A fusion tag according to an embodiment of the present invention may increase the water solubility and expression level of a target protein. As the water solubility and expression level of a target protein in host cell can be increased by a recombinant vector including the fusion tag, the fusion tag can be advantageously used in industry.

In accordance with a development of the genetic recombination techniques, lots of useful target proteins are produced by using eukaryotes like yeast or prokaryotes like E. coli, and the recombinant proteins produced therefrom are widely used in bioengineering industry such as manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
In particular, due to the fast cell growth rate and relatively well-studied gene identification compared to other organisms, E. coli has been broadly used as a host cell for producing a target protein by genetic recombination techniques. However, when E. coli is used as a host cell, the yield of a protein to be produced is often low as the protein is degraded by a proteinase present in E. coli, and this tendency is known to be particularly strong when a polypeptide with small size like molecular weight of 10 kDa or less is to be expressed. Once the recombinant protein is overexpressed in E. coli, it may be accumulated, in form of an insoluble aggregate, in cytoplasm. To convert the insoluble protein into active form, it is necessary to dissolve the aggregate by using a denaturant such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride at high concentration to have a denatured structure followed by precise refolding of the denatured protein by removing the reagent used for dissolving. However, the condition for refolding varies depending on the type of protein, and a fair amount of time and money is required for figuring out the condition for efficient refolding, and there is also a case in which the refolding itself is impossible to achieve.
The most effective way of producing a recombinant protein is to produce a protein in highly soluble form while it is overexpressed in a higher amount than the detection limit. To enhance the expression efficiency of a recombinant protein, various engineerings have been made at the level of vector, host, and ORF (open reading frame). A vector is composed of factors for transcription, translation, replication, or the like and each of those factors has many variants. In recent years, new regulation factors other than those typical factors are found and an attempt is made to have their various combinations for achieving enhanced expression efficiency. By using a vector provided with a functional tag for assisting the folding or recovery of a protein during the process, the solubility of a protein may be increased or the easiness of a purification process can be improved. Because the use of a tag is not only the most universal and simple method but also a method that can guarantee the non-interference exhibiting little influence on the function of a recombinant protein, it is employed frequently.
Meanwhile, in Korean Patent Registration No. 1591786, "Composition for carbon dioxide capture comprising marine bacterium-derived recombinant biocatalyst, method for preparing the same, and method of carbon dioxde capture using the same" is disclosed, and, in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2012-0006002. "Method for producing soluble recombinant protein by using dihydrofolate reductase as fusion expression partner" is disclosed. However, so far there is no disclosure of a fusion tag for increasing the water solubility and expression level of a target protein and uses thereof as described in the present invention.

Fusion tag for increasing water solubility and expression level of target protein and uses thereof

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION GYEONGSANG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY


A glitch suppressing apparatus is provided. The glitch suppressing apparatus comprises four N-type transistors, four P-type transistors, a first delay circuit, a second delay circuit, a first logic circuit, a second logic circuit and two inverters. The glitch suppressing apparatus uses the specific connection relations and functions of the above components to filter positive glitches and negative glitches in the same circuit, so that the glitch suppressing apparatus can be implemented on a smaller chip area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glitch suppressing apparatus, and more particularly, to a glitch suppressing apparatus for filtering positive glitches and negative glitches through a single circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional glitch suppressing methods mainly focus on suppressing positive glitches or negative glitches. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional positive glitch suppressing circuit. Referring to FIG. 1, the positive glitch suppressing circuit includes inverters 101, 103, and 107, delay circuits 102 and 105, and logic circuits 104 and 106, wherein the delay circuit 102 is used to delay an input signal S for a time t1, the delay circuit 105 is used to delay the positive edge of an output signal T of the logic circuit 104 for a time t2, and the logic circuits 104 and 106 are achieved by an OR gate and an AND gate respectively. Provided that the input signal S has a positive glitch with a width W, the timings of each of the signals in the positive glitch suppressing circuit are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIG. 2 shows the timings of each of the signals when the delay time t1 of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 is larger than the width W of the glitch. FIG. 3 shows the timings of each of the signals when the delay time t1 of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 is smaller than or equal to the width W of the glitch. As can be seen from FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, when the delay time t1 is larger than the width W of the glitch, the positive glitch suppressing circuit filters the positive glitches in the input signal S, as a result, an output signal V without any positive glitches is obtained. However, under the circumstance that the delay time t1 is smaller than or equal to the width W of the glitch, the positive glitch suppressing circuit cannot efficiently filter the positive glitches in the input signal S, as a result, the output signal V still has positive glitch noises.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a conventional negative glitch suppressing circuit. Referring to FIG. 4, the negative glitch suppressing circuit includes inverters 401, 403, and 407, delay circuits 402 and 405, logic circuits 404 and 406, wherein the delay circuit 402 is used to delay the input signal S for a time t2, the delay circuit 405 is used to delay the negative edge of an output signal U of the logic circuit 404 for a time t1, and the logic circuits 404 and 406 are achieved by an AND gate and an OR gate respectively. Provided that the input signal S has a negative glitch with a width W, the timings of each of the signals in the negative glitch suppressing circuit are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5 shows the timings of each of the signals when the delay time t2 of the circuit shown in FIG. 4 is larger than the width W of the glitch. FIG. 6 shows the timings of each of the signals when the delay time t2 of the circuit shown in FIG. 4 is smaller than or equal to the width W of the glitch. As can be seen from FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when the delay time t2 is larger than the width W of the glitch, the negative glitch suppressing circuit filters the negative glitches in the input signal S, as a result, an output signal V without any negative glitches is obtained. However, under the circumstance that the delay time t2 is smaller than or equal to the width W of the glitch, the negative glitch suppressing circuit cannot efficiently filter the negative glitches in the input signal S, as a result, the output signal V still has negative glitch noises.
The aforementioned glitch suppressing circuits both have their limits in filtering noises, but such circumstances can be improved by adjusting the delay time. Generally, in order to suppress both the positive glitches and the negative glitches when both of them exist, the positive glitch suppressing circuit and the negative glitch suppressing circuit are successively connected in series, so as to filter the positive glitches and the negative glitches in the signal, as shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional glitch suppressing apparatus. Referring to FIG. 7, the glitch suppressing apparatus includes a positive glitch suppressing circuit 710 and a negative glitch suppressing circuit 720. The positive glitch suppressing circuit 710 is identical to the circuit shown in FIG. 1, and the negative glitch suppressing circuit 720 is identical to the circuit shown in FIG. 4. The positive glitch suppressing circuit 710 receives an input signal IN, filters the positive glitches in the input signal IN, and then outputs the input signal IN into the negative glitch suppressing circuit 720 to filter the negative glitches in the input signal IN, and finally, an output signal OUT free of glitches is output.
However, such method of integrating the two mechanisms requires two circuits, one for suppressing positive glitches, and the other for suppressing negative glitches. Therefore, if such glitch suppressing apparatus is adopted in a chip, a large area on the chip is required.


