The present invention provides a high dynamic performance mounting technique that is suitable for mounting sensor elements in adverse environments. According to one aspect, the present invention includes a kinematic mounting technique for a movable secondary mirror in an optical sensor. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting structure that provides deterministic alignment of a sensor element over multiple positions. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting technique with high dynamic performance yet minimizes sensor obscuration. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting technique that decouples actuator stiffness and mounting accuracy from the overall dynamic stiffness and alignment accuracy of a movable secondary mirror in an optical sensor.

In mounts for optical systems, it is often desirable to observe basic principles of kinematics. A body in space, such as a lens or mirror, has six degrees of freedom or ways in which it may move: translation along the three rectangular coordinate axes, and rotation about these three axes. A body is fully constrained when each of these possible movements is singly prevented from occurring. However, it is sometimes desirable in an optical system for some degrees of freedom to be allowed, and so semikinematic methods can be used.
Meanwhile, locating an optical element and maintaining its position relative to other optical elements in an optical system is difficult. Moving an optical element from one position to another and reestablishing alignment is extremely difficult especially over adverse environmental conditions. More particularly, for benign environments like a laboratory or medical facility, it is more straightforward to position an optical element like a secondary mirror accurately. Since there is no external environmental input like vibration shaking the structure, the optical alignment is maintained. In contrast, for optical sensors subjected to adverse environmental conditions like shock and vibration, conventional techniques for holding and positioning an optical element can limit the optical performance of the sensor. When subjected to vibration, like the turbulence from an aircraft, if the structure holding the optical elements is not rigid, it will oscillate at a characteristic amplitude and frequency, and the optical image will blur due to motion of the optics. A key performance specification for optical sensors subjected to environmental disturbances is line of sight (LOS) stability. Line of sight stability is proportional to optical blur. For an optical element that must be moved into different positions, the structure and positioning features must be very stiff and/or deterministic to prevent energy from the environment from disturbing the position of the optical elements.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example of a prior art technique for holding and positioning an optical element in a stabilized platform.
As shown in FIG. 1A, an optical element 102 is mounted to a structural arm 104 that pivots on hinges. The structural arm 104 is actuated by a motor (not shown). To minimize optical obscuration, the size of the arm is minimized. As shown in more detail in FIG. 1B, arm 104 is rotated about hinges 106 consisting of ball bearings or bushings and a shaft. Arm 104 might be positioned using an encoder or potentiometer. Hard stops can be used to determine the final position of the arm and hold it in place.
Prior art techniques such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B suffer from many problems. Hinges made from bearings or bushings have limited overall stiffness and will limit the dynamic response of the optical system. The relatively narrow shafts that ride in the bearings also have limited stiffness. While the structure that mounts the optics can be very stiff, the hinge/bearing structure limits the overall stiffness of the assembly. Stops used to position the structural element at the end of travel typically can not restrain all six degrees of freedom. The final position of the optical element is indeterminate at best and has limited stiffness.
High performance optical assemblies for use in stabilized platforms that do not limit the imaging performance of the sensor thus remain a highly desirable need in the art.

Multi-position kinematic mount for optical sensors in stabilized platforms


An embodiment method of service chaining in a software defined network (SDN) having SDN switches includes receiving a service chain requirement having a plurality of services. Respective tunnels are then defined for the plurality of services. The method then configures the SDN switches to establish the respective tunnels and form a tunnel chain.

Driven largely by smart phones, tablets, video streaming, cloud-based networking, etc., the amount of data handled by datacenter and service provider networks has risen markedly and is expected to continue to rise by orders of magnitude over the next ten years. In addition to the sheer volume of data, the number of devices is expected to continue to grow exponentially, possibly reaching into the billions of devices, along with radically higher data rates. Different applications will place different requirements on the performance of future networks. Future networks are expected to be highly flexible, highly efficient, open, and customizable for customers and consumers.
The advent of cloud-based networking has complicated the ability of future networks to satisfy expected demands for higher throughput, lower latencies, lower energy, lower costs, and drastically more numerous connections. Cloud-based networking fundamentally redefines the endpoints and the time frame for which network services are provisioned. It requires the network be much more nimble, flexible, and scalable. Thus, technologies such as network function virtualization (NFV) and SDNs have become increasingly important in building future networks. SDNs allow the abstraction of network capabilities and resources. The network capabilities and resources can then be provisioned according to service-oriented policies for customers and users.

System and method for service chaining with tunnel chains in software defined network


A magnetic recording control apparatus includes conventional magnetic recording media, a large capacity type magnetic recording medium having a memory capacity corresponding to the sum of the capacities of a plurality of conventional magnetic recording media, recording unit for recording data of a plurality of conventional magnetic recording media to the large capacity type magnetic recording medium using a virtual volume corresponding to the recording capacity of one conventional magnetic recording medium and control data relating to the virtual volume as one recording unit, and/or division unit for dividing a data buffer for temporarily storing the data of the large capacity type magnetic recording medium into logical devices corresponding to the conventional magnetic recording media.

This invention relates to a magnetic recording control apparatus for managing and controlling data of a large capacity magnetic recording medium.
Hereinafter, the description will be given referring to magnetic tape as an example of the magnetic recording medium.
In recent magnetic tape sub-systems, a multi-file system is known for recording a plurality of files on one tape to reduce the number of physical media that need to be stored.
JP-A-57-158008 discloses a system for allotting an address to each block on a magnetic tape medium and for making high speed location at the time of recovery of failure.
In recent magnetic tape sub-systems, a bulk write system, which includes an IC memory as a data buffer, stores data in the data buffer and then writes the data on the tape, and a pre-read or pushup read processing system which reads in advance data on the tape to a data buffer are known. The capacity of one magnetic tape has thus been increased due to the improvement in recording density and compression and interconnection of data blocks. Accordingly, although the data capacity (hereinafter referred to as the "capacity") of magnetic tapes that have been used practically (hereinafter referred to as the "conventional magnetic tape" or the "ordinary magnetic tape") has been at most about 200 megabytes, a magnetic tape cartridge having a memory capacity more than ten times as much as that of the conventional magnetic tapes (hereinafter referred to as the "large capacity magnetic tape") has been developed using this "data buffer" technique.
On the other hand, JP-A-57-152028 discloses a data control system by the division of a data buffer.


