An optimized Dipheylthiocarbazone or Dithizone (DTZ) solution was developed with preferred physical and chemical properties to characterize human islets and insulin producing cells differentiated from embryonic stem cells. Application of the newly formulated iDTZ (i stands for islet) over a range of temperatures, time intervals and cell and tissue types found to be robust for identifying these cells. The iDTZ, through high transition zinc binding, concentrated in insulin producing cells could also be used to delineate zinc levels in tissue and liquid samples.

The pancreas is composed of endocrine islets, exocrine acinar and ductal cells. The endocrine islets synthesize and secrete insulin in response to secretagogues to control and regulate glucose homeostasis. The islets consist of α, β, δ, PPP, and € secreting glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide and ghrelin respectively. The exocrine acinar cells secrete several proteases, lipase and amylase for digestion of the protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism in the gut (1-4).
Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience auto-immune-mediated destruction of insulin producing β-cells and consequently require life-long insulin therapy (5). Pancreatic islet transplantation (IT) is a cellular therapy for treating type 1 diabetes (6). It is currently being evaluated by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for potentially licensing and standard treatment. The whole procedure of this treatment includes manufacturing human islets from cadaveric donor pancreata, evaluating quality of the final products, and transplanting the islet products into patients with T1D. However, the success of IT is reliant on the quality, purity, and quantity of islets (7). Isolating human islets requires chemically digesting the pancreatic tissue followed by separating the small amount of islets from mass amount of non-islet tissue using a density gradient approach.
To ensure success, rigorous methods for pre-transplant islet evaluation are needed. One such technique employs DTZ, which stains high-zinc containing β-cells red in contrast to unstained acinar and ductal cells types and is a standard approach for islet characterization (8). However, current DTZ formulations when used in solution are highly unstable, must be prepared fresh daily and have essentially no shelf-life. The lack of stability and shelf life hampers reproducibility in the characterization of different cell types, including islet β-cells (9) and yeast (10). Thus, it is desirable to develop formulations to improve stability and shelf-life.

Stable dithizone solutions and formulations and methods for their use


A purification system can provide for efficient heating of liquid via film heating, which, rather than heating a large volume of liquid, can heat a thin layer of liquid thus reducing the amount of energy required to evaporate the liquid. Film heating can enable evaporation of liquids using less energy than other methods. In addition, when liquids (e.g., seawater) having dissolved solids (e.g., salts) are heated, both the liquid and the solids must be heated. As evaporation occurs, the concentration of solids increases and more energy must be supplied to the liquid in order to cause evaporation. Because purification system can heat only a layer of liquid, less energy is required to heat the solids, which can allow for higher energy efficiencies in purifying liquids. These efficiencies can lead to decreased cost of potable water. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Desalination, desalinization, and desalinisation refer to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water. Desalination is a form of purifying liquid, specifically, water. Salt water can be desalinated to produce fresh water suitable for human consumption, irrigation, or other uses. Due to relatively high-energy consumption, the costs of desalinating seawater are generally higher than the alternatives (e.g., fresh water from rivers or groundwater, water recycling, water conservation, and the like), but alternatives are not always available.
One example approach to desalination is low-temperature thermal desalination (LTTD), which takes advantage of water boiling at low pressures. Vacuum pumps create a low-pressure, low-temperature environment in which water can boil at a temperature gradient of 8-10° C. (46-50° F.) between two volumes of water. Cooling ocean water can be supplied and pumped through coils to condense water vapor and produce purified water. Another approach is reverse osmosis, which is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove larger particles from drinking water.
However, producing potable water with existing systems and techniques is expensive. LTTD requires deep-ocean access and the capability to pump water from deep in the ocean. Reverse osmosis uses expensive membranes and high-pressures must be created, which requires significant energy.


During the period of deceleration of a vehicle, an air conditioning control unit modifies a target cooling temperature (TEO) of an evaporator to a temperature lower than that before the deceleration by γ ° C. in order to store cold in the evaporator (step S130). When the vehicle comes to rest, the air conditioning control unit sets an upwardly-modified target temperature TEOK, which is a temperature modified toward more or less higher temperatures from the target cooling temperature TEO, and brings a compressor to rest and keeps the resting state of the compressor until a detected temperature TE of an evaporator discharge temperature sensor exceeds TEOK (step S180). Therefore, it is possible to effectively utilize the cold heat stored in the evaporator 6 during the period of deceleration of the vehicle with a good feeling of passengers being maintained while the vehicle is at rest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle that recovers vehicle deceleration energy by storing cold (cooling energy) in a cooling heat exchanger during the period of vehicle deceleration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is an air conditioner, for a vehicle, in which the temperature of air cooled by an evaporator (a cooling heat exchanger) is detected and a compressor is driven and controlled so that the detected temperature becomes equal to a target cooling temperature, and during the period of vehicle deceleration, the target cooling temperature is reduced to a temperature lower than that before deceleration in order to increase the rate of operation (rate of operation time with respect to total time including rest time) of the compressor and vehicle deceleration energy is recovered by storing cold in the cooling heat exchanger (refer to, for example, Patent document 1 and Patent document 2).
On the other hand, there is another air conditioner for a vehicle, in which a fuel consumption saving effect is achieved by keeping a compressor in a resting state for a predetermined time during the period of vehicle deceleration (refer to, for example, Patent document 3).                [Patent Document 1]        Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 57-44511        [Patent Document 2]        Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-105846        [Patent Document 3]        Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-295131
However, in Patent documents 1 and 2 relating to the air conditioner for a vehicle according to a prior art, which air conditioner is described first above, no method is disclosed for improving the fuel consumption saving effect by effectively utilizing the energy recovered during the period of deceleration (the stored cold heat (cooling energy)) while the feelings of passengers are taken into account.
On the other hand, the object of the air conditioner for a vehicle according to a prior art, which air conditioner is described second above, is also to achieve the fuel consumption saving effect and no control that takes into account the feelings of passengers is disclosed in Patent document 3.
The applicants of the present invention have focused on a control to be performed when stored cold heat is utilized because it seems possible to achieve a more marked fuel consumption saving effect by effectively utilizing the stored cold heat, while the feelings of passengers are taken into account, in an air conditioner for a vehicle that recovers vehicle deceleration energy and stores cold in a cooling heat exchanger.

Air conditioner for vehicle capable of recovering vehicle deceleration energy


The invention is directed to a medical transport device for moving a patient down a flight of stairs. A chair has a plurality of support members. A plurality of rollers are each connected to at least one of the support members. At least one tread defining a bottom surface is wrapped around the rollers. A slider is disposed adjacent to the plurality of rollers. The slider has a bottom edge which is disposed slightly above the bottom surface of the tread.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for moving a patient down a flight of stairs.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to attach a tread carried by a plurality of rollers to the bottom of a wheelchair to transport a person down a flight of stairs. The treads grip the stairs and prevent the wheelchair from sliding out of control. Difficulty may be encountered, however, in providing a smooth ride. The edges of the stairs tend to deflect the tread and alternately become lodged and dislodged between the rollers. This results in a somewhat jerky motion and jarring sensation for the patient.
It is also known to place a slider carrying an endless tread on the bottom of a chair. The slider is effective to provide a smooth descent of the chair down stairs. However, a problem with this device is that the full length of the slider is engaged while traveling on level ground, creating drag. A greater force is thus required to move the chair on a flat surface.
What is needed in the art is a device that allows a single paramedic to transport a patient down a flight of stairs in a smooth, safe, controllable manner with a minimum of strain on the paramedic and trauma to the patient.


Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for enabling monitoring and managing aspects of gaming terminals and related game plays. One method of monitoring a gaming terminal comprises steps of receiving, by a companion board communicatively coupled to a gaming board of the gaming terminal, data regarding various aspects of game play at the gaming terminal; transmitting, by the companion board, the data to a communication board utilizing a first protocol; and transmitting, by the communication board, the data from the communication board to a monitoring system utilizing a second protocol.

A gaming terminal enables players to play games. For example, a gaming terminal may be implemented to enable players to play games of chance or lottery games. In various aspects, a gaming system comprised of gaming terminals is implement across multiple locations. The gaming system monitors aspects of the gaming terminals within the gaming system.


A USB testing device is provided for an electronic device having a USB port. The USB testing device includes a first USB control unit, a second USB control unit, and a micro-processor. When the first USB control unit has received power, the first USB control unit processes a connection test via a first data port. When the second USB control unit has received the power, the second USB control unit processes a connection test via a second data port. When the USB testing device is connected to the USB port, the micro-processor provides power to the first USB control unit. When the first USB control unit receives power, the first USB control unit provides power to the second USB control unit after waiting for a predetermined period of time. The electronic device determines whether the first and second data ports are operating properly.

