A print media sensor mounting assembly includes a housing having a sensor mounting element. The sensor mounting element has a sensor position movably mounted therein for movement of the sensor position amongst a plurality of positions corresponding to a width of a print media web.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a sensor assembly and, more particularly, to an adjustable sensor assembly for determining the location of at least one edge of print media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printer sensors are typically used to determine the presence and location of the edge of the print media during operation. The printer requires a reference position in order to begin printing. This ensures that an appropriate location is available in the print area and that edge or over the edge printing does not occur. It is also desirable to be able to distinguish between labels, for example, on a continuous supply roll. The printer, therefore, can determine the appropriate start and finish locations on the print media in order to place a printed bar code, for example, on the appropriate label and advance the print media to the next location in a reliable and efficient manner.
Sensors are used to determine the position of a label within a print head, that is, the distance that the print media has advanced. Traditional optical means of detecting the position of labels, for example, include a "through beam" system wherein an emitter is placed on one side of the label and a detector is placed on the reverse side. There are two methods of using "through beam" technology. These include gap and stripe indication. In the gap indication method, light is passed through the print media and gaps between labels are sensed as a change in light intensity.
Stripe indication senses a black stripe printed on either side of the print media. When the indicator stripe is present, the light from the emitter does not pass through the labels and is not detected by the detectors. Stripe sensing can also be performed from one side of the media. A light source shines on the print media and the reflection is sensed to determine the position of the print media.
In order for the position sensor to work properly the black stripe must be in line with the sensor. When various print media sizes are used, printers are typically provided with an additional sensor at each location for each size of the print media. This increases the complexity and cost for the printer, however, since numerous sensors are needed to accommodate print media of different sizes. Some printers typically require that the single sensor be removed and remounted each time a different size media is used.
Printer versatility is desirable. Therefore, a need exists for a sensor, which can be easily adjusted to allow the use of various sized print media in the printer. A further need exits for such a sensor wherein the sensor is readily accessible and therefore does not require difficult disassembly steps in order to adjust the sensors position.
Prior to the present disclosure, significant advances have been made in the prior art. An example of these improvements is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,396,070 to Christensen et al., the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.


An antenna assembly includes an antenna and a radome that covers the antenna. The radome can be single- or double-walled, and, to prevent accumulation of dew on the radome, a radome heater operates to heat the radome's surface temperature in a relatively uniform manner by raising the radome air space's air temperature. To increase the radome heater's energy efficiency, an insulating layer thermally insulates the radome heater from the surface on which it is mounted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to radome heating.
2. Background Information
Antennas are often provided with radomes to protect them from the elements. Radome shapes and materials are typically so selected as to keep adverse effects from the radome's reflecting, refracting, and absorbing microwaves to a minimum. But these adverse effects increase when ice, snow, frost, or dew coat the radome. So some designers provide heating elements to melt ice and snow and evaporate dew. Sometimes these heating elements include resistive wires that are embedded in or otherwise affixed to the radome. In other cases they heat air, which in turn heats the radome walls. When the antenna system is installed in a mobile platform such as a camper or other automobile, battery-life considerations make it important to limit the power that radome heating requires.


A syringe device having a plunger beneath which is disposed a rupturable capsule containing a nucleic acid wash buffer and a rupturing mechanism for rupturing the capsule, wherein the capsule, syringe, plunger, and rupturing mechanism are so configured as to first apply pneumatic pressure to force a nucleic acid solution through a membrane and to thereafter rupture the capsule and force a first volume of the wash buffer through the membrane.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to extraction of nucleic acid and in particular to the extraction of nucleic acid via an extraction device or apparatus.
2. Related Art
Nucleic acids are polymeric macromolecules essential for all known life forms. Nucleic acids include DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) made from monomers known as nucleotides. The most important macromolecules found in living things are nucleic acids and proteins, as they function in encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information. To examine nucleic acid, an 'extraction' process is required. Other names for "extraction" include "purification", "isolation", or "concentration". Complex laboratory methods for extraction of nucleic acid are known such as extraction via column chromatography and magnetic beads based separation.

Rapid nucleic acid extraction method and apparatus


The described methods, systems, and other aspects can, by way of example, advantageously provide efficient metadata storage in a master-slave node-based metadata store of a distributed storage system. An example method may write a first transaction entry in a transaction log of a first node based on a first request for a first operation associated with a first storage object. The method may then request a second node write the first transaction entry in a transaction log of the second node based on the first request. While awaiting a first acknowledgment of a completion of a writing of the first transaction entry in the transaction log of the second node, the method may proceed to write one or more subsequent transaction entries in the transaction log of the first node based on one or more subsequent requests for one or more operations associated with one or more storage objects.

The present disclosure relates to distributed storage systems. In a more particular example, the present disclosure relates to efficient processing of metadata storage.
The rise in electronic and digital device technology has rapidly changed the way society communicates, interacts, and consumes goods and services. Digital technology enables a variety of electronic devices to be available that can be used for a variety of purposes and are relatively cheap. Specifically, modern electronic devices, such as desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, allow a user to have access to a variety of useful applications nearly constantly. Using such applications results in the generation of an increasingly huge amount of data. Storing and retrieving the produced data efficiently is a significant challenge.
As the amount of data and rate of change of stored data increases, the ability to collect accurate and timely information about the stored data becomes both more important and more challenging. For example, storage system parameters, such as storage capacity, may change with every data storage transaction processed by a storage system and near real-time information on storage capacity may be desired for making storage allocation and other storage management decisions.
Some solutions use a metadata database (DB) or key-value stores (KVSs) in a large-scale distributed storage system (DSS) to log the transactions processed by the DSS. One such log may be referred to as a transaction log (TLOG). Additionally, some DSS solutions include a database(s) that store the specifics of each transaction processed by the DSS. However, when writing data and still guaranteeing consistency, the architectures of these solutions still suffer from latency that constricts throughput and causes bottlenecks. This latency problem becomes increasingly worse (even up to the point of failure or impracticability) as the DSS solutions are required to scale up because of the increase in the number of storage requests they receive and process.

Efficient transaction log and database processing


A refrigerator door including an outer wall and an inner wall interconnected along longitudinal edges thereof and including a closing element fixed on an upper horizontal edge of the outer and inner walls. The interconnected closing element and the outer and inner walls delimit an insulating inner space therebetween. At the upper edges the outer wall is longer than the inner wall with the closing element bridging the difference in length between the walls. The resulting structure forming a space for a control panel covered by the outer wall when the refrigerator door is closed.

Doors of refrigerating appliances are conventionally constructed from an outer wall, usually a metal sheet, which is cut from a roll to a length corresponding with the height of the door to be produced and is subsequently bent at several places to respectively form the front plate of the door, lateral limbs adjoining longitudinal edges of the front plate and inwardly bent straps adjoining the limbs, and an inner wall, which is formed by deep-drawing from flat plastics material and fastened to the straps of the outer wall. The cavity formed between outer wall and inner wall is closed by an upper closure element and a lower closure element, which are respectively fastened to the transverse edges of inner wall and outer wall, and is filled with an insulating foam material.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic part section through a first example of a conventional refrigerating appliance equipped with such a door. The body 1 of the refrigerating appliance, against which the door 2 abuts, extends upwardly beyond the upper edge of the door, and a control panel 3 is mounted on the body 1 above the door 2. The control panel serves the purpose of accommodating switches, buttons or other operating elements for setting an operational state of the refrigerating appliance, as well as indicating elements giving information about operating parameters of the refrigerating appliance, in a position readily accessible to the user.
In order to be able to satisfy the taste of the widest possible range of buyers it is desirable for the manufacturers of refrigerating appliances to be able to offer refrigerating appliances with different appearances, in which connection a particular significance attaches to the door as the most conspicuous part of the refrigerating appliance. One such possibility of modifying the appearance is to make the door so large that it covers the body of the refrigerating appliance over its entire height inclusive of a possible control field mounted thereat. One conceivable solution of this problem is sketched in FIG. 2. In the case of a known refrigerating appliance, outer wall 4 and inner wall 5 of the door are prolonged up to the height of the upper edge of the body 1 and covered there by a closure element 6. This solution is unsatisfactory for several reasons. Since space is no longer available for the control panel, the control elements either have to be directly mounted at the front edge of the body 1 at the place which in the case of the refrigerating appliance of FIG. 1 has supported the control panel, which is problematic since in this region the inner container 7 and outer wall of the body 1 adjoin one another, or a completely different location for the control elements has to be selected, which obliges extensive constructional changes relative to the refrigerating appliance of FIG. 1 and is correspondingly expensive. In addition, prolongation of the inner wall 5 makes it impossible to produce this by the same deep-drawing tools as the inner wall of the door of FIG. 1, which substantially increases the cost of parallel production of refrigerating appliances according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows another known form of construction of a refrigerating appliance housing in a schematic section analogous to that of FIGS. 1 and 2. This housing is distinguished from that of FIG. 1 in that the control panel 3 is omitted and instead thereof the closure element 6, which connects together the upper transverse edges of outer wall 4 and inner wall 5 of the door 2, is significantly widened so that it is flush with the upper edge of the body 1. This solution has the advantage that it can be realised simply and economically, since body and inner and outer wall of the door can be identical with those of the appliance of FIG. 1 and the differences are substantially limited to the control panel 3 and the closure element 6. However, the wide strip which the widened closure element 6 occupies at the upper edge of the door 2 gives the appliance of FIG. 3 a high degree of similarity to that of FIG. 1.