A method and apparatus for providing management and maintenance to a node within a data communications network and to the composite data communications network. A network management application is started on a host which may be located at a network operation center. The management application is in communication with network nodes and services through adapters. A master daemon located at a node is activated. The master daemon starts a control adapter running on the node and if the control adapter fails the master daemon restarts the control adapter. The control adapter is capable of starting and stopping all services running on the node. Signals are communicated between the management application, the node and the services by way of adapters. Signaling provides for the exchange of useful event data related to the nodes and services running on the nodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing and maintaining a data communication network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for identifying the errors and failures created by service components within a distributed computer network, notifying system administrators of such errors and failures and an automated approach to restarting the failed components.
2. The Background
The ability to provide data communication networking capabilities to the personal user and the professional community is typically provided by telephone companies (Telcos) or commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who operate network access points along the information superhighway. Network access points which are commonly referred to as Points of Presence or PoPs are located within wide area networks (WAN) and serve to house the network interfaces and service components necessary to provide routing, bridging and other essential networking functions. It is through these network access points that the user is able to connect with public domains, such as the Internet and private domains, such as the user's employer's intranet.
The ISPs and Telcos maintain control of the network interfaces and services components comprising the data communication network at locations commonly referred to as Network Operation Centers (NOCs). It is here, at the NOCs, where the ISPs and Telcos employ service administrators whose task is to maintain and manage a finite sector of the overall data communications network. Managing and maintaining the interfaces and services that encompass the network is complicated. The interfaces and services that a system administrator has responsibility for are not confined to the NOC, but rather remotely dispersed throughout the PoPs. For example, the NOC may be located in San Jose, Calif. and the services and interfaces for which the system administrator has responsibility for may be located at PoPs in San Francisco, Calif., Los Angeles, Calif. and Seattle, Wash. The remoteness of the interfaces and services make it difficult for the system administrator to oversee the system from one fixed location, such as the NOC.
It is the common knowledge of anyone who has used computers in a network environment that problems related to the interfaces and services are the rule and not the exception. The vast majority of these problems are minor in nature and do not require the system administrator to take action. Networks have been configured in the past so that these minor errors are self-rectifying; either the interface or service is capable of correcting its own error or other interfaces or services are capable of performing a rescuing function. In other situations the problems that are encountered within the network are major and require the system administrator to take action; i.e., physically rerouting data traffic by changing interfaces and services.
It is the desire of the service providers to have a maintenance and management system for a data communication network that allows the system administrator the ability to accumulate quality and reliability data on all the interfaces and services in use. If a system administrator has real-time access to the performance history of each interface and service the administrator can then predict future performance. For example, the system administrator can assess the performance history for a given service over a specified period of time. If the history shows that the service has performed below maximum capability or a trend in recent self-corrected errors has arisen, then the system administrator can make adjustments accordingly. These adjustments may be, for example, choosing to shut down that particular service or limiting the amount of data traffic volume encountered by that service. Having the capability to assess prior performance history and make adjustments accordingly allows the service provider to be pro-active and to limit future major failures from occurring.
While the service providers want access to information pertaining to any and all errors occurring within the distributed communication network, they also desire that the maintenance and management system be as self-rectifying as possible. Not only should minor errors be self-corrected, but major failures should be self-corrected as well. This includes using necessary watchdog mechanisms that cause failed components and services to be restarted. Additionally, the watchdog itself must be self-rectifying as an added measure of overall reliability insurance. In this manner the service provider is able to maintain and manage the data communication network without the need for having more personnel than necessary to monitor and manipulate the network on an ongoing basis.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Managing recovery of service components and notification of service errors and failures


Disclosed herein are various high-impedance surfaces having high capacitance and inductance properties. One exemplary high-impedance surface includes a plurality of conductive structures arranged in a lattice, wherein at least a subset of the conductive structures include a plurality of conductive plates arranged along a conductive post so that the conductive plates of one conductive structure interleave with one or more conductive plates of one or more adjacent conductive structure. Another exemplary high-impedance surface includes a plurality of conductive structures arranged in a lattice, where the conductive structures include one or more fractalized conductive plates having either indentions and/or projections that are coextensive with corresponding projections or indentations, respectively, of one or more adjacent conductive structures. Also disclosed are various exemplary implementations of such high-impedance surfaces.

A smooth-surfaced conductor typically has low surface impedance, which results in the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves at the surface of the conductor at higher frequencies. Upon reaching an edge, corner or other discontinuity, these surface waves radiate, or scatter, resulting in interference. The presence of such interference, therefore, is a cause for concern for high-frequency device designers using conductive materials, such as, for example, ground planes or reflectors for antennas, microstrip transmission lines, inductors, and the like.
In an effort to minimize the deleterious effects of surface waves on a conductor, various techniques have been developed whereby texture is implemented at the surface of the conductor. The texture may be provided by a lattice of conductive structures that extend away from the surface of the conductor. Conductors having this surface texture frequently are referred to as "high-impedance surfaces." The conductive structures of conventional high-impedance surfaces typically consist of a single metal plate, parallel to the surface of the conductor, and a metal post to connect the plate to the surface of the conductor. The metal post introduces an inductance proportional to its length while the capacitive coupling between the perimeters of adjacent conductive plates introduces capacitance to the surface of the conductor. The inductance and capacitance introduced by the lattice of conductive structures functions as a stop band filter that suppresses the propagation of surface waves within a stop band determined from the resonant frequency as defined by the inductance and capacitance introduced by the lattice of conductive structures. Accordingly, the conductive structures can be designed so as to achieve a stop band at the operational frequency of the high-frequency device, thereby minimizing the unwanted affects of the surface waves at the operational frequency. However, to achieve the inductance and capacitance necessary for a number of desirable operating frequency ranges, excessively large high-impedance surfaces often must be used due to the limited inductance and capacitance supplied by conventional conductive structures.
Accordingly, an improved high-impedance surface would be advantageous.

Frequency selective high impedance surface


A heat exchanger has a plurality of tubes and tank portions formed by a plurality of first thin plates laminated and connected to each other, and a plurality of covering members formed by a plurality of second thin plates laminated and connected to each other. The covering members cover the tubes and the tank portions while forming a plurality of openings therebetween. Each of the first thin plates has a communication hole so that each of the openings communicates with each other. An electromagnetic valve is disposed in the heat exchanger to control a communication between the opening and an outer space of the heat exchanger. Thus, when any one of the tubes and the tank portions cracks and leaks refrigerant flowing therethrough, refrigerant is collected into the openings and is accurately rapidly discharged to the outer space by an opening operation of the electromagnetic valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for a refrigerant cycle in which flammable fluid (i.e., flammable gas) such as propane or butane circulates as refrigerant.
2. Description of Related Art
An evaporator is one of heat exchangers disposed in a refrigerant cycle in which chlorofluorocarbon (hereinafter referred to as "flon") circulates as refrigerant. The evaporator has a plurality of tubes and tank portions which are formed by laminating and connecting a plurality of thin plates molded into predetermined shapes.
Recently, a refrigerant cycle in which flammable fluid such as propane or butane is used as refrigerant instead of flon has been widely studied. In such a refrigerant cycle, it is desired to use a heat exchanger which can prevent leakage of refrigerant (i.e, fluid) from the heat exchanger.
JP-A-58-120087 discloses a heat exchanger having a double-cylinder structure for detecting fluid leakage. However, the heat exchanger is designed for a hot-water supply system, and has a simple double-cylinder structure. That is, the heat exchanger is different from a laminated-type heat exchanger which is formed by laminating and connecting a plurality of thin plates. Therefore, the double-cylinder structure can not be directly applied to the laminated-type heat exchanger.

Heat exchanger having a structure for detecting fluid leakage


A shaving cartridge assembly having a blade unit with a housing having a guard at a front of the housing, a cap at the rear of the housing, and at least one blade between the guard and the cap. A connecting member is pivotably connected to the blade unit. The connecting member has a body with a pair of deflectable latches extend generally along an integral wall of the body toward each other and to a respective pair of opposing free distal ends defining a portion of an opening extending through the wall.

The invention relates to shaving razors having a release button.
In recent years shaving razors with various numbers of blades have been proposed in the patent literature, as described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,586, which generally describes a type of design having a handle and a removable cartridge connected thereto, and commercialized as the three-bladed Mach III razor by The Gillette Company.

Shaving razor cartridge having connecting member


Computing device and method for inferring a predicted number of physical blocks erased from a flash memory. The computing device stores a predictive model generated by a neural network training engine. A processing unit of the computing device executes a neural network inference engine, using the predictive model for inferring the predicted number of physical blocks erased from the flash memory based on inputs. The inputs comprise a total number of physical blocks previously erased from the flash memory, an amount of data to be written on the flash memory, and optionally an operating temperature of the flash memory. In a particular aspect, the flash memory is comprised in the computing device, and an action may be taken for preserving a lifespan of the flash memory based at least on the predicted number of physical blocks erased from the flash memory.

Flash memory is a form of electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) with the following characteristic: a portion of the memory is erased before data are written in the erased portion of the memory. However, a conventional EEPROM erases data on a bit-by-bit level, while a flash memory erases data on a block-by-block level. These blocks are usually referred to as physical blocks of memory, by contrast to logical blocks of memory. The size of the physical block may vary from one byte to a plurality of bytes. Thus, a physical block on a flash memory is erased before new data is written to this physical block of the flash memory. One advantage of flash memory (and more generally of EEPROM) is that it is a nonvolatile form of memory, which does not require power to preserve stored data with integrity, so that a device embedding a flash memory can be turned off without losing data.
The flash memory is worn out by erase operations performed on the physical blocks of the flash memory. The manufacturer of the flash memory generally provides a life expectancy of the flash memory expressed as a limitation on the number of erase operations which can be performed. For example, the flash memory can support 10,000 erase operations on physical blocks, or the flash memory can support an average of 350 physical blocks being erased per hour for a duration of 10 years.
It is very difficult to consistently predict the number of physical blocks erased from the flash memory by a write operation on the flash memory. However, a model for predicting the number of physical blocks erased from the flash memory during a write operation may be useful for taking actions to preserve the lifespan of the flash memory.
Current advances in artificial intelligence, and more specifically in neural networks, can be taken advantage of to define a model taking into consideration operating conditions of the flash memory to predict the number of physical blocks erased from the flash memory during a write operation.
Therefore, there is a need for a new computing device and method for inferring a predicted number of physical blocks erased from a flash memory through the usage of a neural network.


