A method and system for detecting faults in an electric power-assisted steering system includes determining a voltage vector of an electric power-assisted steering motor and measuring a current vector of the motor. Acceptable angular relationships are defined between the voltage vector and the current vector, which are then compared to find a fault if the angle does not meet the acceptable angular relationship. Additionally, motor direction and position can also be used against an angular check of the voltage and/or current vector. Similarly, torque direction can be used. In this way, several different faults can be determined dynamically under transient conditions.

Current production automobiles typically incorporate power steering systems wherein a driver's effort to steer are assisted by powered systems, such as a hydraulic systems that is driven electrically or mechanically from a pump attached to the engine. However, electrically-driven cars or hybrid cars typically do not have a running motor to drive a hydraulic system when the cars are not moving. In this case, there is no power-assist to help a driver turn the wheels of these cars, such as when trying to negotiate a parking spot. A hydraulic system could be driven by an electric motor, but this is inefficient as an electrical system could be used directly to provide steering assist. Further electrical power assist need not be available full time, as in a hydraulic system, but only as needed by a driver. As a result power is conserved and total fuel efficiency is increased.
In an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, steering torque assist is provided directly by an electric motor drive. The motor itself can include a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor, as is known in the art. This motor is driven from the vehicle battery through application of an inverter system, as is also known in the art. The drive is typically monitored and controlled by a processing unit with sensor to detect the operating conditions of the motor. The EPS drive assist is called into use based on driver demand. Specifically, as a driver applies a steering force in one direction, the EPS system supplies a further torque in the same direction. However, in case of system failure, the torque from the EPS motor can generate unintended steering torque. For example, a driver could be turning left while the motor drive erroneously provides a torque to the right, which is undesirable.
One prior art technique to detect unintended steering torque is to compare a steering torque current to a calculated steady-state current. If the discrepancy between the currents is larger than a predetermined limit, for a predetermined time period, a fault is indicated. The problem with this technique is a relatively long time delay. In particular, since this technique is based on steady-state equations, a relatively large time delay must be allowed for settling to avoid false triggering. Moreover, if the motor is stalled, no current is measured and there is no fault detection.
Another prior art technique uses two parallel processors to receive sensor signals and to compute a motor control algorithm from these sensor inputs. In this case, the outputs from the two processors are compared and, if they do not match, a fault is indicated. This technique is limited to detecting faults in the processing system and not in the motor itself or the motor drive hardware (e.g. inverter). Moreover, the use of two processors adds significant cost.
Therefore, what is needed is an EPS controller that can detect unintended steering assist. It would also be an advantage to detect any unintended steering with a minimum time delay so that the motor output can be shut off before the system could degrade a driver's ability to steer. It would also be of benefit to provide this advantage in a cost effective manner.

Fault detection in an electric power-assisted steering system


Adjust a vertical blanking interval of a display horizontal synchronization signal, according to a difference between an external horizontal synchronization signal and the display horizontal synchronization signal, for synchronizing the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal. This only requires one or two frames to synchronize the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal, and will not cause the user to perceive display pauses or flickers.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to a method for synchronizing signals, and more particularly, to a method for synchronizing a display horizontal synchronization signal to an external horizontal synchronization signal and devices thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
DisplayPort, a standard announced by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), simplifies display design and connections. DisplayPort possesses stable electrical characteristics, hence providing higher resolution support.
A number of companion standards have developed according to DisplayPort, for providing optimization to different applications. For instance, internal DisplayPort (iDP) targets digital TV systems and high-end display devices, Embedded DisplayPort (eDP) standard targets embedded display devices (e.g. laptop displays, etc.), and Mini DisplayPort (mDP) standard is for miniaturized connectors. Taking the Embedded DisplayPort standard as an example, a laptop can output signals from a processing unit (e.g. a graphics processing unit) to control the display panel directly, for reducing components and wiring required between the monitor and the motherboard. This way, weight and power consumption of the laptop can be reduced, and product appearance can be more streamlined.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional portable device 100 comprising a DisplayPort interface. The portable device 100 comprises a processing unit 110 and a display device 120. The processing unit 110 comprises a transmitting end Tx, and can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. The display device 120 comprises a receiving end Rx, buffer memory M and a timing controller TCON. The transmitting end Tx and the receiving end Rx are both compliant to DisplayPort interface. The transmitting end Tx of the processing unit 110 is coupled to the receiving end Rx of the display device 120 via a unilateral Main Link (ML) and a bilateral Auxiliary Link (AL). The buffer memory M stores, for instance, data of a static image.
The DisplayPort interface comprises Panel Self-Refresh (PSR) technology. When a user operates the portable device 100, the processing unit 110 transmits a driving signal to the display device 120. The timing controller TCON drives the display device 120 according to the driving signal transmitted by the processing unit 110. When the portable device 100 is idle for a predetermined duration, the processing unit 110 stops transmitting the driving signal to the display device 120. The timing controller TCON then self-generates the driving signal to drive the display device 120 for displaying the static image stored in the buffer memory M. This way, the Panel Self-Refresh technology can further reduce the power consumption of the portable device 100 when the portable device 100 is idle.
When the portable device 100 is operated again in the idle state, the processing unit 110 begins transmitting the driving signal to the display device 120 again. However, time sequence and phase of the driving signal generated by the processing unit 110 may be different from those of the driving signal generated by the timing controller TCON. The timing controller TCON is required to be synchronized with the processing unit 110 for the timing controller TCON to drive the display device 120 according to the driving signal transmitted by the processing unit 110 again. Generally, the timing controller TCON utilizes a continuous capture method to adjust internal signal timing of the display device 120, which changes a frame rate of the display device 120, so as to synchronize the driving signals generated by the processing unit 110 and the timing controller TCON. To reduce frame loss during synchronization, read/write action of a frame buffer is controlled to synchronize the driving signal generated by the timing controller TCON to the driving signal generated by the processing unit 110. However, synchronizing the internal driving signal generated by the timing controller TCON to the external driving signal generated by the processing unit 110 requires complicated read/write action of the frame buffer, and utilizes extra hardware resources such as a line buffer, etc. Furthermore, substantial frame duration is required to achieve synchronization between the driving signals generated by the timing controller TCON and the processing unit 110, such that the user perceives pauses in screen display of the display device 120, causing viewing discomfort.

Method for synchronizing a display horizontal synchronization signal with an external horizontal synchronization signal


A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of realizing optimized erasing operation in a memory array configuration in which a plurality of pages correspond to and are connected to each of a plurality of word lines and higher speed of the erasing operation. In a flash memory, the erasing operation is performed by an erasing method of erasing a plurality of pages arbitrarily selected in a lump. In a two-page erasing mode, page erasure, page pre-erasure verification, page rewriting process, page pre-rewriting verification, and page upper end determining process are performed in order. The method realizes, particularly, (1) suppression of the number of erase verification times to the minimum by performing erase verification only on arbitrary one even-numbered or odd-numbered page in the pages to be erased in consideration of variations in the erasing characteristic, and (2) prevention of erroneous determination of the upper end of erasure since it is unnecessary to set a memory cell to be rewritten every rewrite verification by continuously executing the rewriting process page by page.

