A housing for use in high pressure fluid applications comprises a first drilling having a region of enlarged diameter bounded by an upper boundary in a first plane and a lower boundary in a second plane; and a second drilling intersecting with the first drilling via an intersection region. The intersection region includes a first substantially flat surface which defines a ceiling of the intersection region and which intersects the upper boundary of the region of enlarged diameter, and a second substantially flat surface which is opposed to the first substantially flat surface and which defines a floor of the intersection region and intersects the lower boundary of the region of enlarged diameter. As the flat surfaces are in alignment with a region of maximum hoop stress they do not act as a significant stress raiser at the intersection.

One problem often encountered when designing and operating engineering components having intersecting passages is that stress concentrations arise at the intersections or transitions between the passages when the passages are under pressure. For example, in hydraulic applications such as pumps, the passages carry high-pressure fluid which acts upon the walls of the passages to create high stress concentrations, which can lead to failure of the component by fatigue close to or at the intersection. In some applications, such as common rail fuel pumps, the stresses generated can be extremely high due to the considerable pressure of fuel that is generated within the pump.
FIG. 1(a) shows part of a known pump assembly for use in a common rail diesel engine. The pump assembly includes a pump housing 10 provided with a blind bore 12 within which a pumping plunger (not shown) reciprocates, in use, under the influence of a drive arrangement (also not shown). The plunger and its bore 12 extend co-axially through the pump housing 10 with the upper region of the bore defining a pump chamber 14 for fuel. Fuel at relatively low pressure is delivered to the pump chamber 14 through an inlet passage 16 under the control of an inlet non-return valve (not shown). Fuel is pressurised within the pump chamber 14 as the plunger reciprocates within the bore 12 and, once pressure reaches a predetermined level, fuel is delivered to an outlet passage, referred to generally as 18, via an outlet valve (not shown), which extends transversely to the bore 12. The outlet passage 18 intersects with the plunger bore 12 in a recess 20 which has an enlarged diameter compared with the diameter along the remainder of the bore. The outlet passage 18 delivers pressurised fuel to a downstream common rail of the fuel injection system.
Due to the high pressures that are generated cyclically within the pump chamber 14 during the pumping cycle, one problem that may occur within the pump assembly of the aforementioned type is high pressure fatigue of parts due to the increased stress in the region of intersection between the plunger bore 12, 20 and the outlet passage 18. As the plunger reciprocates within its bore 12 and fuel is pressurised to a high level within the pump chamber 14, a pulsating tensile stress occurs within the pump housing 10 that can cause cracks to grow. The pulsating tensile stress has two main effects within the pump housing 10: hoop stress acts around the perimeter of the plunger bore 12, 20 particularly in the vicinity of the pump chamber 14, and axial stress acts along the length of the plunger bore 12, 20.
It has previously been shown that the stress concentrations at the intersection between fluid passages can be reduced by shaping the intersection at the end of one passage, for example by radiusing the intersection to reduce the presence of sharp features and thin regions of material at the intersection. FIG. 1(b) shows a cross section of the pump assembly to illustrate the radiusing of the intersection between the outlet passage 18 and the plunger bore recess 20. At its intersecting end, the outlet passage 18 includes a conical surface 22 and terminates in a blend radius 24 between the cone 22 and the plunger bore recess 20.
The Applicant's granted European Patent No. EP 06256052 describes a more sophisticated shaping of the intersection which may be used between the outlet passage and the plunger bore in a high pressure common rail to further reduce the stress concentrations where the outlet passage meets the plunger bore. The solution proposes an intersection region which flares towards the plunger bore with a generally rectangular shape, with a radius being provided on the flare to smooth the transition between the flare and the plunger bore.
Whilst these approaches have been successful in high pressure pump applications operating to a certain pressure level, at the increasingly high pressures demanded of current common rail pumps the stress concentration at the intersecting region is not reduced enough to reduce the fatigue problem appreciably.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high pressure fuel pump, and more generally a housing for high-pressure fluid applications, in which the stress concentrations between intersecting passages are reduced further compared to known solutions.

Housing with intersecting passages for high pressure fluid applications

Delphi International Operions Luxembourg S.A.R.L.


An apparatus (10) and a method for treating patients suffering from vascular disease with infra-, audible- and ultrasound waves. The apparatus (10) includes a treating head (15) for emitting sound waves with frequencies ranging from 1 Hz to 100 kHz and introducing the sound waves through a coupling medium (20) into a body portion (22) to be treated, an electronics (12) connected to the treating head (15) for energizing the treating head (15) to emit the sound waves, and a control panel (11) connected to the electronics (12) to choose the electronic waveform of the energizing.

Diseases due to circulatory deterioration are amongst the most widespread diseases of developed societies. These can cause such organic, systemic and/or general complaints that can finally result in necrotizing the tissue involved, loosing the limb or a damage of the nervous system with its concomitant dreadful signs. If the organ involved is the heart itself, the circulatory deterioration can fall into a cardiac decompensation that leads to the death of the individual. Moreover, the formation of the mentioned diseases is a lingering process that takes several years or even decades and it is noticed by the individual only in the final stage when its symptoms intensify and become unbearable. Consequently, such an insidious disease is referred to here in case of which it would be of great importance nowadays to be treated cheaply and efficiently, to impede the deterioration in condition it causes and, in general, to prevent formation of the disease itself.
Presently there are several routes for conservative and semi-conservative treatment of vascular diseases already developed. The conservative therapy of peripheral vasoconstriction leading to complaints takes place medicinally which is fairly expensive and to various extent can also lead to the appearance of side-effects on people who were subjected thereto. In case of regional ischaemia of the skin and the skeletal muscles the application of various preparations, such as calcium channel blockers, can be effective. These preparations, however, act systemicly and can increase the local circulation only in that case when the ischaemia is acute and has got a functional origin, because in case of severe chronic ischaemia the arterioles are already maximally dilated. Their application is extremely dangerous, especially for people suffering from cardiac disease. Besides avoiding the dangerous side-effects there is a need for a compound of a specific effect for therapeutical use, especially for enhancing the circulation of the skeleton muscles in case of claudicatio intermittens, i.e. when during walk constriction of the arteries within the lower extremities causing ischaemia entails a spasm of pain in the calf, which pain ceases on stopping. Unfortunately, no such a specific compound has been discovered till now.
Amongst the medicaments used for therapy, at the moment the most well-known one is Pentoxifylline that is expansively used by physicians for the conservative treatment of vasoconstriction entailing the complaints. Its mechanism of action upon the circulation, however, differs from that of implied by the term 'vasodilator' widely known; according to our present scientific knowledge Pentoxifylline and compounds having similar action have got no proven effect upon vasoconstriction, that is, eventually upon the vessel wall itself. Pentoxifylline merely decreases rigidity of normocytes, corrects pathological deformations occurred in their shape, blocks thrombocyte aggregation, decreases viscosity of blood and hence increases the oxygen and nutrient supply of ischaemic tissues by means of improving the macro- and microcirculation. As a consequence, in case of proper reactions, circulation of the ischaemic tissue gets better and the colour of the skin changes: it passes from blue-grey to a healthy skin-coloured. The temperature of the ischaemic tissue is gradually increasing to that of the other intact portions, or at least approaches that. Depending on the extent of vasoconstriction, the pain eases or ceases altogether. Therefore, in view of the actual mechanism of action it would be more precise to classify Pentoxyfilline as a circulation enhancer.
In view of the above mechanism of action and by experience it is known that after giving up the application of circulation enhancers normocytes regain the rigidity they owned before the treatment and, as they are loosing their plasticity induced artificially by the medicament, a decrease in circulation due to vasoconstriction with its concomitant symptomes and complaints recurs. This means that the continued taking of preparations acting upon normocytes becomes necessary, besides taking into account neither the side-effects nor the effect gradually decreasing as a result of the long and frequent medicating.
However, Pentoxifylline and compounds having similar effects to that of Pentoxifylline do not affect the vessel-walls and their remarkable effect occurs, of course only in a short period of time, solely in case of frequent medicating; hence, neither further improvement of the ischaemic tissues can be accomplished nor the deterioration of the disease can be stopped by their usage.
Besides the medicinal therapy other treating techniques also exist and are used. U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,331 discloses an apparatus and a method for semi-conservative treatment of peripheral vascular disease and organ ischaemia. According to the given solution, the extent of blood flow in a patient's limb or ischaemic pain is measured by a suitable sensor and on basis of the obtained results a level of spinal cord stimulation or peripheral nerve stimulation is determined. Then in accordance with the level of stimulation determined the spinal cord, peripheral nerve or neural tissue ganglia is electrically stimulated by means of stimulation leads. The stimulation results in improving blood flow of the tissue and decreasing the ischaemic pain in the limb. The strength of the stimulation is continuously and automatically adjusted in accordance with the condition of the patient. A major drawback of this solution is that the implantation of the stimulation leads generally requires minor or major operations to be performed.

