Driving slip rates SLi of respective wheels are calculated, and if a driving slip is excessively large is judged based on the driving slip rates SLi. Further, if a vehicle is in a predetermined turning state is judged, and if the vehicle is in an accelerating state from taking off on a road surface where a difference between coefficients of friction of the road surface with respect to the left and right wheels is large is judged. In addition, if the vehicle is in a state in which a powertrain such as a differential should be protected is judged. Fuel supply to an engine is cut until a possibility of worsening of behavior has been eliminated when the driving slip is excessively large and there is a possibility of worsening of behavior due to turning and the like, and the driving slip is reduced by reduction of driving force. Then, execution of the cutting of fuel supply is prohibited for a predetermined time after execution of the cutting of fuel supply.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-215641 filed on Jul. 17, 2000 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle traction control system and more specifically to a traction control system and a method for suppressing a driving slip of a driving wheel by cutting supply of fuel to an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
As one of traction control systems for suppressing a driving slip of a driving wheel in a vehicle such as an automobile, there is a known traction control system for cutting supply of fuel to an engine when the driving slip of the driving wheel becomes excessively large to reduce output torque of the engine and for prohibiting cutting of fuel supply for a predetermined time after execution of cutting of fuel supply as described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. HEI8-49579, for example.
According to the aforementioned traction control system, because the driving torque of the driving wheel is reduced by cutting the fuel supply to the engine when the driving slip of the driving wheel becomes excessively large, it is possible to effectively suppress the driving slip of the driving wheel. In addition, cutting of fuel supply is prohibited for the predetermined time, after execution of cutting of fuel supply. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent repeated execution of cutting of fuel supply and occurrence of a problem such as an excessive rise in temperature of a catalyst due to combustion of unburned components of fuel in an exhaust gas purifying catalytic converter.
However, in the aforementioned traction control system, cutting of fuel supply is prohibited for the predetermined time after execution of cutting of fuel supply. Therefore, even if the driving slip of the driving wheel becomes excessively large and behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable in a condition in which the vehicle is turning after the driving slip of the driving wheel becomes excessively large in straight traveling of the vehicle and cutting of fuel supply is executed, for example, cutting of fuel supply is not carried out until the predetermined time passes. Therefore, it is difficult to suppress the driving slip of the driving wheel and in some cases it is not possible to effectively stabilize the behavior of the vehicle at an early stage.
It is an object of the invention to reliably prevent worsening of behavior of a vehicle by cutting of fuel supply while preventing occurrence of a problem such as an excessive rise in temperature of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst by taking into consideration a possibility that behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable in addition to the aforementioned condition for starting traction control.
A first aspect of the invention is a vehicle traction control system comprising: a driving slip judging unit that judges a degree of driving slip of a driving wheel; a behavior judging unit that judges if there is a possibility that behavior of a vehicle becomes unstable; an executing unit that executes cutting of fuel supply to an engine so as to control the driving slip of the driving wheel when the degree of the driving slip judged by the driving slip judging unit is equal to or greater than a reference value and it is judged by behavior judging unit that there is the possibility that behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable; and a prohibiting unit that prohibits cutting of fuel supply to the engine for a predetermined time after execution of the cutting of fuel supply.
A second aspect of the invention is a method for controlling vehicle traction including: a slip judging step for judging if a degree of driving slip of a driving wheel is equal to or greater than a reference value; a first behavior judging step for judging if there is a possibility that behavior of a vehicle becomes unstable; an executing step for executing cutting of fuel supply to an engine when the degree of the driving slip is judged at the slip judging step to be equal to or greater than the reference value and it is judged at the first behavior judging step that there is the possibility that behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable; and a prohibiting step for prohibiting cutting of fuel supply to the engine for a predetermined time after execution of the cutting of fuel supply.
According to the above system or method, cutting of fuel supply to the engine is executed when it is judged that the degree of the driving slip of the driving wheel is equal to or greater than the reference value and that there is a possibility that behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable. Therefore, the cutting of fuel supply is not executed only because the driving slip of the driving wheel has become large. Therefore, the cutting of fuel supply is reliably executed when the possibility that behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable is then generated in a state in which the driving slip of the driving wheel is large, thereby worsening of behavior of the vehicle is reliably prevented.

Vehicle traction control system and method


A rotor and stator assembly having a rotor and a stator with opposing surfaces defining an air bearing and an air dam of an aspirating face seal. In a first embodiment, the air bearing and the air dam are axially offset. In a second embodiment, the rotor has an axially extending protuberance located radially between the air bearing and the air dam. The axial offset and the protuberance each act to divert the air flow (e.g., compressed gas or combustion gases in a gas turbine or steam in a steam turbine) in a direction transverse to the air flow direction through the air bearing and the air dam, thus isolating the air flows from the air bearing and the air dam which improves seal performance.

Aspirating face seals are used to minimize leakage through a gap between two components, wherein such leakage is from a higher pressure area to a lower pressure area. Such seals have been used, or their use proposed, in rotating machinery. Such use includes, but is not limited to, turbomachinery including steam turbines and gas turbines used for power generation and gas turbines used for aircraft and marine propulsion. It is noted that aspirating face seals minimize the leakage of steam between a rotor and a stator in steam turbines and minimize the leakage of compressed air or combustion gases between a rotor and a stator in gas turbines.
A steam turbine has a steam path which typically includes, in serial-flow relationship, a steam inlet, a turbine, and a steam outlet. A gas turbine has a gas path which typically includes, in serial-flow relationship, an air intake (or inlet), a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and a gas outlet (or exhaust nozzle). Gas or steam leakage, either out of the gas or steam path or into the gas or steam path, from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure, is generally undesirable. For example, gas-path leakage in the low-pressure-turbine thrust-bearing area of a gas turbine, between axially opposing areas of a rotating cone of the rotor and an inner casing of the stator, will lower the efficiency of the gas turbine leading to increased fuel costs. Also, steam-path leakage in the turbine area of a steam turbine, between axially opposing portions of the rotor and stator, will lower the efficiency of the steam turbine leading to increased fuel costs.
Conventional aspirating face seals typically have the rotor configured as a first seal part, with the first seal part either being attached to, or being a monolithic portion of, the rotor. Likewise, such seals typically have the stator configured as a second seal part, with the second seal part either being attached to, or being a monolithic portion of, the stator. The first and second seal parts are generally annular, generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotor, generally opposing, axially spaced apart, and proximate each other. Typically, the first part and the second part together define a radially extending air bearing and a radially extending air dam positioned radially inward of the air bearing. The air bearing surface of the first part and the air dam surface of the first part generally lie in the same plane. The air bearing surface of the second part has a hole which is an outlet for a first passageway connecting the hole with air from the higher pressure side of the seal. The stator has a second passageway which carries air, which has passed the air dam from the higher pressure side of the seal, to the lower pressure side of the seal. Known seal designs have also included an aspirator tooth extending from the stator axially across, and radially inward of, the air dam, with the aspirator tooth having a tip spaced apart from and proximate the rotor.
It is important to note that an aspirating face seal is a non-contacting seal in that the first and second parts of the seal do not touch. It is also important to note that aspirating face seal technology uses phrases such as "air bearing", "air dam", and "air flow", wherein it is understood that the word "air" is used to describe the working fluid of the seal. The working fluid of an aspirating face seal includes, without limitation, compressed air, combustion gases, and steam.
Applicants found that although mathematical modeling of an aspirating face seal predicted good seal performance with a small controlled leakage, a full scale test of such a seal, in an aircraft-engine gas-turbine configuration, yielded poor seal performance with a large controlled leakage. What is needed is an aspirating face seal capable of being used in a rotor and stator assembly, such as a rotor and stator assembly of a gas-turbine aircraft engine, with a small controlled leakage.

Rotor and stator assembly configured as an aspirating face seal


A water soluble pressure sensitive adhesive composition is disclosed wherein polyvinyl methyl ether is the major component and a styrenic block copolymer is the second component, the polyvinyl methyl ether and styrenic block copolymer present in a weight ratio of from about 95:5 to about 88:12, said styrenic block copolymer in said composition comprising less than about 14 percent by weight of the weight of the polyvinyl methyl ether. The pressure sensitive adhesive is useful for bonding polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, and paper.

