To be able to start and stop vibration without resonating a vibratory body as well as to prevent a drawback of a conventional technology in which when a vibration generating shaft is rotated at a high speed, a torsional coil spring is worn by being brought into abrasive contact with a bent support member and a receiving seat and a large sound is generated when a main weight returns in an axial direction of the vibration generating shaft, there is provided a vibratory generating mechanism having a movable eccentric weight 4 rotatable around a pivoting shaft 3, a sliding member 11 capable of linearly moving on the axial line of the vibration generating shaft along a guide member 6 at one end of the vibration generating shaft, a connecting rod 12 one end of which is connected to the sliding member and other end of which is connected to the movable eccentric weight for transforming a displacement of a linear movement of the sliding member into a displacement of a rotational movement around a pivoting shaft of the vibration generating shaft, a stopper 14 for restricting a range of pivoting the movable eccentric weight to an angle nullifying an amount of eccentricity of the vibration generating shaft only from one side and a pressing member 13 such that the amount of eccentricity of the vibration generating shaft is nullified.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibratory generating mechanism which starts and stops the vibration without resonating the mechanical system including the vibratory generating mechanism.
2. Prior Art
One of the vibratory generating mechanism to be utilized in vibration type compactors such as vibratory rollers, vibratory pile driver and other vibratory machines is generating the vibration by rotating a vibration generating shaft having an eccentric weight with a hydraulic motor for generating vibration.
Second type of the vibratory generating mechanism is capable of switching the amplitude of the vibration by changing the rotating direction of the vibration generating shaft, which is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, movable eccentric weight devices 57, 57' are provided at the both sides of a fixed eccentric weight devices 56. A vibration generating shaft 55 changes the rotating direction as the flow of the pressure oil to a hydraulic motor is switched. For example, when the vibration generating shaft 55 rotates in the forward direction, as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the eccentricity of the movable eccentric weight devices 57, 57' is opposite to that of the fixed eccentric weight device 56 of the vibration generating shaft 55, so that the vibration forces are canceled out and the amplitude of the vibration becomes low. On the other hand, when the vibration generating shaft 55 rotates in the reverse direction, as shown in FIGS. iC and ID, the eccentricity of the movable eccentric weight devices 57, 57' is the same as that of the fixed eccentric weight device 56, so that the vibration forces are composed and the magnitude of the vibration becomes high.
Third type of the vibration generating mechanism is a vibration force generating apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. Hei 5-42307. This structure is that a pair of eccentric weights are disposed to the vibration generating shaft so as to be rotated in symmetry and that the vibration force due to the eccentric weights can be switched in multiple stages or variable number of stages by rotating the vibration generating shaft and changing the rotation angle of the eccentric weights.
The above-described conventional vibration generating mechanism has the following problems. In the first type vibration generating mechanism, the resonance is generated when the vibration generating shaft starts and stops, which affects the object to be vibrated such as the road surface. This example will be explained with a vibratory roller.
In a case of the vibratory roller, the compacting operation is performed by vibrating compacting wheels. If the compacting wheels are vibrated when the vibratory roller is stopped traveling, the road surface under the vibratory roller is sunk and the compacted surface becomes rough. In order to overcome this problem, the vibrating shaft is rotated to vibrate the compacting wheels, worked with a fore and aft traveling lever of a fore and aft travel control apparatus while the vibratory roller is traveling, and when the vibratory roller is stopped traveling, the vibrating shaft is stopped to terminate the vibration.
However, as shown in FIG. 2 that is a graph showing the change of the amplitude of the vibration of the compacting wheels until the rotation of the vibrating shaft is completely stopped after the number of revolution of the vibrating shaft of the vibratory roller is set, the compacting rollers are resonated when it reaches the resonance point and goes further beyond the resonance point of the compacting roller. Moreover, under some condition of the road surface to be compacted, the road surface may become slightly rough.
This problem is not limited to the vibratory roller. The above-described first type conventional vibratory apparatus have the same problem of the resonance when the vibrating shaft is started and stopped.
The above-described second type conventional vibratory apparatus have another problem besides the same problem as the first type conventional vibratory apparatus. Detent means 58, 58' formed at the movable eccentric weight devices 57, 57' are frequently damaged every time the rotating direction of the vibrating shaft 55 of FIG. 1 is switched since the ends of the detent means 58, 58' hit the fixed eccentric weight device 56. Further, in the third type conventional vibratory apparatus, some special driving apparatus such as a rack and pinion mechanism and hydraulic cylinder is needed to switch the eccentric amount. Therefore, the assembly is hard since the structure is complicated and the maintenance is also hard, which makes the cost of the apparatus high.
In order to overcome the above-described problems, the inventor of the present application invents a vibratory generating mechanism which is disclosed in Japanese patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-197414. As shown in FIG. 3, this vibratory generating apparatus comprises an axis 3' perpendicular to a vibration generating shaft 10' and a main weight 4' that is a movable eccentric weight around the axis 3', and it generates the vibration by rotating the vibration generating shaft 10'. The vibratory generating apparatus further comprises elastic members 13' for sandwiching members 48a at the body of the vibration generating shaft and members 4d at the main weight so that the center of gravity of the vibration generating shaft is placed on the axis of the vibration generating shaft, an axis 9' on the main weight 4', which differs from the axis 3', and a pilot weight 9' which is a small eccentric weight having the weight smaller than the main weight 4'. The vibratory generating mechanism changes the amplitude of the vibration by switching the rotating direction of the vibration generating shaft 10'.
According to this vibratory generating mechanism, the pilot weight is rotated and moved relative to the main weight with the inertia force acting on the pilot weight of small mass, so that the main weight of large mass is rotated around the axis while the force acting on the main weight is not balanced. Therefore, this vibratory generating mechanism can start and stop the vibration without resonating the vibrating bodies with the vibratory generating mechanism such as rolls of the vibratory roller, which solves the above-described problems.
However, it was found that the improved vibratory generating mechanism still has the following problems. First, an elastic member 13' of torsion coil spring holds the members 48a at the body of the vibration generating shaft and the members 4d at the main weight between its ends 13a, 13b so that the center of gravity of the vibration generating shaft is placed substantially on the axis of the vibration generating shaft. Accordingly, when the vibration generating shaft 10' is rotated at high speed, plate frames 48, 48' for supporting both sides of the main weight 4' is distorted outward by a centrifugal force, and the torsion coil spring is pushed outward (toward end plates 4e) by the centrifugal force. Therefore, the torsion coil spring wears between the distorted frames 48, 48' and the end plates 4e. This is because the frames 48, 48' cannot firmly be held from the outside since the bearings 49, 49' are needed between the frames 48, 48' and the axis 3' for the rotation of the axis 3' keyed to the main weight 4'. Second, both ends 13a, 13b of the coil spring hit the members 48a at the body of the vibration generating shaft and the members 4d at the main weight, alternatively, which generates the large sounds. Moreover, the main weight 4' is vibrated around the axis 3' and the vibration is hardly suppressed.

Vibratory generating mechanism and vibratory roller utilizing vibratory generating mechanism


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to Trichoderma reesei glucoamylase (TrGA) variants having improved properties (e.g., improved thermostability, improved specific activity, and/or resistant to oxidation-related activity loss). Also provided are compositions comprising variant glucoamylases. These compositions are useful in various starch process applications.

Industrial fermentations predominately use glucose as a feedstock for the production of a multitude of proteins, enzymes, alcohols, and other chemical end products. Typically, glucose is the product of starch processing, which is conventionally a two-step, enzymatic process that catalyzes the breakdown of starch, involving liquefaction and saccharification. During liquefaction, insoluble granular starch is slurried in water, gelatinized with heat, and hydrolyzed by a thermostable alpha-amylase. During saccharification, the soluble dextrins produced in liquefaction are further hydrolyzed by glucoamylases.
Glucoamylase enzymes (glucan 1,4-α-glucohydrolases, EC 188.8.131.52) are starch hydrolyzing exo-acting carbohydrases, which catalyze the removal of successive glucose units from the non-reducing ends of starch or related oligo- and polysaccharide molecules. Glucoamylases can hydrolyze both the linear and branched glucosidic linkages of starch (e.g., amylose and amylopectin). Glucoamylases are commercially important enzymes and have been used in a wide variety of applications that require the hydrolysis of starch. For example, glucoamylases are typically used to produce fermentable sugars from the enzyme liquefied starch substrate. The fermentable sugars, e.g., low-molecular-weight sugars, such as glucose, may then be 1) converted to fructose by other enzymes (e.g., glucose isomerases); 2) crystallized; or 3) used in fermentations to produce numerous end products (e.g., alcohols, monosodium glutamate, succinic acid, vitamins, amino acids, 1,3-propanediol, and lactic acid). Fermentation and saccharification can be conducted simultaneously (i.e., an SSF process) to achieve greater economy and efficiency.
Glucoamylases have been used successfully in commercial applications for many years. Additionally, various mutations have been introduced in fungal glucoamylases, for example, Trichoderma reesei glucoamylase (TrGA), to enhance thermal stability and specific activity. See, e.g., WO 2008/045489; WO 2009/048487; WO 2009/048488; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,058,033. The need still exists for providing new glucoamylase variants with more desirable properties.

