signals when a negative input signal is applied. The input signal causes the slopes (and amplitude) of V1 to change. The shape of V2 remains (almost) the same but the DC-level is shifted with respect to zero. The output signal pwm of the comparator now has a duty-cycle smaller than 50%. The opposite happens for a positive input signal as shown in FIG. 3(c) (see signal pwm). In this manner a linear relation is realized between the input signal and the duty-cycle of the output signal VPWM. In FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) the oscillator signal is designated with reference sign osc.
The loop transfer Aβ of the feedback loop shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 4. At low frequencies the loop transfer has a second order behaviour. At higher frequencies the second integrator gm2 is by-passed by the direct path from the first integrator gm1. This creates a zero in the loop transfer at the unity-gain frequency of the second integrator: ωz=1/R2C2.
The zero causes the loop transfer to have a first order behaviour near the unity gain frequency ωug of the loop. As is explained in [1] the unity gain frequency ωug is coupled to the PWM switching frequency ωpwm by a factor π.
In current implementations the capacitors used in the integrators are required to be linear. This requirement is essentially a continuation of the linearity requirement of the reference wave Vref in feed-forward PWM generation described above. Unfortunately linear capacitors in IC processes tend to be large. Usually such capacitors are realized by exploiting the capacitance between metal-interconnect layers resulting in a relatively low capacitance per area. Gate-oxide capacitors on the other hand have high capacitance per area but suffer from non-linearity. Non-linearity of capacitors in the integrators not only distorts the (triangular) output signals of the integrators but also influences the frequency of the poles and zeros in the feedback loop. In a typical IC process the ratio in area between a linear metal-interconnect capacitor and a non-linear gate-oxide capacitor can easily be as high as a factor of twelve. Consequently, the use of linear capacitors constitutes a significant part of the total area of the circuit.

Pulse width modulation circuit and class-D amplifier comprising the PWM circuit


A PC activates a software program for detecting when a network terminal device is connected to a network, based on the control action of the user. When the network terminal device is connected to the network, the network terminal device sends a connection signal to the PC, and then operates as a DHCP server. Having received the connection signal, the PC recognizes an IP address of the network terminal device that is included in the connection signal, and operates as a DHCP client. The PC makes its own network setting using an IP address assigned from a DHCP server that has the same IP address as the IP address of the network terminal device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal device and a network setting method therefor, a service providing device and an operation control method therefor, a network system, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, devices that are connected to networks are primarily PCs (Personal Computers).
In recent years, it has become possible to connect service providing devices to networks. A service providing device is a device for providing a certain service to a PC. For example, a service providing device comprises a peripheral device such as a printer, a scanner, a projector, or the like. Therefore, a peripheral device (service providing device) serves as a network terminal device.
In order for a PC to use a service provided by a peripheral device through a network, a network environment needs to be given to the PC and the peripheral device. The network environment includes IP addresses of the PC and the peripheral device.
An IP address is assigned to a device connected to a network mainly by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server (automatic address assigning device).
Heretofore, various DHCP servers have been proposed in the art.
For example, document 1 (Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2003-143175) discloses a DHCP server that stops an automatic address assigning service if another DHCP service is present on the network.
Document 2 (Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-164904) discloses a DHCP server system having two DHCP servers connected to a network. On the DHCP server system, one of the two DHCP servers performs its DHCP server operation, and the other waits in readiness. When the operating DHCP server suffers a failure, the other comes in and performs its DHCP server operation.
A PC and a peripheral device may not necessarily be connected to a network at all times, but may be highly likely to be given different IP addresses by the DHCP server system disclosed in document 1 or 2 each time they are connected to the network. Therefore, any PCs and peripheral devices that are not connected to the network at all times, find it difficult to accurately recognize at all times an IP address that is assigned to a device with which they are to communicate.
When a user connects the peripheral device to a network, the user has to change the IP address of the peripheral device or the PC, which uses a service provided by the peripheral device, so that the peripheral device and the PC can properly recognize each other's IP addresses.
Some existing peripheral devices assign a network address to a PC with which they are to communicate when they are connected to a network. The network address assigned to the PC by such a peripheral device may differ from one given by an address assigning system of the network, e.g., an IP address assigned to the PC by a DHCP server that is connected to the network.
If the PC uses the IP address assigned thereto by the DHCP server, then the PC is unable to communicate with the peripheral device. Consequently, the user needs to change the IP address of the peripheral device or the IP address of the PC. IP addresses have to be changed each time the peripheral device is connected to the network.
Some existing DHCP servers assign an IP address to only specific network devices. If such a DHCP server is used, then the user has to assign an IP address to a network device to which an IP address has not been assigned by the DHCP server. The user finds it tedious and time-consuming to assign an IP address to the network device when the network device is connected to the network.
Specifically, the user is required to have professional knowledge in order to assign an IP address to a PC or to a peripheral device. In addition, the user may possibly make a mistake by assigning one IP address to a plurality of devices when assigning an IP address to a PC or to a peripheral device.