A data storing system performs a test operation on a memory block on which a read operation is determined to be failed, and determines whether the memory block is or is not a bad block based on a result of the test operation. The data storing system may improve reliability and yield of a device.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device, and more particularly, to a data storing system and an operating method of a data storing system.
2. Related Art
A semiconductor memory device among data storing devices may be generally classified as either a volatile memory device or a nonvolatile memory device.
The volatile memory device may perform a read/write operation at a high speed, but may lose stored data when a power supply is blocked. Meanwhile, the ion-volatile memory device has a relatively low rite and read operation speed, but may retain the stored data even when not powered. Accordingly, the non-volatile memory device is used to store data to be maintained regardless of the power supply. The non-volatile memory device includes a read only memory (ROM), a mask ROM (MROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), a flash memory, a Phase-change random access memory (PRAM), a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a resistive RAM (RRAM), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), and the like. Flash memories may be divided into a NOR type and a NAND type.
The flash memory has an advantage of the RAM in which data is freely programmed and erased, and an advantage of the ROM in that stored data is maintained even when not powered. The flash memory is widely used as a storage medium of a portable electronic device, such as a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and an MP3 player.
It is required for a semiconductor memory device, including the flash memory, to have high data reliability and yield.

Data storing system and operating method thereof


The present invention relates to new naphthalene carbodiimide (NTCDI) derivatives, and organic electronic device using the same and especially to an organic solar cell. The new NTCDI derivatives are used as acceptor, electron transport material, and doped electron transport materials.

OPV devices have the most different devices architectures. Typically they comprise at least one organic semiconducting layer between two electrodes. That organic layer can be a blend of a donor and an acceptor such as P3HT (poly3-hexyl-tiophene) and PCBM (phenyl Cn Butyric Acid Methyl Ester). Such simple device structures only achieve reasonably efficiencies if interfacial injection layers are used to facilitate charge carrier injection/extraction (Liao et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 2008. 92: p. 173303). Other organic solar cells have multi-layer structures, sometimes even hybrid polymer and small molecule structures. Also tandem or multi-unit stacks are known (Ameri et al., Energy & Env. Science, 2009. 2: p. 347). From those, the multi-layer devices can be easier optimized since different layers can comprise different materials which are suitable for different functions. Typical functional layers are transport layers, optically active layers, injection layers, etc.
Optically active materials are materials with a high absorption coefficient, for at least a certain wavelength range of the solar spectra, which materials convert absorbed photons into excitons which excitons contribute to the photocurrent. The optically active materials are typically used in a donor-acceptor heterojunction, where at least one of the donor or acceptor is the light absorbing material. The interface of the donor-acceptor heterojunction is responsible for separating the generated excitons into charge carriers. The heterojunction can be a bulk-heterojunction (a blend), or a flat (also called planar) heterojunction, additional layers can also be provided (Hong et al, J. Appl. Phys., 2009. 106: p. 064511).
The loss by recombination must be minimized for high efficiency OPV devices. Therefore, the materials in the heterojunction must have high charge carrier mobilities and high exciton diffusion lengths. The excitons have to be separated at the heterointerface and the charge carriers have to leave the optically active region before any recombination takes place. For those reasons, only few organic materials are suitable to be used in the heterojunction. For instance, currently, there are no known materials which can compete with the fullerenes and their derivatives (e.g. C60, C70, PCBM, and so on) as acceptor in OPV devices.
Transport materials are required to be transparent, at least in the wavelengths wherein the device is active, and have good semiconducting properties. Those semiconducting properties are intrinsic, such as energy levels or mobility, or extrinsic such as charge carrier density. The charge carrier density can be extrinsically influenced, for instance, by doping the material with an electrical dopant.
Although in steady development, the choice of materials for OPV is still very limited, especially for optically active materials and for electron transport materials. Some highly efficient device structures employ TiO as electron transport and optical spacer with the disadvantage of being difficult to deposit (Simon et al., Int. J. of Mat. & Prod. Tech., 2009. 34: p. 469). Other devices use Fullerene C60 as ETL which is not transparent enough for functioning as an optical spacer. Other materials such as NTCDA, although transparent and with good semiconducting properties, are not morphologically stable and crystallize even at room temperature.
The new materials can also be employed in OLEDs, and in OTFTs.
Almost no organic electron transport material is available with suitable semiconducting, chemical, and thermal properties.


A control system and method for controlling a pump having a fluid passage therein, including a sensing means for sensing fluid flow through the fluid passage wherein the control system controls the actuation period of the pump as a function of a characteristic of the fluid flow sensed by the sensing means. The sensed characteristic is the quantum rate of fluid flow through the fluid passage.

This invention relates to pumps for pumping fluids and in particular liquids and control systems for such pumps. The invention will be described in relation to a lubrication system for an internal combustion engine, although it is to be appreciated that other applications are also envisaged.
It is important in lubrication systems of internal combustion engines that oil is delivered at appropriate rates to the various moving surfaces and components of the engine. This is especially important for crankcase scavenged two stroke internal combustion engines. In such engines, oil is consumed during the operation of the engine and is typically not completely recirculated as in conventional four stroke engines. Therefore, the rates of oil delivery must be carefully controlled to ensure minimal resultant exhaust gas emissions, prevent contamination of any catalytic device of the engine due to excess oil in the exhaust gases and to extend the period between oil refills.
Generally, the required rate of oil delivery varies widely depending on the engine, the load and speed operating point of the engine, the previous operating history of the engine and various other operating conditions. For example, for some two stroke cycle engines, the fuel/oil ratios can typically vary between 400:1 in low load and idle conditions, and 80:1 in sustained high load conditions. These conditions are typically determined by various sensors and a control system may control the rate of oil delivery from the pump. The control system may be external from or integral with the pump itself.
The rate of oil delivery from the pump can however also be affected by factors such as the viscosity of the oil and the voltage provided by the battery supplying power for the operation of the pump. Higher than normal oil viscosities and below normal battery voltages can result in lower than expected oil delivery rates from the pump. Other factors which would typically affect the oil delivery rate include blockages within the oil supply and/or delivery lines, air trapped within the oil system, or depletion of the oil supply. Furthermore, the transient changes to the engine operating conditions such as going from a long period of operation at a low load and speed to a higher load and speed operating point may affect the oiling rate in that a delayed increase in oiling rate may be desirable to account for any oil which may have accumulated in the engine during the previous period of operation. It has not however previously been possible to conveniently control the pump such that the above noted factors can be taken into account to ensure correct and consistent oil or fluid delivery rates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pump control system which takes into account at least one of the above factors.

Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited


The viscosity of solutions of nonionic synthetic associative thickeners is controlled by adding organophosphates to the solution of associative thickeners. The associative thickeners are hydrophobically modified polymers and the organophosphates include one or more hydrophobic groups.

