An improved accuracy phase shifter having cascaded phase shifting modules is provided for phase shifting a pulse train which rather than utilizing two pairs of control voltage leads for each phase shifting module, utilizes only one pair to significantly reduce the electromagnetic interference between the cascaded phase shifting modules. The result is that the phase of an incoming pulse train can be shifted from 0 to 360xc2x0 in 3xc2x0 increments with +/xe2x88x921xc2x0 accuracy. When the subject phase shifter is utilized in long haul fiber-optic cable networks operating at 10 gigabits/sec. for correcting phase offsets of data streams transmitted over ultra long distances, the utilization of the subject phase shifter plays a part in obviating the necessity of having regeneration units every 70 to 100 miles, thus permitting error-free transmission over as many as 2500 miles without the requirement for regeneration.

This invention relates to phase shifting and more particularly to a precision phase shifter having improved accuracy and reduction of complexity.
Note: Applies to fiber optic networks or any broadband, high data rate communication. In fiber optic cable networks, or indeed in any broadband high data rate communications system, there is a requirement to regenerate or amplify the signals along a cable path so as to provide robust communication from a head-end system to a destination or receiver. With transmission rates presently exceeding 10 gigabits/sec., loss of timing results in lost data or degration of data integrity when the pulse trains are transmitted over long distances. In such a high data rate system the behavior of electric circuits is quite similar to microwave circuits operating in the 5 GHz range. Thus, part of the loss of data can be viewed as the result of a phase shift between a data pulse train and a clock pulse train due to the dispersion which occurs in fiber optic cables over long distances. Loss of data can also be due to loss of signal amplitude over the distance and degradation of the signal shape such as broadening of the signal pulse due to dispersion inside the optical cables.
The problem involved in the transmission of data streams over long distances is thus the fact that the data streams themselves degrade such that not only is the amplitude of the signals reduced with distance, the waveforms which are originally squared up become degraded. As a result, in some instances the degraded pulse trains cannot be appropriately sampled, retrieved and recovered due to a phase offset in the timing between timing pulses sent at the same time as the data stream.
In the past, the degradation due to dispersion and other artifacts was such that regeneration units needed to be dispersed along the transmission line every 70 to 100 miles. The reason that the regeneration units were necessary was to shape up the pulses that had degraded and to realign them with respect to a timing reference. It will however be appreciated that regeneration units are expensive and in general require an optical filter, a photo detector and an amplifier along with a data-recovery system which after the pulses are squared up are adjusted in time to realign them with a recovered clock signal. Regeneration usually requires converting the optical signals back to electronic, then amplifying and re-shaping, and then converting them into optical signals again. While some regeneration uses all-optics amplifiers without converting into electronic signals and back, there is still the need for electric power to operate the regeneration systems.
In the past, one method of recovering the data involved shifting the entire data stream either forward or backward so that the phase delay between the clock stream and the data stream could be adjusted by the operator for the entire system or in some cases reduced to zero. Note that the amount of shift can be under operator control to achieve desired alignment between data and clock pulse. This was accomplished by dialing in a particular phase shift to shift the data pulse train such that the leading or trailing edges of the clock and data pulses would be aligned.
Phase shift, as used herein, refers to the offset between either leading or trailing edges of a clock pulse and those of the data pulse train.
In order to shift the pulse train by for instance a full 360xc2x0, it was a practice to serially connect or cascade a number of phase shifting modules, that incrementally phase shifted the input signal as it passed through the various phase shifting modules. The desideratum was to be able to exercise phase shift control to one degree of resolution over the entire 360xc2x0.
This required a large number of phase shifting units of different phase shift angles whose combinations could give any angle between zero and 360xc2x0. However, when phase shift modules were serially connected together in a reasonable package, cross talk between the phase-shifting modules, particularly among the control wires to the modules resulted in a practical limit of phase shift resolution to about 12xc2x0+/xe2x88x923xc2x0 for a bit rate of nominally 10 gigabit/sec, or frequency around 5 GHz.
It will be appreciated that a 12xc2x0 phase shift is unacceptable in terms of the precision by which the pulse train needed to be shifted with respect to the clock pulse train, and as such, resulted in the inability to eliminate the costly regeneration units.
As will be seen, key to the subject invention is the recognition that the cause of the phase shift errors is the many pairs of control wires to the phase shifting modules inside a compact container, which cause electromagnetic interference with one another in an unpredictable manner. Note that the control wires carry electric voltages that either activate or de-activate a particular phase shifting module. The use of the multiple pains of control was led to the realization that with the presently available phase shifting modules, it would be impossible to reliably control phase shifting to the accuracy required for eliminating the regeneration units in for instance a fiber optic cable system stretching for 2500 miles.
Secondly, in the prior art, two voltages on 2 pairs of control wires were utilized for the phase shifting modules to switch in and out two different electrical paths of differing length. In these phase shifters it was found that the two voltages must switch in perfect sync in order for the phase shifts to be reliably produced.
In point of fact, however, the two control voltages have different voltage rise and fall times which are the result of the internal capacitance of the circuit, such that by utilizing the two voltages and having any mismatch in the rise and fall times, phase shift errors occurred due to mismatch in the transitions in the two voltages.
While it will be noted that dimensional changes of connectors and circuit elements inside the entire phase shifter unit due to temperature changes result in systematic errors which can be characterized by testing and therefore can be compensated, cross talk between the many pairs of control wires results in random errors that cannot be systematically compensated, thus, still presenting a problem.
The result of the inability to control the phase shift resolution to only 12xc2x0 at 5 GHz prevented long haul fiber optic cable plants from eliminating the number of regenerators required. The inability to shift the received data pulse trains to the required accuracy thus severely limited the ability to provide a cost-effective high-speed fiber optic network.
It has now been found that in a fiber optic transmission system having a 10-gigabit/sec bit rate a 3xc2x0+/xe2x88x921xc2x0 resolution is achievable using binary combinations of control voltages in which only one voltage and only one pair of control wires is utilized for the individual phase shifting modules of the phase shifter over the entire range of 360xc2x0. It has been found with the subject techniques that each of the phase shifting modules of seven different angles, namely 180xc2x0, 90xc2x0, 45xc2x0, 22.5xc2x0, 11.25xc2x0, 6xc2x0 and 3xc2x0, can achieve a phase shift of any multiple of 3xc2x0 with an accuracy of +/xe2x88x921xc2x0. What this accuracy means is that a number of regeneration units can be eliminated. In one embodiment, pulse trains were recovered when transmitted over 2500 miles without regeneration along the way. Note that in one embodiment a 180xc2x0 phase shift is achieved by cascading two 90xc2x0 phase shift modules.
As mentioned above, this accuracy is achieved through the utilization of only one control voltage, which requires only one pair of wires for each module. The result is that the subject systems succeed in reducing the number of control wires by 50%, and consequently the amount of interference among the seven phase shifting modules inside the phase shifter. Additionally, there is no unwanted error due to the transitioning of the control voltage because there is only one control voltage utilized, versus two in the traditional design.
In one embodiment the phase shifting modules utilize PIN diodes as switching devices to reroute the microwave clock and data streams, which fall under microwave frequency regime, to change its propagation length and therefore its propagation delay and phase. In a preferred embodiment, a single control line is utilized to carry a bipolar control voltage to switch the signal state of the phase shifting module. For instance, a positive control voltage for one single phase state, and a negative signal control voltage for the other signal phase state causes the signals to go through one of two paths through the phase shifting module. For each signal path in the phase shifting element, there are two PIN diodes, a resistor and a capacitor, in its simplest form.
Thus, each phase shifting module comprises two signal paths of different length to provide a predetermined value or difference. The microwave input signal is switched between the two paths to obtain the desired phase shift.
In one embodiment for each phase shifting module there is one DC blocking capacitor for the input and one for the output, with the control voltage introduced through an RF choke in one end and returned to ground through another RF choke in the other end.
It will be appreciated that the PIN diodes can be completely turned on by forward-biasing with a forward current and turned off by reverse-biasing it.
The result is that a simplified physical arrangement is achieved for the control lines to an individual phase shifting module, which minimizes the interference of the DC control lines with respect to the phase shifting performance. Moreover, since the control voltage is switched from positive to negative in a single continuous sweep without complicated crossover control circuits, smooth phase shifting can be achieved. This is because there is only one rise and fall time for the control voltage. Since there is no interplay between the rise and fall times of two separate control voltages as was the case in prior art systems, timing and phase errors associated with the non-synchronized voltages are eliminated.
The result of cascading the phase shifting modules is that for an equivalent to a 5 GHz microwave system, a more precise ultimate phase shifting result is achieved. Being able to phase-adjust the data pulse train vis-xc3xa1-vis the clock pulses in such a precise manner permits the removal of regeneration units normally thought to be required in long-haul fiber optic cable systems. Being able to adjust data pulse train vis-xc3xa1-vis the clock pulses in such a precise manner in a 10 gigabit/sec system provides a key functional capability to xe2x80x9clong haulxe2x80x9d optical systems such that the distance between regeneration is now substantially increased. For instance, in a 2500 mile length of cable, it has been found that one needs only a preamplifier and squaring circuit at the receive end, followed by the ability to phase shift the recovered pulse train to a 3xc2x0 accuracy which maintains acceptably low error rates in the data transmission.
In summary, an improved accuracy phase shifter having cascaded phase shifting modules is provided for phase shifting a pulse train which rather than utilizing two pairs of control voltage leads for each phase shifting module, utilizes only one pair to significantly reduce the interference between the cascaded phase shifting modules. The result is that the phase of an incoming pulse train can be shifted from 0 to 360xc2x0 in 3xc2x0 increments with +/xe2x88x921xc2x0 accuracy. When the subject phase shifter is utilized in fiber-optic cable networks operating at 10 gigabits/sec. for correcting phase offsets of data streams transmitted over ultra long distances, the utilization of the subject phase shifter plays a part in obviating the necessity of having regeneration units every 70 to 100 miles, thus permitting error-free transmission over as many as 2500 miles without the requirement for regeneration.