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard for connecting a periphery device to a computer device, and is gradually replacing the serial or parallel ports of a computer device. With the development of USB technology, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1/1.0 are supported by the USB 3.0 interface. The USB 3.0 interface is designed to having 9 pins, wherein the USB 2.0 and USB 1.1/1.0 interfaces use the data transmission pins D+ and D− for data transmission, and USB 3.0 interface uses the data transmission pins Tx+, Tx−, Rx+ and Rx− for data transmission. Under this framework, the data transmission of the USB 2.0 interface and the data transmission of the USB 3.0 interface are independent and individual systems, and the data transmissions of the USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 do not influence each other. However, a USB port with the USB 3.0 interface is tested via a USB HUB to evaluate the USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1/1.0 function, such that the USB 3.0 interface and USB 2.0 interface are tested at the same time (i.e., the USB HUB is provided with a device module with the USB 3.0 interface and a device module with the USB 2.0 interface), whereby a computer device may easily crash or cause error. Therefore, testing for a single USB port of a computer or notebook has to use many USB testing devices individually for different USB interfaces.


The present invention relates to a pistol comprising a firing pin safety device integrated into a slide (5) of the pistol comprising a firing pin (1) comprising a lateral extension (25) comprising at least one safety lug (10,11) and a firing pin butterfly safety (2) positioned on an axis of rotation (27) fastened to the slide and parallel to the axis of translation of the firing pin (20), said butterfly safety (2) being able to rotate in a vertical plane between a firing position and a blocking position, said butterfly (2) comprising at least one bearing surface (17,18) on which the at least one lug (10,11) rests when said butterfly is in the blocking position and at least one recess (14) able to allow the at least one lug (10,11) to pass when said butterfly is in the shooting position, the center of mass of said butterfly (2) being on its axis of rotation (27) and the axis of rotation (27) being a main axis of inertia of said butterfly (2).

For safety reasons, it is generally necessary in firearms to ensure that the firing pin can only strike a chambered cartridge when the trigger is actuated, even in case of fall, break or exaggerated wear of the trigger tail directly controlling the firing pin. This type of safety, called firing pin safety, is generally controlled by a translating or rotating part actuated by the control chain. This part is generally kept in the safety position by a spring.
Document WO2017/080537 describes such a device in which the blocking of the firing pin is ensured by a rotating part. The drawback of these devices is that the inertia of this blocking part can cause it to be unblocked under the effect of an impact, for example caused by a fall. Indeed, depending on the orientation of the fall, the inertia (both in rotation and in translation) can cause a movement of the firing pin safety and therefore a chance deactivation of the safety. This phenomenon can also appear simply during shooting. Now, it is precisely during such falls or such intensive shooting that the risk of accidental disengagement of the firing pin is high.
One object of the invention is therefore to improve the firing pin locking safety, in particular during accidental falls.


The present invention relates to a method and radio system for controlling a subscriber station (MS1) operating on a direct mode channel in a radio system, said radio system comprising a radio network (SwMi) with at least one base station (BS) and subscriber stations (MS1), and further, at least one repeater station (RS), which forwards traffic between said at least one base station (BS) and the subscriber stations (MS1) operating on the direct mode channel. To control the subscriber stations operating on the direct mode channel, information on the identifiers of subscriber stations operating on the direct mode channel in the coverage area of the repeater station (RS) is maintained in said repeater station (RS).

The invention relates to the field of mobile phone systems. A subscriber in a mobile phone system, i.e. a subscriber station, for instance a mobile phone or some other means of communication, may be registered in a radio network or system, whereby it is registered in the radio network via system and traffic channels maintained by the base stations of the radio network.
In addition to the system channels in mobile phone systems, so-called direct mode channels can also be used in connection with a radio system, i.e. direct mode operation is applied. Subscriber stations using direct mode operation do not communicate directly with the radio network or its base stations. Direct mode channels are frequencies at which mobile phones or other means of communication are able to communicate directly with each other without the system.
Direct mode channels are typically used in situations where for instance, a group of portable mobile phones are communicating with each other at such a long distance from the base station that system channels cannot be used.
Another important way of using direct mode channels is to increase the capacity when the traffic in the system increases fast in some part of the service area of the system, for instance in some point-like part of the radio network.
A direct mode channel is referred to with the terms direct or simplex channel, or a simplex connection. A direct mode channel is a channel which is typically not at all used by the system. It may be for instance, a channel of the breadth of the channels of the system, for instance 12.5 kHz or 25 kHz. Among the mobile phones operating on a direct mode channel, the transmitting station has tuned its transmitter to the channel and transmits speech or data information. The other mobile phones set to direct mode operation have tuned their receivers to the same channel, whereby they are able to directly hear the transmission.
Operation on a direct mode channel may take place on the analog or digital modulation principle. A mobile phone transmitting on the channel may also transmit signalling information, such as information on rights of use and priorities or on the group operating on the channel. On the direct mode channel, an encryption may be carried out or plain speech can be transmitted.
Subscriber stations using direct mode operation communicate with other subscriber stations on a direct mode channel without necessarily being in direct contact with the base stations of the radio network.
One form of a direct mode channel is a direct mode channel equipped with a repeater, which direct mode channel comprises a separate repeater station in addition to the subscriber stations, this repeater station forwarding traffic between the subscriber stations using the direct mode channel. In this case, the traffic on the direct mode channel takes place on the semiduplex principle. The subscriber stations using direct mode operation can thus also communicate with the radio network via repeater stations. A repeater station is a piece of equipment comprising two radio apparatuses connected to each other. The repeater station transmits the information messages transmitted on the direct mode channel to desired network elements, for instance to the base stations of the radio network, these base stations transmitting the information messages further to the switching centres of the radio network and further to the databases located in the radio network.
In solutions according to prior art, a problem is presented, for instance by the fact that when a subscriber station, for instance a mobile phone or some other means of communication, starts to operate on a direct mode channel, the radio network or system which the subscriber has been registered in does not receive information on how information messages could be transmitted to the subscriber. The subscriber station that has switched to direct mode operation, i.e. to operate on a direct mode channel, cannot thus be reached by the radio network.
Another problem with the use of the solutions according to prior art is that when a subscriber station starts to operate on a direct mode channel, the radio network or mobile communication system loses its ability to control the operation of the subscriber station, i.e. the radio network is not able to command a subscriber station which has switched to the direct mode channel, to operate the way the radio network wants.
Yet another problem with the presented solutions according to prior art, is that when a subscriber station has switched to communicate on a direct mode channel, and the radio network is not aware of the location of the subscriber station, the radio network may page the subscriber to no avail on the system channels of its own service area, even though the subscriber station has moved outside the system. The base stations, radio paths, telecommunication resources and switching centres of the radio network are thus needlessly loaded when performing unnecessary subscriber paging.
Furthermore, yet another problem with the solutions of prior art is that they do not offer possibilities for identifying mobile phones operating on a direct mode channel. It is thus possible that such subscriber stations that do not have the radio system's permission to operate on a certain direct mode channel, nevertheless operate on this direct mode channel. These unauthorized subscriber stations may cause a great security risk especially in PMR systems (PMR=Private Mobile Radio).

Controlling a subscriber station on a direct mode channel


A battery connection assembly includes a frame including a plurality of posts that are spaced by a first distance. A flex foil includes a conductive layer and first and second insulating layers arranged adjacent to the conductive layer. A first plurality of traces is defined in the conductive layer. A plurality of fingers is defined in the conductive layer and partially released from the flex foil, wherein the first insulating layer is removed from the plurality of fingers to expose the conductive layer. A plurality of busbars is connected to the frame and including a first surface, a second surface and a hole from the first surface to the second surface. The plurality of fingers is attached to the first surfaces of the busbar at an attachment location and wherein adhesive in the hole attaches the flex foil to the busbar adjacent to the attachment location.

The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Hybrid vehicles include an internal combustion engine (ICE), an electric motor, and a battery system. Depending on the situation, the ICE, the electric motor or both can be used to drive the vehicle. Pure electric vehicles include an electric motor and a battery system and do not include an ICE. The battery systems in hybrid and electric vehicles generally have a higher storage capacity than convention vehicles that are solely propelled by an ICE.
To provide higher storage capacity, the battery systems include one or more batteries that are connected together. Each of the batteries, in turn, include one or more battery cells. More sophisticated control and monitoring techniques are used to control the battery system. For example, during operation, additional battery parameters such as current, temperature and charge state are monitored. As a result, multiple connections are made to each battery cell. Operation of the battery system is adjusted based on the monitored parameters.


The present disclosure provides a terminal and a base station in a wireless communication system. The terminal includes: a processing unit for obtaining terminal network capability information about at least one of a computing capability, a storage capability, and a support capability for neural network of the terminal; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the terminal network capability information to a base station.

With the development of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been used in many different fields. It can be expected that in the near future, base stations or mobile stations with AI functions may also be proposed in a wireless communication system, in order to provide services to users more efficiently.
That is to say, in the future, there may be both traditional terminals and terminals supporting AI functions in respective cells, and with respect to the terminals supporting AI functions, specific capabilities supported by different terminals for the AI functions may also be different. Similar to terminals, there may be both traditional base stations and base stations supporting AI functions in a communication system, and with respect to the base stations supporting AI functions, specific capabilities supported by different base stations for the AI functions may also be different.
However, respective terminals or base stations do not necessarily support AI functions, the specific capabilities of the terminals or the base stations supporting AI functions may be different, and a terminal or a base station does not know whether its counterpart supports an AI function and its specific capability. In such a case, if the base station or the terminal uses a preset AI function to assist the communication between the base station and the terminal, the AI-assisted communication method may not be applicable for the communication counterpart which does not support the AI function or does not have a specific capability.


