Provided is a novel preparation method of (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid represented by the following formula (1), a key intermediate of cilastatin used as a supplement to imipenem. The novel preparation method of the invention produces a pure (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid, a key intermediate of cilastatin, by selective hydrolysis of E isomers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel preparation method of (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid represented by the following formula (1), a key intermediate of cilastatin used as a supplement to imipenem.

2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional processes for the preparation of (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid represented by the following formula (1) or its inorganic salt are described or mentioned in European Patent No. 48301, WO 2006/022511, and US Patent Application No. 2005/0119346.
According to the description in WO 2006/022511, ethyl(Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoate was mixed with (E)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid ester (3), as shown in the following <Reaction Formula I>, at a ratio of about 85-90%: about 10-13% to prepare an isomer. The isomer mixture was then partially hydrolyzed with an alkali added at an amount less than equivalence to the titration, and a (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid alkali metal salt (aq) was extracted. The extracted salt was concentrated and purified by crystallization from an organic solvent.

However, this method is low in alkali-hydrolysis selectivity. Therefore, even though the hydrolysis was done with addition of an alkali at an amount less than equivalence to the titration, a considerable amount of (E) isomer and (Z) isomers are hydrolyzed together and an aqueous solution of an alkali salt being recovered, i.e., an aqueous solution of (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid alkali metal salt, contains a substantial amount of the (E) isomers. To purify the solution, most of water was concentrated and removed, and a suitable organic solvent was added for crystallization. Unfortunately, purity of the resultant (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid alkali metal salt is very low, despite these strict conditions.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,868, in order to remove (E)-isomers, a (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid mixture containing a large amount of E isomers was used to prepare a cilastatin intermediate. This cilastatin intermediate was heated under acidic conditions for purification.
However, this method is disadvantageous in that hydrolysis following the heating operation under acidic conditions not only produced unknown impurities but also a respectable amount of the mixture was decomposed to (S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido which is very difficult to remove in practice. This is also mentioned in WO 2006/022511.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a new method for the preparation of (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid of high purity in need of the efficient synthesis of cilastatin.

Preparation method for (Z)-7-chloro-((S)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxamido)-2-heptenoic acid


The invention comprises a refrigerator-based, computer task controller and a corresponding method. The task controller includes a refrigerator with a refrigerator door which defines a recessed well in which a laptop sized computer is housed. The recessed well has a size and shape which complements and matches the corresponding size and shape of the laptop computer. An operator interacts with the computer which is located at standing height above ground level to command and direct the computer to perform one or more of a plurality of software controlled functional tasks, wherein each task is controlled by a software program associated with that task which is resident in the computer.

The present invention generally relates to refrigerators and more particularly to a household refrigerator which is combined with and supports a laptop sized computer which can be used for a variety of tasks such as for displaying and controlling the refrigerator temperature, displaying recipes, acting as a reminder system and as a telephone directory and the like.
Although computers have come into widespread use in the home and office, they are not typically found in people""s kitchens where counter space is often quite tight. This is regrettable, since computers can be quite helpful in and around kitchens.
Relatively old prior art describes the expedient of incorporating a radio appliance within a refrigerator door. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,221 which issued in 1974 describes a special housing installed within an opening in a refrigerator door which removably accommodates a radio appliance. U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,639 which issued to Rawson in 1957 describes another refrigerator door embodiment which houses a radio xe2x80x9cfor entertaining the housewife while she is about her chores in the kitchen.xe2x80x9d More recently, in 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,740 issued for a radio incorporated in a recreational type ice chest. While radios, television sets, and similar passive, visual and audio entertainment appliances have been known to be installed everywhere in people""s homes, the idea of installing an interactive computer within the kitchen area of a home, and particularly within a refrigerator door, has thus far eluded the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement which makes a computer accessible within the kitchen area of a home.
It is another object of the present invention to provide within the kitchen, more specifically mounted within a refrigerator door, a computer that is programmed to perform a variety of tasks which are particularly suited for use by persons working in and around a home kitchen.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a computer system mounted within a refrigerator door which incorporates a variety of useful functions and hardware.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are realized by the present invention by means of a special refrigerator door which is provided with a special recess for mounting therein a laptop sized computer which includes a keyboard, for providing interactive control to perform and realize a variety of functions. By way of example, the computer system of the present invention includes the means for displaying and setting the temperature both within the refrigerator and freezer compartments of the refrigerator. Another function comprises a computer implemented reminder system for both the displaying and optionally annunciating various messages. The computer also serves as a telephone directory. It enables the storage of telephone numbers and the display or (optional) annunciation of telephone numbers. Another important function includes the entry and storage within the computer of a variety of menus/recipes for the preparation of foods.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

Computer/keyboard built into refrigerator door


A piezoelectric inkjet head having piezoelectric actuators for restrictors includes a flow channel plate including an ink inlet through which ink enters, a plurality of pressure chambers into which ink to be ejected is filled, a manifold which is a path to receive ink from the ink inlet and to supply the received ink to the pressure chambers, a plurality of restrictors that connect the manifold to the pressure chambers, and a plurality of nozzles to eject ink from the pressure chambers to an outside thereof. The piezoelectric inkjet head also includes a plurality of first piezoelectric actuators formed on the flow channel plate corresponding to positions of the pressure chambers to provide a driving force to each of the pressure chambers to eject ink to the outside. The piezoelectric inkjet head also includes a plurality of second piezoelectric actuators formed on the flow channel plate corresponding to positions of the restrictors to change cross-sectional areas of the restrictors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a piezoelectric inkjet head, and more particularly, to an inkjet head having piezoelectric actuators to change cross-sectional areas of restrictors, and an image forming method and apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet head is a device for printing a predetermined color image by ejecting minute droplets of ink on desired areas of a printing medium. Inkjet heads can be generally classified into two types according to the ejection mechanism of ink droplets. The first type is a thermal inkjet head that ejects ink droplets using the expansion force of ink bubbles created using a heat source, and the second type is a piezoelectric inkjet head that ejects inkjet droplets using a pressure created by the deformation of a piezoelectric element.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a configuration of a conventional piezoelectric inkjet head.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of flow channel plates 10, 20, and 30 include an ink inlet 61, a manifold 62, a plurality of restrictors 63, a plurality of pressure chambers 64, and a plurality of nozzles 65, which constitute an ink flow channel. A plurality of piezoelectric actuators 40 are formed at various positions on a first flow channel plate 10 corresponding to the pressure chambers 64. The manifold 62 is formed in a second flow channel plate 20, and performs as a common path for supplying ink to the pressure chambers 64 when the ink is supplied from an ink tank (not shown). The restrictors 63 are formed in the upper part of the second flow channel plate 20 to connect the manifold 62 to the pressure chambers 64. The pressure chambers 64 where ink to be ejected is filled are formed in the second flow channel plate 20 and arranged on one side or both sides of the manifold 62. The volume of each of the pressure chambers 64 is changed by the driving of the piezoelectric actuator 40, which causes a pressure change in the pressure chambers 64 resulting in ejecting or receiving of ink through the nozzle 65 formed on a third flow channel plate 30. For this purpose, portions of the first flow channel plate 10 that cover the pressure chambers 64 perform as vibration plates 12 that deform due to the driving of the piezoelectric actuators 40. The nozzles 65 are formed through the third flow channel plate 30 and respectively are connected to the pressure chambers 64.
An operation of the conventional piezoelectric inkjet head having the above configuration will now be described. When a driving signal is applied to the piezoelectric actuators 40, the piezoelectric actuators 40 deform together with the vibration plates 12. Thus, the volumes of the pressure chambers 64 are reduced resulting in a pressure increase in the pressure chambers 64, and thus, ink in the pressure chambers 64 is ejected to the outside through the nozzles 65. Next, when the piezoelectric actuators 40 and the vibration plates 12 are restored to the original positions, the volumes of the pressure chambers 64 are increased. Due to the reduced pressure in the pressure chambers 64, the pressure chambers 64 are refilled with ink from the manifold 62 through the restrictors 63.
However, in the conventional piezoelectric inkjet head, in the process of ejecting ink due to the driving of the piezoelectric actuators 40, the ink is ejected to the outside through the nozzles 65, and a portion of the ink backflows towards the manifold 62 through the restrictors 63.
The ink that backflows affects adjacent pressure chambers 64 through the manifold 62, that is, it causes cross-talk. The cross-talk causes unstable meniscus of ink in the nozzles 65 connected to the adjacent pressure chambers 64, and thus, causes deviations in speed and volume of ink droplets ejected through each of the nozzles 65. Also, due to the backflow of ink, the volumes of ink ejected through the nozzles 65 are reduced.
Accordingly, the restrictors 63 must function to refill ink into the pressure chambers 64 from the manifold 62 and to block the backflow of ink when ejecting the ink to the outside. In order to effectively block the backflow of ink, the restrictors 63 may have a small cross-sectional area. However, on the contrary, in order to refill ink smoothly, the restrictors 63 must have a large cross-sectional area. However, the conventional restrictors 63 have a fixed cross-sectional area, and thus, it is difficult to meet the two above conditions.