Refrigerator and door for a refrigerator


A promotional display item provides an easel mounted sheet dispenser box, especially one dispensing individually folded coupon. The easel has a display panel supporting itself in an upright position by a base and two side supports. The display panel has an opening in it that aligns with an opening in the front wall of the dispenser box mounted onto the easel base. The sheet dispenser includes an arched member supporting and biasing a stack of sheets toward the openings such that a free end of the outermost sheet protrudes through the openings to facilitate dispensing a single sheet at a time. Preferably, the easel and the dispenser box are each formed from one sheet folded and scored paper blanks.

This invention relates to promotional items and in particular to retail point of purchase displays.
Various marketing and advertising schemes are used to promote and sell consumer products. One very common technique is to place advertisements in retail outlets near the checkouts or locations where the associated product is displayed for sale. Such point of purchase promotional devices can include signs, samples, product brochures and coupons, all of which are well established as effective such that their use is a matter of routine, at least for certain products and channels of commerce, for example the retail sale of foodstuffs. These devices can be large or small, floor standing, suspended, shelf-mounted or table top items.
Suppliers of food products commonly provide consumers with discounts on certain products, such as newly offered items, in the form of coupons that can be redeemed at the retail outlets for a reduction in the cost of the product. As mentioned, the coupons can be provided to the consumers at the point of purchase as a way of enticing consumers to purchase their products rather than their competitors'.
Manual and automated coupon dispensers have been developed and utilized for dispensing one coupon at a time to the consumer. For example, manual dispenser boxes of the type for dispensing one coupon from a stack of coupons are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,699 and 6,367,654 assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. These dispensers include a container holding a stack of the individual coupons, which may be folded and interleaved or not. Some technique for issuing a single coupon at a time may also be incorporated into the dispenser. For example, the containers may also house a spring element to push the coupons toward an access opening so that only the upper or outermost sheet sticks out of the access opening so only it can be easily grasped.
Some of these coupon dispensers, such at that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,654 mentioned above, can have small display panels termed "shouters" on which advertisements and other promotional graphics and text can be printed to draw attention to the associated product and/or the presence of a coupon for the item. However, one problem with such devices is that the display panels may be too small to be significantly eye-catching in certain locations, crowded shelves for example. Another problem is that generally they are not self-supporting and must be mounted to a horizontal support, such as a display shelf.
Thus, an improved promotional item is desired.


Embodiments of the inventive subject matter provide systems and methods for programming a set of memory cells by inducing a first voltage on the lower page of a first group of memory cells to hold a first least significant bit, and by inducing a second voltage on the lower page of a second group of memory cells to hold a second least significant bit. Once the lower page is programmed, the voltage may be shifted to the upper page of each memory cell into a final range representing one or more most significant bits to be programmed. Each memory cell may store a voltage within a final programmed range representing a binary value.

Non-volatile memory devices such as flash memory devices are used to store data or information. Many computers and electronic devices, for example, digital audio players, digital cameras, digital recorders, and cellular phones, have flash memory devices. Flash memory devices may also be used as portable storage devices such as portable Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives or "thumb" drives. Flash memory devices may not need power to maintain the information stored in the device.
A flash memory device stores information in numerous memory cells, which are usually formed in a semiconductor chip. Each of the memory cells often has a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor with two different transistor gates: a control gate and a so-called "floating" gate. The control gate may be used to turn the transistor on and off to control access to the memory cell. The floating gate may be the place where one or more bits of information may be stored in each memory cell.
In a memory array, nearby cells may interfere with each other, specifically during programming phases. Programming a cell entails bringing that particular cell up to a specified voltage, Vt. Unfortunately, this process causes interference based on the changing voltage and capacitive coupling between nearby cells. This interference between floating gate transistors is referred to as Fg-Fg interference.
As technology advances and the size of devices get smaller and smaller, the scaling of memory cells decreases. This scaling moves the memory cells closer, and subjects them to increased interference as capacitive coupling becomes stronger.
Fg-Fg interference is a problem present in Single-Layer Cell (SLC) memory but is a bigger problem in Multi-Layer Cell (MLC) memory. Because there are more distributions in MLC memory, the changing voltage Vt can be even higher.

Systems and methods to reduce interference between memory cells


The event-driven subject monitoring system and method generally include a host unit and a mobile communication unit. These two units communicate via a communication network and are designed to conserve resources at least by operating an event-driven monitoring mobile communication unit.

The current invention is generally related to an event-driven communication system, and more particularly related to a communication system that remotely monitors certain conditions and reports such conditions.
The global positioning system (GPS) has been used to monitor the location of certain subjects including elderly wonderers. For example, Japanese Patent Laid Publication Hei 9-251069 discloses a system having a host unit for monitoring the location of a wonderer who wears a mobile communication unit. After the mobile communication unit receives the location data from the GPS, the host unit communicates with the mobile communication unit. The same prior art reference further discloses that the mobile communication unit obtains additional information such as vital sign including blood pressure and heart beat of the wearer and sends the information to the host unit. Another prior art reference, xe2x80x9cA Recognition of Human Walking Motion by Using An Accelerometer,xe2x80x9d T.IEE Japan, Vol. 118-A No. 3, (1998) has disclosed the combined feature of detecting a type of human motion such as xe2x80x9cstanding,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cwalkingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9crunningxe2x80x9d and reporting the detected motion to a host unit.
To conserve the resources in the monitoring system, Japanese Patent Laid Publication Hei 9-251069 also discloses that a host unit controls the frequency of transmission rate and the types of information from the mobile communication unit to the host unit by sending a control signal to the mobile unit. However, for example, this type of control is limited since the type of information necessary for monitoring a patient changes over a period of time and also depends upon the medical conditions of the patient. Although the mobile communication unit worn by a relatively healthy patient may not have to send any information other than positional information, once he had a heart attack, the information has to include medical conditions and has to be frequently sent to the host unit. In other words, the host cannot anticipate a necessary change in the control signal to the mobile communication unit without expending its resources on receiving continuously transmitted information and analyzing such information. In addition, resources in the host as well as the mobile communication unit are also inefficiently utilized when the positional data from the GPS is obtained. The host-terminal communication line is inefficiently kept active for a period during which the mobile communication unit waits for the GPS data.
To conserve resources in the monitoring system, each mobile communication unit and the host unit are desired to improve its communication efficiency.
In order to solve the above and other problems, according to a first aspect of the current invention, a method of notifying a host unit from a mobile communication unit, the mobile communication unit monitoring a subject with the mobile communication unit, including the acts of: placing the mobile communication unit in a predetermined inactive monitoring state; detecting at least one of a set of predetermined conditions with respect to the subject and generating a condition detection signal; placing the mobile communication unit in a predetermined active state in response to the condition detection signal; and initiating a first communication line with the host unit for transmitting the condition detection signal.
According to a second aspect of the current invention, a system for notifying certain conditions associated with a subject, comprising: a mobile communication unit for detecting at least one of a set of predetermined conditions in relation to a subject, the mobile communication being initially in a predetermined inactive monitoring state, upon detecting one of the predetermined conditions, the mobile communication unit generating a condition detection signal and changing its mode to a predetermined active state; and a host unit selectively in communication with the mobile communication unit for transmitting information between the mobile communication unit and the host unit, the mobile communication unit initiating a first communication line with the host unit for transmitting the condition detection signal.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Resource-saving event-driven monitoring system and method