Timewise change of filter characteristics is realized by interpolating filter coefficients to be applied to a digital filter circuit with a function of time. Scaling parameters are generated in correspondence to the tone pitch of a tone signal applied to the digital filter circuit and a time function in the interpolation operation is variably controlled in accordance with the scaling parameters. The inclination of timewise change of filter coefficients obtained by the interpolation is thereby variably controlled and, as a result, the rate of change of the filter coefficients, i.e., the rate of timewise change of filter characteristics realized thereby, is variably controlled in accordance with tone color.

This invention relates to a tone signal processing device employing a digital filter used in an electronic musical instrument and, more particularly, to a tone signal processing device of a type which realizes timewise change of filter characteristics by preparing timewise changing filter coefficients by an interpolation operation capable of variably controlling the rate of change in accordance with tone color of a tone.
An electronic musical instrument realizing timewise change of a tone color by timewise changing filter coefficients of a digital filter provided for controlling a tone signal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,179. In this electronic musical instrument, filter coefficients are stored in a memory in correspondence to a predetermined time frame and, at each time frame, a corresponding filter coefficient is read from the memory and supplied to a digital filter. Thus, filter characteristics are changed frame by frame by changing filter coefficients frame by frame. In conventional electronic musical instruments, for variably controlling filter characteristics for a tone color control in accordance with key touch or key scaling (variable control corresponding to tone pitch), filter coefficients had to be prestored in a memory for each realizable filter characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,484 discloses a device in which a larger number of filter coefficients than filter coefficients stored in a memory are generated by an interpolation operation on the basis of filter coefficients read from the memory whereby filter characteristics having abundant variation can be realized without increasing the amount of filter coefficients stored in the memory. This device performs a tone color control corresponding to key scaling but this is key scaling of a static tone color and not key scaling of dynamic change of tone color, i.e., the rate of timewise change of tone color. When, for example, an interpolation operation is performed on the basis of a first filter coefficient and a second filter coefficient, interpolation coefficient is changed with lapse of time during a predetermined time frame and the filter coefficient obtained by this interpolation operation thereby changes with lapse of time from the first filter coefficient to the second filter coefficient. According to the prior art device, the value of the first filter coefficient and the second filter coefficient which are used as the basis of the interpolation operation can be key scale controlled but the rate or time length of timewise change thereof cannot be key scale controlled.
It is known that in a natural musical instrument, not only its steady-state tone color but the rate of timewise change of the tone color change in accordance with its tone pitch. The prior art device is insufficient in that it can key scale control the steady-state tone color but it cannot key scale control the rate of timewise change of the tone color.

Tone signal processing device having digital filter characteristic controllable by interpolation


In a bidirectional optical communications module capable of all-dual-mode communications using a single optical fiber, interference due to internally scattered light is reduced by forming a diverging area on a periphery of a transmission lens and providing a thin film reflection mirror which collects incoming light. A inexpensive, compact bidirectional optical communications module can be offered with reduced interference between outgoing and incoming light, especially, interference due to internally scattered light.