Trichoderma reesei glucoamylase variants resistant to oxidation-related activity loss and the use thereof


An X-ray image acquisition apparatus (15) includes a conversion panel (20) aligned with a photo detector array (40). The conversion panel (20) includes a plurality of conversion cells (22), each including a conversion body (31), an X-ray transparent and light reflective file over the top (32) of the body (31), and a light reflective film (36) surrounding the body (31). The body (31) is made of a scintillating material that efficiently generates optical light photons in response to X-ray radiation illuminating thereon and is substantially transparent to the optical light photons. The body (31) is also sufficiently long to absorb the X-ray radiation over a wide range of energy levels. The light reflective films (36, 38) collimate the optical light photons generated in the body (31) toward the photo detector array (40) to form X-ray images.

X-ray imaging is widely used in various fields of life. For example, X-ray imaging has been a standard medical diagnostic tool for decades. A typical X-ray image acquisition apparatus suitable for low energy X-rays includes a phosphor X-ray conversion screen and a photo detector array aligned with each other. The phosphor conversion screen generates optical light photons in response to the X-ray radiation. The optical light photons are transmitted to the photo detector array under the conversion screen. The photo detector array generates electric signals in response to the optical light photons. Electronics circuitry coupled to the photo detector array processes the electric signals and generate images. A typical high energy X-ray image acquisition apparatus includes a copper screen and a Gadolinium Oxysulfide panel over a photo detector array. The high energy X-ray radiation passes through the copper screen, which absorbs a portion of the X-ray radiation and generates energetic electrons. The electrons pass into the Gadolinium Oxysulfide panel and generate optical light photons. Another portion of the X-ray radiation passes through the copper screen and interacts with Gadolinium oxysulfide to produce optical light photons. The photo detector array senses the optical light photons and generates electric signals in response thereto.
Different applications require images acquired using X-ray radiation at different energy levels. For example in the field of medical diagnostic procedures, low energy "diagnostic" X-ray images are generally used in soft tissue diagnostics, and high energy X-rays are used for treatment in radiation oncology and imaging are produced with imaging systems in conjunction with the treatment. The quality of the acquired image depends on the image acquisition procedures and the equipment used.
X-ray images at different energy levels are presently created using different image acquisition apparatuses as described above. Maintaining multiple sets of X-ray image apparatuses will increase the operating and overhead costs for a medical diagnostic facility. It will also affect the efficiency of the facility by increasing the idle time of the apparatuses, These effects are exasperated further for those facilities with relatively small patient bases.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus that is capable of forming X-ray images with X-rays at different energy levels. It is desirable for the apparatus to be simple and reliable. It is also desirable if the apparatus can be used on an existing X-ray imaging system. It would be of further advantage to be able to optimize the image quality for its intended use.

Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.


A steering shaft supporting part 100 is connected to a pair of side frames 13 and 14 and extends substantially vertically to a steering shaft 12 in side view of a vehicle. An upper part of the steering shaft 12 is supported only on the steering shaft supporting part 100 so as to be freely rotatable and freely and vertically movable around an axial core of the steering shaft 12.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a straddle type vehicle comprising a steering shaft supporting part for supporting an upper part of a steering shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, known has been an all terrain vehicle (ATV) comprising a pair of right and left side frames forming a body frame and a steering shaft extending in a vertical direction between the pair of right and left side frames.
In such an all terrain vehicle, an upper part of the steering shaft is freely rotatably supported on a steering shaft supporting part mounted to a body frame, generally.
In such an all terrain vehicle, known has been a structure in which a steering shaft supporting part is fixed to two pipes bridged over two cross members connecting side frames for the purpose of firmly supporting an upper part of the steering shaft (refer to JP-A-2004-210080 (Page 5, FIG. 5), for example).
The above-mentioned steering shaft supporting part, however, has a complicated structure, and therefore, there has been a space for improvement in lightening weight and reducing costs.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide a straddle type vehicle in which a steering shaft is firmly fixed with a simple structure.


Novel and very useful forms of sodium (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionate are provided. These forms are sodium (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionate monohydrate having an average particle size significantly larger than about 70 microns--the size of conventional sodium (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionate--and a chiral purity of at least 98% (S)-enantiomer. Process technology enabling the production of such novel products is also described. The provision of such novel products makes possible significant improvements in processing time, plant capacity and product handling operations.

The sodium salt of (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid is a commercially available anti-inflammatory agent with the generic name of naproxen sodium.
A process used for the production of naproxen sodium involves reacting (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid dissolved in toluene with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, with subsequent removal of water by heating the slurry to an ending temperature of 100.degree. C. and a pressure of 1 atmosphere. The resultant anhydrous naproxen sodium has an average particle size in the range of about 30 to about 70 microns, and is in the form of small needle-like particles typically having an aspect ratio of about 10, with the length being approximately 200 to 300 microns and the width ranging from about 15 to about 45 microns. To achieve the required high chiral purity naproxen sodium (99% minimum), it has been necessary to use long cycle times and to form and use (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid of relatively high chiral purity (97% minimum).
A highly desirable contribution to the art would be the provision of forms of sodium (S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionate having an average particle size significantly larger than about 70 microns, especially if such material could have a chiral purity of at least 98% (S)-enantiomer, and a process technology enabling the production of such material. The achievement of these objectives would be of inestimable value from the standpoints, inter alia, of processing time, plant capacity and product handling operations.
This invention is deemed to constitute such a contribution to the art, as it enables the achievement of the foregoing objectives.


An organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprised, in the following sequence, of an anode, an organic hole injecting and hole transporting layer, an organic electron injecting and electron transporting layer, and a cathode, wherein said organic hole injecting and transporting layer is comprised of a mixture of a tertiary aromatic amine and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound.

This invention is directed to organic electroluminescent (EL) devices, and more specifically, to energy-efficient organic EL devices with enhanced operational stability and improved performance characteristics. Organic EL devices are believed to be capable of offering high luminescence at low driving voltages, excellent device stability, and extended life span. The organic EL devices of the present invention enable the aforementioned characteristics, and these EL devices can be selected for use in flat-panel emissive display technologies, including TV screens, computer screens, and the like, and as image bar components for digital copiers and printers.


A system and method that facilitates and effectuates transaction time indexing with version compression. The system includes an indexing component that partitions a database page containing multiple temporally related versions of a record into a historical page and a current page based at least in part on a time or a key. The system includes a compression component that constructs backward deltas for compressing earlier (historical) versions of records that are stored on the page. Because there is always an uncompressed version for each record on each page, decompression can be done based solely on information stored on the record's page.

There has been an increasing need for computer systems to provide access to historical information, not just the latest state of the data. One example involves users interacting with an online web application. Typically, an on-line session can include individuals interfacing with client applications (e.g., web services) to interact with the database server that stores information in a database accessible to client applications. For instance, a stock market web site can provide users with tools to retrieve stock quotes (e.g., current and historical) and purchase stock. Users can enter stock symbols and request stock quotes by performing mouse clicks to activate a query. Client applications can then query databases containing stock information and return appropriate stock quotes. Users, based on returned stock quote information, can thereafter purchase or sell stocks by supplying suitable information, wherein submitting buy or sell orders initiate database queries to return current pricing information and order status.

Transaction time indexing with version compression


Methods and systems for measuring optical aberrations of an eye are provided. In one embodiment, the present invention provides transmitting light from the eye along an optical path to an aberration sensor. An adaptive optic is disposed along the optical path between a target optical system and the aberration sensor. Aberrations of the adaptive optic can be adjusted in response to a signal generated by the aberration sensor so as to provide a desired sensed aberration. The shape of the adjusted adaptive optic can be determined with the aberration sensor by transmitting an adaptive optic configuration measurement beam along the optical path.