Apparatus for treating patients suffering from vascular disease by means of infra-, audible- and ultrasound waves


Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for controlling power of laser lights emitted by an optical sensing device. The system includes at least one storage device configured to store instructions and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations include detecting an object within a field of view of the optical sensing device based on a reflected laser signal received by the optical sensing device, determining a distance of the object from the optical sensing device, determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance, and comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value. The operations also include adjusting a laser emission scheme to reduce the total power when the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.

Optical sensing systems such as LiDAR systems have been widely used in autonomous driving and producing high-definition maps. For example, a typical LiDAR system measures the distance to a target by illuminating the target with pulsed laser light beams and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor such as a photodetector. Differences in laser light return times, wavelengths, and/or phases can then be used to construct digital three-dimensional (3D) representations of the target. Because using a narrow laser beam as the incident light can map physical features with very high resolution, a LiDAR system is particularly suitable for applications such as sensing in autonomous driving and/or high-definition map surveys.
A LiDAR system can use a transmitter to transmits a signal (e.g., pulsed laser light) into the surroundings, and use a receiver to collect the returned signal (e.g., laser light reflected by an object in the surroundings). The LiDAR system can then calculate parameters such as the distance between the object and the LiDAR system based on, e.g., the speed of light and the time the signal travels (e.g., the duration of time between the time the signal is transmitted and the time the returned signal is received) and use the parameters to construct 3D maps and/or models of the surroundings. To improve the detection range and the signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), higher energy of the laser light is often needed. On the other hand, however, the energy of the signal also needs to be limited to avoid potential harm to human eye. Therefore, it is challenging to balance the performance demands and regulatory safety mandate in LiDAR system development.
Embodiments of the disclosure address the above challenges by systems and methods for dynamically controlling the laser power used in LiDAR systems.

Dynamic laser power control in light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems


Anti-bit balling drilling fluids and methods of making and using drilling fluids are provided. The anti-bit balling drilling fluid contains water, a clay-based component, and at least one of a surfactant having the formula: R—(OC2H4)x—OH, where R is a hydrocarbyl group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms and x is an integer from 1 and 10, or a polyethylene glycol having the formula: H—(O—CH2—CH2)n—OH, where n is an integer from 1 to 50. Methods of making and using these drilling fluids are also provided.

In the oil drilling industry, bit balling refers to a buildup of cuttings from clay (also known as shale) that may adhere to a drill bit. Drill "cuttings" are broken bits of solid materials produced as rock or soil is broken apart that must be continuously removed from the borehole during drilling. Bit balling may occur at almost any time, and may result in a reduction in the rate of penetration, reduced surface torque of the drill bit, and an increase in stand pipe pressure. As clay accumulates and bit balling increases, drilling will slow and, eventually, may have to be stopped for the drill bit to be cleaned.
Conventional additives or coatings may be used to control bit balling tendencies; however, most additives require an oil phase in the drilling fluid or require an emulsified drilling fluid to be effective. The oil phase in the fluid may provide lubrication necessary for the additives to function. Some anti-bit balling additives also require a particular pH range and cloud point range to be compatible with the drilling fluids used. Additionally, the efficacy of conventional additives and coatings is lacking, often requiring the drill to be frequently removed and cleaned before drilling can proceed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A guitar pick having a body terminating at an edge, with a tip defined along a portion of the edge, includes first and second faces with first and second wear indicators disposed thereon adjacent the edge and spaced inwardly therefrom. The wear indicators provide a fixed reference against which the wear experienced by the tip can be ascertained. The wear indicators can be either lines imprinted on the first and second faces or can be raised ridges extending outwardly therefrom.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to a pick for a stringed musical instrument. More particularly, the invention relates to a pick having a wear indicator. Specifically, the invention relates to a pick having a line or ridge disposed adjacent a playing surface to provide a visual indication of the extent to which the playing surface has worn away.
2. Background Information
Stringed musical instruments such as guitars, banjos and the like contain metal or plastic strings that are selectively strummed by the user to create music. The strings can be strummed by the user's fingertips although such strumming sometimes can lead to irritation, pain, and wear of the skin on the fingertips. As is understood in the relevant art, a pick is often used to selectively pluck or strum the strings of the stringed musical instrument. Such a pick typically is held between the thumb and forefinger of the playing hand or is attached to one of the fingers thereof with the tip of the pick being used to strum the strings of the musical instrument. The use of a pick in such a fashion obviates the wear and irritation otherwise caused to the fingertips.
The use of such picks has not, however, been without limitation. A pick preferably is formed with a pointed tip to permit the user to selectively strum one or more strings out of a group of closely spaced and parallel strings. Inasmuch as the pointed tip must operatively interact with metal and/or plastic strings that are tightly tensioned, the friction between the pick and the string results in incremental wear of the pointed tip of the pick. The vast majority of such picks are manufactured out of a stiff plastic material inasmuch as plastic provides the desired level of rigidity and damping to operate effectively with the vibrating strings of stringed musical instruments. Thus, wear is inevitably experienced at the tip of the pick. Such wear occurs incrementally with use and gradually impairs the performance of the pick with a resulting deleterious effect on the quality of the music produced by the stringed musical instrument. Such a worn pick may also be correspondingly difficult to play. The slow progress of the wear can often go unnoticed by the user.
Thus, it is desired to provide a pick having a wear indicator that provides a visual indication of the extent that the tip of the pick has worn away with use. Preferably, the wear indicator would be a line or raised ridge adjacent the edge and spaced inward therefrom with the tip wear appearing as an incongruity between the wear indicator and the tip.


The present description relates to a food container which comprises at least one opening through which food is moved and a humidity source in fluid contact with an air stream providing humidity to the air stream. The air stream is directed across the opening to form a barrier between the interior of the container and the exterior environment.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to the field of containers. In particular, the subject matter described herein relates to food containers. The food containers may be used for storing food, holding food at temperature, cooling food, humidifying food, rethermalizing food, warming food, and/or cooking food.
A wide variety and configuration of food containers are used to house and display food in places such as convenience stores, restaurants, etc. Depending on the type of food, these containers may be heated, cooled, and/or humidified to prevent the food from becoming cold and/or hard, thus making the food more appealing to consumers. For example, the containers may be used to house and display donuts, pastries, hot dogs, etc. In other applications, the containers may be used to refrigerate and/or freeze food to prevent it from melting, spoiling, etc. In still other applications, the containers may be used to hold food at elevated temperature or to cook food.
Typically, a solid barrier such as a door is used to isolate the interior of the container from the exterior environment. The door prevents the transfer of heat and/or humidity between the interior of the container and the exterior environment. The door is usually hinged on one side so that it can be opened and closed to provide access to the interior of the container. Unfortunately continually opening and closing the door may result in a loss of productivity and efficiency on the part of the persons using the containers. Users often desire to quickly remove items from the containers. For example, in a fast food setting, a food preparer may want to be able to quickly access food components (e.g., hot dog buns, hot dogs) to prepare the finished food product (e.g., a hot dog in the bun with desired toppings). In other situations, the container may be provided with an opening that does not include a barrier between the exterior environment and the interior of the container. This arrangement results in a loss of efficiency due to excess heating, cooling, and/or humidifying. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved food container for housing items such as food.
It should be understood that the claims define the scope of the subject matter for which protection is sought, regardless of whether any of the aforementioned disadvantages are overcome by the subject matter covered by the claims. Also, the terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as would be recognized by those of skill in the art, except, to the extent a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or except if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phase "as used herein shall mean" or similar language. Accordingly, the claims are not tied to any particular embodiment, feature, or combination of features other than those explicitly recited in the claims.


An apparatus, system, and method are contemplated in which the apparatus may include a memory with a plurality of pages, circuitry, and a plurality of pre-charge circuits. The circuitry may be configured to receive a first read command and address, corresponding to a given page. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to charge a plurality of data lines to a predetermined voltage. The circuitry may be configured to read data values from the memory, and transfer the data values to the plurality of data lines. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to maintain the data on the plurality of data lines. The circuitry may select a first subset of the maintained data, receive a second read command and a second address by the memory, and select a second subset of the maintained data responsive to a determination that the second address corresponds to the given page.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments described herein are related to the field of integrated circuit implementation, and more particularly to the implementation of memories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computing systems may include one or more systems on a chip (SoC), which may integrate a number of different functions, such as, graphics processing, onto a single integrated circuit. With numerous functions included in a single integrated circuit, chip count may be kept low in mobile computing systems, such as tablets, for example, which may result in a smaller form factor for such mobile computing systems.
Memories, such as those included in SoC designs, typically include a number of data storage cells arranged in an array, and composed of transistors fabricated on a semiconductor substrate. Such data storage cells may be constructed according to a number of different circuit design styles. For example, the data storage cells may be implemented as a single transistor coupled to a capacitor to form a dynamic storage cell. Alternatively, cross-coupled inverters may be employed to form a static storage cell, or a floating gate metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) may be used to create a non-volatile memory.
One method for reading data from a memory array includes using a plurality of data lines, each coupled to one or more sense amplifiers (also referred to as "sense amps"). The data lines may be pre-charged to a known logic level, such as a logic 1, after which, the sense amps may detect a logic level, such as a logic 0, in a selected memory cell and pull the corresponding pre-charged data line to the logic 0 level. After the data lines have been read, they may be pre-charged again in preparation for the next read operation.
The pre-charging and detection of data values in a memory array may be a source of undesired power consumption. A method of reducing the power consumption associated with reading memory cells is desired.