The invention is an apparatus and method for managing large numbers of objects having the same property. In various aspects the invention includes an apparatus for use in managing objects, an apparatus for use in managing slots in a page or swap file, and a method for managing a plurality of clustered objects in a container. In still other aspects, the invention includes a computer-readable, program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when performed by a computer, perform such a method and a computer programmed to perform such a method. In one particular embodiment, the invention employs: an allocation bitmap to indicate the state (i.e., in use or free) of various slots in a swap file, a directory bitmap indicating the state of clusters of the slots so that the operating system can quickly locate and allocate slots in the swap file (or files) during a swap, Data structures containing usage counters that indicate how many groups of certain sizes of clusters of free slots can be found in the file, and Lists linking structures for files with compatible usage characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to digital computing devices, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing objects having the same property.
2. Description of the Related Art
The size and complexity of modem day computing systems on the high end of the technology have exploded in recent years. As the technology matures, ever larger numbers of digital computing devices are handling ever larger amounts of data. Large scale "enterprise computing systems" can comprise tens of thousands of machines. Indeed, the Internet comprises millions of machines handling untold amounts of data. The complexity of computing systems has increased concomitantly to accommodate the data demands from so many users across so many machines in a reasonably timely fashion.
One key component in the operation of a computing system is the "operating system" (or "OS"). A general treatment of operating systems can be found in The Computer Science and Engineering Handbook, pp. 1647–1664 (Allen B. Tucker, Jr., ed. CRC Press 1997) (ISBN 0-8493-2909-4). The operating system generally controls the operation of a computing device, providing an interface between the computing device's hardware and the applications programs, e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, and e-mail software, employed by the computing device's users.
An operating system typically strives to meet at least three goals: hiding details of the hardware by creating abstractions for use by applications programs, managing computing resources (e.g., memory, processor time, input/output peripherals), and providing an effective user interface. On a personal computer level, this generally includes performing basic tasks like recognizing user input (e.g., information typed on the keyboard), transmitting output to the display, managing files and directories in the computer's disk storage, and controlling peripheral devices. On larger scale computing systems, the operating system may assume greater responsibilities like security (e.g., excluding unauthorized users) and ensuring the various users do not interfere with each other or corrupt resources common to all users.
One typical responsibility of an operating system is the management of memory. The memory system of a computing device may be categorized into disk storage (e.g., a hard disk), main memory (e.g., the random access memory, or "RAM"), and cache. Data is typically stored long term on disk storage, but it takes a relatively long time to read from or write to disk storage. If the operating system anticipates using certain data stored in disk storage, or if an application actually needs data stored in disk storage, the operating system will move it out of disk storage into main memory. Main memory is only a temporary storage, but is much quicker to read from and write to than is disk storage. Data may also be stored in cache, which is the most temporary and quickest form of memory.
One common aspect of memory management is the use of "virtual memory," as opposed to "physical memory." Virtual memory is an abstraction of the operating system used by application programs. The main memory has a finite number of physical addresses at which data can be stored, and is called "physical memory" in this context. However, the operating system allows applications to use a memory space that is much larger than the physical memory. This larger address space is referred to as "virtual." The operating system maintains data structures known as a "page tables" that map virtual addresses into physical addresses and onto disk storage.
When the application writes to or reads from a virtual address, the system hardware and/or the operating system consult the page tables and translate that virtual address into a physical address. If the data is not currently in physical memory, it is read from disk—transparently to the application—and stored in physical memory. Likewise, when the operating system notices that free physical memory is getting scarce, application data is transparently written to disk storage and the associated memory is freed. This process is called "paging." When the operating system notices that memory is so scarce that paging of individual pages is insufficient, or if application processes were inactive for a long time, it becomes more efficient to remove the whole application process from the system environment. This process is called "swapping."
The actual swapping and paging in a virtual memory system is handled by a component of the operating system called the "modified page writer." When a page of modified data needs to be written to the page file (i.e., swapped or paged to disk storage) the modified page writer quickly finds the appropriate page file in disk storage and a slot (i.e., free clusters) in the page file. With possibly hundreds of files to select from and millions of slots in each file, this becomes a difficult and/or time-consuming problem. The problem worsens when a large collection of pages needs to be saved, for example when a process is swapped with a large, non-compressible working set. In this case, it is not sufficient just to know that free slots exist in a given file. The data may have to be spread across several files and it is time consuming to find the most suitable files. In today's environments where terabyte sized databases and large memory systems are routinely encountered, the problems are exacerbated.
One particular operating system is the Open Virtual Memory System ("OpenVMS"). For several years, OpenVMS allowed users to create and use huge virtual address spaces, but the design still limited page file sections to a theoretical maximum of 32 Gb per process (each process could use at most 4 page files at 8 Gb) and 504 Gb total per system (63 page files at 8 Gb). While page files of this size were not common, the actually achievable/working limits for a single process, when taking into account page file use for page tables and page file use by other processes, were lower than 32 Gb. This limit was uncomfortably close to the supported maximum of physical memory on a system. Many 64-bit users often want to be able to use an amount of dynamic virtual memory larger than the amount of physical memory available on the system.
While page file sections are not the only method to access process virtual memory, they are convenient. Other methods available in OpenVMS include file based sections, PFN sections and the resident memory sections. Memory resident sections in particular are believed to become a favorite method for large memory systems. However, it is still highly desirable that OpenVMS does not impose any specific memory access methods on users. It is therefore desirable to raise page file related limits at least to an order of magnitude above physical memory limits. Ideally, a solution to this problem should support very large page and swap files each capable of holding millions of pages; support many concurrently active page and swap files; fully populate page and swap files (i e., the allocation technique should allow to find any free page); locate clusters of adjacent free pages; use a minimum amount of fixed physical memory for data structures; and be fast.
The present invention is directed to resolving, or at least reducing, one or all of the problems mentioned above.

Method and apparatus for managing large numbers of objects having the same property

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A system, method and apparatus for detecting a fluid leak in a fluid based cooling system and purging the fluid therein under various conditions. The system, method and apparatus detect fluid levels in the cooling system, fluid pressure in the cooling system and fluid spraying and dripping from the cooling system. Upon an affirmative determination of low fluid levels, low fluid pressure or fluid spraying and dripping from one or more locations in the cooling system, the device automatically purges the fluid from the cooling system. Accordingly, in an overhead fluid-based cooling system, any damage to objects below from having fluid leaked thereon is minimized.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooling systems for cooling electronic equipment, and particularly to a purge feature for a fluid based cooling system.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
The growth of the computer industry and telephony over the past few decades has been phenomenal. The integration of these technologies, for example, in telecommunications switching systems, has lead to greater and greater efficiencies as larger numbers of communications are handled by fewer components, which are typically housed in a central control room.
One problem inherent with all electronic equipment, telecommunications or otherwise, is temperature control. As is readily apparent, if telecommunications switching equipment or other electronic components are not effectively cooled, the internal temperature of the electronic components substantially increase, thereby leading to significantly reduced system performance and, in some cases, total system failure.
Conventional approaches to cooling the aforementioned central control or other such apparatus/equipment include fluid based cooling systems in which air is directed in the proximity of heat exchanger units or cooling coils having cooled liquid flowing therethrough. The air is cooled as it passes the cooled coils. By directing the resulting cooled air towards the equipment to be cooled, the internal temperature of the equipment is reduced, thereby allowing the equipment to operate more efficiently and with reduced risk of system failure.
The abovementioned conventional cooling systems employ piping elements to route the cooling fluid between the system components, such as between the pump unit and the cooling coils. One common problem with these cooling systems is that occasionally a break occurs in the seal between the piping elements, in the seal between the piping elements and the system components, and in the piping elements themselves. A break may cause the cooling fluid to drip or to spray outwardly from the system at the point of the break. If the break is more substantial, the cooling fluid may both drip and spray from the point of the break.
Leakage of cooling fluid caused by a break in conventional cooling systems poses a number of serious concerns. First, the fluid leak may cause the cooling system to run less efficiently, thereby increasing operating costs and prematurely aging the cooling system. Second, the fluid leak may result in an insufficient amount of cooling fluid being delivered to the cooling coils, thereby increasing the operating temperature of the electronic equipment. As stated above, an increase in operating temperature of the electronic equipment of a system may lead to a reduction in system performance and even total system failure.
Third, because portions of conventional cooling systems, such as the cooling coils and the piping elements connected thereto, are located in close proximity to electronic equipment which the cooling systems are adapted to cool, a break in the cooling system may result in cooling fluid leaking onto the equipment. Especially in the case wherein portions of the cooling system are suspended above the equipment, a spray leak or a drip leak of any magnitude may seriously damage the equipment and pose a threat of electrocution to a nearby operator. Needless to say, the potential harm resulting from a fluid leak in a fluid based cooling system is quite sizeable and reaches far beyond concerns for the cooling system itself.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a feature for a fluid based cooling system which quickly and accurately detects fluid leakage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which substantially minimizes fluid leakage from the cooling system upon a detection thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid leakage feature which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easily retrofitted into existing fluid based cooling systems.

System, method and apparatus for purging fluid


Activities within various environments (e.g., industrial control environment) can be automated through a number of interchangeable modules configured to perform an action or series of actions. Each interchangeable module can be dedicated to a specific function or task (e.g., quality control, performance) and can take into consideration various business aspects. A sequence in which the actions should be performed can be assigned and the appropriate module automatically initiated based on the sequence. A user can manually select a module in order to have a particular function automatically implemented, such as inserting a quality control module into a rack so that functions relating to quality control are automatically implemented. When a different task is desired, the quality control module can be removed and replaced with a different module.

Complete or partial automation in factories, manufacturing facilities, and the like is possible through utilization of industrial control systems. Industrial controllers are special-purpose computers utilized for controlling industrial processes, manufacturing equipment, and other factory automation, such as data collection or networked systems. In accordance with a control program, the industrial controller, having an associated processor (or processors), measures one or more process variables and/or inputs reflecting the status of a control system and changes outputs effecting control of such system.
Industrial control systems have enabled modern factories to become partially or completely automated in many circumstances. A logic processor, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) lies at the core of the industrial control system. PLCs can be programmed to operate manufacturing processes through logic programs and/or routines. These programs can be stored in memory and generally are executed by the PLC in a sequential manner, although instruction jumping, looping, and interrupt routines are also common. Industrial control systems typically include a plurality of input and output (I/O) modules communicatively coupled to the PLC through a backplane that interferes at a device level to switches, contactors, relays, solenoids and sensors, and other devices along with analog control to provide more complex functions such as Proportional, Integral and Derivative (PID) control or multi-input multi-output (MIMO) or model-reference adaptive control (MRAC).
Communications have also been integrated within the systems, whereby many industrial controllers can communicate through network technologies such as Ethernet, Control Net, Device Net or other network protocols. Accordingly, such control systems are optimized to control and monitor industrial processes, machines, manufacturing equipment, industrial plants, and the like. Generally, industrial controllers utilize the aforementioned technologies along with other technologies to control, cooperate and communicate across multiple and diverse applications
Technological advancements have also enabled factory applications to become partially or completely automated. As technology continues to advance it is desirable to utilize the full capabilities of such technology to increase efficiency of a multitude of processes, including worker efficiency.