The inventors herein have examined a flash memory as an example of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device as follows.
For example, in a flash memory, a nonvolatile memory element having a control gate and a floating gate is used as a memory cell, and a memory cell can be constructed by a single transistor. For such a flash memory, the concept of a so-called "multi-value" flash memory for storing data of two or more bits per memory cell in order to increase storage capacity has been proposed. In such a multi-value flash memory, by controlling the amount of charges injected into the floating gate, the threshold voltage is changed step by step, and information of plural bits can be stored while being associated with a threshold voltage.
Further, in the flash memory, as the storage capacity increases, the chip size also increases. Consequently, it is requested to suppress increase in the chip size. For example, in the case of considering the chip size, there are many restrictions on the area of a memory array made by a plurality of memory cells disposed in a lattice state at crossing points between the word lines and the bit lines, so that attention has to be paid to the area of a Y-direct circuit in the memory array. A Y-direct circuit of a flash memory has, for example, a circuit configuration (refer to, for example, FIG. 4 which will be described later) employing the technique of a so-called single-end sense method.
The Y-direct circuit employing the single-end sense method has a configuration in which a sense latch circuit is disposed at one end of a global bit line, so that the circuit is employed for the purpose of reducing the area (reduction of the number of cells). Further, in the Y-direct circuit, for area reduction, a technique employing a so-called "one sense latch circuit+two SRAMs" configuration in place of the configuration of a data transfer circuit called a "one sense latch circuit+two data latch circuits" has been proposed. In the "one sense latch circuit+two SRAMS" configuration (refer to, for example, FIG. 6 which will be described later), two SRAMs are assigned to a plurality of sense latch circuits in each bank, data of an upper bit is stored in one of the SRAMs, and data of a lower bit is stored in the other SRAM.
A technique employing a configuration of a so-called AG-AND type (refer to, for example, FIG. 2 which will be described later) as the configuration of a memory array has been proposed. The memory array configuration of the AG-AND type is such that a MOSFET driven by a gate control signal is connected to the source side of each memory cell of the AND type and the source side is connected to a common source line via the MOSFET. In the memory array configuration of the AG-AND type, to reduce the area of the memory array, the number of bit lines is reduced to one per two memory cells.
The inventors of the present invention have examined the techniques employing the "one sense latch circuit+two SRAM" configuration and the memory array configuration of the AG-AND type for the Y-direct circuit of a flash memory and the memory array and, as a result, clarified the following.    (1) In a memory array configuration in which data is erased on a word line unit basis like the flash memory of the AG-AND type, when the number of bit lines is reduced, a problem occurs such that the unit of writing and the unit of erasing do not coincide with each other. Specifically, when the unit of writing is one page, the unit of erasing is two pages.    (2) The AG-AND type of the hot electron injecting writing method has a problem such that, if there is a depleted bit in a string, rewriting cannot be performed normally. Specifically, when a plurality of depleted memory cells (over-erased cells: threshold voltage of 0V or less) exist on the same bit line in a block, even if one of the depleted cells is selected and the threshold voltage is increased again to 0V or higher, current flows in the other depleted cells so that the threshold voltage of the depleted memory cell cannot be increased to 0V or higher.    (3) The "one sense latch circuit+two SRAMS" configuration has a problem such that the sequence of the "one sense latch circuit+two data latch circuits" configuration cannot be applied. For example, to assure a margin for data in a memory cell and a margin for write data, separate data buffers are necessary.
The inventors herein therefore paid attention to the erasing operation in the memory array configuration such that two pages correspond to and are connected to one word line and got an idea of considering pages to be subjected to erase verification determination and rewriting process and considering page addresses of blocks in the case of simultaneously erasing two or more pages in order to optimize the erasing operation and achieving higher processing speed.
An object of the invention is to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device such as a flash memory realizing optimized erasing operation in a memory array configuration in which a plurality of pages correspond to and are connected to each of a plurality of word lines and higher speed of the erasing operation.
The above and other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the specification and the appended drawings.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of realizing optimized erasing operation in a memory array


A wireless communication apparatus includes: a transmitter which sends transmitted data while mixing it with a carrier; a receiver which receives the transmitted data sent from the transmitter while mixing it with the carrier; a spreading waveform generator which generates a spread clock resulting from a reference clock for generating the carrier being spread in a PN pattern; a wired sender which, by sending the spread clock by wire, causes both the transmitter and the receiver to share it; and a carrier reproducer which reproduces the carrier based on a result of a phase comparison with the spread clock.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus and, particularly, is suitable for being applied to a method by which a carrier clock and a baseband clock used between wireless communication apparatuses are shared by wire between a transmission side and a reception side while being spread in spectrum.
2. Related Art
In a heretofore known wireless communication apparatus, there is a technology which, by replacing a wired connection using a flexible substrate and a connector with a wireless connection, realizes an improvement in reliability and mobility, a reduction in assembly cost, a securing of structural freedom, a maintenance facilitation, a reduction in size of a printed circuit board and the like.
Also, as a method for reducing an unnecessary radiation due to a clock, JP-A-2003-150143 discloses a method which, by changing an oscillation frequency itself by means of an FM modulation using a voltage controlled oscillator etc., spreads a clock spectrum and reduces a peak value of the clock spectrum.
In contrast, JP-A-2005-57544 proposes a technique which multiplies an M sequence by a clock in order to spread a spectrum in a wider spectrum space. In the technique, by multiplying the M sequence again at a receiving end of the clock, it is possible to reproduce a clock having no jitter.
However, in a wireless communication, when a frequency of a reference clock used to generate a carrier becomes high, an unnecessary radiated electromagnetic field increases, and there has been a problem in that, as well as it causing a significant impediment to other systems, official restrictions also preclude a product shipment.
Also, in the method disclosed in JP-A-2003-150143, as the oscillation frequency changes due to the FM modulation, a large clock jitter occurs, and there has been a problem in that it is difficult to use it as a Wireless communication carrier.
Also, in the method disclosed in JP-A-2005-57544, as the clock is reproduced from a spectrum spread signal, it is necessary to send an M-sequence signal simultaneously with the spectrum spread signal, and to provide a circuit for reproducing a symbol synchronization of the M-sequence signal, and there has been a problem of an increase in wiring space and circuit scale.


Disclosed are a novel prostatic acid phosphatase and corresponding coding region derived from mouse. Also disclosed is a method of producing an immune response against an autologous polypeptide tumor antigen by immunizing a subject with a xenogeneic polypeptide antigen, either alone, as part of a viral antigen construct, or as part of a pulsed dendritic cell preparation.

Tumor antigens are generally proteins or glycoproteins that are present on the surface of tumor cells. In many cases, such antigens are identical to or highly similar to antigens that are present on normal, non-tumor cells in the host organism, allowing the tumor cells to escape the host's immunological surveillance mechanisms.
Traditional means of reducing tumor load in afflicted individuals have relied on chemical or radiation treatments that target particular attributes of tumor cell growth, such as hormone dependence, rate of growth, and the like. Such treatments have been shown to be effective in combatting certain types of tumors, but relatively or incompletely effective in other cases. Therefore, methods to enhance or augment the ability of an organism to immunologically eradicate some or all circulating tumor cells (tumor load) are needed.
For example, in the case of prostate tumors, although the five-year survival rates for localized prostate cancer have improved significantly, the prognosis for metastatic forms of the disease has not been improved in recent years. Prostectomy (simple or radical) and local radiation therapy are effective at early stages of the disease, but are of little or no benefit in the later, metastatic stages of the disease. Moreover, metastatic forms of prostate cancer are generally resistant to conventional anti-neoplastic chemotherapy.
The only therapy that has shown benefit so far in the disseminated form of the disease is androgen ablation, either by castration or estrogen (diethylstilbestrol) therapy. Prostate tumor cells are typically dependent on testosterone or other androgens as growth factors. However, androgen withdrawal frequently leads to outgrowth of androgen-independent, mutant tumor cells. Thus, since all currently available therapies for disseminated prostate cancer are at best palliative and do not prolong survival, improved therapies for eradicating circulating or disseminated prostate tumor cells are needed.
The present invention is concerned with an immunotherapeutic treatment method that takes advantage of the observation that is the discovery of the invention, that is, animals immunized with xenogeneic antigens can be made to mount an immune response against closely related self-antigens, such as the antigens present on tumor cells. Such a therapy has the advantages over conventional therapies that (i) it mobilizes the body's natural mechanisms for ridding itself of the diseased cells, (ii) it can be directed to disseminated forms of the disease, and (iii) it can be used to either augment or replace conventional anti-tumor therapy.

Composition and method for producing an immune response against tumor-related antigens


Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a surface acoustic wave device comprising the steps of forming a drive electrode having a surface acoustic wave element function on a piezoelectric substrate wafer, providing a resist coat on an upper region of the drive electrode, covering the resist coat with a metal film, removing the resist coat lying within the metal film so that the metal film is formed in a dome form having a hollow portion covering the drive electrode, and providing a resin seal on the metal film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, and, more particularly, to a surface acoustic wave device enabling packaging to be effected in a wafer process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication equipment such as cellular phones and cordless telephones is rapidly prevailing with recent progress toward miniaturization and lightness of electronic devices. A high frequency circuit of a radio communication circuit included in such mobile communication equipment uses a multiplicity of electronic devices mounted with filter elements.
For the purpose of realizing the miniaturization and lightness in particular, surface acoustic wave (SAW) elements are employed as the filter elements. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing in section a conventional surface acoustic wave device having a surface acoustic wave element, and its wiring connection structure for connecting the surface acoustic wave element to external connection terminals.
A package for the surface acoustic wave device is constructed from a multilayer ceramic package 100 and a metal cap 101. The surface acoustic wave element 104 is adhered by an electroconductive resin 105 to the top of a substrate 103 disposed within the interior of the package, with input and output terminals of the surface acoustic wave element 104 being electrically connected via aluminum wires 106 to a ground terminal. The reverse side of the substrate 103 is formed with an external connection terminal 107.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of another conventional surface acoustic wave device, in which the surface acoustic wave element 104 is connected by connection bumps 108 to the substrate 103 disposed on the bottom of the package, to provide physical fixation and electrical connection wiring.
Thus, in the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, electric wirings (the aluminum wires 106 in FIG. 1 and the connection bumps 108 in FIG. 2) are both formed within the interior of the ceramic package 100.
The cap 101 has a sealing material 109 formed in a region in contact with the ceramic package 100. This provides a hermetic sealing between the ceramic package 100 and the cap 101 so that airtightness is held within the interior of the package.
Thus, to achieve a miniaturization of the surface acoustic wave device, the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can not neglect the space which is used for the aluminum wire connection and the hermetic sealing structure between the package 100 and the cap 101.
The manufacturing procedure includes making electrode wiring on a piezoelectric substrate wafer by patterning and thereafter cutting and separating the wafer into chip elements to thereby obtain individual surface acoustic wave (SAW) elements 104.
The cut chip elements are mounted on the package 100, which is then fitted with the cap 101 for sealing to obtain a surface acoustic wave device. For this reason, the cost of the cap 101 is a factor greatly affecting the price of product of the surface acoustic wave device. On the contrary, another technique is also known where the package is formed in the state of a wafer (Japan Patent Laid-open Pub. No. 2000-261285).
In the technique described in Japan Patent Laid-open Pub. No. 2000-261285, electrodes are formed on a piezoelectric substrate wafer by patterning and a cover forming member is formed from a separate and independent substrate wafer. The cover forming member is then laminated to the piezoelectric substrate wafer having the electrodes formed thereon by patterning, to thereby obtain a surface acoustic wave device having a surface acoustic wave element function.
However, such a technique disclosed in the above patent laid-open publication also imposes a limitation on miniaturization of the surface acoustic wave device and needs a separate provision of the cover forming member, which may be disadvantageous in the number of manufacturing steps. This leads to increase the price of the device.

Method of manufacturing surface acoustic wave device


A chair is provided with an adjustable back support which quickly and easily conforms to the contours of the user's back. The chair has a seat and an upwardly extending support bar. A number of segments are received on the support bar to define a support surface for supporting the back of the user. The segments are movable to allow the support surface to conform to the back of the seated person. A locking mechanism allows the person to lock the segments in the desired position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chairs, and particularly to chairs having backs that are adjustable to conform to the contour of a user's back.
2. Description of Related Art
In today's society, people spend an increasing amount of time sitting. The employment market is shifting from manufacturing jobs to information processing jobs. As a result, more and more people are employed in jobs which require a great deal of time sitting. Further, many people devote large amounts of leisure time to activities, such as watching television, which are usually done sitting.
Given the dramatic increase in the amount of time people spend sitting, it is important to provide chairs which are both comfortable and safe. One of the most important features of any chair is the manner in which it supports a user's back. If the chair provides inadequate support or supports the back in an improper position, the user may become uncomfortable after sitting for an extended period of time. Prolonged sitting in a chair with improper or inadequate back support may also contribute to fatigue, poor posture, and even chronic back problems. On the other hand, a chair which provides the proper type of support may avoid, or even help to correct, such problems.
People's backs are different in size, shape, and strength. Because each person's back has a unique configuration, each person's back has unique support requirements. As a result, the ideal back support will vary from individual to individual.
Unfortunately, chairs are typically designed with a back support sized and shaped for the average individual. In an effort to produce more comfortable and healthy seating, some chairs, particularly those commonly used in the office environment, are configured to allow adjustment of some features, such as the height and angle of the back support. However, the adjustable features in such chairs are limited. As a result, such chairs cannot provide everyone the proper fit and support.
A variety of chairs have been developed in attempts to improve on the comfort and support offered by standard office furniture. Typically this is done by increasing the number and types of adjustments which the user can make to the chair. For example, the chair described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,742 to Glass has a number of individual cam-like members extending laterally across the chair. These members can be individually rotated to modify the shape of the back support. Although this type of system offers increased adjustability, it sacrifices convenience. Given the number of cam members that must be adjusted for each user, it is impractical for a variety of users to use such a chair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,786 to Goldstein also describes a chair having a number of individually adjustable back support members. Again, given the large number of individual adjustments necessary to configure the chair to each user, this type of chair is ill-suited for the office environment.
Some chairs offer automatic adjustment systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,554 to Gross employs a number of motors to automatically adjust the configuration of a chair to a predetermined spinal profile. However, the complicated electrical and mechanical interfaces required for this type of chair limit its reliability, availability, and practicality in many environments.
In a few types of chairs, such as wheel chairs, it is not uncommon for the back support to be custom fit to the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,856 to Silverman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,325 to Brooks, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,235 to Reger all describe high quality customized chairs. However, each of these chairs has the common drawback of providing a permanently contoured surface that is suitable only for one particular user. As a result, such chairs do not offer the adjustability desirable to allow a wide variety of users to sit comfortably in the chair.


A method and system for assuring the smooth, rapid execution and automatic control of a tournament. Participants' names are announced, and the participants notified to take their turn in the tournament by means of one or more electronic displays accessible to a number of potential participants. Personal identity data corresponding to the participants are entered, up to a given number of participants, based on the particular tournament variant via a data reading unit linked to each display. The groups of participants are arranged in order using a random access technique. Upon completion of each match, the winner is announced, and the groups of participants are organized for succeeding rounds. The tournament continues until completion, when the results are analyzed by the system and displayed.

Such a system and a method are known from DE 4 222 896. In this system a data carrier which includes participant and control data is introduced into one or more reading devices, these data are accepted by a computing unit and the pairings for the first tournament round are determined therefrom. These pairings are then displayed on the display device and the current match is played. After conclusion of the match, the participant data carriers are introduced to the reading devices in a predetermined sequence, for example, winner first, and the tournament results are determined therefrom under control of the computing unit. The individual phases of running the tournament are strictly determined by the sequence of the data carriers introduced at the time into the reading devices, so that the persons otherwise necessary to run the tournament as tournament of game leaders are superfluous. Since the input of the necessary information is moreover effected with the aid of machine readable data carriers and no keyboard data input is therefore provided, input errors are avoided and any kind of manipulation is ruled out.
In this method, before beginning a tournament and after switching on the apparatus, the desired system card is first inserted into the slot of the reader, so that the computer can accept the program corresponding to the desired tournament, for example, KO system, double KO system. Likewise, different variants of the course of the match or tournament can be entered with such a system card. Although this method has basically proved its worth, at the beginning of a tournament it is necessary to settle between the game participants, which tournament and match variant is to be selected by the system card. This needs the agreement of the game participants in order that the match or tournament variant desired by all game participants can be selected by means of the system card. This system card is, however, frequently not at hand, e.g., it is misplaced, so that the tournament cannot begin or can only begin after a delay. In addition, discussion about the presently desired match variant often leads to dispute, so that a game leader must once again decide which variant is to be selected. Moreover, in tournaments with a large number of game participants, all game participants are frequently not present when determining the match variant of the tournament, so that delays can occur from this.
As a consequence, the invention is based on the object of developing a method and a system according to DE 4 222 896 so that the beginning of the tournament can largely be run automated, so that a friction-free, more rapid running of tournaments results.