This invention relates to novel adhesive compositions and to the easy removal of adhesive residue from a substrate without use of an organic solvent. More particularly, it relates to compositions which are especially suited for use as pressure sensitive adhesives characterized by their excellent properties of outstanding creep resistance and cohesive strength and which are based on polyvinyl methyl ether. These adhesive compositions can be in the form of hot-melts or solvent-based compositions, either water-based or organic solvent-based. Water based compositions are preferred. Adhesive residues are water-removable without use of an organic solvent.
Hot-melt adhesives are frequently used because they can be cheaper than organic solvent based formulations, can give quick tack in the molten state, harden quickly on cooling, have no residual solvent odor or taste and their application is often a one-step procedure. However, hot-melt adhesives are not normally applicable to substrates subject to degradation at hot-melt application temperatures. Organic solvent-based adhesives can be more expensive because of organic solvent requirement and the potential need for solvent recovery. Water-based adhesives can be preferred because of cost and reduced environmental problems.
Water-based adhesives are taught in the prior art. Plitt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,609, teaches a water-based pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a composition of polyvinyl alcohol and polyethyleneimine. However, as Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,572 reports, the compositions of Plitt suffer from poor heat stability which results in gradual discoloration of the adhesive film as well as the substrate to which the adhesive is applied. Davis indicates the aging discoloration is overcome by the addition of acids to the Plitt adhesive compositions.
As is known in the art, pressure sensitive adhesives comprise a class of adhesive compositions which may be formulated from a variety of materials such as gums and resins of both natural and synthetic derivation, which typically are not water-soluble. When coated on a suitable substrate, these adhesive compositions share the common characteristic of being aggressively and permanently tacky at room temperature and are thus able to adhere to surfaces by the application of nothing more than manual pressure. Adhesives of this type may be applied to various substrates such as paper, cloth and plastic films, and the resulting coated substrate may then be converted to tapes and labels which are especially useful in the packaging field for any number of applications involving marking, sealing, reinforcing or bonding.
In order to be satisfactory in commercial usage, a pressure sensitive adhesive must, of course, possess good tack and tack retention properties, that is, the adhesive must firmly adhere to various surfaces and the adhesive films thereof should retain their properties on aging. An equally important property of such an adhesive in many applications is that of high internal strength, i.e., good cohesion. High internal or cohesive strength is a necessary characteristic of any adhesive composition which is to be employed in preparing adhesive products which must support considerable amounts of weight. It is also necessary that the property of high internal strength be instilled in a pressure sensitive adhesive without adversely affecting its tack and tack retention properties. Previously, internal strength had been imparted to pressure sensitive adhesives by such means as incorporating high molecular weight polymers in the adhesive formulation and requiring an organic solvent, such as toluol or methanol. Methods such as these, however, have generally proved unsatisfactory since cohesive strength was attained only at the expense of sacrificing the tack and adhesion properties of the composition.
Polyvinyl methyl ether (PVME) has been taught as a major component in pressure sensitive adhesives. Kuramoto, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,396, teaches a polyvinyl methyl ether-based pressure sensitive adhesive but discloses that PVME exhibits adhesive properties but fails to exhibit cohesive properties and has a highly increased fluidity when used independently. Kuramoto improved the properties of the PVME adhesives by addition of acrylic polymers and copolymers having superior properties of adhesion and cohesion, as compared to those properties of PVME. The examples of Kuramoto indicate organic solvents, toluol and methanol, are required to formulate the improved adhesive compositions.
The general formula for a pressure sensitive adhesive includes an elastomeric polymer, a tackifying resin, any necessary filter, various antioxidants and stabilizers. The three physical properties which must be considered are shear strength, peel strength, and tack. As noted above, high molecular weight polymers are frequently incorporated into the adhesive formulation to improve cohesive strength. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,956 teaches a pressure sensitive adhesive formulation comprising a mixture as an emulsion or dispersion of 20 to 90% by weight of polyvinyl methyl ether and 10 to 80% by weight of a copolymer of acrylonitrile and a substance copolymerizable therewith selected from the group consisting of styrene, butadiene, vinylether, acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters, and mixtures thereof.
Block copolymers have been used in the past to produce adhesive compositions with improved adhesive power or peel strength. Serious limitations have existed as to characteristics of these compounds which have required formula modifications to achieve desired properties in the final pressure sensitive adhesive composition. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,332 teaches copolymers of alpha-methylstyrene and styrene prepared under controlled conditions as necessary to impart tack to elastomeric block copolymers of styrene and isoprene such as Shell Chemical Company's Kraton.TM.D 1107. U.S. Pat No. 4,359,551 teaches that a specific tackifier mixture in a blend of a modified block copolymer can serve as a hot-melt pressure sensitive adhesive composition which is excellent in holding power especially for paper. U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,663 teaches incorporation of tackifier resins into pressure sensitive adhesive compositions of about 50 to about 150 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a block copolymer of polystyrene and a polydiene such as manufactured by Shell Chemical Company under the trade name Kration.TM.G.
Kraton.TM. block copolymers of polystyrene and a polydiene which have been conventionally used in adhesives technology have suffered from a serious drawback. The polydiene component in Kraton.TM. block copolymers can be highly unsaturated such as polybutadiene and polyisoprene. Because of this unsaturation, Kraton.TM. block copolymers having a high degree of unsaturation are highly susceptible to thermal and oxidative degradation. Shell Chemical Company, in order to overcome these undesirable properties, has developed a series of Kraton.TM. block copolymers in which the mid-unsaturated block is hydrogenated to yield a saturated mid-block, thus overcoming the problem of thermal and oxidative degradation. However, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,663, it has been found that these saturated mid-block Kraton.TM. copolymers are difficult to tackify.
Kulzick, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,978, discloses a PVME-based adhesive composition for hot-melt application wherein the composition comprises, as a first component, at least about 10 weight percent of PVME, and, as a second component, at least 10 weight percent of a thermoplastic resin. The second component is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 polyolefins and copolymers such as amorphous polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, low density polyethylene, polystyrene, and block copolymers thereof with isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and ethylenealkylacrylate copolymers. A tackifier resin can also be present. Kulzick '978 teaches the amount of thermoplastic resin in a two-component adhesive composition, or in a multiple component composition, is preferably more than 20 percent by weight of the total composition. Kraton.TM. 1107, made by Shell Chemical Company, Houston, Tex., Stereon 840A, made by Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, and Vector 4113-D, made by Dexco Polymers, Houston, Tex., and hydrogenated variants, as well as ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymers, such as the DPD series made by Union Carbide, are taught as suitable thermoplastic resins. The adhesive compositions are prepared by blending the components in a melt at a temperature of about 160.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. to obtain a homogeneous mixture and product that is essentially 100% solids. The tackifier component is optionable.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives are widely used in the form of adhesive tapes and labels. Conventional pressure sensitive adhesive tapes which provide good adhesive properties typically leave adhesive residues on the surface of the substrate when peeled. The adhesive residues are normally not removable unless an organic solvent is used to wipe the substrate. Since pressure-sensitive tapes and labels are frequently used to bond and/or identify industrial and consumer items, an adhesive residue can constitute a removal problem not only for the user but also for the marketer of the industrial or consumer product. The problem of removing the residue can therefore result in a marketing problem.
This invention relates to improved pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions which comprise a water-soluble component and a water dispersible component, and which, upon application and removal, leave a residue which is water-soluble and water-removable from the surface of the substrate without need of an organic solvent. The invented composition has high internal or cohesive strength, as measured by shear strength, and has good adhesion and tackiness. The adhesive properties of the composition compare favorably with conventional pressure sensitive adhesive compositions upon a variety of substrate materials, including metals and plastics. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition is especially suited for bonding polyethylene, polypropylene and ethylene-propylene copolymers. The invented composition can be formulated for use as a water emulsion, a solvent solution or as a hot-melt.
It has been found that by combining polyvinyl methyl ether with limited amounts of a water base dispersion of a block copolymer of polystyrene and a polydiene, such as made by Shell Chemical Company under the trade name of Kraton.TM., the resulting composition has superior adhesive properties. The water base dispersion of the block copolymer retains its water-dispersible properties as a dried component of an adhesive composition. Cohesive strength, peel strength and tack are equivalent to conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives. The adhesive residue, if any remains upon removal of the adhesive, is water-removable without application of an organic solvent. The pressure sensitive adhesive can be used as a hot-melt, a solvent solution or a water emulsion. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition is especially suited for bonding polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene propylene copolymers, metal and paper.
The prior art has taught that pressure sensitive adhesive compositions containing PVME and a styrenic block copolymer can optionally require a tackifier resin, also that in a mixture of PVME and a block copolymer the block copolymer is preferably at least 20% by weight of the total two-component composition or about 25% of the weight of the PVME (U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,978). The prior art teaches that hydrogenated styrenic block co-polymer (Kraton.TM.) is difficult to tackify (U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,663), and that ratio of tackifying resin to Kraton.TM. needs to be about 50:100 to 150:100 parts by weight. The prior art teaches that a water-soluble pressure sensitive adhesive composition consists essentially of a mixture of (a) PVME and (b) a water-soluble acrylic polymer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,396).
However, the present invented composition comprising polyvinyl methyl ether and a water-dispersible styrenic block copolymer in a weight ratio of about 95:5 to about 88:12, parts by weight, is water removable, has good cohesive strength and good peel strength in the presence of less than about 14 weight percent or less of styrenic block copolymer and excellent tack, in the absence of a tackifying resin, irrespective of the hydrogenation of the styrenic block copolymer.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives of polyvinyl methyl ether