Method and apparatus for setting network using DHCP server or client function


A method and apparatus for electro-optical distance measurement. A series of pulses provided by a laser are received as echoes by a receiver. The pulses are each produced within respective intervals having a common predetermined duration. Each pulse is time-shifted relative to the beginning of its corresponding interval. A pulse pattern comprising echo signals for each of a series of pulses is used to determine the distance to an object producing the echoes.

The invention relates to a method for electro-optical distance measurement. The invention further relates to a device for carrying out the method.
EP 0,312,524 B1 discloses a method for electro-optical distance measurement according to the pulse time-of-flight method, in which individual radiation pulses are transmitted periodically by a transmitter and detected as echo signals by a receiver. The detected radiation pulse signals are sampled, digitized, added period-fashion in an adder and then stored in a memory. A memory location of the memory is respectively assigned for the sampling values of a period. At the start of each transmission of a radiation pulse signal, the sampling values of the detected radiation pulse signals are added to the already-stored sampling values of the radiation pulse signals detected in the previous period. With an increasing number of measurements, the addition of the sampling values leads to the formation of a sum pulse signal, from the time position of which in relation to the time of the pulse transmission, the time of flight of the radiation pulse signal can be determined. A disadvantage of this method is that a high sampling rate is required in order to ascertain the precise position of the echo signal. Since the sampling rate is limited for technical reasons, and, in addition, a higher sampling rate requires a larger memory, only a particular number of sampling values per impulse signal are available for evaluation. As a result, errors may occur when the time position of the detected pulse signal is determined, especially if the shape of the pulse signal is altered by external effects.
In addition, DE 40 31 668 A1 discloses a method for electro-optical distance measurement, in which a sequence of individual light pulses is transmitted periodically. The signal transmitted as a pulse sequence is a spread-band signal, so that the duration of the transmitted signal is substantially greater than the reciprocal spectral bandwidth thereof. After a pulse sequence has been transmitted, the next pulse sequence is transmitted, the detected light signals being added with the period of the pulse sequence and stored. In order to determine the time of flight, the transmitted pulse sequences need to be reflected on two measurement objects. The two times of flight of the pulse sequences are approximated by using a maximum likelihood algorithm, so that the distance can be determined by ascertaining the difference in time of flight. A disadvantage with this known method is that transmitters, in particular pulse laser diodes with about 1000-fold greater peak power and comparable average power to CW laser diodes, cannot be used. Since, with pulse laser diodes, a comparatively large time must be waited before the next pulse is transmitted, it is not possible to transmit a spread-band signal.

Process and device for the electro-optical measurement of distance


The chair adjustment mechanism, attached beneath a chair arm, has a housing and four walls forming an interior closed space. A closing bottom wall has a longitudinal guide slot. A longitudinal continuous serpentine adjustment cam surface. A cam follower on an adjustment plate moves on the cam surface in the interior space. The adjustment plate movably extends through the guide slot in a close fit and substantially closes the guide slot thereat. In one embodiment, each sidewall defines an opposing cam surface and a pair of cam followers extend laterally from an upper region of the adjustment plate. The lower plate extends outward from the slot and is preferably attached to two chair legs. The adjustment plate moves vertically, first out from the depending cam ridges, then the plate and cam follower moves longitudinally, and then moves vertically into a different intersection between adjacent depending cam ridges.