MES appliance integrated with control modules


The present invention relates to binding agents that specifically bind human MET, binding agents that specifically bind one or more components of the WNT pathway, bispecific agents that bind both human MET and one or more components of the WNT pathway, and methods of using the agents for treating diseases such as cancer.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world, with over one million people diagnosed with cancer and 500,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Overall it is estimated that more than 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. There are more than 200 different types of cancer, four of which—breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate—account for almost half of all new cases (Siegel et al., 2011, CA: A Cancer J. Clin. 61:212-236).
Signaling pathways normally connect extracellular signals to the nucleus leading to expression of genes that directly or indirectly control cell growth, differentiation, survival, and death. In a wide variety of cancers, signaling pathways are dysregulated and may be linked to tumor initiation and/or progression. Signaling pathways implicated in human oncogenesis include, but are not limited to, the WNT pathway, the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK or MAPK pathway, the PI3K-AKT pathway, the MET/HGF pathway, the CDKN2A/CDK4 pathway, the Bcl-2/TP53 pathway, and the NOTCH pathway.
The MET/HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) pathway has been shown to play a critical role in early embryonic development. However, in adult tissues the MET pathway is tightly controlled and primarily quiescent in its growth signaling program, except in processes such as wound repair. Dysregulation of the MET pathway may lead to cell proliferation, protection from apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. MET may be dysregulated by a variety of different mechanisms including protein over-expression, constitutive activation, ligand-dependent activation, gene amplification, gene mutation, and/or MET modifications (e.g., phosphorylation). The MET pathway has been shown to be dysregulated in many tumor types, including but not limited to, lung, colorectal, breast, liver, gastric, pancreas, and brain.
The WNT signaling pathway is one of several critical regulators of embryonic pattern formation, post-embryonic tissue maintenance, and stem cell biology. More specifically, WNT signaling plays an important role in the generation of cell polarity and cell fate specification including self-renewal by stem cell populations. Unregulated activation of the WNT pathway is associated with numerous human cancers where it is believed the activation can alter the developmental fate of cells. The activation of the WNT pathway may maintain tumor cells in an undifferentiated state and/or lead to uncontrolled proliferation. Thus, carcinogenesis can proceed by overtaking homeostatic mechanisms that control normal development and tissue repair (reviewed in Reya & Clevers, 2005, Nature, 434:843-50; Beachy et al., 2004, Nature, 432:324-31).
The MET pathway and the WNT pathway have both been identified as potential targets for cancer therapy. It is one of the objectives of the present invention to provide improved molecules for cancer treatment, particularly bispecific agents that specifically bind human MET and one or more WNT proteins. Another objective of the invention is to use these novel bispecific agents to modulate the MET pathway and the WNT pathway and inhibit tumor growth.


A work vehicle includes: a first control system that controls a traveling of a work vehicle; a second control system that controls the traveling of the work vehicle via the first control system by using set information; a first communication line used for communication between the first control system and the second control system; and a second communication line that transmits information to the first control system from the second control system, wherein the second control system generates information for controlling an engine of the work vehicle and information for controlling a brake device of the work vehicle, and transmits the information for controlling the engine and the information for controlling the brake device to the first control system via the second communication line by an information transmission system different from an information transmission system by the first communication line.

Recently, it has been proposed to allow a work vehicle to automatically travel in an unmanned state on a preset traveling route in, for example, a mine (for example, Patent Literature 1). In the work vehicle used for this purpose, information necessary for allowing the work vehicle to travel in an unmanned state is exchanged among various control devices in the work vehicle via a communication line in the work vehicle.

Work vehicle and control method for work vehicle


In a torque coupling having an input flange, an input shaft, an actuator, and a multiple clutch pack, and a driving mechanism, the present invention broadly comprises an actuator for transferring the input toque to the output shaft. The actuator comprises an actuator plate which is limited to only rotational movement, a pressure plate which is limited to only axial movement, and a plurality of actuator pins. The driving mechanism rotates the actuator plate through a gear set and forces the actuator pins to move vertically. The vertical movement of the actuator pins forces the pressure plate in an axial direction. In a torque coupling, the actuator is used to transfer the input torque to the output shaft through compression of the multiple clutch pack by the actuator.

The drive line coupling is well known throughout the automotive industry. In an active all-wheel drive system, the coupling is used to transfer torque from the engine to the wheels that are not normally driven except in certain circumstances, such as wheel slip in the primary drive wheels due to icy or rainy conditions. The traditional coupling for an all-wheel drive application uses a driveshaft to transfer torque from the transfer case to both the front and rear axle as needed, whereby either the front or rear axle is continuously engaged and the other axle is engaged by the operator or the vehicle's computer, as necessary.
A transfer case is generally attached to the transmission output shaft where it receives torque from the transmission. In an all-wheel drive system, torque is transferred to the appropriate axles by the transfer case. The primary drive wheels, those which are constantly driven, are driven by a differential placed between the transfer case and the primary drive wheels. The secondary drive wheels, those which are not constantly driven, are driven by a differential placed between the transfer case and the secondary drive wheels.
In an active all-wheel drive system, torque from the transmission is constantly being directed to both the primary and secondary drive axles via the transfer case. The active all-wheel drive system optimizes the traction of the vehicle by directing torque to the secondary drive wheels when a slip is detected in the primary drive wheels. The active all-wheel drive system uses a coupling at the secondary differential or integrated into the transfer case to control power distribution. The flow of torque to the secondary drive wheels can be controlled at either the transfer case or at the coupling of the secondary differential. If the torque is controlled at the secondary drive axle coupling, the transfer case is constantly directing torque to the primary and secondary drive wheels. If the torque is controlled by the transfer case, a secondary coupling is not necessary, as a direct system can be used at the differential due to the transfer case's additional control of the torque flow.
The current state of the art in an active all-wheel drive system uses a transfer case which constantly transfers torque to the secondary drive wheels through a coupling device. The coupling device contains an input flange which is coupled to an input shaft, which transfers torque to the output shaft upon the exertion of force on the clutch pack by a ball and ramp mechanism. The coupling system does not transfer the input torque to the wheels in the traditional non-slip mode. The ball and ramp mechanism is activated by the rotation of an electric motor which causes the ramps to expand. The expansion of the ramps compresses the clutch pack and connects the input shaft and the output shaft thereby transferring the torque from the input shaft to the output shaft and ultimately to the secondary drive wheels. The use of a ball and ramp mechanism creates a linear ratio and therefore is not fully optimized with respect to the speed in which torque is transferred or the size of the electric motor.
Thus, there is a need for an improved actuating drive line coupler.

All-wheel drive (AWD) coupling with a variable travel ratio and wear compensation


A composition is provided which contains a non-naturally occurring peptide or polypeptide comprising at least two or more, and preferably all four amino acid sequences -Asp-Pro-Arg-Leu-Glu-Pro- SEQ ID NO: 6; -Asp-Pro-Lys-Leu-Glu-Pro- SEQ ID NO: 7; -Asp-Pro-Ser-Leu-Glu-Pro- SEQ ID NO: 8; and -Asp-Pro-Asn-Leu-Glu-Pro- SEQ ID NO: 9. This composition, including a number of additional optional peptides or polypeptides, and in a variety of forms, demonstrates a biological activity of inducing antibodies that react with most HIV-1 Tat proteins and impairing the multiplication of HIV-1. Also provided are synthetic genes encoding these peptides, recombinant viruses and commensal bacterium carrying these genes, transfected host cells, and polyclonal or other types of antibodies produced by immunizing other mammals with these aforementioned compositions. Methods for making and using such compositions to lower the viral level of HIV-1 are described.