With increasing emphasis on information in society, people are paying attention to network technologies employing an optical communications path element which includes an optical communications path in which optical signals travel. An "optical communications path element which includes an optical communications path in which optical signals travel" here refers to an optical fiber or a plastic optical fiber. Particularly, recent advances in loss reduction and bandwidth expansion of the plastic optical fiber (hereinafter, "POF") have broaden its application range to home communications and inter-electronics communications. Measuring about 1 mm in diameter, a POF is readily coupled to an optical communications module. The use of a POF realizes an optical communications link permitting easy plug-in and pull-out of an optical fiber on an optical communications module.
A majority of conventional optical communications links using an optical fiber as a transmission medium for incoming and outgoing transmission of signal light of an equal wavelength employed all dual mode involving two optical fibers. Drawbacks of using two optical fibers included difficulty in downsizing optical communications modules and high cost of optical fibers to cover longer transmission distances. Bidirectional optical communications modules are therefore being suggested whereby optical communications is possible in all dual mode with only one optical fiber.
In such a bidirectional optical communications module, a single optical fiber is used for both incoming and outgoing transmission, so it is critical to prevent interference between outgoing and incoming light, that is, light sent out to the second party involved in communications and light sent in from that party.
Interference occurs primarily in the following four situations:
(1) An outgoing beam of light is reflected at the transmitter end face of an optical fiber, failing to enter the optical fiber. (Hereinafter, this particular reflection will be referred to as "near end reflection.")
(2) An outgoing beam of light is reflected at the receiver end face of an optical fiber, failing to exit the optical fiber. (Hereinafter, this particular reflection will be referred to as "far end reflection.")
(3) A beam is reflected unnecessarily in the bidirectional optical communications module located at the far end of the line. (Hereinafter, this particular reflection will be referred to as "far end module reflection.")
(4) Light is scattered inside the bidirectional optical communications module. (Hereinafter, this phenomenon will be referred to as "internal scattering.")
In these four cases, the scattering of light in the bidirectional optical communications module is particularly difficult to predict and hence hard to surely reduce interference caused by the internal scattering as in (4).
When used for inter-electronics communications or like purposes, an optical fiber, such as a POF, is about 1 meter long. The distance covered is relatively short and the light exiting the optical fiber may hurt the human eye. Considerations should be given to eye health risks (eye safety) in such communications. In consideration of eye safety, in such communications, the quantity of outgoing light (quantity of light exiting the optical fiber) must be set to a low value.
Typically, a semiconductor laser is used as a light source for an optical communications module. The following description will present some points to which one should pay attention in using a semiconductor laser as a light source for an optical communications module.
FIG. 18 shows a relationship between the drive current and the light output of a semiconductor laser in the range where the light output does not saturate. In the range where the light output does not saturate, the relationship between the drive current and the light output can be approximated by a broken line consisting of two straight lines. The graph in FIG. 18 indicates the light output on the vertical axis and the drive current on the horizontal axis. Comparing the two straight lines, it would be understood that the slopes of the lines differ in magnitude, although both being positive. According to FIG. 18, plotting light outputs on the vertical axis and drive currents on the horizontal axis, their relationship is represented by a straight line extending from the original point. The line however increases its slope at one particular value. In FIG. 18, the region from the original point to the value where the slope alters is indicated as B, and the region succeeding the value where the slope greatly alters is indicated as A. An extension of the straight line from the region A cuts the horizontal axis at a point indicated as Ith which represents threshold current. The regions A and B in FIG. 18 may be described approximately as being a laser oscillation region and a spontaneous emission region respectively.
If a pulse current greater than Ith is fed as a bias current, a great light output is produced when the pulse signal passes through 0 value. Therefore, the light-off ratio becomes large. Conversely, if a current less than Ith is used as a bias current, a reduction in pulse width (change in duty ratio) occurs due to an oscillation delay. Therefore, normally, the bias current is set to about Ith. If the bias current is set to around Ith, there is spontaneously emitted light even when the pulse signal is 0; therefore, a light-off ratio is determined from the ratio of the spontaneously emitted light and the light output when the pulse signal is 1. For example, to achieve a light-off ratio of 10 or more with a semiconductor laser having spontaneously emitted light of 0.3 mW, the maximum output (the output when the pulse signal is 1) needs to be set to 3 mW or more. In this manner, attention needs to be paid to the light-off ratio and changes in duty ratio.
When using an optical fiber for inter-electronics communications and like purposes, safety (eye safety) should be considered. For eye safety, the amount of outgoing beam must be set to a lower value. In using a semiconductor laser as a light source, the amount of outgoing beam can be set to a low value in several manners, one of which is to reduce the output of the semiconductor laser. However, reducing the output of the semiconductor laser makes it difficult to satisfy the light-off ratio mentioned in the above points to be considered. Further, reducing the bias current changes the duty ratio, which becomes a problem in carrying out communications. Therefore, an attempt to set the amount of outgoing beam to a low value by reducing the output of the semiconductor laser raises light-off ratio and duty ratio problems, failing to produce satisfactory results.
When using a semiconductor laser as a light source, there is another method to set the amount of outgoing beam to a low value: that is, to lower the coupling efficiency (transmission efficiency) of the outgoing beam from the semiconductor laser to the optical fiber.
The transmission efficiency can be lowered either of the two methods: (i) to lower the amount of light by the use of a filter or polarizer with a low optical transmittance, and (ii) to collect the light output of a light-emitting device and to cut off beams of light which exit at large angles using a lens called transmission lens with a small transmission lens diameter when coupling light to the optical fiber.
According to method (i), if interference occurs, interference due to far end module reflection as in (3) increases. Therefore, method (i) is difficult to apply to all dual communications using a single optical fiber. Further, other problems of method (i) include greater numbers of components. For these reasons, generally, method (ii) is used in all dual communications using a single optical fiber.
However, in method (ii), a greater proportion of light, which is cut off by the transmission lens, does not play any practical role in transmission. Therefore, if interference occurs, there is a problem of interference due to internal scattering as in (4) being likely to increase. Especially, to carry out all dual communications using a single optical fiber, the incoming beam exiting the optical fiber needs to be efficiently coupled to the light-receiving device. However, increasing reception efficiency inevitably leads to efficient reception of beams created by near end reflection and internal scattering, which in turn leads again to a problem of even more interference.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 11-237535/1999 (Tokukaihei 11-237535; published on Aug. 31, 1999 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2001-116961 (Tokukai 2001-116961; published on Apr. 27, 2001) disclose conventional optical communications modules, which are now described immediately below.
An optical communications module described in Tokukaihei 11-237535 is now explained in reference to FIG. 19. The optical communications module is adapted with respect to the angles of outgoing beams 108, so that reflections 117 of the outgoing beams 108 do not enter a light-receiving device 105 which forms a light-receiving face. A light-emitting device 104 emits light and sends out at least part of it as the outgoing beams 108. A transmission lens 106 collects the output light from the light-emitting device 104 to form the outgoing beams 108. Having been collected, the outgoing beams 108 change their paths as they are reflected off an upward reflection mirror 110. Then, the outgoing beams 108 enter the optical fiber 102. Incoming beams 109 exiting the optical fiber 102 are coupled to the light-receiving device 105 positioned opposite to the optical fiber 102. In such an optical communications module, the reflections 117, which have exited the transmission lens 106 and reflected off the optical fiber 102, illuminates part of the light-receiving device 105 other than the light-receiving face: in other words, the outgoing beams 108 are incident on the optical fiber 102 from directions other than the directions in which the incoming beam 109 exit the optical fiber 102. By causing the outgoing beams 108 to enter in this manner, the reflections 117 illuminate part of the light-receiving device 105 other than the light-receiving face. As a result, interference due to near end reflection can be prevented from happening.
An optical communications module described in Tokukai 2001-116961 is now explained in reference to FIG. 20. The optical communications module employs a light-block plate 207. Outgoing beams 208, which are at least part of the light emitted by the light-emitting device 204, are first collected by a transmission lens 206 and then couple to an optical fiber 202. Meanwhile, the incoming beams 209 radiating from the optical fiber 202 are collected by a reception lens 224 and then coupled to the light-receiving device 205. The light-block plate 207 made of metal, etc. is disposed between a transmitting section and a receiving section. When the outgoing beams 208 are coupled to the optical fiber 202, some of the outgoing beams 208 are reflected off the optical fiber 202; the reflections are however prevented by the light-block plate 207 from being coupled to the light-receiving device 205.
According to the method disclosed in Tokukaihei 11-237535 (FIG. 19), to prevent the reflections 117 from entering the light-receiving device 105, the outgoing beams 108 need to be greatly inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber 102. A greater inclination of an outgoing beam 108 to the optical axis of the optical fiber 102 results in a greater numerical aperture (NA) when the outgoing beam 108 is coupled to the optical fiber 102 and also in a deviated incident angle of the outgoing beam 108 on the optical fiber 102. In other words, the outgoing beams 108 are excited only in higher modes, not in lower modes.
As described in the foregoing, a greater numerical aperture (NA) results in a greater effect of mode dispersion in the optical fiber 102. Therefore, problems arise where transmission bandwidth is narrowed and transmission loss in the optical fiber 102 increases.
Further, coupling a deviated outgoing beam 108 to the optical fiber 102 causes following problems. If the optical fiber 102 is short, the outgoing beam 108 exits the optical fiber 102 before being stabilized and therefore the exiting light includes almost no lower modes. As a result, the light exiting the optical fiber 102 is deviated. Further, the distribution of the exiting light is like a ring with little light exiting the center of the optical fiber 102. The deviation and distribution of light affects the reception efficiency of the other module, which is a problem.
A small incident angle of the outgoing beam 108 onto the optical fiber 102 causes following problems. The light "kicked" by the transmission lens 106, that is, transmitted through the periphery of the transmission lens 106, is reflected as it hits the optical fiber 102, an optical fiber plug, etc. The reflected light is likely to cause internal scattering, which is also a problem.
According to the method disclosed in Tokukai 2001-116961 whereby the light-block plate 107 (FIG. 20) is used to separate a transmitting section and a receiving section, the part of the region of the optical fiber 102 which corresponds to the thickness of the light-block plate 107 cannot be used. Therefore, a problem arises where the reception efficiency falls. Further, this leads to a greater number of components and higher costs. The light "kicked" by the transmission lens 106, that is, transmitted through the periphery of the transmission lens 106, is reflected as it hits the optical fiber 102, the optical fiber plug, etc. The reflection lighted is likely to cause internal scattering, which is also a problem.
Especially, in an optical communications module using a POF, because of the relationship between the eye safety problems and the light-off ratio, the outgoing beams coupled to the optical fiber 102 need to be reduced by narrowing the diameter of the transmission lens 106. Reducing the outgoing beam in this manner causes increases of the light transmitted through the periphery of the transmission lens 106. As a result, conventional bidirectional optical communications modules have a problem that the light transmitted through the periphery of the transmission lens 106 becomes stray light and causes internal scattering. Note that stray light here refers to the light exiting the light-emitting device that the transmission lens 106 has prevented from being coupled to the optical fiber.
A method of reducing stray light is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 61-122614/1986 (Tokukaisho 61-122614; published on Jun. 10, 1986) as a method of providing a light-blocking body to a collimator lens used in a light isolator. That is, a light-blocking body is inserted between a semiconductor laser and a collimator lens, to reduce stray light produced in the lens. Further, stray light is prevented from returning to the semiconductor laser, so as to drive the semiconductor laser in a stable manner.
However, the method is to prevent self-emitted light from returning to the light source, and cannot prevent interference with a light-receiving device as with a bidirectional optical communications module. Further, the method is to reduce stray light in a lens, and cannot prevent stray light in an optical communications module or scattered light at an optical fiber plug, etc. Further, the light-emitting point of the semiconductor laser is minuscule, and it is sufficient if the method can prevent light from returning to the miniscule light-emitting point. However, in a bidirectional optical communications module, it is also necessary to separate incoming beams, and it becomes more difficult to reduce internal scattering of light. Moreover, the separation of internally scattered light and outgoing light needs to be clearly performed. Further, in cases where a light-blocking body is inserted, attentions needs to be paid also to insertion precision, managing, and attaching of the light-blocking body and degradation due to aging of the light-blocking body. This necessitates more costs and causes problems to the performance of the bidirectional optical communications module.


In the method of operating an electrochemical cell generator apparatus containing a generator chamber (20) containing an array of cells (12) having interior and exterior electrodes with solid electrolyte between the electrodes, where a hot gas (F) contacts the outside of the cells (12) and the generating chamber normally operates at over 850.degree. C., where N.sub.2 gas is fed to contact the interior electrode of the cells (12) in any case when the generating chamber (20) temperature drops for whatever reason to within the range of from 550.degree. C. to 800.degree. C., to eliminate cracking within the cells (12).

This invention relates to start up, shut down or other operation of an electrochemical cell array, such as a solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell array or an electrolyzer array, when the cell temperature is below the 800.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. normal operating temperature of the array, to prevent cracking of the air electrode at such lower temperatures.
High temperature, solid oxide electrolyte electrochemical cell configurations of interior tubular air electrodes and exterior tubular fuel electrodes, with a solid oxide electrolyte therebetween, are well known in the art, and are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,468 (Isenberg). The air electrode of the fuel cell can be comprised of doped or undoped oxides or mixtures of oxides in the Perovskite family, such as LaMnO.sub.3, CaMnO.sub.3, LaNiO.sub.3, LaCoO.sub.3, LaCrO.sub.3, and the like. The usual air electrode material is LaMnO.sub.3 doped with Ca or Sr, as a substitute for part of the La. In all cases, the air electrode must be porous, that is, have from 20% to 40% porosity (60% to 80% of theoretical density) in order to be operable in the fuel cell. The air electrode can be supported by a porous, tubular support of stabilized zirconia, usually yttria stabilized zirconia.
The cells are usually operated in a square packed array of rows and columns with series-parallel electrical connections. These arrays are operated in a fuel cell generator, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,468 (Isenberg), where preheated air at 800.degree. C. to 900.degree. C. is fed within the fuel cells in the generating chamber to contact the air electrode and preheated fuel is fed around the periphery of the fuel cells in the generating chamber to contact the exterior fuel electrode at about 1000.degree. C. The cells can also be operated in an electrolyzer mode where electricity is put into the cell steam is fed to contact the exterior electrode, and O.sub.2 is generated within the cell.
It has been found that air electrode and air electrode porous support tube assemblies sometimes crack during start-up or shut-down thermal cycling and prolonged isothermal exposure in the temperature range of 550.degree. C. to 800.degree. C. What is needed is a process which can be used to operate such an electrochemical cell arrays in an electrochemical cell generator during such low temperature cycles. It is one of the objects of this invention to provide such a method of operation.