Adjustment mechanisms for adjustable or foldable chairs permit a portion of the chair to be positioned in a selected one of a number of different positions, or may simply permit the chair to be folded into a collapsed position. Such adjustment mechanisms need to be reliable in operation, provide ease of adjustment, permit relatively flat folding of the chair, and be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble. Prior art adjustment mechanisms that meet many or all of the desirable design characteristics described above, often expose the interlocking engagement surfaces of the mechanism, which can create a pinch hazard during folding, unfolding or adjustment of the chair.
Adjustment mechanisms on prior art folding chairs typically have large open slot channels through which extends the bars or leg tubes attached to the movable chair legs or components. These large open channels may cause injury to users if the user's fingers get caught in the large open channels.


A wireless communication system that concurrently communicates information in multiple regulatory domains to facilitate audio/video media streaming and other high bandwidth operations. One domain may be licensed and the other may be unlicensed. Transmission in the licensed domain may occur in white space in the domain, and the amount of information transmitted in that domain may be limited by regulations. The amount of information conveyed in the licensed domain may also depend on channel conditions in either or both of the domains. As a result, the relative amount of information transmitted in each domain may vary dynamically. The system includes a transmitter that dynamically determines weighting coefficients applied to each of a plurality of channels to set power levels in both domains to achieve a desired metric for the overall communication. A corresponding receiver assembles the substreams into a stream that can then be displayed or otherwise processed.

There are many instances in today's information age in which information is communicated wirelessly. Computing devices widely are equipped with radios for the wireless exchange of information with other computing devices. Wireless communication enables a wide range of functionalities to be available through a computing device, without a requirement that the computing device be physically connected to those computing devices or even to a network through which those computing devices can be reached. Rather, mobile computing devices are known to be wirelessly connected to a network, such as the Internet, through which information can be exchanged with other computing devices. Computing devices may also be directly connected to each other or to peripheral devices, such as printers and display devices, through wireless connections. Even for devices that are primarily intended for use in a single location, a wireless connection may be provided to avoid the need to route wires in that location.
In addition, wireless communication is used for purposes beyond interconnecting computing devices. Wireless communication allows audio and video content to be broadcast to multiple receivers. For instance, television signals are often communicated wirelessly. Similarly, audio radio stations also broadcast signals wirelessly. Moreover, wireless communications play an important role in military and public safety related communications. As yet a further example, wireless communication also enables mobile phone services.
To avoid interference between many entities trying to communicate wirelessly, multiple techniques may be used. One technique separates users by frequency such that transmissions by users are made at different frequencies. A device may have a radio tuned to receive communications having a particular frequency characteristic, while excluding other communications.
To accommodate the many entities that desire to use wireless communication, the available frequency spectrum that is usable for wireless communication is divided into domains. These domains are established by government regulators such that different frequencies may be used for different purposes in different countries. However, in all countries it is generally the case that regulations establishing a domain define who is permitted to use the domain and the purposes for which the corresponding frequency band can be used. For example, in the United States, a domain is established for transmission of digital television signals. A separate domain has been established for Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radios and another domain. Another domain, called the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (UNII) domain, is used for wireless communication in accordance with a widely used standard, the 802.11 standard, for connecting computers wirelessly to local area networks.
Each domain may be assigned a range of frequencies such that, even within the domain, multiple users may communicate using different frequencies. As part of the regulation establishing a domain, a mechanism may be defined by which multiple users share the spectrum allocated for the domain without interfering with one another. In some instances, a domain is licensed, meaning that a specific frequency is assigned to a specific entity, at least within some limited geographic area.
In other instances, though the domain is unlicensed, limitations may be imposed on devices intended to communicate in the domain to avoid interference. For example, maximum power output limitations may be imposed to reduce the likelihood that transmission from one user's device will interfere with another user's device, which is not intended to receive the transmission. As another example, a device attempting to transmit in a particular domain may be required to sense whether a particular set of frequencies is in use prior to using those frequencies.
Despite the establishment of multiple domains, and techniques within each domain to avoid interference, there is a shortage of available spectrum for some uses. Unlicensed computer-to-computer communications and computer-to-peripheral communications are two examples of such uses. To make more frequencies available for such uses, it has been proposed to use unassigned bands of the licensed spectrum, referred to as "white space," which may exist for any of numerous reasons. For example, when frequency bands of the licensed spectrum are assigned to organizations, typically they are not assigned exactly consecutively; instead, there may be gaps between the licensed portions to prevent two entities from interfering with one another.
In particular, it has been proposed to use white space in the digital television domain for computer (e.g. computer-to-computer, computer-to-peripheral) communications because this spectrum has the advantage of being close in frequency to the frequencies used for computer communications. Also, there may be white space in a geographic region because there are fewer licensed TV stations in that region than the digital TV domain can accommodate. However, because the amount of available white space varies from location to location, such use of the digital TV spectrum is done cognitively, such that a computer determines whether a frequency is already in use, before using it. This determination may be made by a computing device sensing signals to find an unused channel or by consulting a database of licensed channels applicable in the location.