The present invention relates generally to laser eye surgery methods and systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and systems for measuring complex optical aberrations of the human eye.
Laser eye surgical systems typically employ a system that can track and measure the optical characteristics and errors of a patient's eye. One promising eye measurement system uses wavefront technology that allows the surgeon to measure and treat low order and high order aberrations in and on the patient's eye. A wavefront measurement of the eye creates a high order aberration map that permits assessment of aberrations throughout the optical pathway of the eye, e.g., both internal aberrations and aberrations on the corneal surface. The aberration information can then be used to compute a custom ablation pattern so that the surgical laser system can correct the complex aberrations in and on the patient's eye.
One exemplary wavefront technology system uses Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensors that can quantify aberrations throughout the entire optical system of the patient's eye, including first and second-order sphero-cylindrical errors, coma, and third and fourth-order aberrations related to coma, astigmatism, and spherical aberrations.
For example, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,651, one method of analyzing the high-order aberrations in the patient's eye is through the use of a deformable mirror. The wavefront aberrations can be measured by a wavefront sensor and the deformable mirror can be deformed via control signals from the wavefront sensors to compensate for the wavefront aberration of the eye, until the error in the measured wavefront aberration reaches an asymptotic value. At that point the deformable mirror has taken an appropriate shape to provide wavefront compensation for the aberrations of the eye. Unfortunately, the adjusted shape of the deformable mirror does not directly indicate to the physician the actual aberrations of the patient's eye. Consequently, it is often required to apply a complicated calibration scheme so that the control signals used to deform the deformable mirror may be correlated with the aberrations from the patient's eye that the deformed mirror removes.
Consequently, what are needed are devices and methods which can determine the aberrations of the patient's eye, without having to employ a complicated calibration method.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Eye refractor with active mirror wavefront sensor


A wavelength division multiplexing light transmitting system which can monitor its transmission line. In which, one light among the signal lights to be wavelength multiplexed is defined as an optical fiber transmission line monitor light. A transmitter multiplexes and transmits the monitor light with the other signal lights. These lights are attenuated and introduced to the other transmission line at return circuits 12. A receiver branches the returned lights, selects the monitor light and detects a condition of the transmission line by correlation processing. The system extremely improves a SNR and a detection time of the monitor signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method of monitoring a condition of an optical fiber transmission line in a wavelength division multiplexing light transmitting system for multiplexing and transmitting signal lights having different wavelengths.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a light transmitting system, a signal light may be attenuated or cut off, in an optical fiber transmission line and in a light amplifying repeater for various reasons. It is, therefore, necessary to monitor a condition of the light transmission line in order to operate the system in an effective manner.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-344067 describes the following light transmission line monitoring method.
In an up optical fiber transmission line (to be referred to as an, "up line" hereinafter), a signal light having a wavelength of .lambda.1 is output from a transmitter for the up line and transmitted to an receiver for the up line. In a receiver for the up line, the signal light is amplified by a light amplifier, and received by a light receiving section through a band pass optical filter.
A monitor signal on the optical fiber transmission line is superimposed on the signal light by modulation in the transmitter for the up line. The signal light with the monitor signal is introduced into a down optical fiber transmission line (to be referred to as "down line" hereinafter) through a light returning circuit comprising a light attenuator, and is transmitted to a receiver for the down line.
The monitor signals arrive at different times at the receiver for the down line for each returning circuit. Thus, they can be separated by delaying the modulated signal and evaluating a correlation with the monitor signals arriving at the receiver. Accordingly, it is possible to convert a detected monitor signal and to evaluate a correlation with a predetermined standard signal to thereby monitor a loss on the light transmission line between respective repeater intervals.
A wavelength division multiplexing light transmission method is similarly carried out. In this case, the monitor signal is superimposed on at least one multiplexed signal light by modulation.
In the light transmitting system, the monitor signal is superimposed on the signal light by modulation. Thus, when carrying out the monitoring operation at a time when the system is in service, the modulating ratio must be reduced to a low level in order to prevent deterioration of the main signal. On the other hand, a signal-noise-ratio (SNR) of the monitor signal is proportional to a square of the modulation ratio. In a case of a low modulation ratio, this results in a problem, because the SNR of the monitor signal is not sufficient.
When the signal light on which the monitor signal is superimposed by modulation is introduced into the other light transmission line through the light returning circuit, the signal light is sufficiently attenuated in order to prevent the deterioration of the signal light on the light transmission line. In this case, a long time is needed to perform a correlation detection in the receiver in order to detect the attenuated monitor signal. This results in a problem that a trouble point on the light transmission line cannot be promptly specified.
Furthermore, the receiver for the down line, which receives the signal light on which the monitor signal is superimposed, simultaneously receives the signal light transmitted from a transmitter for the down line. Thus, if both transmitters for the up line and for the down line transmit the monitor signals at the same time, both receivers for the up line and for the down line receive the signal lights on which the monitor signals transmitted from the respective transmitters are superimposed. Therefore, monitoring the optical fiber transmission line becomes impossible. For this reason, in the conventional light transmission line monitoring method, both the transmitting and receiving stations having a transmitter and a receiver must alternatively carry out the monitoring operation, respectively. Since it takes a long time to detect the monitor signal, for example, there may be a possibility that each station may only carry out only one monitoring operation per day.

Wavelength division multiplexing light transmitting system


An improved perfluorinated, ion-exchange polymer, either in the form of a membrane or a thin film useful as the electrolyte in chemical sensors. The polymer is treated with an acid, such as boric acid or a mixture of boric acid and phosphoric acid, to maintain the ionic conductivity of the polymer to approximately 180 degrees Centigrade. The improved polymer electrolyte is utilized to sense moisture by a two electrode structure with the electrodes arranged in interdigital fashion and the electrolyte film cast over the electrodes. The electrolyte is included in a 3 electrode sensor for sensing various types of gases.

The efficiency of semiconductor and integrated circuit fabrication process is sensitive to not only the quality of the materials utilized in the fabrication procedure but also the environment of the fabrication location. In the prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,760, the invention was directed to sensing or monitoring the very low levels of oxygen, in the parts per billion range, present in the inert blanketing gases required in the fabrication procedures. A similar problem in the fabrication process is that the presence of very low levels of moisture in the gas feed stream can severely effect both the yield and the quality of the integrated circuits or the like. In the past, a variety of sophisticated analytical instruments to monitor the moisture in a gas feed stream from high parts per million (ppm) to sub-parts per billion (ppb) levels were developed. Many of these prior art instruments utilized for sub-parts per billion (ppb) level measurements are relatively complex and expensive. The prior art instruments based on the electrolytic mechanism for decomposing or splitting the water in gases are relatively simple and inexpensive but lack the sensitivity to measure moisture in sub parts per billion levels and exhibit the sluggish response and recovery time. These electrolytic hygrometers utilized the principles disclosed by F. A. Keidel in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 12, page 2043(1959). This well known, prior art hygrometer consists of an electrolytic cell having a pair of electrodes covered with a hygroscopic electrolyte such as Phosphorous Pentoxide P.sub.2 O.sub.5. In this sensor, the water vapors in the gas are absorbed at the surface of the hygroscopic layer and electrolyzed to gaseous oxygen and hydrogen. The current drawn by the electrolytic cell is a direct measure of the water being electrolyzed. At equilibrium, the cell current and the gas flow rate gives the absolute and continuous measurement of the amount of water in the gas stream.
Electrolytic cells with the different physical configurations based on the Keidel principles have been disclosed in the literature. The most noticeable and frequently used physical configuration is in the form of a tubular conduit having a pair of electrode wires helically positioned in parallel on the inner wall of the conduit from end to end or alternatively an interdigitated grid of electrodes deposited on an insulating surface that is coated with a thin layer of a hygroscopic film, P.sub.2 O.sub.5, derived from the dehydration of a thin layer of phosphoric acid by electrolysis at elevated temperatures. The major problems experienced with such a configuration is that the electrolytic layer(1) upon prolonged exposure to high moisture levels, is converted to phosphoric acid that tends to run off the electrodes and (2) upon the prolonged exposure to gases with moisture levels in the sub parts per billion level causes the electrolytic layer to crack. Both of these undesirable conditions cause discontinuity in the electrolyte layer and as a result the sensor loses its sensitivity. In addition, when the electrolyte layer is fully dehydrated, the sensor's response to small changes in the moisture content becomes very sluggish.
A solid, perfluorinated, ion-exchange polymer of the prior art, commercially available from E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. of Wilmington, Del. and commercially identified as a "Nafion" element, has been used as the electrolyte element in an electrolytic sensor. This ion-exchange polymer in the form of a thin film sandwiched between a pair of electrodes for trace water sensing and is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,278 granted on Apr. 30, 1985. U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,238 granted on Sep. 4, 1990, discloses a moisture sensing hygrometer element in the form of an ion-exchange film of the "Nafion" type cast on the pair of electrodes on a tubular substrate. These "Nafion" devices are considered to have less disadvantages than those inherent in the Keidel-phosphorous pentoxide films. However, these "Nafion" based humidity sensors are less sensitive by more than two orders of magnitude compared to those using P.sub.2 O.sub.5 with identical physical configurations and with a proportionate effect on the lower detection limit. The lower sensitivity with perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer electrolyte ("Nafion") is primarily due to the decreased ionic conductivity of the "Nafion" polymer in the presence of lower levels of moisture. It is well known that water is essential for solvating the hydrogen ions of the sulfonic acid groups of the "Nafion" polymer for the ionic conduction to occur in the "Nafion" membrane. This is considered to preclude the use of the ion-exchange polymer as the electrolyte element in either very dry environments or at temperatures above 100 degrees Centigrade with unhumidified gases and without the means to supply water to the polymer.
In the above referenced prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,053, an improved electrochemical sensing cell is disclosed that utilizes a solid, perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer (PFIEP) element as an electrolyte element in the sensor. The electrolyte element taught to the art by the aforementioned patent utilizes a solid polymer electrolyte that has been equilibrated with phosphoric acid for maintaining the ionic conductivity of the polymer up to temperatures on the order of 180 degrees Centigrade. This prior patent teaches the solvation of the hydrogen ions of the sulfonic acid groups of the ion-exchange by the phosphoric acid that provides with a hydrogen bonding network for maintaining the ionic conductivity of the polymer without the need to add water to the polymer. This general structure is represented as follows: ##STR1##
It has only recently become known that it has been reported in the literature that incorporating phosphoric acid in a solution of the "Nafion" material for an electrolytic moisture sensor has been found to function in relatively dry environments with better sensitivity than the known prior art. This is disclosed by Huang et al. in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 63, No. 15 for Aug. 1, 1991 on pages 1570-1573. The known humidity sensors for detecting sub parts per million moisture levels are typically powered at 30-100 volts. Under such electrical operating conditions phosphoric acid is readily converted into the dehydrated form of phosphorous pentoxide, P.sub.2 O.sub.5. This causes the electrolyte layer to lose its continuity and thereby the sensor loses its sensitivity. I have found that in a phosphoric acid, equilibrated perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer electrolyte used for electrochemical sensors, where the voltage between two electrodes is typically less than 1.23 volts (1.23 volts is the thermodynic voltage between the hydrogen and oxygen electrodes), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,053, that the phosphoric acid is not converted to the dehydrated form and thus the conductivity of the electrolyte element is maintained. I have also determined that a moisture sensor utilizing a phosphoric acid treated, solid, perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer electrolyte element where the voltage is typically between 30-100 volts, over a prolonged period of time and in a very dry environment, (moisture levels in the lower end of the parts per billion levels), phosphoric acid is partially converted to the P.sub.2 O.sub.5 form and thereby results in decreasing the sensitivity of the sensor.
A further aspect of the prior art is found in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,405 granted on Feb. 13, 1990 for a "Surface Type Microelectronic Gas and Vapor Sensor". This prior art principally discloses various micro-sensing structures having two, three or more electrode structures deposited in close proximity to one another on the same side of an active area on a surface of the substrate so that the ion migration is fast. The substrates may be constructed of an electrically insulative material or of a semiconductor material. These structures utilize solid, electrolytes including ion-exchange polymers of the "Nafion" type and takes advantage of the hydrophobic nature of such a polymer. All of the disclosed structures, however, utilizing the "Nafion" type ion-exchange member require the use of an aqueous reservoir in contact with the solid electrolyte medium to keep it from drying out and inactivating the disclosed microsensor. This problem is solved by the disclosure in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,053 and further improved upon herein.
Another piece of prior art, utilizing an aqueous electrolyte with 3 electrodes, discloses a means to enable the various impurities in the environmental air to be distinctly detected and measured is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,832. The gases, noxious atmospheric pollutants were selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrocarbons, ethanol and methanol in air. This is accomplished by conveying the same air sample through a series of individual cells, with each cell being constructed and defined to detect only a single impurity. This prior art patent discloses the use of potentiostat circuit means for maintaining a constant or fixed relative potential difference between the anode or sensing electrode and the reference electrode of the 3 electrode sensors with the voltage selected in accordance with the gas species to be sensed.
There is, then, a present need for an improved, relatively inexpensive electrochemical/electrolytic sensor with a greater stability and faster responses and recovery times than those presently known and in commercial use that are not subject to drying out during continuous use.