Methods, systems, and computer program products for reconfiguring a modem. In an embodiment, fast reconfiguration of a modem occurs when a first modem determines there is a need for fast reconfiguration. The first modem signals its transition from showtime to fast reconfiguration. The first modem waits for acknowledgement from a second modem before transitioning to showtime. Once transitioned from showtime, the first modem estimates a signal to noise ratio and then exchanges parameters with the second modem. The first and second modems then transition to showtime.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to data communication. More specifically, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for communicating data in xDSL.
2. Background Art
In the field, DSL modems using discrete multitone (DMT) modulations, e.g., Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 (ADSL2), and Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line 2 (VDSL2) are typically subject to retrains and/or re-initializations due to sudden variations in noise level. ADSL2 is described in ITU-T Recommendation G.992.3, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Transceivers 2, January 2005, and subsequent Amendments: Amendment 1, September 2005; Amendment 2, March 2006; Amendment 3, December 2006; all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. VDSL2 is described in ITU-T Recommendation G.993.2, Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line Transceivers 2, February 2006, and subsequent Corrigenda: Corrigendum 1, December 2006; all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
For example, the noise varies in shape and amplitude, lowering the SNR on some tones and causing errors on the link. The modem(s) attempt on line recovery (OLR) procedures (e.g., bit swapping, seamless rate adaptation), but may not recover an error free link for various reasons (e.g., the link is broken in both directions, or the variation would exceed the minimal service requirements such as delay, impulse noise protection (INP), or rate parameters). One modem may essentially give up after a certain length of time, tear down the link, and the modems retrain or reinitialize.
The ADSL2 standard defines a fast initialization sequence to allow the modem to retrain in significantly less time than a normal initialization. This initialization consists in a restart of the modem where the handshake phase is skipped and the duration of the initialization signals are shorter. Handshake procedures are described in ITU-T Recommendation G.994.1, Handshake Procedures For Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Transceivers, February 2007, and the superseded version of May, 2003 and its Amendments 1-4 (February 2004, June 2004, January 2005, January 2006, respectively); all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
During the fast retrain, however, both modems must re-acquire loop timing, retrain equalizers (e.g., time domain and frequency domain equalizers), measure SNRs per tone, and exchange new bit-loading and framing parameters. Fast retrain is not very different than a normal initialization, and thus is not of significantly shorter duration than the normal initialization—except for the deletion of the handshake phase.
What is needed is a system and method to escape steady state (i.e., showtime) and quickly reconfigure or adjust the needed parameters to maintain communication. As used herein, "showtime" is the state of a modem after initialization including training is completed and data (e.g., bearer channel data) is being transferred.


Disclosed is packaging which includes two separate compartments, a first compartment for storing a flowable product such as cheese spread, and a second compartment for storing a solid product such as crackers. The first compartment, housing the flowable product, includes a lid having a scored portion which is broken upon bending of the packaging along a longitudinal bending region. To prevent unintentional discharge of the flowable product prior to its intended use, such as during shipping or other handling in which the flowable compartment may inadvertently be bent in the longitudinal direction, and thereby rupture the lid at the score line with the flowable product being dispensed therethrough, the flowable product compartment is separably attached to the solid product compartment along a side of the flowable compartment perpendicular to the longitudinal bendable region to increase its rigidity to bending in the longitudinal direction. A flexible polymeric film may be peelably sealed over the lid of the first compartment to restrict disbursement of product in the event of a premature rupture of the second portion of the lid, and to maintain the lid free of the scored portion of the lid, and to maintain the lid free of contaminants during shipping and handling.

Disposable food packaging which allows consumers to transport, open and eat a food product at any desired location and then readily dispose of the food packaging have risen in popularity in recent years. More particularly, there has been a demand for such disposable packaging which provides a soft or flowable food product together with another, solid food product on which the flowable food product is to be applied prior to consumption.
For instance, currently cheese and cracker packaging is popular, wherein a polymeric material such as PVC is thermoformed to form a two compartment package for storing a cheese product in a first compartment and crackers in the second compartment. A thin film of flexible thermoplastic material extends over the top of the packaging and forms a hermetic peelable seal to maintain freshness of the food stored in the packaging. A flat spreading implement is inserted into the second compartment after insertion of the crackers and prior to its being sealed with the plastic film. The spreading implement serves as a knife whereby, after the peelable film is removed, the cheese product is scooped out of the first compartment and spread over the crackers.
There is considerable expense associated with the provision of equipment for inserting a spreading implement into each package. Also, difficulty has been encountered in properly inserting the spreading implements into the packaging. It is desirable that the spreading implement be placed atop the stack of crackers. However, in some cases, the spreading implements tend to fall to one side of the stack, which makes access to the implement more difficult for the consumer, and is therefore unacceptable. The necessity to maintain quality control with respect to inclusion of the spreading implements and proper placement thereof can result in costly production interruptions to adjust the insertion equipment.


A device and method for producing energy from a dilute VOC gas stream. The device includes a concentrator that concentrates a dilute VOC gas stream into a concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is supplied to the fuel intake of an engine. The device is operated by adsorbing the dilute VOC onto an adsorbing media within a concentrator. The concentrator increases the concentration of VOC per unit volume. The adsorbed VOC are then desorbed to form a concentrated VOC fuel stream. The concentrated VOC fuel stream may be either liquefied VOC or a more concentrated VOC gas stream. The concentrated VOC fuel stream is then directed to an engine to produce kinetic or electrical energy.

Various manufacturing, agricultural, contamination remediation and industrial processes produce a waste gas stream having dilute hydrocarbon concentrations generally in air. Some applications include those where the VOC is entrained in a solid or liquid media such as contaminated soil or water. The VOC can be converted to gas and separated from the solid or liquid media. Other processes produce or contain gaseous VOC. A number of processes exist to burn or oxidize the VOC, but the present invention is directed to recovering energy. If the concentration of VOC is sufficiently great, and they are suitable to operate an engine, they may be directly supplied to an engine that produces rotary power or electricity. In other cases, these dilute hydrocarbon concentrations are sometimes insufficient in their energy content to efficiently operate an engine directly. Engines include devices that convert chemical energy into electrical or kinetic energy such as combustion engines (internal or external), Stirling cycle or turbine engines. In other situations, the waste gas stream has sufficient energy content to operate an engine, but the form of the hydrocarbon is such that the engine requires extensive modification to operate using the waste gas directly. For example, the waste gas may include complex hydrocarbons of varying concentrations or particulates. These gases may harm the ECD if they are not treated or converted to reformate.
Manufacturing processes that produce waste gas streams with a dilute hydrocarbon concentration are currently flared or burned or supplied to an engine as part of the combustion air. Flaring the waste gas does not return any energy. Burning the waste gas produces heat. Recovering electrical or kinetic energy is generally much more valuable than recovered heat energy. GB patent application 2364257, published Jan. 1, 2002, and incorporated herein by reference, splits a gas stream having VOC into two streams. The first stream is directed to the combustion air intake of an engine and the second stream is directed to a combustion unit. Exhaust heat from the engine mixes with and combusts the second stream. This reference does not teach concentrating the VOC nor directing the VOC to the fuel intake of the engine. WO9530470, published Nov. 16, 1995, and incorporated herein by reference, teaches a device to burn VOC in an engine by having two adsorption/desorption units so that the waste gas stream and engine may operate independently of one another. The first unit may collect and concentrate VOC as needed and the second unit supplies VOC to the engine as needed. This reference and the GB reference leave the VOC in the combustion air and do not feed the VOC to the fuel intake of the engine. US 2002/0100277 published Aug. 1, 2002, and incorporated herein by reference also teaches directing VOC to an internal combustion engine, but the device does not concentrate the VOC. Their concentration is based on the vapor pressure of the VOC in the container. VOC not directed to the engine are condensed into a liquid by a chiller, but these liquefied VOC are not supplied to the engine as a fuel.
It is known that waste gases can be directly supplied to the combustion or exhaust air of an engine. One commercially available device supplies waste gases from an industrial operation to a turbine engine. In a paper by Neill and Gunter, VOC Destruction using Combustion Turbines, published September 2002, and incorporated herein by reference, describes a device that combines waste VOC with natural gas to operate a gas turbine. The gas turbine produces electricity for the facility. The waste gases come directly from the exhaust air of the industrial operation and are supplied to the engine as part of the combustion air. The turbine engine has a separate fuel source to supply the majority of the fuel. The exhaust air provides a relatively low (200 to 5000 ppm of unburned hydrocarbons and VOC) percentage of the energy content needed to operate the engine. Devices like this require an external fuel supply as part of the normal operation of the device. The external fuel supply is not merely a part of start-up or load leveling operation. These references teach directly supplying VOC to the engine without filtering and require an engine capable of consuming these VOC. By directing the VOC to the combustion air, a very large engine/generator is needed. The example given in Neill and Gunter is a 20MW turbine to abate 150,000 Standard Cubic Feet per Minute (scfm) of air.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,249, issued Sep. 19, 1995, and incorporated herein by reference, teaches a device and method to supply a gas stream from a landfill to be used as the fuel source of a fuel cell. The natural gas component of the landfill gas is desirable and the VOC contained in the landfill gas is removed and are not used to supply fuel to the fuel cell. The 5,451,249 patent describes heavy hydrocarbons as contaminant fractions that must be removed from the gas stream prior to reforming. Rather than teaching that these VOC are a contaminant, the present invention utilizes these hydrocarbons as the fuel for an engine.
The present invention is directed to a device and method to utilize the energy from VOC by using the VOC as the primary fuel for an engine. The present invention is capable of producing high value kinetic or electrical energy from waste gases. The invention reclaims dilute VOC from a waste gas stream. The invention will be illustrated using exhaust air from an automotive paint booth, but many other manufacturing, chemical, industrial, agricultural, and waste management processes produce dilute VOC gas streams that would be suitable for this invention. The dilute VOC gas stream are organic compounds that evaporate readily into air and may contain straight chain, branched, aromatic, or oxygenated hydrocarbons. The invention has the dual advantage of abating the hydrocarbons while producing energy. The engine may be any variety of internal or external combustion engine, a Stirling cycle engine, a gas turbine or another engine that can produce kinetic energy usually in the form of output shaft power, or electricity. The invention is an energy efficient method to utilize the hydrocarbons entrained in the gas stream present in, or exhausted from, manufacturing, industrial, agricultural, environmental, chemical or waste processes.