Cognitive use of multiple regulatory domains


An interactive method for on-line selection of an air conditioning product includes the steps of providing a database storing a plurality of air conditioning product identifiers and at least one corresponding product characteristic; interactively obtaining intended use information from a consumer for a desired air conditioning product; equating the intended use information with an intended use product characteristic; identifying a suitable product having the at least one product characteristic meeting the intended use product characteristic; and identifying the suitable product to the consumer.

A portion of the disclosure of this document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent Office file, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Air conditioning products are widely used for conditioning the environment in enclosed areas. For example, room air conditioning products are used for cooling, and in some cases for heating, various enclosed areas such as rooms in a home and the like. Selection of a proper room air conditioning product for a particular intended use should take into account a number of factors related to the intended use location or environment. Unfortunately, consumers frequently select an air conditioning product without considering such factors.
One important characteristic of different air conditioning products is cooling and/or heating capacity. This capacity is typically measured in British Thermal Units or BTUs. A BTU is the amount or quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water by 1° F. As it applies to an air conditioning product, this product can be described as having a capacity in terms of BTUs output per hour.
An air conditioning unit should be selected to have a BTU capacity appropriate for the environment in which it will be used. An air conditioning unit having a BTU capacity lower than is required for cooling a particular space and environment would run continuously and would not adequately cool the room. Conversely, an air conditioning product that has a BTU capacity higher than is required will cycle on and off frequently and will not properly dehumidify the environment of use.
A wide variety of different factors to consider when selecting a product having the appropriate capacity are known to the skilled technician in the air conditioning industry. However, such a technician may not routinely be available to a consumer selecting an air conditioning product. Thus, the need exists for an improved system and method by which consumers can select an appropriate air conditioning product for their intended use.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide such a system and method.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for assisting a consumer in selecting an air conditioning product which is interactive and available on-line or by Internet.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.