Inkjet head having piezoelectric actuator for restrictor, and image forming method and apparatus having the same


Semiconductor package assemblies and semiconductor packages incorporating an impedance-boosting channel between a transmitter die and a receiver die are described. In an example, a semiconductor package includes a package substrate incorporating the impedance-boosting channel having a first arc segment connected to the transmitter die and a second arc segment connected to the receiver die. The arc segments extend around respective vertical axes passing through a transmitter die electrical bump and a receiver die electrical bump, respectively. Accordingly, the arc segments introduce an inductive circuitry to increase signal integrity of an electrical signal sent from the transmitter die to the receiver die.

Multi-chip packages include several integrated circuit dies in communication with each other through on-package interfaces. For example, a transmitter die may communicate with a receiver die through electrical bumps interconnected by electrical routing. Multi-chip packages may allow for heterogeneous integration of dies, lower manufacturing costs, lower power consumption, and shorter development cycles of the integrated circuit packages. Thus, a demand for such packages is rising.
A size and cost of multi-chip packages directly correlates with a length between dies of the multi-chip package. Channel lengths are currently in a range of 3-5 mm, and reducing the channel lengths further may enhance the advantages of multi-chip packages. As channel lengths decrease below the current range, however, signal integrity may be affected by impedance mismatch in the die interconnection. For example, reducing the lengths of channels between companion chips of a multi-chip package may cause signal reflections, which can lead to functionality risks, such as double-clocking and/or false triggering.

Semiconductor package having an impedance-boosting channel


A wind turbine blade is situated on a wind turbine and includes a side and a tip. The blade is configured to rotate about an axis upon an impact of a wind flow on the blade. An active flow modification device is disposed on the blade. The active flow modification device is configured to receive active flow instructions and to modify the wind flow proximate to the blade. The resulting wind turbine blade uses these active flow modifications to achieve reduced loads, reduced aerodynamic losses, reduced noise, enhanced energy capture, or combinations thereof.

The invention relates generally to the field of wind turbines, and more specifically to active flow modification in wind turbines for reducing loads, reducing aerodynamic losses, improving energy capture, reducing noise, and combinations thereof.
Wind turbines are increasingly gaining importance in the area of renewable sources of energy generation. In recent times, wind turbine technology has been applied to large-scale power generation applications. Of the many challenges that exist in harnessing wind energy, one is maximizing wind turbine performance while minimizing system loads in given wind conditions. Non-limiting examples of improved wind turbine performance parameters, which lead to minimized cost of energy, include maximized aerodynamic efficiency, maximized energy output, minimized wind turbine system loads, minimized noise, and combinations thereof. Examples of wind turbine system loads include extreme loads (operational and parked/idling) and fatigue loads.
In general, flow separation over wind turbine blades leads to stall, which is often a limiting factor in wind turbine blade design. When stall occurs, lift generated by the blade decreases significantly and a large component of the torque, which is the driving force imparted by the wind to the wind turbine, is lost. Solutions that provide an ability to control (diminish or delay) separation will allow the wind turbine blade to maximize lift. Some passive flow control solutions, for example, vortex generators, have been applied to remedy the boundary layer separation problem, but in such solutions there is no provision to stop the flow control when the flow control becomes unnecessary or undesirable. For example, one of the principal constraints in wind turbine design is that caused by system loads. When a separation control solution is being used to enhance lift, the blade experiences higher loading that can reach failure-inducing levels if the wind conditions change beyond normal operational or expected levels.
One effective approach for increasing the energy output of a wind turbine is to increase the swept area of the blades, for example, by increasing rotor size (diameter). The higher systems loads on a larger rotor (thicker and larger chord length) due to structural and material limitations, and blade/tower clearances typically constrain this growth. Another challenge is posed by changing wind conditions such as wind gusts or storms that lead to an undesired loading of the wind turbine blade as the lift being generated fluctuates or increases to very large levels. These loads constraints often lead to increased cost of the blade and other components of the wind turbine system, which can reduce or cancel the benefits of growing the rotor in terms of a system-level metric like cost of energy.
Another challenge that exists in harnessing wind energy relates to undesirable effects of the tip vortex generated by the wind flow at the tip of the blades. Besides causing energy harnessing losses, these tip vortices also lead to undesirable noise emanating from the tip end of the blade.

Active flow modifications on wind turbine blades


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for rejecting unreliable downlink (DL) transmit power control (TPC) commands in windup mode. In one aspect, the method includes receiving by a user equipment (UE) a plurality of DLTPC commands from a base station, analyzing on one or more transmitted uplink (UL) TPC commands, detecting a windup mode based on the one or more DLTPC and ULTPC commands, and rejecting one or more DLTPC down commands in the windup mode.

1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of wireless communication, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for controlling rejection of downlink (DL) Transmit Power Control (TPC) commands in a windup mode.
2. Background
Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. One example of such a network is the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). The UTRAN is the radio access network (RAN) defined as a part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a third generation (3G) mobile phone technology supported by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The UMTS, which is the successor to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technologies, currently supports various air interface standards, such as Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), and Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). The UMTS also supports enhanced 3G data communications protocols, such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), which provides higher data transfer speeds and capacity to associated UMTS networks.
In UMTS, user equipment's (UE's) transmit power may be controlled by base station (e.g., NodeB) using Downlink (DL) Transmit Power Control (TPC) commands transmitted on a downlink (DL) Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH). Generally, DLTPC command includes either 0 (power down) or 1 (power up) bits. UE decodes the DLTPC commands and adjusts its transmit power accordingly. In some instances, a large sequence of unreliable DLTPC down commands (0 bits) may cause sudden drop in UE's transmit automatic gain control (TxAGC) to a very low level. Sometimes UE recovers its TxAGC by itself and sometimes it does not, which may cause radio link failure. It has been observed, that this odd behavior, i.e., a large sequence of DLTPC down commands, may occur when the UE is in a windup mode.
Windup mode is a power control behavior in which signal-to-interference ratio estimate (SIRE) of the received signals by the UE is too low to maintain the required Block Error Rate (BLER) of the DL channel transmissions and increasing the NodeB's transmit power does not improve the received signals at the UE. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown, windup mode may occur when, for example, UE passes large buildings, which may cause shadowing effect that can makes the NodeB's DL signals weak in that area. Because of the shadowing, increasing NodeB's transmit power does not improve the DL channel SIRE, wastes NodeB's power and causes interference to other UEs. The TPC Down commands (0 bits) are likely caused by the TPC command decoding errors and, therefore, should not have been all rejected given the average DL channel SIRE is still higher than the rejection threshold for Down commands for multiple TPC groups. Accordingly, there is a need to solve this DLTPC decoding issue when the UE is in the windup mode.

Methods and apparatus for DLTPC rejection in downlink windup mode


A method for analysis of environmental load burdens and associated costs for products, processes and services, which takes into account both life cycle assessment and activity based costing. The steps entailed in the method include representing the at least one product, process or service as a process hierarchy having at least one elemental component having at least one baseline process associated therewith; associating at least one driver corresponding to the at least one elemental component, with at least one environmental load/substance category; calculating a first metric reflective of an environmental load of providing the at least one product, process or service; and calculating a second metric reflective of a cost of providing the at least one product, processor service.