High plasma levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA are found during primary infection with HIV-1, the seroconversion illness, C. Baumberger et al, AIDS, 7:(suppl 2):S59 (1993); M. S. Saag et al, Nature Med., 2:625 (1996)!, after which they subside as the immune response controls the infection to a variable extent. Post seroconversion, lower but detectable levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA are present, and these levels rise with disease progression to again attain high levels at the AIDS stage M. S. Saag et al, Nature Med., 2:265 (1996)!. Approximately 50% of subjects have a symptomatic illness at seroconversion B. Tindall and D. A. Cooper, AIDS, 5:1 (1991)! and symptomatic seroconversion is associated with an increased risk for the development of AIDS, probably because a severe primary illness is likely related to an early and extensive spread of HIV.
Inhibition of viral multiplication during the initial infection will likely reduce the subsequent development of chronic viremia leading to AIDS. Current medical practice, with administration of antiviral drugs for defined "at risk" situations, such as needle sticks with contaminated blood or pregnancy in HIV infected mothers, supports this concept.
Post sero-conversion levels of HIV-1 RNA in plasma have proven to be the most powerful prognosticator of the likelihood of progression to AIDS J. W. Mellors et al, Science, 272:1167 (1996); M. S. Saag et al, Nature Med., 2:265 (1996); R. W. Coombs et al, J. Inf. Dis., 174:704 (1996); S. L. Welles et al, J. Inf. Dis., 174:696 (1990)!. Other measures of viral load, such as cellular RNA K. Saksela et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91:1104 (1994)! and cellular HIV proviral DNA T-H. Lee et al, J. Acq. Imm. Def. Syndromes, 7:381 (1994)! similarly establish the importance of the initial infection in establishing viral loads that determine future disease progression.
Thus, any intervention that inhibits HIV-1 infectivity during initial infection and/or lowers viral load post sero-conversion is likely to have a favorable influence on the eventual outcome, delaying or preventing progression to AIDS.
A variety of methods are now employed to treat patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), including treatment with certain combinations of protease inhibitor drugs. Unfortunately, however, this type of treatment is associated with serious side effects in some patients.
Alternatively, vaccines are under development for control of the spread of HIV-1 to uninfected humans. However, this effort has largely been directed to proteins of the virus, expressed on the surface of infected cells, which are recognized by cytotoxic T cells with elimination of the infected cells, while free virus is blocked and cleared by antibody to surface antigens of the virion. Limitations of this mode of vaccination are readily apparent for HIV-1, which has demonstrated a great diversity in immunogenic viral epitopes and rapid mutational variations that occur within and between individuals B. D. Preston et al., Science, 242:1168(1988); J. D. Roberts et al., Science, 242:1171 (1988); A. R. Meyerhans et al., Cell, 58:901 (1989); K. Kusumi et al., J. Virol., 66:875 (1992); B. A. Larder et al., Science, 243:1731 (1989); M. S. Sang et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 329:1065 (1993); M. A. Sande, et al., JAMA, 270:2583 (1993); M. Seligmann et al., Lancet, 343:871 (1994); G. Meyers et al., Human retroviruses and AIDS 1993, I-V. A compilation and analysis of nucleic acid and amino acid sequences. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.Mex.!
Variation in strains of HIV-1 and frequent mutations of virion proteins have prevented successful application of conventional vaccine approaches W. E. Paul, Cell, 82:177 (1995); J. E. Osborn, J. Acq. Imm. Def. Syndr. Hum. Retrovirol., 9:26 (1995)!. Mutation and selection of resistant variants is the central problem in developing a successful HIV-1 vaccine M. D. Daniel et al., Science, 258:1938 (1992); N. L. Letvin, N. Engl. J. Med., 329:1400 (1993); M. Clerici et al., AIDS, 8:1391 (1994); S. M. Wolinsky et al, Science, 272:537 (1996)!.
Other approaches to HIV-1 treatment have focused on the transactivating (tat) gene of HIV-1, which produces a protein (Tat) essential for transcription of the virus. The tat gene and its protein have been sequenced and examined for involvement in proposed treatments of HIV see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,877; U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,882; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,802; International Patent Application No. WO92/07871, published May 14, 1992; International Patent Application No. WO91/10453, published Jul. 25, 1991; International Patent Application No. WO91/09958, published Jul. 11, 1991; International Patent Application No. WO87/02989, published May 21, 1987!. Tat protein is released extracellularly, making it available to be taken up by other infected cells to enhance transcription of HIV-1 in the cells and to be taken up by noninfected cells, altering host cell gene activations and rendering the cells susceptible to infection by the virus. Uptake of Tat by cells is very strong, and has been reported as mediated by a short basic sequence of the protein S. Fawell et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 91:664-668 (1994)!.
International Patent Application No. WO92/14755, published Sep. 3, 1992, relates to the Tat protein and to the integrin cell surface receptor capable of binding to the Tat protein. Two Tat sequences that bind integrin are identified, which are the basic region or domain which is the dominant binding site for the integrin, having a peptide sequence of -Arg-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Gln-Arg-Arg-Arg- SEQ ID NO: 4!, as well as -Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro- SEQ ID NO: 5!. This specification demonstrates that a number of peptides corresponding to these Tat sequences and the corresponding integrins block in vitro cell binding to Tat coated plates, as do antibodies to the appropriate integrins. However, the specification also shows that these reagents do not block uptake of functional Tat by cells (see Example 9 in WO92/14755), thus nullifying the proposed mechanism of action for therapeutic benefit in HIV infection. The Tat sequences described in this international application are distinct from the peptide immunogens of the present invention.
Both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to Tat protein have been readily produced in animals and shown to block uptake of Tat protein in vitro see, e.g., D. Brake et al, J. Virol., 64:962 (1990); D. Mann et al, EMBO J., 10:1733 (1991); J. Abraham et al, cited above; P. Auron et al, cited above; M. Jaye et al, cited above; G. Zauli et al, cited above!. More recent reports showed that monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to Tat protein added to tissue culture medium attenuated HIV-1 infection in vitro L. Steinaa et al, Arch. Virol., 139:263 (1994); M. Re et al, J. Acq. Imm. Def. Syndr. Hum. Retrovirol., 10:408 (1995); and G. Zauli et al, J. Acq. Imm. Def. Syndr. Hum. Retrovirol., 10:306 (1995)!.
The inventor's own publication G. Goldstein, Nature Med., 2:960 (1996); see also, International Patent Application No. WO95/31999, published Nov. 30, 1995! reviewed the evidence indicating that secretion of HIV-1 Tat protein from infected cells and uptake by both infected and uninfected cells was important for the infectivity of HIV-1. Previous studies also showed that antibodies to Tat protein in vitro blocked uptake of Tat and inhibited in vitro infectivity. Goldstein proposed active immunization of mammals to induce antibodies to HIV-1 Tat protein as a potential AIDS vaccine.
Despite the growing knowledge about HIV-1 disease progression, there remains a need in the art for the development of compositions and methods for treatment of HIV-1, both prophylactically and therapeutically, which are useful to lower the viral levels of HIV-1 for the treatment and possible prevention of the subsequent, generally fatal, AIDS disease.

Methods and compositions for impairing multiplication of HIV-1


A core for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprises a paperboard material wound about an axis and adhered together to form a tubular body, and a polymer film layer wrapped about and adhered to the outer surface of the tubular body so as to form a tape-receiving surface upon which adhesive tape is to be wound. The polymer film layer has an overlap joint between the opposite edges of the polymer film ply. A recessed region is formed in the outer surface of the tubular body, the recessed region being recessed radially inwardly relative to the cylindrical outer surface. At least a portion of the length of the overlapping edge of the polymer film ply extends into and terminates in the recessed region such that the overlapping edge is not contacted by the adhesive tape wound about the core.

The invention relates to cores for pressure-sensitive adhesive tape such as medical tape used for bandaging, duct tape, masking tape, transparent plastic tape, and the like.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is typically supplied in the form of a roll of the tape wound about a hollow cylindrical core. The core in most cases is a wound paperboard tube. It is desirable to be able to use all of the tape wound onto the core, particularly in the case of single-use rolls that may contain as little as 12 inches of tape. However, the first wrap of tape adheres to the paperboard surface of the core, and tends to pick up paper fibers and thus is contaminated and unusable. The first wrap can represent a significant fraction of the total length of tape on the roll, particularly in the case of single-use rolls. Thus, conventional tape cores can lead to significant waste of tape.
It has been proposed to use a polymer film ply such as a plastic carton-sealing tape or the like as the outermost ply of the tape core, so that the adhesive tape will release cleanly from the polymer film ply. Such carton sealing tape has a release coating on its outer surface and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on its inner surface. To completely cover the paper core surface, it is necessary to slightly overlap the edges of the polymer film ply. However, the overlapping edge adheres to the release surface of the overlapped edge, and thus does not bond as strongly as desired. While this approach is an improvement over conventional cores having a paper surface, there is a tendency for the tape to cause the overlapping edge of the polymer film ply to lift away from the overlapped edge. This is a problem especially when the polymer film ply is spirally wrapped about the core, because the overlapping edge forms an acute-angled "dog-ear" at one end of the core. If the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape unwinds from the core in the opposite direction from the direction in which the polymer film ply is wrapped, then the tape can peel the dog-ear back and the tape can become snagged on the polymer film ply and fail to release properly from the core.