Method for on-line selection of an air conditioning product


Raw materials for a copper alloy are melted in a high frequency smelter and cast, and milling, rolling, and annealing are carried out. Then, rolling is again carried out. Thereafter, the materials are heated at a temperature of 900° C. for one minute and are quenched in water, to be solution treated. Subsequently, the materials are heated at a temperature of 500° C. for five hours for aging, and then are cooled at a cooling rate in a range of 10 to 50° C. per hour until the materials are cooled to a temperature of 380° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copper alloy and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a copper alloy used for an electronic component and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, a device to which a lead frame or a connector is to be applied has been more miniaturized and multifunctional, and also a packing density has become higher. Accordingly, a lead frame on which an integrated circuit (IC) is mounted has become thinner, the number of pins serving as terminals of a connector used in an electronic device has increased, and the pitch between the pins has become smaller. For those reasons, there is an increasing demand for reliable connection in packaging.
More specifically, miniaturization of an electronic component requires improvement of strength of a metal material used for the electronic component. Also, as a cross-sectional area of a terminal becomes smaller because of increase in the number of pins and reduction in the pitch between the pins, a metal material for an electronic component having more excellent electrical conductivity is required.
To meet the foregoing requirements, according to the conventional practices, an alloy formed by adding beryllium (Be) to copper (Cu) was employed. Such alloy has both tensile strength equal to or higher than 800 MPa (mega pascal) and conductivity equal to or higher than 50% IACS (international annealed copper standard).
However, considering the recent environmental issues, a current trend is to avoid use of the above-mentioned conventional material containing beryllium. Thus, an attention is now being drawn to a Cu—Ni—Si alloy (so-called Corson alloy) in place of the conventional material containing beryllium.
It is known that a Cu—Ni—Si alloy is a precipitation hardened alloy which is hardened by virtue of micro crystals of a Ni2Si intermetallic compound which are dispersed and precipitated out in Cu and serve as barriers against transformation. Many reports about efforts to increase strength and conductivity by controlling an amount of Ni (nickel) and Si (silicon) to be added or a ratio of Ni to Si have so far been made.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-152736 (which will hereinafter be referred to as "JP No. 10-152736") discloses in FIG. 2 a technique of forming a copper alloy having conductivity equal to or higher than 50% IACS and tensile strength equal to or higher than 700 MPa by carrying out cold rolling and aging on a raw material containing Ni of 1.0 to 5.0 percent by mass, Si of 0.2 to 1.0 percent by mass, Zn (zinc) of 0.3 to 0.5 percent by mass, and P (phosphorus) of 0.03 to 0.3 percent by mass, in which a mass ratio of Ni to Si is controlled to be in a range of 4.5 to 5.5.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-49369 (which will hereinafter be referred to as "JP No. 2001-49369") discloses in FIG. 1 a technique of forming a copper alloy containing Ni of 1.0 to 4.8 percent by mass, Si of 0.2 to 1.4 percent by mass, and inclusions each being equal to or smaller than 10 μm in size, in which alloy the number of the inclusions each being in a range of five to ten u m in size is smaller than 50/mm2 per section of the copper alloy taken along a direction of rolling.
However, according to the above-described technique disclosed in JP No. 10-152736, though the formed copper alloy has conductivity higher than 50% IACS, the tensile strength thereof is approximately 740 MPa (N/mm2) at the highest. On the other hand, according to the above-described technique disclosed in JP 2001-49369, though the tensile strength of 770 MPa (N/mm2) is achieved, a copper alloy having conductivity higher than 50% IACS cannot be formed.
As is made clear from the above description, it was difficult to obtain a copper alloy which does not contain Be and has both tensile strength equal to or higher than 800 MPa and conductivity higher than 50% IACS by the conventional techniques.

Copper alloy and method of manufacturing the same


A crimping method including providing a coupling including a sidewall and a ribbed stem having a plurality of radial valleys, the ribbed stem defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the first sidewall extends radially to the axis, and providing a die including a stop and a channel extending through the stop, the channel having a ribbed section with a plurality of ribs. The ribbed stem is inserted through the first stop, into the first channel and into the end of a hose. With a ferrule arranged between the ribbed section and the hose and the sidewall pressed against the stop, the die is used to compress the end of the hose between the ferrule and the ribbed stem with the plurality of radial valleys radially aligned with the plurality of ribs. The couplings are selected from a medical gas medical gas outlet rough-in and a medical gas nut nipple.