Disclosed an ink jet recording apparatus for recording images in a recording medium having an ink absorbability, including: a recording head including a nozzle for jetting a photocurable ink onto the recording medium; and a light irradiation device to apply light to the photocurable ink landed on the recording medium, wherein: the light irradiation device includes a first light source to emit light having a first emission spectrum, and a second light source to emit light having a second emission spectrum whose peak wavelength is shorter than a peak wavelength of the first emission spectrum, and the first and second light sources are arranged so that the first light source irradiates the photocurable ink landed on the recording medium and thereafter the second light source irradiates the photocurable ink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus for recording images in a recording medium having an ink absorbability such as paper or fabric.
2. Description of Related Art
As an image recording apparatus capable of recording images not only in a normal recording medium such as paper or fabric but also a recording medium of low ink absorbability such as a resin film or a metal, an ink jet recording apparatus that jets an ink from a nozzle disposed in one end surface of a recording head so that the ink lands on the recording medium has been developed, and this technique is applied in various technical fields at present. Among them, a photocurable ink jet recording apparatus that applies light such as ultraviolet rays to the ink landed on the recording medium so as to harden and fix the ink has actively been developed as a recording apparatus which enables easy acquisition of high-definition images (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-188864 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-200204).
As such an ink jet recording apparatus, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-188864, the applicant of the present invention discloses a technique of an ink jet recording apparatus which includes a plurality of ultraviolet-ray sources different in a peak wavelength of emitted light as main sensitivity wavelengths of inks of various colors such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) jetted from a recording head vary from ink to ink. Especially it is disclosed an ink-jet apparatus where an ultraviolet-ray source having a shorter peak wavelength of emitted light is positioned closer to the recording head, so that ultraviolet rays of longer wavelengths is applied after application of an ultraviolet ray of a shorter wavelength to the ink landed on the recording medium.
The ink jet recoding apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-188864 is useful especially when an image is recorded in a recording medium of low ink absorbability. In other words, the ink landed on a surface of the recording medium is irradiated with a short-wavelength ultraviolet ray to harden the surface, and then a long-wavelength ultraviolet ray is applied to harden the inside. Thus, blotting of the ink on the surface of the recording medium or color mixing such as mixing with an adjacent ink is prevented to enable acquisition of an extremely high-definition image.
However, when this method is applied to a recording medium having a high ink absorbability such as plain paper or fabric not treated for blotting prevention, so-called print through in which the ink soaks in the recording medium causing ink blotting or the ink to reach the backside of the recording medium may occur. Particularly, when a high-density image is formed, as the amount of ink putted in per unit area of the recording medium is increased, the ink blotting becomes more sever so as to increase a level of the print through.
According to the ink jet recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-200204, it is proposed that a thermally meltable ink containing wax, a resin and an ultraviolet curable resin having melting points at 40 to 70° C. is jetted to the recording medium, and the ink is hardened by applying ultraviolet rays while preventing ink blotting by the wax or the like.
According to these methods, however, ink blending, storage management, jet control or the like is complex and burdensome, and besides resistance to abrasion of the ink hardened on the recording medium, i.e., abrasion resistance, may be reduced to cause image quality deterioration.


A control mechanism for an electronic device comprises a cover glass having an aperture defined therein. The aperture extends from an interior to an exterior of the device. A control member is positioned within the aperture, coupled to an actuator. The control member comprises a ceramic insert having a contact surface exposed to the exterior of the housing, operable to actuate the actuator in response to a force on the contact surface. A bearing member is molded about the insert. The bearing member has a hardness less than that of the ceramic insert, and less than that of the cover glass.

Depending on application, electronic devices may utilize a wide variety of different control mechanisms, including buttons, pushbuttons, slide and toggle switches, and other devices for power, volume, home, hold, reset and other control and input functions. In use, these components are subject to a wide range of different environmental effects, including temperature extremes, humidity, contamination, physical and electrical contact, scratching, and impact, for which durability and reliability are critical engineering factors.
Environmental factors are particularly relevant in devices subject to both operational extremes and high performance demands, including portable electronics and mobile devices, where the control components must withstand heat, cold, moisture, humidity, shock and impact. Associated design and engineering considerations include tradeoffs between stress and strain resistance, machinability, temperature stability, and optical properties, including surface hardness, transparency, and resistance to scratching, abrasion, and temperature extremes. As a result, there is an ongoing need for improved control mechanisms that do not suffer the limitations of the prior art, including control mechanism for consumer electronics, digital devices, and mobile phone, smartphone, and tablet computer applications.


A coal slurry fuel supply and purge system for a locomotive engines is disclosed which includes a slurry recirculation path, a stand-by path for circulating slurry during idle or states of the engine when slurry fuel in not required by the engine, and an engine header fluid path connected to the stand-by path, for supplying and purging slurry fuel to and from fuel injectors. A controller controls the actuation of valves to facilitate supply and purge of slurry to and from the fuel injectors. A method for supplying and purging coal slurry in a compression ignition engine is disclosed which includes controlling fluid flow devices and valves in a plurality of fluid paths to facilitate continuous slurry recirculation and supply and purge of or slurry based on the operating state of the engine.