Dynamic global memory bit line usage as storage node


A combined respiratory and heart rate sensor for a mammal has a flexible support with a surface adapted to be positioned over the skin of a mammal. A pair of inductive coil or capacitive plate elements, spaced apart by a foam spacer having openings therein, are attached to the support surface and are capable of independently sensing respiratory movement of the mammal in a direction perpendicular to the support surface and producing an output signal proportional thereto. The heart rate sensor includes an LED attached to the flexible support capable, and at least two light-detecting elements spaced apart from the LED, each capable of independently sensing light radiation reflected through the skin and capillaries from the light-emitting element and producing an output signal proportional thereto. A barrier layer attached to the support shield from the light-detecting elements light radiation that is not emitted from the LED.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the respiratory and heart rate of infants and adults, as well as other mammals, and in particular to a monitoring system that may be applied to areas of the body previously thought to be unsuitable for such monitoring.
2. Description of Related Art
Heart rate monitors employing photo rather than electrode means to acquire heart rate offer the advantage of a noninvasive electrodeless method of monitoring subjects. While there are accepted and practiced means that employ photo sensors to measure heart rate, current sensor designs have only been usable in highly perfused areas of the body that have underlying arterial blood supplies very close to the skin surface. Heart rate monitoring sites have been restricted to appendages, for example, finger tips, wrist (ulner and radial arteries), ear lobes, toes and ankles. These locations also exhibit large motion artifacts when moving that can cause discontinuous monitoring of heart rate during the movement. Traditionally, most commercial heart rate photo sensors are connected by means of a wire from the subject's sensor to the monitor.
For monitoring respiration, prior art inductive or capacitance plethmography respiration sensors typically embody coils of wire or conductive material that wrap almost completely around the subject's thoracic area. Typically inductive sensors sense motion by stretching the coil, thereby causing the mutual inductance of the entire coil to respond to any motion or stretching of the coil. These types of sensors produce very reliable and artifact resistant respiration signal analogs when compared to the conventional trans-thoracic impedance (TIP) methods used in commercial monitors. However, such systems require calibration, are cumbersome, and are wired to the remote monitor. A single wraparound-type inductive coil or capacitive plate transducer generally cannot provide the required sensitivity due to the fact that the entire coil may move in response to artifact as well as respiratory efforts, which in some cases actually cancels or nullifies the desired respiratory movement detection.
Further, there is generally thought to be an incompatibility between locations on a subject's body for both heart and respiration sensors. The sites that provide good photo sensor heart wave signals (fingers, wrist, ear and foot locations) are believed to be incompatible with sites for acquiring respiration signals (thoracic, umbilicus areas). Therefore prior art attempts to combine these two methods of bio-signal acquisition have required separate sensors at distinctly different areas of the body to be measured.

Wireless respiratory and heart rate monitoring system


A wavelet transform is applied to an original image, so as to generate an image of a first hierarchy. Among the thus generated image of the first hierarchy, each of high-frequency sub-band components 1HL, 1LH and 1HH are immediately quantized and coded so as to be temporarily stored in a coded data storage. Another wavelet transform is applied to an LL sub-band component, among the image of the first hierarchy, so as to generate an image of a second hierarchy. Thereafter, an image of a third hierarchy is generated from an LL sub-band component in the image of the second hierarchy. During such a process, quantization and coding processings are performed in parallel with transformation processings. After all processings are completed and the coded data are prepared, coded image data complying with the JPEG2000 standard are generated by first reading out low-frequency components in sequence from the prepared coded data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing technology, and it particularly relates to an image processing method and an image coding apparatus utilizing the image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the twentieth century, which was often called "The Century of Images," a great variety of pictures and images were produced and put to use in movies, TV broadcasts and so forth. During the 1990's in particular, the widespread use of PCs (personal computers) and other information equipment, the popularization of digital cameras, color printers and so forth and the explosive increase in the use of the Internet accounted for deep infiltration of the culture of digital images into everyday life of ordinary people. Under these circumstances, coding and compression technologies, such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) for still images and MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) for moving images, have been standardized so as to improve the facility of distribution and reproduction of the images through recording media, such as CD-ROM, and transmission media, such as networks and broadcasting waves. JPEG2000, which is an advanced version in the JPEG series, has already been announced, and the middle- to long-term targets for MPEG have already been worked out, too. Therefore, the on-going and future sophistication of image processing technologies will without doubt lead us deeper into the world of digital images.
The technological advance in such apparatuses as digital cameras and scanners that produce image data is so remarkable that images with higher resolution and higher quality can be acquired very easily. As the resolution of images becomes higher, the data amount increases as might be expected and the coding technology is expected to play a very important role to cope with this increased amount of image data. Though efforts to seek the excellent data structures are to be made constantly of course on one hand, the improved efficiency in processing the coding compression, that is, the technology by which to realize coding compression processing with further reduced processing time and minimum hardware resource is very much in demand, on the other hand.

Image processing method and image coding apparatus utilizing the image processing method


A bonding tool that executes an ultrasonic vibration processing of applying ultrasonic vibration to an application portion on a lead wire from a direct contact tip portion and a pair of press mechanisms having a pair of press rollers capable of performing a rotational operation. The pair of press mechanisms executes a press processing of pressing both sides of the application portion on the lead wire by the pair of press rollers at a time of execution of the ultrasonic vibration processing by the bonding tool and a movement processing of executing a rotational operation performed by the pair of press rollers to move the pair of press rollers on the lead wire while pressing the lead wire at a time of non-execution of the ultrasonic vibration processing.

A pressurized ultrasonic vibration bonding technique is conventionally adopted as a method of an intermediate joint bonding in a wire harness, for example. In the ultrasonic vibration bonding technique, a work is disposed on a predetermined member, and ultrasonic vibration is applied while pressing the work. The work is strongly bonded to the predetermined member by energy of the pressure and the ultrasonic vibration.
The pressurized ultrasonic vibration bonding technique is also adopted in a field of semiconductor at a time of mounting an electronic component, and Patent Document 1 discloses a pressurized ultrasonic vibration bonding apparatus as such a technique, for example.

TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION


A CD-based device for separating plasma from whole blood includes a substrate, a sedimentation chamber disposed in the substrate, and a collection chamber disposed in the substrate and in fluidic communication with the sedimentation chamber through a siphon channel. The sedimentation chamber includes a plurality of finger-like structures disposed along a radially outward edge of the sedimentation chamber, and protruding radially inward relative to the axis of rotation of the substrate. A method for separating plasma from whole blood using the CD-based device includes introducing a blood sample into the sedimentation chamber, rotating the substrate about an axis of rotation at a first rotational speed to separate the plasma from blood cells, and rotating the substrate about the axis of rotation at a second rotational speed, which is lower than the first rotational speed, to move the plasma from the sedimentation chamber into the collection chamber.

Continuous flow systems are an attractive solution for processing large volume blood samples within the framework of microfluidic devices. However, existing continuous flow separation mechanisms are not well suited for handling high hematocrit-level samples. Hematocrit refers the percentage of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells. Non-batch microfluidic devices generally require hematocrit levels ranging from 3% to 25% with the raw blood sample requiring dilution with buffer, and therefore necessitating longer device runs and perhaps additional integrated enrichment or capturing processes.
Centrifugal or compact disc (CD)-based microfluidics offer a simple approach to blood sample preparation as they allow for the multiplexing, automation and miniaturization of the classical blood separation technique based on sedimentation. By exploiting density and size differences between the various blood components, one sediments the denser cellular components of blood and is left with a cell-free plasma sample. The small-volume separation of plasma from both raw and diluted blood samples using centrifugal microfluidic systems has been demonstrated using a CD-based platform. For example, Schembri et al., have demonstrated a multiplexed centrifugal microfluidic device capable of processing a 90 μL whole blood sample by separating and then diluting the plasma into 12 separate testing chambers. See Schembri C. et al., Centrifugation and capillarity integrated into a multiple analyte whole blood analyser. J. Automat. Chem. 17, 99-104 (1995). Additionally, Haeberle et al. developed a device to extract 2 μL of plasma from 5 μL of a whole blood sample. Haeberle S. et al., Centrifugal extraction of plasma from whole blood on a rotating disk. Lab Chip 6(6), 776-781 (2006). They demonstrated a separation time of about 20 seconds at a moderate spinning frequency of 40 Hz (2400 RPM). The same group also integrated measurement of the concentration of hemoglobin (Hb) or hematocrit levels in human whole blood samples with plasma separation.