Medical hose assemblies are used to deliver fluids especially gases, such as oxygen and nitrous oxide, or as vacuum hoses. In certain instances, these hose assemblies include a hose coupled to a valve body, which is a source of a gas or vacuum, and/or a nut nipple, which is used to couple the hose to an apparatus to which the gas or vacuum is to be delivered. A ferrule, i.e., a metal sleeve, is crimped about an end of the hose using a die assembly and a manual or pneumatic crimping tool, while a stem of the valve body or nut nipple is positioned within the end of the hose thereby operatively attaching the hose to the valve body or nut nipple. To improve the quality of the crimp, the die assembly includes inwardly extending, radial protrusions or ribs and the stem includes a roughened section characterized by outwardly extending, radial projections or ribs that forms grooves or valleys that are complementary with the inwardly extending, radial protrusions or ribs of the die assembly.
An exemplary hose assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,142, which discloses a serviceable-type hose coupling for a tube including a tubular nipple end on the tube over which a section of hose fits, the nipple having a plurality of parallel segmented circumferential alternate larger and smaller diameter portions, the portions having connecting walls diverging outwardly at an angle between about 50° and 70° from the smaller diameter portions. A plurality of at least three equally angularly spaced axially extending rows of outward projections, at least one projection extending from each of the larger diameter portions. A radially outwardly extending circumferential flange bead is provided at the inner end of the nipple. A compressible hose snugly fits over said nipple and against the bead. A ferrule fits over the hose and has a radial end flange against the end of the hose and abuts against said bead of the nipple, the ferrule being radially inwardly compressed around the hose to urge the hose against the larger and smaller diameter portions of the nipple and to urge the hose axially against the inside of the flange of the ferrule which in turn is urged against the bead to form a seal to protect the end of the hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,629 discloses a hose coupling having a nipple with an internal insertion tube and a collar coaxially disposed around the insertion tube in spaced relation thereto to form an annular space for receiving an end of a hose. The hose coupling includes an array of crimps in the collar, wherein each crimp is spaced both axially and circumferentially from adjacent crimps to deform the collar into the hose and to hold the hose in engagement with the insertion tube. The array of crimps are arranged with first and second alternating lines of three crimps each, wherein each of the crimps in the lines of crimps is longitudinally spaced from the adjacent crimps and wherein the crimps of the first line of crimps are staggered with respect to the crimps of the second line of crimps. In each line there is a relatively long crimp and two relatively short crimps with the long crimp being at an end of the line with the ends of alternating crimps lines having a long crimp proceeding the short crimps in the first lines and the long crimps trailing the short crimps in the second lines.
A shortcoming of current medical hose assemblies is their reliance upon die assemblies that require crimping tool operators, whether the tools are manually operated or powered, to estimate optimum placement of the valve body stems and nut nipple stems inside of the die assemblies during crimping. Optimum placement occurs when the ribs of the die assembly are radially aligned with valleys or grooves formed between the ribs or projections of the valve body stem or nut nipple stem. If optimum placement of the valve body stems and nut nipple stems inside of the die assemblies does not occur during crimping, the hose can be cut or pinched between the respective ribs of the dies and the stems. When this occur, the hose may overtime lose gas and pressure through cuts or holes formed through the hose in the area of the crimp.

STERIS Instrument Management Services, Inc.