Method of low temperature operation of an electrochemical cell array


A reactive foil is used to assemble the components of rock bit cutters and to affix cutting elements to rock bit bodies. A small pulse of localized energy ignites the foil in a fraction of a second to deliver the necessary amount of heat energy to flow solder or braze and form a strong, true metallic joint. The reaction in the foil may be activated using optical, electrical, or thermal sources.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to fabricating earth boring bits and, in particular, to an improved system, method, and apparatus for brazing together the components of cutters for fixed cutter bits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rotary drill bits are commonly used for drilling boreholes or wells in earth formations. One type of rotary drill bit is the fixed cutter bit or "drag bit," which typically includes a plurality of cutting elements secured to a face region of a bit body. Generally, the cutting elements of a fixed cutter type drill bit have either a disk shape or a substantially cylindrical shape. A hard, super abrasive material, such as mutually bonded particles of polycrystalline diamond, may be provided on a substantially circular end surface of each cutting element to provide a cutting surface. Such cutting elements are often referred to as "polycrystalline diamond compact" (PDC) cutters.
Typically, the cutting elements are fabricated separately from the bit body and secured within pockets formed in the outer surface of the bit body. A bonding material such as an adhesive or, more typically, a braze alloy may be used to secured the cutting elements to the bit body. The fixed cutter drill bit may be placed in a borehole such that the cutting elements are adjacent the earth formation to be drilled. As the drill bit is rotated, the cutting elements scrape across and shear away the surface of the underlying formation.
The bit body includes wings or blades, which are separated by junk slots. Internal fluid passageways extend between the face of the bit body and a longitudinal bore, which extends through the steel shank and partially through the bit body. A plurality of PDC cutters are provided on the face of the bit body. The PDC cutters may be provided along the blades within pockets formed in the face of the bit body.
The PDC cutters may be bonded to the bit body after the bit body has been cast by, for example, brazing, mechanical affixation, or adhesive affixation. Alternatively, the PDC cutters may be provided within a mold and bonded to the bit body during infiltration or furnacing of the bit body if thermally stable synthetic diamonds, or natural diamonds are employed. However, the high temperature ranges used to fabricate the bits can change the properties of the metals and other materials used. Thus, an improved system for joining the cutting elements to fixed cutter bits that overcomes the limitations of conventional processes would be desirable.

System, method, and apparatus for reactive foil brazing of cutter components for fixed cutter bit


A display apparatus for a vehicle by which the brightness of a display image can be varied readily without using a dimming circuit and a display image of a high contrast can be assured. The display apparatus comprises a light emitting displaying element for emitting visible light therefrom, and a reflecting member for reflecting visible light from the light emitting displaying element toward a driver of the vehicle directly or indirectly by way of a component of the vehilce such as a windshield. The reflecting member is selectively moved between a first position at which the reflecting member totally reflects visible light from the light emitting displaying means and a second position at which the reflecting member reflects visible light from the light emitting displaying element but at a comparatively low reflecting rate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly to a display apparatus for a vehicle wherein a display image of a display device for displaying driving information such as a speed of a vehicle thereon is reflected in a field of view of a windshield toward a driver's seat side thereby to provide such driving information to a driver by way of an indication of a virtual image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A display apparatus for a vehicle of the type mentioned normally employs, as a display element, a light emitting display device which provides an indication by emission of light such as a fluorescent display tube (VFT), a light emitting diode (LED) or a backlighted liquid crystal display element (LCD).
An exemplary one of such conventional display apparatus is shown in FIG. 13. Referring to FIG. 13, the conventional display apparatus shown includes a display device 61 for displaying a speed of a vehicle or the like thereon. The display device 61 is disposed on a dashboard 62 adjacent a windshield 63 of a vehicle in which the display apparatus is incorporated. Paint of a dark color such as black is applied to a portion of the windshield 63 adjacent a boundary between the windshield 63 and the dashboard 62 to form a reflecting portion 63a. Thus, a display image of the display device 61 is reflected toward a driver's seat side of the vehicle at the position of the reflecting portion 63a on an inner face of the windshield 63.
With the display apparatus, a display image of the display device 61 appears in a field of view of the windshield 63 on the background of the dark color of the reflecting portion 63a. Thus, the display apparatus forms a so-called head up display apparatus with which a driver of the vehicle can visually observe the display image without the necessity of moving its eyes very much during driving. Further, since the background of a display image looks dark, there is an advantage that a high contrast is achieved with a display image. It is to be noted that the reflecting portion 63a may be formed, for example, such that a ceramic coating 64 of black or the like is applied to the windshield 63 as shown in FIG. 14 or an opaque film 64' of black or the like is held between two layers of a glass laminate of the windshield 63 as shown in FIG. 15.
With the display apparatus, however, in the daytime when the circumference is bright, the visual observability is low if it is not caused to provide a display image with a high brightness sufficient to be superior to the brightness of the circumference. On the other hand, at night when the circumference is dark, such high brightness for the daytime will make a display image excessively bright and make it difficult to observe the display image.
Accordingly, a conventional display apparatus of the type mentioned often additionally includes a dimming circuit for changing over the brightness of a display image itself of a display device in the daytime and at night. Such additional provision of a dimming circuit, however, makes the display apparatus complicated and requires an increased number of working steps for production and adjustment of such dimming circuit, which results in increase in cost of the entire display apparatus.
The conventional display apparatus has another problem that, since the dark reflecting portion 63a looks on the windshield 63 from the outside of the vehicle, the appearance design of the vehicle is deteriorated thereby. Besides, since the reflecting portion 63a is formed on the windshield 63, the manufacturing procedure thereof is restricted and an operation for the maintenance is elaborate.


Performance monitoring capabilities are expanded to an entire data processing system so that performance analyses can be made for operations occurring within the entire data processing system and not merely within the processor or any other device containing the performance monitor. Therefore, there is a provision for communicating performance monitor-related signals between the various performance monitors within the various devices and processor within a data processing system.

In typical computer systems utilizing processors, system developers desire optimization of execution software for more effective system design. Usually, studies of a program's access patterns to memory and interaction with a system's memory hierarchy are performed to determine system efficiency. Understanding the memory hierarchy behavior aids in developing algorithms that schedule and/or partition tasks, as well as distribute and structure data for optimizing the system.
Performance monitoring is often used in optimizing the use of software in a system. A performance monitor is generally regarded as a facility incorporated into a processor to monitor selected characteristics to assist in the debugging and analyzing of systems by determining a machine's state at a particular point in time. Often, the performance monitor produces information relating to the utilization of a processor's instruction execution and storage control. For example, the performance monitor can be utilized to provide information regarding the amount of time that has passed between events in a processing system. The information produced usually guides system architects toward ways of enhancing performance of a given system or of developing improvements in the design of a new system.
Prior art approaches to performance monitoring include the use of external test instruments. Unfortunately, this approach is not completely satisfactory. Test instruments can be attached to the external processor interface, but these cannot determine the nature of internal operations of a processor. Test instruments attached to the external processor interface cannot distinguish between instructions executing in the processor. Test instruments designed to probe the internal components of a processor are typically considered prohibitively expensive because of the difficulty associated with monitoring the many busses and probe points of complex processor systems that employ pipelines, instruction prefetching, data buffering, and more than one level of memory hierarchy within the processors. A common approach for providing performance data is to change or instrument the software. This approach however, significantly affects the path of execution and may invalidate any results collected. Consequently, software-accessible counters are incorporated into processors. Most software-accessible counters, however, are limited in the amount of granularity of information they provide.
Further, a conventional performance monitor is usually unable to capture machine state data until an interrupt is signaled, so that results may be biased toward certain machine conditions that are present when the processor allows interrupts to be serviced. Also, interrupt handlers may cancel some instruction execution in a processing system where, typically, several instructions are in progress at one time. Further, many interdependencies exist in a processing system, so that in order to obtain any meaningful data and profile, the state of the processing system must be obtained at the same time across all system elements. Accordingly, control of the sample rate is important because this control allows the processing system to capture the appropriate state. It is also important that the effect that the previous sample has on the sample being monitored is negligible to ensure the performance monitor does not affect the performance of the processor. Accordingly, there exists a need for a system and method for effectively monitoring processing system performance that will efficiently and noninvasively identify potential areas for improvement. A more effective performance monitoring system has been disclosed in the cross-referenced applications noted above.
Instrumentation of processors is now becoming popular. But providing information known to the processor does not provide for a full system analysis. In order to analyze the performance of the entire system (and not just the processor), it is important to provide information related to system components. The typical approach to providing information between system components and the processor is via signals, which translate into pins. The more pins, the more the processor cost. For this reason, it is usually prohibitive to require that the individual components provide count information to the processor, which can in turn, provide information to the application(s) running the processor.
Providing a cost effective means to control and capture the information related to the system components will allow for a better analysis of system performance for a wider variety of systems, including those built at a lower cost.