Method and system for automatic running of tournaments


A relatively compact static phase converter is adapted to be disposed within the housing of an appliance, such as a refrigeration unit, making it thus suitable for residential as well as commercial applications. The static phase converter is formed as a modular unit to occupy a relatively small volume, for example, 0.5 cubic feet or less, and is adapted to be disposed adjacent the compressor compartment in a typical refrigeration unit with minimal modification. The static converter includes a balancing coil adapted to be coupled across a source of single phase electrical power, such as 120 volts AC. Two phases of a three phase electrical motor are adapted to be connected in parallel across the balancing coil. The third phase is adapted to be connected to the center phase by way of a running capacitor. Starting circuitry which includes a starting capacitor as well as a control relay is included. The relatively few number of components allows the static phase converter to occupy a relatively small volume which makes it adaptable to being disposed within the housings of various appliances including refrigeration units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a static phase converter and more particularly a static phase converter which occupies a relatively small volume to enable it to be disposed within various appliances, such as refrigeration units, with minimal modification to reduce electrical power consumption.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Static phase converters are generally known in the art. Examples of such static phase converters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 521,051; 852,027; 2,253,053; 2,253,392; 2,480,576; 2,832,925; and 2,968,757. Such static phase converters are generally used to convert a source single phase electrical power to multiple phase, such as three phase, electrical power in various applications. One such application is to use such static phase converters to reduce the power consumption of various appliances. such as refrigerators and the like. More specifically, known refrigeration units normally include a single phase compressor motor; for example, a one-half horsepower compressor motor. A one-half horsepower single phase motor will draw approximately 7.4 amperes at 120 volts AC. A three phase one-half horsepower motor will draw approximately 4.2 amperes at 120 volts--about 40% less current than a single phase motor with the same horsepower rating. By reducing the electrical current requirements of the compressor motor, the appliance, such as the refrigeration unit, is less expensive to operate. More specifically, the cost charged by an electric utility for operating an electrical appliance is in terms of kilowatt hours (KWH). The KWH is a product of the electrical voltage and the electrical current multiplied by the period of use. For a relatively constant voltage, reducing the electrical current requirement by approximately 40% will, in turn, reduce the KWH by approximately the same amount.
Such a reduction in the KWH can result in significant savings to consumers as well as considerable conservation of precious fossil fuel resources. For example, as mentioned above a refrigeration unit with a single phase one-half horsepower compressor motor draws 7.4 amperes at 120 volts or approximately 888 watts. Assuming a typical refrigeration unit would operate
approximately twelve hours per day, this yields 10.66 KWH per unit, per day per unit for operation. Multiplying this value by 365 days per year and by the approximately 72 million units in use in the United States today yields over 280 billion kilowatt hours per year for operation of the 72 million refrigeration units. If the single phase compressor motor in each of these refrigeration units was replaced with a three phase compressor motor having the same horsepower value, over 106 billion kilowatt hours would be saved per year, thus conserving precious fossil fuel resources as well as providing considerable savings to the consumers.
The problem with known static converters, such as those disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. patents, is that they are relatively too large to be disposed within appliance and therefore are generally used infrequently with appliances and generally only in commercial applications. In such applications of the above-mentioned static phase converters, the units are mounted exterior to the appliance housing. In addition to requiring more space for the appliance, such an application results in increased cost to the consumer due to the interconnection wiring required between the appliance and the static phase converter on site. Moreover, exterior mounting of the static phase converter relative to the appliance is unsuitable in residential applications.


A gun sight for rifles, pistols, or shotguns which is particularly useful on rapid fire weapons, such as semi-automatic rifles and pistols used by the public, or fully automatic weapons used by the military. The gun sight consists of a rear sight and a front sight. The rear sight consists of a base, two side walls, and a top joined together. The top has a rectangular channel cut into it. The front sight consists of a small threaded rod affixed to a small tube and a base which is attached to the barrel of the gun. The small threaded rod then adjusts upward and downward in a small hole drilled in the top of the base.

This invention relates to gun sights that are used on firearms such rifles, pistols, or shotguns. It is well suited for rapid fire weapons such as semi-automatic rifles and pistols, or fully-automatic weapons used by the military.
Gun sights are devices attached to a gun which aid the shooter in aiming the gun at a target. The sights most commonly used on rifles and pistols are the notch sights and peep sights. Telescopic sights are also used by shooters. The notch sights and peep sights have several problems caused by the way they are designed. Some of these problems are listed below:
1. The sights are not easy to learn to use and require considerable practice and expense for an individual to master.
2. The solid construction of the sight causes a part of the target and the surrounding area to be blocked from the view of the shooter.
3. It is difficult to keep the sights aligned while moving the gun, making it harder to hit a moving target.
4. The solid construction of the sight causes it to be ineffective in low light conditions such as dusk or dawn.
5. Rapid target acquisition is difficult because of the nature of the alignment of the sights.
Telescopic sights restrict the shooter's view of the surrounding area, are slow to sight and are expensive.
Inventors have obtained patents on designs for sights that attempt to overcome some of these problems. Cooper, Howells, and Wing, and others have obtained patents from designs which use transparent material to overcome the problem of restricted visibility. Russell, Trippi, and Dindinger have obtained patents for designs that use open sights to overcome the problem of restricted visibility. Howells, Rickert Plisk, and others have patent designs which deal with the problem of ineffectiveness in low light conditions.
It is to be noted that the sights are attached to the gun and the target is normally a large distance from the shooter. Because of the distance involved, a minor improvement in the sight can mean a major improvement in the ability of the shooter to hit the target.


An optical pickup device is one in which a lens holder is held by a movable base by using a resilient wire. A restricting abutting portion is formed at a lower portion of the lens holder. When the lens holder moves excessively downward, the restricting abutting portion comes into contact with a stopper portion to restrict a downward movement of the lens holder, so that it is possible to prevent the lens holder from contacting a unit chassis. When the unit chassis is not mounted on the movable base, it is possible to prevent excessive flexing of the resilient wire caused when an opposing abutting portion of the lens holder comes into contact with the unit chassis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an optical pickup device having a structure in which a lens driving unit is mounted on a movable base, the lens driving unit including, for example, a lens holder and a focus correcting mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical pickup device that reproduces information from various types of recording media, such as CDs or DVDs, includes a movable base that moves along a recording surface of a disk, with a lens driving unit being mounted on the movable base. The lens driving unit is provided with a unit chassis. A tilt adjusting mechanism that adjusts the tilt of the lens driving unit is provided between the unit chassis and the movable base.
In the lens driving unit, mounted at the unit chassis are a lens holder that holds an objective lens opposing a disk, a resilient supporting member that movably supports the lens holder, a focus correcting mechanism that moves the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis of the objective lens, and a tracking correcting mechanism that moves the lens holder in a radial direction that is orthogonal to the optical axis.
In an optical pickup device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-319342 (Patent Literature (PTL) 1), four resilient wires that extend in a direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis of an objective lens are used as resilient supporting members. Base portions of the resilient wires are secured at a base member corresponding to a unit chassis. A lens holder is secured to end portions of the resilient wires. In this structure, by resiliently flexing the resilient wires, the lens holder is movable in a focus correction direction and a tracking correction direction.
The optical pickup device described in PTL 1 includes a stopper at a bottom portion of an optical chassis corresponding to the movable base. The stopper opposes a bottom portion of the lens holder through a through-hole formed in the base member. When the lens holder moves by a large amount in a direction opposite to a disk, the bottom portion of the lens holder passes through the through-hole and comes into contact with the stopper, to allow the amount of movement of the lens holder to be restricted.
Since the optical pickup device described in PTL 1 has a structure in which only the optical chassis opposes a lower portion of the lens holder, the optical pickup device can be made thin.
The optical pickup device described in PTL 1 has a structure in which the bottom portion of the lens holder and the stopper of the optical chassis come into contact with each other via the through-hole formed in the base member. Therefore, in a step that is executed after, for example, the resilient wires, the lens holder, and the focus correcting mechanism have been mounted on the base member and before the base member is mounted at the optical chassis, if an external force accidentally acts upon the lens holder, the resilient wires may become excessively bent due to the movement of the lens holder to a position where it passes the inside of the through-hole. If the flexing amount of the resilient wires at this time goes beyond a resilience region and exceeds a yield point, the resilient wires undergo plastic deformation and become defective wires that are incapable of functioning.
In contrast, if the aforementioned through-hole is not provided and a portion of the lens holder is caused to contact the base member when the lens holder is pushed by an external force, it is possible to prevent the resilient wires from flexing by an abnormally large amount. However, the use of such a structure gives rise to new problems such as those described below.
When the lens holder is to be mounted at the base member, it is desirable that the lens holder be secured to the resilient wires after an optical axis center of the objective lens held by the lens holder has been positioned with respect to the base member using an adjusting jig with the base portions of the resilient wires being secured at the base member first. Since the resilient wires are also used as energization paths to coils provided at the lens holder, in general, ordinarily the resilient wires and metallic terminals, which are mounted in the lens holder, are soldered to each other, and the resilient wires and the lens holder are secured to each other by the adhesive force of the solder.
Here, if, during the soldering, flux adheres to a surface of the base member, when a completed optical pickup device is used in a high-temperature environment, the flux is heated and becomes adhesive, as a result of which the lens holder tends to adhere to the surface of the base member by the flux.
In this type of optical pickup device, when a new disk has been loaded, while the focus correcting mechanism moves the lens holder by a large amount in a direction away from the disk and, from this position, moves the lens holder towards the disk, the objective lens causes detection light to converge on a recording surface of the disk and return light thereof is detected, so that, for example, detection of the presence or absence of the disk or detection of the disk type, such as a CD or DVD, is performed. During this operation, if the lens holder even temporarily adheres to the base member, an error occurs in the aforementioned detections. This causes an erroneous determination that the disk does not exist or malfunctions, such as a discharge of the disk to the outside of the optical pickup device without identifying the disk type.
In order to prevent the adhesion of flux to the base member, a method for mounting the resilient wires at the base member after soldering the resilient wires to the lens holder may be considered. However, when the resilient wires that are secured to the lens holder are to be mounted at the base member, it is difficult to position with high precision the optical axis of the objective lens held by the lens holder with respect to the base member.


A silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based tunable laser is formed to include the gain medium (such as a semiconductor optical amplifier) disposed within a cavity formed within the SOI substrate. A tunable wavelength reflecting element and associated phase matching element are formed on the surface of the SOI structure, with optical waveguides formed in the surface SOI layer providing the communication between these components. The tunable wavelength element is controlled to adjust the optical wavelength. Separate discrete lensing elements may be disposed in the cavity with the gain medium, providing efficient coupling of the optical signal into the SOI waveguides. Alternatively, the gain medium itself may be formed to include spot converting tapers on its endfaces, the tapers used to provide mode matching into the associated optical waveguides.

There is an increasing demand for tunable lasers given the advent of wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) which has become widespread in fiber optic communication systems. WDM transponders include a laser, modulator, a receiver and associated electronics. One WDM transponder operates a fixed laser in the near-infrared spectrum at around 1550 nm. A 176 wavelength system uses one laser per wavelength and, therefore, such a system typically must store a 176 additional WDM transponders as "spares" to deal with failures. The high inventory requirement contributes to the high cost of those systems.
In response, tunable lasers have been developed. A single tunable laser can serve as a back-up for multiple channels or wavelengths so that fewer WDM transponders need to be stocked for spare parts. Tunable lasers can also provide flexibility at multiplexing locations, where wavelengths can be added and dropped from fibers as needed. Accordingly, tunable lasers can help carriers effectively manage wavelengths throughout a fiber optics network.
The currently available tunable lasers are distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers. A conventional prior art tunable laser module 1 is illustrated in FIG. 1. In tunable lasers, the output power is most often measured from the front of gain medium 2 of laser device 1, and not from a rear facet (as is done with non-tunable lasers). The output of gain medium 2 is directed through a collimating lens 3 and isolator 4. The optical output then engages a power tap 5 at an angle of about 45°, so that a fraction of the signal is directed toward a detector 6; the remainder of the output passes through lens 7 and into an optical fiber 8. The output from detector 6 is applied to a tuning element 9, which controls the operation of gain medium 2 (for example, through temperature adjustments) to tune the wavelength of laser 1.
One difficulty with many of the conventional prior art tunable lasers, however, is that they require a number of discrete components, these components each having a number of surfaces that may introduce stray, unwanted reflections into the laser, disturbing the ability to "tune" the laser over the desired wavelength range.
As with most communication systems, the efficient use of space and power in optical transmitters (e.g., lasers) is of ever-increasing importance. Further, design considerations for these transmitters must take into account the modularity of the particular components that are included in the network.
It would be desirable, therefore, to configure a tunable laser module which is relatively small in size, yet retains the wide range of tunability needed for many of the desirable WDM applications.


A method is disclosed for providing a friable polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product that has particles of a desired size which are flowable and do not tend to agglomerate. To achieve this result, the PTFE starting material is handled at a temperature below 66.degree. F., and preferably below 55.degree. F., before irradiating. The PTFE starting material may be mixed with a wetting agent before irradiating to provide a product that has enhanced dispersibility. The source of radiation may include electron beam radiation, nuclear radiation, or radiation from a cobalt-60 (CO.sub.60) source.

This invention relates generally to the radiation degradation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to provide an improved PTFE product.
Several techniques generally make use of electron beam or cobalt sources for irradiating PTFE. U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,031 to Dillon discloses a method for radiation processing of PTFE, wherein PTFE is exposed to radiation and thereafter subjected to comminution to provide a fine particle powder. The PTFE starting material is arranged in trays and exposed to multiple doses of radiation, approximately 2 to 15 M Rad per pass, so that the temperature of the material does not rise excessively, thereby to avoid discoloration of the material and the possible generation of noxious gases. The total dose is approximately 35 to 150 M Rad. Among other things, the resulting powder is useful as a dry lubricant in paints and inks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,106 to Kerbow et al. ("Kerbow") discloses a method of radiation-induced grafting of ethylenically unsaturated components such as maleic anhydride onto fluoropolymers to provide a powder that is effective as an adhesive to join dissimilar materials. Suitable fluoropolymers include copolymers of ethylene with tetrafluoroethylene. Kerbow discloses that the average particle size of the base fluoropolymer is 50-500 .mu.m. The fluoropolymer and the grafting compound are mixed or otherwise brought into proximity in the presence of ionizing radiation doses in the range of about 2-6 M Rad. Kerbow discloses that the grafted powder can be applied to a surface from a dispersion or can be blended with a liquid. Kerbow does not disclose how to provide a friable polymer product having smaller particle sizes, nor does Kerbow teach specific handling techniques to prevent the formation of agglomerations or fibers upon subjecting the polymer products to grinding or shearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,870 to Brown et al. ("Brown '870") and U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,718 to Brown et al. ("Brown '718") each disclose processes for providing dispersions of PTFE in organic solvents. The processes entail irradiating PTFE and subsequently adding the resulting product to the organic solvent. The combination is then subjected to high shear mixing to break PTFE agglomerations down to sub-micron size particles and to thereby provide the dispersion. Brown '718 and Brown '870 further teach that this dispersion may be introduced into oils and greases, and is useful in formulating PTFE coatings. U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,278 to Brown et al. ("Brown '278") further discloses a process in which PTFE is first irradiated, then dry milled, and then dispersed in an aqueous or organic solvent. Brown '278 teaches that this process facilitates dispersion as compared to simply blending PTFE with a dispersing medium during a high shear mixing step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,192 to Neuberg et al. discloses an apparatus and method for radiation degradation of PTFE, wherein radiation is supplied to a zone of a vessel, and agitation is provided to move portions of the PTFE material into and out of the irradiated zone. Provision is made for cooling the PTFE, including a cooling jacket or an addition of water to the reaction vessel. Neuberg et al. further teaches that an addition of water lowers the oil absorption of the resulting powder. An addition of air or oxygen to the reaction mixture is also disclosed.
British Patent 1,516,648 to Kholodov et al. discloses a method for regenerating PTFE wherein previously degraded PTFE is irradiated in the presence of fluorinated monomers. The process thereby causes a grafting of the monomers onto the PTFE. Kholodov further discloses a use of cooling water circulating through a jacket on the reactor vessel, and an addition of water directly to the PTFE and fluorinated monomers. The Kholodov reference teaches radiation regeneration, rather than radiation degradation. Accordingly, the effect of practicing the Kholodov method is to increase, rather than decrease the molecular weight of the PTFE. The reference also teaches that oils should be removed from the PTFE prior to irradiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,030 to Kigiya et al. discloses a process for preparing PTFE resin wax, whereby PTFE is degraded by an ionizing radiation in the presence of a gaseous mixture of air or oxygen with hydrogen and/or the vapor of halogenated methane. Prior to irradiation, the material is held at a temperature of 350.degree. C. (662.degree. F.).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,511 to Derbyshire discloses a method for providing a grindable PTFE material in which PTFE is irradiated in the presence of air or oxygen on a conveyer with concurrent or subsequent heating to a temperature of from 150.degree. F. to 600.degree. F. by an air-circulating oven. U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,442 to Dewey discloses an apparatus for irradiating: (1) a flexible sheet material; (2) a multiplicity of thin sheets; and (3) a filamentary material. Dewey also teaches that fluids may be irradiated by conveying them through an electron beam in a direction parallel to the direction of the electron flow.
The prior art methods of radiation degradation of PTFE do not provide friable PTFE products having micron and sub-micron sized particles that are flowable and/or easily dispersed in, for example, paints, inks, plastics, adhesives, motor oil and oil additives, and components thereof. Milling methods have limited ability to impart friability to such PTFE, or to provide fine, flowable powders that do not agglomerate. In addition, although the PTFE products of such methods can be dispersed in certain organic solvents with the aid of surfactants, a low surface energy often presents wetting limitations. Accordingly, a need exists for a simple technique for providing friable PTFE products having micron and sub-micron sized particles which exhibit superior flowability and/or dispersion characteristics in a variety of media.

Method of providing friable polytetrafluoroethylene products


A cover for protecting from undesired exposure a photoconductive member assembled to the housing of a printing cartridge for use in a printing machine is provided. The housing includes an aperture periphery defining an aperture therein for communication of illumination from an illumination source with the photoconductive member. The cover includes a first portion positionable adjacent the housing, a second portion operably associated with the first portion and at least partially extendible between the illumination source and the photoconductive member for protecting a substantial portion of the photoconductive member from exposure, a third portion operably associated with the second portion, the third portion removably securable to the housing, and a fourth portion operably associated with the third portion. The fourth portion is utilized for removal of the cover. As the third portion is pulled from the housing the third portion is directed along a path spaced from the photoconductive member.