The invention relates to a direct vent gas fireplace adapted for attachment to a concentric flue pipe assembly having an exhaust pipe and fresh air pipe. A top wall, rear wall, bottom wall and side walls define a combustion chamber. A gas burner is disposed in the combustion chamber. A slanted flue attachment wall is attached to and extends between the top wall and rear wall. The slanted flue attachment wall is disposed at obtuse angles relative to the top wall and rear wall. A first pipe member is orthogonally attached to the flue attachment wall and is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber for conveying combustion products from the combustion chamber. A second pipe member having a diameter larger than the first pipe member is disposed concentrically around the first pipe member. The first and second pipe members define an annular space therebetween forming an air intake duct. A combustion air duct extends between and is in fluid communication with the air intake duct and the combustion chamber for supplying combustion air to the combustion chamber. The exhaust pipe and fresh air pipe are respectively attached to the first and second pipe members and can be selectively oriented to extend away from the fireplace in a substantially vertical or horizontal direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fireplaces and, in particular, to direct vent gas fireplaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gas fireplaces of conventional design typically utilize a source of combustion air from the room being heated. This lowers the efficiency of the gas fireplace because a portion of the heated air in the room is drawn into the combustion chamber and exhausted up the chimney. It is known to provide separate ducting from the outside ambient environment to the combustion chamber to increase the efficiency of the fireplace. The ducted air provides a source of oxygen for combustion in the combustion chamber and decreases the amount of air from the room being heated which is exhausted up the chimney. Such ducting, however, requires additional materials and labor to install.
It is also known in the art to utilize concentric flue pipes to exhaust combustion products to the outside environment and supply combustion air from the outside environment. Such fireplaces are termed "direct vent" fireplaces and are disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,322 (Shimek et al.) and 4,909,227 (Rieger). A direct vent fireplace has the advantage of utilizing a common concentric flue pipe assembly to both exhaust combustion products from and supply combustion air to the combustion chamber. Moreover, only a single opening need be cut through an exterior wall of a house to accommodate the concentric flue pipe assembly.
In general, a direct vent fireplace has a first pipe with a diameter larger than and disposed concentrically around a second pipe. The duct formed by the second pipe is used to convey exhaust products from the combustion chamber to the outside environment. The annular space formed between the first and second pipes defines a fresh air conduit through which combustion air flows from the outside ambient environment into the combustion chamber.
A problem with direct vent gas fireplaces is that the concentric flue pipe assembly cannot be easily vented in both a horizontal or vertical direction. Shimek et al. and Rieger disclose direct vent fireplaces which respectively connect the concentric flue to the back wall and top wall of the fireplace. A concentric flue attached to the back wall of the fireplace may be easily extended through an adjacent side wall of the house. However, if it is desirable to exhaust the concentric flue in a vertical direction, the fireplace must be moved forward a sufficient distance to allow coupling of a right angle concentric pipe elbow. Thus, additional floor space is required to accommodate the projected footprint of the fireplace and concentric flue pipe assembly.
A concentric flue pipe assembly attached to the top of a direct vent fireplace has a similar problem when it is desired to vent the concentric flue in a horizontal direction (see, e.g., Rieger at Col. 1, lines 23-32). That is, the fireplace must be moved forward a sufficient distance to allow coupling of a right angle concentric pipe elbow.
Because of two possible installation configurations, i.e., vertical or horizontal venting of the concentric flue pipe assembly, it is necessary with conventional direct vent fireplace designs to provide two totally different configurations. That is, for relatively close placement of the fireplace adjacent the outside wall of the house, it is necessary to provide one configuration allowing attachment of the concentric flue pipe assembly to the back of the fireplace for horizontal venting, and a second configuration allowing attachment of the concentric flue pipe assembly to the top of the fireplace for vertical venting. The necessity to provide two different configurations increases inventory requirements at the factory. An installer must order either a vertical or horizontal venting fireplace prior to installation. What is needed, therefore, is a direct vent fireplace which reduces the required inventory which must be kept on hand.
Moreover, an installer may not know whether a vertical or horizontal venting fireplace is needed prior to installation. Therefore, what is needed in the art is a direct vent gas fireplace allowing a concentric flue to be selectively vented in either a horizontal or vertical direction.

Direct vent gas appliance with vertical and horizontal venting


The present invention provides a method for the controlled synthesis of nanostructures on the edges of electrodes and an apparatus capable of optical and electrochemical sensing. In accordance with the present invention, a method of fabricating nanowires is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate, creating a dielectric thereon, depositing a metal catalyst on the dielectric, patterning the metal catalyst, selectively etching dielectric, creating an electric field originating in metal catalyst, and applying a heat treatment. In another embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate, depositing a dielectric thereon, printing a metal catalyst on the dielectric and plastic substrate, printing silicide along the edges of metal catalyst, creating an electric field originating in metal catalyst; and applying chemical vapor deposition. The apparatus of the present invention comprise an electrode with nanowires grown thereon, wherein the nanowires' placement and direction of growth is controlled.

One-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanotubes and nanowires, of different types of materials, such as elemental semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and oxides, are increasingly being investigated for a wide variety of future nanotechnology applications. As nanowires will be a critical interconnect element of any nanosystem, the ability to produce them at a desired location, in a controlled manner, is of great importance.
Of the numerous one-dimensional structures, silica nanowires are a subject of intense research in view of their potential for unique applications, such as localization of light, low dimensional waveguides for functional microphotonics, scanning near field optical microscopy (SNFOM), optical interconnects on a futuristic integrated optical microchip, sacrificial templates, biosensors, and optical transmission antennae.
Of the several methods used to produce nanowires, the Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) mechanism for silicon whisker growth has proved to be very reliable for developing silica nanowires. In this method, the cluster acting as a seed for subsequent nanowire growth is either commonly synthesized by heating thin films or preformed. Recently, a method of using palladium ion implantation for the formation of catalyzing seed nanoclusters at or below the surface of a substrate and growing silica nanowires has been discovered. The vapor-liquid-solid model of nanowire formation facilitates controlled, localized, and directed bottom-up growth of silica nanowires. A series of diagrams explaining the ion implantation based seeding is shown in FIGS. 1A-E. As shown in FIG. 1A palladium (Pd) ions 10 are implanted on silicone (Si) wafer 11 through a mask. Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, PdSi clusters 12 form. FIGS. 1C-E show the growth of silica nanowires 13 using VLS.
Another method of growing nanowires is through the use of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). CVD is a chemical process often used in the semiconductor industry to produce thin films. A substrate is exposed to one or more catalysts, which then react and/or decompose on the substrate surface to produce the desired deposit. In nanowires growth, CVD is a bottom-up approach. Catalysts, such as gold, are deposited on a substrate and act as an attraction site for nanowire formation. The substrate is put in a gas chamber containing the appropriate element, such as silicon. Atoms from the gas and catalysts attach, creating a chain or wire.
Although a method for growing nanowires in clusters exist, no method exists for controlled growth of nanowires in specific patterns/lines. An improved method is needed in the art for synthesis of nanostructures in a controlled pattern. Further, an apparatus capable of improved simultaneous optical and electrochemical sensing is needed.