Microfluidic device for whole blood sample preparation

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA


Provided is a method of efficiently reducing time taken for reading data from a SIM. For this purpose, the valid records of each EF are checked and only valid records with data are selectively read from a desired EF.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for increasing a speed at which data is read from a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), and in particular, to a method and apparatus for efficiently reducing the time required to read data from a SIM.
2. Description of the Related Art
Smart card modules such as a SIM, a User Identity Module (UIM), and a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) are widely used in mobile terminals. A SIM card, which is inserted into a European Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) terminal, stores non-volatile data such as a personal phonebook, carries out limited encryption, and implements software. A UIM card supports multiple modes in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and GSM terminals. A USIM card is inserted into a 3rd Generation (3G) mobile terminal.
The SIM card is selected as an example and described below with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates the file system structure for a typical SIM card.
Referring to FIG. 1, the file system of the SIM card includes a Master File (MF), Dedicated Files (DFs) and Elementary Files (EFs). When the SIM card operates, the MF is the first to be selected and set as the current directory. The DFs are dedicated files for respective services to support multiple functions required for service provider-specific services (telecom service) and GSM services. Each DF has a plurality of EFs for storing data used for each service.
The thus-configured SIM card has been developed to store a variety of data for which its memory capacity continues to increase from tens of kilobytes to hundreds of kilobytes and its operation correspondingly needs to be speedy.
However, when a SIM card is inserted into a mobile terminal, the terminal commences to read all data stored on the SIM card. Therefore, the time taken for reading the data increases with memory capacity. This will be described in more detail, with an example of reading EF Abbreviated Dialing Numbers (EFADN) having phonebook data. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional signal flow for reading data from EFADN.
Referring to FIG. 2, when a user selects a phonebook menu, a Mobile Equipment (ME) 10 transmits a Select EFADN command to a SIM 20 in order to select a particular file having phonebook data in step 30. That is, the ME 10 selects a corresponding EF before reading data from EFADN. In step 40, the SIM 20 transmits a response allowing reading of EFADN information from an EF Access Rule Reference (EFARR) to the ME 10. Since a reference to the access rule of EFADN is stored in EFARR, the SIM 20 notifies of the position of information about EFADN in EFARR. The EFADN information includes an EFADN ID, record numbers, and the like. The record number is used to identify each field because a large amount of data with the same characteristic is stored in one EF in a linear fixed type that stores data in records.
EFADN for storing phonebook data has the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a capture of the state of data stored in EFADN. Although data is stored in the first and third records as illustrated in FIG. 3, the ME 10 transmits as many Read Record commands as the total number of records in EFADN to the SIM 20 in order to read data from EFADN in step 50. Given 500 records in EFADN, the ME 10 transmits 500 Read Record commands to the SIM 20. Even if data are stored only in part of the records of EFADN, as many Read Record commands as the total number of the records are transmitted.
While at present, the typical SIM card accommodates 100 to 250 phonebook records, a SIM card having 500 phonebook records has been produced. Since the number of phonebook records is increasing to a multiple of 250, there exists a need for increasing a speed at which an EF of a phonebook record type or any other record type is read.
Moreover, the memory capacity of the SIM card is increasing exponentially from 32K up to 128K and phonebook lists that can be stored in EFADN are also increasing by multiple times. At present, upon initial booting, the ME processes an initialization process with the SIM in the simple form of an idle state display but when the user selects a phonebook menu, the ME has to read actual phonebook data. Hence, as the amount of phonebook data increases, the time taken to enter the menu increases. As a result, the time for notifying of the phonebook initialization is lengthened.
For example, 40 seconds is taken for a SIM card supporting 250 records, and 1 minute 30 seconds for a SIM card supporting 500 records. Therefore, the user has to wait until the phonebook initialization ends.
As described above, after power-on, the conventional ME reads all EFs from the SIM card and stores them in its cache during a SIM initialization. In the case of a record-type EF, the initialization time increases exponentially according to the number of records, thereby increasing the time for entering into an idle state. As a consequence, the time required for entering the idle state increases with the memory capacity of the SIM card.

Method and apparatus for increasing data read speed from subscriber identity module


An IGBT module has an IGBT element. Within a refrigerant tank is sealed refrigerant. On the bottom part of the refrigerant tank is provided the IGBT module. The heat emitted from the IGBT element is absorbed by the refrigerant by the transmission of the boiling heat emitted from the IGBT element and the refrigerant is gasified by the absorbed heat. A radiation tube is communicated with the refrigerant tank at one end and blocked at the other end. Within the radiation tube is disposed corrugated inner fins, and an upper space, refrigerant passages through for guiding the refrigerant from the refrigerant tank into the upper space, and thin holes in which a liquid pooling part for returning the refrigerant from the upper space into the refrigerant tank is formed are dividingly formed respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cooling apparatus using boiling refrigerant, and more particularly to a cooling apparatus using boiling and condensing refrigerant which cools a heating element, such as heated semiconductor element.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional apparatus for cooling semiconductor elements which generate heat while being driven, there has been a technique disclosed in the Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 3-29181, for example. This technique is embodied as a hermetic siphon system in which the heat generated by a semiconductor element is absorbed by refrigerant, thereby the refrigerant is gasified and rises through a radiation part, then the heat is radiated to the outside from the radiation part, and in this way the semiconductor element is cooled.
In such apparatus, inner fins vertically laid out within the radiation part is formed so that the heat emitted from the refrigerant can easily be absorbed by the radiation part.
However, according to the apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 3-29181, as the boiled and gasified vapor rising flow and the condensed and liquefied return flow run reverse, these flows turn into the what is called flushed state as the vapor velocity increases. This makes the liquid flow impossible to further return, and poses a problem that the maximum heat transportation rate is lowered.
Another technique has been disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-204156, in which a passage is formed for passing therethrough the boiled and gasified refrigerant and a passage is formed for passing therethrough the condensed and liquefied refrigerant within the radiation part. According to this technique, inner fins are formed at vertically uniform intervals within the radiation part and a special sheet member is arranged at the under part of the inner fins to actively guide the boiled and gasified refrigerant into any of the inner fins. This publication also carries a statement that a plurality of special pipes are arranged outside the radiation part for use as passages for passing therethrough the boiled and gasified refrigerant and as passages for passing therethrough the condensed and liquefied refrigerant.
However, according to the technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-204156, the special sheet member is disposed at the under part of the inner fins to actively guide the boiled and gasified refrigerant into any of the inner fins. This poses a problem that not only additional man-hour would be required for installation of such special sheet member but also, as the inner fins into which the boiled and gasified refrigerant is guided are constructed to comparatively be narrow, efficient cooling can not be achieved.

Cooling apparatus using boiling and condensing refrigerant


A hardware-implemented file reader includes an interface, multiple hardware-implemented column readers and a hardware-implemented record reconstructor. The interface is configured to access a file including multiple records. The records store values in accordance with a nested structure that supports optional values and repeated values. The file is stored in a columnar format having multiple columns, each column storing (i) compressed values and (ii) corresponding compressed structure information that associates the values in the column to the nested structure of the records. Each column reader is configured to be assigned to a respective selected column, and to read and decompress both the values and the structure information from at least a portion of the selected column. The record reconstructor is configured to reconstruct one or more of the records from at least portions of the columns that are read by the column readers, and to output the reconstructed records.

Apache Parquet is a popular columnar data storage format. Parquet files have a complex hierarchical structure and support multiple compression and encoding schemes. Some attempts have been made to process Parquet files in hardware. For example, Van Leeuwen et al. describe a Parquet-to-Arrow converter, in "High-throughput conversion of Apache Parquet files to Apache Arrow in-memory format using FPGAs," CompSys 2019, Jun. 4, 2019.


A context-free grammar can be represented by a weighted finite-state transducer. This representation can be used to efficiently compile that grammar into a weighted finite-state automaton that accepts the strings allowed by the grammar with the corresponding weights. The rules of a context-free grammar are input. A finite-state automaton is generated from the input rules. Strongly connected components of the finite-state automaton are identified. An automaton is generated for each strongly connected component. A topology that defines a number of states, and that uses active ones of the non-terminal symbols of the context-free grammar as the labels between those states, is defined. The topology is expanded by replacing a transition, and its beginning and end states, with the automaton that includes, as a state, the symbol used as the label on that transition. The topology can be fully expanded or dynamically expanded as required to recognize a particular input string.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is directed to the systems and methods for constructing weighted finite-state automata used to represent grammars.
2. Description of Related Art
Context-free and context-dependent grammars are used in a variety of technical fields, such as linguistics, speech recognition and speech synthesis (text-to-speech), to represent the conversion of one set of symbols into another set of symbols. For example, in context-dependent linguistic rewrite rules, the grammar defines how elements of a language can be combined based on the context in which those elements appear. Similarly, context-free grammars can be used to convert acoustic signals into recognized speech.
Grammars generally comprise a large number of rules, where each rule defines how a given string of symbols can be produced from a different series of symbols. In many computer-implementations, such grammars are represented or implemented using finite-state automata. If the grammar is a weighted grammar, the weighted grammar is represented as a finite-state transducer. Representing grammars using finite-state automata or transducers is often crucial, as finite-state automata or transducers can be optimized by compacting, or determinizing and minimizing, the finite-state automata or transducers.