A logging system including a yarder, a skyline, a towline, a carriage riding on the skyline, and a grapple depending from the carriage for grabbing logs and carrying them back to a landing. The carriage and grapple are moved along the skyline for positioning the grapple above a log(s). A remote control device for controlling the slackening and tightening of the skyline and towline, as well as the turning and opening and closing of the grapple. The towline is attached to the grapple, so that when the operator signals the tightening of the towline, the grapple closes around the log.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to logging equipment, and more specifically, to remote controlled skyline logging carriages. The invention further relates to a grapple on a logging carriage that is operated by a towline.
2. Related Art
The traditional concern of a logging operation is the efficient and cost effective transportation of felled timber from a forest to the processing plants. In recent years, modern loggers are also concerned with minimizing the safety hazards and environmental damage resulting from logging. Thus, loggers may opt to selectively harvest timber instead of clear cutting, because clear cutting typically requires expensive electrically- or diesel-powered carriages. Therefore, it is important that modern logging equipment be designed to be used in either clear-cutting or selective harvesting situations. Also, it is important to design logging equipment that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
When harvesting logs along, or at the bottom of, steep slopes or hauling logs over longer distances, a cable yarding system is often employed, in which a cable known as a skyline is stretched between two spars to extend over sloped terrain; one spar is at a higher point than the other. One of the spars is usually a yarder or yoader (an excavator-based cable yarder without guylines to stabilize the machine itself
(http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/grants/osu/evaluatesynthroperigging.pdf)). A carriage equipped with grooved wheels or "sheaves" rides on the skyline cable to carry logs to a landing position near one of the spars. A landing is a generally level area, situated near a logging road, at which logs are debarked and delimbed and loaded on trucks and hauled to processing plants. Typically, a second cable, known as a towline, skidline, or mainline, extends from the uphill spar to the carriage. The towline is reeled in to pull the carriage uphill, and paid out as the carriage moves downhill due to gravity. The skyline system may comprise additional lines, such as a haulback line separate from the skyline or towline (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,672). The addition of multiple lines results in the need for additional drums on the yarder for tensioning and slackening the lines. Additional drums increase the complexity and the capital cost of the yarder, and the increased complexity requires a greater skill level on the part of the worker.
The present invention relates to two-drum cable yarding systems in which the yarder includes a first drum or winch connected to the skyline cable. The first winch pays out the skyline cable to lower the skyline and, at the same time, the carriage is allowed to roll by gravity down the skyline. The yarder also includes a second drum or winch connected to a towline cable, and, as the skyline is being lowered, the carriage is pulling out the towline. Once the carriage is lowered toward the logging area due to gravity and the lowering of the skyline, it is secured at a desired location, usually by means of a brake that fixes the carriage in position relative to the skyline and by control of the first winch to stop payout of the skyline. When it is time to bring the log(s) back to the landing, the towline is pulled back toward the yarder using the second winch, and the skyline is also raised and pulled back toward the landing, resulting in the carriage and logs being raised and pulled back to the landing.
In cable yarding, the carriage may be fitted with a grapple which closes around the log to pick the log up and bring it back to the landing. The use of grapples has reduced the number of workmen required on the slope or in the valley securing the logs with chokers (steel cables used for yarding logs). However, one of the problems existing in the field of carriages having grapples is how to minimize the cost and the operation of the grapple to effectively and inexpensively pick up the log and convey it to another desired location and then release it. There are grapple carriages that use a diesel engine inside the carriage to operate the carriage and the grapple; however, engine-powered grapple carriages are very expensive to manufacture.
In order to reduce the cost of manufacturing a grapple carriage, loggers have designed grapple carriages that use only pulleys and lines to operate the carriage and grapple. For example, Mitchell (U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,672), discloses a carriage 210 mounted on a skyline 212 and a pair of cables 238 and 236 which each extend over a pulley within the carriage. Cable 236 is used to operate the grapple, and cable 238 is used to pull the carriage 210 back to the landing. While this grapple carriage eliminates the need for a diesel engine, it requires a three-line system to operate the grapple and carriage, which necessitates three drums on the yarder, in turn adding to the expense of the logging operation.
In order to reduce the cost of the yarder, loggers have preferred to use two-line systems in which there is a skyline and a towline or mainline. Mitchell (U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,770) discloses a grapple carriage that is suspended from a skyline, wherein a mainline is connected with the carriage for moving it along the skyline. Although Mitchell uses only this two-line system (skyline and mainline) for moving the carriage between the landing and the logs, Mitchell must use an additional line inside the carriage to operate the grapple. This cable is mounted to the housing of the carriage and extends down through a grommet or adapter in the bottom wall of the carriage and connects with the grapple. An internal combustion engine, a storage battery, and an FM radio receiver in the carriage are used to operate the cable to open the grapple. When the cable is released, the normal weight of the jaws will cause the jaws to move inwardly due to the normal force of gravity, and the jaws will close. The internal combustion engine is very expensive. Additionally, the power used to operate the grapple is only the power that can be generated by the internal combustion engine and the cable connected inside the carriage. The loggers do not want the carriage to be too large; therefore, they require a small engine and the power generated is often insufficient to open a grapple, especially a grapple that is large enough for a turn of multiple logs.
Therefore, there is still a need for an inexpensive grapple carriage that does not require an internal combustion engine. The inventor believes that a grapple carriage is needed that does not require a third line to operate the grapple and that can be operated by one person.

Logging carriage with towline-operated grapple


A process for preparing thrombin which comprises treating a mixture comprising prothrombin, factor Xa, factor Va, and phospholipids with calcium ions, at a pH of 6.0-7.0 is provided. In particular the pH of 6.0-7.0 may be generated by the addition of the calcium ions or by buffering the preparation to a pH of 6.0-7.0. Thrombin preparations so produced may be subjected to further purification and are particularly stable even when substantially free of exogenous stabilizing agents such as proteins, sugars, polyol and mixtures thereof, and may be subject to freeze-drying and a virus inactivation by heat treatment.

Thrombin is the product of the activation of prothrombin by Factor Xa in plasma. It is a potent broadly specific serine proteinase that converts fibrinogen to fibrin and promotes fibrin cross-linking by activating Factor XIII. Amongst a number of other observed biological activities, thrombin also controls several feedback loops in the clotting cascade and induces the platelet release reaction (1, 2).
Thrombin has been used as a topical haemostatic agent for many years. However, it is as a component of fibrin sealant (fibrin glue) that the clinical use of thrombin is likely to expand. Thrombin is used in fibrin sealant to convert fibrinogen to fibrin on a cut surface or within a graft and numerous surgical applications have been described in a wide range of surgical specialities (3, 4).
Bovine thrombin is currently used widely as a topical haemostatic agent or as a component of commercial fibrin sealant products. While such thrombin products are biologically effective, they are associated with well-documented risk of allergic responses and induction of antibodies to the bovine thrombin or to impurities such as bovine factor V, usually after repeat use (5, 6 and 7). Ortel et al (8) recently concluded that such acquired coagulation factor inhibitors probably occur more commonly than is currently appreciated and although frequently clinically benign, these inhibitors may be associated with life-threatening haemorrhage. For this reason the development of a process to produce human thrombin suitable for use as a topical haemostat or for inclusion in a fibrin sealant product, has been sought.
Intrinsically, thrombin is formed when prothrombin (Factor II) is converted by activated Factor X, activated a Factor V, phospholipid and calcium ions into thrombin. Conversion of prothrombin to thrombin can occur without some of the associated components, however, the rate of conversion is undesirably slow.
There are three main in vitro prothrombin conversion methods known in the art. The first method relies on the use of thromboplastin. Prothrombin is converted to thrombin using thromboplastin preferably in the presence of calcium chloride. This is described in a number of patent specifications such as EP 0439156A and EP 0505604A. A disadvantage of this method is that the thromboplastin is usually a crude preparation which has been prepared from freshly homogenised brain, lung or intestinal tissue. This procedure is not appropriate for the preparation of human thrombin as the reagents, depending on their source, can carry the risk of virus or cross-species contamination.
A second method utilises some components of snake venom to yield thrombin (9, 10, 11). However, it has been reported that some of the venoms do not cleave the same bonds within prothrombin, as the natural activator, Factor Xa (12). Thus, there may be dangerous implications should a non-physiological form of thrombin be used clinically.
The third in vitro method is essentially the same as the intrinsic in vivo process, wherein prothrombin is converted to thrombin by activated Factor X, Factor V, phospholipid and calcium ions under near physiological conditions. This has been described, for instance in, EP 0528701, EP 0378798 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,995. However, the thrombin produced is often unstable unless exogenous proteins, polyols and/or sugars are added to the thrombin to stabilise it.
Since human thrombin is derived from plasma obtained from blood donations, there is a risk of contamination of the thrombin by any viruses present in the original blood donation. Thus, any human thrombin preparation designed for clinical use, should be subjected to a virus inactivation step, prior to use.
Virus-inactivation by solvent-detergent treatment has been described previously (13). However, the thrombin preparation may need to be subjected to further purification steps in order to remove the solvent-detergent. Other workers have described the use of virus/inactivated prothrombin feedstocks, but have not described methods for virus/inactivation of the thrombin products prepared from them, for example EP 0378798 and EP 0543178. Terminal (e.g. a final step of a process) viral-inactivation of the product is viewed as probably the safest and most effective method of virus/inactivation, as it minimises the chance of recontamination.
There is thus a requirement in the art to produce thrombin which is terminally virus/inactivated, especially by heat-treatment.
Generally speaking the present invention is based on the surprising discovery that prothrombin can be converted to thrombin in good yield, under acidic conditions and that these acidic conditions promote the stability of the thrombin generated.