The invention relates generally to coal slurry fuel-injected combustion engines, and more particularly to coal-water slurry fuel supply and purge systems for compression ignition locomotive engines.
Conventional diesel engine fuel is a relatively low-grade, refined petroleum fuel oil which has desirable ignition and heat release characteristics. Diesel fuel oil typically has acceptably low levels of corrosive, abrasive and other noxious matter, and is generally in ample supply. However, it is known that other fuel mixtures, such as coal-water slurry fuel, may serve as an alternative lower cost fuel for compression ignition engines. Typically, coal slurry fuel may be in the form of either a dry powder or a liquid slurry which is generally a mixture of pulverized coal or other form of carbon dust in a liquid carrier such as oil or water.
The injection of coal-water slurry (hereinafter sometimes referred to as CWS) into an internal compression ignition engine, such as a large multi-cylindered diesel locomotive engine, poses problems not typically encountered in the injection of pure liquid fuels. An advantage of coal-water slurry is its low cost compared to higher grade petroleum fuels when petroleum prices become cost prohibitive. Consequently, significant development has been initiated to produce a vehicle capable of sufficiently utilizing CWS instead of conventional diesel fuel as an alternative fuel source. An article of general interest generally describing coal-fueled diesel engines for locomotives may be found in an article entitled "Coal-Fueled Diesel Engine Progress at GE Transportation Systems", authored by P.L. Flynn, B.D. Hsu and D.L. Leonard from the 13th Annual Energy-Sources Technology Conference and Exhibition held in New Orleans, La., Jan. 14-18, 1990, sponsored by the Internal Combustion Engine Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. This article generally discloses a conceptual locomotive envisioned to utilize coal-water slurry but does not disclose a suitable fuel supply and purge system.
It has been predicted that significant fuel cost savings may result from the use of a coal-water slurry fuel in locomotive applications. However, a problem arises in integrating all of the systems into a working locomotive engine unit which can be operated in a railroad service. Normal CWS fuel supply systems are typically not suited for application in a locomotive engine given the amount of fuel required by a locomotive engine and the distance over which the fuel must be distributed throughout the engine. A problem arises since micronized coal particles mixed with water generally create a fuel which is difficult to store, pump and inject as compared with diesel fuel. Part of the reason is that the coal-water slurry tends to be unstable and to settle in tanks and fuel lines after a period of time, making it difficult to supply fuel to fuel injectors and distribute the fuel from the fuel tank throughout the operating cycle of the engine. Consequently, there exists a need to avoid long-term settling problems and to minimize losses throughout the fuel supply and distribution system.

Coal slurry fuel supply and purge system


A chip package includes a bump connecting said semiconductor chip and said circuitry component, wherein the semiconductor chip has a photosensitive area used to sense light. The chip package may include a ring-shaped protrusion connecting a transparent substrate and the semiconductor chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a chip package and a process for fabricating the same, and more particularly to a photo-sensitive chip package and a process for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the recent years, the electronic technology is advanced with each passing day and more new high-tech electronic products are presented to the public as well with more humanity, more convenience in the functions. However, all those products come into a trend toward lighter, thinner, and handier in order to provide more convenient and comfortable usage. Electronic packaging plays an important role in the fulfillment in communication industry and digital technology. Electronic consumer products such as PDA, Pocket PC, Portable PC and mobile phone accompanied with the digital image products such as digital camera and digital video cameras have become a trend.
The key component that makes a digital camera and a digital video camera capable of sensing images is a photo-sensitive device. The photo-sensitive device is able to sense the intensity of light and transfer electrical signals based on the light intensity for further processing. Furthermore, the packaging process is necessary to make the photo-sensitive chip connectable to outer electrical circuit through the substrate and protect the photo-sensitive chip from impurity and moisture contacting the sensitive area.
FIG. 1A is schematically cross-sectional view of a conventional chip package. Referring to FIG. 1A, a chip package 101 comprises a semiconductor chip 110, a circuitry board 120, a transparent substrate 130 and an adhesive material 140. The semiconductor chip 110 is formed by cutting and separating a wafer (not shown). The semiconductor chip 110 has a photo-sensitive area 112, multiple electronic components 114 and multiple connecting points. The photo-sensitive area 112 and the connecting points 116 are located on an active surface 110a of the semiconductor chip 110. The connecting points 116 are distributed around the photo-sensitive area 112. The electronic components 114, such as MOS devices or transistors, are allocated inside the semiconductor chip 110. In the photo-sensitive area 112 are an optical filter 12 and multiple micro-lenses 14 to filter and concentrate the light from the outside, respectively. The electronic components 114 in the photo-sensitive area 112 can sense the intensity of the light filtered and concentrated by the optical filter 12 and the micro-lenses 14 to generate electrical signals corresponding with the intensity of the light.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the semiconductor chip 110 is mounted on the circuitry board 120. The circuitry board 120 may comprises a hard core insulating layer, multiple polymer layers and multiple patterned metal layers. The polymer layers and patterned metal layers are formed on the top and bottom sides of the hard core insulating layer. The hard core insulating layer, such as FR-4 or FR-5, may comprise polymer and glass. The circuitry board 120 may includes multiple connecting points 122 on a top surface thereof and surrounding an area used to be joined with the semiconductor chip 110. After joining the semiconductor chip 110 and the circuitry board 120, multiple wires are formed by a wirebonding process to connect the connecting points 116 of the semiconductor chip 110 to the connecting points 122 of the circuitry board 120.
Referring to FIG. 1A, after the semiconductor chip 110 is mounted on the circuitry board 120 and multiple wires 10 are formed by a wirebonding process to connect the connecting points 116 of the semiconductor chip 110 to the connecting points 122 of the circuitry board 120, one of the transparent substrates 130 divided from a large plane piece of transparent material (not shown) is joined to the circuitry board 120 using the adhesive material 140. The material of the transparent substrate 130 is glass. The adhesive material 140 is epoxy resin. The adhesive material 140 surrounds the semiconductor chip 110 and the wires 10. The circuitry board 120, transparent substrate 130 and adhesive material 140 construct an airtight space 150 accommodating the semiconductor chip 110. Next, multiple solder balls 18 are formed on the bottom surface of the circuitry board 120 to form an electrical connection from the circuitry board 120 to a next-level printed circuit board (PCB, not shown). Thereafter, cutting the circuitry board 120 is performed and then multiple individual chip packages are completed.
FIG. 1B is a schematically cross-sectional view of another conventional chip package. Referring to FIG. 1B, the chip package 201 comprises of a semiconductor chip 201, a flexible circuitry substrate 220, multiple bumps 230, a transparent substrate 240, an adhesive material 250 and an underfill 260. The semiconductor chip 210 has a photo-sensing function and the detail structure of the semiconductor chip 210 can refer to the structure of the above-mentioned semiconductor chip 110 in FIG. 1A.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the bumps 230 are formed on multiple connecting points 216 of the semiconductor chip 210. Next, the semiconductor chip 210 is bonded to a metal layer 220a of the flexible circuitry substrate 220 through the bumps 230. The flexible circuitry substrate 220 further comprises an insulating polymer layer 220b joined to the metal layer 220a. Thereafter, the underfill 260 is provided to fill the space between the semiconductor chip 210 and the flexible circuitry substrate 220 and to cover the bumps 230. One of the transparent substrates 130 divided from a large plane piece of transparent material (not shown) is joined to the flexible circuitry substrate 120 using the adhesive material 250, wherein the transparent substrates 240 are glass, for example. At this time, the semiconductor chip 210, transparent substrate 240, flexible circuitry substrate 220, bumps 230 and underfill 260 construct an airtight space 270. Thereafter, the flexible circuitry substrate 220 is cut to form multiple individual chip packages 201.
It is worthy to notice that the fabrication of the package structures 101 and 201 as above-mentioned in FIGS. 1A and 1B is performed to attach the transparent substrate 130 or 240 onto the semiconductor chip 110 or 210 in a packaging fab. Therefore, the photo-sensitive areas of the semiconductor chips 110 and 210 will be exposed in a clean room in the packaging fab. Because the class of the clean room in the packaging fab is typically 100-100, many tiny dust particles in the air will fall on the photo-sensitive areas 112 and 212 of the chips 110 and 210. This affects their sensitivity.
Besides, in the prior art, such a process that the transparent substrate 130 or 240 after cut is joined piece by piece to the semiconductor chip 110 or 210 is joined to the transparent substrate 130 or 240 through the adhesive material 140 or 250 is not efficient.