1. Field of the Disclosed and Claimed Inventive Concepts
The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to an associative thickener composition used to control the solution viscosity and other rheological properties of associative thickeners in aqueous media. More particularly, the associative thickener composition comprises a water dispersible polymer modified with a first hydrophobic group and a low VOC organophosphate, and is used to control the viscosity of high solids solutions of nonionic synthetic associative thickeners.
2. Background and Applicable Aspects of the Presently Disclosed and Claimed Inventive Concept(s)
Associative thickeners (ATs) have become rheology modifiers of choice to control the rheology of various aqueous based systems. Notably, their use to control the rheology of water-borne coatings continues to grow. They can be added to control the viscosity of the coatings during their manufacture as well as during applications. They can particularly be used to achieve several desirable application properties including spatter control, sag resistance, and good flow and leveling. In addition, good film build and development of full gloss potential after the coatings dry are highly desirable to achieve good hiding and appearance of the dried film respectively. ATs are water-soluble polymers modified with a small amount of hydrophobic groups. They can associate among themselves through their grafted hydrophobes as well as with other hydrophobic components present in a water-borne coating formulation leading to the development of a three-dimensional network.
Currently, there are three classes of commercial ATs available in the market place. These are: (a) hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcelluloses (HM-HECs), (b) hydrophobically modified nonionic synthetic polymers, and (c) hydrophobically modified polyacrylates. In many water-borne systems, hydrophobically modified nonionic synthetic polymers are preferred over HM-HECs or hydrophobically modified polyacrylates as they can provide several desirable properties not offered by the latter.
In the last three decades, hydrophobically modified nonionic synthetic polymers have gained significant commercial importance. They are colloquially referred to in the market place as nonionic synthetic associative thickeners (NSATs).
Rapid incorporation of NSATs in the solid form into water-borne systems is very difficult. Currently NSATs are sold in the liquid form by dissolving the polymer in water containing 10-40% of the polymer. Since certain NSATs build up significant viscosity (>1000 cps) even at >2 wt % concentrations, the delivery of high-solids (>2 wt %) solutions of NSATs which are easily pourable, drainable under gravity or pumpable is challenging. To mitigate this problem, additives can be used to lower the solution viscosity of high-solids (>10 wt %) solutions of NSATs. Since they suppress the solution viscosity of NSATs, they are often referred to as "viscosity suppressants".
While organic solvents (e.g., butyl Carbitol®, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol) and co-solvents can effectively suppress the solution viscosity of NSATs, their use has been recently discouraged as they are volatile. During the manufacture of coatings as well as during the drying of coatings, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in coatings are released to the environment. Consequently, they pose a potentially serious environmental hazard and human health risks during the manufacture as well as after they are applied. They can also negatively impact the rheological performance of NSATs in an intended application. Due to enforcements of strict governmental regulations to control the emission of VOCs, the coatings industry is under pressure to comply with government regulations on VOCs. Their goal is to eliminate or significantly lower the amounts of VOCs in coatings and comply with local regulations. Therefore, there is drive to do away with VOCs in raw materials and formulations ingredients used to formulate water-borne coatings.
To suppress solution viscosity of NSATs, another approach is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,137,571 and 5,376,709 that disclose the use of cyclodextrins or their derivatives to suppress the solution viscosity of hydrophobically modified ethoxylated polyurethanes, hydrophobically modified alkali-soluble emulsions, hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose, or hydrophobically modified polyacrylamides. The use of cyclodextrins to suppress the solution viscosity of hydrophobically modified poly(acetal-polyethers) and other non-urethane NSATs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,132 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,255 respectively. While cyclodextrins are non-volatile, they are expensive and may not efficaciously suppress the solution viscosity of NSATs bearing certain types of "complex" hydrophobes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,916,935 and 6,057,398 describe the preparation of a concentrated solution of thickeners by forming an admixture of a non-urethane associative thickener compound and surfactants in conjunction with water and an organic solvent and subsequently azeotropically distilling off the organic solvent. The associative thickener solution thus obtained is typically essentially free of VOCs.
The use of surfactants to suppress the solution viscosity of NSATs is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,425,806, 6,020,407 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,445. However, if a nonionic surfactant used for viscosity suppression of NSATs has low molecular weight it can contribute to VOC. Examples of such surfactants can include, but are not limited to, ethylene oxide adducts of low carbon chain fatty alcohol (<C10 carbon alcohol) with fewer (<4) alkylene oxide units.
Since even low VOC levels present in raw materials used to formulate the coatings can have a significant contribution to the total VOCs of the final coatings formulation, coating formulators have a preference for raw materials with very low or no VOCs.
The use of an acid to suppress the solution viscosity of hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide urethane (HEUR) polymers bearing aminated hydrophobes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,741,402. By treating the aqueous solutions of the aminated polymers with an acid, the nitrogen centers of the aminated hydrophobes are quaternized. In other words, a cationic polymer is formed in solution. Due to quaternization of the nitrogen centers of the aminated hydrophobes, they repel each other and cannot undergo inter-chain hydrophobic associations to build high solution viscosity under acidic environment. When the acidified polymer solutions of these polymers are added to an aqueous media with alkaline pH (pH>7), the quaternized nitrogen centers revert to a certain degree to the neutral amine form and occasion hydrophophobic association leading to enhanced solution viscosity. The degree of this reversal of the quaternary nitrogen centers to the amine form would depend upon the pH of the aqueous media where it is being used. The drawback of this system is that the high solid solutions of the aminated polymer cannot be delivered using acids.
In addition, quaternization of the nitrogen centers in the aminated polymers could promote interactions with anionic species present in the aqueous media leading to insolubilization or inefficient viscosification of the system. Because of these, the use of aminated polymers delivered using an acid is somewhat restricted.
There is a need to design alternative viscosity suppressants that would efficiently lower the solution viscosity of NSATs and yet would be devoid of the deficiencies of currently used viscosity suppressants, viz., nonionic organic surfactants, cyclodextrins and acids.

Viscosity suppression of associative thickeners using organophosphates


A method for testing/calibrating a system for performing single-breath carbon monoxide lung diffusing capacity measurements. By simulating a patient's lungs using a precision syringe for drawing a preanalysis gas mixture through the equipment (inspiration) and a modified scuba regulator valve or a solenoid valve with a purge button to simulate the expiration of a postanalysis gas through the system into a sampling chamber, the DL.sub.co measuring system performance can be assessed as a whole rather than as a collection of individual components.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pulmonary performance test equipment, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for calibrating such test equipment when used for measuring single-breath, carbon monoxide lung diffusion, commonly referred to by the symbol DL whereby the accuracy of the test is assured.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
As is pointed out in an article entitled "Single Breath Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capacity (Transfer Factor)", published in the 1987 edition of the American Review of Respiratory Diseases, Vol. 136, pp. 1299-1307, considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtaining accurate measurements of the diffusing capacity of a patient's lungs due to variabilities introduced by (1) test technique; (2) errors in gas analysis; and (3) the computation algorithms. A study discussed in the above-referenced article reveals the DL.sub.co measurements can vary between 53% and 125% due to errors in gas analysis. One cannot expect accurate measurements to be made if the equipment used in making those measurements is not properly calibrated.
In the Huhn U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,825, which is assigned applicant's assignee, there is described an apparatus useful in making DL.sub.co measurements. That patent describes a multifunction patient valve and how that valve can be sequenced to allow a preanalysis gas mixture including carbon monoxide, a tracer gas, such as neon or helium and air to be introduced through a mouthpiece into the patient's lungs, held there for a precise time interval, and then exhaled into a patient circuit leading to a sampling chamber. The as in the sampling chamber is then analyzed to determine the amount of the CO that had diffused through the lung tissue into the bloodstream during that precise interval by measuring the concentration of CO and the tracer gas exhaled into the sampling chamber.
The accurate determination of DL.sub.co requires the integration of data from several analyzers and transducers, as well as the coordination of the plumbing and valving which directs the gas flow to and from the patient. For this reason, verification of the performance of the individual components used to determine DL.sub.co does not establish the accuracy of the entire system. In accordance with the present invention, the accuracy of a test system is confirmed by presenting a precise volume of gas concentrations to the entire system in such a way as to simulate the entire DL.sub.co maneuver as it is performed by a patient. In this fashion, the system, as a whole, is tested and calibrated whereas in the past, only the individual components comprising the system had been individually tested in an attempt to provide assurance of system calibration.

Calibration method for single-breath carbon monoxide lung diffusing capacity test system