This invention relates to electrostatographic reproduction machines, and more particularly to a shield for a photoconductive member for use in an economical and capacity-extendible all-in-one process cartridge for easy adaptive use in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and consumable life cycles.
Generally, the process of electrostatographic reproduction, as practiced in electrostatographic reproduction machines, includes charging a photoconductive member to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. A charged portion of the photoconductive surface is exposed at an exposure station to a light image of an original document to be reproduced. Typically, an original document to be reproduced is placed in registration, either manually or by means of an automatic document handler, on a platen for such exposure.
Exposing an image of an original document as such at the exposure station, records an electrostatic latent image of the original image onto the photoconductive member. The recorded latent image is subsequently developed using a development apparatus by bringing a charged dry or liquid developer material into contact with the latent image. Two component and single component developer materials are commonly used. A typical two-component dry developer material has magnetic carrier granules with fusible toner particles adhering triobelectrically thereto. A single component dry developer material typically comprising toner particles only can also be used. The toner image formed by such development is subsequently transferred at a transfer station onto a copy sheet fed to such transfer station, and on which the toner particles image is then heated and permanently fused so as to form a "hardcopy" of the original image.
It is well known to provide a number of the elements and components, of an electrostatographic reproduction machine, in the form of a customer or user replaceable unit (CRU). Typically such units are each formed as a cartridge that can be inserted or removed from the machine frame by a customer or user. Reproduction machines such as copiers and printers ordinarily include consumable materials such as toner, volume limiting components such as a waste toner container, and life cycle limiting components such as a photoreceptor and a cleaning device. Because these elements of the copying machine or printer must be replaced frequently, they are more likely to be incorporated into a replaceable cartridge as above.
There are therefore various types and sizes of cartridges, varying from single machine element cartridges such as a toner cartridge, to all-in-one electrostatographic toner image forming and transfer process cartridges. The design, particularly of an all-in-one cartridge can be very costly and complicated by a need to optimize the life cycles of different elements, as well as to integrate all the included elements, while not undermining the image quality. This is particularly true for all-in-one process cartridges to be used in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and elements having different life cycles.
There is therefore a need for a quality image producing, economical and capacity-extendible all-in-one process cartridge that is easily adapted for use in various machines in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and elements with different life cycles.
In the xerographic process, a photoconductive surface is utilized to attract marking particles. The exposure of the photoconductive surface to prolonged periods of light significantly shorten the useful live of the photoconductive surface. The utilization of copy machines and printers with print cartridges for replacement of a combination of consumable parts including the photoconductive surface and the marking particles requires that the print cartridge be configured so as to expose at least a portion of the photoconductive surface to light so that the photoconductive surface may be in communication with the illuminating source within the printing machine.
The photoconductive surface which is exposed in the print cartridge must be protected from light and contamination during shipment and storage of spare print cartridges. Attempts have been made to protect the photoconductive surface within the printing cartridges during shipment and storage. One such prior attempts at protecting the photoconductive surface is in the form of a cover that wraps all the way around the cartridge.
These prior art wrap around covers are plagued by a series of problems. Since the photoconductive surface needs to be exposed to the illumination source within the printing machine, the cover must be removed before use of the print cartridge. The photoconductive surface is very sensitive to contamination and light and thus the cover preferably should be removed after the print cartridge is installed within the machine. Covers, however, that wrap all the way around the print cartridge are very difficult to remove from the assembly and must be removed prior to the installation of the print cartridge. Thus, the photoconductive surface is often contaminated during installation by, for example, fingers or hands contacting the photoconductive surface during installation of the print cartridge.
Further, the use of covers that wrap all the way around the cartridge often are secured by means of an adhesive, for example, in the form of a glue secured against the print cartridge cover. It becomes very difficult to remove the cover after assembly without having the glue on the cover pass by and contaminate the photoconductive surface. The presence of even a small amount of glue on the photoconductive surface will damage the photoconductive surface and result in unacceptably poor copy quality.
More recently printing cartridges have been provided with an automatic shutter mechanism that exposes the photoconductive surface as the printing cartridge is installed into the printer. Such an automatic shutter mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,335. The automatic shutter mechanisms are very expensive to fabricate and assemble into the printing cartridge and are prone to mechanical problems related to repeated use. The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention:


Zwitterionic polymers having adhesive groups, methods for making the polymers, surfaces having the polymers grafted thereto and grafted therefrom, and methods for making and using the polymer-modified surfaces.

Significant progress in the development of novel nonfouling materials has been made for many applications such as biosensors, biomaterials, drug delivery systems, and marine coatings. Among these nonfouling materials are poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or oligo ethylene glycol (OEG), zwitterionic, glycomimetic, and peptidomimetic polymers. Recently zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (pSBMA) and poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (pCBMA) surfaces have been demonstrated as highly resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption with fibrinogen adsorption levels as low as <0.3 ng/cm2. Further studies demonstrate that these surfaces are also highly resist nonspecific protein adsorption even from undiluted blood plasma and serum and bacterial adhesion/biofilm formation. These studies are based on surface-grafting the zwitterionic monomers from a surface via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). While surface-initiated ATRP is an attractive method for achieving high packing densities and controllable film thicknesses, it is desirable to have a more convenient surface modification method to graft these zwitterionic polymers onto a variety of surfaces with various geometric shapes (e.g., interior of a small-diameter catheter tube) and surface chemistries.
Despite the advances in the development of low fouling polymers and polymer treated surfaces, a need exists for improved polymers that can be readily and effectively used to provide low fouling surfaces. The present invention seeks to fulfill this need and provides further related advantages.

Zwitterionic polymers having biomimetic adhesive linkages


A compatibilized polymer alloy has been developed which has excellent processability under thermaforming conditions and the molded articles produced from the alloy exhibit superior gloss, shrinkage, surface hardness, polarity, strength and high heat distortion. The alloy is, in general, comprised of a polyolefin composition, a polystyrene copolymer, or polymer blend, and a compatibilizing agent. This polymer composition or alloy is particularly useful in producing packaging materials and food containers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to compatibilizing two incompatible polymer systems, namely: polyolefins and styrene copolymers and polymer blends. The invention also relates to compounded, compatiblized polyolefin-styrene copolymer or polymeric blend compositions and specific articles of manufacture produced therefrom.
2. State of the Art
Polymeric blends have been known for years. Typically, blends of polymers result in a material which combines the poorest properties of the constituents. This is a result of the incompatibility of the constituent polymers resulting in little, if any, adhesion at the interface between the different constituent polymers. Furthermore, this incompatibility stems in part from the structure of the individual polymers. Thermodynamically, one polymeric phase has more of an affinity for itself than for the other polymeric phase so that intermolecular forces between the two polymers is weak. For example, a blend of a polar polymer and a non-polar polymer would result in an incompatible system demonstrating poor physical properties for lack of wetting and adhesion at the interface. Even in cases when the polarity of the polymers in a blend are similar, compatibility is generally not achieved because the entropy change upon mixing of high polymers is not favorable.
Such incompatibility problems may be overcome through the use of a compatibilizing agent. A compatibilizing agent is a material which, on a molecular scale, has particular regions which are compatible with each of the incompatible constituent polymers. Such compatibilizing agents typically surround one polymeric phase providing a chemical or physical bridge to the other polymeric phase. Insomuch as portions of the compatibilizing agent are compatible with each of the constituent polymers, the bonding between the two incompatible polymeric phases is effectively enhanced through this intermediate compatibilizing phase. Such a system of incompatible polymers coupled by a compatibilizing agent results in a material which advantageously combines the more desirable properties of the constituent polymers. Lindsey et al., J. Appl. Polymer Sci., Vol. 26, 1-8 (1981) describes a method of reclaiming mixed immiscible polymers by employing a compatibilizing agent. The system studied was a high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS) and styrene-ethylene-butene-1-styrene (SEBS) copolymer as the compatibilizing agent. These ternary blends were found to possess a considerable improvement in the balance of mechanical properties over a binary blend of high density polyethylene and polystyrene.
Bartlett et al., Modern Plastics, Dec. 1981, 60-62 describes a system comprising polypropylene, polystyrene and styrene-ethylene-butene-1-styrene as a compatibilizer. This work focused on those parameters that affected the extent of the polypropylene crystallinity.
Polystyrene homopolymers and copolymers compatibilized with polyolefins have been available for several years. Furthermore, molded articles have been produced from such compatibilized polymer compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,187 discloses a thermoformable polymer blend of a polyolefin, a styrene polymer and a styrenic block copolymer rubber. While a number of styrene polymers and copolymers are disclosed, a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride is not.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,509 discloses a multilayer thermoformable packaging material comprising a first layer of a) a vinylidene chloride polymer, b) an incompatible polymer, e.g., polyesters and nylons, and c) a compatibilizing agent and a second layer of a) a blend of an olefin polymer, a styrenic polymer, and a compatibilizing polymer, and b) scrap material produced from the first and second layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,130 discloses a multicomponent polymer blend comprised of a polyolefin, a selectively hydrogenated monoalkenyl arenediene block copolymer, and at least one dissimilar engineering thermoplastic resin.
None of the foregoing disclosures, teach, for example, a polyolefin compatiblized with a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride, nor mixtures of styrene polymers and copolymers such as a polystyrene, polyphenylene oxide, elastomer blend, such as General Electric's NORYL.RTM.. These particular polystyrene systems are unique in their chemistry as well as their physical properties.