Performance monitoring in a data processing system

International Business Machines Corporation


In an image capturing apparatus for carrying out TV-AF type autofocus control, a difference is provided between an AF frame set for a particular object detected in an image, for example, for a person's face, and a normal AF frame in the band of frequency components for use in the generation of an AF evaluation value. Specifically, an AF evaluation value is generated for the AF frame set in the face region based on components in a frequency band with the highest frequency lower than for the normal AF frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and a control method for the image capturing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image capturing apparatus for carrying out autofocus control and a control method for the image capturing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For autofocus (AF) control of video cameras and the like, TV-AF type AF control is widely used in which an in-focus position is detected on the basis of the sharpness (contrast) of image signals generated with the use of an image sensor. Specifically, an AF evaluation value indicating the degree of contrast is generated for image signals captured sequentially while moving a focus lens, and the position of the focus lens at which the contrast reaches its maximum is searched as an in-focus position on the basis of the AF evaluation value.
However, in the case of shooting a person, focusing on the background rather than the person may occur due to the relationship in contrast between the person as a main object and the background.
In order to solve such a problem, image capturing apparatus are known that detect a person and set a focus detection area for the purpose of focusing on the person. For example, image capturing apparatuses which have a face detection function and carry out focus detection for a focus detection area containing a face region (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-227080), and image capturing apparatuses which detect a person's eyes and carry out focus detection on the basis of the eyes (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-215403) are proposed.
In conventional TV-AF type AF control, high frequency components of image signals are extracted with a filter or the like for use as AF evaluation values. However, the extracted band stays constant regardless of the type of object, and is set wider such that focusing on any object can be carried out.
However, when the band of the extracted high frequency components is wider, needlessly high frequency components will be included depending on the object. On the other hand, while the AF evaluation value is susceptible to the influence of high frequency components, such high frequency components vary significantly with a subtle movement of the object. Therefore, in a case in which high frequency components are extracted which are unnecessary for the object under normal circumstances, the increase and decrease of the unnecessary frequency components may result in inconsistent AF evaluate values, negatively affecting the speed and accuracy of AF.

Image capturing apparatus and control method therefor


The lower open end of the sleeves of the liner are detachably connected to the lower open end of the sleeves of the shell by attachments secured to the shell sleeves. The attachments include annular portions which overlap the lower ends of the liner sleeves to prevent liquid from flowing between the liner sleeves and the shell sleeves. Each liner sleeve includes an outer moisture barrier and an inner moisture barrier with a thermal barrier disposed between the inner and outer moisture barriers. The inner moisture barrier of each liner sleeve is permanently connected circumferentially to a wrister by stitching. The inner moisture barrier extends upwardly from the lower end of the liner sleeve and is then folded downwardly to the wrister, the inner moisture barrier being stitched to the thermal barrier adjacent the location where the inner moisture barriere is folded downwardly to form a sleeve well within the liner sleeve.

The present invention relates to a firefighter coat, and more particularly to a firefighter coat wherein the sleeve wells or water wells disposed at the lower ends of the sleeves of the coat are disposed with the sleeves of the liner of the coat.
Firefighter coats include an outer shell designed primarily to resist burning or charring when exposed to flames along with a liner which fits within the outer shell and which is designed to serve as a moisture barrier and to provide thermal insulation. The outer shell has a pair of open ended sleeves, and the liner has a pair of open ended sleeves which fit within the sleeves of the shell. A sleeve well or water well is disposed at the lower end of the sleeves to prevent water from flowing into the sleeves especially when the arms of the firefighter are raised during firefighting activities.
Wristers are also provided at the lower ends of the sleeves and are adapted to receive the wrists of a firefighter and cooperate with the sleeve well to prevent water and other hazardous elements from entering the sleeves.
In some prior art constructions, it is possible that a gap can occur between the liner sleeve and the wrister, which is unacceptable since water or other elements can then enter the liner sleeves and come into contact with the arms of a firefighter.
The liner should be washed regularly and separate from the shell. Accordingly, means should be provided for selectively attaching or detaching the liner with respect to the shell.
It is desirable to provide a construction wherein the lower ends of the liner sleeves are disposed within one inch of the lower ends of the shell sleeves during firefighting operations, while retaining the thermal insulating and moisture proof characteristics of the coat. Accordingly, firefighter coats must be redesigned to enable the lower ends of the liner sleeves to be lower than in previous constructions while not diminishing the protection provided to the firefighter, including providing adequate sleeve wells at the lower ends of the sleeves.

Firefighter coat with liner sleeve wells and wristers


In some embodiments, a method for automatic detection of polarity of speakers, e.g., speakers installed in cinema environments. In some embodiments, the method determines relative polarities of a set of speakers (e.g., loudspeakers and/or drivers of a multi-driver loudspeaker) using a set of microphones, including by measuring impulse responses, including an impulse response for each speaker-microphone pair; clustering the speakers into a set of groups, each group including at least two of the speakers which are similar to each other in at least one respect; and for each group, determining and analyzing cross-correlations of pairs of impulse responses (e.g., pairs of processed versions of impulse responses) of speakers in the group to determine relative polarities of the speakers. Other aspects include systems configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the inventive method, and computer readable media (e.g., discs) which store code for implementing any embodiment of the inventive method.

The cinema sound industry is currently undergoing a significant change, from widespread use of multi-channel loudspeaker systems having a small number of channels (e.g., 5.1 or 7.1 channel systems having five or seven full-range channels) to use of new systems that provide many more channels (typically, N full-range channels, where 12≦N≦64). Such new systems, in which loudspeakers are typically located over the whole hemisphere above listeners, allow precise location and motion of sounds within the hemisphere, and can recreate more realistic "3D" ambiences and reverbs. Herein, we will sometimes use the expression "many-channel system" (in contrast with "multi-channel" system) to refer to a system of the new type, in which the number of full-range channels is much greater than 7.
It is expected that, in typical use, many-channel systems will pan sound sources based on amplitude-panning which, for a given sound source, strongly depends on the coherence in the signals arriving from the few loudspeakers (a subset of the large set of installed loudspeakers) which participate in the reproduction. Even in systems as simple as stereo, the perceived location of a sound intended to be panned between speakers can be rendered vaguely, or even outside the area between the speakers, if the responses (amplitude and phase) of the two speakers are incorrectly matched.
It is therefore essential for the current worldwide deployment of the new many-channel speaker systems to have technology available for ensuring that all channels in a given playback venue are properly matched. Most existing equalization processes focus on correcting the amplitude response of the different channels, which ensures a correct match of timbre perception across channels. However, to ensure proper sound imaging across the entire system, the matching of the phase response of each channel needs to be addressed.
One of the most common problems encountered in many-channel installations is that the polarity of a number of channels is inverted. This is normally due to either incorrect wiring during the set up stage, or to incorrect wiring inside one of the components of the audio chain. The latter is more difficult to detect and fix by the installer, as all visible wiring is actually correct. In both cases, however, the sound imaging will be seriously compromised when channels having incorrect speaker polarity participate in sound panning.
Furthermore, in a multi-way active or passive loudspeaker system (having multiple drivers), polarity inversion can affect only one of the drivers. When wrong polarity takes place in the bass driver, the sound imaging can be as severely compromised as when the whole loudspeaker polarity system is inverted, as well-known in the psychoacoustics literature. It is therefore important to ensure correct polarity matching not only across channels, but also across different drivers in a single channel.
It is important to implement loudspeaker polarity detection to be automatic and to avoid taking extra time. The inventors have recognized that in order to implement quick and automatic loudspeaker polarity detection, the use of tone bursts or asymmetric signals (as in the paper D. B. Keele, Jr., "Measurement of Polarity Band-Limited Systems," presented at the 91st Audio Engineering Society Convention in New York, Oct. 4-8, 1991) should be avoided.
With the expected increase of the number of channels to be installed in typical playback venues, the possibilities of wrong-polarity problems increase accordingly. Unfortunately, the time required to set up a many-channel speaker system may be long. As a result, it is expected that many-channel system installers will often have less time to check and correct wrong-polarity issues. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide methods that, on one hand, perform such checks automatically, and on the other hand, do not have a significant impact on the time needed for setting up. The latter restriction favors methods that do not require the emission and capturing of additional signals specifically tailored for polarity analysis, and instead are capable of re-using the measurements normally performed during conventional initial calibration or alignment (sometimes referred to as equalization or theater equalization) of a newly installed speaker array.
Finally, it is desirable that automatic methods for determining loudspeaker polarity be robust to choices of the type, and position(s) in a playback venue, of the measuring microphone(s), as well as robust to natural differences in the details of the phase response due to the presence of different loudspeaker models in the venue and differences in the positions of the loudspeakers in the venue. Unfortunately, delays, reverberation, and noise have made conventional polarity checking methods inaccurate and/or otherwise problematic.
A conventional method for automatic determination of loudspeaker phase is described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0050891, published on Mar. 9, 2006. This method includes steps of driving a speaker with an impulse, capturing the resulting emitted sound using a microphone, determining an impulse response (from the speaker to the microphone) from the captured audio, and determining polarity of the speaker by determining the sign of the first peak of the impulse response (the first peak having an amplitude whose absolute value exceeds a predetermined threshold). If the sign of the first peak's amplitude is positive, the method determines that the speaker has positive polarity. However, this method is subject to the limitation that it does not determine quality of the measured impulse response, and thus can undesirably determine a speaker polarity from a wrongly measured response (e.g., a response indicative of noise only).