Systems and methods for generating weighted finite-state automata representing grammars


Provided is an abnormality detection device which detects an abnormality in a target machine, comprising: a first acquisition unit which acquires a drive side temperature of the target machine; a second acquisition unit which acquires a non-drive side temperature of the target machine; a correlation storage unit which stores a correlation between the drive side temperature and the non-drive side temperature based on the drive side temperature and the non-drive side temperature during normal operation of the target machine; a detection unit which detects a deviation from the correlation stored in the correlation storage unit on the basis of the drive side temperature acquired by the first acquisition unit and the non-drive side temperature acquired by the second acquisition unit; and, an output unit which outputs the deviation from the correlation which was detected by the detection unit as an abnormality in the target machine or as an abnormality indication.

Known methods diagnose an abnormal phenomenon in a target machine by periodically measuring the state of the target machine such as a motor, a bearing, and the like (for example, Patent Literature 1). In the method for diagnosing the cause of the abnormal phenomenon described in Patent Literature 1, in case the target machine is the rotating device, vibration and the like are periodically measured as the state variable of the target machine. And the abnormal phenomenon in the target machine is diagnosed on the basis of the state variable and the cause variable indicating the deterioration state.

Abnormality detection device and abnormality detection method


A measurement method for measuring a distortion of a projection optical system that projects a pattern, used by an exposure apparatus that exposes the reticle pattern onto an object to be exposed, the measurement method includes the steps of a first exposing step for exposing a mark pattern onto the object to be exposed, the mark pattern having a mark on or near an optical axis of the projection optical system and a mark beside the optical axis, and being arranged at a position of the reticle, a second exposing step for only exposing a mark on or near the optical axis of the projection optical system in the mark pattern, measuring step for measuring a shape of the mark formed on the object to be exposed via the first and second exposing steps, and calculating step for calculating the distortion of the projection optical system from the shape of the mark measured by the measuring step.

The present invention relates generally to a measurement method, and more particularly to a measurement method for measuring a distortion of a projection optical system used in an exposure apparatus for fabricating various devices including semiconductor chips such as ICs and LSIs, display devices such as liquid crystal panels, sensing devices such as magnetic heads, and image pick-up devices such as CCDs, as well as fine patterns used for micromechanics. The present invention is suitable for a measurement for distortion of a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern, for example, with line width of 100 nm and less.
Conventionally, during manufacturing, photolithography technology, a exposure apparatus using a projection optical system to project a circuit pattern formed on a reticle (mask) onto a wafer, etc., has been employed for transferring the circuit pattern of fine semiconductor devices such as semiconductor memory and logic circuit.
The minimum critical dimension transferred by the projection exposure apparatus or resolution is proportional to the wavelength of light used for exposure and inversely proportional to the numerical aperture ("NA") of the projection optical system. The shorter the wavelength is, or the higher the NA is, the better the resolution. Thus, along with recent demands for finer semiconductor devices, shorter ultraviolet light wavelengths have been proposed—from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp (I-line with a wavelength of approximately 365 nm) to KrF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 248 nm) and ArF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 193 nm). In recently, F2 laser (with a wavelength of approximately 157 nm) has been developed for a next light source.
On the other hand, high superposition accuracy has been required when it comes to satisfying the fine processing of a circuit pattern. There is a distortion (a distortion aberration) in a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus that deteriorates superposition accuracy, and it is necessary to suppress a distortion in a projection optical system so as to improve superposition accuracy along with a fine processing in the future.
In a recent lithography, a pattern with a line width of 100 nm or less is formed. The pattern of the nanometer order may have different problems in a conventional definition (see, "Offside" of "Oplus E", published by New Technological Communications Company, issued in March 2003). Especially, a distortion causes acute problems by changing a line width when superposition accuracy is improved.
In a definition of the distortion by Zaidel, a principal ray as a center of light has a crossing position on an image surface (i.e., a displacement of an entire point on the image). Therefore, the distortion does not change even if a line width of an image formation changes.
However, a projection optical system for projecting an image of a reticle pattern has little coma aberration because of a design value and a manufacturing error. In other words, the image that is imaged by the projection optical system distorts and becomes asymmetric because of the coma aberration, and shifts from an ideal position that is without the coma aberration. The amount shifted from the ideal position that is without the coma aberration is an actual distortion (i.e., not a definition of Zaidel). Therefore, when the line width of the pattern changes, an influence by the coma aberration is different depending on the line width because an angle of diffraction light is different. A position of the image is also different because a distortion of the image is different. Thus, an actual distortion is different for each line width.
When an NA of a projection optical system changes, the coma aberration also changes. In this time, if the line width changes, an influence by the coma aberration is different depending on the line width because an angle of diffraction light is different. A position of an image is also different because a distortion of the image is different. Thus, an actual distortion is different for each line width.
Further, the projection optical system has the actual distortion when it has a little spherical aberration of, for example, about λ/10, results in a poor uniformity of an illumination optical system that illuminates a reticle pattern. When an exposure apparatus has various illuminating modes, the distortion is different for each of line widths in each of the illuminating modes.
Thus, a distortion is generated, and superposition accuracy is deteriorated when a line width of the formed circuit pattern changes.
However, a conventional superposition inspecting apparatus was not able to measure a distortion in the line width because a measurement principle of the conventional superposition inspecting apparatus adapts a characteristic of an image formation in an imaging optical system of a superposition inspecting apparatus and especially a method as "a bright field illumination+image data processing".
For example, when a numerical aperture (NA) is 0.9 or more, and a wavelength of light used is 300 nm, a minimum size of the line width that can be separated as a video signal is about 0.8 μm for a line and space in an image formation of the imaging optical system of the superposition inspecting apparatus. A pattern with 100 nm or less which is imaged in recent lithography cannot be finely imaged in a contrast.
In other words, a method that can inspect a measurement of a distortion in a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus that uses the pattern of 100 nm or less with highly accurate and a high throughput does not currently exist.

Measurement method and apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabrication method


There is provided an aperture type fluorescent lamp comprising a tubular bulb, an electrode, and a fluorescent layer formed on an inner surface of said tubular bulb in an axial direction of the tubular bulb, an aperture portion provided in said fluorescent layer along the axial direction of the tubular bulb so as to be made the aperture portion as a radiation portion, wherein said aperture portion comprises an aperture portion fluorescent layer having a thickness smaller than the fluorescent layer of other portions. The fluorescent lamp according to the present invention makes it possible to eliminate nonuniformitiy in illuminance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluorescent lamp and, more specifically, to a fluorescent lamp in which an aperture portion is formed in a fluorescent layer along an axial direction of a tubular bulb so that light from the fluorescent lamp is radiated concentrically in one direction, for example, to be used as a reading light source for facsimiles.
2. Background Art
FIGS. 5 to 7 show the configuration of this type of aperture type fluorescent lamp of the prior art. FIG. 5 shows an aperture type fluorescent lamp 90 configured such that a thermo-electrode or cold cathode is provided at both ends of a tubular bulb 91. In this case, an aperture portion 95 is generally formed in a fluorescent layer 94 formed on an inner surface of the tubular bulb 91 by coating the entire inner surface thereof with the fluorescent layer and removing a part of the fluorescent layer 94 in an axial direction of the tubular bulb 91.
With this configuration, light directing toward the inside of the tubular bulb 91 out of light emitted from the fluorescent layer 94 is radiated outward from the aperture portion 95 which lets light passing therethrough directly. Thereby, the aperture portion 95 is brighter than other portions, and the aperture portion 95 is turned toward a direction to be illuminated.
FIG. 6 shows an example of an aperture type fluorescent lamp 80 configured such that lighting is carried out by a pair of external electrodes 82, 83 provided on the outer surface of the tubular bulb 81 and facing each other. Also in this case, an aperture portion 85 is formed in the fluorescent layer 84 formed on the inner surface of the tubular bulb 81 by the same manufacturing manner as described above, and the same function as that of the prior art described above is obtained.
In the case of this aperture type fluorescent lamp 80, the external electrodes 82, 83 are formed by aluminum vapor deposition or silver conductive coating to have a reflection function, thereby making it possible to reflect light going to the outside of the tubular bulb 81 out of light emitted from the fluorescent layer 84 toward the inside and radiate it from the aperture portion 85. Thus, efficiency can be improved.
Further, FIG. 7 shows an example of an aperture type fluorescent lamp 70 configured such that lighting is carried out by an internal electrode 72 provided at the center in an axial direction of a tubular bulb 71 and an external electrode 73 provided on the outer surface of the tubular bulb 71. Also in this case, an aperture portion 75 is formed in a fluorescent layer 74 formed on the inner surface of the tubular bulb 71 by the same manufacturing manner as described above and the same function as described above is obtained.
However, in the aperture type fluorescent lamps 70, 80, 90 of the prior art described above, the aperture portions 75, 85, 95 are simply formed in the fluorescent layers 74, 84, 94 formed on the inner surfaces of the tubular bulbs 71, 81, 91, respectively. If a reflection function is given to the outer surface of the tubular bulb, the shape of means having such a reflection function is limited to the shape of the outer surface of the tubular bulb 71. Therefore, desired distribution characteristics cannot be provided to light radiated from the aperture portions 75, 85, 95, resulting in nonuniform illuminance.
Particularly, in the aperture type fluorescent lamp 70 having the internal electrode 72 shown in FIG. 7, as the internal electrode 72 shades the emitted light, the above nonuniform illuminance becomes more significant and the internal electrode 72 can be seen from the aperture portion 75 directly, thereby giving an observer a feeling of disorder.