Method and device for using VOC as fuel for an engine


Various communication systems may benefit from physical layer watermarking. For example, active sensing for dynamic spectrum access may be performed using physical layer watermarking, such as watermarking based on channel effects and/or receiver distortion. A method may include, for example, obtaining an original signal to be transmitted to at least one receiver. The method may also include watermarking the original signal with at least one of authentication data or ancillary data to provide an enhanced signal. The watermarking can include a physical layer watermark. The physical layer watermark can be configured to emulate at least one a channel effect or a receiver distortion. The method can further include transmitting the enhanced signal to the at least one receiver.

Field
Various communication systems may benefit from physical layer watermarking. For example, active sensing for dynamic spectrum access may be performed using physical layer watermarking, such as watermarking based on channel effects and/or receiver distortion.
Description of the Related Art
As wireless communication has become a ubiquitous part of every-day life, access to the electromagnetic spectrum has become increasingly competitive. To facilitate efficient use of limited spectral resources, an arbitration method known as Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) has been proposed. Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRAN), for example as standardized at Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.22, may also include spectrum sensing and shared spectrum technologies. Under IEEE 802.22, limited access to the unused spectrum between Digital Television (DTV) channels, or the white space spectrum, is granted to next-generation wireless broadband equipment. In particular, licensed DTV stations, or primary users, are given explicit first-right-of-access to television spectrum, while broadband users known as secondary users, are allowed access to the shared spectrum only when a primary user is not transmitting. While DSA shows promise in facilitating efficient spectrum access, accurate signal classification may be required to facilitate the robust operation of next-generation wireless radios and the interoperability of DSA equipment.
To ensure efficient use of white space spectrum under IEEE 802.22, spectral allocations can first be tested to guarantee that primary users are not present before secondary users are granted access to an allocation. Since the accurate detection of primary users may be required for correct utilization of the shared spectrum, this issue has become known as the Primary User Authentication (PUA) problem.
Traditional approaches to signal identification involving the computation of statistical properties or cyclostationary features have been proposed. These approaches can be referred to as passive signal characterization methods since the transmitter does not explicitly participate in the detection and classification process, nor does it modify characteristics of its signal to aid the detection and classification process. Classification approaches using these features in DSA scenarios have also been discussed, including machine learning and policy-based classification engines. These works have demonstrated the utility of machine learning approaches in signal classification applications. However, in non-cooperative environments, adversaries can easily manipulate the learning process by fooling passive signal characterization methods, exposing DSA systems to a number of identity-based attacks.
While passive approaches readily admit to low complexity implementations, secondary users may masquerade as primary users by simply mimicking basic features of a primary users' signal. Once a secondary user has been incorrectly classified as a primary user, the user can gain unfettered access to the spectrum. These attacks have become known as Primary User Emulation (PUE) attacks.

Active sensing for dynamic spectrum access


An errorless line protection apparatus involves receipt of data from an active line and a standby line. A determination is made as to whether the data from the active line leads or lags the data on the standby line. A switching system directs the leading data to a lead channel containing a controllable amount of time delay up to the maximum amount that the leading data is expected to led the lagging data. Lagging data is directed to a lag channel. A selected one of the data from the lead channel or the lag channel is delivered to an output line.

It is now possible and desirable to transport very high bit rate digital signals over long distances in communications networks. For example, transmission of digital signals at rates of up to 2.4 Gb/sec. or more over distances of up to 100 km. or more is now possible and is actually used in some advanced communications networks, such as those using optical fiber as the transmission medium.
One particularly attractive high speed communications network, which can conveniently handle such large amounts of digital data, uses the so-called asynchronous transfer mode protocol in which packets or cells of digital data are transported and switched through an optical fiber based network. This kind of network is particularly attractive because the cell based nature of switching reduces the cost of constructing and maintaining the network and increases the efficiency with which available bandwidth may be utilized.
As the amount of data carried on each line of a communications systems becomes greater, it becomes increasingly important to take countermeasures against failure and disruptions of service, such as those disruptions which are caused by a break in the optical fibers. The main countermeasures taken against disruption in prior communications systems include provision of a redundant standby line in prior communications systems include provision of a redundant standby line in addition to a normally active line. The standby line carries the same network user data as the active line. Protection switching from the active line to the standby line is invoked in the event of a disruption of service on the original active line. The data sent on the active line and the data sent on the standby line travel physically diverse paths from their source to their destination. This physical diversity results in differing amounts of travel time for the user data from the source to the destination. The arrival of user data at the destination from the active line thus will either lead or lag the arrival of the same data transmitted on the standby line because of different amounts of delay present in the active and standby lines. This difference in delay is caused by things such as different path lengths between source and destination for the active and standby lines and different circuit elements and characteristics in those two lines.
Lagging or leading data streams flowing in the active and standby lines require that special measures be taken to ensure that there is no data loss or error when a receiver switches from an active line to a standby line. Various forms of hitless or errorless switching systems have been proposed but none of them are very applicable to high speed, high capacity communications systems such as ATM communications systems. For example, a technique for accomplishing errorless switching of synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) signals from one route to another is described in Chaudhuri et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,979. However, errorless switching techniques are not available for ATM signals. Those errorless switching techniques developed for signals such as SDH signals are not readily applicable to errorless switching of ATM signals, particularly because of the asynchronous nature of the ATM signals. Accordingly, an unsatisfied need exists for a suitable errorless switching arrangement for ATM signals.
In addition to a general lack of suitable errorless protective switching arrangement for ATM signals, prior errorless switching arrangements have been costly in terms of a large amount of data storage needed to successfully accomplish errorless switching between active and standby lines. This large amount of data storage takes up a large amount of physical space and produces a great deal of heat which must be successfully dissipated. Accordingly, there is an additional need for an errorless switching system having less data storage to reduce the cost of implementing the switching system, the space it occupies, and the heat it produces.

Errorless line protection switching in asynchronous transer mode (ATM) communications systems


A device includes a platform implemented, at least in part, in a static region of programmable circuitry and a dynamic region of programmable circuitry configured to implement user-specified circuitry in communication with the platform. The platform is configured to establish and maintain a first communication link with a host data processing system and a second communication link with a network while at least a portion of the dynamic region of programmable circuitry is dynamically reconfigured.