Integrated nanowires/microelectrode array for biosensing


One embodiment described herein is a damper for a rotor system, the damper comprising a cylindrical housing having a hollow interior; a piston disposed within the hollow interior and extending along a central axis of the housing; a first attachment member disposed on a first end of the damper and connected to the housing; a second attachment member disposed on a second end of the damper and connected to the piston; and a conductive cover wrapped around a portion of an exterior surface of the housing between the first attachment member and the second attachment member.

Fluid motion within a fluid-elastic or hydraulic damper for implementing a lead/lag damper in a rotorcraft rotor hub, generates a significant amount of heat that must be dissipated quickly so as to not adversely affect damper performance. In a rotor hub that is not completely covered by a rotor hub fairing, airflow over the dampers will keep them sufficiently cool. Conversely, in a rotor hub that is completely covered by a rotor hub fairing, there is insufficient airflow to adequately cool the dampers, which will impede the performance of the dampers and create a potentially dangerous situation.

Techniques for increasing heat dissipation in lead-lag dampers


A novel method of providing verifications for access to stored data programs within a cloud server protocol is provided. Such a method is operated through the implementation of a specific algorithm that permits a cloud server the means to communicate directly, reliably, safely, and nearly instantaneously with an individual (or his or her proxy) (at multiple contact points) for verification purposes in relation to an established data program stored within such a cloud server (whether in terms of written documentation, bank account, secure information, etc.). Such verifications may thus permit quick and reliable access to secured cloud programs such that only those individuals (or other entities) that are authenticated for such access through the utilization of such a verification procedure are permitted in such an instance.

Cloud computing is highly desirable as a means to permit direct access to certain documents, sites, accounts, by authorized individuals within a "communal" on-line setting. The ability to accord access in such a manner is growing in popularity, certainly, but with the noticeable lack of proper and effective protections for data programs uploaded and made available on such cloud servers. Certainly, there are some items provided within the cloud that are desirable in terms of unfettered access to all cloud participants. The problem exists, however, that certain programs are not permitted such access, leaving the desirable utilization of a cloud system, but with obstacles and impediments in terms of actual security for certain accounts, documents, information, etc. Password protections have been implemented in an effort to provide some degree of security in these situations; unfortunately, though, such efforts are far from reliable as hacking and other types of insidious actions can easily uncover and decipher such encoded devices.
As such, there are few methods and/or procedures employed today that allow for suitable and reliable protections of secured cloud data programs while still permitting authorized individuals access thereto in such a milieu. In order, then, to increase the secured utilization of the cloud in this respect, there remains a noticeable need to provide effective secured programs in this manner. A system that provides an overall verification method to ensure the reliability of each of these secured programs, with minimal involvement of the individual, with nearly instantaneous communication between parties, and without transferring any personal information of the individual to fulfill such verifications, would thus be highly desirable. The present invention provides such a method. A development that permits ease in not only implementation but utilization, coupled with complete (if not substantial) reliability that any such access request to a cloud server of a secured cloud data program is instantaneously verified, would be highly desired and could lead to greater utilization of the cloud for such purposes.

Cloud data storage access verification method utilizing a variable assigning request string generator and receiver algorithm