An FEC apparatus and method is provided that uses turbo codes. An input frame is iteratively decoded until an iterative decoding stop command is received under a predetermined control, and the absolute reliability of each symbol in the frame is output. The minimum of the absolute reliabilities is detected as a measurement, and a threshold is detected using the a-priori information and extrinsic information of the each symbol. The measurement is compared with the threshold, and the iterative decoding stop command is output according to the comparison result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for providing error correction in a code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for providing forward error correction (FEC) using turbo codes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional CDMA mobile communication system corrects errors caused by noise in a transport channel. FEC is a technique for encoding an information codeword using an error correction method at a transmitter and recovering the information codeword by decoding the received codeword at a receiver. Major FEC techniques currently being used are convolutional coding and turbo coding.
Turbo codes have recently been adopted as error correction codes in both 3rd generation synchronous and asynchronous mobile communication systems. It is known that the turbo codes offer a higher performance gain than the convolutional codes which have been widely used. Besides, the turbo codes are effective in correcting noise-incurred errors and as a result, increase data transmission reliability.
A turbo encoder is configured such that it generates parity symbols from an input frame having L information bits using two simple parallel concatenated codes. It uses recursive systematic convolutional (RSC) codes as component codes. Thus, turbo codes are generated by concatenating two RSC encoders using an interleaver. For turbo decoding, soft input soft output (SISO) decoders for the respective component codes are concatenated in parallel. Extrinsic information output from the SISO decoders is exchanged for iterative decoding. Timing to stop the iterative decoding, and maintain decoding performance is a significant factor that determines the power consumption of the turbo decoder and the time delay involved with the decoding. In other words, an error check must be performed often on a frame during decoding, usually using cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits in order to shorten the decoding time and minimize the power consumption. Specifically, the transmitter attaches CRC bits to each frame input to the turbo encoder, and the receiver detects errors from a decoded frame using CRC bits in each decoding iteration. If the frame turns out normal, the decoding is no longer performed for the frame.
Now a description will be made of criterions to stop iterative decoding (hereinafter, referred to as stopping criterions).
The stopping criterions must satisfy Condition 1.
Condition 1: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)>T(i) or M(i)=T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 1, M(i) is a measurement representing the performance of a turbo decoding frame in the ith decoding iteration, and T(i) is a threshold predetermined or determined in the ith decoding iteration, to be compared with the measurement to determine whether the decoded frame has errors or not. If Condition 1 is satisfied in the comparison, the decoding is stopped in the ith decoding iteration. Each full iteration consists of 2 sequential half iterations, one in each SISO decoder of a turbo decoder.
Stopping criterions proposed so far for iterative decoding will be described below.
(1) Genie-Aided Stopping Criterion
A kind of simulator, Genie monitors iterative decoding in a turbo decoder, compares an output decoded information codeword from a SISO decoder with transmitted information and stops the decoding when no errors are detected in the comparison. This method is viable only in a simulation because it presupposes an ideal test environment. Hence the Genie-aided stopping criterion stands as an ideal for other stopping criterions. The Genie-aided Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 2.
Condition 2: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)=T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 2, a measurement M(i) is the number of different bits between a transmitted frame and a decoded frame at any SISO decoder in the ith iteration, and a threshold T(i) is 0.
(2) CRC Check Stopping Criterion
A frame input to a turbo encoder contains CRC bits for error detection so that the presence or absence of errors in the frame after turbo decoding can be reported to a higher layer in the CDMA mobile communication system. The capability of detecting errors in a frame makes a CRC check feasible as a stopping criterion. A CRC check detects errors from an input frame during iterative decoding in a turbo decoder and if the frame turns out normal, the decoding iterations are stopped. The CRC Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 3.
Condition 3: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)=T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 3, M(i) represents a CRC check output for a decoded frame at any SISO decoder in the ith iteration and T(i) is 0.
The CRC Stopping Criterion, however, has the shortcomings that CRC-caused overhead is imposed on each frame and if an input frame segment does not have CRC bits, it cannot be decoded based on the CRC stopping criterion. For example, when two or more code units are used in a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) communication system of a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), CRC bits are not always present in a code unit. In this sense, the CRC Stopping Criterion is not suitable for turbo decoding.
(3) Approximated Cross Entropy Stopping Criterion
Generally, the cross entropy (CE) between two probability distributions can be used as a measurement representing the probabilistic closeness between them. Hagenauer defines and simplifies the CE using Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) as a measurement for a stopping criterion in a turbo decoder. If the measurement decreases and thus the probabilistic closeness between SISO decoder outputs becomes substantially great, decoding is stopped.
The Approximated Cross Entropy Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 4.
Condition 4: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)<T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 4,
      M              (      i      )        =            ∑      k                                                                                                          L                1                                  (                  i                  )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                      -                                          L                2                                  (                                      i                    -                    1                                    )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                                              2                    exp                          (                                                                L                2                                  (                                      i                    -                    1                                    )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                                          )                    at a first SISO decoder, or
      M              (      i      )        =            ∑      k                                                                                                          L                2                                  (                  i                  )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                      -                                          L                1                                  (                  i                  )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                                              2                    exp                          (                                                                L                1                                  (                  i                  )                                                                          (                                  u                  k                                )                                                          )                    at a second SISO decoder. T(i) is between 10−2 and 10−4.
The Approximated Cross Entropy Stopping Criterion requires exp(·) operation at each SISO decoder, thereby increasing hardware complexity.
(4) Hard Decision Aided (HDA) Stopping Criterion
Information codewords output from two SISO decoders are compared in each decoding iteration. If there is no difference between them, the decoding is stopped. The HDA Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 5.
Condition 5: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)>T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 5, M(i) is the number of different bits between decoded information frames in the ith and (i−0.5)th iterations and T(i) is 0.
Due to comparisons between a previous SISO decoder output and a current SISO decoder output, the HDA Stopping Criterion requires an additional memory for storing the previous SISO decoder output.
(5) Minimum Absolute LLR (MAL) Stopping Criterion
A novel stopping criterion has been created by approximating a measurement used in the Approximated Cross Entropy Stopping Criterion of Hagenauer,
                                          ∑            k                                                                                                                  Δ                                                                                L                                                                                e                      v                      i                                                                                (                                                                        u                          ^                                                k                                            )                                                                                                  2                                      exp                                            (                                                                                              L                      1                                              (                        i                        )                                                                                (                                                                        u                          ^                                                k                                            )                                                                                        )                                                    ≈                  K          ·                      exp                                      (              k                              -                min                                                                (                                                                                    L                    1                                          (                      i                      )                                                                                (                                                                  u                        ^                                            k                                        )                                                                              )                        )                                              (        1        )
The MAL Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 6.
Condition 6: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)>T1(i) and M(i)>T2(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 6, M(i)=km min(|L1(i)(ûk)|) at a vth SISO decoder in the ith iteration. T1(i)=j<im min M(j)+Tf and T2(i)=M1+Td.
In accordance with the MAL Stopping Criterion, a minimum absolute LLR output from a SISO decoder is set as a measurement. A measurement set in the previous iteration is used as a threshold in the current iteration. While the Approximated Entropy Stopping Criterion and the HDA Stopping Criterion use information from two SISO decoders, the MAL Stopping Criterion can stop decoding iterations only using information from the current SISO decoder. As a result, performance may be degraded in terms of frame error rate (FER). To minimize the performance degradation, Tf and Td for the first and second thresholds T1(i) and T2(i) are empirically obtained from a simulation. The thresholds are adaptively used to reduce performance independency of frame size or SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio). Yet, the adaptive use of the thresholds increases the average number of decoding iterations. In other words, an increase in the number of decoding iterations must be suffered to prevent FER performance degradation.
(6) Sign Difference Ratio (SDR) Stopping Criterion
The HDA Stopping Criterion compares information codewords from first and second SISO decoders in a turbo decoder in each half iteration and stores an output information codeword from the previous SISO decoder when the current SISO decoder completes decoding. Therefore, the HDA Stopping Criterion needs an additional memory. To remove the additional hardware implementation, the SDR Stopping Criterion has been proposed. Instead of comparing an information codeword from the current SISO decoder with that from the previous SISO decoder, the signs of a-priori information and extrinsic information for a frame in one SISO decoder are compared, and decoding is stopped according to the number of different signs.
The SDR Stopping Criterion is represented as Condition 7.
Condition 7: Stop decoding iterations if M(i)<T(i) at any SISO decoder in an ith iteration.
In Condition 7, M(i) is the number of different signs between a-priori information and extrinsic information for a decoded information frame at any SISO decoder in the ith iteration and T(i) is p.
Since a-priori information and extrinsic information are converged more slowly than LLR information, the SDR Stopping Criterion with p=0 has a greater average number of decoding iterations than the HDA Stopping Criterion. Though the average number of decoding iterations is decreased by increasing p, FER performance degradation results.
Among the above-described Stopping Criterions, the HDA Stopping Criterion has relatively excellent FER performance. Despite this advantage, requires an additional memory for storing an information codeword from a previous SISO decoder. The SDR Stopping Criterion obviates the need for the additional memory because it compares the signs of input a-priori information and output extrinsic information at a SISO decoder. Depending on a threshold, however, FER performance is degraded, or the average decoding iteration number increases, thereby increasing power consumption. The MAL Stopping Criterion offers relatively excellent performance using a easily computed minimum absolute LLR. Yet, it also has the distinctive shortcoming that FER performance varies depending on a threshold. Accordingly, there is a need for creating a novel stopping criterion using a simply set threshold, for stopping decoding iterations.