This invention relates generally to the field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and more particularly to a process for combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Activity Based Costing (ABC) using relational database software. This software program application, referred to herewithin as the LCAPIX module, can be used to determine, by a proactive means, what the environmental burden and associated costs are or may be for current and future products, processes, or services. Specifically, the software utilizes elements normally associated with Activity Based Costing, including drivers, driver values and driver factors for determining the environmental burden using associated valuation for a complete Life Cycle Assessment. Additional uses of the software program application includes providing a means by which an environmental management strategy can be implemented using International Standards Organization (ISO) 14000 guidelines adopted in 1992 for Life Cycle Assessment, and also provides a means for improving ecoefficiency.
Life Cycle Assessment/Analysis; LCA, can be defined as an objective process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or service by identifying and quantifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment. The assessment includes the entire life cycle, from xe2x80x9ccradle-to-gravexe2x80x9d of the product, process, or activity, and encompasses the extraction and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use, reuse, maintenance, recycling, and final disposal. A complete Life Cycle Assessment/Analysis is comprised of the following three stages;
(I) The Inventory Analysis, which is an objective quantification of the raw materials, energy requirements, air/water effluents, solid wastes, manufacturing, processing, formulation, distribution and transportation, use/reuse/maintenance, recycling, and other processes and services required within a previously defined system boundary. The LCA Inventory must have scientific basis, be quantitative, appropriately detailed, replicable, comprehensive, broadly applicable, consistent, and peer-reviewed.
(II) Impact Assessment, which is the stage where the Inventory is analyzed for its effect on the environment and includes the following steps:
(1) Classification, defined as the characterization of the inventoried elements
(2) Characterization, which is the analysis and quantification of the inventoried elements, and
(3) Valuation which is how the data of different specific categories associated with the inventoried elements are weighted and compared for further interpretation.
The valuation data should be subjected to a sensitivity analysis or equivalent analysis to ensure meaningfulness within the scientific and technical community
(III) Improvement Assessment, here defined as the systematic evaluation of the needs and opportunities required to reduce an environmental burden. This involves changes in the product design, raw material use, processing, waste management, etc. required to improve the product, process, or service.
This conventional approach to LCA was developed in 1991-1993 by SETAC, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and then subsequently adopted by the ISO 14000 committee (International Standards Organization) on Environmental Management Systems and as schematically presented in FIG. 2. The arrows associated with FIG. 2 indicate that the xe2x80x9ctrianglexe2x80x9d of (I) inventory, (II) impact analysis, and (III) improvement analysis (or assessment) is a continuous process so that improvement, by reduction of environmental burden, can be accomplished.
Activity based costing, ABC, can be defined as a non-traditional accounting method which encompasses determination of the costs associated with any action that can be performed by a human or machine. Traditional accounting reports generally have little in common with manufacturing results. Activity Based Costing/Management (ABC/M) is a realization that traditional accounting procedures do not empower management to sufficiently identify and reduce costs and wastes. Activity Based Management, ABM, analyzes and utilizes the information supplied by Activity Based Costing to yield continuous improvement strategies and conditions. ABC includes determination of the costs for all products, projects or services associated with an activity so that continuous cost reduction improvement strategies and conditions can be accomplished.
A typical approach to ABC includes the use of drivers, driver factors, and driver values, which are specific to a task or set of tasks associated with the activity that is being reviewed on a cost basis. Once the specific operations are determined, for example welding for the manufacture of a metal box, drivers are developed that would include length of the weld and the time taken to perform the welding operation. The driver units, for example could include inches, for the length of the weld, and minutes for the time taken in welding (as shown in the screen capture of FIG. 11d). Driver values may be estimated or taken directly from the product, process, or service based on the knowledge of the individual performing the task required for the item(s) under analysis.
In the past, the conventional approach to performing LCA or ABC has been either by humans writing xe2x80x9cpen and paperxe2x80x9d reports that took weeks or months to prepare. These reports were often static in that the data and subsequent analysis could not be easily changed or compared as new or additional information became available. FIG. 1 shows the conventional LCA approach using energy and with raw materials inputs. Assessing effluent outputs completes the major elements of a traditional LCA. With the advent of software and spreadsheet systems such as Excel and Lotus 1,2,3 together with the provision and use of electronic databases, both LCA and ABC studies have been used at an increasing rate because the manpower and costs associated with performing such studies has decreased dramatically.
Within the last 10 years, LCA software programs have been developed to manipulate data within databases and provide valuation results according to the traditional approach shown in FIG. 1, where the data from these LCA software programs is predominately in the form of mass and energy balances including input and output to and from the manufacturing site or within various operations inside the manufacturing site. Likewise, for processes or services, data is provided regarding inputs or influents and outputs or effluents. FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting the LCA approach for the available software tools existing prior to the present invention. In the conventional approach, using mass and energy balance data, the user provides only the amounts of each inventoried item. The software tool then provides the valuation units (ELU""sxe2x80x94environmental load units for examplexe2x80x94or other valuation schemes) from a database and the program calculates the total environmental impact. The missing information in this approach is significant, in that several inventoried items required for each process specified by the user, are not included. Dimensions of the product, size of the process equipment, or time required to perform a task are also elements missing from the conventional LCA software program.
In short, there has not been an easy and useful technique to provide for analysis of the product, process or service based on the specific tasks or activities required for each of these items (while also incorporating data from mass and energy balances).
As can now be understood by the foregoing explanation, there has also been no known system for analysis of the manufacture of a product, development of a process, or provision of a service that allows for performing a Life Cycle Assessment in a manner such that an Activity Based Costing approach can also be included. Further, there has been no earlier known inventive concept for combining these two traditional methods from the two uniquely different disciplines of engineering science and accounting and making computer software available such that one who has little or no skill in either discipline could simultaneously or sequentially or at some later time accomplish both an LCA and ABC study. The goal of many businesses, organizations, and individuals exists to rapidly collect meaningful, task-related data for input and generate dynamic graphical reports that would empower management to take appropriate steps to reduce either current or future environmental burdens and simultaneously reduce associated costs. An additional need that exists is for the provision of a relational database that is easily accessed by xe2x80x9cuser friendlyxe2x80x9d software such that the same individual who has little or no skill in the traditional engineering and accounting disciplines may provide these same LCA/ABC dynamic graphical reports both accurately and rapidly. Still another need exists to provide such a software system that incorporates all of the foregoing including the combination of ABC with LCA using object-oriented programming with relational databases with data that can continuously be updated and manipulated.
The software should also be network configurable for work-group applications and allow for report generation that is flexible to allow for selecting, rearranging, and graphically presenting results in a variety of ways. Information may have to be presented to senior management for strategic planning or manufacturing facility engineers for product/process improvement or even to a local citizen""s action group (CAP) for review of environmental burden(s). The software must be coupled with the relational database and the database should be accessible independent of the rest of the software. Modules or segments should be hierarchical so that the tasks associated with any item can be easily modeled and the drivers and task elements changed as frequently as required.
Object-oriented programs manipulate objects rather than data or text per se. Objects represent collections of items (both data and the functions that operate on those data) and can have information associated with them through address pointers that refer to other objects. For example, a screen object such as a process box, can itself be an information icon on a screen, but it must be linked to other sets of information in the database. When the user xe2x80x9cclicksxe2x80x9d on the object with a mouse, the software automatically links the screen object with the related information. While such developed software programs have existed for conventional mass and energy balance LCA work, the need remains for software that combines these aforementioned features with the ability to perform simultaneous, sequential, or subsequent LCA/ABC analysis using task oriented drivers.
LCA studies have been considered time consuming, costly and perceived as having little direct value for the manufacturer, process developer, or service provider. Without an immediate and considerable emphasis on current and future associated costs, this reasoning has restricted many known potential manufacturers or businesses, known to be sources of environmental xe2x80x9ccontaminationxe2x80x9d, to do little or nothing to improve their situation.
Measuring environmental burden or potential environmental burden should also include measuring costs associated with each and every elemental task that causes this burden. Without such a complete method of measurement, important details of prevention and improvement are easily overlooked or omitted. Previous LCA studies and software packages have not or could not adequately provide simultaneous detailed analysis with the speed and accuracy required for immediate action. There has not existed a simple means by which one unskilled or untrained in the separate professions of engineering science and accounting could perform a combined LCA/ABC analysis without considerable knowledge of each of these two demanding disciplines. The capability of one individual with a limited skill set to input data and receive dynamic LCA/ABC valuation reports by making changes in task associated drivers has also not existed. Additionally, the development of a simple hierarchical method for inputting data and associated drivers into a user friendly software program that provides a format so that associated basic elemental tasks can also be included (for any process, product, or service), has also not existed.
Accordingly, one primary object of this invention is to provide a novel system that merges the key aspects of the combined methodologies used for activity based costing (ABC) and life cycle assessment (LCA) into a an object oriented programmable software application coupled with a relational database. This software application is known and subsequently referred to as the LCAPIX module. The Venn diagram of FIG. 5 illustrates both the initial conceptual merger of these two methods previously used by individuals skilled in either the engineering sciences (LCA) or in the accounting (ABC) disciplines, as well as providing an overall model for the LCAPIX software module of the present invention. The top xe2x80x9cplatformxe2x80x9d of FIG. 5 illustrates that for both LCA and ABC, an inventory stage is required where LCA can be considered a subset of ABC and ABM. One then has a choice as to whether the next procedure will involve determination of costs via the conventional ABC approach or determination and valuation by xe2x80x9cenvironmental load indicesxe2x80x9d assigned to various activities and objects. In both cases, the evaluation of the inventoried data results in the Impact Assessment Stage (II) according to ISO 14000 practices. These operations may be performed simultaneously using the LCAPIX software module. Finally, the improvement analysis stage (III) is shown to reside on an identical platform, but at some later time, as the inventory stage, again indicating that LCA can be considered a subset of ABC. The improvement analysis stage can be used for environmental and strategic planning of the product, process, or service under analysis.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fast, reliable, dynamic system useful for analysis of a product, process, or service based on specific tasks or activities for each of these items. In performing this analysis, it is possible to combine the heretofore separate analysis of both LCA and ABC into a single format using the developed object oriented programmable software with associated database combined in the LCAPIX software application. The software program application, which is hereafter referred to as the LCAPIX module, was achieved directly from a higher level three dimensional xe2x80x9ctree and branchingxe2x80x9d model by special mapping techniques requiring truncation of the overall hierarchy. The development of a three dimensional model that provides the basis for which a two-dimensional software program application allows for infinite tiers or stages to simulate the product, process, or service under LCA/ABC analysis is also a feature of the present invention.