A programmable integrated circuit (IC) refers to a type of device that includes programmable logic. An example of a programmable IC is a field programmable gate array (FPGA). An FPGA is characterized by the inclusion of programmable circuit blocks. Examples of programmable circuit blocks include, but are not limited to, input/output blocks (IOBs), configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated random access memory blocks (BRAM), digital signal processing blocks (DSPs), processors, clock managers, and delay lock loops (DLLs).
Each programmable tile typically includes both programmable interconnect circuitry and programmable logic circuitry. The programmable interconnect circuitry typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by programmable interconnect points (PIPs). The programmable logic circuitry implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that may include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect and programmable logic circuitries are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
Modern programmable ICs have evolved to include programmable logic in combination with one or more other subsystems. For example, some programmable ICs have evolved into System-on-Chips or "SoCs" that include both programmable logic and a hardwired processor. Other varieties of programmable ICs include additional and/or different subsystems. The phrase "programmable IC" refers to devices that include at least a portion of programmable logic and that are either partially or fully programmable.
In general, the functionality of programmable ICs is controlled by the data bits provided to the device for that purpose. The data bits may be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static memory cells, as in FPGAs and some other programmable ICs such as Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs)), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.

Dynamically reconfigurable networking using a programmable integrated circuit


Vitaminized air fresheners and room deodorizers are disclosed which permit occupants to directly receive and enjoy the benefits of vitamins with little or no effort intra-nasally. A method for the continuous release of a vitamin containing composition for the delivery of discrete droplets intra nasally absorbed vitamins such as, but not limited to A, C, and D is also disclosed.

Cooking foods such as cabbage, the presence of cats and dogs, cigar smoke, burnt toast among other things are all sources of offending olfactory sensations. To alleviate these odors room deodorizers and air fresheners were invented. The first one were liquids that were delivered through wicking action from a reservoir, Airwick.TM. was an early product of such category.
The next product to come along which still exists in the marketplace are the propellant-based air fresheners and room deodorizers. Previously they used fluorocarbons as the propellent, but more recently isobutane has become the propellant of choice.
The difference between a room deodorizer and an air freshener is that an air freshener only marks the odor that is present, while a deodorant "eats" or destroys the odor present by a believed chemical reaction.
The benefits of vitamins and minerals in tableted form as food supplements are quite well documented. Indeed many people in the U.S.A. and elsewhere take vitamin C tablets to ward off colds. Others take vitamin E to retard the signs of aging and to hasten the healing of cuts and wounds.
It is also well known that the delivery of tabletized and pelletized vitamins to the body is slow due to the need for these to be chewed up and digested prior to the delivery of their precious benefits to the human body.
Vitamin therapy is one of the fastest growing areas of health maintenance. Today antioxidants is a big buzz word and vitamin C is indeed such a compound. Thus, it is seen to be beneficial to take vitamin C, as was first popularized by Dr. Linus Pauling.
There are many factors that determine the amount of benefit one can receive from the ingestion of vitamin C. Each individual reacts differently. The dissolving rate in the body and the amount of the vitamin actually absorbed by every person is different when considered alone. Add to the equation the presence of various types and quantities of food in the stomach and the intestine, and again the absorbency rate can be and is affected. Also some people suffer diarrhea or stomach irritation from the vitamins in pill format.
Recent research has shown that intra nasal delivery systems may be superior to oral delivery of vitamins such as A, C and E. The cell systems of the nasal cavity have been found to absorb certain vitamins rapidly and efficiently. One thereby avoids degradation of the vitamin by stomach acid, and the inhibition of delivery the benefits due to the presence of food in stomach or intestine.
Vitamins and other medicaments that are delivered indirectly such as by being forced to exude from a film forming material such as the aminopolysaccharides and their derivatives as disclosed and claimed in Partain et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,870 while perhaps delivering the intended medicament, do so ever more slowly than can be accomplished using the procedure of this invention. In the Partian procedure the medicament is introduced into the body topically indirectly, in that the medicine must be laid down in the film carrier and then absorbed. Whereas in this invention, the discrete droplets of the aerosol spray, or the droplets from the dissemination from a pad, from the air blowing over the pad produce discrete tiny droplets that are easily ingested during breathing. Such an introduction is preferable. Granted that Partain can use an aerosol for delivery, but the object is to form a film first and then to ingest from the film, whereas in the Mettler procedure, the injestion is direct without any dwell time within a film carrier.
Of course, the intent of Partain is totally different from the intent of Mettler. Partain seeks to medicate an individual with a medicine directed to that person's attention. But for Mettler who has been active in the room deodorizer business for many years, witness his several United States patents in that field of endeavor, the intent is to provide an improved room deodorizer than benefits anyone and everyone who enters the room, by permitting those people to gain the benefits of propellant delivered vitamins present in the mist or discrete droplets of the air of a nicely smelling room.
At least one cold remedy; namely, Primatene Mist which contains bronchial dilator ingredients delivers ascorbic acid along with its other ingredients in an attempt to aid the respiration of an ill person. But this device is not one for general delivery into the environment, i.e., a whole room.
Unfortunately most people do not want to carry around personal inhalers to shove up their nostrils to receive medicated vitamin C especially when there is no difficulty in breathing. Also children don't know how to use these inhalers.
Thus there was found to be a need for a way to nasally deliver vitamins to the nasal passages of the general populous without the need for an inhaler.
It is an object therefore of this invention to provide a breathable composition that contains vitamin C and/or vitamin E.
It is another object to provide a vitaminized composition that is low in cost and easily delivered to the nasal passages in the format of discrete droplets.
It is an additional object to provide a vitaminized composition that can be used to mask and/or deodorize ambient air.
It is a further object to provide a vitaminized composition for direct nasal delivery of vitamins C and E.
It is yet another object to provide a process for the regular and continuous delivery of vitamins C and/or E to the nose without the need for a personal inhaler to fit up the nostril.
It is a still further object to provide a vitaminized room deodorizer that can bring vitamins to the occupants of the room which has a pleasing aroma.
It is a yet further object to provide a vitaminized air freshener that can bring vitamins to the occupants of a room through various modes of delivery.
It is one further object to provide a method for the continuous periodic delivery of vitamins to the occupants of a room.
These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, if present.

Vitaminized air freshner and room deodorizer


A cylinder head gasket includes two main members on two sides, and middle members sandwiched therebetween. The middle members are composed of a first middle member and a second middle member that is separated and distinct therefrom. The first middle member is a metal plate that has cylinder hole rim portions encircling cylinder holes to a particular width, with beads surrounding the cylinder holes being formed in the cylinder hole rim portions. The metal plate either forms separated items, one at each cylinder hole, or else forms an integrated item connected between the cylinder holes. The second middle member is a metal plate that is disposed on the outside of the first middle member and has oil holes and bolt holes. The thickness of the first middle member is greater than that of the second middle member.

Due to the lowered fuel consumption and increased output of engines in recent years, the temperature and pressure inside the combustion chamber are on a rising trend. More precisely, the maximum explosion pressure of the engine is on a rising trend, and meanwhile the mechanical strength of the engine is tending to fall as it becomes more lightweight. As a result, during explosions inside the cylinder, the cylinder head lift is large, and the cylinder head gasket is required to have following ability with regard to that lift. If the following ability of the cylinder head gasket with regard to the cylinder head lift falls, seal leakage will occur. Another requirement is for the cylinder head lift to be restrained via the gasket.
A known method of resolving this is to make the thickness of the gasket at the cylinder hole rim portions greater than that at the other portions and increase the clamping force per unit area on the cylinder hole rim portions, so as to raise the sealing performance and restrain the amount of lift.
JP-A-8-285080 discloses a single-plate cylinder head gasket that has elastic metal plate as its material. The metal plate is formed in a particular shape to encircle each cylinder bore rim portion to an appropriate width; the remainder portion of the gasket—the portion other than the cylinder bore rim portions—is made thinner than the cylinder bore rim portions and is formed from metal plate of high hardness; and the gasket remainder portion and the cylinder bore rim portions are fitted together and the joining portions laser welded.


An electronic apparatus comprises a case configured to house an electronic circuit unit and includes an air intake, through which external air is taken into the case, and an exhausting opening, from which the air is ejected, an circulator provided in the case and configured to take the external air into the case through the air intake and supply the air to the electronic circuit unit, an evaporation unit provided in the case and configured to cool the air by thermal exchange between the air and a working medium and guide the air to the exhausting opening, the working medium being vaporized as a result of the thermal exchange, and a condenser provided out of the case and configured to liquidize the working medium and supply the working medium to the evaporation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and more particularly to a cooling system for the electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic apparatus such as a television transmitter provided in a base station includes heat generating electronic circuits such as a power amplifier. The electronic circuits may be attached to or removed from a case of the electronic apparatus. When a large amount of heat is generated by driving of the circuits, performance characteristics of the electronic apparatus are decreased. Thus, various cooling mechanisms to cool the electronic circuits maintaining desired performance characteristics have been introduced.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-243728 discloses a cooling mechanism provided with an exhaust fan to assure cooling reliability. According to the cooling mechanism, the external air is taken in the case of the electronic apparatus, circulated therein, and discharged from the case by the exhaust fan. The electronic circuits are controlled so that the heat generated by the electronic circuits is forced to be expelled from the case. Such forced cooling method is employed to achieve the desired performance characteristics.
However, higher-power outputs from recent electronic circuits generate a larger amount of heat to increase an exhaust heat temperature and a temperature of a room, in which the electronic apparatus is placed. Thus, thermal control for the electronic circuits can be difficult without improving air conditioning performance for the room to decrease the temperature of the air taken into the case.
In view of power-saving, which is strongly required in these days, it is considered to be important addressing a rise in air conditioning performance.