The invention provides a carpet unit arrangement comprising a carpet unit and a light source. The carpet unit comprises a carpet or a carpet tile, wherein the carpet unit comprises a user face, formed by carpet tuft yarns, and an opposite back face. Seen in a direction from the user face to the back face, the light source is arranged behind the user face of the carpet unit. The light source is further arranged to provide light downstream of the user face of the carpet unit. The carpet unit is an axminster-based carpet unit, comprising wefts, warps and said tuft yarns.

Carpets with lighting functions are known in the art. EP0323682 for instance describes an apparatus for guiding the occupants of a building along a path of travel within the building, which comprises modular carpet tiles which are abuttingly arranged to cover the floor of the structure, with some of the tiles being signal units having a light-transmissive, molded plastics housing positioned in an opening therein, and having light-emitting diodes positioned in the housing. The light-emitting diodes are energized via an electrical cable, and thereby provide a visually discernable pathway on the floor.
This document especially describes an apparatus for guiding the occupants of a structure in a path of travel along the floor within the structure, comprising a plurality of abuttingly arranged modular floor covering units covering the floor, said modular units having a fibrous face, some of said modular floor covering units being illuminable and arranged in a predetermined pattern resting upon and extending along the floor, each of said illuminable floor covering units having at least one relatively small opening therein spaced inwardly from the sides of said unit and open to the upper surface of the unit, a relatively small light transmissive housing positioned in each of said openings so as to be inset therein and completely surrounded by said fibrous face, light-emitting means positioned within each of said housings, and power means electrically connected to said light-emitting means of said illuminable modular floor covering units so that when said light-emitting means are energized by said power means a visually discernable pathway is defined in the floor by the cooperation of said illuminable modular floor covering units which can then be followed by the occupants of the structure to a predetermined location in the structure.

Carpet unit arrangement having a light source


A device and method for reducing current ripple to a light emitting diode array having a single stage power factor correction driver with an output voltage ripple that is reduced by using a linear current regulator connected in series between the single stage power factor correction driver and the light emitting diode array, which actively adjusts an equivalent impedance of the linear current regulator in correspondence with the output voltage ripple of the single stage power factor correction driver.

A light emitting diode ("LED") is an illuminating device that converts electrical current into light. The luminosity of an LED is mainly determined by the magnitude of the driving current. Hence, to obtain a stable luminous output without flicker, LEDs should be driven by a constant-current source.
General lighting products are usually powered by an AC mains voltage of 110 or 220 VAC at 50 or 60 Hz line frequency. Single-stage power factor correction ("SSPFC") drivers are commonly used to convert AC line voltage into DC voltage for driving these LEDs. This is because an SSPFC driver is a simple circuit that achieves both voltage conversion and power factor correction. However, the input power to the SSPFC varies in correspondence to the AC mains voltage due to power factor correction. The input power ripple induces an output voltage ripple and output current ripple. Consequently, using an SSPFC driver to power LEDs directly leads to light flickering at twice the line frequency. Increasing the output capacitance of the SSPFC driver is a direct approach to reduce the output power ripple. However, the value of output capacitors is limited by factors such as size, cost and lifetime. Other solutions exist, but such solutions lead to a reduction in efficiency, increase in cost and more complex designs.

Method and apparatus for cancelling output current ripples in LED driving circuits


A wireless device sends, to an access point, an indication to the access point that the wireless device is to transition between a wideband communication and a narrowband communication.

Devices such as computers, handheld devices, or other types of devices can communicate over wired or wireless networks. Wireless networks can include a wireless local area network (WLAN), which includes wireless access points (APs) to which devices are able to wirelessly connect. Other types of wireless networks include cellular networks that include wireless access network nodes to which devices are able to wirelessly connect.

Transitioning between wideband and narrowband communications


Disclosed is an epoxy resin composition which is solid at ordinary room temperature, cures with excellent light resistance and heat resistance and minimal shrinkage, and is useful for encapsulating LEDs. The epoxy resin composition is characterized by comprising as an essential component an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of 300-1000 g/eq and a softening point of 65-110° C. obtained by reacting a nonaromatic polycarboxylic acid (A) having an acid value of 100-250 mgKOH/g with a nonaromatic epoxy resin (B) having an epoxy equivalent of 100-400 g/eq. The nonaromatic polycarboxylic acid (A) may be obtained by reacting 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 2,2-bis(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)propane, or 3,9-bis(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5,5]undecane with methylhexahydrophthalic acid or hexahydrophthalic acid.

Epoxy resins are used mainly in many applications relating to paints, civil engineering works, and electrical works for their excellent electrical properties, adhesive properties, heat resistance, and the like. In particular, aromatic epoxy resins such as bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, bisphenol F diglycidyl ether, phenol novolak epoxy resins and cresol novolak epoxy resins show excellent water resistance, adhesive properties, mechanical properties, heat resistance, electrical insulating properties, and economics and are used widely in combination with a variety of curing agents. However, these resins degrade easily by the action of ultraviolet rays and the like as they contain aromatic rings and have been restricted in applications requiring light resistance.
In the rapid-growing area of LED devices, aromatic epoxy resin compositions are used at times as an encapsulating material in the fabrication of devices not involving ultraviolet rays nor blue light in consideration of heat resistance, adhesive properties, and light resistance. However, developmental works are under way to raise the output of LED devices by the use of ultraviolet rays or blue light and, if an aromatic epoxy resin composition were used as an encapsulating material, such an encapsulant would degrade because of a deficiency in resistance to ultraviolet rays or blue light and turn yellow with the lapse of time to lower the brightness of LED devices.
The prior-art documents relating to this invention are listed below.
Patent document 1: JP3537119 B
Patent document 2: JP3415047 B
Patent document 3: JP2003-27774732 A
Epoxy resin compositions for use as electrical and electronic materials comprising hydrogenated epoxy resins obtained by hydrogenating aromatic epoxy resins and curing agents are proposed in the patent document 1. Curable epoxy resin compositions comprising hydrogenated epoxy resins obtained by hydrogenating aromatic epoxy resins, cyclic aliphatic epoxy resins, and curing agents are proposed in the patent document 2. Epoxy resin compositions for encapsulating LEDs are proposed in the patent document 3; the compositions comprise hydrogenated epoxy resins having an epoxy equivalent of 230-1000 g/eq obtained by hydrogenating aromatic epoxy resins or epoxy resins having an epoxy equivalent of 230-1000 g/eq obtained by reacting hydrogenated epoxy resins obtained by hydrogenating aromatic epoxy resins with polycarboxylic acids, alicyclic epoxy resins obtained by epoxidizing cyclic olefins, and acid anhydride-based curing agents or cationic polymerization initiators. Although the proposed resin compositions produce a certain improvement in light resistance and heat resistance, there is a demand for epoxy resin compositions that shrink less on curing and show more improved light resistance. Furthermore, depending upon the method of molding, there is another demand for resin compositions of good curability, light resistance, and heat resistance that are solid at ordinary room temperature and become fluid on heating.


A vacuum pump including a pump main unit and a control unit is disclosed. The control unit includes a substrate having electronic elements mounted thereon and terminal pins soldered to the substrate at a first end edge of the substrate. The substrate is mounted to a plate via an attachment near a second end edge opposing the first end edge and the plate is mounted to the pump main unit. The terminal pins extend through the plate. Upon linear thermal expansion of the terminal pins, by reason of the location of the terminal pins near the first end edge and the attachment near the second end edge, stresses in the soldered pin connections are reduced. A molding material having a Shore hardness of less than 50, is molded around the electronic elements on the substrate in one embodiment.

As a result of the recent development of electronics, there is a rapid increase in the demand for semiconductor devices such as memories and integrated circuits.
Such a semiconductor device is manufactured by doping impurities into a highly pure semiconductor substrate to impart electrical properties thereto, and forming a minute circuit on the semiconductor substrate by etching, for example.
Such operations must be performed in a chamber in a high-vacuum state to avoid the influence of dust or the like in the air. A vacuum pump is generally used to evacuate the chamber. In particular, a turbo-molecular pump, which is a kind of vacuum pump, is widely used since it involves little residual gas and is easy to maintain.
When manufacturing a semiconductor, these are many steps for making various process gases act on a semiconductor substrate, and the turbo-molecular pump is used not only to create a vacuum in a chamber, but also to discharge these process gases from the chamber.
This turbo-molecular pump consists of a pump main unit and a control device for controlling the pump main unit. As a method for simplifying wiring between substrates by reducing the number of pins of connector plugs for connecting the pump main unit and the control device, Patent Literature 1 suggests that a control substrate for a motor and a magnetic bearing should be arranged on the vacuum side.