A video signal communication method, applicable to IP phone, the method comprises of the following steps: when starting up the supporting video signal function, also starting to receive transmission using video related communication protocol; receiving the internet address setting of the video processing device to retrieve the internet address of the video processing device; determining if the video processing device is initialized; determining if the connected video processing device is initialized and then transmitting the received video signal to the video signal processing device; processing video signal via the compression/decompression module, and the video processing device displaying the video signal.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal communication method, applicable to an internet protocol phone, especially related to a method of adding a video communication to an internet protocol phone.
2. Related Art
Due to the popularity of broadband networks, the utilization of the internet has changed to long computer online connections. This change is not only applicable to computer users' work and usage, but also applies to the consumer's products. Due to the long online connection to the Internet, people are network neighbors and can communicate with each other using the Internet, therefore many internet related applications are produced, including Internet TV, Internet Stations, and IP phones. Recently, VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) has been very popular in the Internet world; VoIP changed the communication model between people. VoIP is a technology using the internet as the transmission medium and transmit voice using an Internet Protocol address. The telephone using the VoIP protocol is called an Internet Protocol Phone (IP phone). Since the early internet transmission speed is limited, the voice of the opposite terminal using low resolution compression standard is not clear. And using a high resolution compression standard makes the files become large and the transmission rate is slow, the voice becomes discontinuously. Therefore it is not suitable for daily use. As broadband becomes popular and widespread, everyone has high speed network transmission, the voice sampling compression can be increased, and the quality can be increased close to the normal telephone. Not only apply for the voice, but sampling 1000 k/sec motion Real Player file images is also not a problem. Therefore the video system on internet is getting popular. The current IP phone has three different types: 1. computer to phone, 2. computer to computer, 3 phone to phone. The following explains these types. The computer to telephone type, using the normal computer and IP phone, can use ADSL or cable high speed network transmission. Usually, it requires application for an account number from the VoIP service company and the purchase of specific software to install on the computer, plus headsets and a microphone, through a VoIP service computer's switch, connected to the IP phone of the communication side. For the computer to computer version, we have in mind normal computer to computer users, with installed talking software, headsets and microphone, talking to each other. For example, an i-phone that has been introduced for a while now, or the MSN Messenger that's being used by many people, these are the original forms of IP phone. The phone to phone communication uses the switch technology and a stable network to form a phone to phone's loop. However, it is very costly, and needs to place server management, so it is the format used by privately owned internationally telephone companies. From the above description, it provides the current applications of internet phones. The IP phones with display devices and image recording devices are very expensive, so they are not affordable to every user for purchasing IP phones with a display device and an image recording device, and not every user can pay a simple, convenient, and reasonable price to enjoy video phone communication.

Video communication method of internet protocol phone

Inventec Multimedia & Telecom Corporation


Disclosed is a steam buffer for use in a steam engine power plant with a closed system and designed to alternately accumulate and emit steam under high pressure and temperature. The steam buffer improves upon conventional steam accumulators which contain water and steam at high pressures and temperature in a large pressurized vessel. The steam buffer functions to store heat in solid material in the walls of a large number of long flow channels with a hydraulic diameter at least as small as 0.5 mm contained in a casing. The flow channels may be formed, for example, by capillary tubes attached to each other or, alternatively, by fine grains of metallic or ceramic material sintered together. The walls of the flow channels perform as the primary heat storing material and are made of a material having a melting point higher than the operating temperature in the steam buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steam buffer operating in a steam engine power plant having a closed steam system and is designed to alternately accumulate and emit steam under high pressure and temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a steam engine power plant there is a significant need for a buffer, because at any particular time the amount of steam normally generated and the amount of steam required by the plant do not always correspond to one another. Such storage in a buffer has typically been carried out in a steam accumulator. The steam accumulator consists of a pressure vessel, which is partly filled with water that is heated by a boiler or a steam generator capable of operating at a varying pace. When steam is supplied to the steam engine from the steam accumulator, the pressure tends to decrease. This pressure drop will subsequently cause a spontaneous generation of new steam from the heated water. By using this steam accumulator, large power outputs can be obtained, and the power outputs can be obtained independent of an irregular burning in the steam generator. However, this type of steam-accumulator has several drawbacks because it is heavy and bulky and because the large amount of water and steam at high temperature constitutes a great hazard in the event of fractures in the pressure vessel casing.
In a steam accumulator energy is stored in the pressurized water. There is also the consideration of storing the heat energy in other materials. Thus, it has long been desirable to use an energy storing material which can change between a solid and liquid phase for latent heat. However, when utilizing latent heat there can be problems at phase changes, such as contraction, tensions and chemical exhaustion, which gives rise to mechanical, chemical, heat transfer and functional problems.

Steam buffer for a steam engine power plant


An oven includes a main body, a toast tray, a baking pan, a door, a control panel, a bottom base and a shaft. In using, just put toasts to be baked on the toast tray and then, put the toast tray in an upper chamber of the main body and turn a change-over switch on the control panel to a toast reading. For baking small-sized foods, put such foods on a baking pan, and then put the pan in a lower chamber and turn the changeover switch to an oven reading orderly. Or, for baking a big object such as a whole chicken, it can be forked by the shaft and mounted in the lower chamber. And, via engagement of a driving gear and a driven gear, the shaft is to be rotated while baking, able to keep the chicken baked evenly so as to obtain a delicious chicken.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an oven, particularly to one able to bake toasts, small-sized objects or a whole chicken that can be rotated automatically so as to keep it baked evenly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commonly, a conventional oven and a toaster are always two independent electric appliances because of their different applications. The toaster used only for baking toasts is mainly provided with two bread slots in the top, a lift controller and a timer at one side. The conventional oven, on the contrary, is provided with a rather big room, a timer and a temperature controller for baking various foods such as meat, chicken, cracker and cake etc. In order to prevent energy from wasted, the conventional oven is hardly used to bake toasts, and therefore, a kitchen is usually furnished simultaneously with a toaster and an oven, so they occupy too much space. Moreover, suppose a chicken is to be baked in the conventional oven, it has first to be put on a baking tray for baking and turn over manually and indefinitely so as to keep it baked evenly, very bothersome to handle. And, each time the oven door is opened for turning over the chicken, the temperature in the oven will drop obviously, wasting energy and time for re-rising temperature. So, the invention has been revised to improve the defects mentioned above.


Thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds are disclosed having preselected stoichiometric compositions and superior and optimizable thermoelectric properties. The compounds are formed at low nucleation temperatures and satisfy the formula: EQU M.sub.1-x M'.sub.4-y Co.sub.y M".sub.12. wherein:. M=any metal, metalloid, or mixture thereof, except for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Eu when x=0, and M'=Fe, Ru, or Os, and M"=Sb, P, or As; PA1 M'=Fe, Ru, Os, Rh, or mixture thereof; PA1 M"Sb, As, P, Bi, Ge.sub.0.5-w Se.sub.0.5+w, wherein w=0 to 0.5 or mixture thereof; PA1 x=0 to 1; PA1 y=0 to 4; and PA1 wherein M' and/or M" are doped or undoped. These compounds generally have the crystalline structure of a skutterudite, wherein the crystalline structure is cubic with 34 atoms in the unit-cell in the space group Im3. The M".sub.12 atoms occupy unit-cell sites 24(g), the M'.sub.4-y atoms form a cubic sublattice occupying unit-cell sites 8(c), and the M.sub.1-x atoms are positioned in two remaining "holes" or interstitial sites in the unit-cell, namely sites 2(a). These thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds possess relatively low thermal conductivity properties with relatively high electrical conductivity properties, making the compounds ideal for use in thermoelectric devices.