An integrated circuit package having a cooling mechanism according to the present invention comprises a plurality of integrated chips disposed to make a matrix and coolers utilizing jet impingement of liquid coolant for cooling which are positioned corresponding to the integrated circuit chips on a printed circuit board using a holding plate and are pressed against the integrated circuit chips with force at a predetermined level. A cooler comprises a cooling plate in contact with a top face of the applicable integrated circuit chip, a cylinder-shaped housing fixed to the cooling plate, a nozzle inserted to the housing to jet the liquid coolant practically to the center of the cooling plate and a draining tube to drain the liquid coolant impinged into the housing. It further comprises a supplying manifold to distribute the liquid coolant supplied from outside to each of the coolers and a draining manifold to collect and drain the liquid coolant flowing from the rows of coolers, and connecting tubes to connect the supplying manifold and the draining manifold with the coolers and to connect adjacent coolers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit package cooling mechanism used in electronic devices such as information processors, and particularly relates to a cooling device in an integrated circuit package comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips disposed on a printed wiring board to make a matrix.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a conventional integrated circuit package cooling mechanism of this type is shown in FIG. 6. This is cited from "A Conduction-Cooled Module for High-Performance LSI Devices" by S. Oktay and H.C. Kammerer (IBM J/RES. DEVELOP. vol. 26, No. 1, Jan. 1982). In FIG. 6, a wiring substrate 161 is provided with an integrated circuit chip 162 mounted thereon, and a spring 163 presses a piston 164 against the chip so that the heat at the chip is transferred to a cooling plate 168 through a space filled with helium gas 165 and via a hat 166 and an intervening layer 167, and then discharged to a liquid coolant 169 circulating in the cooling plate 168. The reference numeral 170 indicates an I/O pin of the wiring substrate 161. Including this one, several cooling devices have been invented and put into practice.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60150/85 discloses a cooling device using impinging jet of liquid coolant. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of such a cooling device.
As shown in FIG. 7, this cooling device transfers the heat generated at a chip 232 mounted on a printed wiring board 231 to a heat transfer plate 235 via a heat transfer board 233 and a variable heat transfer substance 234, and cools down the heat transfer plate 235 by jet of the liquid coolant from a nozzle 236. The heat transfer plate 235 is pressed against the chip 232 by a bellows 238 fixed to a cooling header 237 via the variable heat transfer substance 234 and the heat transfer board 233.
Among conventional cooling mechanisms described above, the one shown in FIG. 6 has a coolant channel in its cooler plate designed for heat transfer by forced convection, but the heat transfer ratio obtained by this mechanism is about 0.1 to 0.5 W/cm.sup.2 .degree. C. at most. This is not sufficient cooling capacity for an integrated circuit chip with higher integration. The mechanism in FIG. 7 can achieve a higher heat transfer ratio, but its thin bellows is susceptible to corrosive holes under the affect of liquid coolant, which may result in leakage of coolant.

Integrated circuit package having a cooling mechanism


A self-contained apparatus using a gravitationally encouraged, interrupted, downward, diffusive and programmed flow of fluid to provide for rapid confirmatory immunological testing (“RCIT”) in, for example, a clinical, point-of-care setting. A fluid specimen such as blood, saliva or urine is deposited into a first chamber carrying a source of conjugate having mobilizable binding members such as immunographic antigens or antibodies specific to the condition being tested conjugated to a detectable label such as colloidal gold. The specimen is premixed with a first measured, reactive mix buffer solution carried within an openable tank. The specimen and solution are temporarily held within an incubation reservoir formed behind a dam made from porous, diffusive material. The delay and flow through the diffusive dam causes mixing of the specimen and solution to form a premixture which exhibits a more uniformly high degree of first affinity binding before flowing out of the first chamber toward one or more chromatographic test strips in a second chamber. In one embodiment, after a waiting period, a bladder containing a stop-wash buffer solution is opened to flow onto the strips. Additional embodiments provide one or more diffusive structures that can be pretreated with mixture enhancing chemicals such as surfactants. It is a rapid confirmatory immunological test apparatus having an analytical panel which can provide profile diagnostic results.

Over past decades, the prior art has offered several types of rapid diagnostic testing techniques primarily for body fluids such as whole blood, serum, plasma, urine, spinal fluid, amniotic fluid, mucous, saliva, and the like for the presence of infection or other conditions such as pregnancy, abused drugs and cardiovascular disorders such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
The first of these tests were the Latex Particle Agglutination tests, then the Flow Through tests leading to the current Lateral Flow Single Step test. Such tests typically utilize well known sandwich-type immunoassay techniques. In such tests a fluid specimen is supplied from a subject which could carry at least one analyte, such as an antibody, which is specific to the condition being tested. The fluid specimen is exposed to a conjugate having at least one mobilizable binding member, such as an antigen (or antibody in some cases), which has immuno-determinant(s) (or specific binding sites for the immuno-determinant(s) in certain cases) of the analyte in question. The binding member is conjugated to a visibly detectable label such as colloidal gold. During exposure of the specimen to the conjugate, an immuno-chemical reaction occurs wherein the analyte in question binds to the binding member to form the first affinity binding labeled analyte complex.
The fluid containing the labeled analyte complex is then directed to flow into a reaction membrane having a zone coated with at least one immobilized capture binding member which is similarly immuno-determinant of the analyte in question. As the fluid passes through the membrane, a second immuno-chemical reaction occurs wherein the labeled analyte complex binds to the capture binding member to form the second affinity binding immuno-sandwich complex. The accumulation of the secondly bound immuno-sandwich complex beyond a threshold amount in the zone creates a colored test line, the so-called "T-line". The reaction membrane typically has a second zone located further downstream from the T-line as an internal system control line, the so-called "C-line". The control line is used as an internal indicator of functional validity.
Unfortunately, depending on the type of condition being detected, these tests provide a typical accuracy of between 85% and 99%, falling short of the 99.5% or above accuracy generally considered to be necessary for a confirmatory test. The reasons for the insufficient accuracy are primarily due to the lack of overall higher sensitivity and specificity of the apparatus. Different samples may contain chemicals or particles which interfere with or inhibit the fluid flow or otherwise interfere with one or both of the affinity binding reactions. Prior apparatuses have attempted to enhance sensitivity or specificity by pretreating various parts of the apparatus with reaction or flow enhancing reagents, pH conditioning chemicals, or even non-specific adhesive blocking molecules which will "block-out" non-analyte molecules which might cause non-specific adhesion, or otherwise compete with the analyte in question for specific binding members, especially on the reaction membrane. These attempts have met with limited success in some types of testing, but do not provide the desired accuracy in many others. Also, pretreatment with two or more of the above pretreatments exacerbates the difficulties in obtaining uniform manufacturing due to potential incompatibilities between the pretreatment chemicals. For example, the pH conditioner might disrupt the effectiveness of the non-specific blocking member molecules. Or, the manufacturing step of pretreating with the second pretreatment chemical can dislodge some of the first pretreatment chemical.
Further, lot-to-lot variation in the manufacture of the test apparatuses can often lead to ambiguous results, such as false negatives as well as weak false positives, so-called "ghost lines" or "phantom lines". False negatives typically occur when non-specific molecules interfere with the first and/or second affinity binding actions. It has been found that non-analyte molecules can clump together in fluid samples that are not well mixed so that they temporarily prevent access between analytes and binding members. Even temporary interference can prevent an adequate number of labeled analyte complexes and/or ultimately immuno-sandwich complexes from forming. In this way, if a non-analyte molecule or clump of molecules blocks access between analytes and binding members for only a few seconds, it may be enough to induce a false negative result. Further, clumps of non-analyte molecules can carry an overabundance of the labeled mobilizable binding members to the second affinity binding site to generate a false positive.
Chemically non-uniform flows can result in flows having non-uniform first affinity binding by the time they reach the reaction membrane leading to inaccuracies. Such non-uniform flows can be caused by a number of factors. First, some portions of the fluid may flow faster than others from time to time. In those tests having deposits of dried reagent, faster flows tend to reach the dried reagent first. These flows tend to exhibit a greater degree of first affinity binding per unit fluid or at least uptake of mobilizable labeled binding members, and can potentially carry a greater concentration of clumps of non-analyte molecules which can carry away labeled mobilized binding members. Further, the deposit of dried reagent itself can exhibit portions of higher concentration than others resulting in similar chemical nonuniformity in the flow. Other flows having a lower than average concentration of analyte molecules, and/or having a greater concentration of non-clumped, non-analyte molecules which merely inhibit analyte binding but do not carry away mobilizable labeled binding members, exhibit less apparent first affinity binding. These flow and concentration dis-uniformities are responsible for many of the unsatisfactory results discussed above.
Therefore, although these prior devices provide a convenient, quick, economic, and simplified way to conduct such testing without requiring sophisticated instrumentation or trained professionals, in many settings these rapid tests are useful only for preliminary screening purposes, not as a confirmatory test. To this day, for example, the Western Blot Analytical Assay is the only one reliably used for the confirmatory detection of HIV infection in a clinical laboratory setting worldwide. Due to its multi-step manipulation and verification phases, completion of this type of assay takes days, if not weeks. Such a delay can unfortunately lead to further propagation of infectious pathogens such as HIV or other serious results, such as the metastasis of cancers. There is virtually no generally accepted practical or economical confirmatory rapid diagnostic testing technique for use in a point-of-care setting to rapidly detect serious diseases such as HIV infection and AMI, available in the market place today.
Therefore, there is a need to refine the accuracy and expedite the performance of prior immunoassay chromatographic rapid testing apparatuses to a higher and new level for use in the speedy and early detection and confirmation of the presence of pathogens or pathogenic conditions such as occurs with HIV infection, cancers and other disorders.