Method and apparatus for improving the accuracy of a phase shifter


An implant comprising an implant material forming a base made of one or more metallic elements; a diffusion layer covering the base made of at least one of the metallic elements of the implant material and at least magnesium; and, optionally, a metal layer covering the diffusion layer made of magnesium or a biocorrodible magnesium alloy.

An implant is generally understood as any medical device made of one or more materials which is intentionally introduced into the body and is either partially or entirely covered by an epithelial surface. Implants may be divided into temporary and permanent implants in regard to the usage time. Temporary implants remain in the body for a limited time. Permanent implants are intended to remain permanently in the body. Furthermore, implants may be differentiated into prostheses and artificial organs. For purposes of the present disclosure, a prosthesis is a medical device which replaces limbs, organs, or tissue of the body, while an artificial organ is understood as a medical device which partially or entirely replaces the function of a bodily organ. For example, implants such as orthopedic or osteosynthetic implants, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, and vascular implants fall under the cited definitions.
An implant material is a nonliving material which is used for an application in medicine and interacts with biological systems. A basic requirement for the use of a material as an implant material, which is in contact with the bodily environment when used as intended, is its bodily compatibility (biocompatibility). For purposes of the present disclosure, biocompatibility is understood as the capability of a material to cause an appropriate tissue reaction in a specific application. This includes an adaptation of the chemical, physical, biological, and morphological surface properties of an implant to the receiving tissue with the object of a clinically desirable interaction. The biocompatibility of the implant material is also a function of the time curve of the reaction of the biosystem in which the implant material is implanted. Thus, relatively short-term irritations and inflammations occur which may result in tissue changes. Toxicity, allergies, or even cancer formation are the moderate to long-term results of a lack of biocompatibility.
Biological systems react differently to foreign bodies as a function of the properties of the material or component. The implant materials may be divided into bioactive, bioinert, and degradable/resorbable materials in accordance with the reaction of the biosystem.
For purposes of the present disclosure, only metallic implant materials are of interest, whose application is in osteosynthesis, joint replacement, dental surgery, and vascular surgery, for example. Biocompatible metals and metal alloys or permanent implants comprise rustproof steels (e.g., 316L), cobalt-based alloys (e.g., CoCrMo cast alloys, CoCrMo forged alloys, CoCrWNi forged alloys, and CoCrNiMo forged alloys), pure titanium and titanium alloys (e.g., cp titanium, TiAl6V4, or TiAl6Nb7), and gold alloys. In the field of biocorrodible implants, the use of magnesium or pure iron as well as biocorrodible base alloys of elements magnesium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, and tungsten are desirable.
A biological reaction to metallic elements is a function of the concentration, action time, and type of the supply. The presence of an implant material frequently results in inflammation reactions, whose triggers may be mechanical irritations, chemical materials, but also metabolic products. The inflammation reaction is typically accompanied by the immigration of neutrophilic granulocytes and monocytes through the vascular walls, the immigration of lymphocyte effector cells with formation of specific antibodies against the inflammation stimulus, the activation of the complementary system with release of complementary factors, which act as mediators, and finally the activation of blood coagulation. An immunological reaction is usually closely connected to the inflammation reaction and may result in sensitization and allergy formation. Known metallic allergens comprise, for example, nickel, chromium, and cobalt, which are also used as alloy components in many surgical implants.
In addition to its biocompatibility, the implant material must, of course, also always fulfill its functional tasks, namely, for example, at least temporarily ensuring the mechanical integrity of the implant and possibly shielding an implant interior in relation to the surrounding material. Because of this, frequently only compromises between all of the requirements to be fulfilled may be implemented on the material in the material selection.
Furthermore, it is known that a higher degree of biocompatibility may be achieved if metallic implant materials are provided with coatings made of especially tissue-compatible materials. These materials are usually of an organic or synthetic-polymer nature and are partially of natural origin. In spite of the progress achieved, there is still a high demand for at least alternative approaches. Thus, for example, the problem frequently arises that the coatings to be applied only adhere inadequately, in particular, in regard to the conditions existing during the implantation.
Furthermore, in manifold medical implants, the most solid and/or secure anchoring possible of the implant on the implantation location is desired. Fundamentally, especially in metallic permanent implants, the problem arises that an implant may not be integrated permanently in the meaning of biological ingrowth into the cell composite. This is usually expressed in the formation of a layer similar to connective tissue around the implant. This layer similar to connective tissue prevents the direct contact of the cells of the surrounding tissue with the implants; the implant is only still anchored by a form fit, but not by biological adhesion, by the cells in this case.
In the case of permanent implants made of titanium and titanium materials, direct colonization of the implant surface with vital cells is frequently observed, but in many cases the layer similar to connective tissue described here also occurs. In addition, an increasing tendency toward loosening and the formation of a layer similar to connective tissue is also frequently observed with progressing implantation time in titanium implants. In rare cases, bioincompatible to cytotoxic reactions also occur in titanium implants at the interface between implant and tissue, especially in the event of longer implantation times.
These reactions are even more significantly pronounced in the case of other implant materials, such as CoCr alloys or implant steels.
Special textures of the implant surface, which make colonization with cells easier and are to encourage the formation of contact points between cell and implant surface, also only inadequately solve the problem. Functional surfaces which are to suppress the formation of a layer similar to connective tissue by special coatings are still predominantly in the research stage; there are not yet reliable findings about the long-term suitability of these layers, which are frequently monomolecular.
If the experimentally available implants up to this point, made of the so-called biologically degradable materials, are also taken into consideration in this observation, biological incompatibilities up to necrosis of the tissue are also found here, especially if an accumulation of the degradation products of such metals is in contact with tissue. Such results have been found, for example, in the evaluation of zinc and zinc-based alloys as implant materials for vascular implants and are to be expected upon the use of degradable implants made of iron, iron alloys, tungsten, and other metals fundamentally degradable in the body, because the body identifies the compounds formed as foreign bodies and a foreign body reaction occurs. Such a reaction typically also results in activation of the immune system connected with a local inflammation. These impairments also result in a slowed healing procedure, connected with a delayed colonization with cells, the formation of layers similar to connective tissue, and a delayed healing procedure.
The surface of orthopedic implants made of the titanium alloy TiAl6V4 may be modified by ion beam implantation using magnesium ions in such a manner that the colonization by human osteoblasts is made easier (Zreiqat et al.; "The effect of surface chemistry modification of titanium alloy on signaling pathways in human osteoblasts"; Biomaterials; 2005; pp. 7579-7586). The ion implantation results in an enrichment of magnesium to a content of approximately 10 atomic-% to a depth of approximately 60 nm of the material. The entry depth of magnesium is a function of the energy of the incident ions, i.e., enrichment of the magnesium occurs in specific surface-proximal layers of the material depending on the energy profile. Conversion of the implant surface, which still contains or comprises titanium dioxide in the event of titanium and titanium alloys, does not occur.

Implant having a surface-proximal magnesium-containing diffusion layer and associated production method


A method for producing MMA-d8 which includes a step of exchanging D in hydroxyl group of methanol-d4 represented by the formula: CD3OD with H to prepare the methanol-d3 represented by the formula CD3OH and simultaneously recovering a deuterium-containing compound, and a step of reacting methanol-d3 with sulfuric acid salt of methacrylic acid amide represented by the formula CD2=(CD3)CO(NH2.H2SO4) to prepare MMA-d8 represented by the formula: CD2=(CD3)COOCD3.