A catalyst composition containing one or more binary oxides of palladium and rare earth metal such as Ce, La, Nd, Pr and/or Sm. The catalyst composition is used for the catalytic combustion of gaseous combustion mixtures of oxygen and carbonaceous fuels such as methane, e.g., a natural gas/air combustion mixture. Specific preferred binary oxides may be, for example, M.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO (e.g., La.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO) or 2M.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO, wherein in each case M is La, Nd or Sm. A process of combusting gaseous carbonaceous fuels includes contacting a catalyst as described above under combustion conditions, e.g., 925.degree. C. to 1650.degree. C. and 1 to 20 atmospheres pressure, to carry out sustained combustion of the combustion mixture, including catalytically supported thermal combustion. Regeneration of over-temperatured M.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO catalyst is also provided for.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to catalyst compositions comprising oxides of rare earth metals and palladium which are suitable for the combustion of gaseous carbonaceous fuels such as natural gas or methane, and to a process for catalytic combustion of such fuels using the catalyst compositions.
2. Related Art
Complexes of palladium oxide and rare earth metal sesquioxides are known, as shown by an article by C. L. McDaniel et al, "Phase Relations Between Palladium Oxide and the Rare Earth Sesquiloxides in Air", Journal of Research of the Natural Bureau of Standards--A. Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 72A, No. 1, January-February, 1968. Pages 27-37 describe complexes of PdO and rare earth metal oxides. Specifically, the paper describes the study of equilibrium phase relations in an air environment between PdO and each of the following sesquioxides: Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sm.sub.2 O.sub.3, La.sub.2 O.sub.3, Eu.sub.2 O.sub.3, Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Dy.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ho.sub.2 O.sub.3, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, Tm.sub.2 O.sub.3, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Lu.sub.2 O.sub.3. The experimental procedure employed is described in section 3 at page 28 and describes mixing various combinations of PdO and the rare earth metal oxides and subjecting the mixture to preliminary heat treatments for a minimum of 18 hours at 770.degree. C. and then at 780.degree. C. After each heat treatment the materials were examined by x-ray diffraction techniques and following the preliminary heat treatments portions of each batch were fired at various temperatures, typically lying between 1000.degree. C. and 3000.degree. C. as set forth in TABLE I, pages 29-33. Among other findings, the paper notes (in the summary of section 4.3 at page 34) the dissociation temperature of PdO in air at atmospheric pressure to be 800.degree. C..+-.5.degree. C., and that palladium oxide reacts with a number of the rare earth metal oxides to form binary compounds. What is described as the pseudobinary system Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO is said to exemplify the typical type of reaction and three binary oxide compounds of, respectively, 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 ratios of Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3 :PdO are disclosed, viz, 2Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO; Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO and Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3.2PdO. (The compound 2Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO may of course be written as Nd.sub.4 PdO.sub.7.) Analog compounds are noted for the Sm.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO, Eu.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO and La.sub.2 O.sub.3.PdO systems, with only the 2:1 and 1:2 compounds occurring in the latter system. However, it was noted that other rare earth oxide-palladium oxide combinations did not react in the solid state. There were combinations of PdO with, respectively, Ho.sub.2 O.sub.3, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, Tm.sub.2 O.sub.3, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Lu.sub.2 O.sub.3. (See the Abstract at page 27, and the last sentence on page 35.)
Another article, by A. Kato et al, "Lanthanide B-Alumina Supports For Catalytic Combustion Above 1000.degree. C.", Successful Design of Catalysts, 1988 Elsevier Science Publishers, pages 27-32, describes the preparation of support materials consisting of lanthanide oxides and alumina for use as combustion catalysts. The article states that endurance tests on methane combustion performed at 1200.degree. C. proved that a Pd catalyst supported on lanthanum beta-alumina has good resistance to thermal sintering (page 32).
An English language abstract of Japanese Patent Publication J 63088041 (1988) Tsuj et al, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo discloses a catalyst consisting of a ceramic support composed of alumina on whose surface Pd and/or PdO is supported on a layer of intermetallic PdM or PdMO wherein M is a rare earth metal. The disclosed use is for catalyzing combustion of fuel without generation of nitrogen oxides. Chemical Abstracts (CA 109 11 32 93k) identifies the patentee as Tanaka Noble Metal-Industrial Co. Ltd. and describes the methane combustion catalyst as Pd--Pd/LaO.sub.2 on gamma-alumina and reports that this catalyst combusted natural gas at an inlet temperature of 355.degree. C. with 100% efficiency after 1 hour and with 99.98% efficiency after 1,000 hours.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,465 issued to Robert J. Farrauto et al describes a process for the catalytic combustion of carbonaceous materials, such as natural gas or methane, using a palladium oxide containing catalyst. In the process, the palladium oxide catalyst for the catalytic combustion is subjected to temperatures in excess of the decomposition temperature of palladium oxide to metallic palladium, the latter being inactive for catalysis of the combustion reaction. At atmospheric pressure the decomposition temperature of PdO is at least about 800.degree. C. The stated improvement in the process of the Patent comprises restoring catalytic activity by lowering the temperature of the catalyst to a regenerating temperature, i.e., a temperature at which Pd is oxidized to PdO, which in air at atmospheric pressure is from about 530.degree. C. to about 650.degree. C., and maintaining the temperature within that range until desired catalytic activity is achieved by re-oxidation of catalytically inactive Pd to PdO. The examples of the Patent utilize PdO/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 as the catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,465 to Farrauto et al dated Jan. 16, 1990 describes a process for the catalytic combustion of carbonaceous materials, such as natural gas or methane, using a palladium oxide containing catalyst. In the process, the catalyst for the catalytic combustion is subjected to temperatures in excess of the decomposition temperature of the catalyst, which at atmospheric pressure is at least about 800.degree. C., the improvement in the process comprises restoring catalytic activity by lowering the temperature of the catalyst into a regenerating temperature which at atmospheric pressure is from about 530.degree. C. to about 650.degree. C. and maintaining the temperature within the range until desired catalytic activity is achieved. The examples utilize PdO/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 as the catalyst.

Combustion catalysts containing binary oxides and processes using the same


An accessory attachment apparatus for temporarily attaching an accessory to a structure with which the accessory is to be used. The apparatus includes an accessory that is adapted to be received by the structure with which the accessory is to be used, such as an electrical box. A stem having first and second ends extends outwardly from the accessory. The first end of the stem is connected to the accessory. A flexible and resilient head member is connected to the second end of the stem. The flexible head member is adapted to be received by the structure to secure the accessory to the structure.

Structures often require accessory components to provide additional benefits or features to a user. For example, electrical boxes require non-metallic cable connectors to facilitate reception of cables, wires and the like by the electrical box. The cable connector is received by an opening in the electrical box. The cable connector has an opening adapted to securely receive cables therethrough. Cables are then passed through the cable connector and into the interior of the electrical box. Other accessories, such as wall supports to stabilize electrical boxes, are available to enhance usage of the electrical box by users.
One problem facing installation of accessories with electrical boxes is loss of the accessory. Installers have difficulties keeping needed accessories with electrical boxes. During large construction projects in which numerous electrical boxes are installed much time is lost by installers having to find accessories to be attached to the electrical boxes as they are installed. This provides for inefficient and costly electrical box installation. A need exists for an apparatus for temporarily attaching an accessory to a structure with which the accessory is to be used.
Another problem facing installers is matching desired accessories with designated electrical boxes. Electrical boxes and accessories are ordered separately and it is an inefficient and time consuming endeavor for an installer to match the accessories with the electrical boxes. A need exists for temporarily attaching an accessory to a structure with which the accessory is to be used so that the structure can be shipped with the accessory temporarily attached.
This problem is further complicated when installers take accessories from the existing inventory to replace accessories that have been lost, thereby creating a shortage of accessories. This results in delayed installation as additional accessories must be ordered to replenish the depleted inventory. A need exists for an apparatus for temporarily attaching an accessory to a structure with which the accessory is to be used to prevent loss of the accessory.
Examples of existing fastening devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,420 to Rodgers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,799 to Graham; U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,606 to Hiroki; U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,435 to Davignon et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,808 to Zappa et al.
Thus, there is a continuing need to provide an improved accessory attachment apparatus.