Reducing the influence of thermal expansion of connector pins on a substrate in a vacuum pump


A fluid properties measurement device includes a symmetric resonant element having a first mass and a second mass, balanced to the first mass and coupled to the first mass by a torsional spring, having a nodal support between the first mass and the second mass. Also, a chamber having at least one opening accommodates the first mass, free of mechanical constraint and a driving and sensing assembly, is adapted to drive the first mass in torsion and sense resulting torsional movement of the first mass. The torsional spring passes through the opening which is sealed about the torsional spring at the nodal support and the second mass is free to be placed into a fluid, for fluid property measurements.

A viscometer based on the damping of a mechanical resonator can be very accurate in theory, but if installation into a fixed location introduces an unknown and immeasurable amount of intrinsic damping (that is, the amount of damping that the viscometer would experience in a vacuum) then that unknowable quantum of intrinsic damping limits accuracy. The essential problem is that of preventing the vibrations of the viscometer's resonator from leaking into the structure holding the viscometer, for example a pipe or the wall of a tank, thereby affecting the level of intrinsic damping.
Some prior art systems have relied on compliant elements such as elastomeric O-rings to isolate the vibrations to the viscometer structure. Unfortunately, the use of such O-rings limits the pressure and temperature range of viscometer usage, thereby limiting the environments in which such a viscometer can be used. Finally, even if everything about the environment (tank walls, pipe or other holding structure) were known, and O-rings that could accommodate a broad range of temperature and pressure were available, it is very difficult to make the installation process perfectly repeatable. Any time screw threads must be tightened, there is the possibility of variation that can introduce an immeasurable quantum of difference.

Fluid properties measurement device having a symmetric resonator


A composition suitable for use as a lubricant for a transmission includes an oil of lubricating viscosity; a dispersant; a calcium detergent; a magnesium detergent; and an inorganic phosphorus compound. At least one of the dispersant or detergent components is borated.

The present invention relates to formulations suitable for use as fluids for transmissions, especially continuously variable transmissions.
Continuously variable transmissions (CVT) represent a radical departure from conventional automatic transmissions. The push belt version of the CVT was invented by Dr. Hub Van Doorne, and since its introduction, many cars have been equipped with the push belt CVT system. CVT push belts are manufactured by Van Doorne's Transmissie VB of Tilburg, the Netherlands. A more detailed description of such transmissions and belts and lubricants employed therein is found in European Patent Application 753 564, published Jan. 15, 1997, as well as references cited therein. In brief, a belt and pulley system is central to the operation of this type of transmission. The pulley system comprises a pair of pulleys with a V-shaped cross-section, each consisting of a moveable sheave, a fixed sheave, and a hydraulic cylinder. Between the pulleys runs a belt, which consists of a set of metal elements held together by metal bands. In operation, the driving pulley pushes the belt to the driven pulley, thereby transferring power from the input to the output. The transmission drive ratio is controlled by opening or closing the moveable sheaves so that the belt rides lower or higher on the pulley faces. This manner of operation permits continuous adjustment of gear ratio between the input and output shafts.
It has become clear from commercial use of the CVT that the fluids used in the CVT are just as important as the mechanical design for satisfactory operation. The lubricant must fulfill several functions: to lubricate the metal belt in its contacts with the pulley assembly, the planetary and other gears, the wet-plate clutches, and the bearings; to cool the transmission; and to carry hydraulic signals and power. The hydraulic pressure controls the belt traction, transmission ratio, and clutch engagement. The lubricant must provide the appropriate degree of friction between the belt and pulley assembly, to avoid the problem of slippage on one hand, and binding on the other, all the while providing protection to the metal surfaces from pitting, scuffing, scratching, flaking, polishing, and other forms of wear. Accordingly, the fluid should maintain a relatively high coefficient of friction for metal/metal contact, as well as exhibiting a suitable degree of shear stability.
PCT Patent Application WO 00/70001, November, 2000, discloses formulations suitable for use as fluids for continuously variable transmissions, comprising (a) an oil of lubricating viscosity; and (b) a dispersant; or (c) a detergent; or mixtures of (b) and (c), wherein at least one of the dispersant (b) and the detergent (c) is a borated species and wherein the amount of boron supplied to the formulation is sufficient to impart improved friction and anti-seizure properties to said formulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,965, Sumiejski, Jun. 2, 1998, discloses antiwear enhancing composition for lubricants and functional fluids. It includes a boron-containing overbased material, a phosphorus acid, ester, or derivative, and a borated epoxide or borated fatty acid ester, and optionally a thiocarbamate.
The metal-metal coefficient of friction and the antiseizure properties of CVT fluids are important performance parameters for the effective application of continuously variable transmissions. The present invention solves the problem of providing a suitable CVT fluid with exceptional metal-metal friction and good antiseizure properties. The formulations exhibit both a high dynamic coefficient of friction (metal on metal) and a positive slope in the plot of dynamic friction versus sliding speed.
The compositions of the present invention can also be used as lubricating oils and greases useful in other industrial applications and in automotive engines, transmissions and axles. These compositions are effective in a variety of applications including crankcase lubricating oils for spark-ignited and compression-ignited internal combustion engines, including automobile and truck engines, two-cycle engines, aviation piston engines, marine and low-load diesel engines, and the like. They are also useful as additives for traction fluids. Also, automatic transmission fluids, manual transmission fluids, transaxle lubricants, gear lubricants, metalworking lubricants, hydraulic fluids, and other lubricating oil and grease compositions can benefit from the incorporation of the compositions of this invention. The inventive functional fluids are particularly effective as automatic transmission fluids, particularly fluids for continuously variable transmissions, including push-belt type and toroidal traction drive transmissions, as well as dual clutch transmissions.

Continuously variable transmission fluids comprising a combination of calcium-and magnesium-overbased detergents


An attachment (10) for an inlet pipe (14) to a wet scrubber or other device comprises a sleeve (16) having an open end (18) adapted to be detachably connected to a flanged end (12) of the inlet pipe (14). A shaft (30) is moveable within the sleeve (16), and a scraper (34) is attached to one end of the shaft (30). The shaft (30) forms part of a pneumatic cylinder (40) attached to the other end of the sleeve (16). In use, the shaft (30) is reciprocally moved to cause the scraper (34) to dislodge particulates deposited within the pipe (14). Heated gas such as nitrogen or dry air is injected into the sleeve (16) to prevent scrubbing liquid from condensing within the sleeve (16) and thus inhibit particulate deposition therein.

Many semiconductor processes use or generate solid, condensable or subliming compounds. For example, low-pressure chemical vapour deposition silicon nitride (LPCVD nitride) processes tend use silanes (such as disilane or trisilane) and ammonia to produce a uniform layer of silicon nitride to insulate the substrate. These processes tend to produce a very thick film of silicon nitride, and consequently require very long deposition cycles, typically 3 to 8 hours. As a result, a lot of powder is generated as a by-product of this process. Such by-products include complex ammonium-chloro-silicate salts, for example, ammonium hexasilicate, which sublimes at 120° C. at atmospheric pressure.
As these materials enter the inlet of a wet scrubber they cool, and can agglomerate and react with water vapour back streaming from the wet scrubber. For example, ammonium hexasilicate can form a glass like deposit lining the inlet of the wet scrubber. If deposit build-up is allowed to continue uninterrupted, it can completely block the inlet, incurring down time and loss of production. For instance, most process tool manufacturers (OEMs) mechanically clean the process chamber off-line, which allows the solid deposits to build up uninterrupted.