Many advances in both science and technology have begun with the discovery of new materials with new or unusual properties, Warren et al., Materials Science and Engineering, 50:149-198, 1981. Following such discoveries, new applications are developed for the materials and the material properties are optimized for these applications.
Specific structures or structural modifications of particular compounds improve desirable physical properties of the compounds and/or test observed structure-property correlations for future optimization of the compounds' properties.
Artificially structured solid-state materials, i.e., materials where the structural and chemical characteristics are planned for and controlled, lead to many advances in technology. The synthesis of artificially structured, solid-state compounds has been dominated by extended high-temperature reaction of elements or binary compounds due to the slow diffusion rates in solids, DiSalvo, Science, 247:649-655, 1990. Such extended high-temperature reactions lead to the thermodynamically most stable product. During these reactions, many intermediate compounds form before the system achieves the final, thermodynamically stable configuration of products. Additionally, many desirable but thermodynamically metastable solid-state compounds cannot be synthesized by such conventional methods.
There is a demand for artificially structured compounds with optimized or optimizable thermoelectric properties for various specific thermoelectric devices. Materials used today in thermoelectric devices, Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3 --Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3, alloys for refrigeration and silicon, Si--Ge, alloys for power generation at elevated temperatures, were developed in the early 1960's, Sales et al., Science, 272:1325-1328, 1996. The main drawback of current thermoelectric materials used in devices is their efficiency. A material's efficiency depends on the material's properties, generally measured by the dimensionless parameter ZT, known as the thermoelectric Figure of Merit, where T is the temperature and ##EQU1## where S is the Seebeck coefficient (also known as the thermopower), .rho. is the electrical resistivity, and .kappa. is the thermal conductivity of the material.
Many materials have been studied with the hope of optimizing each material's thermopower (and hence, the ZT value), and consequently optimizing the efficiency of corresponding thermoelectric devices. Theory shows that there is no fundamental maximum to the thermoelectric Figure of Merit, Goldsmid, Electronic Refrigeration, Pion, London, 1986; Wood, Rep. Prog. Phys., 51: 459, 1988. A thermoelectric Figure of Merit of ZT=3 would make thermoelectric refrigerators competitive with traditional compressor-based refrigerators, Sales et al., Science, 272:1325-1328, 1996.
Recently, a class of compounds known as "filled skutterudites" have provided some promising thermoelectric materials. The filled skutterudite compounds satisfy the formula: EQU RM.sub.4 X.sub.12
where R is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, or Eu; M is Fe, Ru, or Os; and X is P, As, or Sb. The filled skutterudites are structurally related to the mineral skutterudite, CoAs.sub.3, but contain the cation La, Ce, Pr, Nd, or Eu in a large, interstitial site within the crystalline structure. Jeitschko et al., Acta Crystallographica, B33:3401-3406, 1977. Filled skutterudite compounds having Figures of Merit as high as ZT=0.9.+-.0.2 have been synthesized, Sales et al., Science, 272:1325-1328, 1996.
Filled skutterudites are promising thermoelectric materials because they have low thermal conductivity while still maintaining good electrical conductivity. The low thermal conductivity is thought to result from a large thermal vibration amplitude of the cation, which is equivalent to having a nearly soft phonon mode in the crystal lattice. The large vibration amplitude, which is a result of the interstitial site being too large for the cation, causes scattering of phonons and therefore a low phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity. Electrical conductivity, however, occurs primarily in the antimony framework, and is largely decoupled from the soft phonon mode.
Difficulties in synthesis have prevented production and measurement of the thermoelectric properties of most of the known filled skutterudite compounds, Sales et al., Science, 272:1325-1328, 1996. Filled skutterudites are made by conventional synthesis techniques resulting in, inter alia, mixed phase powders containing unwanted binary compounds and excess antimony, Braun et al., Journal of the Less-Common Metals, 72:147-156, 1980. Moreover, many desirable kinetically stable but thermodynamically unstable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds cannot be synthesized by conventional, extended high-temperature methods. The thermodynamically metastable (unstable) skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds are desirable because of their thermoelectric properties.
Conventional synthesis of compounds having a skutterudite crystal structure have involved extended annealing of the components at high temperatures (i.e., 550.degree. C. and higher), yielding thermodynamically stable skutterudite compounds. That is, all previously synthesized or known skutterudite compounds have been thermodynamically stable compounds that have the largest free-energy gain upon crystallization relative to other possible compounds. Thermodynamically metastable compounds, on the other hand, have a relatively higher free-energy configuration at ambient temperature (i.e., the compound is not in the configuration with the lowest possible free energy), but do not have sufficient thermal energy to transform into the equilibrium configuration of a thermodynamically stable compound. Thermodynamically metastable compounds cannot be formed at temperatures greater than about 400.degree. C.-500.degree. C. Above about 400.degree. C.-500.degree. C. any formed thermodynamically metastable skutterudite crystalline-structured compounds decompose exothermically, forming the thermodynamically stable mixture of binary compounds and elemental components.

The State of Oregon Acting by and Through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of the University of Oregon


A water-soluble, antimicrobial active polymer and an ink composition are prepared by coupling an antimicrobial active compound to a branch of polyvinylalcohol. An excellent antimicrobial effect is provided without affecting the properties of the ink composition that includes the polymer. The polymer is added to the ink composition in an amount of 1 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the ink composition. The ink composition provides extended storage stability due to no coagulation, effective antimicrobial effect even in a printed picture, and no irritation to human skin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-soluble, antimicrobial active polymer, and more particularly, to a water-soluble polymer with antimicrobial activity, resulting from introducing an antimicrobial active compound into a water-soluble polymer. The present invention also relates to an ink composition comprising the water-soluble, antimicrobial active polymer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, antimicrobial agents are applied to products that have frequent contact with water such as fibers, shoes, sponge gourds, and medical goods. Such antimicrobial agents are designed to have washing resistance or water-insoluble characteristic in order to maintain antimicrobial effects. For this reason, such antimicrobial agents had not been applied to water-soluble ink compositions.
Ink compositions comprise a colorant, a solvent and an additive. When stored for a long duration, ink properties and storage stability of ink compositions deteriorate due to reproduction and growth of bacteria in the ink. For this reason, an antimicrobial agent is separately added to ink compositions. Conventionally, organic compounds such as 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT) and methyl 2-benzimidazole carbamate (Carbendazim) are widely used as antimicrobial and preserving agents. They are separately added to ink compositions in an amount of 0.05–0.5% by weight for the purpose of extended storage duration. However, a nozzle is easily clogged due to ink coagulation and the homogeneity of ink droplets cannot be easily secured. Furthermore, when human skin is in contact with such ink compositions, skin irritation may occur. Therefore, handling property is deteriorated. Meanwhile, in case of using another antimicrobial agents with lower antimicrobial activity to overcome these problems, extended storage stability is decreased. Furthermore, it is difficult to select dyes or pigments which are well compatible with such antimicrobial agents. As a result, an optimal color quality cannot be easily accomplished.

Water-soluble, antimicrobial active polymer and ink composition comprising the same


The invention relates to a process for forming a polyalphaolefin, the process comprising the step of polymerizing at least one C8-C12 monomer, preferably a decene such as 1-decene, in the presence of an aluminoxane, an activator and a metallocene to form the polyalphaolefin, wherein the molar ratio of the aluminoxane to the metallocene is less than 250:1. The invention also relates to a process for forming a polyalphaolefin having a desired kinematic viscosity from at least one monomer in the presence of an aluminoxane, an organoboron compound and a metallocene. The process comprises the steps of, inter alia, providing a correlation between (i) the molar ratio of the aluminoxane to at least one of the organoboron compound and the metallocene, and (ii) the kinematic viscosity of the polyalphaolefin to form polyalphaolefins having predictable viscosities.

Catalytic oligomerization of olefins is a known technique for manufacturing hydrocarbon basestocks useful as lubricants. Efforts to improve upon the performance of natural mineral oil based lubricants by the synthesis of oligomeric hydrocarbon fluids have been the subject of important research and development in the petroleum industry for several decades, leading to recent commercial production of a number of superior polyalphaolefin (hereinafter referred to as "PAO") synthetic lubricants. These materials are primarily based on the oligomerization of alphaolefins such as C6-C12 olefins. Industrial research efforts on synthetic lubricants has generally focused on fluids exhibiting useful viscosities over a wide range of temperatures, i.e., improved viscosity index (VI), while also showing lubricity, thermal and oxidative stability and pour point equal to or better than mineral oil. These newer synthetic lubricants provide lower friction and hence increase mechanical efficiency across the full spectrum of mechanical loads and do so over a wider range of operating conditions than mineral oil lubricants.
Well known structural and physical property relationships for high polymers have pointed the way to alphaolefins as a fruitful field of investigation for the synthesis of oligomers with the structure believed to be necessary to confer improved lubricant properties thereon. Due largely to studies on the polymerization of propene and vinyl monomers, the mechanism of the polymerization of alphaolefins and the effect of that mechanism on polymer structure is reasonably well understood, providing a strong resource for targeting on potentially useful oligomerization methods and oligomer structures. Building on that resource, oligomers of alphaolefins from 6 to 12 carbon atoms have been prepared with commercially useful synthetic lubricants from, e.g., 1-decene oligomerization, yielding a distinctly superior lubricant product via either cationic or Ziegler catalyzed polymerization.
A significant problem in the manufacture of synthetic lubricants is the production of lubricants in a preferred viscosity range (especially at low temperatures), in good yield, and without excessive catalyst deactivation. Methods to control the viscosity index are sought after in the art to overcome the problems in the manufacture of, particularly, lower viscosity lubricants.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Processes for controlling the viscosity of polyalphaolefins


A carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus that raises the internal temperature of a CO-selective oxidation unit carrying a selective oxidation catalyst in as short a time period as possible after the apparatus is started, and a driving method for the apparatus are disclosed. In addition to the selective oxidation catalyst, the CO-selective oxidation unit contains an oxidation catalyst. The oxidation catalyst is capable of facilitating oxidation of an oxidizable gas component of a hydrogen-rich gas, even at temperatures substantially equal to a normal room temperature. The oxidation catalyst is, for example, a platinum (Pt) catalyst. Even when the internal temperature of the CO-selective oxidation unit is substantially equal to a normal room temperature, the oxidizable gas component of the hydrogen-rich gas can be oxidized by oxygen contained in an oxidative gas, via the function of the Pt catalyst. Using heat produced by this oxidation, the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas can be raised, so that the internal temperature of the CO-selective oxidation unit can be raised to a desired temperature.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-76727 filed on Mar. 9, 1998 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for reducing the carbon monoxide concentration in a hydrogen-rich gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide that is less in concentration than hydrogen.
2. Description of Related Art
In a typical fuel cell system that uses a hydrogen-rich gas as a fuel, a hydrogen-rich gas is produced by a reformer, and then supplied to a fuel cell. The hydrogen-rich gas is produced in the reformer by introducing thereinto methanol as a fuel material and also introducing water, and causing a water vapor reforming reaction of methanol by using a copper-zinc (Cu-Zn) catalyst, that is, a methanol reformation catalyst. Since the water vapor reforming reaction of methanol is an endothermic reaction, it is necessary to supply heat from outside and maintain an optimal temperature of 200-300xc2x0 C. for the reaction.
The water vapor reforming reaction of methanol can normally be expressed by formula (1):
CH3OH+H2Oxe2x86x923H2+CO2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
For a more specific description, the reaction expressed by formula (1) can be divided into two reactions expressed by formulas (2) and (3):
CH3OHxe2x86x92CO+2H2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
CO+H2Oxe2x86x92CO2+H2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
As is apparent from the above formulas, the water vapor reforming reaction of methanol produces carbon monoxide (CO) as a byproduct.
In some cases, in order to eliminate the need for a heat supply from outside, an oxygen-containing oxidative gas (for example, air) is introduced into the reformer so that along with the water vapor reforming reaction of methanol, a partial oxidation reaction as expressed by formula (4), which is an exothermic reaction, is caused.
CH3OH+1/2O2xe2x86x922H2+CO2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
In such a case, too, the water vapor reforming reaction of methanol occurs along with the reaction expressed by formula (4), so that carbon monoxide is still produced as a byproduct. Therefore, in any case, the hydrogen-rich gas produced by this type of reformer contains carbon monoxide.
If the hydrogen-rich gas produced by this type of reformer is directly supplied to a fuel cell, carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-rich gas is adsorbed to a platinum (Pt) catalyst provided in an electrode in the fuel cell. If the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas exceeds a predetermined allowable level, the correspondingly increased amount of carbon monoxide adsorbed to the Pt catalyst reduces the catalytic function thereof to an undesired level, so that a hydrogen decomposing reaction, that is, an anodic reaction in the fuel cell, is impeded and, therefore, the performance of the fuel cell decreases.
The allowable carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas supplied to a fuel cell, for example, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, is about several parts per million.
Therefore, in a typical fuel cell system that uses a hydrogen-rich gas as a fuel, a carbon monoxide concentration reducing device is disposed between the reformer and the fuel cell in order to reduce the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas.
The carbon monoxide concentration reducing device has a CO-selective oxidation portion whose interior is filled with a selective oxidation catalyst that selectively accelerates the oxidation of carbon monoxide. An oxygen-containing oxidative gas (for example, air) and the hydrogen-rich gas produced by the reformer are mixed, and the mixture thereof is introduced into the CO-selective oxidation portion, in which carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-rich gas is selectively oxidized by oxygen contained in the oxidative gas via the function of the selective oxidation catalyst so as to reduce the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas to a level of several ppm.
This type of carbon monoxide concentration reducing device is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI 9-30802, which exemplifies several selective oxidation catalysts including a platinum-ruthenium (Pt-Ru) alloy catalyst, a ruthenium (Ru) catalyst, and the like.
However, this carbon monoxide concentration reducing device has the following problems. That is, immediately after the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device starts to be driven at the time of start of the fuel cell system, the internal temperature of the CO-selective oxidation portion is substantially equal to a room temperature (that is, an ambient temperature of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device). Since the internal temperature of the reformer is relatively quickly raised to 200-300xc2x0 C. as stated above, introduction of a warmed-up hydrogen-rich gas from the reformer into the CO-selective oxidation portion causes gradual increases in the internal temperature of the CO-selective oxidation portion. The temperature range in which an ordinary selective oxidation catalyst becomes able to perform its catalytic function (hereinafter, described as xe2x80x9cbecomes activatedxe2x80x9d) is considerably higher than the ambient temperature of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device, that is, a normal room temperature (for example, the aforementioned temperature range is 100xc2x0 C. or higher). Therefore, it takes a considerably long time for the internal temperature of the CO-selective oxidation portion to reach the temperature range in which the selective oxidation catalyst becomes activated, after the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device starts to be driven. That is, a certain length of time is needed in some cases before the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device comes to effectively function. As a result, there is a danger that a longer time may be required before the fuel cell, disposed downstream of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing device, begins to effectively function.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus which solves the aforementioned problems, that is, raises the internal temperature of a CO-selective oxidation unit carrying a selective oxidation catalyst as quickly as possible when the apparatus is started, and to provide a driving method for the apparatus.
To achieve some of the objects of the invention, a first aspect of the invention provides a carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus for reducing a concentration of carbon monoxide contained in a hydrogen-rich gas by using oxygen contained in an oxidative gas, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus including: a selective oxidizer into which the hydrogen-rich gas and the oxidative gas are introduced; a selective oxidation catalyst provided in the selective oxidizer, the selective oxidation catalyst selectively facilitating oxidation of carbon monoxide; and an oxidation catalyst provided in the selective oxidizer, the oxidation catalyst facilitating oxidation of at least one component of the hydrogen-rich gas. The oxidation catalyst facilitates the oxidation at least at a temperature substantially equal to an ambient temperature of the apparatus.
In this aspect of the invention, the selective oxidizer contains the selective oxidation catalyst and the oxidation catalyst that facilitates the oxidation of at least one component of the hydrogen-rich gas at a temperature at least substantially equal to an ambient temperature of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus, that is, substantially equal to a normal room temperature. Therefore, even when the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer is substantially equal to a normal room temperature, the selective oxidizer is able to produce heat through the oxidation of at least one component of the hydrogen-rich gas by oxygen in the oxidative gas, thereby raising the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer.
That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus is started, the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be increased to or above a predetermined temperature in a short time period. Therefore, the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be raised to a temperature range in which the selective oxidation catalyst becomes activated, as quickly as possible. Consequently, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus will quickly become able to effectively function. If the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus of the first aspect of the invention is incorporated in a fuel cell system, a fuel cell disposed downstream of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus will quickly become able to effectively function.
In this aspect, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus may further have a construction as follows. That is, the hydrogen-rich gas and the oxidative gas are mixed, and then a gas mixture thereof is introduced into the selective oxidizer via at least one inlet. The oxidation catalyst is provided near the at least one inlet of the gas mixture.
By providing the oxidation catalyst near the inlet, the construction of the selective oxidizer can be simplified and, at the same time, the production cost can be reduced.
The carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus may also have a construction as follows. That is, the hydrogen-rich gas and at least a portion of the oxidative gas are introduced into the selective oxidizer via different inlets, and the oxidation catalyst is provided near the inlets.
This construction makes it possible to introduce the oxidative gas substantially uniformly into various portions of the selective oxidizer. Therefore, the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be raised as quickly and uniformly as possible.
A second aspect of the invention provides a carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus for reducing a concentration of carbon monoxide contained in a hydrogen-rich gas by using oxygen contained in an oxidative gas, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus including: a selective oxidizer into which the hydrogen-rich gas and the oxidative gas are introduced; a selective oxidation catalyst provided in the selective oxidizer, the selective oxidation catalyst selectively facilitating oxidation of carbon monoxide; and a temperature raiser that raises a temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas to or above a predetermined temperature before the hydrogen-rich gas is introduced into the selective oxidizer.
In the second aspect of the invention, when the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus is started, the temperature raiser raises the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas to be introduced into the selective oxidizer, to or above a predetermined temperature. Therefore, even if the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer is substantially equal to a normal room temperature at the time of start of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus, the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas to be introduced is raised to or above the predetermined temperature, so that the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be suitably raised.
That is, in the second aspect, also, the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be raised to or above the predetermined temperature in a relatively short time period following start of the apparatus. Therefore, the internal temperature of the selective oxidizer can be raised as quickly as possible to a temperature range in which the selective oxidation catalyst becomes activated.
In the second aspect, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus may further have a construction as follows. That is, an oxidation catalyst that facilitates oxidation of at least one component of the hydrogen-rich gas is provided in the selective oxidizer. At least when the apparatus is started, the oxidative gas containing oxygen is introduced into the temperature raiser.
This construction makes it possible to more quickly raise the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas to be introduced into the selective oxidizer at the time of start of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus. Furthermore, the oxidation of the at least one component of the hydrogen-rich gas for the purpose of raising the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas is performed by an oxidation device that is provided separately from the selective oxidation device, so that the amount of oxygen available in the selective oxidizer can be used solely for a reaction that reduces the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas. Therefore, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing capacity of the selective oxidizer is not reduced but can be fully utilized.
Furthermore, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus may further include a hydrogen-rich gas producer that produces the hydrogen-rich gas from a fuel material, a supplier that supplies the fuel material to the hydrogen-rich gas producer, and a heater that raises an internal temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas producer, wherein when the apparatus is started, an amount of the fuel material supplied by the supplier is increased at least to a predetermined amount.
This construction also makes it possible to more quickly raise the temperature of the hydrogen-rich gas to be introduced into the selective oxidizer at the time of start of the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus. Furthermore, since a component of the hydrogen-rich gas is not oxidized by using an oxidation catalyst, waste of such a component of the hydrogen-rich gas does not occur.
In the first and second aspects of the invention, the oxidation catalyst may be a platinum (Pt) catalyst. The Pt catalyst is capable of effectively facilitating the oxidation of hydrogen (H2) in the hydrogen-rich gas and therefore generation of heat even at temperatures substantially equal to a normal room temperature.
A third aspect of the invention provides a carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus for reducing a concentration of carbon monoxide contained in a hydrogen-rich gas by using oxygen contained in an oxidative gas, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus including a selective oxidizer into which the hydrogen-rich gas and the oxidative gas are introduced, and a selective oxidation catalyst provided in the selective oxidizer, the catalyst selectively facilitating oxidation of carbon monoxide, wherein at least when the apparatus is started, an amount of moisture contained in the hydrogen-rich gas is reduced to or below a predetermined amount.
Normally, the reaction rate of oxidation catalyzed by the oxidation catalyst and the selective oxidation catalyst increases as the amount of moisture contained in the hydrogen-rich gas decreases. Therefore, by reducing the amount of moisture contained in the hydrogen-rich gas as described above, the reaction rate of oxidation can be improved even at temperatures substantially equal to a normal room temperature. Through an improvement in the reaction rate of oxidation catalyzed by the oxidation catalyst, a further reduction in the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas can be achieved. Furthermore, a reduction in the moisture content in the hydrogen-rich gas reduces or eliminates condensation of moisture in the selective oxidizer, so that degradation of the function of the selective oxidation catalyst due to condensation can be prevented.
According a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a driving method for a carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus, including the steps of: introducing a hydrogen-rich gas containing carbon monoxide, into a reaction chamber containing a selective oxidation catalyst that selectively facilitates oxidation of carbon monoxide; reducing a carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-rich gas by oxidizing carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-rich gas by using the selective oxidation catalyst; discharging the hydrogen-rich gas in which the carbon monoxide concentration has been reduced, from the reaction chamber; and raising a temperature of the reaction chamber to or above a predetermined temperature at least when the apparatus is started.
In this driving method, the temperature of the reaction chamber, in which the selective oxidation of carbon monoxide is caused, is raised to or above the predetermined temperature at least when the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus is started.
Therefore, even if the temperature of the reaction chamber is substantially equal to a normal room temperature immediately after start of the apparatus, the temperature of the reaction chamber can be raised to or above the predetermined temperature in a relatively short time period. That is, the temperature in the reaction chamber can be raised as quickly as possible to a temperature range in which the selective oxidation catalyst becomes activated. Consequently, the carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus will quickly become able to effectively function.