Apparatus and method for error correction in a CDMA mobile communication system


A needleless syringe, in which particles of a therapeutic agent are entrained in a high pressure gas flow, has a nozzle surrounded by a shroud silencer through which gas reflected from the target surface may be vented to atmosphere while retaining any particles reflected in the gas.

In commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,796, a noninvasive delivery system is described that entails the use of a needleless syringe device. The syringe is used for transdermal delivery of powdered therapeutic compounds and compositions to skin, muscle, blood or lymph. The syringe can also be used in conjunction with surgery to deliver therapeutics to organ surfaces, solid tumors and/or to surgical cavities (e.g., tumor beds or cavities after tumor resection).
The needleless syringe is constructed as an elongate tubular nozzle. Particles of a powdered therapeutic agent are located adjacent to the upstream end of the nozzle. The mechanics at the upstream end of the nozzle may involve a reservoir of gas such as helium, at a high pressure (e.g., between about 30 and 80 bar), and a high pressure gas flow is created by releasing the gas suddenly from the reservoir (e.g., by opening a valve), or by releasing the gas from the reservoir so that pressure builds up behind a membrane at the entrance to the nozzle until the membrane eventually ruptures to release the high speed gas flow. The particles may be contained initially within the high pressure gas reservoir or within a cassette from which the particles are released into the gas flow. The passageway through the nozzle itself is preferably convergent/divergent or convergent/cylindrical, with the upstream convergent section shorter than the downstream divergent or cylindrical section.
Since the gas pressure release from the above-described needleless syringe device is generally at or approaching supersonic speeds and can further involve the rupture of one or several membranes, the actual operation of the device can be quite noisy. In order to address this issue, the device was provided with a tubular shroud having a cylindrical silencer portion surrounding a downstream section of the nozzle. A spacer portion of the shroud extends axially beyond the exit plane of the nozzle to abut the target surface and positively space the exit plane of the nozzle from the target surface. An annular chamber was created between the nozzle and cylindrical silencer portion, wherein the chamber includes a series of baffles to create a tortuous path for escaping gas to pass through on its way through an upstream end of the silencer portion where several ports were provided for venting the gas to the atmosphere. Such a shroud is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,796. Although practical for its intended purpose, such a shroud is still noisy owing to the comparatively large vent ports. In addition, it has been found that the tubular shroud configuration allows for particles reflected from the target surface to pass out of the ports even after multiple reflections from the series of baffles. Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a silencer mechanism that reduces the noise associated with operation of the needleless syringe and which contains any particles which may reflect from the target surface.


A new cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata plant named ‘GRYPAST05’ that is characterized by its inflorescences with sterile flower sepals that are creamy white in color and remain creamy white as they mature, its inflorescences with sterile flower sepals that are star-shaped, its compact plant habit, and its strong flower stems.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'GRYPAST05'. 'GRYPAST05' represents a new panicle Hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use.
The new Hydrangea resulted from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. The Inventor made crosses in 2010 between unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants of Hydrangea paniculata in the Inventor's breeding program as both the female parent and male parent. The exact characteristics of the parents are unknown as seeds where pooled and sown from several crosses. 'GRYPAST05' was selected as a single unique plant in summer of 2013 from the resulting seedlings of the above crosses.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in summer of 2013 in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A communication information processing device that includes a reception component, an image processing component, a memory component and a control component is provided. The reception component receives communication information through an external communication line. The image processing component performs image processing on image information. The memory component is provided for memorizing image information for image processing by the image processing component, and that memorizes image information and the communication information received by the reception component. The control component, when a pre-specified setting condition is satisfied, controls the memory component so as to delete the communication information memorized in the memory component and to memorize image information to be used by the image processing component as a priority.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a communication information processing device, a communication information processing system, and a recording medium storing a communication information processing program.
2. Related Art
With the spread of computers, situations in which image forming devices such as printers and the like are shared across networks have been increasing. At such an image forming system which is common to a number of computers across a network, if no data is received from the computers for a period specified beforehand, control may be performed to stop power supplies to part of the image forming device, for example, portions with large power consumptions such as a fixing section of the image forming device, a CPU and the like, and thus switch into an energy-saving mode.
However, in the energy-saving mode, power is supplied only to a communication control section and power is not supplied to a CPU, main memory, bus bridge, printer output engine and the like. When the communication control section receives data through the network at such a time, the data is temporarily saved in a communications-specific buffer. However, because the bus bridge and the like are not electrified, it is not possible to transfer the received data to the main memory by DMA (direct memory access), and it is not possible to receive data reliably.

Communication information processing system


A method for treating hyperglycemia and/or reducing serum glucose levels in a patient that includes administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an amine polymer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the amine polymer is aliphatic. Examples of polymers useful in an embodiment of the invention include sevelamer hydrogen chloride and colesevelam. The invention includes the use of amine polymers such as a cross-linked polymer characterized by a repeat unit having the formula:

Nondiabetic hyperglycemia (high blood glucose concentration) is an indicator of cardiovascular risk (Balkan, B. et al., 21 Diabetes Care, 360 (1998)). About 16 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Individuals with both type 2 and type 1 diabetes have elevated blood sugar levels due to insulin regulation problems. Individuals with diabetes who practice tight blood glucose control can substantially reduce the risk of developing vascular complications of diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy (a condition which leads to blindness), diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and atherosclerosis.
Current methods of controlling blood glucose concentration include insulin injections, oral administration of sulfonylureas, glucophage (a biguanide drug), alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and thiazolidinedione. Some of these therapies have serious side-effects.

Abstract: and salts and copolymers thereof, where n is a positive integer and x is zero or an integer between 1 and about 4. Also described is a use, for the manufacture of a medicament, of a polymer that lowers serum glucose.


A method for controlling an active-clamp flyback power converter is provided. The method includes comprises: generating a switching signal in response to a feedback signal for switching a low-side transistor and regulating an output of the active-clamp flyback power converter; generating an active-clamp signal after the switching signal is disabled; generating a hysteresis bias to adjust the feedback signal; and generating a pulse signal periodically to enable the switching signal. The low-side transistor is coupled to switch a transformer. The switching signal is coupled to drive the low-side transistor. The active-clamp signal is coupled to drive a high-side transistor. A pulse width of the active-clamp signal is determined by a first resistor. The high-side transistor is connected in series with a capacitor to develop an active-clamp circuit. A minimum frequency of the switching signal is determined by a second resistor during a heavy load condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active-clamp flyback power converter, and, more specifically, the present invention relates to a control circuit of the active-clamp flyback power converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
The traditional active-clamp circuit can only achieve zero-voltage switching at particular load condition. Besides, its high circulated current during light-load condition causes higher power loss problem. The related prior arts can be found in "Clamped Continuous Flyback Power Converter", U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,278; "Offset Resonance Zero Voltage Switching Flyback Converter" U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,803 and "Active-clamp Circuit for Quasi-resonant Flyback Power Converter", U.S. patent application 20110305048.

Control circuit for active-clamp flyback power converter with programmable switching period


A shade canopy, particularly a shade canopy having an upper canopy and a lower canopy, is described. The shade canopy includes an upper canopy and a lower canopy. The lower canopy includes lower canopy sections radially disposed about a central portion of the upper canopy. Each of the lower canopy sections includes opposing end portions attached to the upper canopy. Each of the lower canopy sections also includes a middle portion extending between the opposing end portions, where the middle portion hangs belong the upper canopy.

Shade canopies, often including sheets of fabric or plastic, are commonly used to shield people and/or objects from sun. Typical applications of shade canopies include tents, patio covers, umbrellas, and the like. Many shade canopies include multiple layers to protect users from sunlight and/or precipitation. Multi-layer canopies often allow little or no sunlight through the canopy, a condition that may be undesirable to some users only wishing to avoid direct sunlight. Typical multi-layer canopies also include a separate frame structure supporting each of the canopy layers. These separate frame structures increase the weight, size, and cost of shade canopies.


An online repairable multiple drive library computer system, and method of online drive repair for repairing same, wherein the method comprises the steps of detecting that a drive has failed, placing the failed drive in an offline state, removing power to the failed drive, disconnecting any cabling attached to the failed drive, replacing the failed drive, reconnecting cabling to the replaced drive, restoring power to the replaced drive, and placing the replaced drive in an online state. All of the steps occur while one or more good drives in the multiple drive library computer system remain online, and accessible to a host.