Automatic loudspeaker polarity detection

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation


An implantable tissue-stimulating device for an implantee. The device comprising an elongate member having at least one electrode. At least a portion of the surface of the elongate member having a configuration that at least partially controls any tissue growth on and/or round the elongate member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to an implantable apparatus, such as a hearing implant, that delivers electrical stimulation to an implantee.
2. Related Art
During insertion of an electrode array into the cochlea there is the potential for damage to be caused to the sensitive cochlear tissues. Such damage may not prevent useful safe working of the device but may result in tissue growth occurring within the cochlea following implantation.
The power consumption and efficiency of a hearing implant depends on the impedance of its electrodes. The deposition of material on the electrodes following implantation will in most instances increase that impedance. Studies have demonstrated that a build up of tissue growth occurs on and/or around electrode following implantation due to deposition of organic molecules from the perilymph within the cochlea. Tissue growth may also occur as result of an injury to the body caused by the implantation or some other interaction between the body and the implant.
Tissue growth in other circumstances may though be beneficial. For example, tissue growth is desirable to ensure closing of the cochleostomy and so creating a barrier to bacteria and viruses entering the cochlea.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Patterning of the surface of implantable devices for tissue growth management


A laparoscopic scissor instrument can include a scissor assembly pivotally coupled to an elongate shaft. The scissor assembly can be formed of scissor blades having pivot posts thereon. The pivot posts can engage apertures on the elongate shaft, thus eliminating the need for a through-pinned pivot connection of the scissor blades. The scissor blades can also include actuation posts thereon. An actuation mechanism can include a slot to engage the actuation posts and open or close the blades of the scissor assembly. The scissor assemblies described herein can have a relatively low operational height such that they do not extend beyond a diameter of the elongate shaft during opening and closing of the scissor assembly.

1. Field
This application generally relates to laparoscopic scissors and, more particularly, to laparoscopic scissors with blades having a parabolic cutting profile and to a mechanism for actuating the blades of the scissors.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
Laparoscopic surgical instruments or devices that use actuatable blades, such as laparoscopic scissors are typically activated by some mechanical means. In some cases, the surgical instruments or devices use an actuation rod to translate motion from a handle at one end to a blade at the opposite end of the device. Common to laparoscopic scissors is an actuation rod that includes a pin that works in conjunction with a slot in the blades. Moving the actuation rod cams the pin in the slot, which opens and closes the scissor blades.
In previous arrangements, the blades typically have slots proximal to a pivot location and, because of this configuration, the proximal portions, or back ends, of the blades are typically relatively large. Thus, with prior laparoscopic scissors, when the blades are in their open position, the proximal portions of the blades extend out beyond the outside diameter of the scissors shaft and look like "wings." This high-profile extension may be a problem for the user and, in particular, the patient as the extended "wings" can catch on or interfere with tissue or other devices during use.
When used on scissors, these wings can be covered by a plastic shrink tubing to insulate all the metal components during electro-surgical cautery. However, when the blades are open, the wings can stretch and deform the shrink tubing. This deformation can be problematic in that when the scissors are withdrawn from a trocar, the deformed tubing may not relax and it may catch on the end of the cannula, thereby pulling the trocar out of the patient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


This invention concerns an improved and novel catalyst for preparing methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). This invention is advantageous in that the reaction of methanol and isobutene takes place such that the catalysts exhibit levels of isobutene conversion as high as 98%, and the MTBE selectivity reaches as high as 98%. The improved catalysts comprises of a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites, particularly MFI-type zeolites which has been treated with aluminum fluoride in the ratio 1 gram to 10 grams of zeolite with 0.5 gram to 5 grams of aluminum fluoride. A specific application of this improved and novel catalyst is reacting methanol and isobutene in a molar amount of about 0.1 mole to 10 moles of methanol per mole of isobutene, in the presence of said catalyst in a batch reactor, at about 70xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C., and a pressure of about 1 bar to 33 bar, to obtain MTBE product.