Carbon monoxide concentration reducing apparatus and method for driving the same


Disclosed is a positive type photoresist composition comprising an alkali-soluble resin, a quinone diazide compound and a compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 which may be the same or different and in which four groups for each group may be different from each other at the same time, each represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a nitro group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an acyl group, an aryloxy group or an aralkoxy group; a, b, d and e each represents 0 or an integer 1 to 3; and c represents 0 or 1, with the proviso that a, b, c, d and e satisfy the relationship (a+b+c+d+e.gtoreq.2), at least one of a and d is 1 or more and at least one of b and e is 1 or more.

Positive type photoresist compositions are normally compositions comprising an alkali-soluble resin and a naphthoquinone diazide compound as a light-sensitive material. Examples of such compositions include novolak type phenol resin/naphthoquinone diazide-substituted compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,666,473, 4,115,128, and 4,173,470. Most typical examples of such compositions include a novolak resin made of cresol formaldehyde/trihydroxybenzophenone-1,2-naphthoquinonediazidosulfonic ester, as disclosed in L. F. Thompson, "Introduction to Microlithography", ACS, No. 219, pp. 112-121.
Novolak resin, a binder, can be dissolved in an alkaline aqueous solution without swelling. The novolak resin can also exhibit a high resistance particularly to plasma etching when an image thus produced is used as a mask for etching. Thus, novolak resin is particularly useful in this application. As a light-sensitive material, a naphthoquinone diazide compound serves as a dissolution inhibitor for reducing the alkali solubility of novolak resin. But it is peculiar in that it undergoes decomposition upon irradiation with light to produce an alkali-soluble substance which rather enhances the alkali solubility of novolak resin. Because of the great change in properties resulting from irradiation with light, a naphthoquinone diazide compound is particularly useful as a light-sensitive material for positive type photoresist.
From this standpoint, many positive type photoresists comprising novolak resin and naphthoquinone diazide light-sensitive material have heretofore been developed and put to practical use. These positive type photoresists have attained sufficient results in working lines of a width of 1.5 to 2 .mu.m.
However, integrated circuits now have greater degree of integration. It is a recent tendency that the working of ultrafine patterns formed of lines of a width of 1 .mu.m or less is required in the production of semiconducting substrates such as SLSI. In such applications, a photoresist having a high resolution, a high accuracy of reproduction of exposure mask pattern and a high sensitivity for high productivity has been desired.
In order to add to the degree of integration in integrated circuits, the etching process has been switched from a conventional wet etching process to a dry etching process. Since the dry etching process causes the temperature of the resist to be elevated, the resist must exhibit a high heat resistance to thermal deformation.
As approaches for improving the heat resistance of the resist, there have been proposed the use of a resin free of a component having a weight-average molecular weight of 2,000 or less as disclosed in JP-A-60-97347 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and the use of a resin wherein the sum of the content of monomer to trimer is 10% by weight or less as disclosed in JP-A-60-189739.
However, the use of the above mentioned resin free of or having a reduced low molecular component content is disadvantageous in that it normally reduces sensitivity, reducing the throughput in the production of devices.
Some have tried to improve the sensitivity and developability of the resist by blending a specific compound in the resist composition. Thus, JP-A-61-141441 discloses a positive type photoresist composition containing trihydroxybenzophenone. This trihydroxybenzophenone-containing positive type photoresist exhibits an improved sensitivity and developability but shows a deteriorated heat resistance due to the addition of trihydroxybenzophenone.
JP-A-64-44439, JP-A-1-177032, JP-A-1-280748, and JP-A-2-10350 disclose an approach for providing a high sensitivity without deteriorating the heat resistance by incorporating an aromatic polyhydroxy compound other than trihydroxybenzophenone in the system. However, this approach does not necessarily provide sufficient improvement in the developability of the system.

Positive type quinonediazide photoresist composition containing select tetraphenolic additive


For the purpose of suitably making comparison between a previously acquired reference image and a real-time image currently being acquired, a reference image and a scan condition therefor are stored, the reference image and scan condition are read out, a real-time image is acquired after setting the scan condition, and the reference image and real-time image are displayed side by side.

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging method and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic imaging method and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by which comparison between a previously acquired reference image and a real-time image currently being acquired can be suitably made.
Conventionally, there has been known an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that stores a reference image, reads out the reference image, and displays the reference image with a real-time image superimposed or arranged side by side. (For example, see Patent Document 1).                [Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-300557 (claim 1).
In the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, however, no consideration is given to possible difference between the scan conditions for the reference image and for the real-time image.
If a difference exists between the scan conditions, a problem arises in that a region unchanged from the past to the present looks as if it were changed or a region changed from the past to the present looks as if it were unchanged.

Ultrasonic imaging method and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


Systems and methods for creating and sharing protected content between individuals is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for creating and sharing protected content between individuals may include (1) receiving foundation content; (2) receiving a selection of cover content; (3) receiving a selection of one or more unlock actions; (4) receiving a selection of one or more recipients for the protected content; (5) at least one computer processor creating a layered data file comprising the foundation content fully obscured by the cover content; (6) providing the one or more recipients access to the layered data file; (7) receiving an unlock action by the one or more recipients; (8) verifying, by the at least one computer processor, the unlock action; and (9) displaying to the one or more recipients the foundation content from the layered data file.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for creating and sharing protected content between individuals.
2. Description of the Related Art
With mobile technology and social media now ubiquitous, the demand for sharing content between individuals has never been greater. Many times, there is a desire to protect content shared between individuals.