This invention pertains to the repair of one or more failed storage drives in a multiple drive library computer system. Repair of a failed drive occurs while one or more good drives in the library system remain online. In this manner, a host may have continual and uninterrupted access to information stored within the library.
Although the online repairable system, components thereof, and method of online drive repair disclosed herein are especially advantageous in removable media type multiple drive library computer systems, they may also be adapted to other multiple component computer systems as well.
In a multiple drive library computer system, the first component to fail due to excessive use is often a storage drive. Typically, when a storage drive fails, the library undergoes a period of down time while the drive is repaired and/or replaced. During this down time, a host (whether it be a UNIX.RTM. work station, PC network server or otherwise) cannot access any of the information contained within the library.
Since loss of information access is unacceptable, efforts have been made to minimize library down time. These efforts include Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) and hot repair technologies.
The RAID technology involves a method of reconstructing data which is lost in the event of a drive's failure. Data is stored in a redundant array of non-removable media type drives, such that when a failed drive is replaced, an error-correction operation can be applied to the data blocks of the remaining storage drives in the redundant array so that the data which was lost can be reconstructed. Although the RAID method helps to minimize library down time, the method is not applicable to removable media type libraries. In a removable media type library, failure of a drive does not result in loss of data. It only results in loss of access to data.
In a hot repairable system, storage drives are guided on rails into hot repair sockets. A failed drive may be removed from its socket without notification to the library system or a host. As the failed drive is pulled from its socket, a system of long and short pins is used to incrementally disconnect power to the drive, to notify the library system and the host that the drive is no longer available, and to make the necessary changes in system parameters to keep the library system online. However, there is a barrier to implementing hot repair technology in a removable media type library. The barrier exists due to the requirement of a removable media type library that the media inserting faces of its storage drives face a robotic media inserter. In order to keep such a system online, it is necessary to remove storage drives by pulling them away from the robotic inserter. To do this, the electrical connection faces of the storage drives (which in standard drives are opposite their media inserting faces) must be free of blockage (sockets, circuit boards, pins, etc.). To affect a hot repair of a removable media storage drive, a storage drive would need to be constructed wherein its media inserting face and electrical connection face were on adjacent sides, rather than on opposite sides. This is an added expense which is unnecessary in view of the online repairable system and method of online drive repair disclosed herein.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to significantly reduce the down time of a multiple drive library computer system upon failure of one or more of the library's storage drives. In the case of a removable media type library, it is believed that library down time can be eliminated.
It is a further object of this invention to allow a host to have continual access to one or more good storage drives of a multiple drive library computer system while one or more failed drives of the library are repaired.

System for online SCSI drive repair utilizing detachable secondary I/O buses pigtailed to primary I/O bus wherein each secondary I/O bus has a length in excess of 100mm


A step motor includes a rotor having four magnetic poles, a first magnetic pole magnetically excited by a first coil, a second magnetic pole magnetically excited by a second coil, and a third magnetic pole magnetically excited by the first coil and the second coil. A gap between the third magnetic pole and the rotor is smaller than that between the first magnetic pole and the rotor and that between the second magnetic pole and the rotor. In the step motor, it is possible to intensify the influence, on the rotor having four poles, of the magnetic fields created from three magnetic poles. Accordingly, this can weaken the magnetic fields set up from the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole, which tend to intensify the influence on the rotor, enabling the torque smaller at the time of the rotation start of the rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to small-sized step motors for use in cameras or the like, and more particularly, to a step motor suitable for use in driving a shutter, lens, barrier, and the like of a camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, cameras have become electronics devices and shutters thereof are driven by the step motors. In addition, cameras are promoted to be small-sized and light-weighted, leading to a demand for small-sized step motors with high accuracy. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 2-2382 discloses a step motor that simultaneously excites two coils provided on a stating element (stator) and rotates a rotating element (rotor).
FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing a step motor 100 disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 2-2382. A stator 103 having a shape of isosceles trapezoid is provided in an outer periphery of a rotor 101. The stator 103 includes three magnetic poles 104, 105, and 106, and also includes a first coil 108 on the left and a second coil 109 on the right. The rotor 101 composed of a permanent magnet is rotated by controlling the direction of the current applied to the coils 108 and 109 to change the direction of the magnetic field. In addition, the third magnetic pole 106 is magnetically excited by left and right coils, and in particular, the third magnetic pole 106 includes a protrusion portion 107 that comes close to the rotor 101. The protrusion portion 107 is provided so that a North magnetic pole (or South magnetic pole) of the rotor 101 is positioned to the protrusion portion 107 when no magnetic field is set up.
It is preferable, however, that the step motor be designed to start the rotation from a halting state with less power consumption. However, the rotor 101 of the above-mentioned step motor 100 has two magnetic poles, and it is configured that South magnetic pole or North magnetic pole is positioned to the protrusion portion 107 in a halting state. Therefore, the above-described step motor 100 has a drawback that a large amount of energy is consumed at the time of starting the rotation.


The inventive concepts provide magnetic memory devices and methods forming the same. The method includes sequentially forming a first magnetic conductive layer and a capping layer on a substrate, patterning the capping layer and the first magnetic conductive layer to form a first magnetic conductive pattern and a capping pattern, forming an interlayer insulating layer exposing the capping pattern on the substrate, removing the capping pattern to expose the first magnetic conductive pattern, forming a tunnel barrier layer and a second magnetic conductive layer on the first magnetic conductive pattern and the interlayer insulating layer, and patterning the second magnetic conductive layer and the tunnel barrier layer to form a second magnetic conductive pattern and a tunnel barrier pattern.

The inventive concepts relate to magnetic memory devices and method of forming the same.
Semiconductor devices are widely used in an electronic industry because of their small sizes, multi-functions, and low manufacture costs. Semiconductor devices may include semiconductor memory devices storing logic data, semiconductor logic devices processing logic data, and/or system-on-chips (SOCs) of which each includes a memory element and a logic element.
As semiconductor devices have been highly integrated with the development of the electronic industry, various problems have been caused. For example, a margin of a manufacturing process may be reduced and a resistance of a resistance of a unit cell of a semiconductor memory device may increase. Thus, various researches are conducted for solving these problems.

Magnetic memory devices and methods of forming the same


There is provided a method and user equipment (UE) for supporting device to device (D2D) communication, for example side link communication, of wireless devices. At least one of the source UE or the destination UE is out of synchronization. Side link (SL) communication information (e.g. SL sync signal, SL timing request message, SL-data, special sync signal) may be blindly and repeatedly transmitted until the source UE receives a response from the destination UE.

A legacy cellular user equipment (UE) can communicate with another UE through a base station (BS) irrespective of the proximity (e.g. distance) between them. Such communication typically involves the use of licensed resources which incurs additional cost and consumes extra time and energy in order to establish a connection over the cellular network. On the other hand, device-to-device communication, for example side link (SL) communication, can enable UEs to directly communicate with each other. SL communication can be performed with or without assistance of a BS, which can potentially improve latency and battery life of the UE. Further, use of the unlicensed band for SL (SL-U) can provide some benefits without using expensive licensed spectrum thereby reducing the cost of transmission.
SL can be regarded as a secondary radio access technology and can coexist with the primary cellular communication on the UE without additional radio hardware. To this end, the existing SL protocol is designed to operate only when both the UE's transmitter and receiver are relatively free from cellular link responsibilities. For example, this can occur when the UE is in cellular discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. During cellular DRX mode, a UE can listen for a SL grant or SL message periodically, based on its SL-DRX cycle on the dedicated time slots. This is referred to as a SL paging occasion (SL-PO). To avoid conflicts, the locations of the SL-POs can be specified in true time, based on the unique ID of the UE. Once a SL communication link is established, SL message exchange can follow a synchronous hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process until completion of the message exchange. Thus, for this communication to occur, a UE that wishes to communicate with another UE via SL must be synchronized with and know the location of the destination (DST) UE's SL-PO.
Currently, there are some general requirements for SL. The SL protocol should be designed to operate on half-duplex frequency division duplex (HD-FDD) devices and should use the existing single radio. Further, the SL protocol should also be designed to meet reasonable latency and battery life targets with respect to the UEs and provide a level of flexibility for latency-power trade-off.
Current SL protocols typically only work where the source (SRC) UE and destination (DST) UE, which communicate with each other, are synchronized to the same cellular synchronization signals provided by a base station. Moreover, existing SL protocols require the SRC UE to acquire the location of the DST UE's SL-PO from the SL server. This can be accomplished for example, by obtaining the DST UE's ID and the SL-DRX period. However, existing SL protocols cannot always be used since the requirements, for example those as noted above, cannot be met at least in some circumstances. For example, when at least one of the SRC UE and DST UE is out of cellular coverage (OoCC) or connected to a different unsynchronized base station, the two UEs would not be synchronized and thus would be unable to communicate using SL. In another example, when the SRC UE is out of cellular coverage, the SRC UE does not have access to the SL server and therefore, would not be able to determine the location of the DST UE's SL-PO.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for supporting device to device communication between wireless devices, that is not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

Method and apparatus for supporting device to device communication for wireless devices