A swimmer's hand paddle comprised of a planar member having a perpendicularly depending fin is disclosed. The paddle's planar member is bilaterally symmetrical and generally triangular. It has a textured upper surface, a rounded forward apex, a pair of divergent opposing side edges and an inwardly-curved rearward edge. A rearward projection is defined on each side of the planar member between the outer end of the rearward edge and the rearward end of the adjacent side edge. The fin is generally triangular and depends from the planar member's lower surface. Its narrower end is disposed adjacent the planar member's forward apex and its wider end is disposed adjacent the planar member's rearward edge. Opposing ends of a length of resilient tubing pass through a pair of adjacent apertures in planar member, thereby forming a loop which projects above the plane of the upper surface and is adapted to receive and bind a swimmer's middle finger to the planar member.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to swimmer's training aids, and more specifically to paddles for use on a swimmer's hands.
2. Description Of The Related Art
A competitive swimmer's performance can be improved in two basic ways, by perfecting technique and by building strength. Improvement of the arm portion of a swimming stroke, as separated from the kick portion of the stroke, has in the past been pursued with the use of devices fitted to the swimmer's hands. But, such devices tend to be much more effective at building arm strength than at promoting the perfection of technique. This drawback is well-recognized; thus, these hand devices are most commonly used in conjunction with pull buoys and other drag-increasing apparatus.
One genus of devices adapted to improving the arm portion of the stroke is commonly known as a "swim mit." Swim mits have been fashioned in several different designs, but all have some type of web between the fingers to create more resistance against the water than is available from a bare hand. It is undisputed that frequent use of swim mits helps build strength. However, their proper use requires the fingers of the hand to be splayed outward to expose the webs for maximum resistance against the water. This is unnatural. In the practice of proper swimming technique, the fingers are not to be splayed outward. Rather, they are to be held extended forward of the palm in a generally parallel orientation with little or no space between them. Thus, while using a swim mit may build strength, it encourages and reinforces improper hand and finger posture. Further, finger webbing tends to create distracting and inefficient hydraulic interference in the hand-entry part of the stroke as the hand first meets and cuts into the water. Therefore, swim mits have major drawbacks with respect to technique that may offset the benefits they offer for strength training.
Another genus of devices can be generally described as hand paddles. Quite a few different configurations of hand paddle are known, but all are planar and generally rectangular in shape. Various straps, lengths of resilient tubing and other such means are employed to bind these paddles to a swimmer's wrist, palm and/or fingers. Such hand paddles are, perhaps, better than swim mits for strength training because they present even more surface area to the water. However, they too present serious drawbacks to the development of proper arm and hand technique.
One drawback is that only the strongest and most experienced swimmers tend to benefit from hand paddle training. During the earliest part of the stroke when the hand is being driven downward just after entering the water, as in the freestyle, or crawl, stroke, conventional hand paddles put great stress on the shoulders. Above-average strength is therefore required to endure this stress without suffering immediate fatigue and risking injury. And, above-average strength is also required for the swimmer to avoid breaking form throughout the entire cycle of the stroke in response to the great resistance created by a hand paddle. The swimmer must, therefore, have well-established technique as well because, otherwise, hand paddle resistance will reinforce bad habits such as the failure to pull consistently throughout the entire stroke.
Another drawback is that all hand paddles have squared-off forward edges (i.e. blunt, straight and perpendicular to the direction of hand motion) which cause them to create a great amount of inefficient turbulence. They also tend to dive upon hand-entry, preventing the hand from following a proper planing motion in that part of the stroke. And, they are prone to wobble and pull away from the palm during the rearward portion of the stroke, even when a proper path is being followed.
Further, the power faces, or lower faces, of these conventional hand paddles, as opposed to the opposite, non-power face which is adapted to be bound to the swimmer's hand, are more or less planar. This permits a paddle so constructed to skid from side-to-side, or to wobble, upon hand-entry and immediately thereafter during the earliest power-generating part of the stroke. Even paddles having perforations therethrough, or textured lower surfaces, tend to be subject to the same problems.
Finally, conventional hand paddles inhibit a swimmer's achievement of proper body roll and elbow height. The preferred technique includes rotation of the hand just prior to its breaking the surface, so that the thumb side of the hand is lowest and the palm is turned upward at roughly a 45 degree angle, or so, from the water's surface. This rotation of the hand requires the elbow to be canted upward; if done properly it permits the hand to slice into the water's surface with minimal resistance. Upon breaking the surface and driving the hand forward the palm is rotated into a parallel relation with the surface and the planing action starts. Maximum reach is achieved by thrusting the shoulder forward as planing begins. This forward motion of the shoulder also causes the shoulder to dip downward which, when repeated sequentially, causes the body to roll from side to side. Unfortunately, conventional hand paddles disrupt this shoulder and elbow motion; they cause the training swimmer to throw the arm forward and to slap the surface with the paddle instead of slicing the hand in and planing.
Thus, although hand paddles may build strength, they cause the hand to follow an unnatural path of travel and thereby hurt technique.
Accordingly, it appears that a need exists for a device that permits a swimmer to train for strength in the arm portion of a stroke while teaching and reinforcing proper technique.


Computer-implemented methods are executed by a software application that allows users to create or edit account statements designated or queued for batch printing runs. This application also allows a test generation of a statement for confirmation of report formats assigned to the statement prior to the month-end statement generation. Finally, the application allows statements to be selected and grouped for generation based upon various account or corporate criteria. Once statements have been selected and generated, they may be sent to a quality review management program for final approval prior to batch printing.

Standard month-end account statement generation processes can take five or more days for a corporate accounting department to complete. Though such processes are now somewhat automated by various software accounting programs, they remain manually intensive in various aspects. For example, prior systems generate and print statements as a batch printing job, whereby all account statements in the batch may only be printed together (in order to prevent duplicate billing or the loss of individual statements). After printing, the statements are manually reviewed for accuracy and appearance in a quality review process, after which the statements are distributed to the appropriate billed parties. If problems in any statements are discovered during quality review, the data for any such erroneous statements must be re-entered into the accounting system and the entire batch printing job must be run again. This can substantially increase the time it takes to disseminate account statements, thereby negatively impacting the amount of time it takes a company to collect billed amounts or to report account data to its clients.
In addition, in many large scale corporate departments or other entities that employ this type of statement generation, account statement generation programs must retrieve data from diverse accounting systems or platforms that may be employed in various corporate departments. The collection of data across multiple platforms is prone to error and requires time-consuming cross-checking in order to properly confirm the accuracy of any account statements generated in that environment.
Furthermore, many businesses keep only manual records for (i) reporting formats that are to be provided for a given account statement, (ii) recipients and contact addresses for such statements, and (iii) any specialized reporting formats and updates to the same that are needed for a given recipient when multiple statements are generated for the same account. The end result of such manual record-keeping is that statements oftentimes have non-uniform font styles that vary from page to page, inconsistent page numbering schemes, and an inability to reliably generate a table of contents or other useful layouts for batch printed account statements, as may be expected by and useful to a client.
Accordingly, there is a need for a account statement generation process that addresses certain problems in existing technologies.