Polyolefins compatibilized with styrene copolymers and/or polymer blends and articles produced therefrom


There is disclosed an apparatus for smelting copper which includes a smelting furnace, a separating furnace, a converting furnace, and launders connecting these furnaces in series. In the smelting furnace, copper concentrate is melted and oxidized to produce matte and slag. In the separating furnace, the matte is separated from the slag. In the converting furnace, the matte separated from the slag is oxidized to produce blister copper. A plurality of anode furnaces are provided for refining the blister copper produced in the converting furnace into copper of higher quality. A blister copper launder assembly, which has a main launder and a plurality of branch launders branched off from the main launder, is provided to connect the converting furnace and the anode furnaces together. A selecting device may be attached to the launder assembly for selectively bringing the main launder into fluid communication with one of the branch launders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for smelting copper sulfide concentrates to extract copper.
2. Prior Art
As schematically depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a copper smelting apparatus comprised of a plurality of furnaces is hitherto known. The smelting apparatus comprises a smelting furnace 1 for melting and oxidizing the copper concentrates supplied together with oxygen-enriched air, to produce a mixture of matte M and slag S, a separating furnace 2 for separating the matte M from the slag S, a converter or converting furnace 3 for oxidizing the separated matte M into blister copper C and slag, and anode furnaces 4 and 4 for refining the blister copper C thus obtained to produce copper of higher purity. In each of the smelting furnace 1 and the converting furnace 3, a lance 5 composed of a double-pipe structure is inserted through the furnace roof and attached thereto for vertical movement. Copper concentrates, oxygen-enriched air, flux and so on are supplied into each furnace through the lance 5. The separating furnace 2 is an electric furnace, which is equipped with electrodes 6.
As shown in FIG. 1, the smelting furnace 1, the separating furnace 2 and the converting furnace 3 are arranged so as to have different elevations in the descending order, and are connected in series through launder 7A and 7B, so that the melt is tapped via gravitation through these launders 7A and 7B.
The blister copper C produced continuously in the converting furnace 3 is stored temporarily in a holding furnace 8, and then received in a ladle 9, which is conveyed by means of a crane 10 to the anode furnaces 4, and the blister copper C is poured thereinto through the inlet formed in the top wall.
Thus, the process up to the converting furnace 3 is carried out in a continuous manner, while the anode furnaces 4 must be operated in batches since the final composition of the copper, i.e. the quality of the copper should be controlled there. The aforesaid holding furnace 8 is provided in order to adjust the timing due to this difference in operation.
In FIG. 2, the character L denotes an example of locus of the movement of the ladle 9 which conveys the blister copper melt from the holding furnace 8 to the anode furnaces 4. In the anode furnaces 4, the impurities are oxidized and removed from the blister copper C, and copper oxide formed during the oxidation is deoxidized into copper of higher quality. Then, the resulting copper is cast into anode plates and subjected to electro-refining to obtain higher purity.
In the conventional smelting apparatus as described above, although the operations up to the converting furnace 3 are carried out continuously, the refining operations at the anode furnaces 4 are conducted in batches. Therefore, the blister copper C produced in the converting furnace 3 must be stored temporarily in the holding furnace 8. Accordingly, the installation of the holding furnace 8 is required. In addition, the ladle, the crane and so on are required in order to transport the blister copper C from the holding furnace 8 to the anode furnaces 4. Furthermore, a large amount of energy has been required to keep the temperature of the blister copper C high enough during these operations. As a result, the expenses for the installation of the facilities as well as the running costs are high, and the opportunities for the reduction in the installed area of the smelting apparatus are limited.
Moreover, when receiving the blister copper melt in the ladle or pouring the melt therefrom, the melt is caused to fall from the elevated position. Hence, there occurs great air flow, accompanied by the production of gases containing sulfur dioxide and metal fumes, caused by mechanical impact, abrupt air expansion and so on, thereby adversely affecting the environment. Therefore, fume and dust collecting installation which is effective for large areas is required.

Apparatus for continuous copper smelting


A fan vibration absorbing structure includes a bearing cup and a vibration absorbing element. The bearing cup includes a first section, a second section and a bearing holding hole. The first and the second section are connected end-to-end to enclose a receiving space therein, which communicates with the bearing holding hole. The vibration absorbing element is fitted between the first and the second section. With the fan vibration absorbing structure included in a fan, it is able to largely reduce the vibration occurred during fan operation.

A cooling fan is a heat dissipation unit having good heat dissipation efficiency and being highly flexibly usable with other heat dissipation elements, and is therefore widely used at different places that require heat removal, including but not limited to traffic means, electric appliances, air-conditioning apparatuses and so on.
A cooling fan includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor is driven by electromagnetic induction to rotate relative to the stator. When the rotor rotates, blades thereon rotate at the same time to forcedly guide in and out airflow to dissipate heat. There are several types of fans, including axial-flow fans, cross-flow fans and centrifugal fans. Among others, the axial-flow fans are most frequently used with existing electronic devices for forcedly dissipating the heat produced by individual heat-producing elements and other electronic elements of the electronic devices. The cooling fans will inevitably produce vibration during operation to thereby adversely affect the operation of some precision electronic units, such as the hard disk drive, in the electronic devices. While all types of cooling fans will produce vibration during operation, such vibration is not allowed in some specific working environment, such as in servers. Therefore, it is very important to eliminate the occurrence of vibration during fan operation.

Fan vibration absorbing structure and fan using same


A physical disturbance sensor includes a plurality of piezoresistive elements configured in a resistive bridge configuration. A signal transmitter is electrically connected to the physical disturbance sensor and configured to send an encoded signal to the piezoresistive elements of the resistive bridge configuration. A signal receiver is electrically connected to the piezoresistive elements and configured to receive a signal from the physical disturbance sensor. The received signal from the physical disturbance sensor is correlated with the sent encoded signal in determining a measure of physical disturbance.

Piezo components can be used to detect and/or apply a physical disturbance (e.g., strain, force, pressure, vibration, etc.). There are two types of piezo components, piezoelectric and piezoresistive. With piezoelectric components, when a physical disturbance is applied on the component, the piezoelectric component produces a voltage/charge in proportion to the magnitude of the applied physical disturbance. This effect is reversible. Applying a voltage/charge on the piezoelectric component produces a mechanical response proportional to the applied voltage/charge. Piezoelectric components are often made of crystal or ceramic materials such as PZT (i.e., lead zirconate titanate). With piezoresistive components, when a physical disturbance is applied on the component, the piezoresistive component produces a change in resistance in proportion to the magnitude of the applied physical disturbance.

Increasing sensitivity of a sensor using an encoded signal


A video output signal analyzes that analyzes a video output signal to determine game play information. In video poker, card values and player strategies can be determined based on a “reverse encoding” of the video signal to determine the original video bitmap. The bitmap can then be analyzed to determine what is taking place during a game, without having to receive this information directly from the processing unit that is actually implementing the game.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system to decode video signal output on an Electronic Gaming Device (EGD) and determine player actions which can then be transmitted to a casino database for promotional and other use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video poker is a popular form of wagering in a casino. In a standard game of video poker, a player is dealt five cards, the player can indicate which cards the player wishes to discard, upon which the player can press a draw button and the discarded cards can then be replaced. Video poker machines can transmit to a casino host a result of each game which includes how much the player has won or lost on each game.
The current infrastructure may not provide an easy way for an EGD to transmit a video poker player's decisions. For example, a player may choose to select to hold certain cards but the EGD may be designed to only transmit to a casino database certain limited information. However, other systems may be configured to provide further information regarding the player actions, cards dealt, cards held etc.
For years the casino industry has been faced with a dichotomy; slot players are rated on a real time actual basis while table games players are rated on an estimated basis. Part of the problem for casinos is that in blackjack in particular, player decisions may significantly affect the expected win for a casino. Likewise with video poker, player decisions have a significant impact on casino win. However, present systems may not be capable of accounting for the impact of player decisions in video poker. The result is that casinos only realize very late in their relationship with a customer that their play varies substantially from what it should be. Present systems typically utilize an average theoretical win per hand for video poker players as opposed to trying to accurately gauge the true value of a video poker player.
It would be desirable if the EGD could transmit to the casino database information about what decisions the player has made. Certain players may be more desirable to the casino than other players based on their decisions. By not transmitting such information, the casino is missing out on relevant information. For systems that do transmit detailed play information, it is desirable for a system that collects, analyzes and processes the received information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System to decode video signal from electronic gaming device and to determine play information