It is well known that ethers may be prepared by reacting an alcohol with an olefin to form the desired product. The reaction mixture containing catalysts and/or condensing components may be separated and further treated to permit attainment of the desired product specification.
MTBE is being used as a blending component in high-octane gasoline, as the gasoline additives based on lead and manganese have been phased out. Currently, all commercial processes for the manufacture of MTBE are based upon the liquid phase reaction of isobutene and methanol catalyzed by cationic ion-exchange resin (see: Izquierdo, J. F., Cunill, F., Vila M., Tejero J. and Tborra M. Equilibrium constants for methyl tertiary butyl ether liquid-phase synthesis. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 1992, vol. 37, p. 339.; Brockwell, H. L., Sarathy P. R. and Trotta R. Synthesize ethers. Hydrocarbon Processing, 1991, vol. 70, No. 9, p. 133.; Chemical Economics Handbook, Gasoline Octane Improvers. CEH Marketing Report, 1986, p. 543, Stanford Research Institute, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.). The isobutene is obtained by the fluid catalytic cracking process, from the isomerization of n-butene and dehydrogenation of isobutane. The methanol is produced from syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) obtained from the steam reforming of natural gas. The cationic ion-exchange resins used in MTBE synthesis normally have the sulfonic acid functionality (see: Tejero, J. Journal of Molecular Catalysis, 1987, vol. 42, p. 257; Subraminium and Bhatia, Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 1987, vol. 65, p. 613).
(CH3)2Cxe2x95x90CH2+CH3OHxe2x86x92(CH3)3Cxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94CH3
These cationic ion-exchange resins are generally based on polystyrene-divinylbenzene backbone and have a very limited stability range with regard to operating temperatures, with temperatures above 100xc2x0 C., normally leading to irreversible destruction of the resin and loss of catalytic activity. The catalyst life in commercial operation is about two years. The MTBE synthesis reaction is exothermic, yielding xe2x88x9237.7 kJ molxe2x88x921 of energy.
The detrimental effects of instability of the resin catalyst used in the preparation of MTBE have been discussed in a patent by Takezono and Fujiwara [U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,913]. According to the findings of this study, at higher temperatures, a large quantity of acids is effused from the strongly acidic cation-exchange resin and the deterioration of the catalyst resin is accelerated. Even when the temperature is low, a small quantity of the strong acidic substance is effused into the reaction mixture. When such a reaction mixture containing the acid substance is fed into the succeeding step of unreacted gas separation, so as to separate the unreacted gas by distillation, the decomposition or reverse reaction of the main product is caused to occur, which reduces the yield. In addition, various portions of the apparatus are corroded by the strong acids released. In this reaction, diisobutene and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) are the by-products of dimerization of isobutene and reaction of water with isobutene respectively. The amount of diisobutene formed increases with rise in temperature [Chu and Kohl, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 1987, vol 26, p. 365]. TBA formation is insignificant as long as the feedstocks are thoroughly dried. According to LeChatlier""s principle, the reaction equilibrium for MTBE formation is more favorable at lower temperatures, but reaction rate is decreased considerably. Thus current operation temperatures appear to be limited by three factors: (i). resin catalyst instability at temperature above 100xc2x0 C.; (ii). poor selectivity due to dimerization above 100xc2x0 C.; and (iii). equilibrium conversion limitation. It is also pointed out that the progress of the reaction over cationic ion-exchange resin is usually complicated by various adsorption and diffusion factors, by swelling phenomenon, and by the variable distribution of the components between the solution and cationic exchanger phase.
The zeolites have a porous structure and are represented by the following general formula;
M2/nO.xAl2O3.ySiO2.zH2O
Where M is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal cation or organic base cation, n is the valence of the cation and x and y are variables.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,162 to Knifton there is disclosed a process for one-step synthesis of MTBE using tertiary butanol and methanol over a catalyst comprising fluorosulfonic acid modified montmorillonite clay at temperature of about 20xc2x0 C. to about 250xc2x0 C.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,078, a process is disclosed for producing MTBE using tertiary butanol and methanol over a catalyst comprising of fluorophosphoric acid modified Y-type zeolite at temperature of about 20xc2x0 C. to about 250xc2x0 C.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,697 discloses a process for producing MTBE using tertiary butanol and methanol over a catalyst comprising of hydrogen fluoride modified Y-type zeolite at temperature of about 20xc2x0 C. to about 250xc2x0 C. All of these processes are limited by the fact that the conversion is low and the selectivity of the reaction for MTBE is quite small.
It would be a substantial improvement in the art if MTBE could be selectively synthesized from isobutene and methanol using a catalyst which allows for rapid conversion of isobutene. In our invention, aluminum fluoride-modified zeolite can be used as an improved and novel catalyst for the selective synthesis of MTBE from isobutene and methanol with high conversion. The accompanying examples demonstrate good yields of MTBE when using the modified zeolites of the instant invention for such a reaction.
In accordance with certain of its aspects, the novel method of this invention for preparing MTBE from methanol and isobutene comprises reacting methanol and isobutene in the presence of a catalyst comprising an aluminum fluoride-modified zeolite containing at least one metal from Group IIIA of the periodic table. Examples demonstrate particularly the effectiveness of an aluminum fluoride-modified MFI-type zeolite. MFI is the structure type code (allocated by the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association) to a number of zeolites having similar topology such as ZSM-5 and silicalite.
Preparation of the product using this invention may be carried out typically by reacting methanol and isobutene in the presence of an etherification catalyst. The etherification is carried out in one-step and the catalyst preferably comprises MFI-type zeolite modified hydrothermally with aluminum fluoride. This important reaction does not restrict the scope of the invention.
The reaction of isobutene and methanol can be represented by the following equation:
Generally the methanol and isobutene coreactants may be mixed in any proportion in order to generate the desired MTBE, but preferably the molar ratio of methanol to isobutene in the reaction mixture should be about 0.1 to 10. In order to achieve maximum selectivity to MTBE and optimum conversion per hour, an excess of methanol in the reaction mixture is desirable. The most preferred methanol-to-isobutene molar ratio is from 1:1 to 5:1.
The synthesis of MTBE according to the reaction given above can also be conducted where the isobutene and methanol reactants are mixed with other C4 aliphatic and olefinic hydrocarbons such as isobutane, n-butane and n-butene.
The same etherification process may also be applied for the preparation of other alkyl tertiary ethers. For example, the said etherification process may be applied to the reaction of a C1-C4 primary alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and n-butanol with a C4-C6 tertiary olefin, such as for example, tertiary amyl olefin. Reaction of methanol with tertiary amyl olefin would then yield methyl tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME). Similarly, reactions of ethanol with isobutene would then yield ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE).
Good results were realized using certain crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites as catalysts for the reaction of isobutene and methanol to produce MTBE. The preferred zeolites are the MFI-type zeolites as well as zeolite beta and mordenite, modified hydrothermally with aluminum fluoride.
Zeolites possesses a number of catalytically-favorable properties such as well-defined crystalline structure, uniform pores, high surface area, good thermal stability, wide range of acidity and shape selectivity.
The unit cell of a MFI-type ZSM-5 zeolite contains 96 silicon or aluminum-centered oxygen tetrahedra which are linked through shared oxygen atoms. Because of the net negative charge on each of the aluminum-centered tetrahedra, each unit cell contains an equivalent number of charge balancing cations. These are exclusively sodium ions in zeolites in their synthesized form. MFI-type ZSM-5 zeolite in its hydrated and sodium form has the following general formula in which the number of aluminum atoms should be less than 27.
Nan.AlnSi96-n.O192.16H2O
Particularly effective in the subject synthesis of MTBE are the synthetic MFI-type zeolites. Preferably said zeolites should be in a strongly acidic form whereby some or all of the cations (Group I or II, alkali or alkaline earth metals such as sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium)) are exchanged by protons either through ammonium exchange followed by thermal stabilization (deammoniation or removal of ammonia) at elevated temperatures (for example 400xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C.) or through mineral acid treatment, etc. The mineral acids may include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or nitric acid.
The aluminum fluoride-modified zeolite is prepared by treating the said MFI-type zeolite with aluminum fluoride in the presence of distilled water. Preferably the aluminum fluoride is mixed with the distilled water in a sealed container and heated at elevated temperature before adding the zeolite to the said mixture of aluminum fluoride and distilled water.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the zeolite catalyst comprises 1 to 2 weight percent of the total reaction contents. In a further embodiment of the invention, the methanol comprises about 99 weight percent of methanol. In a further embodiment of the invention, the isobutene comprises about 98 weight percent of isobutene. In a further embodiment of the invention, methanol comprises about 41 weight percent of the reaction mixture. In a further embodiment of the invention, the isobutene comprises about 59 weight percent of the reaction mixture.
The said catalyst may be in the form of powders, pellets, granules, spheres, shapes and extrudates. The examples described herein demonstrate the advantages of using powder form.
The reaction may be carried out in either a stirred slurry reactor or in a fixed bed continuous flow reactor. The catalyst concentration should be sufficient to provide the desired catalytic effect.
Etherification can generally be conducted at temperatures from 40xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C.; the preferred range is 40 to 100xc2x0 C. The total operating pressure may be from 1 bar to 66 bar, or higher. The preferred pressure range is about 1 bar to 33 bar.
The examples which follow illustrate the synthesis of MTBE from methanol and isobutene using aluminum fluoride MFI-type zeolite particularly in the form of powder. The examples are a means of illustration and it is understood that the invention is not meant to be limited thereby.
Conversion of the isobutene (Isobutene, mole %) is estimated in the following examples using the equations:                     (Moles of Isobutene in the Feed)            -              (Moles of Isobutene in the Product)                    Moles of Isobutene in the Feed        xc3x97  100
Selectivity of MTBE (MTBE, mole %) is estimated from the following equation:             Moles of MTBE in the Product                      (Moles of Isobutene in the Feed)            -              (Moles of Isobutene in the Product)              xc3x97  100
It may be noted that
i. Comparing etherification data in Table I and Example 5, using the aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite ZCIC-10, prepared by the method of Example 1, with the data of ZCIC-10 alone (Comparative Example A, Table V) it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite of Example 5 occur at all operating temperatures, but particularly at 80xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C. are at least three times higher than for ZCIC-10 alone.
ii. Comparing etherification data in Table II and Example 6, using the aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite ZCIC-10, prepared by the method of Example 2, with data of ZCIC-10 alone (Comparative Example A, Table V) it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite of Example 6 occur at all operating temperatures, but particularly at 80 to 100xc2x0 C. are at least four times higher than for ZCIC-10 alone as well as higher than that of Example 5.
iii. Comparing etherification data in Table III and Example 7, using the aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite ZCIC-10, prepared by the method of Example 3, with data of ZCIC-10 alone (Comparative Example A, Table V) it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite of Example 7 occur at all operating temperatures, but particularly at 80 to 100xc2x0 C. are significantly and measurably at least five times higher than for ZCIC-10 alone as well as higher than those of Example 5 (Table I) and 6 (Table II).
iv. Comparing etherification data in Table IV and Example 8, using the aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite MZ-25, prepared by the method of Example 4, with data of MZ-25 alone (Comparative Example B, Table VI) it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite of Example 8 occur at all operating temperatures, but particularly at 80 to 100xc2x0 C. are significantly and measurably higher than for MZ-25 alone.
v. Comparing the etherification data in Table I and Example 5, using the aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite ZCIC-10, prepared by the method of Example 1, with the data of aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite MZ-25, prepared by the method of Example 4 and given in Table VI, it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite of Example 5 occur at all operating temperatures are significantly and measurably higher than for aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite MZ-25, prepared by the method of Example 4 and given in Table VI.
vi. Comparing the etherification data in Table V and Comparative Example A, using the ZCIC-10 zeolite, with the data of MZ-25 zeolite given in Table VI and Comparative Example B, it is seen that the isobutene conversion levels with ZCIC-10 zeolite given in Table V occur at all operating temperatures are significantly and measurably higher than for MZ-25 zeolite given in Table VI.

Synthesis of methyl tertiary butyl ether from methanol and isobutene using aluminum-fluoride-modified zeolite catalysts

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals


A ladle having a hydrocarbon-free, expendable refractory insulating lining that is chemically compatible with the molten metal to be placed in the ladle.

In foundry ladles, which are used to transfer iron and steel from the melting furnace to the mold(s), heat loss from the molten metal through the ladle lining is a major problem. This is especially true in ladles that have a small "volume to surface area" ratio. Increasing the lining thickness and adding more insulation at the ladle shell is generally not practical because of their already small diameter. Another problem is the removal of solidified slag and metal which adheres strongly to the ladle lining after each mold-pouring operation. These remnant materials must be thoroughly removed to prevent contamination of the next batch of liquid metal. One method of lining foundry ladles is to use tundish boards, but these boards have clear disadvantages such as prolonged installation time, joints between the boards, and difficulty forming a thicker slagline zone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,107 describes in detail the use of tundish boards as lining materials in foundry ladles. A need exists to eliminate the current problems associated with lining ladles.
Efforts to utilize refractory linings which can be applied by spraying, trowelling, gunning, and the like have not been successful since they have contained materials which act to contaminate the iron and steel, such as resinous binders and oxidizers such as Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Such a lining for tundishes is shown in Canadian Patent No. 1,119,622.

Lined ladles, linings therefor, and method of forming the same