An additional object of the invention is to provide; a relational database that is easily accessed by xe2x80x9cuser friendlyxe2x80x9d software using object oriented or future, not yet developed, software programmed to include relational databases that can be continuously updated and manipulated such that one of little or no skill in the demanding disciplines of engineering science or accounting may receive the ability to simultaneously, sequentially, or at an earlier or later time accomplish both an ABC and LCA study. The present invention also empowers such individuals to collect and input meaningful tasks to the LCAPIX module (related to process, product, or service data). Then dynamic graphical (as well as textual) reports can be generated in order that appropriate steps may be taken to reduce current or future environmental burdens while also assessing associated costs.
Another object of the invention is the development of the LCAPIX software program application that provides for a five tier or stage or greater hierarchy (levels or layers are also acceptable terms) describing any product, process, or service for which a LCA/ABC analysis is desired.
Separate software applications for ABC or LCA are known to exist, but none are known to combine the elements of each by any means. The concept of associating drivers, driver values, and driver factors with environmental burden assessment is a novel feature of this invention required for combining the necessary aspects of LCA with ABC.
The LCAPIX module includes a means by which individual tasks incorporating the elements of time and associated costs for products, processes, or services can be included. FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting the LCA approach for the available software tools existing prior to the present invention. In the conventional approach, using mass and energy balance data, the user provides only the amounts of each inventoried item. The software tool then provides the valuation units (ELU""sxe2x80x94environmental load units for examplexe2x80x94or other valuation schemes) from a database and the program calculates the total environmental impact. The missing information in this approach is significant. As provided for in FIG. 4, several inventoried items required for each process specified by the user are now included. Dimensions of the product, size of the process equipment, or time required to perform a task are also included to ensure that no essential tasks are omitted from the analysis. In an ABC analysis this approach is considered conventional and necessary. This approach, however, has not been used for the majority of LCA studies due to the often predetermined (and sometimes incorrect) assumption that only large amounts of mass or energy with associated large scales contribute significantly to the environmental load burden. For LCA studies that did attempt the more detailed approach, as indicated in FIG. 4, no available software existed that could perform the operations as performed by the LCAPIX software module.
Earlier and current LCA software applications allow primarily for energy and mass balance data collection but do not incorporate time related tasks or associated environmental burdens, thereby reducing the effectiveness of LCA studies. For implementing methods to improve Eco-efficiency and reduce production costs, the details of the task-related activities are essential for understanding what and how to make desired changes. The absence of any ABC techniques, further reduces the users ability to enhance Eco-efficiency or reduce the same production costs. In addition, earlier and current software applications were not developed to accommodate the ISO 14000 terminology and also include ABC methodology. Also, earlier and current software applications do not allow for product/process breakdown into elemental components nor do they allow for implementation of drivers and associated driver values. Conversion of LCA impact analysis information into a suitable format (graphical and numerical reports) which allows for rapid strategic comparisons together with ABC details is also novel.
FIG. 6 represents the LCA Product/Process Schema for the LCAPIX software and is a key element used in the approach to combine LCA with ABC to determine both environmental load burdens and associated costs for providing a product, process, or service. The figure shows a 5 stage or level stepwise procedure that can be used to model most common processes involved in product manufacture, processing methods or service provisions. Starting from the top and heading to the bottom (top to bottom analysis is equally effective and provided for in the LCAPIX software module), the user can first indicate the product/process type or name. At all; the remaining levels, data is associated with the level or stage to accomplish this final product, process, or service. Next, at level 2, a machine/ line process can be detailed. This Machine/Line stage could simulate an entire manufacturing portion of an industrial plant production line where one or thousands of widgets are produced daily, weekly, or monthly. At level 3, the subprocess level is provided for where data can be entered regarding some pre-machine line process stage item. At level 4, the operation level is provided for where data can be entered regarding some pre-subprocess stage item. Finally, at level 5, determination of a set of rudimentary tasks associated with the product at stage 1 is possible. The hierarchy described may be truncated at any level for less than 5 stepwise procedure or concatenated with subsequent procedures that can be modeled using 5 or less steps. In this way, a 10, 20, 100, 200, or even 2000 step wise procedure (such as required in producing an automobile or airplane) can be modeled. The flexibility of the model should now be evident in that the product at level 1 (under analysis) could be an entire building or just a desk within that building. Another example is that the product could be the wing of an aircraft or the entire airplane. In each case, the LCAPIX software module is capable of accepting the data for as many of the stages represented in the model hierarchy as required to fully and adequately perform an LCA/ABC analysis.
The LCAPIX module reduces the product, process, or service into 5 or more (or less) separate and distinct stages (including the product name) or levels as also shown in FIG. 7, and allows for completing ABC or LCA studies simultaneously (or individually at an earlier or later time). The relational database or library allows for simple access to stored data that may be associated with any of the levels or stages. Before the reduction of this invention to practice, no known practical hierarchical scheme generically describing a product, process, or service existed such that a useful associated software application combining LCA with ABC could be developed. By first perfecting this hierarchical scheme and subsequently developing the LCAPIX software application incorporating this scheme, LCA/ABC studies that heretofore required weeks or months can now be accomplished in days or even hours. Further, by development of the LCAPIX software module, instead of a group of individuals (or costly consultants) knowledgeable about LCA and ABC and associated engineering science and accounting principles, the requirement to complete an LCA/ABC study can be performed by one individual who is familiar with how the process, product, or service is accomplished. This is a feature that allows for large cost savings in both manhours (labor) and wages.
A main feature that allows for this cost and time reduction is that the LCAPIX module can separate each stage into a baseline process with an associated elemental task. The baseline process, as developed for the LCAPIX module and depicted in FIG. 7 (as well as being described according to the software module in the flowcharts of FIGS. 8-21), is the process below which no other simple operations exist. An elemental component must be associated with a baseline process. The baseline process can be at any level of the 5 (or more) hierarchical layers (from bottom-to-top; task, operation, subprocess, or machine line/process) but not the top layer (always the product name or typexe2x80x94process operation).
Yet another object of the invention is the relational database aspect of the LCAPIX module that allows for inexpensive and rapid access to multiple environmental valuation schemes or associated costs or both, used for various analysis and strategic planning methods.
Still yet another object of the invention is the conversion of LCA impact analysis information into a suitable form (graphical and numerical reports) for inclusion in managerial and executive decision making for the xe2x80x9cimprovementxe2x80x9d portion of the analysis. By incorporating the elements of time and individual tasks, the same analysis can provide the same report with costs in any international currency. The LCAPIX module builds the process hierarchical inventory of industrial and other systems, calculates the process substance amounts, and determines the process substance loads by accessing environmental valuation and cost databases. The LCAPIX module allows for multiple calculations or xe2x80x9ccasesxe2x80x9d which are determined in the analysis stage.
Concurrent valuation and cost considerations are generated using the same inventory, impact assessment and improvement analysis LCA process scheme originally developed by the ISO 14000 committee (SETACxe2x80x941992). This allows the user to follow ISO 14000 guidelines in the development of an organizational environmental strategy which provides for more than eventual ISO 14000 Certification, and also yields detailed information on process, product, or service Eco-efficiency improvements.
Summarizing the specific advantages of the LCAPIX software module includes; a system for combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Activity Based Costing using object oriented relational database software for implementation of an environmental management strategy comprising the steps of:
i). combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Activity Based Costing (ABC) methodologies by including elemental components defined by drivers, driver units, and driver values or factors and a separate but easily accessible relational database included in an object oriented application software known as the LCAPIX module. The design flow of the LCAPIX module is described in detailed flowcharts FIGS. 8-22.
ii). including a product/process/service schema that allows for reduction and separation of any 5 step (or more or less) hierarchy for any overall process, product, or service into elemental tasks or baseline processes following the schematic representation of the two dimensional model as shown in FIG. 6;
iii). following the recommended guidelines and procedures within ISO 14000 and more specifically ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment methodologies for all three stages of Inventory (I), Determination (II), and Improvement (III) analysis;
iv) providing the unique ability to determine costs via ABC and environmental burdens via LCA (using valuation schemes) either simultaneously or at a later or earlier time by understanding the tasks required for making the product or performing the process or service without full comprehension of the underlying engineering science or accounting principles inherent in LCA/ABC studies and generating quick, reliable, comprehensive, dynamic, ABM style reports and graphical charts for immediate management review;
v). using a relational database separate and distinct from the LCAPIX application that allows for rapid comparison of environmental burdens from multiple environmental load centers as well as storing cost data using various forms of currency and allows for continuous updates and manipulation of data;
vi). allowing for breakdown or decomposition of any process, product, or service into elemental components that can be later used to assess different products, processes or services. converting of LCA impact analysis into a suitable form =
This summary does not include all the features of the present invention, but rather it should be understood these represent the preferred embodiments descriptive of the present invention as differentiated from the background of the invention detailed in that section above. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
During development of the actual software program application, inclusion of the LCAPIX module-Powerbuilder application provides a unique interface with Watcom.sql that avoids the necessity for both database code development and C++ object oriented programming. This allows for rapid, complete, and flexible application changes to suit the needs of any current or future potential users of the LCAPIX module.