Automated account statement generation process


A driving apparatus of a plasma display panel includes an energy recovery circuit. The energy recovery circuit recovers charging/discharging energies of a panel capacitor to a power source supplying unit using a transformer according to charging/discharging operations of the panel capacitor. It includes a first controlling switch, a second controlling switch, and a transformer. The second controlling switch is connected between the panel capacitor and the power source supplying unit and switched according to an external control signal to control the energy recovery from the panel capacitor to the power source supplying unit. The first controlling switch is connected between the panel capacitor and the power source supplying unit and switched according to an external control signal to control the energy recovered in the power source supplying unit to be supplied to the panel capacitor. The transformer is connected between the first controlling switch and the second controlling switch and the panel capacitor so that resonance current flows on a primary inductor by the switching operations of the first controlling switch and the second controlling switch, and induced current induced by the resonance current flowing on a secondary inductor flows to a direction compensating the resonance current through the first controlling switch and the second controlling switch.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-26392, filed on Apr. 25, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy recovery circuit of a plasma display panel and a plasma display panel driving apparatus including the same, and more particularly, to an energy recovery circuit of a plasma display panel, which recovers and supplies charging/discharging energies by operating controlling switches according to charging/discharging operations of a panel capacitor to reduce stress on the controlling switches using a transformer, and a plasma display panel driving apparatus including the energy recovery circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is an inner perspective view of a structure of a plasma display panel in a conventional three-electrodes surface discharging type.
Referring to FIG. 1, address electrode lines AR1, AG1, . . . , AGm, ABm, dielectric layers 11 and 15, Y electrode lines Y1, . . . , Yn, X electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn, a phosphor layer 16, a barrier rib 17, and a magnesium monoxide layer 12 as a passivation layer are disposed between front and rear glass substrates 10 and 13 of a surface discharging plasma display panel 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,618 discloses an address-display separated driving method which is mainly used as a driving method of the plasma display panel having above structure.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a driving apparatus for the plasma display panel shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel 1 includes an image processing unit 26, a controlling unit 22, an address driving unit 23, X-driving unit 24, and Y-driving unit 25. The image processing unit 26 converts an external analog image signal into a digital signal to generate internal image signals such as image data of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors respectively having 8 bits, a clock signal, and vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals. The controlling unit 22 generates driving control signals (SA, SY, SX) according to the internal image signals from the image processing unit 26. The address driving unit 23 processes the address signal SA among the driving control signals SA, SY, SX from the controlling unit 22 to generate a display data signal, and applies the generated display data signal to address electrode lines. The X-driving unit 24 processes X-driving signal SX among the driving control signals SA, SY, SX from the controlling unit 22, and applies the X-driving signal to X-electrode lines. The Y-driving unit 25 processes Y-driving control signal SY among the driving control signals SA, SY, SX from the controlling unit 22, and applies the Y-driving control signal SY to Y-electrode lines.
FIG. 3 is a timing view showing driving signals applied to the panel shown in FIG. 1 on unit sub-field by the address-display separated driving method.
In FIG. 3, reference numerals SAR1, . . . , ABm denote driving signals applied to respective address electrode lines (AR1, AG1, . . . , AGm, ABm in FIG. 1), SX1, . . . , xn denote driving signals applied to the X-electrode lines (X1, . . . , Xn in FIG. 1), and SY1, . . . , Yn denote driving signals applied to the Y-electrode lines (Y1, . . . , Yn in FIG. 1).
Referring to FIG. 3, in a reset period (PR) of the unit sub-field (SF), voltages applied to the X-electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn, rise continuously from ground voltage to second voltage (VS), for example, to 155 V. Here, ground voltages VG are applied to the Y-electrode lines Y1, . . . , Yn and the address electrode lines AR1, . . . , ABm.
Then, voltages applied to the Y-electrode lines Y1, . . . ,Yn rise continuously from the second voltage VS, for example, 155V to the highest voltage (VSET+VS) which is higher than the second voltage VS as much as third voltage (VSET), for example, to 355V. Here, the ground voltages VG are applied to the X-electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn and the address electrode lines AR1, . . . , ABm.
Next, in a status where the voltages applied to the X-electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn are maintained to be the second voltages VS, the voltages applied to the Y-electrode lines Y1, . . . , Yn are descended from the second voltage VS to the ground voltage VG continuously. Here, the ground voltage VG are applied to the address electrode lines AR1, . . . , ABm.
Accordingly, in a next address period (PA), the display data signals are applied to the address electrode lines and scan signals of ground voltages are sequentially applied to the Y-electrode lines Y1, . . . , Yn which are biased to be fourth voltages (VSCAN) lower than the second voltage VS, and thereby performing smooth addressing operations. The display data signals applied to respective address electrode lines AR1, . . . , ABm are applied with address voltage (VA) of straight polarity in a case where a discharge cell is selected, or applied with ground voltages (VG). Here, the second voltages VS are applied to the X-electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn for performing the addressing operation more accurately and effectively.
In a next sustain period (PS), display sustain pulses of second voltages VS are alternatively applied to all Y-electrode lines Y1, . . . , Yn and to the X-electrode lines X1, . . . , Xn to generate a discharge for maintaining the display on the discharging cells in which wall charges are formed in the corresponding address period (PA).
In the plasma display panel, a voltage higher than discharge starting voltage of the discharged gas should be alternately applied between the sustain electrodes (X electrode and Y electrode) in the discharged cell in driving.
Therefore, in order to apply a positive (+) high voltage and a ground voltage (VG) alternately between the sustain electrodes when the plasma display panel is operating, the panel capacitor should be changed and discharged. Here, the panel capacitor consumes a lot of reactive power in the charging/discharging operations, and a size of the panel capacitor increases in proportion to that of the display panel, thus increasing the power consumption.
To solve the above problem, U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,349 discloses an energy is recovery apparatus for reducing power loss in the charging/discharging operations of the panel capacitor.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a typical energy recovery apparatus using an external capacitor.
Referring to FIG. 4, the general energy recovery circuit 30 includes an inductor (L1) forming an LC resonance circuit with the panel capacitor (Cp) of the display panel. The energy recovery circuit 30 recovers the energy lost when the panel capacitor Cp is discharged through the inductor L1 and temporarily stores the energy, and uses the stored electric current energy in next charging operation of the panel capacitor Cp. This reduces the reactive power in driving the plasma display panel.
The above circuit is included in the conventional energy recovery apparatus using an external capacitor. The energy recovery apparatus further includes a first energy recovery unit 30 and a second energy recovery unit 40 for maintaining the plasma display panel with the sustain voltage Vs, and for recovering the energy lost in the discharging operation of the panel capacitor Cp to provide the panel capacitor Cp with the retrieved energy in the next charging operation. The first and second energy recovery units 30 and 40 are symmetrically configured as interposing the panel capacitor Cp therebetween.
Also, the first and second energy recovery units 30 and 40 are alternately operated so that the voltages (Vp) on both ends of the panel capacitor Cp change respectively to the anode (+) and the cathode (−) in the charging/discharging operations of the panel capacitor Cp.
In FIG. 4, the first energy recovery unit 30 includes a controlling switch S1 for supplying the sustain voltage VS to the panel capacitor Cp in the sustain operation of the display panel, the inductor L1 resonated in the charging/discharging operations of the panel capacitor Cp, one-way diodes D15 and D16 to prevent reversal of the resonance current, an external capacitor C1 for storing the energy recovered when the inductor L1 and the panel capacitor Cp are resonated, and controlling switches S11 and S12 connected between the panel capacitor Cp and the external capacitor C1 for switching the energy recovery path.
FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram showing waveforms according to switching operations of respective controlling switches in the energy recovery apparatus shown in FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 5, waveforms of voltages on the both ends of the panel capacitor Cp and waveforms of the current flowing on the inductor L1 according to the switching operation of the respective controlling switches in the general energy recovery apparatus are shown as I and II in FIG. 5.
First, the conventional energy recovery apparatus is to reduce the loss of electric power due to the reactive power generated when the charged panel capacitor Cp is discharged after the system power is applied and the plasma display panel is sustained. Also, the energy transfer in the charging/discharging operations of the panel capacitor Cp is made through the resonance operation between the panel capacitor Cp and the inductor L1.
Also, the energy recovery apparatus operates in four sections (T1˜T4) as shown in FIG. 5. The second energy recovery unit 40 operates in the same manner as the first energy recovery unit 30. Following is described how the energy recovery unit operates.
The charged energy of the panel capacitor Cp is stored in the external capacitor C1 through the resonance between the inductor L1 and the panel capacitor Cp.
The resonance current i1 of the inductor L1 and the panel capacitor Cp is formed from the external capacitor C1 included in the first energy recovery unit 30, and voltages Vp on both ends of the panel capacitor Cp rise to the sustain voltage VS by the resonance current i1. Here, the controlling switch S11 is turned on so as to provide the current path (section T1).
Next, the controlling switch S1 is turned on to sustain the plasma display panel, and the sustain voltages are continually applied as the voltages Vp on both ends of the panel capacitor Cp (section T2).
After sustaining the display panel, the inductor L1 and the panel capacitor Cp are resonated in the discharging operation of the panel capacitor Cp so that the charged energy of the panel capacitor Cp is recovered in the outer capacitor C1 of the first energy recovery unit 30. Here, the controlling switch S12 is turned on so as to provide the current path (section T3).
Next, the controlling switch S2 is turned on, and the voltages Vp on both ends of the panel capacitor Cp are maintained at zero electric potential (section T4).
Here, the both ends voltages Vp of the panel capacitor Cp rises from the external capacitor C1 that is charged with the voltage corresponding to half of the sustain voltage Vs to the sustain voltage Vs by the resonance operation of the inductor L1 and the panel capacitor Cp. However, a voltage is actually lost as much as Δ due to a line resistance and other parasitic resistance of devices in the circuit. This lowers energy recovery efficiency and panel driving features due to the discharge before sustaining the display panel.
Therefore, the sustain voltage cannot rise to the desired voltage Vs or cannot be lowered to the ground voltage 0V. When the sustaining operation is performed in this status, the switches for applying and discharging the sustain voltage perform hard-switching operations, creating problems of electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Also, in the conventional energy recovery apparatus, the rising or descending time of the panel voltage is long, thus generating the panel discharge in the energy recovery section. Here, the dropped panel voltage causes a hard-switching operation in applying the sustain voltage at the voltage much less than the sustain voltage. This increases a surge current and stresses the switch.

Energy recovery circuit of plasma display panel and driving apparatus of plasma display panel including energy recovery circuit