1. Field of the Invention
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-312743, filed Sep. 4, 2003, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an excellent method in terms of utilization efficiency of deuterium atoms for producing deuterated methyl methacrylate-d8 represented by the formula CD2=C(CD3)COOCD3 (D represents a deuterium atoms), which is hereinafter referred to as MMA-d8 sometimes, from acetone-d6, (CD3)2CO, and methanol-d4, hereinafter sometimes referred to as CD3OD. MMA-d8 is a long-awaited compound as a raw material for plastic optical fibers and optical waveguide materials having low transmission loss.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic optical fibers are essential for large capacity communication networks installed in houses and offices and are a functional medium having a combination of low losses and large bandwidth of quartz optical fibers and tractability of copper wires. A polymer optical wave guide which has a large thermooptical effect and is easy to process is a long-awaited material in constructing optical communication devices such as optical waveguides instead of conventional glass or inorganic crystal materials.
An inexpensive and processable polymethylmethacrylic acid (PMMA) heretofore has often been used as a material for polymer optical communication. PMMA is mainly used in visible wavelength regions because of high absorption loss of the optical signal due to carbon-hydrogen bonding at wavelengths in the near-infrared region which is used for the optical signal, however, transmission loss is also high at visible wavelength regions since the overtone of near-infrared absorption appears in the near-infrared region. Deuterated PMMA in which hydrogens are replaced by deuterium atoms has been developed to solve this problem. Deuterated PMMA makes it possible to form a material for optical communication having low transmission loss due to a shift to the long-wavelength side of near-infrared absorption.
MMA-d8, which is a raw material of deuterated PMMA, may be prepared by applying the acetone cyanohydrin method (ACH method), generally. In this method, methylmethacrylate-d8 is prepared by synthesizing deuterated acetone cyanohydrin from acetone-d6 and hydrocyanic acid or deuterated hydrocyanic acid, reacting with sulfuric acid or deuterated sulfuric acid, and esterifying of methanol-d4 or methanol-d3, hereinafter referred to as CD3OH, the methyl group of which is fully deuterated (see documents 1 and 2).
Acetone-d6 as a raw material is prepared by reacting acetone and deuterated water under the presence of potassium carbonate or reacting acetone and deuterated water under the presence of sulfuric acid. On the other hand, deuterated methanol and methanol-d4 are prepared by reacting deuterium and carbon monoxide in the same way methanol method is normally synthesized. CD3OH is produced by bringing methanol-d4 into contact with a large quantity of water is nor, for example, refer documents 3 and 4.
As described above, methanol-d4 is easier to synthesize and acquire as deuterated methanol than methanol-d3. When methylmethacrylate-d8 is synthesized by the conventional ACH method using methanol-d4 and acetone-d6 as a raw material, reacting acetone-d6 with normal hydrocyanic acid to produce acetone cyanohydrin-d6, further treating with normal non-deuterated sulfuric acid, and reacting with methanol-d4, 2 atoms of deuterium atom is mixed into waste sulfuric acid water and waste ammonium sulfate. A great amount of work is needed for recovering these deuterated atoms from these waste, expensive deuterated atoms would be loss in large quantity when waste, and a large amount of energy loss occurs when recover, thereby production costs increase.    Document 1: J. Poly. Sci., vol. 62, S95 (1962)    Document 2: J. Phy. Org. Chem. vol. 8, P249 (1995)    Document 3: Bull. Soc. Chim. Belg., 56 (1947) 81    Document 4: J. chem. Phys., 10 (1942) 694

Method for producing deuterated methyl methacrylate


A shelter is disclosed for an animal, the shelter including demountable first and second frames adapted to be releasably connectable to a flexible support and a flexible cover, providing a substantially enclosed space for receiving an animal, particularly a dog, when the shelter is in use. Each of the first and second frames, the flexible support and flexible cover are manufactured from lightweight materials. The components of the shelter can either be totally or partially dismantled to be packed together in a substantially flat configuration.

This invention relates to a shelter. In particular, this invention is directed to a portable shelter that finds especial, but not limiting, use as a shelter for an animal, for example, a domestic pet such as a dog or cat.
A favorite domesticated animal is the dog. Despite its domesticity, a dog requires a cave-like quarters to rest which offer security and a comfortable sleeping accommodation elevated from the ground. Typically, such quarters are provided by the commonly known kennel.
However, a dog kennel, typically manufactured from metal or hardwood timber, is usually of a fixed construction and is generally bulky and cumbersome to transport. Such bulky fixed constructions are inconvenient when the kennel has to be moved, for example, for cleaning purposes or a change in residence.
It would thus be advantageous to provide a lightweight easily transportable shelter for an animal.
There are a number of prior art shelters which attempt to overcome the above identified disadvantages. However, such devices only address one of the problems. For example, the shelter may be transportable, but it is still relatively heavy. Another shelter may be lightweight, but it is still relatively bulky and yet others include additional features which are not necessarily required by the purchaser, such as removable litter trays and close-fitting padding to cover the animal for extra warmth, these additional features adding to the weight and cost of the shelter.
There thus remains a need for a relatively inexpensive basic lightweight, easily transportable animal shelter which, in general, is the object of the present invention.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shelter for an animal, the shelter including the components:                a first frame consisting of a pair of first end frame members and a pair of first side frame members;        a flexible support adapted to be releasably connectable to the first frame;        a second frame consisting of a pair of second end frame members and adapted to be releasably connectable to the first frame; and        a flexible cover releasably connectable to and supported by the second frame and adapted such that, in combination with the flexible support, provides a substantially enclosed space for receiving and supporting the animal when the shelter is in use;        wherein the pair of first end frame members are each connectable to a corresponding end of the flexible support, and the pair of first side frame members are each connectable to a corresponding the of said flexible support, each end of the first end frame member and the first side frame member including a connector adapted to function as a releasable snap-fit connection to a respective the second end frame member; and        wherein each of the first frame, the second frame, the flexible support and the flexible cover are manufactured from a lightweight material and are adapted such that, when said components are disassembled, the components can be stored together in a substantially flat configuration.
As a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shelter for an animal, the shelter including the components:                a first frame consisting of a pair of first end frame members and a pair of first side frame members;        a flexible support adapted to be releasably connectable to the first frame;        a second frame consisting of a pair of second end frame members and adapted to be releasably connectable to the first frame; and        a flexible cover releasably connectable to and supported by the second frame and adapted such that, in combination with the flexible support, provides a substantially enclosed space for receiving and supporting the animal when said shelter is in use;        each of the first frame, the second frame, the flexible support and the flexible cover being manufactured from a lightweight material;        wherein the pair of first end frame members are each connectable to a corresponding end of the flexible support and the pair of first side frame members are each connectable to a corresponding side of the flexible support;        each end of the first side frame member includes a first connector adapted to function as a releasable snap-fit connection to a respective first end frame member;        each end of the first end frame member includes a second connector adapted to function as a disengagable snap-fit connection to a respective second end frame member;        each first connector of each first side frame member being adapted to enable each respective second end frame member to pivot about the respective first end frame member sufficient for each second frame member to be positioned substantially overlapping and near to the flexible support, with or without the flexible cover in position, sufficient for the components to be stored in a substantially flat configuration.
Preferably, the pair of second end frame members are adapted such that, when the first frame and the second frame are assembled, the second end frame members extend above the first frame to a respective apex.
Optionally, a support member can extend between and be releasably connectable to each apex.
Preferably, each end and each side of the flexible support include a sleeve through which a respective first end frame member or first side member may pass.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, the flexible cover has lower edges which are adapted to extend around respective first end and first side members of the first frame sufficient to be releasably secured to the undersurface of the flexible support.
Preferably, in the first embodiment, the lower edges of the flexible cover are secured to the undersurface of the flexible support by a hook and pile fastener commonly known as a VELCRO fastener.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the lower edges of the flexible cover are non-releasably secured to corresponding edges of the flexible support.
Preferably, in the second embodiment, the lower edges of the flexible cover are secured to the corresponding edges of the flexible support by sewing, welding, heat fusion or any other suitable means of securing known in the art.
Preferably, in all embodiments of the present invention, the flexible support is manufactured from a mesh material. Preferably, the mesh material is a plastics material.
Preferably, the plastics material is polypropylene. Preferably, in all embodiments of the present invention, the flexible cover is manufactured from a waterproof material. Preferably, the waterproof material is selected from canvas, canvas-like or synthetic material.
Preferably, in all embodiments of the present invention, the first frame and the second frame are each manufactured from a hollow tubular material. Preferably, the hollow material is of the circular cross-section. Preferably, the hollow tubular material is manufactured from metal. Preferably, the metal is aluminium.
Preferably, in all embodiments of the present invention, each end of the connector, the first connector, and the second connector has a spigot-like projection which is retained within respective ends of the first end or side frame member, the other end of each of the connectors terminating in a shaped resilient portion adapted to function as a releasable snap-fit connection to a respective first end or second end frame member, the portion being of a shape complementary to that of the first end or the second end frame member.
Preferably, in those embodiments of the present invention where the hollow material is of the circular cross-section, the resilient portion is substantially C-shaped.
Optionally, the second end frame members include stops to limit downward movement of the first end frame members when the shelter is in use.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.