In a color correction apparatus for a color display device using 2-dimensional (2-D) chromaticity partitioning, a chromaticity plane is unevenly partitioned such that partitioned areas adjacent to each vertex of the chromaticity plane have larger areas. An area determining unit projects an input 3-D color signal onto the 2-D chromaticity plane, and outputs an index representing the location of the input color signal in the 2-D chromaticity plane. A first memory stores index values of the unevenly partitioned areas of the chromaticity plane, and outputs an index value corresponding to the index. A second memory stores transform coefficients of a matrix defining an input-output relationship of the color signal and outputs a predetermined number of transform coefficients stored in an address designated by the index value output by the first memory. A color signal operator performs a matrix-multiplication on the input color signals according to the predetermined number of transform coefficients output by the second memory, and outputs converted color signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color correction method in a color display device and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a color correction method and apparatus using two-dimensional (2-D) chromaticity partitioning. The present application is based upon Korean Application No. 96-14711, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a color display device, such as a color television receiver, receives and demodulates a color signal which is produced according to a broadcast standard (e.g., NTSC or PAL) and is displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT). However, the received color signal is distorted for various reasons. One of the main reasons is due to color signal processing in the color TV receiver. In other words, there exists a difference between an input color and an output color from the CRT due to the difference between the characteristics of the R, G, B phosphor in the CRT and those of a predetermined broadcasting standard. Also, a color deviation of intermediate colors is generated due to non-linearity of the color TV receiver circuit.
Further, an output device such as a color TV receiver sometimes requires a visual-sensitive color correction process in order to complement insufficient portions of the original colors or accommodate a difference in personal preference on colors. A color correction apparatus is an apparatus for correcting the phase and amplitude of a color signal initially input to a color display device so as to be the same as that of a final output signal.
One of the typical color correction apparatuses is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,875 issued Sep. 22, 1987 to Hiroyasu Kishi and entitled, "AUTOMATIC HUE CORRECTION CIRCUIT." In the apparatus, a received color signal is corrected to suit a user's taste in colors by adjusting two reference phases in a chromaticity demodulator of a color TV receiver. However, such an apparatus causes distortion of colors other than the user's desired color.
A partial color correction method using six hue areas in chromaticity is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,080 issued Jan. 29, 1991 to Takanori Ito and entitled, "COLOR CORRECTION DEVICE WITH A HUE AREA JUDGEMENT UNIT TO DETERMINE CORRECTION PARAMETERS." However, the partial color correction method has difficulty in carrying out the partial color correction for colors which are a mix of the primary colors.

Color correction method and apparatus using uneven two-dimensional chromaticity partitioning


A method for sealing an annulus defined between an outer casing and an inner casing, the method having steps as follows: fastening a lock ring to an anchor base, wherein the lock ring comprises a threaded fastener of the lock ring to the head; positioning the lock ring and anchor base about the outer casing; fastening a limit clamp to an exterior surface of the outer casing; repositioning the lock ring and anchor base so that the anchor base is in contact with the limit clamp; fastening a head to the lock ring; providing an opening for fluid communication with the annulus through the head; positioning a plug about the inner casing and in contact with the inner casing and the head; positioning a seal fitting clamp about the inner casing and in contact with the plug; positioning a bull cap about the inner casing and in contact with the seal fitting clamp; and fastening the bull cap to the head.

The present invention relates generally to well head equipment for production wells. In particular, this invention relates to tools and methods for sealing the casing-by-casing annulus at the top of the well bore so that a positive pressure may be applied to the annulus.
Production wells typically have a surface casing that extends from the top of the well and into the earth to a relatively shallow depth. It is also typical for a production casing to be positioned concentrically within the surface casing and so as to extend from the top of the well to a relatively deep depth. A casing-by-casing annulus is defined between the surface casing and the production casing.
In certain instances, it is desirable to apply a pressure differential in the annulus relative to atmospheric pressure at the well head. For example, if a reverse circulation cement (RCC) job is to be performed in the annulus, the cement is pumped into the annulus under positive pressure to pump the cement composition down the annulus. Prior to applying the pressure differential in the annulus, steps must be taken to isolate or seal the annulus at the well head. Previously, blow out preventor (BOP) and/or well head equipment has been used to seal the annulus. However, typical blow out preventor and well head equipment do not provide access to the annulus for performing a reverse circulation cement job. Typical blow out preventor and well head equipment limits the use of reverse circulation cementing operations on wells where surface casing is not fitted to accept the wellhead equipment. Further, even where the surface casing is configured to accept the BOP and/or well head equipment, significant hot work is typically required to install BOP flanges or wellhead equipment to the surface casing.

Method and means to seal the casing-by-casing annulus at the surface for reverse circulation cement jobs


Disclosed is a transformed yeast cell containing a first heterologous DNA sequence which codes for a mammalian G protein-coupled receptor and a second heterologous DNA sequence which codes for a mammalian G protein α subunit (mammalian Gα). The first and second heterologous DNA sequences are capable of expression in the cell, but the cell is incapable of expressing an endogenous G protein α-subunit (yeast Gα). The cells are useful for screening compounds which affect the rate of dissociation of Gα from Gβγ in a cell. Also disclosed is a novel DNA expression vector useful for making cells as described above. The vector contains a first segment comprising at least a fragment of the extreme amino-terminal coding sequence of a yeast G protein-coupled receptor. A second segment is positioned downstream from the first segment (and in correct reading frame therewith), with the second segment comprising a DNA sequence encoding a heterologous G protein-coupled receptor.

The actions of many extracellular signals (for example, neurotransmitters, hormones, odorants, light) are mediated by receptors with seven transmembrane domains (G protein coupled receptors) and heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins). See H. Dohlman, M. Caron, and R. Lefkowitz, Biochemistry 26, 2657 (1987); L. Stryer and H. Bourne, Ann. Rev. Cell Biol. 2, 391 (1988). Such G protein-mediated signaling systems have been identified in organisms as divergent as yeast and man. See H. Dohlman et al., supra; L. Stryer and H. Bourne, supra; K. Blumer and J. Thorner, Annu. Rev, Physiol. (in press). The β2-adrenergic receptor (βAR) is the prototype of the seven-transmembrane-segment class of ligand binding receptors in mammalian cells. In response to epinephrine or norepinephrine, βAR activates a C protein, Gs, which in turn stimulates adenylate cyclase and cyclic adenosine monophosphate production in the cell. See H. Dohlman et al., supra; L. Stryer and H. Bourne, supra. G protein-coupled pheromone receptors in yeast control a developmental program that culminates in mating (fusion) of a and a haploid cell types to form the a/α diploid. See K. Blumer and J. Thorner, supra; I. Herskowitz, Microbiol. Rev. 52, 536 (1988).
The present invention is based on our continued research into the expression of heterologous G protein coupled receptors in yeast.

Expression of G protein coupled receptors in yeast

Duke University Office of Science and Technology


A separator including a conical member having a base; a substantially cylindrical member extending from the base; a separator inlet for introducing liquid to be separated into the conical member in a substantially tangential direction with respect to a sidewall of the conical member; a heavy phase outlet communicated with an apex portion of the conical member; and a light phase outlet communicated with the cylindrical member.

The invention relates to separation of fluids and, more particularly, to a separator which can advantageously separate liquids of different density as well as gases and/or solids from liquids.
Separation of different phases of a multi-phase flow is a frequently encountered problem in various industries including but not limited to the production of hydrocarbons. In the production of hydrocarbons, phases are frequently generated which contain different fractions of liquid of different densities as well as gas phases, solid phases or both. The rapid and efficient separation of these phases can be critical for processing of the flow into various different products of increased value, and also to generate different phases which can be treated in subsequent processes.
Numerous attempts have been made to provide suitable separation mechanisms. Despite the foregoing, the need remains for a simple, efficient and effective device and method for accomplishing this separation.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide such a system and method.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method which has simple construction and few or no parts subject to excessive wear whereby the system is easily maintained.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method which occupies little space as compared to other systems, and which can readily be incorporated into existing fluid handling equipment.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear herein below.

Separator for liquids and/or multiphase fluids