The present invention relates to a puncture method and a puncture system. More specifically, the objective of the present invention is to carry out the aspiration of a sample from a human organ or an animal organ and the inner examination thereof, without the outward leak of the fluid and the like in the organ.. The puncture method and puncture system of the present invention is in the following structure; making a parasol part arranged on a reservoir adhere through an adhesive to the site to be punctured, inserting a needle body through a sealing part of the reservoir into the site to be punctured to draw out the inner fluid, the leak of the fluid can be prevented by the reverse operation of the sealing part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a puncture method and a puncture system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel modification thereof to carry out the aspiration of a sample from an organ and the examination of the inner conditions of the organ without the outward leak of the fluid and the like in the organ of human bodies and animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A puncture method generally comprising puncturing a site to be punctured in an organ with an injection needle and aspirating the inner fluid and the like for pathological examination of the fluid and the like, has been employed conventionally.
Because the conventional puncture method has been conducted as described above, the following problems have been remarked.
When an injection needle is inserted into a site to be punctured to aspirate and then withdraw the fluid and the like, an opening remains at the site punctured so that the fluid and the like may leak into bodies, eventually causing the metastasis of the fluid into other organs if the fluid is malignant.

Methods for puncturing an organ within a body cavity


A multi-jointed support arm accepting various Ophthalmic instruments and platforms is suspended by cables distributing the weight of said arm and instruments up and over two sets of pulleys and back down to a counterweight. A switch actuated electro-mechanical lock prevents accidental descent of the instrument platform support arm. Upward movement of the support arm is unrestricted. An outer shroud conceals mechanical components of this device prior to the support arm.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates in general to Ophthalmic instruments and equipment and in particular to Ophthalmic instrument support stands.
2. Prior art
In the examination of patients by Ophthalmologist, Optometrists, and other eye care professionals, there is a need to bring various instruments into position directly in line with the patient's field of vision and to move such instruments, upon completion of their role in a particular phase of examination, to a position that is out of the way of patient and examiner. Instruments of examination include but, are not limited to, slit lamps, the, tonometers, and refractometer. These instruments employ a high degree of precision in manufacture and use which makes them relatively heavy while requiring a very stable platform for accurate operation.
In the past, stands with counterbalanced arms for the delivery of instrument platforms have been devised. In these type devices, the practice has been to distribute the weight in a single suspension vertical configuration which requires a large, heavy base to prevent the stand from overturning when the support arm is extended while bearing the weight of an instrument. Such a configuration has set limits on the horizontal extension of these stands in a position directly beside the patient chair. This placement interferes with the necessary access to the area directly beside the patient during the course of examination.
Another restriction imposed by the generally vertical orientation of prior designs is a limit of downward vertical movement of the instrument support arm in such devices. Such restriction prohibits the examination of wheel chair bound patients without moving them from their chairs into the patient chair because of the lower sitting level of the wheelchair. Moving such patients is difficult and potentially dangerous for both patient and examiner.
Due to the mandatory lateral positioning of prior stands, the instrument support arm approaches the patient's legs in a perpendicular manner also limiting downward movement of the arm and allowing for the possibility of injury in accidental arm decent.
Prior designs also provide locking mechanisms which prevent upward as well as downward movement of the instrument support arm. Preventing upward movement allows for the possibility of trapping an unattended patient who may be unfamiliar with the operation of lock switches and instrument support arm operation.


Top die pads are electrically relocated by forming holes through a semiconductor wafer between device active regions. An electrically insulating layer is formed over all exposed surfaces of the wafer, including within the holes, and openings are made in the insulating layer for access to the top interconnection pads. The wafer and holes are metallized and patterned to form bottom interconnection pads electrically connected to corresponding top interconnection pads by metallization extending within the holes. A dicing saw having a kerf width less than the diameter of the holes is employed to separate the individual devices. For accurate position alignment of repatterned die, an alignment structure, such as projecting pins or an egg crate structure, engages the die, and alignment pads can be patterned on the die.

This invention relates generally to the assembly, interconnection and packaging of electronic devices. The invention more particularly relates to the electrical relocation of device top pads to the bottom of a device, as well as to the placement of devices, particularly arrays of devices, in precise locations. The invention is particularly useful in the fabrication of arrays of devices, such as imaging (viewing) or display devices, which are closely adjacent to each other and which must have precise alignment.
Many array structures such as solid state television image sensor arrays, infrared sensor arrays, x-ray imaging arrays, 3D holography and other display arrays, as well as other microelectronic and micromechanical devices, such as micro mirrors, require precision placement of individual devices or die to create an image free of artifacts which can be induced by component misalignment. Many of these devices require, in addition to accurate placement in an X-Y axis plane, accurate placement with reference to a Z directional axis, particularly in a focal plane array. Moreover, many die need to be less than 4 mils (0.004 inch) apart to avoid blank rows between the die which create voids in the generated image similar to netting projected onto a screen.
Related to the subject invention is a technology known as High Density Interconnect (HDI). Very briefly, and as disclosed in Eichelberger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,695, for example, an HDI structure employs a substrate on which various die and other components are placed and adhered in approximate desired locations, usually within a cavity. A multi-layer interconnect overcoat structure is then built up to electrically interconnect the components into an actual functioning system. As disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,695, the top surface is not necessarily planar, since the die cavities and die thicknesses vary, which causes a topology issue, particularly where components are mounted on top as disclosed in Wojnarowski et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,810.
To begin the HDI overcoat structure, a polyimide dielectric film is laminated across the top of the die and other devices. The actual as-placed locations of the various components and contact pads thereon are determined, and via holes are adaptively laser drilled through the polyimide dielectric film in alignment with the contact pads on the electronic components. Thus, any misalignment of the individual electronic components and their contact pads on a surface, and in particular a variable surface (including a PCB (printed circuit board) as well as an HDI structure), is compensated for by an adaptive laser lithography system as disclosed in Eichelberger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,704. It may be noted that the adaptive lithography process accommodates initially poorly-placed die, but does not actually place or fix an initially poorly-placed die in a correct X-Y-Z axis position. The positions of the electrical connection pads are externally compensated for to allow die functionality.
Further details of the HDI embedded chip process are disclosed in Eichelberger et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,933,042 and 5,094,709; Fillion et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,498 and 5,497,033; and Wojnarowski et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,654, for example.
The HDI process leads to an approximation of Wafer Scale Integration (WSI). Thus, die are placed in close proximity to each other to create a tile-like structure, and are interconnected to form an HDI module. Conventional HDI design rules and strategy require a minimum spacing between die, at least for adaptive lithography purposes, as well as for interconnection purposes in general, especially in the case of display or imaging (viewing) die where interconnections cannot cross the active area on top of the die and accordingly are limited to die edge regions and spaces between the die. This limits the maximum tile density that can be achieved.
State of the art solid state display applications, such as those that are desired to be used in 3D holography, as well as certain imaging (viewing) applications, include a die-to-die spacing of display or viewing die of less than 4 mils (0.004 inch), closer than the conventional HDI design rules allow, and which also leaves no room for die I/O and power connections. When conventional HDI technology is employed, a visible mesh grid is formed on a display screen, due to the relatively large spaces between die.
Additionally, conventional HDI technology employs an overlay technology that blocks a video sensor due to the filtering effect of the polymer overlay and adhesive. Removal of the overlay would include extensive large area ablation to selectively remove all of the polymer overlay material from the active areas. Some of these die, such as die made of InSb, HgCdTe and GaAs, are very sensitive to high temperatures and top surface damage which can result from laser ablation. When die are damaged due to large area ablation, the entire HDI overcoat structure must be removed to fix the damaged die. Additionally, many IR sensor die are very temperature-sensitive and cannot be subjected to processing temperatures greater than 100.degree. C. The need to avoid blocking the active area of a video sensor die also greatly limits the area available for interconnect wiring to top die connection pads.
The HDI process in general produces structures that are not flat on top due to die cavity and die thickness variations, resulting in height variations of at least .+-.0.5 mil to .+-.1.0 mil. However, disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,498 and 5,497,033 is a method which provides a flat surface across the tops of several die. The die top surfaces are placed flat against a polymer stretched film (which may be removable), and then a polymeric molding material is employed to encapsulate all die surfaces except the tops. While the method of aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,498 and 5,497,033 potentially can provide a die array sufficiently flat for display and imaging applications, interconnections on the die top surfaces preclude a sufficiently close die-to-die placement for many display and imaging applications.
In addition to close spacing between die, accurate X-Y-Z axis alignment is important for imaging and displaying devices. Placing die, and other small device structures by any means gives rise to the question of tolerance variations and shifts, due to die-attach materials, cooling method and stresses, positioning of pads that hold die-attach materials, and movement induced by placement machine tooling. Even when die can accurately be initially placed, conventional attachment techniques move die from their initial placement. Die attach adhesives have surface tensions which cause die movement. Solvent drying cycles, curing mechanisms, solder or braze differential cooling stresses, all move the die from initial placement. Thus, it is well known that die can be placed with much more accuracy on sticky tape verses placing them by employing die attach adhesives.
Even when a device is correctly initially positioned in the X-Y axis plane, subsequent processing steps, such as employing a flat plate to achieve uniform placement with reference to the Z axis, which is a particular requirement in holography, and other optical arrays, as well as pressure lamination in general, disturb positioning in the plane of the X-Y axis. (Pressure lamination is used extensively in HDI processing.)
It is known that the principle of solder surface tension can be employed to align devices to desired positions over accurately-placed solder-wettable pads on a substrate, to some extent. Examples are disclosed in Napp et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,435, and Braun et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,027. However, bent leads and improperly positioned pads give rise to alignments which are not compensated for. In one technique known as Controlled Collapsed Chip Connection (C-4), solder-bumped die self align or snap-to-grid. These die have in excess of four hundred die pads with small solder bumps approximately 15 mils in diameter on the die. DGA (Die Grid Array Technology) uses the basic C-4 surface tension principle as well. This is widely used in flip-chip technology.
A method which combines die alignment by solder surface tension with planarization is disclosed in Paik et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,629. The die in Paik et al. have their electrical connections on the die top surfaces, and are not sufficiently close together for many imaging and display applications.