System for combining life cycle assessment with activity based costing using a relational database software application


A winding hub for tape information carriers is designed with spring elements between an inner ring and an outer ring for providing a compression ratio from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of less than 1:4. To increase the holding forces of the winding hub during reeling, the spring elements are assigned limiter elements.

Winding hub for information carriers in strip or tape form, the width of the outer winding surface of the winding hub corresponding at least to the width of the information carrier, the winding hub comprising an outer ring and an inner ring, which are radially interconnected by elastically deformable spring elements running radially and in the circumferential direction, in order to prevent a relative movement of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring in the circumferential direction of the latter, and the winding hub having an inner and outer circumference with an inner and outer diameter, respectively, the winding hub having a compression ratio of the compressed inner diameter to the compressed outer diameter of less than 1:4 during winding up of the information carrier.
DE-U 9400220 discloses the winding hub described above with spring elements which lend the same a certain elasticity in the radial direction.
Such a winding hub is used for winding up magnetic tapes after cutting and the wound winding hub is supplied to cassette loading companies or cassette recording companies. These companies mount the winding hubs onto reeling machines, which engage in the individual winding hub by means of a take-up mechanism and clamp said hub from the inner circumference.
These take-up mechanisms have a limited clamping displacement. The inner ring of the winding hub is resiliently expanded by the mechanism and offers little resistance to this resilient expansion. As a result, the winding hub is not held with the necessary firmness on the mechanism and accidents can occur due to detaching and flying off of the tape roll and/or of the hub.

Winding hub for information carriers in tape form


A method of estimating a parameter of physiological significance in the central nervous system (CNS) is provided. The method comprises (a) providing one or more images of the brain or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in a subject to whom a dose of a contrast agent (CA) has been administered; (b) determining, using a computer equipped with image processing software, the concentration or relative concentration of the agent in a region or regions of interest in the brain or CSF, thereby generating concentration data; (c) describing the time-based behavior of concentrations of CA within the brain or CSF using a pharmacokinetic model that is based on a set of pharmacokinetic model parameters; and (d) fitting, using computer code, the pharmacokinetic model to the concentration data, varying one or more parameters, wherein the best fit estimates a parameter of physiological significance in the CNS.

It is well known that studies are conducted in animals during preclinical drug development to determine in vivo pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and toxicity, and that these studies are used in an effort to predict effective drug concentrations in humans. Advancements in small-animal imaging technology over the past decade have enabled quantitative assessment of dynamic in vivo distribution of radiolabeled compounds (Smith-Jones et al., Nature Biotechnol. 22:701-706, 2004; Robinson et al., Cancer Res. pp. 1471-1478, 2005; Cai et al., Eur. J. Nucl. Med. Mol. Imaging 34:850-858, 2007; Cai et al., J. Nucl. Med. 48:304-310, 2007; Sosabowski et al., Star 40:2082-2089, 2009) as well as quantitative sub-organ analysis (Hoppin et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. In press). Designing, performing, and interpreting these imaging studies is a complex, interdisciplinary effort. Many parameters define the results of an imaging study including isotope selection, radiolabeling chemistry, specific activity, injected activity, compound pharmacology, the animal model, imaging time points, imaging scan time, reconstruction algorithms, image processing, and others.
In the clinic, molecular imaging (primarily SPECT and PET) is a medical imaging technique in which a human subject can be imaged in two- or three-dimensions to quantitatively or semi-quantitatively determine the distribution of an administered exogenous contrast agent.
Existing approaches to analysis of PET and SPECT in the clinic include drawing regions of interest and determining the concentration or relative concentration of the contrast agent in the region of interest. However, it is unclear how the concentration of contrast agent is related to contrast agent and in vivo transport properties.

Estimating pharmacokinetic parameters in imaging


A system for testing a wireless access device having a plurality of radio modules is provided. The system includes a housing having an interior chamber. The interior chamber is adapted to receive a wireless access device. A plurality of probes are positioned for respective alignment with an antenna of a corresponding radio module of the wireless access device. The plurality of probes are adapted to receive radio signals from the wireless access device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to testing systems for wireless communication devices and more particularly to systems and methods for calibrating and testing integrated radio modules of wireless access devices.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of wireless communication devices for data networking continues to grow at a rapid pace. Data networks that use "WiFi" ("Wireless Fidelity"), also known as "Wi-Fi," are relatively easy to install, convenient to use, and supported by the IEEE 802.11 standard. WiFi data networks also provide performance that makes WiFi a suitable alternative to a wired data network for many business and home users.
WiFi networks operate by employing wireless access points that provide users, having wireless (or "client") devices in proximity to the access point, with access to varying types of data networks such as, for example, an Ethernet network or the Internet. The wireless access points include a radio that operates according to the standards specified in different sections of the IEEE 802.11 specification. Generally, radios in the access points communicate with client devices by utilizing omni-directional antennas that allow the radios to communicate with client devices in any direction. The access points are then connected (by hardwired connections) to a data network system that completes the access of the client device to the data network. The different standards under IEEE 802.11 define 'channels' that wireless devices, or clients, use when communicating with an access point.
Access points provide service to a limited number of users. Access points are assigned a channel on which to communicate. Some of the channels provided by different 802.11 standards overlap. Each channel allows a recommended maximum of 64 clients to communicate with the access point. In addition, access points must be spaced apart strategically to reduce the chance of interference, either between access points tuned to the same channel, or to overlapping channels. In addition, channels are shared. Only one user may occupy the channel at any give time. As users are added to a channel, each user must wait longer for access to the channel thereby degrading throughput.
Another degradation of throughput as the number of clients grow is the result of the use of omni-directional antennas. Certain access point technology may employ one or two radios in close proximity resulting in interference, which reduces throughput. In an example of a two radio access point, both radios may be utilized as access points (i.e., each radio communicates with a different client device) or one radio may function as the access point while the other radio functions as a backhaul, i.e., a communication channel from the access point to a network backbone, central site, and/or other access point. Typically, the interference resulting from the different antennas utilized with these radios limits the total throughput available and, as a result, reduces traffic efficiency at the access point.
High-end wireless devices recently developed include multiple radios to improve bandwidth, user density, signal strength, coverage area, signal management and load balancing. The development of these new wireless devices has resulted in the need for testing systems to calibrate and troubleshoot wireless communication hardware during development. Known testing systems may calibrate wireless communication devices in a wired fashion. As a result, accurate testing or calibration of the antennas of the wireless communication devices, in many instances, may not be accomplished. Accordingly, proper analysis of the operation of the antennas of the wireless communication devices may not result.
Thus, there is a need for a calibration and testing system that provides the ability to calibrate, test, and troubleshoot the integrated radio modules of wireless communication devices.

Testing system for a wireless access device and method


The present invention provides processes for preparing 2,2,3,3,4-pentafluorooxetane and/or 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluorooxetane which comprises reacting 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorooxetane with fluorine gas, the process inhibiting decomposition of the oxetane ring during the reaction and producing a reduced amount of by-products.