Temporary attachment apparatus for an accessory


The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for assessing transportation service safety. The systems may receive transportation service data of a service order in an order time duration from one or more signal transmission devices relating to the service order; obtain, from a database, historical data relating to a driver of a vehicle of the service order, and one or more passengers of the service order; determine, a safety score of the service order at a current time point, based on the historical data, the transportation service data, and one or more characteristics of the service order; and determine whether a dangerous condition occurs at the current time based on the safety score.

With the popularization of online to offline service, more and more people choose to use online to offline transportation service. Various dangerous situations may occur during a service, for example, drivers' dangerous driving behaviors, drivers' jeopardizing of passengers' personal safety or property safety, unexpected traffic accidents, robbery of drivers by the passenger, etc.
In order to actively monitor the safety of a service, at least one of the driver's physiological data and emotional data, vehicle driving data, in-vehicle image information, and/or voice recording may be collected in real time. Safety assessment may be performed based on the collected data to take the initiative to adopt safety mechanisms to protect the safety of both the drivers and the passengers. However, existing safety assessment program uses relatively simple data and does not comprehensively consider the impact of driver assessment data and passenger assessment data on safety. For example, factors like whether the drivers and the passengers having illegal records, passenger mobility and instability, historical safety scores, or one or more areas a route of the service passes through are not considered, which may result in a low effectiveness of safety assessment. Further, collecting the vehicle image information and/or voice recording and reporting to the server in real time may result in great power consumption and data exchange bandwidth requirement. Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for efficiently monitoring the safety of the service order.

Systems and methods for transportation service safety assessment

BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


Provided is a connector including a case having an opposing surface facing external device and a flat plate-shaped contact built in the case. The case includes a first opening which is formed at the opposing surface and through which a contact point of the contact to be connected to a connection terminal of the external device protrudes from the opposing surface, a receiver configured to receive a connector for external connection, and a holder configured to hold the contact. The contact includes the contact point which is disposed in the first opening and which is to contact with the connection terminal of the external device, an elastic portion which is disposed in the case and which moves the contact point in a substantially perpendicular direction relative to the opposing surface, a contact portion which is disposed in the receiver and which is to contact with a connection terminal of the connector for external connection, a held portion which is formed between the elastic portion and the contact portion and which is held by the holder in the case, and a connection portion which is formed between the elastic portion and the contact portion and which connects between the contact point and the contact portion in the case.

A personal digital assistance cradle has been heretofore known, which includes a circuit board on which a first connector with spring-shaped terminals to be connected to connection terminals of a personal digital assistance and a second connector to be connected to a cable (e.g., a USB cable) for connection to an information processing unit are mounted (e.g., Patent Literature 1). Moreover, a pogo pin connector has been also known, which includes, instead of the spring-shaped terminals, a plurality of movable pins (pogo pins) being extendable by springs.

Connector for supporting electronic device


An energy saving shade system for residential dwelling windows having dimensions that vary within a range of frame widths and a range of frame heights, and including a pair of end caps, each being insertable in sealing relation against the top surface and one of the side surfaces of the frame. A pair of side rails, each having a cross-section to define channel openings of a depth equal to at least one half the range of frame widths are securable in sealing relation to respective side surfaces of the frame. A pair of shade supporting plates are receivable in the respective end caps, each of the shade supporting plates being laterally adjustable throughout approximately one half the range of frame widths. An impermeable, transparent shade and a thermal insulating shade of widths within the range of frame widths are wound on rollers mountable between the shade supporting plates, and extendible for the range of frame heights from the roller to the sill. Edge seals are provided in the channels of the respective side rails, for slidably engaging and retaining opposite sides of the respective shade members in spaced relation to a window pane and end seals are provided between the top and bottom of at least the transparent shade.

This invention relates to an energy saving shade system for windows of residential dwellings, and, more particular, to such shade systems that are energy efficient, both to conserve heat when the dwelling is heated, to conserve energy when the dwelling is cooled, and that are aesthetically attractive and easily installed in windows of various sizes.
Various thermal shade systems have been proposed to reduce heat transfer through windows of residential dwellings. Typically, such shade systems have involved a shade position to be spaced from the pane or panes of the window, and sealed about the periphery of the window frame to provide a dead air space between the shade and the window pane or panes. Although the dead air space, in itself, provides an efficient barrier to heat transfer through the window, thermal insulating shade systems have not enjoyed significant commercial acceptance, either because labor intensive cost of installation in windows of varying dimensions, the availability in the past of low cost heating and cooling energy, lack of acceptable decorating characteristics, or a combination of these factors and others.
Thus, there is a need for improvement in energy shade systems for residential dwelling windows.


A method for pipelining execution input/output (I/O) includes obtaining a first I/O operation, determining a first plurality of stages of a pipeline needed to execute the first I/O operation, and executing each of the first plurality of stages to complete the I/O operation, wherein the first plurality of stages is a subset of a plurality of stages associated with pipeline, and wherein each of the first plurality of stages of the pipeline is executed in sequence.

In computing, a pipeline is a set of data processing elements connected in series, so that the output of one element is the input of the next. A pipeline is divided into segments or stages, and each segment can execute its operation concurrently with the other segments. When a segment completes an operation, a result is passed to the next segment in the pipeline and fetches the next operation from the preceding segment. The final results of each instruction emerge at the end of the pipeline in rapid succession. Pipelining is also known as pipeline processing.
An everyday example of a pipeline is a factory assembly line. For example, if a car were being assembled using the stages of engine installation, hood installation, and wheel installation, The car would go through each stage in that order. First, the car would have its engine installed, then move on to the hood installation, letting a second car proceed with the engine installation. Then the first car would go to wheel installation, the second car to hood installation, and a third car would begin engine installation. Using this method, all three cars can be completed in less time than it would take if only one car were operated on at once.
Examples of computer-related pipelines include instruction pipelines, graphics pipelines, and software pipelines. Instruction pipelines are used in processors to allow two or more consecutive instructions from a nominally sequential stream to be executed in parallel. In this case, the segments of data processing elements in the pipeline are the logic circuits that implement the various stages of an instruction, such as address decoding and arithmetic, register fetching, and cache lookup. While instruction pipelines were once only used in high performance and RISC processors, such pipelines are now common in microprocessors used in personal computers.
Graphics pipelines are found in most graphics cards, which are made up of multiple arithmetic units or CPUs that implement the various stages of rendering operations. A graphics pipeline commonly reads in a representation of a 3D scene as input and outputs a 2D raster image at the end of the pipeline. Stages of the graphics pipeline include modeling transformation, lighting, viewing transformation, projection transformation, and rasterization. A 3D scene can be passed to a graphics pipeline as a set of vertices, which can be considered independent. This allows all stages of the pipeline to be used on different sets of vertices as they work their way through the stages. In addition, graphics processors may use parallel processing units to process multiple vertices in a single stage of the pipeline at the same time.
Software pipelines include multiple processes that are arranged so that the output stream of one process is fed as the input stream of the next one. A buffer is usually provided between consecutive elements so that one process can provide more data than the next is willing or able to receive. A typical example of a software pipeline is a Unix shell pipeline.


The present invention provides a method for detecting easily and efficiently a chemical substance contained in a gas sample at an ultralow amount.