Electronic device pad relocation, precision placement, and packaging in arrays


An optical sensor with an upper surface having a photoelectric conversion device area and connection pads connected to the photoelectric conversion device area thereof; a semiconductor structure which has a plurality of electrodes for external connection; an insulating layer formed on the periphery of the semiconductor structure; and a first wiring formed on at least one of the semiconductor structure and the optical sensor and connecting at least one of the electrodes for external connection of the semiconductor structure to one of the connection pads of the optical sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical sensor module, and more particularly, an optical sensor module having a semiconductor device for drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional optical sensor module described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-264274 titled "CAMERA MODULE" has a configuration, in which an optical sensor is situated on the upper surface of a hard circuit board being a thick plate having a function as a supporting component; and chip components composed of a semiconductor device having a function as a peripheral drive circuit of the optical sensor, resistors, capacitors, etc., are provided on the lower surface of the circuit board; and the chip components composed of the semiconductor device, the resistors, the capacitors, etc. are covered with a sealing film.
As mentioned above, at the conventional optical sensor module, the optical sensor is situated on the upper surface of the circuit board of the thick plate that also functions as the supporting component; electronic components for drive composed of the semiconductor device having the function as the peripheral drive circuit of the optical sensor, the resistors, the capacitors, etc. are provided on the lower surface of the circuit board; and wiring for connecting the optical sensor and the electronic components for drive is formed in the circuit board. Therefore, the thickness of the circuit board is hardly utilized effectively, consequently, the entire thickness of the optical sensor module becomes large.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical sensor module whose thickness is thin.

Optical sensor module with semiconductor device for drive


A transmitter for recording of an electric signal from an acoustic drum having a vibration-sensitive device for attachment to the drumhead and for acquisition of undulations which has one of the following profiles: sector shape, sector shape with a tip turned toward the center of the drumhead, sector shape with concave sides and with a tip turned toward the center of the drumhead, circular shape with wart-like projection turned toward the center, elliptical shape with wart-like projection, which is arranged at radius of curvature one side large and is directed towards the center of the drumhead, or rectangular shape with wart-like projection which is arranged on a lateral edge of the rectangle and is directed towards the center of the drumhead.

The invention relates to a transmitter for reception of an electric signal from an acoustic drum. The transmitter comprises a vibration-sensitive body, which is designed in such a way that it lies on the drumhead, whose undulation it can acquire and record.
It is well known to arrange transmitters or microphones on the body of an instrument in order to receive an electric signal which can be used for the activation of synthesizers or for the conversion of MIDI information (Musical Instrument Digital Interface).
Known transmitters for acoustic drums comprise as a rule a piezoelectric ceramic body, which is attached to the drumhead with a double-sided adhesive tape. The ceramic body exhibits a relatively slight thickness and in general a circular base area. The transmitters usually used acquire waves of the drumhead regardless of their direction. This triggers problems, among other things because rolls on the drumhead in the middle of the drum emit a weak signal amplitude, while rolls near the edge of the drum result in a strong signal amplitude. This is a genuine source of false signals from the transmitter and was the object of electronic corrections in the subsequent amplification circuit. Certainly it was possible in this way to eliminate a great part of the false signals; however this was dependent on the transmitter sensitivity and on the frequency range of the generated signal.
To prevent the transmitter body from being struck by the drumstick, the body is arranged in great proximity to the edge of the drum. Up until now this has also produced the shortest possible wiring to the required plug and socket device, which up to now has been provided in the form of a separated unit underneath the edge of the drum.
By means of shaping of the transmitter body area and by means of its decentralized positioning on the drumhead the transmitter reacts sensitively to all the different undulations as the result of a roll on the drumhead. Such a transmitter is also especially sensitive to decentralized rolls and the undulations generated therewith on the drumhead. A transmitter in oblong shape for a drum is well known from WO 90/03639.
A further transmitter is well known from EP 0 542 706B1. The vibration-sensitive device of that transmitter is oblong in shape. The longitudinal axis of the vibration-sensitive device points towards the middle of the drumhead.
Such a transmitter has the following drawback:
The sound level which a drumstick roll carries out on the drum depends on the location at which the drumstick strikes the drumhead. The sound level is higher, the closer the drumroll is to the edge area of the drumhead. This can be extraordinarily unpleasant and impair the playback of compositions.

Transmitter for sound recording of an electric signal from an acoustic drum


The present invention provides a curable composition providing a curing product having excellent adhesive properties and high transparency, or a curing product having high toughness and transparency.

As an optical material including a sealing material for light-emitting diodes (LED), with the change of using environment in recent years, those having not only high optical transparency but also high adhesive properties have been demanded. When the adhesive properties are low, peeling occurs between an LED package and a sealant resin surface. By the occurrence of peeling, reflectivity may decrease, or in the case where the adhesive properties are significantly low, a sealant resin may possibly become unstuck from the package, thus leading to problems on credibility of final products. For example, a surface-packaged type LED is desired to have preferable adhesive properties with package constituent materials such as plastic, ceramics and silver.
On the other hand, as the optical material including a sealing material for light-emitting diodes (LED), with the change of using environment in recent years, those having not only high optical transparency but also high toughness have been also demanded. When the toughness of the sealant resin is low, for example, problems such as generation of a crack in reflowing a solder at the time of packaging an LED occur. Furthermore, problems such as generation of a crack due to irresistible change of using environment e.g. temperature change from high temperatures to low temperatures, etc. may also occur.
In the prior art, a technology applicable to adhesive sheets, finished cloths and the like has been proposed which utilizes a curable composition comprising an organosilicon compound, which is an addition reaction-curable (hydrosilylated) silicone having epoxy group- and alkoxy group-bound silicon atoms, and an organoaluminum compound and showing good adhesive properties (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-08-183934, Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-05-140459). From the hardness, tucking ability, and optical characteristics viewpoint, however, the materials obtained by this technology are not suited for use as the transparent optical material, particularly the light-emitting diodes. Further, a technology of improving the adhesive properties of addition reaction-curable (hydrosilylated) liquid compositions by adding an epoxy resin and an aluminum compound has been proposed (Japanese Patent No. 3354973). However, there is no disclosure therein about the transparency of the obtained curing product, or the use in optical material, particularly light-emitting diodes.
Further, it has been disclosed that when a condensation reaction-curable silicone is used as a sealing material for building joints, the addition of a borate ester thereto enables manifestation of good adhesion to adherends even when the joints are shallow (Japanese Kokai Publication Sho-59-155483). However, this system is a room temperature curing one, and there is no disclosure either about effect manifestation upon heating for curing or about effect manifestation in the case of application to addition reaction type systems differing therefrom in mode of reaction.
On the other hand, a curable composition is known which comprises an aliphatic organic compound having, within the molecule, at least two carbon-carbon double bonds reactive with a SiH group, a compound containing at least two SiH groups within the molecule, and a hydrosilylation catalyst (WO 01-81475). A curing product obtainable by curing this curable composition can be preferably used as an optical material. However, in applications for films as optical materials, e.g. molded products such as lens, or sealing materials, high mechanical properties are demanded in addition to the optical characteristics in view of long-term reliability of materials. Herein, when the crosslinking density is high, the material becomes fragile, thus a problem of decrease in tensile characteristics arose.
Furthermore, a curable composition containing triallyl isocyanurate as a component has been also proposed (Japanese Kokai Publication Sho-50-100, Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-291214). The curable composition described in Japanese Kokai Publication Sho-50-100 is not sufficient in view of heat resistance since the obtained curing product is low in the glass transition temperature. Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-291214 does not disclose about the transparency of the obtained curing product from the curable composition, and also there is no disclosure about measures regarding the toughness control of a curing product.