Various PFC are conventionally used as dry etching gases. However, since PFC are very stable in the atmosphere and high in global warming coefficient, emission of PFC is required to be reduced in amount. Recently, fluoroether compounds attract attention as dry etching gases. Among fluoroether compounds, fluorine-containing oxetanes are considered advantageously usable as dry etching gases since they easily decompose in the atmosphere because of their chemically unstable four-member ring structure.
A process for synthesizing 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluorooxetane, one of the fluorine-containing oxetanes, is disclosed in German Patent No. 814002. The process comprises electrolytically fluorinating an oxetane in hydrogen fluoride. The process, however, is not satisfactory since the oxetane easily decomposes during the reaction, producing a large amount of by-products.
A number of researches have been made on hydrogen-fluorine substitution reaction of organic compounds using fluorine gas (e.g., Lagow et al., J. Org. Chem., 42, 3437 (1977)). However, known processes require special reactors since fluorine is highly reactive and may cause a runaway reaction or explosion. Further, they require a low reaction temperature of -78.degree. C. and a large amount of diluent gas in order to prevent side reactions such as cleavage of the carbon-carbon bond of the organic compound. Thus, known processes are not satisfactory for industrial purposes.

Fluorooxetane compound and process for its preparation


In a packaging method for a flip-chip type semiconductor device, the method in which the rear surface sides of a plurality of semiconductor chips having solder bump electrodes on their front surfaces are fixed temporarily with an adhesive to the respective predetermined locations on the flat surface of a block, the block and a circuit board are positioned by placing the flat surface of the block opposed to the front surface of the circuit board where pads are formed, the solder bump electrodes and the pads are brought into contact by bringing them close to each other without the intermediary of soldering flux, and the plurality of semiconductor chips are bonded in a lump to the circuit board by welding the solder bump electrodes to the pads through reflowing of the solder of the solder bump electrodes by subjecting them to heat treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging method for a flip-chip type semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of connecting the electrodes of a semiconductor chip to a printed circuit board by soldering.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flip-chip type semiconductor device in which a plurality of solder bump electrodes formed on the surface of semiconductor chips are connected directly to a wiring pattern of a circuit board is broadly in use in the LSI field for the reasons that it permits high density packaging and enables one to obtain high bonding reliability. The technology for this device is described in, for example, an article by Sato et al. entitled "Micro-solder Bonding Technology for IC-LSI", Processings of the Japan institute of Metals, Vol. 23, No. 12 (1984), pp. 1004-1013.
In accordance with the prior art, solder bonding is carried out by applying soldering flux to a circuit board with a wiring pattern formed thereon, positioning the solder bump electrodes of semiconductor chips to the pads of the wiring pattern and binding them with soldering flux, then melting the solder (referred to reflowing hereinafter) by heating. In this process, the soldering flux has an important action of temporarily binding the positioned semiconductor chips by virtue of its bonding power, in addition to the action of smoothly carrying out reflowing.
On the other hand, accompanying the increase in the level of integration of LSIs, heat dissipation from the semiconductor chips of the flip-chip type semiconductor device has become an important technical issue, which necessitates the provision of a heat dissipating means on the rear surface of the semiconductor chips. As one of such heat dissipation methods Rao R. Tummala published an article entitled "Advance Packaging Technologies in U.S.--An Overview", IMC 1988 Proceedings, Tokyo, May 25-27, 1988, pp. 12-17 in which he proposed a structure wherein a cooling piston is pressed mechanically against the rear surface of one semiconductor chip by means of a spring. In addition, R. Darveaux, et al. propose a method in which a heat sink is commonly fitted to the rear surfaces of a plurality of semiconductor chips via a piece of indium with certain thickness in an article entitled "Thermal/Stress Analysis of a Multichip Package Design", Proceedings of the 39th Electronic Components Conference, May 1989, pp. 668-671.
However, the conventional method of temporarily binding semiconductor chips using soldering flux generates problems related to the bonding reliability and the yield due to the fact that many harmful impurities contained in the soldering flux are brought into contact with the front surface of the semiconductor chips. In particular, in view also of the circumstance that the reduction of intrusion of harmful impurities into various materials becomes severe in proportion to the advance of the level of integration and fine geometry of semiconductor chips, it is necessary to exclude soldering flux from the fabrication process.
Moreover, according to the above-mentioned conventional method the rear surfaces of various semiconductor chips, after reflow, do not find themselves located on the same plane, and the height deviation among the rear surfaces of the plurality of semiconductor chips becomes large. This is the reason why the cooling means with long heat dissipation path and complicated structure has to be arranged for each of the semiconductor chips as mentioned above. On the other hand, the aforementioned method of commonly fitting a heat sink by canceling the difference in the height among the plurality of semiconductor chips by forming the indium piece to have a large thickness (500-800 .mu.m, for example) is not desirable because it results in the increase in the thermal resistance up to the location of the heat sink.

Packaging method for flip-chip type semiconductor device


A liquid electrophotographic printer having an improved drying unit is provided. The liquid electrophotographic printer includes a photoreceptor belt circulating and supported by a plurality of rollers on an endless track, for forming a latent electrostatic image on the photoreceptor belt, a development unit for supplying a developer liquid to the photoreceptor belt and developing the latent electrostatic image into a toner image, a drying unit for drying the photoreceptor belt on which the toner image is formed, and a transfer unit for transferring the toner image to a sheet of paper, wherein the drying unit includes a heating device installed in the vicinity of one surface of the photoreceptor belt for heating the photoreceptor belt on which the toner image is formed to evaporate a carrier sticking to the photoreceptor belt, and a collector installed in the vicinity of another surface of the photoreceptor belt for collecting the carrier evaporated by the heating device. Therefore, the drying unit is simplified, and the life of the photoreceptor belt is prolonged. Also, a slip of the photoreceptor belt is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid electrophotographic printer, and more particularly, to a liquid electrophotographic printer having an improved drying device for drying a photoreceptor belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic printer such as a laser printer generally employs a mechanism for supplying a developer having a predetermined color to a photosensitive medium, such as a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt, on which a latent electrostatic image is formed, and developing the latent electrostatic image into a toner image.
The developer is divided into either a liquid type developer or a powder type developer. The liquid type developer has a fine particle toner having a predetermined color dispersed in a volatile liquid carrier. The liquid laser printer using a liquid type developer has a better printing quality than the dry laser printer using only a powder toner, and can be protected from harmful toner powder. Therefore, the liquid type developer is being increasingly used.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional image developing apparatus includes a photoreceptor belt 110 on an endless track, and first, second and third rollers 121, 122 and 123 for circulating the photoreceptor belt 110 along the endless track. The third roller 123 is a driving roller driven by a driving motor (not shown) for rotating the photoreceptor belt 110, and the second roller 122 is a steering roller for preventing meandering by adjusting the tension of the photoreceptor belt 110. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 124 represents a transfer roller for transferring the toner image formed on the photoreceptor belt 110 to a sheet of paper 126, and reference numeral 125 is a pressing roller for pressing the sheet 126 against the transfer roller 124. Also, reference numeral 150 is a drying device for removing a liquid carrier from the toner image formed by a development device to be described later.
A charging station 135 for charging the photoreceptor belt 110 is positioned in the vicinity of the carrying area of the photoreceptor belt 110 between the first and second rollers 121 and 122. In the carrying area of the photoreceptor belt 110 between the second and third rollers 122 and 123, there are alternately installed a plurality of laser scanning units (LSUs) 130 for forming a latent electrostatic image on the photosensitive region of the photoreceptor belt 110 by irradiating laser beams onto the photoreceptor belt 110, and a plurality of development devices 140 for developing the latent electrostatic image into the toner image by applying a developer liquid having a toner of a predetermined color to a region where the latent electrostatic image is formed.
The toner image of the photoreceptor belt 110 is transferred to the sheet 126 by the transfer roller 124 after being dried by the drying device 150.
Referring to FIG. 2, a development roller 141, a cleaning roller 142, and squeegee rollers 144 and 146 are disposed on the upstream side of the development device 140. The development roller 141 applies a developer liquid 148 supplied from a developer liquid supplier 143 to the latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor belt 110. The cleaning roller 142 removes the excess developer liquid from the developer liquid supplier 143 which remains on the surface of the development roller 141. The squeegee rollers 144 and 146 remove excess developer liquid 148 remaining after being used in developing the latent electrostatic image. The developer liquid 148 sticking to the squeegee rollers 144 and 146 is separated by blades 145 and 147 being in contact with the surfaces of the squeegee rollers 144 and 146 to then be recovered and stored in the development device 140.
The toner image of the photoreceptor belt 110, having passed through the squeegee rollers 144 and 146, is formed into a thin-film like liquid toner image. The liquid carrier remaining in the toner image is removed while passing through a drying device 150. The drying device 150 includes a dry roller 151, a heat roller 153 and a collector 155.
The dry roller 151 absorbs the liquid carrier of the toner image while rotating in contact with the photoreceptor belt 110. An absorption layer 152 for absorbing the liquid carrier is formed on the dry roller 151. The heat roller 153 contacts the dry roller 151 and is provided with a heat source such as a halogen lamp 154. The heat roller 153 heats the surface of the dry roller 151 using the heat generated from the halogen lamp 154 to evaporate the liquid carrier absorbed into the absorption layer 152 of the dry roller 151. The collector 155 collects and recovers the gaseous carrier generated in the dry roller 151.
As described above, the conventional liquid laser printer has the following disadvantages.
First, since a dry roller heated at a high temperature directly contacts a photoreceptor belt, the life of the photoreceptor belt is shortened due to thermal stress.
Second, when the excess developer liquid is not sufficiently removed from the photoreceptor belt, the carrier may be absorbed into the dry roller excessively, which may cause contamination of the dry roller and cross contamination of the photoreceptor belt, which degrades printing quality.
Third, since the carrier sticking to the photoreceptor belt is not sufficiently evaporated by the dry roller but remains on the photoreceptor belt, the carrier recovery efficiency by the collector is lowered.
Fourth, since the toner image is maintained in a wet state due to the partially dried photoreceptor belt, the toner image is not completely transferred to the sheet of recording paper. Thus, part of the toner image remains on the photoreceptor belt as foreign matter, which considerably degrades the printing quality and contaminates internal components of the printer.
Fifth, due to the incompletely dried photoreceptor belt, the bottom surface of the photoreceptor belt, being in contact with rollers, may be contaminated by the liquid carrier. In this case, a slip occurs between the photoreceptor belt and the driving roller, which disables normal image printing.
Sixth, since the collector for collecting the evaporated gaseous carrier surrounds the dry roller and the heat roller, the overall structure is complex and bulky. Also, since the evaporated carrier contacts the heat roller while in a high temperature state, a fire may be caused in the event of overheating of the heat roller.

Liquid electrophotographic printer and improved drying unit


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for granting access to data of a user. In one aspect, an exemplary method comprises, blocking the processing of data of a user, transferring the data of the user to a storage device, receiving a request for data processing from a collected data processor of a device, redirecting the received request to the storage device, determining, by the storage device, data access rights for the collected data processor of the device from which the request for data processing is received in accordance with data access rights established by a data access rights manager, and providing access to the data in accordance with the determined data access rights.

At present, the volume of data to be collected from users' devices continues to grow. At the same time, there is growth in the variety and number of the devices from which data is collected. The devices from which data is collected include Internet of Things (IoT) devices, personal computers, notebooks, and smartphones. The data is commonly collected from devices without any clear consent by the user. However, even if such consent is given, the user does not always understand all the consequences of his/her decision. Data collected from devices is subsequently distributed around the network in an uncontrolled way, and may cause harm to the user. For example, a user may become a victim of criminals who have obtained his/her telephone or credit card number. Moreover, malicious parties are not always the only ones that cause problems. For instance, unscrupulous employers may use data from users' devices to track their employees. Another result of uncontrolled data collection is the annoying targeting of advertisements for special categories of merchandise.
Device manufacturers attempt to defend the user from concealed data collection and to regulate data operations. One example is Google's Firebase system, which synchronizes data between different applications on Android devices and grants access to these data to a third party.
In products manufactured by Apple corporation, there is a similar platform that attempts to defend the user. The platform on Apple products is called the Apple Security Framework and its primary goal is to protect information, establish a trusted connection, and control access to software on a device. For example, the Apple Security Framework is used to establish a user's identity, ensure the security of data both in a storage and during transmission over a network, and confirm the validity of code.
However, the above device manufacturer attempts have shortcomings. The mechanisms to allow data from devices to be shared with third parties are not transparent for the user, are irreversible, and only provide weak protection against tracking by third-party applications.
Therefore, there is a need for a more optimal and effective way of granting access to data of a user while ensuring privacy.

System and method of granting access to data of a user


An optional tray fastening device of an image forming apparatus, for providing a fastening connection between an optional receiving tray moving in and out with respect to a main body of the image forming apparatus and the main body when mounting the optional tray to a lower part of the main body, includes a fastening depression formed at a lower part of the main body; a connection boss that protrudes from an upper part of the optional tray to be inserted in the fastening depression; and a key member that restrains escape of the connection boss from the fastening depression.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an optional tray fastening device for an image forming apparatus, the optional tray, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, image forming apparatuses, which are sometimes referred to by the term "office machines" include multifunction apparatuses, photocopiers, facsimile machines, and printers. Image forming apparatuses generally comprise a main body and may have an optional tray additionally connected to a lower part of the main body.
For example, in an image forming apparatus, the main body comprises a developing unit, a fixing unit, and a laser scanning unit. In addition, a print medium supply tray for supplying a print medium such as paper to the developing unit is mounted at a lower part of the main body.
The print medium supply tray may be joined to the main body or may be separably mounted to the main body as an optional part. Recently, print medium supply trays have been configured so that a plurality of print medium trays can be layered, to supply various types of print media.
Therefore, such print medium trays usually have a layerable structure so that two or three print medium trays can be layered according to the user's demand and are separably mounted with respect to the lower part of the main body. Herein, such print medium trays are referred to as "optional print medium supply trays" or, for short, "optional trays."
More specifically, a hole is formed at the lower part of the main body or the print medium supply tray while a shaft is formed at an upper part of an optional print medium supply tray. The shaft is configured to be inserted in the hole formed at the main body. By fitting the shaft into the hole, the optional print medium supply tray can be attached to the main body or to the lower part of the print medium supply tray.
However, the above connection method using the hole and the shaft has the following problem.
Such a simple connection using a hole and the shaft prevents the optional print medium supply tray and the main body from moving laterally with respect to each other, but does not prevent the shaft from leaving the hole. Therefore, the connection can be easily released when carrying or tilting the main body with the optional print medium supply tray attached thereto. As more and more optional print medium supply trays are added, this danger increases.

Fastening device for optional tray of an image forming apparatus, an optional tray, and an image forming apparatus


An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element group, and color filters of at least two colors arranged on respective photoelectric conversion elements of the photoelectric conversion element group. The color filters are arranged on the respective photoelectric conversion elements such that a spatial frequency component of array of color filters of each color includes a reduced amount of component in a low-frequency region and a band component in a high-frequency region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensor that includes a photoelectric conversion element group on which color filters are arranged in a predetermined pattern. An image sensor according to the present invention can be applied to a charge-coupled device (CCD). Furthermore, the present invention relates to a color imaging apparatus including an image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image pickup tubes and solid-state image sensors are widely used for various imaging apparatuses. A color image sensor incorporated in a single tube or a single plate (collectively referred to as "single sensor") type color imaging apparatus can be configured to constitute a color imaging unit by itself. Therefore, the single color image sensor does not require any color separation prism and does not require any positioning adjustment unlike a multiple-plate image sensor. The single color image sensor can downsize a color imaging apparatus and reduce electric power consumption. The single sensor type color camera incorporating a color CCD image sensor (solid-state image sensor) is widely used.
The above-described color image sensor includes color filters (which are generally referred to as "stripe filters" or "mosaic filters") disposed on a predetermined light-receiving plane and is configured to perform color modulation (color filter processing) to obtain color information from a single light-receiving element.
For example, if a color image sensor is configured to include RGB 3-color filters in a predetermined regular pattern disposed on photoelectric conversion elements (pixels), each pixel can have unique spectral sensitivity. When an image of an object is captured by a color image sensor, the image signal includes dot sequential color information reflecting the above-described color filter array. Therefore, if the image signal is separable into signals corresponding to respective color filters according to the above-described predetermined array, color information can be obtained based on the separated signals.
A luminance signal (Y signal) is obtainable from RGB information. In other words, a luminance signal of one pixel can be obtained if information of at least three pixels (each of RGB pixels) is obtained. This type of color image sensor can capture a color image by itself although luminance resolution may slightly deteriorate.
There are various types of conventional color filters including three primary color filters (e.g., RGB stripe and Bayer-type RGB mosaic) as well as complementary color filters (e.g., YeMgCy stripe, YeMgCyW 4-color mosaic, and YeMgCyG 4-color mosaic).
However, a conventional color filter layout using a regular array (e.g., Bayer array) tends to generate spurious resolution (color moire) based on spatial sampling according to the array. Therefore, a conventional single sensor-type color imaging apparatus requires an optical low-pass filter capable of assuring image quality. However, the provision of such a filter deteriorates image resolution. Therefore, the conventional color filter layout (represented by the Bayer array) may not simultaneously satisfy two requirements, i.e., prevention of color moire and improvement of resolution.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-299871, there is a conventional method for randomly arraying color filters to suppress generation of color moire or reduction in image resolution. However, according to the method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-299871, an image may include noise components due to non-uniform spatial frequency (deviation in frequency).