A system and a method for controlling traffic, the method comprising: when a sensing terminal sends a wireless signal, the intensity of the wireless signal sent by the sensing terminal is determined by wireless sensor nodes (101) located on both sides of a road, and the determined intensity is passed to an information processing module (102); the information processing module (102); the information processing module (102) controls the state of a traffic light according to the change in the intensity determined by the wireless sensor nodes (101). By means of the present application, the state of pedestrians crossing the road can be automatically determined, and the traffic light can be automatically adjusted, so as to ensure the safety of pedestrians effectively.

Pedestrian passing time is typically set at a fixed value in a traffic control system for a pedestrian crossing in the prior art.
The passing time for a slower pedestrian, e.g., an elderly man or woman, a person with a poor self-control ability (e.g., a younger child), etc., may exceed the preset fixed time. However the existing traffic signal lamp control system can not judge whether there is a pedestrian passing by, thus possibly in such a phenomenon that a pedestrian may be trapped at the middle of a road and fail to pass smoothly when traffic signal lamps change in color during passage of the pedestrian through a crossing.
Furthermore a child may judge a change in traffic signal lamp inaccurately and pass slowly, so numerous hidden dangers may result from the solution with a fixed value at a crosswalk on a road nearby elementary and middle schools.

CHINA ACADEMY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY


Disclosed are PAP mutants having reduced phytotoxicity compared to wild-type PAP, and which retain wild-type PAP biological activity in plants. One group of PAP mutants is characterized by at least one amino acid substitution in the N-terminus of mature PAP, such as the Glycine 75 residue or the Glutamic acid 97 residue. Another group of preferred PAP mutants is characterized by mutations such as truncations in the C-terminal region of mature PAP. PAP mutants having from at least about 26 to about 76 mature PAP amino acids (not counting the 29-amino acid C-terminal extension of wild-type PAP) exhibit reduced phytotoxicity and retain PAP biological activity in plants. The disclosed PAP mutants may include the 22-amino acid N-terminal signal sequence and/or the C-terminal extension of wild-type PAP.. Also disclosed are DNA molecules encoding the PAP mutants. The DNAs can be operably linked to a promoter functional in given host cells such as plants, and stably transformed into a vector functional in said cells. Procaryotic or eucaryotic hosts, e.g., yeast or plants, stably transformed with a mutant PAP-encoding DNA are further disclosed, as well as protoplasts stably transformed with the DNAs. Transgenic plants and seed containing the DNAs are also provided. The transgenic plants exhibit broad spectrum virus resistance. They include monocots, such as cereal crops, and dicot plants.. Further disclosed is a method for identifying a PAP mutant having reduced phytotoxicity and which retains PAP biological activity. The method involves the steps of providing a eucaryotic cell stably transformed with a mutagenized PAP-encoding DNA molecule, wherein the DNA molecule is operably linked to an inducible promoter functional in eucaryotic cells. The thus-transformed cell is cultured in a suitable medium, and after a predetermined time, an inducer is added to the medium to cause expression of the DNA molecule. A determination is then made as to whether any cultured cells survive the induction of expression of the DNA molecule. The presence of which indicates the presence of a PAP mutant having reduced phytotoxicity so that the biological activity of the PAP mutant encoded by the mutagenized DNA can then be determined. Any PAP mutants which also exhibit broad spectrum virus resistance in an in vivo or in vitro assay would be considered as PAP mutants which retain PAP biological activity in plants. Isolated and purified PAP mutants identified by the aforesaid process are also provided.

Many commercially valuable agricultural crops are prone to infection by plant viruses. These viruses are capable of inflicting significant damage to a crop in a given season, and thus can drastically reduce its economic value. The reduction in economic value to the farmer in turn results in a higher cost of goods to ultimate purchasers. Several published studies have been directed to the expression of plant virus capsid proteins in a plant in an effort to confer resistance to viruses. See, e.g., Abel et al., Science 232:738-43 (1986); Cuozzo et al., Bio/Technology 6:549-57 (1988); Hemenway et al., EMBO J. 7:1273-80 (1988); Stark et al., Bio/Technology 7:1257-62 (1989); and Lawson et al., Bio/Technology 8:127-34 (1990). However, the transgenic plants exhibited resistance only to the homologous virus and related viruses, but not to unrelated viruses. Kawchuk et al., Mol. Plant-Microbe Interactions 3:301-07 (1990), disclose the expression of wild-type potato leafroll virus (PLRV) coat protein gene in potato plants. Even though the infected plants exhibited resistance to PLRV, all of the transgenic plants that were inoculated with PLRV became infected with the virus and thus disadvantageously allowed for the continued transmission of the virus such that high levels of resistance could not be expected. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,730.
Lodge et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:7089-93 (1993), report the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco with a cDNA encoding wild-type pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) and the resistance of the transgenic tobacco plants to unrelated viruses. PAP, a Type I ribosome-inhibiting protein (RIP) found in the cell walls of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed), is a single polypeptide chain that catalytically removes a specific adenine residue from a highly conserved stem-loop structure in the 28S rRNA of eukaryotic ribosomes, interfering with elongation factor-2 binding and blocking cellular protein synthesis. See, e.g., Irvin et al., Pharmac. Ther. 55:279-302 (1992); Endo et al., Biophys. Res. Comm., 150:1032-36 (1988); and Hartley et al., FEBS Lett. 290:65-68 (1991). The observations by Lodge were in sharp contrast to previous studies, supra, which reported that transgenic plants expressing a viral gene were resistant to that virus and closely related viruses only. See also Beachy et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol. 28:451-74 (1990); and Golemboski et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6311-15 (1990). Lodge also reports, however, that the PAP-expressing tobacco plants (i.e., above 10 ng/mg protein) tended to have a stunted, mottled phenotype, and that other transgenic tobacco plants that accumulated the highest levels of PAP were sterile.
Hence, a need remains for a means by which to confer broad spectrum virus resistance to plants which overcomes the problems associated with known methods, and particularly which would require a minimum number of transgenes, the expression of which would not cause plant cell death or sterility.

DNA encoding pokeweed antiviral protein mutants


Molded polyurethane articles are made by reacting polyisocyanates with polyol compositions obtained by chemical decomposition of polyurethane and/or polyurea waste in a mold. The polyol compositions employed in this invention have an OH value of from about 100 to about 500 mg KOH/g, a water content of from 0 to about 5 wt. % and a viscosity at 20.degree. C. of more than 2,000 mPa.multidot.s. These molded polyurethane articles preferably have a sandwich structure in which the core is a polyurethane and there is at least one outer layer made from an optionally fiber-reinforced plastic material. These molded polyurethane articles are useful in the motor vehicle, furniture, machine and equipment manufacturing industries.

The present invention relates to polyurethane molded articles prepared from recycled polyols, a process for their production and their use in the motor vehicle, furniture, machine and equipment manufacturing industries.
Molded polyurethane articles are extensively used in industry, e.g., in the car manufacturing industry, in the form of polyurethane structural foams and as polyurethane sandwich components. Polyurethane molded articles are generally used in sandwich constructions when producing high-quality structural components for the motor vehicle and bodywork industry, in particular in the interior of vehicles. In principle, there are two prior art processes which are used for the production of such sandwich components.
In the "filling" process, two half-shells (outer layers) are made first. These half-shells are inserted into a mold and the cavity between the shells is filled with a polyurethane foam.
In the envelope construction process, a core made of polyurethane foam is initially introduced into a mold. This core is then covered with a suitable encasing material made of, e.g., a fiber-reinforced plastic such as an epoxy resin or an unsaturated polyester resin.
Polyol compositions recovered from polyurethane or polyurea waste have rarely been used for the production of polyurethane molded articles such as high-quality structural components for the vehicle and bodywork industry.