Delayed and diffused flow rapid confirmatory immunological testing apparatus and method


The present disclosure presents a novel structure for a dielectric material for use with Group III-V material systems and a method of fabricating such a structure. More specifically, the present disclosure describes a novel dielectric layer that is formed on the top surface of a III-V material where the dielectric layer comprises a first region in contact with the top surface of the III-V material crystalline and a second region adjacent to the first region and at the upper side of the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has material properties different from traditional dielectric layers as it is composed of both crystalline and amorphous structures. The crystalline structure is at the interface with the III-V material (such as AlGaN or GaN) but gradually transitions into an amorphous structure, both within the same layer and both comprising the same material.

The success of silicon MOSFET devices is largely built upon the fact that high-quality dielectric materials can be deposited on a silicon substrate without a high interface charge between the dielectric material and the silicon. High interface charges are undesirable because these charges can negatively affect the density of electrons at the interface of the silicon and dielectric materials, which in turn, can lead to inconsistent and unreliable deposition of the dielectric material. A dielectric material, such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), may be formed on a silicon crystal with a highly reliable crystalline interface and an extremely low interface charge density. These properties allow for the precise control of a threshold voltage when SiO2 is used as a gate dielectric, allows for consistent and reliable processing of a MOSFET device. Dielectric materials are necessary to isolate connecting metals within a silicon MOSFET device. As such, the interface charge between the silicon in the MOSFET device and the dielectric materials has to be low enough to avoid affecting the density of electrons, which could reduce the effectiveness of the MOSFET's operations. Silicon is popular because its properties help achieve this goal.
There has been research into replacing silicon with Group III-V materials. A Group III-V material refers to a material that includes at least one element from Group III of the periodic table of elements and at least one element from Group V of the periodic table of elements. By replacing silicon, semiconductor devices using Group III-V materials offer advantages such as higher electron mobility, higher electric breakdown field, and larger band-gap. These advantages make Group III-V material systems suitable for high voltage and high temperature operation. For example, in a high voltage field effect transistor (FET), the typical voltage applied across the gate and the source could be quite small (from −20V to +10V) while the voltage across the drain and the source can vary widely (from 0V to >5000V), depending on the applications. To sustain such a high voltage, Group III-V materials with a high breakdown field such as GaN offer advantages over semiconductors such as silicon.
However, forming reliable Group III-V material systems for high-voltage applications is not without significant challenges. Unlike silicon, which is a pure (i.e., non-polar) material system and having inversion symmetry, a Group III-V material is a polar compound where electrons are more attracted to the Group V material than the Group III material. When dielectric materials are deposited onto Group III-V materials, the polarity of such materials creates an undesirable high interface charge density at the interface between the Group III-V material and the deposited dielectric material.
Typically, most of the polarization of the III-V material can be contained within the crystalline structure, but at the termination point of the crystalline structure (e.g., the surface of the III-V material), dangling bonds induce surface states (resulting in very high surface charge densities) between the III-V material and the surface of the deposited dielectric material. Therefore, conventional dielectric materials such as SiO2 or Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) are not compatible with III-V materials.
As of a result of these properties of Group III-V materials, SiO2 or another oxide-based dielectric material deposited on top of Group III-V materials such as Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN) or GaN causes the oxide-based dielectric material to react with the dangling bonds on the surface of the III-V material resulting in a hard-to-control interface leading to non-uniformity. Non-uniformity is undesirable because it causes random defects and trapped charges at the interface between the dielectric layer and the substrate leading to uncertain conditions for further processing of the substrate. Consequently, it is difficult to fabricate a high performance semiconductor device on a Group III-V substrate using an oxide-based dielectric on a large scale.
Furthermore, the charge density at the interface is highly sensitive to the deposition conditions and surface cleaning methods. Because of the sensitivity of the deposition process to these factors, repeatability of the deposition process between conventional dielectric materials and Group III-V materials is not reliable, which in turn causes large threshold voltage variation either across the wafer or between wafers.
The commercialization of Group III-V MOSFETs has been further hampered by the lack of availability of a stable gate oxide and stable passivation material. Another issue is the lack of a repeatable and reliable dielectric material for Group III-V material systems.
Therefore, what is needed is a way to resolve the issues arising from the surface charges of the of Group III-V materials.

Crystalline-amorphous transition material for semiconductor devices and method for formation


A piston position sensing circuit for sensing the instantaneous position of a piston of a free piston Stirling machine or a compressor mechanically connected to a reciprocating member of a linear electric motor or alternator. A source of a high frequency, alternating, electrical signal applies a high frequency signal to the winding circuit of the linear alternator or motor. A filter circuit is connected to the winding circuit and passes electrical signals at the frequency of the high frequency source and blocks signals at the operating frequency of reciprocation. A peak detector circuit is connected to the filter circuit and detects the peak of the filter circuit output signal to provide an instantaneous peak magnitude that is proportional to the instantaneous piston position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to free piston Stirling engines, free piston Stirling heat pumps or coolers, compressors or other mechanical loads drivingly connected to a linear alternator or linear motor and more particularly relates to a circuit for sensing, and for providing a signal that is proportional to, the instantaneous position of the reciprocating piston of the Stirling engine, cooler or heat pump or compressor and the instantaneous position of the reciprocating member of the linear alternator or motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stirling machines have been known for nearly two centuries but in recent decades have been the subject of considerable development because of advantages they offer. In a Stirling machine, a working gas is confined in a working space comprised of an expansion space and a compression space. The working gas is alternately expanded and compressed in order to either do work or to pump heat. Stirling machines cyclically shuttle a working gas between the compression space and the expansion space which are connected in fluid communication through a heat accepter, regenerator and heat rejecter. The shuttling is commonly done by pistons reciprocating in cylinders and cyclically changes the relative proportion of working gas in each space. Gas that is in the expansion space, and/or gas that is flowing into the expansion space through a heat exchanger (the accepter) between the regenerator and the expansion space, accepts heat from surrounding surfaces. Gas that is in the compression space, and/or gas that is flowing into the compression space through a heat exchanger (the rejecter) between the regenerator and the compression space, rejects heat to surrounding surfaces. The gas pressure is essentially the same in both spaces at any instant of time because the spaces are interconnected through a path having a relatively low flow resistance. However, the pressure of the working gas in the work space as a whole varies cyclically and periodically. When most of the working gas is in the compression space, heat is rejected from the gas. When most of the working gas is in the expansion space, the gas accepts heat. This is true whether the machine is working as a heat pump or as an engine. The only requirement to differentiate between work produced or heat pumped, is the temperature at which the expansion process is carried out. If this expansion process temperature is higher than the temperature of the compression space, then the machine is inclined to produce work and if this expansion process temperature is lower than the compression space temperature, then the machine will pump heat from a cold source to a warm sink.
Stirling machines can therefore be designed to use the above principles to provide either (1) an engine having pistons driven by applying an external source of heat energy to the expansion space and transferring heat away from the compression space, or (2) a heat pump having pistons cyclically driven by a prime mover for pumping heat from the expansion space to the compression space. The heat pump mode permits Stirling machines to be used for cooling an object in thermal connection to its expansion space, including to cryogenic temperatures, or heating an object, such as a home heating heat exchanger, in thermal connection to its compression space. Therefore, the term Stirling "machine" is used to generically include both Stirling engines and Stirling heat pumps.
Until about 1965, Stirling machines were constructed as kinematically driven machines meaning that the pistons are connected to each other by a mechanical linkage, typically connecting rods and crankshafts. The free piston Stirling machine was then invented by William Beale. In the free piston Stirling machine, the pistons are not connected to a mechanical drive linkage. Free-piston Stirling machines are constructed as mechanical oscillators and one of its pistons, conventionally identified as a displacer, is driven by the working gas pressure variations in the machine. The other piston, conventionally identified as the power piston, is either driven by a reciprocating prime mover when the Stirling machine is operated in its heat pumping mode or drives a reciprocating mechanical load when the Stirling machine is operated as an engine. Free piston Stirling machines offer numerous advantages including the control of their frequency and phase and their lack of a requirement for a seal between moving parts to prevent the mixing of working gas and lubricating oil.
Stirling machines are often connected to a linear motor or alternator. A Stirling engine is connected to a linear alternator to generate electric power and a Stirling machine operated in a heat pumping mode is connected to and driven by a linear electric motor. Both an electric linear motor and an electric linear alternator are the same basic device. They have a stator, ordinarily having an armature winding, and a reciprocating member that includes magnets, usually permanent magnets. Because they are essentially the same fundamental structure, they will sometimes be collectively referred to as a motor/alternator.
Consequently, both a Stirling machine and a linear motor/alternator structure are energy transducers that can each be operated in either of two modes. A Stirling machine can be driven mechanically in reciprocation by a prime mover to pump heat from a lower temperature mass to a higher temperature mass. A Stirling machine can be driven by the energy of the temperature difference between two masses and provide an output of mechanical reciprocation. Similarly, a linear motor/alternator structure can be mechanically driven in reciprocation by a prime mover to generate electrical power output or a linear motor/alternator be driven by a source of alternating electrical power to operate as a motor providing a mechanical reciprocating output. Therefore, a Stirling machine operating as an engine can be used to drive a linear alternator and a linear motor can be used to drive a Stirling machine operating in a heat pumping mode. In both of these cases, the power piston of the Stirling machine is ordinarily directly connected to the reciprocating member of the linear motor or alternator so that they reciprocate as a unit. Additionally, linear electric motors can be connected to and used to drive the piston of a compressor for compressing a gas, such as in a refrigerator, or for pumping a fluid.
All of these combinations utilize control circuits not only to assure that the pistons do not reciprocate at an excessive stroke and collide with other machine structures, but also to maximize their operating efficiency, control power or control other operating parameters. Therefore, one important parameter of operation that is useful to detect or sense and apply a corresponding signal to the control circuit for controlling these machines is the instantaneous position of the piston and its connected reciprocating member of the linear motor or alternator.
One device that has been proposed for sensing the piston position is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,158, which is herein incorporated by reference. However, that invention requires that a special transducer, that is dedicated to sensing the piston position, be mounted in the machine. This transducer has a ferromagnetic tube, a coil and a core all of which must be located and mounted within the machine. That transducer has the disadvantage that it adds weight and additional expense, requires mounting and occupies space within the machine and is an additional component that can fail.
Another proposed manner of detecting piston position is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,176 which is herein incorporated by reference. The invention of that patent computes piston position from the back emf induced on the windings by the magnets and the current of the electric linear motor at the operating frequency of the linear motor. This prior art detection system has the disadvantage that it requires measurement of the inductance of the alternator winding, the AC resistance and the back emf constant (also known as the motor constant) α. The open circuit winding voltage is proportional to the piston velocity and the back emf constant α is the proportionality constant that relates open circuit winding voltage to piston velocity. The winding current is directly proportional to the force on the piston and the proportionality constant is also α. The back emf constant α is temperature dependent as is the winding resistance. Consequently, measurements of stroke amplitude using the method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,176 exhibit errors resulting from drift of the detected stroke amplitude as a function of temperature.
It is therefore an object and feature of the invention to provide a circuit for detecting the instantaneous position of the reciprocating member and a piston connected to it that does not require the installation of additional hardware within the machine and provides a signal that is proportional to the instantaneous position of the piston and its connected reciprocating member of an electric linear motor/alternator structure but also is independent of the voltage and current at the operating frequency of reciprocation of the machine.