Hardenable composition, hardening product, process for producing the same and light emitting diode sealed with the hardening product

Abstract: A curable composition which contains (A) an organic compound containing at least two carbon-carbon double bonds reactive with a SiH group in each molecule, (B) a silicon compound having at least two SiH groups in each molecule, (C) a hydrosilylation catalyst, (D) a silane coupling agent and/or an epoxy group-containing compound, and (E) a silanol condensation catalyst. A light-emitting diode sealed with a curing product obtainable by curing said curable composition.


Methods and apparatus for initiating a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) push session to push information from a push proxy gateway to a mobile station in a wireless communication network are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises transmitting an initiation request to the mobile station using a connection-oriented signalling channel, the mobile station establishing a push session in response to the initiation request. Preferably, the connection-oriented signalling channel transmits the initiation request without using a store-and-forward mechanism. In one embodiment, the connection-oriented signalling channel comprises an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel. The initiation request may conform to a WAP protocol for Service Initiation Requests (SIRs) or a USSD protocol for Unstructured Supplementary Service Requests (USSRs). In the latter case, the method may comprise establishing a connection with the mobile station using USSD; and sending a USSR message requesting the mobile station to activate and establish a push session.

In a typical client/server environment, a client engages a server with a request for service or information. The server responds to the request and returns information to the client. This interaction is referred to as a pull, since the client is effectively pulling information from the server. A good example of a typical pull is searching a search engine on the Internet. In this example, the client transmits a search string to the server, which responds with a list of matching elements.
Another client/server interaction involves the server transmitting information to the client without explicit instruction from the client to do so. This interaction is referred to as a push, since the server is effectively pushing information to the client. A good example of a typical push is the frequent transmission of a stock quote. The server runs software that is configured to record the stock quote at predetermined intervals and automatically transmit updates to the client. Accordingly, even though the client is not requesting the information at these intervals, the information is transmitted from the server.
For wireless networks, the current industry standard for the delivery of a push service is a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) Push. Referring to FIG. 1, the architecture for performing a WAP Push is shown generally by numeral 100. The architecture 100 includes a Push Initiator (PI) 102, a Push Proxy Gateway (PPG) 104 and a mobile station 106. The Push Initiator 102 is typically an application running on a server in a network. The Push Initiator 102 and the PPG 104 communicate across a link 108 using a Push Access Protocol. The PPG 104, in turn, communicates with the mobile station 106 via a link 110 using a Push Over the Air Protocol.
However, in a case where an active bearer (i.e. an active network used to carry the messages of a transport-layer protocol between devices) is not available for the delivery of a Push via General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a procedure is defined to initiate a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) Context, thus making an active bearer available. In accordance with the WAP Push specification, WAP-250-PushArchOverview-20010703-a, Version 03-Jul.-2001, the PPG 104 sends a Session Initiation Request (SIR) to a Session Initiation Application (SIA).
The SIA is an application that resides on the mobile station 106 and has been specified for the purpose for receiving and responding to SIR messages. Once the SIA receives the SIR from the PPG 104, it responds by activating an appropriate bearer and contacts the desired PPG 104 to establish the push session. The PPG 104 can then push the desired information to the mobile station 106.
Typically, the SIR is transmitted to the SIA using connectionless push, via Short Message Service (SMS). Referring to FIG. 2, a sample SMS architecture is illustrated generally by numeral 200. A SMS Centre (SMSC) 202 is coupled to the PPG 104 for receiving the SIR. The SMSC 202 is further coupled with a home location register (HLR) 204 via a signal transfer point (STP) 206. The STP 206 is further coupled to the mobile stations 106 via an over the air network 208.
The PPG 104 transmits the SIR to the SMSC 202. The SMSC 202, which acts as a store and forward system, stores the SIR. The SMSC 202 sends a SMS Request to the HLR 204 for locating the corresponding mobile station 106 to which the SIR is to be sent. The HLR 204 responds to the SMS Request with the mobile station's status.
If the mobile station's status is inactive, the SMSC 202 will wait for a predefined period of time. Once the mobile station 106 becomes active, the HLR 204 sends a SMS Notification to the SMSC 202. If the SMSC has not received the SMS Notification before the predefined amount of time has expired, the SMSC 202 will try to retransmit the SMS Request.
If the mobile station's status is active, the HLR 204 transmits the location of the mobile station 106 to the SMSC 202, which transfers the message to the mobile station 106. Once the message is delivered, the mobile station 106 responds with a verification that the message was received and the SMSC 202 does not attempt to send the SIR again. Once the SIA receives the SIR, a PDP context is established with the PPG 104 and the push can occur.
However, although conveying the SIR via SMS provides persistence, it also introduces a number of limitations. As previously described, SMS is a store and forward system which introduces delays into the delivery of the SIR message.
Further, a well know race condition can occur between the SMSC 202 and the HLR 204, which causes the SIR to be held pending at the SMSC for extended periods of time. This situation frequently occurs when the user is roaming and manifests itself, for example, as a bunching of SMS messages. A backlog of messages is delivered after the HLR and visitor location register (VLR) have been updated, typically when the user attempts to make or receive a phone call.
Yet further, delivery of the SIR via SMS is not perfectly reliable and, due to the store and forward nature of the system, the originator of the message will not discover that the message has not been delivered until the validity period for the SMS message expires, which can be significant.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.

System and method for implementing a wireless access protocol push by establishing connection-oriented signaling channel for transmitting session initiation request


A method, image processing apparatus, and computer readable medium for image enhancement are provided. In the method, a low-resolution image is received and upscaled to generate an upscaled image having first pixels. Edge detection is performed on the upscaled image to obtain edge information of the first pixels. Each piece of the edge information includes an edge direction and an edge intensity, and each of the edge directions includes a horizontal and vertical component having a constant summation. A non-edge region of the upscaled image is enhanced to generate a high-resolution detail image; based on unsharp masking sharpening methods, an edge region of the low-passed upscaled image is enhanced according to the horizontal and vertical components of the edge directions to generate a high-resolution edge image. Image fusion is performed on the high-resolution edge image and the high-resolution detail image according to the edge intensities to generate a super-resolution image.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an image processing technique, in particular, to a method, an image processing apparatus and a computer readable medium for image enhancement.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with the fast development in LCD-TVs, ultra-high definition (UHD) LCD-TVs have become emerging technologies mainly due to advantages such as high contrast, high brightness, high color saturation, and wide viewing angles. UHD LCD-TVs provide tremendous market potential for large-size LCD panels and deliver luxurious visual experiences by a display technology capable of exceeding the limits of human perception.
However, since UHD image capturing apparatuses are still underdeveloped, super resolution images are not commonly available. The so-called "super-resolution image" may be obtained by upscaling an image and compensating for the loss of high-frequency information so that the upscaled image may still preserve the clarity or even provide more details than the original image. Such technique is widely-adopted for TV signal image processing to convert low-resolution original signals to images with high quality.
The prior art methods may use a database as a reference source for a high-resolution image or a complex iteration process such as self-example based method to generate a super-resolution image. Such approaches may create significant results, and yet may not be feasible for real-time implementation on a video display chip. On the other hand, a super-resolution image with local contrast enhancement may be generated by leveraging some conventional image sharpening methods, where in particular, the unsharp masking sharpening method with high efficiency and low complexity is suited for real-time video application. Nevertheless, the generated image may be degraded due to ringing or jaggy artifacts occurring during a conventional unsharp masking sharpening process.

Method for image enhancement, image processing apparatus and computer readable medium using the same