Molded polyurethane articles prepared from recycled polyols and processes for their production and use


Embodiments of the claimed subject matter are directed to systems and a method that allows the aggregation of multiple interfaces of a single data communication bus to provide greater bandwidth for communication between a peripheral device and system memory within a computing system. In one embodiment, a system is provided wherein the unoccupied interfaces of the data communication bus is aggregated with an occupied interface coupled to a peripheral device to increase the bandwidth of data transfer requests between the peripheral device and the system memory.

The development of cheaper, more capable integrated circuits have led to the development of portable computing systems featuring smaller, sleeker designs while retaining relatively sophisticated computing capabilities. These computing systems refer primarily to laptops and netbooks, but also include smart phones, and portable audio devices, portable video devices and portable video game consoles. However, as the recent trend of miniaturizing portable computing systems continues, the space available for hardware for these designs has progressively decreased. As a result, the optimization of hardware design and architecture has become of primary importance.
Typical computing devices include at least a collection of microprocessors or a central processing unit (CPU), some memory, a motherboard (e.g., central printed circuit board) featuring a chipset, and at least one graphics processing unit for generating video output to a display. In some conventional motherboard designs, the chipset is arranged into two separate component hubs, which are commonly referred to as the "northbridge" and "southbridge," respectively. The northbridge typically handles communications among the CPU, random access memory (RAM), video output interfaces, and the southbridge. In many contemporary netbook and laptop implementations, the video output interface is implemented as an integrated graphics processing unit. The southbridge, on the other hand, is one or more chips that provide a platform to support a plurality of peripheral components, such as input/output devices and mass storage devices. In many implementations, the southbridge may also include integrated peripherals, such as audio controllers, network interface cards, universal serial bus (USB) and PCI-express connections, etc.
Traditionally, netbooks and laptops have used integrated graphics solutions such as integrated graphics processing units (GPUs) coupled to the northbridge. Integrated graphics processing units are graphics processors that utilize a portion of a computer's system memory rather than having its own dedicated memory. In general, integrated GPUs are cheaper to implement than dedicated or "discrete" GPUs, and offer relatively improved battery life and lower power usage, but at the cost of reduced capability and performance levels relative to discrete GPUs. Advantageously, manufacturers of netbooks and laptops have begun to offer configurations with higher graphics processing capabilities by providing computer systems that include additional discrete graphics processing units in addition to the integrated graphics processors.
Discrete or "dedicated" GPUs are distinguishable from integrated GPUs by having higher performance and also having local memory dedicated for use by the GPU that the GPU does not share with the underlying computer system. Commonly, discrete GPUs are implemented on discrete circuit boards called "video cards" which include, among other components, a GPU, the local memory, communication buses and various output terminals. In conventional applications, these video cards typically interface with the main circuit board (e.g., motherboard) of a computing system through a PCI Express (PCI-e) interface, upon which the video card may be mounted. In general, discrete GPUs are capable of significantly higher performance levels relative to integrated GPUs but typically require and consume higher levels of power relative to integrated graphics solutions. Portable computing devices with both integrated and discrete graphics processing solutions often offer a mechanism or procedure that enables the user to alternate usage between the particular solutions so as to manage performance and battery life according to situational needs or desired performance levels.
As mentioned above, in typical netbooks and laptops, the PCI Express interface is a component of the southbridge. However, unlike PCI-e interfaces in other computing systems such as desktops, the PCI-e interface of a portable computing device is often of a reduced size and, consequently, of a reduced capacity. In a typical configuration, the PCI-e interface of any computing device comprises a plurality of links, with each link comprising a further plurality of "lanes," and being configured to independently couple to a peripheral device. The number of lanes in a link coupled to a peripheral device correlates with the bandwidth of the connection, and thus, couplings between a peripheral device and a link with larger amounts of lanes have greater bandwidth than couplings with links comprised of only single lanes. Traditionally, the number of links in a PCI-e interface of a portable computing device may be configured by the manufacturer in separate configurations to suit specific hardware implementations.
In a popular configuration, the links in PCI-e interface of a portable computing device may be arranged in either of two combinations totaling up to four lanes. For example, implementations can comprise either a single link of four lanes (1×4), thereby offering relatively greater bandwidth for a coupled device. Alternatively, implementations may feature four separate links, with each link capable of being coupled to a separate device but limited to a single lane (4×1) with a correspondingly low bandwidth. Thus, whenever the PCI-e interface is coupled to one device, the single link (1×4) configuration may be optimal, but multiple devices require additional links that adversely impact the amount of bandwidth and throughput of each connection.
Unfortunately, since netbooks and laptops are often intended to be used with network connections, chipset manufacturers of computing devices that will include a discrete GPU will invariably manufacture southbridges (and/or motherboards in general) with PCI-e interfaces having four separate links of one lane each, one of which is occupied by a network controller (e.g., a network interface card). This results in the extremely inefficient configuration wherein one link is coupled to the network controller, another link is coupled to the graphics processing unit, and the other two links remaining unoccupied (or coupled to additional devices). While the bandwidth from a link with only one lane may be sufficient to run certain applications on certain devices, for usage in graphics processing a link having only a single lane is often insufficient and likely to drastically and adversely impact the performance of the discrete graphics processing unit. Moreover, this configuration results not only in substandard performance for discrete graphics processing units, but also commonly results in a waste of the remaining unoccupied links.