Detection of the instantaneous position of a linearly reciprocating member using high frequency injection


The present disclosure provides an engine having a gas exchange valve and an actuator for the gas exchange valve, and also a method of reducing valve seating impact velocity. The actuator includes a body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A plunger is reciprocable in the body and has a travel distance between an advanced position and a retracted position, the plunger and body defining a chamber. A flow restriction orifice is disposed in at least one of the plunger and the body, and the chamber is in unrestricted fluid communication with the outlet over a first portion of the travel distance and in restricted fluid communication with the outlet by way of the orifice over at least a second portion of the travel distance.

Excessive valve seating impact velocity is a problem familiar to many hydraulic system designers. In many modern applications, high speed hydraulic valves and related components may reciprocate many times per second. In order to generate such rapid action, the system components are often driven with relatively high forces. When a valve impacts its seat at too high a velocity, the seat and/or the valve itself can be damaged, compromising the sealing ability of the valve and in some instances rendering the valve inoperable.
A gas exchange valve in an internal combustion engine typically moves rapidly back and forth between an open position for intake or exhaust strokes, and a closed position during compression and power strokes. Repeated impacts of the valve against its seat can deform, break or otherwise damage the components, causing gases to leak past the valve seat when closed or worse, breaking the valve altogether. Disruptions in gas exchange during engine operation can result in sub-optimal engine performance. In more exotic engine operation schemes, proper valve seating can be critical to achieving a desired engine performance.
Valve "snubbers" are a class of hydraulic apparatuses addressing problems similar to those discussed above. Snubbing devices of varying complexity have been developed over the years. However, the small, rapidly moving hydraulic parts from some known systems must often be machined to very close tolerances, making mass production challenging and expensive. Moreover, during cold start conditions it can be difficult to initiate operation of a hydraulic system having numerous small parts bathed in cold, viscous oil.
One snubber system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,468 to Weber. Weber describes a hydraulic snubber for controlling engine valve seating velocity. In the Weber design a plunger is operably coupled to a gas exchange valve in an engine, and reciprocates in a housing between an advanced position and a retracted position. Weber's snubber includes a machined plate positioned above the plunger and having a first position during extension of the plunger, and a second position during retraction of the plunger. In the snubber plate's first position, it allows actuation fluid to be delivered to the plunger through a set of passages having a given flow area, whereas in the snubber's second position it restricts the available flow area to a single, relatively smaller passage for evacuation of actuation fluid. The smaller flow path determined by the position of the plate appears to slow the plunger as it approaches a seat, also reducing the seat impact velocity of the valve member coupled to the plunger.
Although the Weber design is believed to function effectively there is always room for improvement. In particular, Weber requires a relatively large number of parts for its snubber assembly.
The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems or shortcomings set forth above.

Internal combustion engine valve seating velocity control


Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a stereoscopic image. A stereoscopic image restoring method includes parsing a received data stream into image data of a stereoscopic image and information regarding the stereoscopic image; extracting a camera parameter depending on individual characteristics of each of one or more cameras which have captured the stereoscopic image; and decoding and restoring the image data of the stereoscopic image.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to encoding and decoding a stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, research is being actively conducted on three-dimensional (3D) image display methods in order to represent image data more realistically and with a more natural feeling. Among the 3D image display methods, 3D image display methods in which left and right view images are separately displayed at corresponding positions of a conventional display device such that different images are formed to separately correspond to left and right eyes of a viewer, thereby providing a 3D effect by exploiting characteristics of human vision, are regarded to have potential for a variety of reasons. A portable terminal having a barrier liquid crystal display (LCD) as an example of a device in which the 3D image display method can be employed, may provide more realistic images to users while reproducing stereoscopic contents.

Method and apparatus for generating stereoscopic image data stream by using camera parameter, and method and apparatus for restoring stereoscopic image by using camera parameter