Recently, a technique to diagnose illness at an early stage has been established by collecting noninvasively a sample from a living body and analyzing a chemical substance contained in the sample at an ultralow amount. The sample collected from the living body includes urine, exhalation, gas diffused from a skin surface, persipiration, or spit.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for screening bladder cancer from the amount of hyaluronic acid and hyaluronidase contained in urine. According to the Patent Document 1, a patient disease by bladder cancer has a higher amount of hyaluronic acid in his/her urine than a normal individual. Bladder cancer can be inspected easily and noninvasively with the method disclosed in the Patent Document 1.
Exhalation is also one of important sample for diagnose illness. Not only water, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide but also metabolic component is contained in the exhalation at an extremely small amount. The metabolic component includes volatile organic compound or volatile sulfide compound released by gaseous exchange between alveoli and blood capillaries. An example of the metabolic component is alcohol, ketone, aldehyde, amine, aromatic hydrocarbon, fatty acid, isoprene, mercaptan, or derivatives from these components.
It is believed that there are some sort of relationship between illness and an ultralow amount of the metabolic component in the exhalation. Non-patent documents 1 to 4 disclose the research revealing correlation between illness and the metabolic component in the exhalation.
Unlike blood, urine or exhalation can be collected without physical and mental pain to a patient. Accordingly, a method for diagnosing with the sample composed of urine or exhalation is expected to be used for domestic diagnosis, follow-up after surgery, or prevention of illness.
However, since urine and exhalation are collected noninvasively, it is known that the concentration of the chemical substance contained in the urine or exhalation, which is suspected to have relationship with illness, is lower than the concentration of the diagnostic marker in a blood. The Patent Document 1 and Non-patent document 4 disclose that urine contains a diagnostic marker at a concentration of only 1 ng/ml and that exhalation contains at a concentration of only 1 ppm to 1 ppt.
Accordingly, a prior analyzing device comprises a mechanism to condense the chemical substance contained in the sample collected noninvasively.
For example, the exhalation analyzing device disclosed in the patent document 2 analyzes the resulted condensate liquid after the exhalation is cooled and condensed in the analyzing device. FIG. 25 shows the exhalation analyzing device disclosed in the patent document 1.
The exhalation blown by a patient is cooled and the resulted condensate liquid is collected with the exhalation analyzing device 901 shown in FIG. 25. The exhalation analyzing device 901 comprises a condensate part 902, a recover well 903, an inlet, an outlet, a curvature 904, and a flow path structure 905. The exhalation is injected from the inlet into the exhalation analyzing device 901, and discharged from the outlet. The condensate liquid of the exhalation is generated at the outer peripheral surface of the condensate part 902, which has the curvature 904. Since almost all the surface of the condensate part 902 is hydrophobic, the droplets of the resulted condensate liquid moves to the lower end of the condensate part 902. The droplets accumulated at the lower end drops into the recover well 903.
The period to obtain the condensate liquid at an amount necessary for analysis is required according to the exhalation analyzing device shown in FIG. 25. However, it is relatively simple to handle the device. Accordingly, the analysis of the exhalation component with the exhalation analyzing device shown in FIG. 25 is one of generally used procedures.
Patent Document 3 discloses an example of a condensing method using electrostatic atomization. According to this procedure, by atomizing electro-statically tenuous nonvolatile biomolecule, the solvent in a mist is evaporated to condense the biomolecule contained in the dilution. The procedure can be used for condensing and analyzing nonvolatile component contained in urine. FIG. 26 shows a condensation means of the biomolecule disclosed in the patent document 3.
A deposition of nonvolatile substances containing huge biomolecule is formed with the electrostatic atomizing device 906 shown in FIG. 26. The deposition is used to measure the interaction between the deposition of nonvolatile substances and other substances. Patent Document 3 discloses that the deposition according to electrostatic atomizing method of a living molecule can be used as a means for micro-condensing a biomolecule dilution.
Patent document 4 discloses a device for analyzing volatile component in exhalation or urine more easily with electrostatic atomization. In the analyzing device, after vapor and chemical substances are condensed into an atomizing electrode part, they are configured to be electric-charged fine particles. The chemical substance is condensed while electric-charged fine particles move from the atomizing electrode part to a detector of the chemical substance.
Citation List
[Patent Document]
                [Patent Document 1]        Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2000-504114 (pages 11-12)        [Patent Document 2]        US 2007/173731 (Page 13, FIG. 20)        [Patent Document 3]        Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2002-511792 (page 78, FIG. 9)        [Patent Document 4]        WO 2009/057256 (Page 1/12, FIG. 1)        [Patent Document 5]        Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 2008-128955 (Particularly, front page, FIG. 6(d), and paragraph 0055)        [Non-Patent Document]        [Non-Patent Document 1]        THE LANCET, 353, pp. 1930-1933(1999)        [Non-Patent Document 2]        ANALYTICAL BIOCHEMISTRY 247, pp. 272-278 (1997)        [Non-Patent Document 3]        The American Journal of Cardiology pp. 1593-1594 (2004)        [Non-Patent Document 4]        Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 145, pp. 295-300 (2005)

Method for detecting a chemical substance

Abstract: The present invention is directed to detecting method of a chemical substance contained in a gas sample, using an analyzing device with electrostatic atomizer. The analyzing device comprises a vessel, a inlet, a cooling part, an atomizing electrode, a counter electrode, an intermediate electrode, a liquid detecting part, and a detecting electrode. According to a detecting method of the present invention, the gas sample is condensed as a first condensate liquid at the surface of the atomizing electrode. The first condensate liquid is configured to be electric-charged fine particles to obtain a second condensate liquid at the surface of the counter electrode. The resulted second condensate liquid is brought in contact with the detecting electrode and a current voltage is applied between the counter electrode and the detecting electrode. The chemical substance is detected on the basis of the generated current value.


A distributor is provided for selectively connecting with a plurality of voltage sources a plurality of electrical load devices, such as the sensors or actuators of an electrical and mechanical installation. A pair of voltage supply connectors mounted on a housing include first pins that are connected to continuously supply power from a first voltage source to the internal electronics circuitry of the distributor, and second pins that are connected via a jumper switch to selectively connect a second voltage source with the groups of electrical load devices.

1. Field of the Invention
A distributor is provided for selectively connecting with a plurality of voltage sources a plurality of electrical devices, such as the sensors and actuators of an electro-mechanical installation. A pair of voltage supply connectors mounted on a housing include first pins that are connected to continuously supply power from a first voltage source to the internal electronic circuitry of the distributor, and second pins that are connected via a jumper switch to selectively connect a second voltage source with the electrical devices. At least one bus connector is also provided on the housing for connector with a high-voltage bus bar supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various voltage distribution systems have been proposed in the prior art for supplying power to various types of electrical loads, particularly in the field of automation technology for the replacement of the relatively expensive prior solutions.
There is a need for optimization here, especially with regard to the voltage supply of the distributors and the electrical appliances to be connected to them.

Distributor means for connecting electrical apparatus with a plurality of voltage sources


A tetraploid perennial ryegrass variety known as breeder's code T3, and seed used to produce the grass are provided. The grass is useful as a short lived, improved turfgrass on golf courses, athletic fields and other areas using seeded turfgrasses. The grass is also useful in overseeding of dormant warm season grasses since its lack of heat tolerance allows for a smooth transition for the warm-season grass. The ryegrass will provide a green cover during the winter months but will die out when the temperatures increases to the point which allow the warm-season grass to grow.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cultivated varieties of true breeding, stable, tetraploid perennial ryegrass, for use as a short lived, improved turfgrass on golf courses, athletic fields and other areas using seeded turfgrasses.
2. Background of the Art
Tetraploid perennial ryegrass is commonly used as a forage grass. It is not used, nor recommended, for turfgrass use. Typical tetraploid ryegrass produces an open sward and has a very rapid vertical extension rate. Commercial varieties are light green in color. There are no commercially available varieties of tetraploid perennial ryegrass available for permanent or overseeding turf use.
A stable variety of tetraploid perennial ryegrass would be a desirable grass for use in overseeding of dormant warm season grasses since its lack of heat tolerance allows for a smooth transition for the warm-season grass. Tetraploid perennial ryegrass will provide a green cover during the winter months but will die out when the temperatures increase which allow the warm-season grass to grow.
For many southern golf courses planted with Bermuda grass, a standard practice is to overseed every fall with diploid perennial ryegrass. Diploid perennial ryegrass provides an outstanding turf cover during the cool winter months. However, diploid perennial ryegrass is very persistent and does not easily die out and give way for the re-emerging Bermuda grass in the spring when warm weather returns.
Turfgrass managers could utilize a cultivar that has a dark green color, rapid establishment, and the ability to transition rapidly. The two most widely used species for overseeding are annual and diploid perennial ryegrass. Annual ryegrass, such as the variety 'Gulf,' have an undesirable color and a very rapid vertical extension rate which results in frequent mowing. Diploid perennial ryegrass has been developed for heat tolerance and permanent turf use and therefore does not transition well.

Tetraploid perennial ryegrass variety T3


A call handling system for a call comprising a routing system configured to receive a key from a first call system and responsively transfer a query to a call processing system wherein the query indicates the key and wherein the call processing system is configured to receive the key and process the key by placing the key into a dialed number information service (DNIS) override field of a query response and is configured to transfer the query response to the routing system, and wherein the routing system is further configured to receive the query response and responsively send the key as DNIS to a second call system. The technology improves call handling capabilities of a call handling system thereby saving time and allowing for improved call handling efficiencies.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to a system and method for call handling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An enormous number of calls are placed daily from callers to call centers that provide customer support services. Currently, network configurations that support the customer support services include service platforms, interactive voice response units (IVRs), automatic call distributors (ACDs), live agents at a call center that interact with callers, and computers with customer databases. Of the hundreds of thousands of calls placed each day destined for call centers, a large percentage are handled automatically by the IVRs and other similar communications equipment. However, an even greater percentage of calls require handling by live call agents.
One method of handling a call that requires interaction with a live call agent includes routing the incoming call to a service platform that further routes the call to an IVR. The IVR prompts the call for information such as the caller's social security number or a service requested by the caller. Based upon the caller entered information the call must be redirected to a live call agent. To accomplish the redirection, the call leg between the service platform is torn down and a new call leg is established from the service platform to the live call agent.
As a consequence of this method, the network does not retain the caller entered information for access by the live call agent. Thus, the live call agent must re-prompt the caller for the same information previously entered. This method serves to irritate callers who would prefer not to provide information twice, and it irritates the call agents who must interface with the callers. Furthermore, the amount of time that the live agent spends re-gathering the information multiplied by the enormous number of calls placed daily to call centers results in significant call handling inefficiencies.