Aggregating unoccupied PCI-e links to provide greater bandwidth


There are provided a write light valve for generating image-writing light by modulating write light, a driver for writing images into the write light valve based on image data, read light valves for each color for generating respective color image lights by modulating each received color illumination light, an imaging lens group for guiding the image-writing light emitted from the write light valve to the respective read light valves, a dichroic cube for combining together color image lights emitted from the respective read light valves, a projection lens for projecting each color image light combined together. The imaging lens group has a distortion aberration which reduces or cancels out a distortion aberration of the projection lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection type video display in which an image writing to a read light valve that generates projection image light is performed by using light.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection type video display in which an image writing to a read light valve which generates projection image light is performed by using light is known (refer to a pamphlet of International Laid-Open WO 2005/116719 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-94115, for example). As an example, a conventional projection type video display is shown in FIG. 1. White light emitted from a white light source 101 is converted to substantially parallel light by a parabolic reflector, and the parallel light is introduced into an integrator lens 102. The integrator lens 102 is constructed by a pair of fly's eye lenses 102a and 102b and each of pairs of lens parts leads light emitted from the white light source 101 to the whole surface of a read light valve described later. Light that has passed through the integrator lens 102 is introduced into a first dichroic mirror 105 after passing through a polarization converter 103 and a collective lens 104.
The polarization converter 103 is constructed by a polarization beam splitter array (hereinbelow, referred to as PBS array). Each of PBSs has polarization separation films and a retardation film (1/2λ plate). Each of the polarization separation films in the PBS transmits, for example, P-polarized light in light from the integrator lens 102 and changes the optical path of S-polarized light by 90°. The S-polarized light whose optical path is changed is reflected by the adjoining polarization film and goes out as it is. On the other hand, the P-polarized light which has passed through the polarization separation film provided on the front side (light-exit side) of the PBS is converted to S-polarized light by the retardation film and the S-polarized light goes out. That is, in this case, substantially all of light is converted to S-polarized light.
A first dichroic mirror 105 transmits first color light while reflecting second color light and third color light. The first color light which has passed through the first dichroic mirror 105 is reflected by a tilted reflecting mirror 106. The first color light reflected by the tilted reflecting mirror 106 is introduced into a transmission-type read light valve 131 for first color light via a lens 107. The first color light changes to first color image light as a result of passing through the read light valve 131. On the other hand, light reflected by the first dichroic mirror 105 is introduced into a second dichroic mirror 108.
The second dichroic mirror 108 transmits third color light while reflecting second color light. The second color light reflected by the second dichroic mirror 108 is introduced into a transmission-type read light valve 132 for second color light via a lens 109. The second color light changes to second color image light as a result of passing through the read light valve 132.
A first dichroic cube 112 is provided at a position where an optical path of the first color image light and an optical path of the second color image light cross each other. The first dichroic cube 112 transmits the first color light while reflecting the second color light. When the first color image light and the second color image light are incident on the first dichroic cube 112, they are directed to the same direction.
The third color light which has passed through the second dichroic mirror 108 is introduced into a transmission-type read light valve 133 for third color light via a lens 110. The third color light changes to third color image light as a result of passing through the read light valve 133. An optical path of the third color image light is changed by 90° by a reflecting prism 111.
A second dichroic cube 113 is provided at a position where the changed optical path of the third color image light and an optical path which is the optical path of the first color image light combined with the optical path of the second color image light cross each other. The second dichroic cube 113 transmits the first color light and the second color light while reflecting the third color light. When the first color image light, the second color image light and the third color image light are incident on the second dichroic cube 113, they are directed to the same direction. This causes full-color image light to be generated.
At the light exit side of the second dichroic cube 113 (beside a surface which emits the full-color image light), there is disposed a projection lens 114. The full-color image light emitted from the second dichroic cube 113 is projected onto a not-shown screen through the projection lens 114.
Next, an image writing optical system will be described hereinafter. The image writing optical system includes three UV (Ultraviolet)-LEDs (light-emitting diodes) 121A, 121B and 121C as image-writing light sources for respective colors. The peak wavelength of the UV-LEDs 121A, 121B and 121C are different from one another. UV-LEDs 121A, 121B and 121C are turned on in a time-sequential manner. UV lights emitted from UV-LEDs 121A, 121B and 121C are directed to the same direction by dichroic mirrors 120A and 120B. When the UV lights pass through a rod integrator 122, a surface illuminant with a uniform light intensity is formed on an exit surface of the rod integrator 122. The UV lights emitted from the exit surface are introduced into a polarization beam splitter 124 after passing through a relay lens group 123.
Particular polarized light (for example, P-polarized light) which has passed through the polarization beam splitter 124 is introduced into a write light valve (for example, LCOS (liquid-crystal-on-silicon) device) 125 which modulates write light (the UV light). The write light valve 125 generates images for respective colors in a time-sequential manner by a not-shown driver. That is, the driver causes the write light valve 125 to form a first image based on a first color video signal when the UV-LED 121A is turned on, next writes a second image into the write light valve 125 based on a second color video signal when the UV-LED 121B is turned on, and writes a third image into the write light valve 125 based on a third color video signal when the UV-LED 121C is turned on, for example.
The write light valve 125 generates image light by modulating the received particular polarized light. The image light is obtained as reflected light, and the reflected light is changed to the other particular polarized light (for example, S-polarized light). That is, when the particular polarized light is irradiated on the write light valve 125, image-writing light having the other particular polarized light (S-polarized light) is generated. The image-writing light emitted from the write light valve 125 is reflected on the polarization beam splitter 124. The image-writing light is introduced into the second dichroic cube 113 through an imaging lens group 126.
Each of the second dichroic cube 113 and the first dichroic cube 112 has wavelength selectivity for the UV lights from the UV-LEDs 121A, 121B and 121C. Three UV lights having different peak-wavelengths from are split, and the split lights (the aforementioned image-writing lights) are introduced into the respective read light valves 131, 132 and 133. Specifically, first image-writing light based on the first color video signal is irradiated on the read light valve 131, second image-writing light based on the second color video signal is irradiated on the read light valve 132, and third image-writing light based on the third color video signal is irradiated on the read light valve 133.
As disclosed in the pamphlet of International Laid-Open WO 2005/116719, each of the read light valves 131, 132 and 133 is composed of an OASLM (Optically Addressed Spatial Light Modulator) having a photoconductive effect. For example, with a configuration in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between optically transparent electrode structures having a photoconductive effect, photoconductive effect changes in only its portion where light is irradiated, with the result that a state of application of a voltage to the liquid crystal changes in the portion where light is irradiated, changing a state of rotation of the liquid crystal.
The conventional projection type video display described above, particularly the projection type video display shown in FIG. 1, however, needs a large projection lens having a long back focal length. In a case where the projection lens is particularly designed in wide-angle lens specifications, a distortion aberration is likely to occur. Further, in a case where a chromatic aberration of magnification occurs in a projection optical system, a color blur may occur in a projected image on a screen.


The present disclosure relates to a bracket for stacking heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) units. The bracket includes a corner portion having a first raised section and an alignment protrusion that extends from the corner portion. The bracket also includes a first arm extending from the corner portion, where the first arm includes a second raised section at a first end of the first arm, and where a first strap recess is formed between the first raised section and the second raised section. The bracket further includes a second arm extending from the corner portion, where the second arm includes a third raised section at a second end of the second arm, and where a second strap recess is formed between the first raised section and the third raised section.

This disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bracket that facilitates stacking of HVAC units.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as an admission of any kind.
A wide range of applications exist for HVAC systems. For example, residential, light commercial, commercial, and industrial HVAC systems are used to control temperature and air quality in an interior space of a building or other suitable structure. Generally, the HVAC systems include one or more HVAC units that facilitate the transfer of thermal energy between the interior space and an ambient environment, such as the atmosphere. HVAC units are typically assembled in a manufacturing facility that may produce hundreds or thousands of HVAC units annually. Upon assembly, the HVAC units are conventionally stacked in vertical arrays to facilitate space efficient storage and/or transportation of the HVAC units. Vertical stacking of the HVAC units may cause enclosures of certain HVAC units positioned below other HVAC units to absorb a compressive force that is generated due to a weight of the above-laying HVAC units. Unfortunately, application of such compressive forces to the lower HVAC units may, in some cases, cause enclosures of the lower HVAC units to bend or deform. Moreover, the HVAC units may translate relative to one another while stacked within the vertical array during handling or transportation of the vertical array, which may scratch or impart wear to an exterior surface of the HVAC unit enclosures.


An apparatus for assisting a rescuer in performing chest compressions during CPR on a victim, the apparatus comprising a pad or other structure configured to be applied to the chest near or at the location at which the rescuer applies force to produce the chest compressions, at least one sensor connected to the pad, the sensor being configured to sense movement of the chest or force applied to the chest, processing circuitry for processing the output of the sensor to determine whether the rescuer is substantially releasing the chest following chest compressions, and at least one prompting element connected to the processing circuitry for providing the rescuer with information as to whether the chest is being substantially released following chest compressions.

This invention relates to the field of cardiac resuscitation, and in particular to devices for assisting rescuers in performing chest compression during cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Chest compression during CPR is used to mechanically support circulation in subjects with cardiac arrest, by maintaining blood circulation and oxygen delivery until the heart is restarted. The victim's chest is compressed by the rescuer, ideally at a rate and depth of compression in accordance with medical guidelines, e.g., the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. One key step for creating blood flow through the heart is to release the chest adequately after each chest compression. The chest should be released sufficiently to create a negative pressure in the chest, to facilitate venous filling of the heart and increased blood flow upon the next chest compression. If the chest is not released adequately, a positive thoracic pressure will remain which will hinder venous return and right atrial filling. Other key CPR parameters are maximal velocity of compression, compression depth, and average velocity. Compression depth and average velocity, together, provide good indication of potential blood flow volume. Maximal velocity of compression is an important factor in proper mitral valve closure and higher blood flow volume.
Sensors have been suggested for detecting the depth of chest compression. An accelerometer (with its output integrated to estimate depth) was disclosed, for example, in Freeman U.S. application Ser. No. 09/794,320, U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,107 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,996. Force (pressure) sensors were disclosed, for example, in Groenke U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,299. Force sensors provided no way of determining absolute displacement, as the compliance of the thoracic cage varies considerably from person to person. Accelerometers do not provide an indication of whether or not the chest is being released. They calculate displacement by double integration, which can result in a significant DC offset. U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,107 attempted to address the DC offset problem by incorporating a force sensor as a switch to indicate onset and conclusion of compression. The prior art has also employed mechanical pressure gauges to indicate to the rescuer the amount of force or pressure being applied to the chest. But these prior art uses of an accelerometer and/or force sensor have not provided a good solution to providing the rescuer with useful feedback as to whether the chest has been sufficiently released. Differences in compliance of the thoracic cage from one individual to another means that each individual will generally be able to support different amounts of force on the sternum without significant displacement occurring.
Increasingly, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are used by rescuers treating victims of cardiac arrest for the delivery of defibrillatory shocks with the minimum of delay. The algorithms contained in the currently-available AEDs call for 'hands off' periods during which electrocardiographic (ECG) analysis is performed by the device and the rescuer withholds compressions. Compressions must be withheld because the accuracy of current rhythm analysis algorithms in AEDs is severely degraded by the artifact induced by the chest compressions. These AEDs also call for the rescuer to check for pulse or for signs of circulation during which time no compressions are performed. It has been shown in several studies that interruptions in the performance of chest compressions of as short a time as 20 seconds can dramatically reduce the probability of the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), a key survival measure. Other studies have also shown that the minimum amount of time required for the 'hands off' period is 20 seconds. There is therefore a need for the ability of AEDs to perform rhythm analysis while the rescuer continues with the chest compressions uninterrupted.

Method and apparatus for enhancement of chest compressions during CPR


An integrated sensing system for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors include a sensor cluster, a steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors, any other sensors required by subsystem controls. The outputs from the sensing system are used to drive various vehicle control systems and to warn the drivers for certain abnormal operating conditions. The vehicle controls coupled with the integrated sensing system controller achieve control objectives including: fuel economy, chassis controls, traction controls, active safety, active ride comfort, active handling, and passive safety.