Image sensor and color imaging apparatus


Power switching devices deliver power to at least one powered device and may command, control and/or monitor the powered device(s). The power switching devices may further bridge communications between remote devices, and for wireless devices uses wireless communication, such as, but not limited to, radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, light, and sound frequencies, and Wi-Fi, wired and wireless internet, the cloud, and personal computing devices. Systems utilize such power switching devices for monitoring, command and/or control of the remote or powered devices, integration of information into data management applications, data storage, putting into place threshold alarms, monitoring available variables, functions and data, and associating events with time.

Internet of Things (IoT) technology has led to a plethora of computing devices to remotely automate, control, and monitor powered devices. There are many types of data communication, frequencies of communication, and protocols available and in use for remotely communicating between computing devices and powered devices. Often, these types of communication are not readily adaptable to each other or a common user interface. This can limit the ability of devices to communicate with each other.
Furthermore, in a system with multiple wireless-enabled devices, each wireless device must separately communicate with the wireless network, such as a router. This requires that each device be in range of the wireless communication device, e.g., the router. This may require limitations on where the devices may be placed, where the router may be placed, or require multiple routers or other wireless access points.
In addition, this proximity requirement may limit the type of wireless communication available for connecting between the device and the wireless network. Different types of wireless communication technologies have different ranges. For example, Wi-Fi may have a range of a couple of hundred feet. However, Wi-Fi may require an undesirable power requirement. This may be an issue where the wireless device is not permanently connected to a power source and is powered by a battery, either disposable or rechargeable. Bluetooth technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) have reduced energy requirements compared to other communication technologies, and thus may be desirable for devices that are powered by batteries. However, Bluetooth technology has a limited range that renders it unsuitable for longer distance communication. Thus, Bluetooth protocol may be desired for the particular application, but it may not be practical due to the range limitations. Also, in certain systems, data or information from a first wireless device is used to control the operation of a second wireless device. This requires that both devices be connected to a wireless network. As discussed above, this requires that both devices be in range of a wireless network, and that both devices have sufficient power to operate on that network.
One category of remote communication device is termed a "smartplug." Generally speaking, a smartplug is a power outlet connected to power line, e.g., a wall electrical outlet, that has a wireless radio for communication with a remote device. The remote device may be used to control the power state of the smartplug, that is, on or off, to control power delivery to the devices plugged into the smartplug. In some instances, the smartplug can relay information to the remote device, e.g., the power usage of the device(s) plugged into smartplug, as measured by a power meter incorporated into the smartplug.

IoT communications bridging power switch


A mixer having a unitary construction is disclosed comprising an annular housing having an axis and at least a first swirler having a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially around the axis such that circumferentially adjacent vanes form at least one flow passage that is oriented at least partially in an axial direction with respect to the axis. In another exemplary embodiment, a mixer having a unitary construction is disclosed comprising a swirler having a plurality of radial vanes arranged circumferentially around the axis and oriented at least partially in a radial direction.

This invention relates generally to combustors, and more specifically to mixers used for enhancing fuel/air mixing in gas turbine engine combustors.
Modern day emphasis on minimizing the production and discharge of gases that contribute to smog and to other undesirable environmental conditions, particularly those gases that are emitted from gas turbine engines, have led to different combustor designs that have been developed in an effort to reduce the production and discharge of such undesirable combustion product components. Other factors that influence combustor design are the desires of users of gas turbine engines for efficient, low cost operation, which translates into a need for reduced fuel consumption while at the same time maintaining or even increasing engine output. As a consequence, important design criteria for aircraft gas turbine engine combustion systems include provision for high combustion temperatures, in order to provide high thermal efficiency under a variety of engine operating conditions, as well as the minimization of undesirable combustion conditions that contribute to the emission of particulates, and to the emission of undesirable gases, and to the emission of combustion products that are precursors to the formation of photochemical smog.
Various governmental regulatory bodies have established emission limits for acceptable levels of unburned hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which have been identified as the primary contributors to the generation of undesirable atmospheric conditions. Therefore, different combustor designs have been developed to meet those criteria. For example, one way in which the problem of minimizing the emission of undesirable gas turbine engine combustion products has been attacked is the provision of staged combustion. In that arrangement, a combustor is provided in which a first stage burner is utilized for low speed and low power conditions to more closely control the character of the combustion products. A combination of first stage and second stage burners is provided for higher power outlet conditions while attempting to maintain the combustion products within the emissions limits. It will be appreciated that balancing the operation of the first and second stage burners to allow efficient thermal operation of the engine, while simultaneously minimizing the production of undesirable combustion products, is difficult to achieve. In that regard, operating at low combustion temperatures to lower the emissions of NOx, can also result in incomplete or partially incomplete combustion, which can lead to the production of excessive amounts of HC and CO, in addition to producing lower power output and lower thermal efficiency. High combustion temperature, on the other hand, although improving thermal efficiency and lowering the amount of HC and CO, often results in a higher output of NOx. In the art, one of the ways in which production of undesirable combustion product components in gas turbine engine combustors is minimized over the engine operating regime is by using a staged combustion system using primary and secondary fuel injection ports.
Another way that has been proposed to minimize the production of those undesirable combustion product components is to provide for more effective intermixing of the injected fuel and the combustion air. In that regard, numerous mixer designs have been proposed over the years to improve the mixing of the fuel and air. In this way, burning occurs uniformly over the entire mixture and reduces the level of HC and CO that result from incomplete combustion.
One mixer design that has been utilized is known as a twin annular premixing swirler (TAPS), which is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 6,354,072; 6,363,726; 6,367,262; 6,381,964; 6,389,815; 6,418,726; 6,453,660; 6,484,489; and, 6,865,889. It will be understood that the TAPS mixer assembly includes a pilot mixer which is supplied with fuel during the entire engine operating cycle and a main mixer which is supplied with fuel only during increased power conditions of the engine operating cycle. Improvements in the main mixer of the assembly during high power conditions (i.e., take-off and climb) are disclosed in patent applications having Ser. Nos. 11/188,596, 11/188,598, and 11/188,470.
The mixers have swirler assemblies that swirl the air passing through them to promote mixing of air with fuel prior to combustion. The swirler assemblies used in the combustors are complex structures having axial, radial or conical swirlers or a combination of them. In the past, conventional manufacturing methods have been used to fabricate mixers having swirler components that are assembled or joined together using known methods to form the swirler assemblies. For example, in some mixers with complex vanes, individual vanes are first machined and then brazed into an assembly. Investment casting methods have been used in the past in producing some combustor swirlers. Other swirlers have been machined from raw stock. Electro-discharge machining (EDM) has been used as a means of machining the vanes in the swirlers.
Conventional combustor components such as, for example, mixers, are generally expensive to fabricate and/or repair because the conventional mixer designs include a complex assembly and joining of several components. More specifically, the use of braze joints can increase the time needed to fabricate such mixers and can also complicate the fabrication process for any of several reasons, including: the need for an adequate region to allow for braze alloy placement; the need for minimizing unwanted braze alloy flow; the need for an acceptable inspection technique to verify braze quality; and, the necessity of having several braze alloys available in order to prevent the re-melting of previous braze joints. Moreover, numerous braze joints may result in several braze runs, which may weaken the parent material of the component. The presence of numerous braze joints can undesirably increase the weight and manufacturing cost of the mixer assemblies.
Complexities of the swirler geometries and the associated difficulties in the machining and normal wear of the tools such as the EDM electrodes during the machining process, cause significant manufacturing variability in the mixer assemblies. Such manufacturing variability in the mixer assemblies may lead to undesirable aerodynamic flow variability in the mixers and adversely impact the aerodynamic performance of the combustor.
Thus, there is a need to provide a gas turbine engine combustor mixer using a manufacturing method with reduced variability. Further, it is desirable to have mixers with complex geometries and swirler arrangements having a unitary construction to reduce dimensional variations from manufacturing to improve operability and reduce emissions over the engine's operating envelope and to reduce costs. It is desirable to have a method of manufacturing a mixer having complex three dimensional geometries in a unitary construction.