A heating mechanism includes a paper transmitting path for carrying a paper, a fixing roller provided on this paper transmitting path, a pressurizing roller disposed so as to oppose the fixing roller, a heating roller provided apart from the fixing roller for applying heat indirectly to the fixing roller, a belt which is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller in order to transmit a rotation driving force from the fixing roller to the heating roller and thermal energy from the heating roller to the fixing roller and makes a contact with the other side face of the paper passing between the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller, and a pair of first restricting members disposed with a gap from both end faces of the heating roller to guard both sides of the belt on the heating roller thereby restricting a shifting motion of the belt in the width direction.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as electro-photographic copier and laser printer and more particularly to a heating mechanism for heating, melting and fixing a toner image onto paper.
A copier employs a so-called belt-type heating mechanism. Features of the belt-type heating mechanism is low power consumption, short warming-up time, oilless, separation characteristic and the like.
The belt-type heating mechanism comprises a fixing roller, a heating roller, a fixing belt (hereinafter referred to as a heat transferring belt) stretched between the fixing roller and the heating roller and a pressurizing roller disposed so as to oppose the fixing roller through the heat transferring belt. The heat transferring belt is heated by the heating roller and fed to the fixing roller. A so-called nip portion is formed between the heat transferring belt and the pressurizing roller and toner of a toner image is melted under a pressure, so that the toner image is fixed on the paper.
In such a conventional belt-type heating mechanism, the heat transferring belt shifts in a width direction during a rotation of the fixing roller/heating roller, so that the heat transferring belt deviates from an image forming range, and consequently, a non-fixed image region may be sometimes generated.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-338812(hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cpreceding inventionxe2x80x9d) has proposed installation of a restricting member onto a roller in order to restrict the deviation of the heat transferring belt. However, when in the belt-type heating mechanism of the preceding invention, a side portion of the belt makes a sliding contact with the restricting member, overload is applied to the belt, so that buckling or swelling occurs in the belt.
Thus, in the heating mechanism of the preceding invention, a release agent roller is pressed to the belt so as to coat the belt with the release agent (oil) and apply an additional tension thereto, thereby preventing the belt from being buckled or swollen. Further, in the heating mechanism of the preceding invention, the release agent roller is set up shorter than the width of the fixing belt in order to prevent the release agent from invading to a rear side of the belt.
However, if the belt width is larger than the release agent roller for applying a tension, a tension shortage region in which no sufficient tension is applied to the belt by the release agent roller is generated in a belt side portion. Particularly, in a portion on the side in which the belt shifts in the width direction, this tension shortage region is expanded. If the belt side short of tension makes a sliding contact with the restricting member, a local buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) is generated in the belt and finally, the belt may be broken.
An object of the present invention is to provide a heating mechanism for use in an image forming apparatus capable of fixing a toner image on a paper stably without generating a buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) in the belt.
To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating mechanism for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a paper transporting path for carrying a paper having a toner image; a fixing roller disposed in the paper transporting path so that it is rotated; a pressurizing roller disposed so as to oppose the fixing roller across the paper transporting path so that it contacts one side face of a paper carried on the paper transporting path, the pressurizing roller being rotated synchronously with the fixing roller for applying a pressure on the paper in cooperation with the fixing roller; a heating roller provided apart from the fixing roller for applying heat indirectly to the fixing roller; a heat transferring belt which is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller in order to transmit a rotation driving force from the fixing roller to the heating roller and thermal energy from the heating roller to the fixing roller, makes a contact with the other side face of the paper passing between the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller, and melts toner on the toner image by heat to fix the toner image on the paper; and a pair of first restricting members disposed with a predetermined gap from both end faces of the heating roller to guard both sides of the heat transferring belt on the heating roller thereby restricting a shifting motion of the heat transferring belt in a width direction.
When the belt shifts in the width direction on the heating roller, a side portion of the belt is intercepted by the first restricting member so that a further shift in the width direction of the belt is restricted. Consequently, an excessive deviation of the belt from the heating roller is eliminated, so that a buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) of the side portion of the belt is suppressed. In this case, the belt side is permitted to deviate from a peripheral face of the heating roller if it is slight. The reason is that unless the deviation amount of the belt side from the peripheral face of the heating roller exceeds a predetermined value, the tension applied to the belt side does not drop excessively, and therefore, substantially the belt side portion is not deformed. Therefore, even when the first restricting member is provided apart from an end face of the heating roller, if a gap G1 is set to a predetermined value or less, the buckling or swelling of the belt side portion is never generated. In this case, it is desirable that the gap G1 is not more than 1.5 mm.
The aforementioned first restricting member is desired to be disposed on the side in which the belt is fed from the heating roller. On the side (loose side) in which the belt is fed from the heating roller, the belt tension drops so that the buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) is likely to occur on the belt side. Thus, by disposing the first restricting member on the belt loose side of the heating roller, the buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) of the belt side can be prevented effectively.
Preferably, the heating mechanism in an image forming apparatus further comprises a pair of second restricting members disposed with a predetermined gap from both end faces of the fixing roller to guard both sides of the heat transferring belt. Because the second restricting member restricts a shift motion in the width direction of the belt on the fixing roller, synergistic effect is exerted with the restriction by the first restricting member on the heating roller side. That is, if the second restricting member is provided on the side of the fixing roller, the total length of the first and second restricting members which the belt side makes a sliding contact with is increased and therefore, a local stress concentration on the belt side is relaxed, so that the belt side is not buckled.
Preferably, the second restricting member is disposed on the side (loose side) in which the heat transferring belt is fed from said fixing roller. The belt tension drops on the side (loose side) in which the belt is fed from the fixing roller, so that the buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) is likely to occur on the belt side. Thus, by disposing the second restricting member on the belt loose side of the fixing roller, the buckling or swelling (out-of-plane deformation) on the belt side can be prevented effectively.
Meanwhile, the width LB of the belt needs to be smaller than the length LH of the heating roller and the length of the fixing roller. The reason is that if the width LB of the belt is larger than the roller length, the belt side deviates from the peripheral rolling face peripheral circumferential surface of the heating roller or the fixing roller even when the belt does not shift in the width direction.
Preferably, the heating mechanism further comprises a release agent roller which coats the belt with release agent and is pressed on the entire width LB of the belt so as to apply a tension to the heat transferring belt. In this case, the length Loil of the release agent roller is substantially the same as a clearance between the pair of the first restricting members or a gap G2 between the end face of the release agent roller and the first restricting member is not more than 12 mm.
To apply a tension to the entire belt from the release agent roller, the length Loil of the release agent roller needs to be larger than the width LB of the heat transferring belt.
Preferably, the gap G2 in plan view from an end face of the release agent roller to the first restricting member is not more than 7 mm. If the gap G2 is not more than 7 mm, no deformation occurs in the belt side portion as shown in FIG. 9B. However, if the gap G2 is, for example, 12 mm, the belt side portion is deformed as shown in FIG. 9C, so that the buckling or swelling occurs and finally, the belt is broken. This reason is estimated to be that the tension applied from the release agent roller to the belt acts on a deviated belt side portion from the heating roller. Therefore, by providing with the release agent roller, it is possible to mount the first restricting member apart from the end face of the heating roller.
Meanwhile, it is permissible to employ only a tension roller which applies only a tension to the belt without coating the belt with the release agent, which substitutes the aforementioned release agent roller.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Heating mechanism for use in image forming apparatus


Presented are systems and methods for implementing configuration modes of operation for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments that receive display information, such as monitor count capability information and monitor resolution capability information, from an administrator or elements in a VDI environment and use that display information to generate a recommendation for a virtual desktop display (VDD) configuration that may comprise an initial monitor count and an initial monitor resolution. Elements in the VDI environment are queried to obtain VDD utilization information, such as actual window counts and sizes. The VDD utilization information is then used to update the VDD configuration recommendation to conserve computing resources or enhance a user experience.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to desktop display assignment optimization systems and methods for VDI environments.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use, such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
As remote working initiatives continue to gain traction in many organizational environments, these organizations continue to look at VDI environments as a secure solution that allows important organizational data to reside in data centers while continuing to deliver good user-experience for end users. The profile of users who use VDI environments includes a spectrum of users from task workers with relatively low-end compute requirements to high-end users who require a rich multimedia experience, including multiple monitors. Historically, calculation of the number of monitors required by a VDI environment has been a complex process, as there are a number of layers of the environment that determine the nature of multi-monitor support provided, e.g., thin client, datacenter graphics card, and virtual desktop (VD) broker/client/protocol combinations. In addition, there is a need to understand users' true requirement for multi-monitor support based on the intensity of users' screen real estate usage.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to find new and more efficient analytics-based ways to assess multi-monitor connectivity options and user requirements for a given VDI environment.

Desktop display assignment optimization in a virtual desktop environment


A new lifting aid device for a shovel for helping a user to easily lift a shovel, in particular a shovel having an offset type handle. The inventive device includes a brace member with an elongate shaft portion and a rest portion. The mounting end of the shaft portion is mountable to a portion of an offset-type handle shaft of a shovel. The inner surface of the rest portion is designed for abutting a portion of a leg, such as a thigh, against it. The pivot end of the shaft portion is pivotally coupled to the outer surface of the rest portion at a midpoint between the upper and lower edges of the rest portion to allow proper pivoting of the rest portion during use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shovel devices and more particularly pertains to a new lifting aid device for a shovel for helping a user to easily lift a shovel, in particular an shovel having an offset type handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of shovel devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, shovel devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art shovel devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,604; U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,600; U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,373; U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,151; U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,181; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 291,273.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new lifting aid device for a shovel. The inventive device includes a brace member with an elongate shaft portion and a rest portion. The mounting end of the shaft portion is mountable to a portion of an offset-type handle shaft of a shovel. The inner surface of the rest portion is designed for abutting a portion of a leg, such as a thigh, against it. The pivot end of the shaft portion is pivotally coupled to the outer surface of the rest portion at a midpoint between the upper and lower edges of the rest portion to allow proper pivoting of the rest portion during use.
In these respects, the lifting aid device for a shovel according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of helping a user to easily lift a shovel, in particular an shovel having an offset type handle.