In a high voltage JFET, a p-floating region is provided in the surface layer of an n-drift region, thereby increasing the resistance R of the n-drift region and minimizing the voltage divided at a pn junction. This makes it possible to improve ESD capacity without increasing device size and without making the cutoff current smaller.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a high voltage junction field effect transistor (high voltage JFET) used in a start-up circuit for starting a switching power supply or the like.
2. Background Art
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a switching power supply device 500. The switching power supply device 500 includes a rectifier 51 constituted of a bridge circuit that rectifies 100V or 200V alternating current, a smoothing capacitor 52 that smoothes the rectified current outputted from the rectifier 51, a control circuit 53 that controls and protects the switching power supply device 500, and a transformer 54 that insulates input and output. The power supply device 500 also has a MOSFET 55 that controls ON and OFF switching of current flowing to a primary side 54a of the transformer 54, and a power supply capacitor 56 that acts as a direct current power supply for a control circuit 53. A secondary side 54b of the transformer 54 has a rectifier diode 57 and an output capacitor 58, and direct current voltage is outputted from output terminals 59.
The control circuit 53 includes a start-up circuit 60, a low voltage shutdown circuit 61, a regulator 62, and a BO comparator 63. The control circuit also includes a transmitter 64, a driver circuit 65, an output amp 66, a latch circuit 67, and a PWM comparator 68.
The start-up circuit 60 supplies current to the power supply capacitor 56 during rise time of the switching power supply device 500 to charge the power supply capacitor 56, and acts as a direct current power supply for the control circuit 53. The low voltage shutdown circuit 61 shuts down the start-up circuit 60 when the voltage of the power supply capacitor 56 falls below a prescribed voltage. The BO comparator 63 functions to detect and monitor input voltage levels inputted to a high voltage input terminal VH through a diode 71 to protect a high voltage JFET 80 (brownout function). The driver circuit 65 controls ON and OFF switching of the MOSFET 55 connected to the primary side 54a of the transformer 54 via the output amp 66. Switching this MOSFET 55 ON and OFF controls voltage on the secondary side 54b of the transformer 54 and outputs a prescribed direct current voltage from the output capacitor 58. Other components constituting this switching power supply device 500 are not directly related to the present invention, and an explanation thereof will be omitted.
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the start-up circuit 60, which forms a part of the control circuit 53 in FIG. 8. The start-up circuit 60 includes the high voltage JFET 70 and a start-up auxiliary circuit 90 (start-up internal circuit), which are start-up elements, and a resistor circuit 92 constituted of input voltage detection resistors. The high voltage JFET 70 has a plurality of sources, and a first JFET unit 70a and a second JFET unit 70b. The start-up auxiliary circuit 90 includes a MOSFET 91, which receives current from the sources of the high voltage JFET 70, and other JFETs and MOSFETs. High voltage is inputted to the drain of the high voltage JFET 70 from the high voltage input terminal VH of the start-up circuit 60, and current is supplied to the power supply capacitor 56 through the high voltage JFET 70 and the start-up auxiliary circuit 90 from the VCC terminal. This power supply capacitor 56 is the power supply for the control circuit 53, and the switching power supply device 500 is started through this start-up circuit 60. Explanations for other circuits are omitted here. The voltage inputted from the high voltage input terminal VH is divided at the resistor circuit 92 for detecting this voltage and then inputted to the BO terminal (brownout terminal). The current inputted from the high voltage input terminal VH flows to the MOSFET 91 of the start-up auxiliary circuit 90 through the high voltage JFET 70 and charges the power supply capacitor 56 through the VCC terminal.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are views of a configuration of a conventional high voltage JFET 70, FIG. 10A is a plan view of main parts thereof, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the main parts in FIG. 10A cut along the line A-O. This high voltage JFET 70, which is a start-up element, is constituted of a first JFET 502 part and a second JFET part 503, and includes a p-gate region 72 that is the gate on a p-substrate 71, an n-source region 73 surrounded on three sides by the p-gate region 72, an n-drift region 74 that connects to the n-source region 73, and an n-drain region 75 that connects to the n-drift region 74. The high voltage JFET 70 also includes a p+ gate region 76, which is a p-contact region disposed in the surface layer of the p-gate region 72, an n+ source region 77, which is an n-contact region disposed in the surface layer of the n-source region 73, and an n+ drain region 78, which is an n-contact region disposed in the surface layer of the n-drain region 75. The high voltage JFET 70 also includes a LOCOS oxide film 79 disposed on the n-source region 73, the n-drift region 74, the n-drain region 75, and interposed between the n+ source region 77 and the n+ drain region 78. The high voltage JFET 70 also includes a first interlayer insulating film 81 provided on the LOCOS oxide film 79 and covering this film. The first interlayer insulating film 81 also covers a polysilicon electrode 80 disposed on the LOCOS oxide film 79 and connected to the p+ gate region 76. The high voltage JFET 70 further includes, on the first interlayer insulating film 81, a metal gate electrode wiring line 82 connected to the p+ gate region 76, a metal source electrode 83 connected to the n+ source region 77, and a metal drain electrode 84 connected to the n+ drain region 78. The high voltage JFET 70 further includes a second interlayer insulating film 85 disposed on the first interlayer insulating film 81, a source electrode wiring line 86 disposed on the second interlayer insulating film 85 and connected to the source electrode 83, and a drain electrode wiring line 87 (drain pad electrode/VH terminal) connected to the drain electrode 84.
The drain electrode wiring line 87, the drain electrode 84, the n+ drain region 78, and the n-drain region 75 are arranged in the center of the high voltage JFET 70, and the center of each of these has the same circular shape (each is a concentric circle). The inner edge of the n-drift region 74 contacts the n-drain region 75, and the outer edge contacts the p-gate region 72 and the n-source region 73.
The p-gate region 72 has a circular-shaped periphery, and the inner edge of the p-gate region 72 has recesses and protrusions. The n-source region 3 is disposed so as to enter these recesses, and the end thereof facing the center contacts the n-drift region 74.
Next, the operation of the high voltage JFET 70 will be explained. If a rectified voltage of AC100 is applied to the second drain electrode wiring line 87 (drain pad electrode) of the high voltage JFET 70, for example, then the current flows from the n-drain region 75 in the middle of the high voltage JFET 70 to the start-up auxiliary circuit 90 through the n-source region 73 disposed on the periphery and charges the power supply capacitor 56 through the VCC. The control circuit 53 starts operating when the power supply capacitor 56 has reached a prescribed voltage.
The current following through the high voltage JFET 70 increases the potential (source potential) of the n-source region 73 of the high voltage JFET 70, which causes a pn junction 89 of the n-source region 73 and the p-gate region 72, which is formed so to surround the source, to become reverse biased. This reverse bias causes a depletion region to spread to the n-source region 73 and the n-drift region 74. The depletion region 95 that has spread from the gate region 72, which is on both sides of the n-source region 73, to the n-source region 73 and the n-drift region 74 connects at a pinch-off point P in the n-drift region 74 surrounded by both sides of the p-gate region 72, thereby pinching off the high voltage JFET 70 (causing the JFET 70 to be in a cutoff state). Thus, the potential of the n+ source region 77 changes the spread of the depletion region and the constant current value. If the cut-off voltage is high, current will stop flowing, and the high voltage JFET 70 will turn OFF. Until this cut-off state is completely met, cut-off current flowing through the high voltage JFET 70 will remain at a uniform level and flow from the n+ source layer 77 to a drain D of the JFET 91 in the start-up auxiliary circuit 90 through the first source electrode 83 and the second source electrode wiring line 86.
FIG. 11 is a view that explains a state in which the high voltage JFET 70 has been pinched off. The depletion region 95, which has spread from the p-gate layer 72 to the n-drift layer 74, causes the drain current to be uniform. The depletion region 95 connects when the potential of the n-source region 73 increases, and this pinches off the high voltage JFET 70 and stops the drain current from flowing even if the drain voltage is increased, thereby causing the high voltage JFET 70 to turn OFF. The drain current remains uniform and does not increase. The area where the depletion region 95 has connected is the pinch-off point P. The voltage at the time of pinch-off is called the cutoff voltage Vcut, and the current is called the cutoff current Icut.
The cutoff current Icut initially flows to the power supply capacitor 56 from the VCC terminal. As the power supply capacitor 56 becomes gradually charged, however, the current that is charging the power supply capacitor 56 falls below the cutoff current Icut, and the switching power supply device 500 begins operating when the power supply capacitor 56 has reached a prescribed power supply voltage. At this point, current is supplied from the power supply capacitor 56 to the control circuit 53, and the voltage of the power supply capacitor 56 decreases. To compensate for this decrease, current is supplied to the power supply capacitor 56 from the high voltage input terminal VH through the high voltage JFET 70, the JFET 91, and the VCC terminal, and the power supply capacitor 56 maintains a uniform voltage while the switching power supply device 500 is operating. If the cutoff voltage Icut of the high voltage JFET 70 is low, however, the current supplied to the power supply capacitor 56 decreases, and it becomes impossible to maintain a uniform voltage of the power supply capacitor 56.
When assembling the switching power supply device 500, an ESD (electrostatic discharge) surge is sometimes introduced to the high voltage JFET 70. There are two types of ESD surges: the Human Body Model (HBM±), and the Machine Model (MM±).
In regards to MM− and HBM−, a large parasitic diode formed of the n-source region 73, the n-drift region 74, the n-drain region 75, and the p-substrate 71 becomes forward biased, and the high voltage JFET 70 itself can protect against the negative ESD surge. MM+ is a low voltage of approximately 200V, and thus the high-voltage JFET 70 can also protect against this ESD surge.
HBM+, however, is at least approximately 1000V to 2000V; therefore, it is difficult for the high voltage JFET 70 alone to protect against this ESD surge.
Patent Document 1 discloses a horizontal junction field effect transistor in which the drain is disposed in the center and a large number of sources surround the transistor.
Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose resistor elements for detecting input voltage being formed in parallel from an input pad electrode, with these resistor elements being arranged in an interlayer insulating film on the drain region.