Various automotive vehicles have recently begun including vehicle control systems. Such vehicle control systems include yaw stability control systems, roll stability control systems, integrated vehicle dynamic control systems, etc. The ongoing goal of vehicle controls is to achieve a coordinated system level vehicle performances for ride, handling, safety and fuel economy.
With current advances in mechatronics, vehicle controls have increased opportunities for achieving performances, which were previously reserved for spacecraft and aircraft. For example, gyro sensors, previously only used in aircraft, have now been incorporated in various vehicle controls, and the anti-lock brake systems invented for airplanes are now standard automotive control systems. Current sensor technology generates ever-increasing opportunities for vehicle control.
A typical vehicle control system utilizes 3-dimensional vehicle motions. For example, during yaw stability and roll stability controls, the control task involves three-dimensional motions along the vehicle roll, pitch, and yaw directions and along the vehicle longitudinal, lateral and vertical directions.
The coupling between different motion directions should not be neglected in most maneuvers involving vehicle roll over or vehicle yaw. For example, excessive steering of a vehicle will lead to excessive yaw and lateral motion, which may cause large rolling motion towards the outside of a turn. If the driver brakes the vehicle during the excessive steering, the vehicle will also experience roll and pitch motions in conjunction with lateral and longitudinal accelerations. Therefore, a successful vehicle dynamics control should involve an accurate determination of the vehicle roll, pitch and yaw attitudes (side slip angle).
Currently, inertial measurement units (IMUs) and various other sensors used in aerospace vehicle controls have been incorporated in automotive vehicles for inertial control. IMUs have been used in inertial navigation systems (INS) for aircrafts and satellites for decades. Typically, an INS system determines the attitude of a flight vehicle through IMU sensor signals.
An IMU sensor set includes three gyros and three linear accelerometers. An INS contains an IMU and a processor unit to compute the navigation solutions necessary for navigation, attitude reference and various other data communication sources.
Although INS systems are sufficient to generate a navigation solution, over time the computation based on IMU sensor signals drifts, and the errors associated with the computation increases. Sometimes these errors increase such that a navigation solution is unattainable within the INS. To mitigate this problem and to compute a correct navigation solution over the entire flight, external navigation sources are used to continually correct the attitude computations based on IMU sensor signals. One of the more reliable of external sources is a GPS system with multiple GPS receivers. Such a system has been used to determine a rough attitude reference of a vehicle in flight.
Current automotive vehicle systems experience a similar signal drift problem in vehicle attitude determination. Although the drift is not as severe as in aerospace vehicles, it generates errors within the vehicle control system such that the vehicle control system engages improper actions.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a vehicle system sensing algorithm that uses sensors to determine the vehicle operation states, to monitor abnormal vehicle operation states, and to compensate the sensor errors for various automotive vehicle control applications.

Integrated sensing system for an automotive system


A right reinforcing rib 25 is disposed on a straight line connecting a left hinge attachment location 15 with an inner wall 17 in a region surrounded by a left hinge attachment location 15, a right end of a lower edge of a door inner panel 3, and a right virtual corner 26a. A left reinforcing rib 25 is disposed on a straight line connecting a right hinge attachment location 15 with the inner wall 17 in a region surrounded by a right hinge attachment location 15, a left end of the lower edge of the door inner panel 3, and a left virtual corner 26b.

The present disclosure relates to improved vehicle back doors, and specifically to a resin door inner panel having improved rigidity, the resin door inner panel having an upper section supported to an upper section of a rear end of a vehicle body through a pair of hinges.
A typical hatchback vehicle, e.g., having a back door opening on a rear end of a vehicle body of the hatchback vehicle includes a back door that can rotate vertically to open and close the back door opening. Such a back door includes an upper half portion equipped with a window pane. Hinge attachment locations are provided above the window pane. The back door is coupled with an upper section of a rear end of a vehicle body through hinges mounted on the hinge attachment locations. A user lifts up a lower section of the back door to open the back door opening, and pushes down the lifted back door to close the back door opening.
In closing the back door opening, one of the right end portion or the left end portion of the lower section of the back door may be pushed down. In this case, the load is applied on one of the right end portion or the left end portion of the lower section of the back door. In this case, the shape of the upper half portion of back door can be kept because a relatively highly rigid window pane is mounted. However, the lower half portion of the back door might be deformed by the load applied on one of the right end portion or the left end portion because a member such as a rigid window pane is not mounted. Various solutions were provided to reduce such deformation.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-101740 (paragraphs 0010, 0011, and 0012; and FIGS. 1 and 2) discloses a back door including a generally rectangular resin inner panel and a generally rectangular resin outer panel assembled to the inner panel. A rectangular reinforcing member, which is a metal pipe, is mounted on a surface of the inner panel along an outer periphery of the inner panel. This surface faces the outer panel. The reinforcing member secures the rigidity and reduces the deformation described above.
However, the back door of Patent Document 1 is equipped with the metal reinforcing member, and has unnecessary weight. This back door also inconveniently causes a trouble in mounting the reinforcing member.
It is an object of the present disclosure to increase the rigidity of a back door without an increase in the weight thereof, and reduce the deformation of a lower half portion of the back door.


If an image read by an image reading unit is formed by an image forming unit, a control unit synthesizes a first encoded image and a second encoded image with the image formed by the image forming unit to generate a synthetic image, the first encoded image representing encoded data where reading setting information used for the image reading unit to read the image is encoded, the second encoded image representing encoded data where forming setting information used for the image forming unit to form the image is encoded, the first encoded image being synthesized at a position where a direction in which the document is read by the image reading unit is specifiable, and the second encoded image being synthesized at a position where a direction in which the image is formed on the sheet is specifiable. The image forming unit forms the synthetic image on the sheet.

In order to inspect or investigate an image forming apparatus, information representing a reading direction or a printing direction of a document may be required. In this case, for example, a service person may take out information or printed matter regarding the reading of a document to execute an inspection or an investigation based on the information or the printed matter.
However, if the information for the inspection or the investigation is missing or wrong, there is a problem in that, for example, the reason for the missing or wrong information cannot be specified. In this related art, it is difficult to easily acquire accurate information regarding the reading or printing of a document.


This invention provides an image pick-up optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with positive refractive power having an object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, at least one of the surfaces thereof being aspheric; and a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, at least one of the surfaces thereof being aspheric. The image pick-up optical lens assembly further comprises an aperture stop disposed between an object and the first lens element. Such arrangement facilitates a significant reduction in size and sensitivity of the lens assembly while providing superb image quality with higher resolution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pick-up optical lens assembly, and more particularly, to an image pick-up optical lens assembly used in electronic products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The demand for compact imaging lens elements has grown in recent years as the popularity of portable electronic products with the photographing function has increased, and the sensor of a general imaging lens is none other than CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Sensor). Furthermore, as advances in semiconductor manufacturing technology have allowed the pixel size of sensors to be reduced, and the resolution of compact imaging lens elements has gradually increased, there is an increasing demand for compact imaging lens elements featuring better image quality.
Generally, the conventional imaging lens for portable electronic products, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,145,736, is of a triplet type comprising, in order from the object side to the image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power; a second lens element with negative refractive power; and a third lens element with positive refractive power. However, as advances in semiconductor manufacturing technology will never stop while electronic products are becoming even more compact at the same time, the pixel size of sensors will become even smaller, and the standard for image quality becomes even higher. Therefore, the three-element lens assembly has become insufficient for a high-end imaging lens module. U.S. Pat. No. 7,365,920 has disclosed a four-lens-element assembly, wherein two spherical-surface glass lens elements serving as the first and second lens elements are adhered together to form a doublet for correcting the chromatic aberration. Such an arrangement of optical elements, however, has the following disadvantages: (1) the degree of freedom of the optical system is curtailed due to the employment of excess number of spherical-surface glass lens elements, thus the total track length of the optical system cannot be reduced easily; (2) the process of adhering glass lens elements together is complicated, posing difficulties in the production process.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an image pick-up optical lens assembly that features better image quality, higher resolution and compact size and is applicable to compact portable electronic products.


A method for selecting metal alloys as the electric contact materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) metal contact switches. This method includes a review of alloy experience, consideration of equilibrium binary alloy phase diagrams, obtaining thin film material properties and, based on a suitable model, predicting contact electrical resistance performance. After determination of a candidate alloy material, MEMS switches are conceptualized, fabricated and tested to validate the alloy selection methodology. Minimum average contact resistance values of 1.17 and 1.87 ohms are achieved for micro-switches with gold (Au) and gold-platinum (Au-(6.3 at %)Pt) alloy contacts. In addition, ‘hot-switched’ life cycle test results of 1.02×108 and 2.70×108 cycles may be realized for micro-switches with Au and Au-(6.3 at %)Pt contacts. These results indicate increased wear with a small increase in contact resistance for MEMS switches with metal alloy electric contacts.

Radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches are of paramount in importance for future miniaturizations of radio frequency systems. Space-based radar, phased array radar and phase shifters all depend on being able to easily and reliably switch between different radio frequency loads. Because of their small geometries, exceptional performance and low power consumptions, MEMS metal contact switches are well suited for these applications.
Important performance criteria for many MEMS metal contact switch applications are low contact resistance, resistance preferably less than one ohm and not more than two ohms in magnitude, and high reliability; for example an operating life of more than 108 'hot-switched' cycles. The two primary failure mechanisms for metal contact switches involve the switch becoming stuck in the closed position (i.e. stiction) or incurring increasing contact resistance as a result of increasing switch operating cycles. Typically, MEMS metal contact switches use gold-on-gold electric contacts in order to achieve the desired low contact resistance. This low resistance results of course from gold's low electrical resistivity and its resistance to surface oxide and sulfide layer formations. However, MEMS switches with gold electric contacts are prone to the stiction and increased contact resistance failure mechanisms because of gold's relatively low hardness, a hardness of 1-2 GPa is typical.
Previous work in this field has focused on the optimizing of mechanical switch configurations rather than investigating different electric contact metallurgies. Notable exceptions to this focusing on the optimizing of mechanical switch configurations are the work of S. Majumder et al. and S. Duffy et al. which involve 'platinum group' and platinum electric contact metals, respectively [1, 2]. Bracketed numbers such as this refer to individual items in the list of references appearing in the APPENDIX located at the end of this specification; these references are hereby incorporated by reference herein. These metals were chosen over gold for their increased hardness and improved wear characteristics. In order to achieve acceptable contact resistance values, the Majumder et al. switches require multiple, parallel contacts and are packaged in a novel hermetic environment while the Duffy et al. switches require very high actuation voltages of about 80 Volts.
J. Schimkat studied gold-nickel alloy (Au-(5 at %)Ni) macro-switch contacts in a low-force test configuration but did not fabricate or test actual MEMS devices [3]. Currently, there are no other known works appearing in the open published literature describing how to select and incorporate metal alloys as micro-switch electric contact materials. The present invention provides a method for selecting metal alloy electric contact materials for micro-switches that are optimized for increased wear, low contact resistance and low susceptibility to oxidation, to contaminant gettering and to the formation of sulfide layers. The present invention is thus believed to provide a desirable contribution toward resolution of the MEMS radio frequency switch contact metal difficulty.

Radio frequency MEMS switch contact metal selection

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


Provided with a process for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer by a continuous bulk or solution polymerization including the steps of: (a) separately feeding 70 to 90 parts by volume and 10 to 30 parts by volume based on the total input of a raw material monomer into first and second reactors from a raw material monomer storing section via two feeding sections, wherein an output is issued from the second reactor as much as the input at the same time, (b) polymerizing the mixture of the raw material monomers in each reactor for 1.5 to 2.5 hours at a reaction temperature of 130 to 160xc2x0 C. and under the pressure of 1.5 to 4 kg/cm2 G to have conversion ratio of 80%; and (c) recycling part of the reaction solution from the first reactor to a separate mixer, mixing discharged solution from the second reactor and part of monomers directly supplied from one feeding section, and recycling the mixture to the first reactor.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer. More particularly, it relates to a process for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer having an excellent color and mechanical property by continuous bulk or solution polymerization.
Acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer is widely used for many application as a plastic material having good transparency, chemical resistance and mechanical property.
It is desirable that such a copolymer as widely used for many applications should be colorless.
Acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer is generally prepared by bulk or solution polymerization in the continuous process. This preparation method is advantageous to prepare pure copolymer but presents problems in that the reaction solution is hard to mix uniformly with difficulty in controlling the reaction temperature when the reaction mixture has high viscosity. The viscosity of the reaction mixture increases with the conversion ratio.
Especially, the reaction mixture becomes more viscous at the next reactor with a plurality of reactors connected with one another in series.
For acrylonitrile-styrene copolymerization, the composition of polymers is determined by the composition of monomers participating in the polymerization reaction. and acrylonitrile and styrene monomer polymerize at different rate. Thus the monomer mixture initially fed into the reactor varies in composition throughout the reaction in the preparation of the copolymer, and correspondingly, the composition of polymers also changes.
For such reason, the acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer formed in the preparation process becomes a mixture that has the composition distribution in a range. If the reaction mixture is not well mixed or the reaction is not accomplished uniformly, the distribution of the molecular weight and composition of the copolymer becomes broader. Broad distribution of molecular weight and composition is undesirable because broad distribution of composition of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer resin deteriorates the transparency, color and mechanical property of the shaped articles. It is thus importance that the distribution of composition and molecular weight of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer should be narrow in order to obtain copolymer of high quality.
Another problem possibly encountered in the polymerization step of the preparation process is formation of gel-like polymer. The gel formed in the polymerization step is an insoluble substance containing much acrylonitrile and has a very low thermal stability, causing red and black spots on the shaped articles and deteriorating the external appearance of the articles.
Such a gel is formed due to non-uniform composition locally in the polymer mixture, especially with unbalanced composition caused by insufficient mixing of the polymerization solution and non-uniform reaction in the polymerization step. The gel is ready be formed in the apparatus for processing the vapor of monomer mixture.
The phenomena causing the prescribed problems are usually due to high viscous polymerization solution which is the feature of acrylonitrile-styrene bulk copolymerization.
Use of a solvent such as ethylbenzene or toluene in a large amount may solve the problem resulting from the use of a polymer solution of high viscosity but has limitations in that the yield of production is decreased and the load of devolatizer increases.
Many methods to maintain the conditions for reaction uniform have been suggested as follows in order to eliminate the problem caused by the characteristic of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymerization itself:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,524,196, 4,324,868 and 2,769,804 describe a method for maintaining polymerization uniform in the reactor by using a special catalyst, or recycling a part of polymer solution back to the reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,139 discloses a method for enhancing the efficiency of mixing the reaction solution with horizontally arranged cylinder-like mixers.
In addition, EU Patent No. 344,437 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,267 suggest the use of proper solvent to make the reaction solution uniform, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,328,327 and 4,141,934 and JP Patent No. 7-309905 describe a method for feeding the monomer in different composition into the respective reactors.
These conventional methods are effective to improve the problems partly but involve disadvantages such as use of very expensive equipment and complex preparation process.
Particularly, the method for feeding the monomer in different composition into the respective reactors is expected to compensate for the change of monomer composition with conversion ratio in the next step reactor, requiring a separate apparatus for varying the composition of monomers fed into the reactors with a consequence of an increase in the costs. This method is inapplicable to the actual preparation process because there exists a large difference in the composition of monomers between the liquid and gas phases in the reactor and the composition of monomers is hard to measure. Furthermore, for a polymerization of high level of acrylonitrile containing copolymer, the change in the composition becomes serious in the respective reactors. In proportion to this, the amount of styrene monomers to compensate is increased in which case the transparency is deteriorated when mixing the monomers is insufficient.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer excellent in color, transparency and mechanical property by maintaining the conditions of polymerization uniform in the preparation process.
The acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer prepared by the present invention method is excellent in mechanical property such as strength, resistance to thermal discoloration, and contains less gel-like polymer, as a result of which injection molded articles made of the resin has an excellent external appearance.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a method for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer by a continuous bulk or solution polymerization includes the steps of: (a) separately feeding 70 to 90 part by volume and 10 to 30 part by volume based on the total feed monomer into the first and second reactors from a raw material monomer storing section via two feeding sections, the raw material monomer consisting of 50 to 90 part by weight of styrene, 10 to 50 part by weight of acrylonitrile, 0 to 30 part by weight of polymerization solvent, and 0 to 0.5 part by weight of chain transfer agent, wherein an output is issued from the second reactor as much as the input at the same time, (b) polymerizing the mixture of the raw material monomers in each reactor for 1.5 to 2.5 hours at a reaction temperature of 130 to 160xc2x0 C. and under the pressure of 1.5 to 4 kg/cm2 G to have conversion ratio of 80%; and (c) recycling part of the reaction solution from the first reactor to a separate mixer, mixing discharged solution from the second reactor and part of monomers directly supplied from one feeding section, and recycling the mixture to the first reactor.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Process for preparing acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer